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Prologo
“What?” Outlook snapped, as the butler entered in his office. It was late and even if he was still awake and working, for no reason he should be interrupted.
“I beg your pardon, my lord.” The butler didn’t flinch, but remained far from the desk. “There is a man at the front door, asking for you.”
“Now?” To underline the absurdity of the situation, Outlook shot a look at the clock.
“I told him it was late, and I asked him what he wants,” the butler continued. “But he insisted to speak only with you and to do it now. He didn’t even reveal his name.”
“Send him away.”
Outlook dismissed the entire matter with a move of his hand, until the butler ended his speech, “he said it’s about your son.”
My son’s dead, Outlook was about to say, but he pushed the sentence back on his throat as he remembered Sabo had faked his death once. He fought with the displeasure of agreeing with someone else’s demands, and with the anger that resurfaced about Sabo’s behavior the days before the Celestial Dragon’s visit.
But in the end he asked, “he’s still at the entrance?”
“Yes, near the door,” the butler nodded. “He refused to wait in the guest’s parlor, but he accepted at least not to stay on the street.”
“Come with me,” Outlook ordered, as he stood up.
The butler followed him downstairs, at the end of the enormous staircase. The front door was clamped, so Outlook waited for his butler to open it and check if the mysterious guest was still here.
“Lord Outlook is here,” the butler announced, then moved aside so the guest could enter. A tall, cloaked figure stood now in front of the entrance. His face was hidden in the shadow of the hood, as his entire body.
“I’m sorry,” he said, with a deep male voice. “I need to keep a low profile and I can’t talk with anyone but you.”
“Be fast,” Outlook replied. “I don’t have time to lose.”
The figure gestured at the butler, that was still next to him, and Outlook dismissed him with a wave of his hand. The butler, after a bow, moved aside, remaining near to intervene if his lord would be in danger, but far enough to not listen the conversation.
Only then the figure opened his long black mantel that covered him, revealing a sleeping child in his arm. Outlook blinked: below the blooded bandages that covered half of his face and the second-rate clothes, he was Sabo without any doubts.
“Yes! Yes…”
Outlook regretted having showed his eager, but the figure just nodded. With a couple of step, he got near Outlook and slipped Sabo on Outlook’s arm. Surprise by the sudden gesture, Outlook almost lost the grip.
“Be careful.” The figure chuckled a little, then helped to settle Sabo better. With a last caress on Sabo’s head, he moved back. He didn’t miss the movement of the butler, who was afraid he was about to attack Outlook.
“The reason I’d like to speak with you in person is about your son’s condition,” he explained, gained back Outlook’s attention from Sabo.
“Condition?”
“He was half-dead when we found him. We cured his wounds and we saved him, but unfortunately we couldn’t do anything about his memory. The damage at the head was too deep.”
“What do you mean?”
“Your son doesn’t remember anything of his past, not even his name. I’m sorry.”
For a long, long minute, Outlook remained silent, looking at the sleeping and wounded face of his son. His face was impenetrable.
“That’s all?” he demanded at the end.
“Yes, that’s all.”
Outlook had no intention to reward the figure in any way and the figure himself didn’t ask for it, he just turned around and even closed the door behind him.
“My lord…” The butler drew near, to check the situation, but Outlook interrupted him.
“Call my doctor,” he ordered, as the moved upstairs and the butler raced behind him
“It’s pretty late, my lord, I’m not sure-”
“Call him and tell him to come here at once,” Outlook repeated. “Is that clear?”
“Yes, my lord.”
A week had passed since Sabo’s accident, but his room was still there. After all, Outlook hadn’t dismissed it in five years. He placed the still sleeping Sabo on the bed, then took the chair of the desk and waited.
The doctor arrived half an hour later; if he was angry, or annoyed, by the sudden awake, he didn’t show it, except for the dark bags under his eyes.
“I’m here, my lord.”
“This is my son.” Outlook didn’t greet him, he stood up and nodded at the sleeping boy on the bed. “Check him,” he demanded. “Someone else treated his wounds, but I don’t trust them. And…” he hesitated a little, before continuing, “I was told he lost his memory. Confirm it.”
The doctor looked at Sabo. “If it’s true, I’m not sure waking him up is the best course of action…”
“Do it. I want answers and I want them now. I’ll be in my office, once you’re done.”
And with that he left. He returned at his work and his papers, even if he had problems to focus. His first born had always been an enormous source of problems and his last mischief – navigate in front of the ship of the Celestian Dragon, escaping from his house again – was just the last example. But Outlook was more than relieved to have him back: Sabo was his flesh and blood and he would never let him go.
The doctor came back after what seemed an eternity, even if it was less than an hour later. He slumped in the chair in front of the desk, tired, and for once Outlook let slide the lack of respect.
“So?”
“I don’t know who cured your son in the first place, but I recognize an excellent work when I see one,” the doctor began. “He had several third degree burns, but most of them are healing already. Scars will remain, but he will recover entirely. He didn’t lose his sight on the left eye either.”
Outlook nodded exasperated. The matter he was interested in was another. “And his memory?”
“Gone,” the doctor confirmed. “The poor boy was terrified when I woke up. I gave him some sleeping pills to calm him. The best course of action would have been for you to introduce himself to him and-”
“When you said his memory is gone, what did you mean exactly?” Outlook interrupted him again.
“I should perform more exams about it, but from what I saw until now, your son lost all the memory of his past experiences,” the doctor explained. “He remembers common things like the name of the objects, but he has problems with calculations, for example.”
“Great, considering it took ages for him to learn.”
“It is unfortunate he will need to learn everything again, but his memory is working now: he recalled the men that had saved him and what they had told him about the Kingdom of Goa. He knew they were returning him home, which means his brain isn’t damaged.”
Outlook hummed. “Do you think there is a possibility for him to gain his memory back?”
“It’s hard to say,” the doctor answered. “For now, I know it’s possible, but more time passes from the loss, more difficult it becomes. I’m not an expert, but I can contact some colleagues, they have new therapies that-”
“No, you don’t understand,” Outlook interrupted him. “I do not want my son having back his memory.”
The doctor blinked, surprised. “Oh, well, this is… I’m not sure it exists a medicine that blocked entirely the process… usually people want their memory…”
“Run all the test you need and check with your colleagues. I want guarantees about it. My son will not have his memory back; am I clear about it?”
Outlook got a second change with his son, a change where he could cancel Sabo’s experience in the Gray Terminal and everything it was in his stupid head. This time, Sabo would become the man Outlook wanted him to be.
Capitolo 1
“Sabo, play again for me. Pleaseeee.”
Sabo cursed under his breath. Since Lord Fersen Jr was blabbering no stop about the travel he had made around the East Blue and even Lord Byron Jr looked enchanted by it, Sabo hoped Sarie Nentokanette’s attention was lured enough to forgot about him for the rest of the evening. And, by the gaze Lord Fersen Jr shot him, he wasn’t the only one disappointed by it.
“Of course, your highness.”
He forced a smile and reached for the box of the violin. It wasn’t his own, it was the royal family’s one, as expensive and well-marked it was. Sabo was almost scared by it, afraid of breaking it in some way. After all, his father told him many times he had no grace whatsoever.
He played, choosing one of the easier melody because he couldn’t remember the hardest ones without the score, but Nentokanette didn’t care. She lied down on his sofa, her head turned a little towards him.
“Ah! You hit the wrong note!” Lord Byron Jr exclaimed, clapping his hand. There was a cruel pleasure in his smile and Sabo gritted his teeth to resist until the end of the melody and he was grateful when it happened.
Nentokanette throw a biscuit to Lord Byron Jr. “That was mean! You ruined the music!” But she was smiling and playful, as she forgot she was the one asking for the play.
As Sabo sat down again in the armchair, he wondered if Nentokanette kept him around just to see the other two men screw up with him. Not that Sabo cared, until she called for him his father wouldn’t complain about him being a failure, so it was better than nothing, even if the evening with her were tedious.
After all, watching from the outside it was clear Lord Byron Jr and Lord Fersen Jr had a lot more in common with Nentokanette than Sabo, and they were more adamant in conquering her heart. Nentokanette already refused some of her suitors and now only the three of them remained, but their meeting became more frequent than before, with Sabo’s displeasure.
He knew some of the families whose sons had been rejected were outraged he was still in the race: the scar on his face and his reputation as a rebel were enough for the other nobles to be displeased at the thought of him becoming a member of the royal family.
