Death Do Us Part

XXII

Valentine's Day, the day of lovers, approached quickly in London. Hearts fluttered, sweet and amorous words were exchanged through a poet's lips or partner's letters, roses appeared in drawing room vases, pink and red hues adorned clothing, and every noble was preparing all day for the Valentine's Day ball, hosted by a fellow noble they were acquainted with.

The streets of London were nearly empty for everyone was home pampering themselves before the big event or filling every dressmaker's shop to find the perfect ensemble.

At Kaya's residence, the girls were in Kaya's bedroom for beauty rest and ball preparation. Lovely and Tama decided to wear the dresses they purchased from Scarlet's. Kaya would wear a pink dress lined with gold trims and bows on the skirt. Her staff created masks for them to match their dresses for the ball. Lovely was impressed by the servants' creativity and the care they put into their work. It was a good thing she could keep the mask after the ball was over. Perhaps she could use it as inspiration for her next project.

"Miss Kaya," Merry knocks on the door. "A message for Miss Lovely Fortun."

"I'll get it!" Lovely exclaims, slowly opening the door.

She hid her body behind the door since she wore nothing but a corset and undergarments. She reached through the cracked door and took the letter from a silver tray. She closed the door and sat on a chair, opening the letter. After skimming through it, she sighs.

"Who's it from?" Kaya curiously asks.

"Sanji," Lovely says. "He's a friend back home. He sent me a valentine and wants to know how I'm faring in London. He also sends 'a gentle kiss on the hand for Lady Kaya.'"

Kaya giggles. "You should write him back, Lovely. He may want more than friendship if he sent you a valentine. It sounds like he's trying to court you!"

Lovely's expression turns gloomy. "But I don't want him to court me." She places the letter on a desk and sits in front of the mirror with a paper in hand. She put a quill and ink bottle beside her and started writing a response to Sanji's letter as a servant began working on her hair.

"Why not?" Kaya asks. "Isn't he a nice man?"

Lovely stops writing for a moment. "Yes, he is. But..." She turns her head to face Kaya.

The servant pinning Lovely's hair up frowns as she loses her hold on Lovely's hair. Her locks tumbled onto her shoulders.

"Promise me you won't say anything to Luffy about this," Lovely says to Kaya. "At least...not until tomorrow, depending on how he responds to the truth."

"Truth?" Kaya asks. She holds onto her bedpost. "What have you been keeping from him, Lovely?"

"Do you remember Oraios?" Lovely asks. "Luffy's wife that will be at the Valentine's ball?"

"What about her?"

"Well...she's closer to Luffy than you think..."

"Is that so?! Where is she then?!"

Lovely rubs the nape of her neck and lowers her gaze to the ground before she places a hand at the center of her chest. "She's here. Physically. I'm Oraios."

Kaya's eyes widened. "Oh..." She looks at Tama. "Did you know?"

"I didn't know until we arrived in London," Tama says. "I knew she was her. If only you saw the way Luffy looked at her. He wouldn't look at anyone else like that!" She looks at Lovely. "Did you notice his disappointment when you mentioned reuniting with Oraios, Lovely?! He likes you now! No, he loves you again!!"

Instead of excusing his disappointment as nerves of finally reuniting with her, Lovely turns back to the mirror and looks at Tama through the mirror's reflection. She smiles softly.