Opavia

16.

Devoted to making her rescue quick, Vitani headed for the nearest town. She sat down in a small shop, taking the bowl of purple paint a woman had set down before her.

"So, you've finally come." The shop-keeper watched her carefully apply the paint to her cheeks.

"I am the princess of Opavia." She hummed. "I'll save Kierra and any other Opavian here."

"There's nearly a hundred. Missy wasn't able to capture most of the strong ones, so a lot of them don't have oblaids." The woman hummed. She had short strawberry-blonde hair in a pixie cut, bright pink paints below her eyes. She had a dot on her chin, two dots below her eyes.

"Opavian are strong, even without oblaids."

"Hell yeah." The shopkeeper's tail flicked. "So what do you plan on doing once you've got everyone free?"

"We're getting the hell out of here and heading for Alabasta."

"Alabasta? Why?" She narrowed her eyes as Vitani stood.

"Koko, it's been a while since we last met." Vitani smiled. "I've made friends and joined a crew. The Straw Hats."

"Straw Hats? Never heard of them." She shrugged and stood. "You want me to come to-"

"No." She shook her head. "When you hear the commotion, then come out. I don't want anyone else to get caught or hurt. Meet me on the south side of the island and hurry. If you're right about how many Opavian are here, then we need to get everyone out as quickly as possible."

"Yes princess." She handed over the bow which had been reinforced, stronger strings binding it.

"Be safe, Alright?" Koko hummed as she bumped fist with Vitani.

"You too."

With that, Vitani headed for the large castle. The strong, large walls surrounding it hosted many Opavian people who were hoeing the ground weakly. The guarding pirates stood up on towers, Vitani slipping her arrow into the quiver. She counted approximately 12 arrows to shoot before she'd have to resort in hand to hand combat.

"Eey (Twelve)." She whispered, firing an arrow. It sliced through the skull of a pirate on guard as she leapt over the fence, slicing the chains and shackles of the people with her dagger.

"Princess Vitani!" They whispered as she climbed up the tower. Before they could signal an alarm, Vitani wrapped the bow around the pirate and suffocated him. Once she dropped Vitani leapt down from the tower and looked at the Opavian before her.

"You came." A woman whispered, Vitani wiping the dust from her shoulder.

"Head to the harbor through a backway. Five of you stay near the entrance and guide Opavian out to safety. We'll hijack a ship and get out of here, understood?"There were a few scattered nods.

"Stay safe. Call if you need help. If I'm not out in thirty minutes, head to Alabasta. Look for a straw hat kid and tell him I'm dead."

"Princess Vitani-"

"Go!" She turned and sprintrd towards the large building, the Opavian running opposite. Vitani leapt up to an open window, slipping inside. A bullet was fired at her, clipping her ear as she shot an arrow through her attacker's chest.

"Chē (eleven)." She cursed but continued into the hallway. She lunged at one of the guards, pinning him down with her knees as she fired two arrows at the other guards.

"Ra, Sé (ten,nine)." She hummed, walking down the hallway. She turned into a room, a group of pirates sleeping soundly in beds. Vitani closed the door softly and turned at guns cocking, finding herself surrounded. She threw up her hands and sighed as her tail slipped between her legs, latching onto the small dagger. She threw it at a man's neck, bowling him over and using him as a guard to block the bullets. She gritted her teeth, groaning as she picked him up.