So Sabo was sure Nentokanette would choose one between Byron Jr and Fersen Jr, but she kept Sabo to have fun with the nobles and everyone else. Not that Sabo expressed his guess with his father, who was in some way convinced he could have a chance.
“Well, he didn’t play bad, for a ten years old,” Lord Fersen Jr commented.
Sabo rolled his eyes: the mocks about his memory loss were getting old. “At least I have the excuse of the incident, you don’t,” he replied.
Nentokanette chuckled, just to confirm Sabo’s theory.
Lord Fersen Jr was ready for a rebuttal, but then the door opened and the crowned prince, Nentokanette’s older brother Louigis, entered. The three men jumped still when the prince had appeared.
“It’s late. The evening ends here.”
“But brother…!”
“Go to bed, Sarie.”
She pouted, then she smiled apologetically to the other men. But the chain of command was clear and Sabo, this time, was more than happy to oblige. They left the room and a couple of guards escorted them outside the palace. Sabo was the only one who didn’t have a chariot waiting for him, so before the other two could comment about it, he ran away hiding in the dark of the night.
In ten minutes, he was home. He sighed when he saw the light of the living room. Knowing that postponing the inevitable was worse, he didn’t sneak inside but he entered in the room steadily. As expected, Outlook was there, smoking a cigar.
“Good evening, father.”
“How was your meeting with princess Sarie Nentokanette?”
“Okay, I guess,” Sabo answered. “She asked me to play the violin. Trice.”
“You’re pretty bad with it,” Outlook commented. “But until she likes it it’s fine.” His piercing gaze made Sabo uncomfortable, but unable to turn away. “Do I need to remember you how much important is for your life to marry her? Especially now that your rivals are Byron and Fersen. Those families have already too much power.”
“Yes, father, I know.”
“Tomorrow I’ll call your teacher, better increasing your music lessons,” Outlook stated. “Even if it’s probably useless with you.”
And that was it. All of Sabo’s life was hiding around, hoping people won’t find him, already knowing they would. And so he covered his face, waiting for the next hit. It didn’t matter that his father had stopped to actual hit him for real: his remarks still hurt deep inside. He just hoped to being left alone. Or, at least, that he could be saved from most hits.
“Now go to bed, in the morning we had to go to the port to check our last shipping so you must wake up early.”
“Yes, father.” Sabo was about to leave, when he remembers. “What about Fire Fist’s execution? Do we have any news?”
Outlook snored. “Pirates shouldn’t be your concern.”
“It’s not about pirates,” Sabo replied, rolled his eyes. “It’s about our world. What if Whitebeard go there and fight the marine and win? What will happen to us then?”
“There is no way the marine will lose, so rest assured about it. Nothing will ever change for us.” But since Sabo wasn’t convinced, he added, “the execution is schedule for three PM, so we’ll have news tomorrow morning. Now go.”
***
As Outlook had expected, the morning newspaper reported the death of Fire Fist and the victory of the marines. He didn’t read the entire article, he wasn’t interested enough, but at least that should reassure Sabo and avoid any other uninteresting conversation.
So he placed the newspaper just in front to Sabo’s spot at the table, hoping that would skip the question and hasten the breakfast. They had work to do.
As soon as Sabo entered in the room, his attention turned from the food to the newspaper.
“You’re late,” Outlook commented. “I told you yesterday we should be at the port soon.” And Sabo wasn’t even listening, he sat down and grab the newspaper with a hand and a piece of bread with the other.
“Oh, no, Sabo, do not read at the table, isn’t respectable for a gentleman,” said his mother, in vain.
Stelly snickered. “Can I go with you instead, daddy?”
“Not today,” Outlook answered. “Until your brother manages to marry into the royal family, he needs to take care of the family business.”
“Oh, come on! He’s very bad at it!”
“I said no.”
Stelly’s rebuttal was interrupted by Sabo’s scream. The attention of the entire family, alongside with the servant, was on him. He had jumped up, chair falling behind him, the newspaper gripped with a hand, tears streamed down his face and his mouth opened in that endless scream who pierced the room.
Only when the sound extinguished itself, and Sabo collapsed on the floor, the other were able to move again. Outlook hurried at his son’s side and shook him. His skin burned and he was motionless. His breath was so low it was hard to notice.
“Call the doctor! Now!” Outlook ordered at the butler, that nodded and left the room in a flash. Stelly and his mother were still paralyzed in their spot, so Outlook remained on the ground next to Sabo, checking if his condition change in some way.
But nothing happened until the doctor arrived. The butler helped to move Sabo back to his bed and Outlook waited outside while the doctor checked him.
“So?” he almost roared, as the doctor left the room.
His son’s good health was one of his few qualities, and now he lost it too? This couldn’t be happening!
The doctor shook his head. “He’s in a coma, but I have no idea what caused it. No ill causes this sudden fever, especially with no other symptoms. I can’t say more, not until I perform more exams.”
“What?” Outlook was speechless.
“My best suggestion is to supervise him to see if his condition changes in some way, until, I hope, my test will give me some answers. I will bring an IV if the coma state persist-”
“You are an incompetent!” Outlook yelled, understanding at the end the doctor couldn’t heal Sabo right away. “I’m not paying you for not having answers! Get out of here, you and your test!”
But not even the doctor of the royal family, that Nentokanette send as soon as she learned about Sabo’s illness, could find out which disease he contracted. The exams showed he was in a good health, except for the high fever and the fact he didn’t wake up.
***
It took three days for Sabo to recover. When he opened his eyes, the world around him was so unnatural, so different, he had problems to focus. He registered absent-mindedly the small gulp of the maid who was supervising him, and her run to search for the master. And so he did when his father arrived to check he was awake and his order to call the doctor.
He needed time to realize it wasn’t a dream. To realize his actual life and the ten years he had forgot were mashing up together. To realized he had been living in a lie for so long. To realize his brother is now dead.
The doctor arrived and Sabo didn’t even notice he wasn’t the usual one. He let him checking his condition without a word, until the doctor had to ask, “are you feeling well, Lord Sabo?”
No. No, I’m not feeling well, my brother just died and I remembered his existence just a minutes ago and my father is a bastard that lied to me my entire life and I’m still here in this place I hate with people I hate and I’m becoming one of them and this is disgusting
“You should tell me, doctor,” he said.
The doctor nodded and smiled. “I have no reason to believe you’re still ill. We do not know what you caught, so I will perform more exams. We need to avoid it happens again.”
It wouldn’t, Sabo knew, but he let the doctor take some blood samples and he was grateful when he was left alone in the room. He lied in the bed again, feeling the tears came back to him, but he rested for too long. He jumped up, the anger warmed inside him. He opened the box of the violin and it smashed it on the ground, stomped on it until he destroyed it entirely. Then he threw away the books in the library and everything that was on the desk. He was about to destroy the painting at the wall, when his father entered the room.
“What the hell are you doing, Sabo?” he snorted. “Damn that doctor, he said you were fine.”
“No, I’m not fine, and you’re a bastard and I hate you and I hate this place and I want to see it on fire!”
He saw the fear in Outlook’s eyes, but before he could punch him in the face as he deserved, Outlook ran away calling for help. It took all the guards of the house to stop Sabo so the doctor could give him a sedative.
When Sabo woke up again, his anger had drained off, replaced by the sadness. Revenge on his father was replaced by the guilty of having forgotten about his brother for ten years, let aside not been there for Ace when he needed him the most.
The door of his room was locked, and there was bars again at the window. Sabo found out he didn’t even care. Everything was lost. All those years he just survived hiding and endured when he couldn’t hide anymore made him survived, but at what price? He protected his face, but he had scars all over his arms.
The doctor came to check on him multiple times and in the end he concluded the three days of coma and the nightmare the fever caused were the reason of his strange outburst. Outlook still looked at Sabo with suspicion, but in the end he had no basis to confirm there was another reason behind Sabo’s statement.
And Sabo decided he wouldn’t let him know. His memory, his brothers, were only for him.
So he did what he’s used to: taking the hit with his arms, hoping to protect all the rest of him.
“I’m sorry, father. I don’t know what happened to me.”
“It’s fine, as long as you recovered now. Do you think you can walk?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Go shower, you stink. Have lunch and then go at the royal palace. Princess Nentokanette sent her personal doctor only for you and that’s definitely something. Do not miss this opportunity.”
“Yes, father.”
Sabo showered and had lunch, just as Outlook ordered, but when he left the house he didn’t walk towards the royal palace. Instead, he took the route for the lower town and then he passed the gate of the high wall that separated the city from the Gray Terminal. The guards looked at him surprised, but since they couldn’t speak with a noble without permission, they didn’t stop him.
