A Bird's Journey - A One Piece Fan Fiction About Soul King Brook (Hiatus)

Part 8: Plans

Since most of my time was spent learning about my island's history and honing my battle skills when I wasn't taking on more responsibilities helping to run the kingdom my brothers were in charge of wedding planning with mine and Brook's help when we could manage. For appearances sake with mother and father though I had to keep Derek and Grizzles close or she'd suspect something was up.

About 3 weeks after the ball though Derek decided that he was going to take me to our old home. Where Icy and Gerome (Cap or Captain of the guards) raised us so long ago now. We finally arrived there and Derek was acting weird. "What's up Butt Stratcher?" I asked him.

Then he got mad for a second there and just said, "I thought it might be a nice day to see the old place. We did spend the first 2 and a half years of our lives here after all."

I knew something was up but I hadn't figured out what yet. Then I saw something move on the inside by the hut window. It was highly unlikely to be Gerome cause he had patrols to do; no one else but me, Derek and Grizzles remembered this place. So it clearly wasn't one of the 4 of us. Still had no idea why Derek was being so weird though.

So I then kicked the door down prepared for a fight when I found most of my brothers there with Brook in the middle of the room. I asked, "What is going on here? Did Derek show you guys where this place was? I'd like some answers or I'm going to smack someone upside the head."

Then Derek blocked my way out the door and my brothers moved what little furniture there was to the sides of the little cottage. The next thing they did I never expected most of these brothers to agree to willingly. They did a crazy weird dance as Brook played a song that he'd never played before to me. As hard as I was trying to pay attention to Brook it was hard because of the dance my brothers were doing. At the end of it though Brook had stopped playing, tapped my arm, got down on one knee, and proposed saying I needed a proper proposal.

I responded, "Yes, just don't let my brothers choreograph our wedding dance. Or on the dance floor if at all possible."

He replied with a chuckle, "That sounds like a good idea."

I loved this bunch but they were my more serious brothers. So it was weird seeing them dance like that. Anyway about a week after that Lapwing had my wedding outfit ready. It was even more beautiful than what he made me for the ball but still practical to be wearing on a pirate ship. There was even another little accessory for my hair again to go with the veil that I made to go with it.

Days after that though was the day of the wedding. My brothers had docked their ship some distance from Brook's home country but easy enough to get to. Derek flew me and Grizzles over to the ship after sneaking away from my parents. He transformed before hitting the deck and the 3 of us landed without rocking the ship too much. I handed Derek the rest of his suit saying if I had to be dressed up for this then he'd have to be too. He begrudgingly went to go get the rest of it on while I got Grizzles' bowtie on him, then went to figure out where I had to go get changed.

After running around and finally getting dressed Arthur, Brook's father, came and found me. Despite still being somewhat ill he wanted to offer to walk me down aisle because he knew that my father wouldn't be there and he wanted to welcome me to the family.

I was glad to hear it. "I have a condition though. My brother Benjamin had to walk behind us in case you needed medical attention." He quickly agreed happy that I'd be the one marrying his son. I told him, "You should probably get ready. It won't be long now until the wedding starts."

Brook's Point of View...
So the wedding would be starting any minute now. Arrow was ready to marry me to his sister, I had my best friend (that i wasn't marrying) as my best man, Derek was the maid of honor (funnily enough), and the rest of the brothers staring me down. Then the music started playing for my father to walk Sparhawk down the aisle.

As he was walking her down the aisle I started to calm down when I saw how beautiful she looked. My heart skipped a beat. It almost felt like I had died for a second there. She finally made it up here and Benjamin took my father to his seat.

The ceremony started. When it was finally time for the rings a big polar bear (who I assume was Grizzles) wearing a bowtie and a matching top hat came with a smallish pillow nicely in his mouth and the rings on it. I swear he was eyeing me up and thinking I was some sort of entrée so Sparhawk did her vows first after putting my ring on my left hand.

Then once she finished her vows I went to grab the ring for her. Just as I was doing that though Grizzles had the pillow with the ring on it still fully in his mouth. I blinked my eyes a few times and needed a minute to think about what just happened. Once I realized that I would have to stick my hand in a bear's mouth to get the ring out I was starting to freak out. When I got to close he'd try to grab my hand with his teeth. I pulled it away just in time.

As soon as I was about to try again she grabbed my arm and gave it a squeeze with a little laugh. Then she gave Grizzles a look and he opened his mouth. She pulled the pillow and her ring out of his mouth. Next she cleaned the ring best she could and handed it to me after putting the pillow off to the side. We then continued the ceremony after I took a minute to breath and we had our first kiss as man and wife.

The rest of the day went off without anymore hitches and we got my father home before it was too late at night. I kissed my new bride goodnight before I sent her off back home with her brothers to deal with other matters. I played the song I had recently made for her as she was sailing away. Hoping the next time we saw each other would be sweeter.

5 weeks later...
Derek came back exhausted, injured and on his own. Between gasps he said "There's a problem. We can't get the engagement called off."