The Grey Terminal was exactly as he remembered it, even if the fire should have burned it down. Probably it was rebuilt after the Celestial Dragon’s visit. Sabo’s scar burned and the hard smell of the place brought back memories, making difficult for him walk steady. But he didn’t stop until he reached the forest and then he proceeded in its core, where the tree-house he, Ace and Luffy had built.
It was still there, even if the sign of the time showed in the missing planks. Sabo stood below it, his arms lied at his next and his look fixed in the small house.
“Sabo? Sabo, is that you?”
“Eeeh?! Sabo? Where is he? Oh, it’s Sabo, is really him! Saaaaboooo!”
Sabo, surprised by hearing his name, turned his head only to be grabbed by two boys. The move scared him, but the guards were fast enough to take him back. Once free, Sabo grabbed his father’s pants, hiding behind his legs.
“Let us go!”
“You again,” his father snorted. “I told you to stay away.” He addressed to the guards. “For how long you will let these rascal entering in the high town?”
“We apologize, my lord. It won’t happen again.”
“I sure hope so.”
Sabo was looking at the two boys as the struggled to break free from the guards’ grip. They were dirty, covered in bandages and their clothes were torn in more places. Why they knew his name? Who they were? Were they from that scared place the Grey Terminal was?
“Sabo!” The one with the straw hat scream. “Help us!”
“Sabo! We thought you were dead! I cried for you!” the one with the freckles added.
“You did?”
“Luffy, this is not the moment!”
Outlook shot a look at the guards and they hurried to drag the boys away. Sabo turned his head from the freckles one’s gaze, hiding behind his father. Once they were far and their screams not audible anymore, Outlook kneeled down and gripped Sabo’s shoulder with a hand, caressing his head with the other.
“Do you know who they are?”
He shook his head. “I don’t remember.”
“That’s better,” Outlook said. “They are the reason you were kidnapped by the pirates in the first place.”
“Really, father?”
“Yes. They promised you to be your friend, but the only thing they are interested in is your money. Never trust the poor people.”
“They weren’t my friends.”
“No, Sabo, they weren’t. They convinced you to run away from your house, so the pirates could catch you and they could have a portion of the ransom. They let the pirate hurt you because they didn’t care. You almost die because of them. If it weren’t for them, you wouldn’t be so hurt.”
“So… they’re evil.”
“Yes. Never get near them ever again.”
“I won’t, father.”
Last time Sabo saw his brother and he turned away the gaze from him.
He believed his father. He endured and endured his harsh words, even if was scared by them, because he believed he was his family. But it wasn’t true.
That damn bastard…
Sabo fell on his knees, and he screamed and cried and sobbed, his forehead pressed against the ground and his arm mashed against his stomach to contain the huge to vomit. He stopped only when the fatigue wore him out and the throat burned too much.
He rested in the same position, panting to regain control of his body. Only when his breath returned normal, he felt he wasn’t alone anymore. He jumped still and turned around.
“Dadan…”
She was at the end of the clearing. Sabo wiped off the tears on his face with the back of his hand as she drew near.
“I was told you were still alive, but since Ace and Luffy’s behaved as nothing happened I believed it was a mistake…”
Another sob escaped from Sabo’s throat. “I shouldn’t be here…”
Dadan shoved the newspaper she had in his arms. Sabo, perplex, opened it: there was an articles about Luffy, that basically confirmed he was still alive and well. Relief feel upon Sabo, as he hugged the newspaper and the tears streamed down his cheek once again.
“Let’s go,” Dadan said.
After a moment of uncertainty, Sabo followed her. They returned to the gang’s house, that hadn’t change a little bit since he was a child. He saw the surprised look from the other men, but Dadan’s gestures were enough to keep them away. She brought Sabo in the main room and offered him alcohol to drink.
“So… How are you doing?” she asked him, as he finished the glass in one sip.
Sabo told her everything, about his memory loss after the Celestian Dragon has shot down his ship and how his father had taken advantage to the situation, inventing a story about him being captured and tortured by the pirates because of Ace and Luffy’s actions, managing to keep Sabo away from them and at the same time avoid any other escaping attempt; and how he had regained his memory after reading about Ace’s death on the newspaper.
He felt better after telling the entire story to another person.
Dadan didn’t comment further. He left the room without a word and, when she came back, she had some albums with her. It was a collection of articles about Ace and Luffy, all classified by date. Sabo smiled, remembering how she had refused to acknowledge she actually liked them back in the past.
Sabo scrolled the pages, reading the articles again and again. Ace was smiling in his wanted poster. Sabo hoped he had been happy in the last ten years. Luffy had done some crazy stuff, which wasn’t surprising.
“What are you going to do?” Dadan asked, when Sabo finally put down the album. It was already evening.
“I don’t know,” Sabo admitted.
His first thought had been punch his father and then leave that house for good, but now it didn’t seem a good idea. Too much time had passed since he was the child who had liked to become a pirate and written a book about that. His father let him taking fencing and boxes lesson, at least, but Sabo wasn’t strong enough. That ten years lost weighed him down, and so did the scars of all the strikes he endured.
At the same time, he couldn’t stay in that house. He just couldn’t take any more hits.
He actually wanted to go out from his hideout and started fighting back.
“I will think about it,” he assured her. “But I’ll make my father pay, that’s for sure.”
Capitolo 2
The letter arrived when the entire family was having dinner. As soon as the butler announced it was from Princess Nentokanette, Outlook leaned to grab it even if it was for Sabo, who shuddered and kept eating. Outlook teared apart the envelope and read the letter, then sighed.
“You’re lucky,” he commented to Sabo, throwing the letter at him.
Sabo’s attention was all on his plate, so the letter landed slowly near his glasses. Stelly took the change to grab it.
“What is it, dear?” Lady Outlook asked.
“A formal invitation for Sabo to join the Princess on a cruise she will do on the weekend,” Stelly explained, with his voice that didn’t hide the annoyance. “I thought she hates you since you don’t even bother to thank her for her kindness, big bro.”
“Guess you’re wrong,” Sabo murmured, not looking at him.
Stelly snored. “You will screw up sooner or later.”
“No, he won’t.” Outlook’s voice meant it wasn’t a hope but an order.
“A cruise…” Lady Outlook murmured. “So the rumors are true.”
“What rumors?” Outlook asked.
“Well, honey, you know that our crown prince hasn’t get married yet. They said the king is a lot worried about having an heir for the kingdom.”
“Yeah, and the crown prince’s preference are well known, even if nobody will ever admit that.”
Lady Outlook nodded. “That’s why the marriage of the princess is the only way. The king let her doing how she pleases until now, but it looks he’s urging her to make her final choice about her future husband. So rumors said she will have a last occasion to test the suitors before getting married.”
“So, the cruise?”
“Yes. Lady Fersen was buying new clothes for his son yesterday, so I’m guessing she knew from the start. After all, she’s the sister of the royal palace’s housekeeper.”
“So this is your last change, Sabo. I don’t have to repeat you-”
“No, you don’t,” Sabo cut him. “You repeat it every damn time.”
Lady Outlook and Stelly blinked at him. Sabo had always been the rebel type, but he had stopped talking back to his father years ago. That behavior was uncommon.
Outlook stood up. “Sabo. In my office. Now.”
“I’m eating.”
“Not anymore. NOW,” Outlook repeated, with higher voice.
With an annoyed sigh, Sabo stood up and followed his father in the office. As soon as the door closed behind them, Outlook slapped him. Sabo bit his lips and squeezed his fist, looking at him with hatred.
“I’m tired of your attitude.” Outlook didn’t pay attention. “You’re bad at everything. You don’t understand a thing about economy, or math, or even human relationship. The only way you have to bring honor to this family is to marry the princess. Which is, incidentally, the only thing that you grasp somehow. I won’t let you ruin it, you understand me?”
Sabo licked his lips. He breathed hard, but then let his head fall on his chest. “I’m sorry, father… It’s just…” he swallowed. “I’m in love with the princess and…”
Outlook blinked. “What?”
“I-I know it’s supposed to be just business but I really like her and the thought that is my last chance… And if she won’t choose me I probably won’t…”
That was great. Outlook had the impression Sabo found the princess an annoyance and that it was almost a miracle she had some interest in him, but Sabo’s confession changed everything. For the first time, Outlook was sure Sabo would fight for something he really wanted. And hopefully, for the first time, he could succeed.
“It’s okay, son.” He patted him on the shoulder. “You’re worried, I get it. But you can fight for her. This… feeling… could be a positive thing. Used it on the cruise and I’m pretty sure she will notice too.”
Sabo nodded. “I hope you’re right, father.”
“I am. Now let’s go back at the table.”
And as Sabo followed him, Outlook noticed he cleaned the palm of his hands to his pants. The nail had pierced the skin when he had pressed the fists.
***
To be fair honest, Sabo wasn’t so annoyed about the entire cruise affair because, of course, it was a cruise! Even for a few days, he would be on a ship in the sea and that made the entire situation a little be sufferable for him. Until now, his father had never allowed him near a ship for too long, to avoid another escape.
“Do you understand everything, Sabo? Are you even listening?”
“Yes, yes.”
His father was giving him his last advice about how to act with the princess while his luggage was loaned, but Sabo’s attention was already on the sailing ship that was waiting for him and he was relieved when the captain approached him. He said bye to his family in a second and hurried on board.
“Welcome, Lord Sabo,” the captain greeted him. “One of our maid will escort you to your cabin. Later on I’ll show you and the other guests the ship, as our princess asked.”
“That will be a pleasure!”
Sabo shot a smile at the red haired maid, who made a gesture with her hand, showing him the path. They left the deck bow and climbed down two flight of stairs, until they reached a small hallway. Four doors were there, and another one at the end of the hallway.
“This is the guests’ quartier,” the maid explained. “And the last room over there is the princess’ one. This one is yours.” And she opened the door.
Sabo walked in and gave an unimpressed look around. The only thing that caught his attention was the big windows that allowed him to see the sea. As he heard the door closing, he turned around and blinked when he noticed the maid was still inside. And she was looking around, suspicious.
“Can… can I do something for you?” Sabo asked.
“No. I can do something for you.” She smirked. “I’m Koala from the Revolutionary Army.”
Sabo gasped. He had tried to contact them since he had remembered the man he had met as a child and he had connected him to the leader of the revolution, but he never received an answer and he thought he wasn’t able to reach them. After all, they were the most wanted people in the world, finding them wasn’t an easy task.
But now one of them was in front of him.
“Finally!” Overwhelming by the joy, Sabo hugged her. “Ah… sorry…” he murmured, embarrassed, as he noticed her stiffness, and move aside.
“It’s okay.”
“So?” Sabo looked at her with expectation, as a dog who waited for his owner to thrown the ball.
“Dragon-san send his regards,” Koala began. “He’d like to be here, but unfortunately he can’t move around so easily anymore. He wants to tell you he remembers and he’s sorry he brought you back to your family ten years ago.”
“Yeah…” Sabo wondered how much his life could have been changed if Dragon’s decision would have been different.
“Back then, it looked as a good idea. You were hurt. Dragon-san didn’t mean any harm for you.”
Sabo shook his head. “Let’s not talk about the past. When can we leave? What can I do?”
“Dragon-san has no problem with you joining us, but he’d like to you to remain an external allied, acting for us as a member of the nobility.”
“He wants me to stay here?” Sabo’s eyes and mouth widened.
“Yes,” Koala nodded. “He said you’ll be more useful in this way.”
“I can’t stay here!” Sabo walked around in the room. “He knows my biggest fear is becoming like… them,” he almost spat the word, “and I spend ten years here and I fear it’s too late now and I don’t think I can take it anymore…” He looked at Koala like a lost puppy. “Do you have any idea what it means stay day by day with people that disgust you so deeply you’d prefer to rip your entire skin because of them?”
At first, Koala didn’t answer. He turned around and lifted her white shirt, to reveal her bare back and the sun tattoo that was there.
“What is this?” Sabo asked, unable to turn the eyes from it.
“It’s the Sun Pirates’ flag. Fisher Tiger used it as a symbol because it covers entirely the mark of the Celestial Dragon,” Koala explained. “They had a habit, they marked all their slaves so they’ll be theirs for all their lives. But this tattoo… It frees us.”
Sabo’s throat was dry. “Slavery is illegal.”
“Not for the Celestial Dragon,” Koala replied. “They are above the law in everything. Believe me, I know. I may have been a slave for only a couple of years, but they were enough.”
Sabo slumped on the bed. So little he knew of the world outside the wall of Goa, and so small his problems became. After all, all his hits were made mostly by words.
Koala lowered back the shirt and returned to face him. “Listen, Sabo, I’m not saying it’ll be easy, but Dragon-san thinks you can do the difference as a member of the royalty. We, as Revolutionary Army, can’t save the world with brute force only. We need the people to save themselves,” she said. “If you stay here, you can help your people. Avoiding something like the fire of the Grey Terminal to happen again. Because you’re not like them.”
Not like them… but for how long? How much he could take anymore before giving up and turning in one of them?
“You don’t have to decide now,” Koala continued. “I will be here until the end of the cruise and if you think you can’t stay, I’ll bring you with me.”
“Will you?”
“Yes, but not before you’re sure there’s no other way.” And with that, she left, leaving Sabo alone in the room.
Sabo lied down on the bed. His eyes burned and he covered them with his arm. The discussion with Koala made one thing clear: he had called the Revolutionary Army for help, hoping they would come for him in his hideout and fighting whoever was trying to hurt him.
He never thought, not even for an instant, how he could help them, that there could be other people out there waiting for someone to protect them, as they tried at least to save their face. He was expecting the revolutionaries to do all the work.
But he can’t remain a second more in that damn town… can he?
He felt like was suffocating, so he jumped still and left the room. He climbed the stairs but, hearing some voices on the bow, he took a different route until he found the stern deck. He grabbed the railing, leaning his head to the sea. With the air on his face and the smell of the salt, he breathed again.
“Here you are! You don’t even say hello, you bad boy.”
Sabo turned around to see Nentokanette approaching him, with her usual awfully overwrought dress and her smirk. He looked at her, his mind racing too fast. Helping people was worth the price to endure her presence? Will he be able to remain himself?
He could say the truth. Say fuck you to all that and run away with Koala.
Instead, he lied. He lied straightforward, as he had done with his father few days before.
“I apologize, my princess, but I was too ashamed of myself I was scared to meet you.”
“But why?”
“You were so kind, sending your personal doctor when I was sick, so I’d like to thank you in a very special way. A way that would have showed how much I was thankful, and how much you’re important to me,” Sabo explained. “I’d didn’t plan to see you before that but then your invite arrived and… I felt so stupid…”
Nentokanette laughed. “You’re so cute. But do not worry: there’s nothing I don’t possess already, so you probably wouldn’t have found anything to give me.”
“I’m still deeply sorry for that.”
“You’re forgiven only if you won’t leave my side for the rest of the cruise.”
“That will be my pleasure.”
Nentokanette smiled satisfied. “Now, the captain would like to give you and the others a tour of the ship. It’s mine, you know? My father gave me last year as a birthday’s gift.”
She kept talking about it, but Sabo wasn’t listening anymore.
He finally understood why Dragon would prefer for him to stay in Goa. He had realized, even before Sabo, that was too late. Sabo was already one of them.
And he couldn’t turn back anymore.
He could just stop hiding, stop protecting his face, and start striking back.
***
“Oh, lucky you’re here.” Sabo entered and closed the door of his room with a conspiratorial air.
Koala blinked and stopped making the bed.
“Nentokanette made me promise I won’t leave her side so I lied and tell her I need to pee but it was the only way we could talk.”
“I’m not sure I want the detail.” Koala shook her head. “How can I help you?”
Sabo’s eyes moved around the room. “Okay, let’s make it simple,” he said in the end. “I can’t help the revolution if I remain as I am, so the only solution is for me to marry the princess. Are you following me?”
Koala nodded. “Being a member of the royal family will give you more freedom to help the people of the kingdom.”
“And here’s my problem: how I manage to do that?”
“Well…”
“Until now I d0n’t care, but truth to be told, I think Nentokanette is keeping me here only for fun and she already decided who to marry. And I have three days to change her mind. But how? I’m telling you, I’m really bad at this.”
“And you’re asking me because…?”
“You’re a woman, so I was thinking…”
Koala smiled and shook her head. “Sabo, women haven’t the same brain. And I’m pretty sure my preference about men are pretty different from your girlfriend-to-be.”
“Yeah, well, I guess you’re right.” Sabo shuddered. “It was worth a try. It’s not I have other ideas.”
“None at all?”
“I can take example from Byron and Fersen, and fawned over her, but I’m not very convincing in complimenting people.”
“Okay. What can you do?”
“Fight.”
“I don’t think that will help you.”
“Indeed.” Sabo sighed. “My career as revolutionary is already ending.”
“Maybe not.” Koala returned his attention back to the bed. “I may be a lot different from the princess, but I’ve met people like her in the past. I don’t think she’s keeping you only for fun.”
“For what reason, then?”
“Because you don’t fawn over her like the others,” she answered. “People who have almost everything lure towards things they can’t have. I have a hunch she feels you’re not really interested in her and that upsets her.”
Sabo reflected about it. “But she can have me. She knows I can’t refuse if she chooses me.”
“Then let her believe you may, until she will do only to show herself that she wins over you.”
“So being evasive and uninterested in her as much as I can?” Sabo grinned. “That’s definitely something I can do!”
“Good. Now go and let me finish my work.”
“As you order. Bye.”
Sabo returned on the main deck with a smile on his face. Koala was the first person in years she could talk with freedom. She shared his opinion on a lot of things and she didn’t care about his rudeness. It was the oxygen he needed to tolerate the rest of the cruise.
He was about to sit down next to Nentokanette, when he noticed the captain was there, looking at the sea with the binoculars, and two guards were with him. Following the gaze, he caught the glimpse of another ship coming in their direction.
“Is that a pirate ship?” he asked, with a lot more excitement than necessary. He couldn’t see the mark, but the flag at the mast was black.
“Pirates?” Nentokanette yelled terrified.
“There’s no need to worry.” The captain approached them. “There’s nothing we can’t manage, but only for precaution I suggest for your highness and your graces to go back to your cabin.”
Nentokanette bit his lips, showing her displeasure for leaving her sunbath because of pirates, but in the end she obeyed. As they walked, Byron and Fersen reassured her about the situation, while Sabo looked around. The captain sent the guards with them so he was sure they would close themselves in the room, which made Sabo guess the situation wasn’t so easy as the captain would like them to believe.
So Sabo locked the door as the guard demanded, but then he turned his attention on the big window. He opened it and checked outside. There was another window above, that Sabo recognized as the kitchen’s one. Fortunately, it was opened, and Sabo was positive he could reach it.
So he jumped on the windowsill and then pushed himself high using the same window as level. He grabbed the kitchen’s windowsill with both his hand. He gritted his teeth as he used the force of his arm to move his entire body and threw himself inside. The landing was on his back and he held back a yell.
He got back on his feet and he left the room, choosing the left side of the hallway, the one that brought to the stern desk. From there, he climbed on the terrace of the dining room, which was the higher room of the ship, just near the mast.
Sabo heard some yells as she walked, so he remained behind a wall, spying the situation from afar. His suspicious turned out to be real: the pirate ship boarded theirs and a dozens of pirates where now on the main desk. The guards of the ship lied down on the ground and Sabo hoped they weren’t too hurt. To their defense, they were lesser than the pirates, because Nentokanette had prefer reserved their spot to other staff members that could make the trip more comfortable. The usual arrogance of the royal.
On the right side, the people of the staff sat quietly along with the captain. They weren’t tied up, but the pirates watched them closely. Sabo located Koala in the middle of them: he supposed she was trying to keep a low profile.
The pirate captain, as Sabo guessed, sat down on the railing, grinning. Then Sabo’s attention was caught by the yells and, a second later, three pirates compared from the below deck, dragging Nentokanette, Byron and Fersen with them. They were tossed on the ground, as one of the pirates reached their captain, a package in his hand.
“Look what we found out, boss.”
Sabo cursed: he couldn’t see clearly what was inside the package, but form the color that brightened in the sun, he realized they were jewels. Since it was a private cruise, none of them had money with them, neither the ship transported valuable merchandise for pirates. But of course Nentokanette couldn’t travel without her jewels and Sabo had the feeling some of them were owned by Fersen and Byron too.
But maybe it was their luck. It was a good prey from a pirates’ perspective, so hopefully they would be satisfied with that. Sabo’s memory returned back at the time he and Ace had collected their own loot to buy a ship.
“They aren’t bad,” the captain smirked, after finishing to rummage in the package. “Look we found a ship with very important people on board.” He turned his gaze and bared his teeth, predatory. “So, which one of you three highborn is the most important?”
As much as the nobles were good in lying to each other, they were bad in hiding things to people who weren’t from their social class. Sabo had no doubt the pirates would find soon Nentokanette was a princess, so he looked around for a weapon. He found out a broom leaning against the wall. Not the best weapon of choice, but it looked closed enough to his pipe.
He took it and jumped on the upper desk, in the same moment as one of the pirates grabbed Nentokanette by her hair to drag her towards the other ship. Sabo hit him with the far end of the broom. His nose broken and he left the grip on Nentokanette, who feel on the ground.
He stumped behind, which gave Sabo the occasion to hit him again in the legs so that he crashed behind.
Sabo put on a brave face, but the pirates, after a moment of stupor, burst out laughing. “He’s gonna sweep us to death?” one of them commented.
The captain smirked. “So there was another of these nobleman here.” He looked at his men and added, “let’s not miss important thing next time.” His attention turned back to Sabo. “Now, pansy, put down that dangerous weapon. I’m only interested in your little friend behind you. Unless, of course, you’re more important than her. Are you?”
Nentokanette trembled, but Sabo smirked. “Yes. Now come and try to take me.”
The pirate captain was taken aback from the answer: he was sure Sabo would sell her just as the other two. So Sabo took advantage of it and hit one of the pirate nearby with a punch in the face, the used it as a shield to cover himself from the shots of another. He threw the broom to disarmed him, then jumped to kick him and recollect his weapon.
“Are you playing? Stop him right now!” the pirate captain yelled, and Sabo found himself surrounded by pirates. But he wasn’t scared, no, he was excited. Happy, even. His last fight went back to his childhood with Ace and Luffy. That was a good time. Sabo wasn’t made for a comfortable life, he was made for the war. After remaining hiding for so long, he almost forgot he could actually fight back.
He was ready to attack, when Koala ordered him: “Lower down!”
He obeyed: a second later, a powerful wave passed above him, pushing the pirates apart and against the railing. Sabo stood up and Koala was at his next, back against back.
“What was that?” Sabo whispered to her, unable to contain his excitement.
“Fisherman karate.”
“Fishwhat?”
“I’ll explain later, now we have other things to do.” But she was smiled. “If Dragon-san scolded me because of this, it’s on you.”
“Okay!”
He would take the blame any time if that meant fighting with her. Koala grabbed some of the weapons of the defeated pirates and passed them to the other members of the staff.
“Come on, guys, let’s send back these pirates where they belong.”
“Nice,” Sabo commented, as he kicked the man in front of him.
With the help of the other people, and with Sabo and Koala leading the group, they were able to pushed back the pirates, until their captain ordered the retreat. He brought with him the package with the jewels, but Sabo’s attention was more on the happy screams of the people around him as the pirate ship sailed away.
He exchanged a look with Koala. The Revolutionary Army was great.
“Captain,” he called. “Do we have any injured? I think the first think should be check the guards. We should call the marines.”
“Of course, my lord.” The captain felt natural for Sabo giving order and hurried to obey. He called for the help of the ship’s doctor and with the other people they transported the injured to the below desk.
Sabo noticed Nentonakette was still on the ground, observing the situation with wide eyes. With a last look to Koala, he moved towards her. “Are you harmed, your highness?”
She blinked, as she was half asleep, then she threw herself at Sabo. She hugged him and grabbed his back, sinking her long nails in his shirt.
“Saaaaabooooo! You saved me! You’re my hero!”
And that sealed Sabo’s fate.
Capitolo 3
Sabo looked at his face in the mirror. He felt he didn’t recognize himself. With a sigh, he leaned his forehead on the wall and gave a couple of small hits.
The marriage ceremony had been terrible, a lot worse than everything Sabo was used to sustain. And it was just the beginning. He stopped hiding, maybe, but he felt that was even worse: the hits kept coming. They would be not more from his father’s displeasure, by from the other nobles’ hatred. But they wouldn’t be less painful.
“You know what?” he said, turning his head at the crow standing at the opened window. “What irked me the most wasn’t that stupid ceremony and not even all the displeased look of the guests. I hate them too.” He paused, but the crow looked at him and didn’t spoke. “It was my father that irked me more. His smile… He’s happy. He got what he wants. That’s just not fair.”
Since the crow remained silent, Sabo returned to hit the wall with his head.
“Sorry, you probably saw a lot worse than this and I’m being a whiny child.”
“The fact that there’s worse should not invalidated how you feel,” the crow spoke at last. “We know it’s hard for you and we will support you as much as we can.”
Sabo’s lips softened in a smile. “Thank you, Karasu.” Even if he didn’t even know the real aspect of the crow, even if he only met few people from the Revolutionary Army, he was pleasant knowing there were people out there helping him.
“Now, I can’t stay more,” Karasu continued. “These are for you.” He delivered Sabo a letter and a small sack filled with red pills. “The letter is from Dragon-san, with his advice how to move next. I suggest you to destroy it as soon as you read it.”
Sabo felt his hand warm as he rubbed the paper of the envelope. “Do you know the content?”
“Yes, but not in details.”
Sabo nodded. “And the pills?”
“It’s a contraceptive made by Iva-san. He suspected you’ll prefer not involving children in all this. Take one of it every night and you’ll be fine.”
Sabo shivered. He wasn’t so naïve not having think about the consequence of a marriage in the royal family, but speaking about it made it real. And horrible. He didn’t wait for Karasu to add anything else and swallowed one of the pills without the help of the water.
“Now I’ll leave. Call us anytime, Sabo.”
He nodded. “Thank you.” He looked at the crow until his figure disappeared in the night, then closed the window. He read the letter of Dragon and appreciated it gave not only orders but also reassurance words. It was somehow ironic Dragon could manage to be better in just one letter than his father in his entire life.
As Karasu suggested, he burned the letter in the fireplace and then, with a sigh, he climbed the stairs that connected his room to Nentokanette’s.
***
“You’re late,” were the first words Outlook reserved to his son as he got in the carriage. “I saw the others, they’re already on the way.”
Sabo rolled his eyes. “Don’t worry, they won’t begin without us.”
“Of course.” Nentokanette drew near and grabbed his arm. “This is your day after all.”
“Everyone is speaking about that,” Lady Outlook commented. “Everybody came to me for that, it was wonderful. Well, I would have appreciated more if you told something about this project of you…”
“Mother, this was too much important to be used by you only for gossip.” Sabo’s words were harsh, so she huffed.
“I understand, of course I do…”
“Wonder how much you’ll screw up…” Stelly muttered under his breath, but not low enough to not be heard.
Oh, I will screw you up a lot. You can’t even imagine. But Sabo remained silent. His father’s eyes were on him and he didn’t want to give away any suspicious. For everything else, the Grey Terminal was just a garbage mountain, for Sabo was his home. Outlook knew it better and there was no doubt in Sabo’s mind that the project he had made to resolve the problem of that place once and for all raised some suspicious in Outlook’s mind. Luckily, Sabo doubted Outlook realized he had his memory back.
Silence filled the carriage as it travelled from the high town towards the majestic walls that isolated the area of the Grey Terminal. Once it stopped, Sabo moved the tent and looked outside: all the other carriages were already there, parked in a large covered area he recognized as the main hall of the industry Sabo had built. The owner of the company, Mister Stark, was there, at the entrance, waiting for everyone to appear.
“Well, it didn’t stink,” Nentokanette admitted. “I was a little bit worried about that… I can’t say it smells goods but it’s better than I thought.”
“Yeah, well, that was the point.” Sabo offered her his arm and, once she leaned to him, he left the carriage.
“Your highness!” Stark smiled under his whiskers and he moved next to him. The shook hands.
“Thank you for accepting my request of this personal tour of your company,” Sabo said.
“It was necessary. I appreciated all your efforts to make this possible.” Stark moved his attention to Nentokanette. “Your Highness, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” And bowed.
“Who is he?” Nentokanette asked to Sabo, not paying attention at the man at all.
“It’s Tony Stark, general manager of the Stark Industry,” Sabo introduced him. “He’s the owner of this place and he helped me taking care of the Grey Terminal’s problem.”
“I see,” Nentokanette said, but she didn’t look as she understood was going on. Sabo held back a smirk. Barely.
“Are we waiting for someone else?” Stark asked, as he looked around at all the carriage parked there, since nobody else had yet got out from them.
“Well, the crown prince.” Sabo made a gesture with his eyebrow, to indicate that of course he was the last one to arrive, since he couldn’t be left behind. Starks nodded with understanding.
They didn’t wait for long: after ten minutes a carriage bigger and more opulent than the others entered in the main hall and, ignoring the parking spot and the mangers that were prepared for the horses, it stopped in the center of the hall.
Prince Louigis appeared, looking around with a frown on his face. “So this is your big idea for the Grey Terminal?” He sounded skeptical.
“This is only the main entrance,” Sabo explained calm. “Mister Stark here will show you what’s behind everything, if you may.”
“Your royal highness,” Stark said with a bow, to show Louigis he was there.
Louigis looked at him not entirely convinced, then clapped his hands. “The prince granted you permission to enter. And to Mister Stark to introduce us at his big project of my brother-in-law here.”
Only then the door of the carriage opened and the nobles inside got down from them. After a bow directly to the prince, they aligned behind him, from the most prominent family, which in that moment was Sabo’s only family, since he was the husband of the current princess. Sabo shot a glare: there were all the most important noble of Goa, including Fersen and Byron.
Good. He would appreciate seeing their face too as they would understand what Sabo had done in the Grey Terminal.
“If I may.” Stark indicated the path with a small gesture of his hands, and Louigis followed him, with Sabo and Nentokanette just behind him and then the others nobles.
They climbed a large stair that leaded at the first floor of the building, where Stark arranged a meeting room with some posters about his company. Since the building was built with modern style, with a lot of glass and iron and not decoration at all, Sabo didn’t miss the unconvinced look from the other nobles and he smirked.
He liked that style.
“First of all, I’d like to thank you for coming here today, and especially His Highness Sabo to allow me to build one of my fabric here.” Stark stopped next to one of the poster. “My company takes all the garbage and, when possible, turned them in new objects.”
Shock appeared on everyone’s face. “How is it possible?” Louigis asked.
“Well, takes for example a broken bottle. The glass can be sterilized, melted and then shaped in another bottle. Same can be said for paper.”
“This is disgusting!” Nentokanette gulped. “Thinking of using something like that…”
Stark smiled gentle at her. “Of course, my objects aren’t reserved for people like you. They’re cheaper and the ideal for people with few economic means.”
Nentokanette still looked disgusted. Louigis frowned: “So you take the garbage for free and then gain money selling again the product?”
“Not for free, I have an agreement with prince Sabo about it,” Stark explained. “I bought the land for the factory and I’ll give the kingdom a percentage of my incomes.”
Louigis shot a glare to Sabo, who just shuddered. The relationship between him and Stark was friendly, but at the same time there was an economical agreement, which made impossible for someone to criticize it, since it would bring value to the kingdom.
“Not all garbage can be reused.”
“Every object can be reused in a way or another.” Stark moved next to another poster. “Biodegradable things such as food remains are treated and transformed into fertilized. What can’t be recycle, it’s burned down and it becomes energy.”
He moved near a table: a big shell was on it. “This is a dial. Dial can store a large amount of energy. One of this at his fullest can warm a small town for six months.”
“We’ll have a free furniture of it, of course,” Sabo added with a satisfied smile.
Louigis glared at him. “You said you wanted to resolve the problem of the Grey Terminal.”
“And I did,” Sabo replied. “All the garbage will disappear inside this factory and we also get money from it.”
Louigis bit his lips, unable to answered back. So Stark intervened, “Your Royal Highness, would you like to see the inside of the fabric and the entire process?”
“Yes, of course.”
Stark showed the group all the four units of his fabric, and the different processes holding there. The machines weren’t in function, as Stark conceded the free day to his worker giving the visit of the noble, but he described everything with words. At the end of the tour, the climbed until the last floor, where the offices and a big covered terrace were. Stark had organized a buffet there, so when they reached it a couple of waiter were preparing the tables and served the food.
“I see no chair and no table,” Louigis commented.
“It was supposed to be a standing buffet, but no problems.” And Stark hurried to give orders to his men to arrange the terrace accordingly to the new requests.
Sabo sighed. He could have passed the first step, since the nobles and Louigis seemed to accept the entire recycling industry, even if it didn’t convince them entirely. The second step would be dangerous.
The terrace was covered by a glass dome who let the guests see the sky and the horizons. In the far, the royal palace stood up. Louigis looked at it. “So,” he said to Sabo. “If I check at the Grey Terminal troughs the windows, I shouldn’t see garbage anymore, right?”
Sabo smiled. “Definitely not, your royal highness.”
Louigis shot him a challenging look, as he was preparing himself to be disappointed and blame Sabo for this, then moved next to the glass dome and looked down. He froze. For a long minute, he was unable to speak. Then blabbered, “what does it mean?”
His tone was so shocked the other nobles, violating the etiquette, moved to see with their eyes the reason of such a confusion, and Louigis didn’t care. On their faces it appeared the same shock.
Sabo looked troughs the glass and, with an innocent smile, he asked, “What’s what?”
Louigis gesticulated, his face blue as he was unable to breath. “That!” he screamed, pointed out at the land of the Grey Terminal: the garbage mountain had been substitute by an entire new quartier.
Sabo blinked. “They’re houses. Well, most of them. I had them building also a school for the children and some shops. For the hospital, I confide they could be able to use the one we already have in town.”
His attitudes unnerved Louigis, but at the same times managed to calm him down. “Why?”
“For the people of the Grey Terminal, of course.” Sabo spoke as he found the questions stupid. And he did. “It was part of my agreement with Mister Stark, since he needs people to work in the fabric. So I offered them a work and a place where to live.”
“For free?” Louigis gritted.
“Part of their salary, each month, will be versed to the kingdom, as a partial payment for the house.” Sabo paused, to let the reply to Louigis, but then continued, “now that they have a place where to live as everyone else, they can pay taxes. The area is now free from garbage and they have no reason anymore to commit crimes. It’s safer than before.”
Louigis’ face was blue again. “You shouldn’t have.”
“I don’t see what your problem is, your royal highness,” Sabo said. He had a satisfied smile, because he noted the horrified look on his father’s face. “I understand your father has… different methods to deal with the Grey Terminal.” A gasp escaped from the nobles’ throat, as Sabo hinted at the fire of ten years before. “He preferred to burned down the problem instead of resolve it. Maybe because I believe people are a resource and not garbage.”
He smirked, as he watched the other faces. None of them would have never thought of actually helping the people of the Grey Terminal, only because they felt they’re not worthy. And now they couldn’t give Sabo a realistic explanation about why his work was wrong.
“What?” Louigis barked, not at Sabo but a woman that stood behind him. He had ignored the other waiter that were setting the tables, but he used her as an escape route from a discussion he felt he couldn’t win.
She bowed. “I apologize, your royal highness.” He turned to Sabo. “I need your confirmation about a part of your agreement with the Stark Industries. If you can come with me…”
Sabo waited for Louigis to give his permission, and he just waved his hands, with a last disgusting look at the woman. “Go.”
So Sabo left the terrace. As soon as he closed the door behind him, he sighed relieved. “Betty. You’re my savior!”
“You looked pretty distressed.”
“I am! I mean, did you hear them? They’re angry at me because I gave basic right to people!”
“What a bunch of utterly trash.” She smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder. “You did a very good job here.”
“Thanks. But I’m not sure I would have been able to convince the people of the Grey Terminal without your help.”
“Team work!” Belo Betty raised a fist. “I’d like to tell you it’ll be easier from now on, but it’ll probably be worse.”
“I know. But I’m ready.”
“If you’ll need an injection of motivation, just call me, okay?”
Sabo definitely needed it. The positive thing of his life were now the fact that he didn’t have to protect himself anymore alone from the strikes. He had people, he had the Revolutionary Army on his side, ready to protect him and his sanity from all the shit the nobles were throwing at him.
“Well, I need it know to return back there.”
Belo Betty smiled, but he pushed him towards the door. “You’ll be fine.”
When he returned to the terrace, the others were already sitting down at the table, as the waiter served their plates. Sabo noticed Louigis reserved a table only for him and Nentokanette, who looked at him and scoffed. Sabo didn’t expect her to defend him, so he nodded and sat down at the table of his family.
“You screw up big time, big brother,” Stelly whispered at his hear.
Sabo smiled. “But did I?”
His mother looked worried. Sabo expected his father to be livid, instead he looked absorbed in his thoughts. “Why?” he asked, at last.
“I already answered.” Sabo snored.
“I mean, why did you decide to take care of the Grey Terminal? It looks… personal.”
“Of course it is, father. You should know better.” A shadow of fear passed inside Outlook’s eyes and Sabo smiled. “I was kidnapped because the garbage mountain permitted to pirates and others criminals to live here unpunished. Now they won’t have a safe place anymore. That’s all.”
If his father didn’t believe him, he didn’t show him. Sabo didn’t care. He wasn’t time to reveal the truth about his memory yet. So he ate the buffet Stark offered him without another word.
After the lunch, Stark came to give a last greeting, then the nobles returned to their carriage. Louigis dragged Nentokanette in his own, not realizing Sabo was more than happy spending time without her. For now, Sabo was safe: she couldn’t divorce from him for such a trivial matter.
The carriage left the factory and this time, all the nobles kept the tents of the windows opened, to check how the Grey Terminal turned into a fine small town.
“Please, stop here,” Sabo ordered to the charioteer when they reached the main square.
He opened the door and jumped down, ignoring his mother’s complain. He walked straight to the center: since Stark had gave them the free day, the people of the former Grey Terminal had thrown a small party to celebrate their new live. They noticed the carriages and they looked at them with a little bit of wonder and envy, but when Sabo appeared, the crowd exploded in cheers.
Sabo found himself surrounded by all the people that thanked him and hugged him and touched him and placed in his arms food they had cooked. Finally, he was dragged to the stage he was erected, next to the man who was nominate major of the area.
“Prince Sabo is here!”
The crown applauded and screamed and Sabo couldn’t hold back the smile. He opened his mouth and the crowd became silent.
“You don’t have to thank me,” he said. “It’s your hard work that allowed me to realize all these. Thank you to all you, then. I’m in your care.”
His statement was welcomed by other happy scream. Then someone asked, “what about the walls?”
“Yeah, we’d like to go to the city freely.”
“We needs things we can find only there.”
Sabo understood their requests, but demolishing the walls wasn’t something he could do without consequences.
The crowd was so focused on Sabo they didn’t even notice Louigis had left his carriage and, with the help of two guards, had made his path to the stage. He expected to be welcomed with the same energy as Sabo, or even more since he was the future king, but only met the curious looks of the people. They had no idea who he was.
“Everyone, a big applause for Prince Louigis, the son of our king!” Sabo affirmed with high voice. “He promised to take off that walls as soon as possible, so our kingdom will be reunited together!”
The crowd applauded with enthusiasm. Instead, Louigis looked at Sabo with anger and hatred, but he knew he couldn’t deny the statement now. Sabo cheated and he was happy about it.
“Let’s go back,” he ordered.
“As you ordered, your royal highness.” But it looked Sabo was mocking him.
With a last wave at the crowd, Sabo followed Louigis. “They didn’t even recognize me! Their prince! Their future king! How dare they!”
“How many time do you show your face in front of them before? I think none,” Sabo commented, as he wasn’t talking to him. But then, before got on his carriage, he looked at him in the eyes and affirmed, “if you treat people as garbage, don’t be surprise when someone else will treat you the same.”
Sabo felt like, finally, after all that time, he delivered his first strike back.
***
Even if all the nobles stood up compared to the normal people, there was a hierarchy between them. The families that had connections with the royalty were considered more important than the others. In Goa, there were a couple of families that managed to keep this connection for all generations, and Byron and Fersen were part of them, but most of the others fought all time to gain that power and reputation trough the royal family.
Outlook had won his battle, since Sabo had managed to marry Nentokanette, and the fact he was at this point a guest at the Thursday night at the Fersen Mansion proved it. For a second, after the all Grey Terminal affair, Outlook had wondered if he could have been excluded, but it hadn’t happened.
No matter what, Sabo was married to the princess and that was enough.
So Outlook sat down in one of the armchair in the gigantic hall of the Fersen Mansion, smoking a cigar that came directly from the Red Line. He was discussing with another noble about the idea of starting a commerce with the Alabasta Kingdom, when his attention was caught by a maid, who entered in the room and whispered in Lord Fersen’s ear.
He nodded and dismissed her, then he stood up.
“Dear friends, for tonight will have a special guest,” he announced.
A couple of minutes later, Prince Louigis made his entrance in the all. All nobles stood up, but, Outlook noticed, he was the only one surprised. Two maids brought in the hall a new armchair, while another one hurried to serve to Louigis wine and food.
He gestured to the other nobles to sat down, and they obeyed, but none of them spoke. Louigis took his time to eat and drink.
“Delicious,” he said at last. “No wonder is the wine I gave you as a present,” he added to Fersen.
“Which I am deeply grateful for.”
Louigis barely nodded, then passed his gaze to all the present.
“Do not worry, my people, I won’t ruin your evening. I am here to speak about an important matter with, I’m sure, we all agree.” His eyes stopped. “Your son, Lord Outlook.”
Inside him, Outlook swore. “My son, Your Royal Highness?”
“Unfortunately, my father was too nice to that spoiled child of my sister, and he let her chose what she wanted. Clearly a mistake, but it’s too late now,” Louigis said.
Next to him, Fersen snickered and so did some of the other nobles. Contrary to them, it was the first time for the Outlook family to reach such power and authority and it was clear it wasn’t considered worthy. Outlook swallowed down his humiliation.
“We need you to keep your son on the line,” Louigis continued. “The Grey Terminal was only his first insult.”
“I heard he was planning to establish taxes for our nobles,” Fersen said. “Something along the line that richer people need to pay more.” Some scared look appeared.
“And a public university for all people,” added Byron. “Nobody should be ignorant, in his opinion. How fucked up is that? Poor don’t deserve an education.”
“It’s worse,” another noble commented. “He thinks it is possible to lower people to become like us. This is just… ugh.”
“Well, he hired a common man as his personal secretary. Can you believe it?”
Louigis stood up, abandoning the glass of wine on the carpet. “Stop your son before he’ll become uncontrollable, or we’ll take care of him once and for all. Considering he and my sister don’t even have a child, it’s useless as a death man.” With that, he left.
The room remained silent even after the sound of the door that was closed. Outlook refused to watch the other as he slowly stood up. “I apologize, but I feel it’s time for me to leave.”
Nobody answered, nobody said him goodbye as he moved towards the door. Silence accompanied his leave. He had never felt so humiliated in his life.
That stupid son of his!
After his marriage, Outlook had thought Sabo would be a good prince. His behavior had been better than usual, except the short break of his mysterious illness, and even if Outlook knew Sabo wasn’t a genius, he hoped at least things would be fine. All he needed to do was having children and looking pretty next to the princess.
But no! Even after his memory, Sabo still had stupid ideas. In one thing Outlook agreed with Prince Louigis: he was he duty to stop Sabo, for the sake of his own family.
So the next move was, on Friday morning, to reach the royal palace and ask for a private meeting with Sabo. He was expecting to be received on the spot, instead Sabo made him waiting for hours. The waiting became almost unbearable, but gave Outlook the realization Sabo had stopped considering his family once he had gotten married. Except the day of the Grey Terminal, Outlook had seen his son only when he was the one asking for the private meeting.
At first, Outlook thought it was about Nentokanette: after all, they were in love. But maybe he had been painful mistaken. Sabo was avoiding him because he didn’t care about the prestige of the family. He didn’t care about the nobles at all. Just as when he had his memory.
Finally, Outlook was introduced in the private office of Sabo, who didn’t even look at him, focused on the paper he was writing.
“Why do you make me wait for so long?” Outlook asked, as he sat down on the chair.
“I’m busy. What do you want?”
“Look at me when I’m talking to you, Sabo.”
And Sabo did, with two eyes full of anger and hate. The same Outlook saw after Sabo had woken up from his coma. “Do you remember I have a higher position than you now? That’s what you want, right? So accept all the consequences that came with it.” With that, he returned to his writing.
“You’re still my son…” Outlook murmured, but obeyed. “I apologize, Sabo. Of course I’m happy of your results, but not all people may be and I’m worried you-”
“You’re worried I’ll lost my position and you’ll lost your privilege,” Sabo cut him.
“Yes.” Outlook’s face brightened as he felt his son understood the situation. “You worked so hard and… You’re happy now you’re with the princess, right? Why don’t you focus on your marriage instead this trivial things…”
“Because giving people a better life is, of course, a trivial thing.” Sabo rang a small bell he had on his desk. A second later, a man entered in the room. “Pratchett, please, accompany Lord Outlook at the door, we finished here.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“We’re not finished!” Outlook jumped up. “Sabo, do you understand the position you’re in…?”
“No, I understood the position you all nobles are. Scared. I’m enjoyed it a lot.” A smirk passed through Sabo’s face, as he returned at his paper.
Defeated, Outlook followed Pratchett outside. He didn’t understand his son at all, neither he understood what could have caused such a change in him. He was an idiot, but after the memory loss Outlook was sure he turned him into an obedient child. The person he faced that day looked like a different person.
As a noble, Outlook felt with all his body Sabo needed to be stopped. His ideas were too dangerous, as he showed no consideration for the importance of nobility. They couldn’t afford to have him as a father of the possible future king.
But Outlook was his father, which mean Sabo’s fall would result into the entire family’s fall. And he couldn’t afford that. After all, kings and nobles survived for so many years Sabo alone couldn’t destroy them. But losing his connection to the royal would surely destroy the Outlook family.
When he returned home, Stelly welcomed him with a big smile on his face. “Daddy! I have a wonderful news for you!” he exclaimed. “The king called me this morning and asked me to be the prince’s personal secretary! Isn’t that great? Now I’m also your connection to the palace!”
So that was it, Outlook thought. Louigis’ words the evening before contained a warning and a threat. At first, Outlook imagined Sabo could be forced to divorce from Nentokanette faking one of the two reasons that made possible a divorce in the royal family, which was bad enough for their reputation.
“Aren’t you happy, daddy?”
But Stelly’s new position showed Outlook a new reality. The main idea was to kill Sabo, to take care of him once and for all. And to pay Outlook for accepting the death of his firstborn, his only child, so that at least he could have still something that connected him to the royal family. Stelly’s new position was a bribe.
“Of course I am. Always so proud of you, Stelly.”
But position could be withdrawing. And the personal secretary of the king was less than the brother-in-law of the king. And Stelly wasn’t his flesh and blood after all, he was just the substitute. The last resource.
No, for once Outlook wouldn’t accept the bribe. His firstborn was an idiot and, like always, Outlook had to do the dirty work for him.
Capitolo 4
The eyes were closed as Sabo inhaled the sea air. He heard the sound of the waves against the dock, the seagulls’ screams and he almost felt drops of water on his face. He imagined himself sitting on the railing of a pirate ship.
“This is your fault,” Nentokanette pouted.
“My fault?” Sabo replied, returning in the real word.
“Yes. We were supposed to go at the ceremony, not my father and my brother. I even bought a new dress for that…”
“Oh. I’m sorry then.” And it was sincere, as his gaze turned to look at the ship that slowly left the Goa Kingdom. He would love to spent some time at the sea. “Even if I don’t get why it’s my fault.”
Nentokanette glared at him. “We don’t have a child yet. And my father does not approve some of your ideas, so he decided Louigis had to marry too. That’s why they’re going instead of us.”
Of course, Sabo knew about that, even if he didn’t care. In his opinion the Revolutionary Army would have change the world before Louigis could even have a child, so thing didn’t change for him. But before he could reply to Nentokanette, a breathless Stelly broke next to them.
“I’m here! I’m here! I can’t believe I forgot these important papers this day. It’ll be great for his royal highness and I’ll be there with him and-”
“The ship sailed,” Sabo interrupted him. “Why aren’t you on board?”
“What?” Stelly moved the gaze where Sabo was pointed and saw the figure of the ship at the horizon. “They left without me?”
Nentokanette chuckled and even Sabo didn’t hold back a smile. Stelly bit his lips, in understanding. There was a time Sabo was mocked at the same way, but now it looked the stupid brother, the failure of the family, had become Stelly.
“The ship’s still in the bay, if you ask some of the merchant ships here they could lend you a lift to reach it in time,” Sabo suggested with a kind smile.
Stelly swallowed down his humiliation. “Yes, I’ll do that.”
He turned to check the nearest ship to ask and in that moment two loud sounds, one after another, were heard in the bay and they made the waves growing stronger. Both Nentokanette and Stelly covered themselves behind Sabo, who looked around worried.
“That was a thunder?” she asked.
“I don’t think so…” Sabo answered slowly, as he saw smoke lifting from the ship the king and prince where on. “Take care of her,” he ordered Stelly, then rushed towards the harbor master.
They had already taken notice of what had happened and they were efficiently preparing another ship to sail at the rescue. It could be nothing, but the smoke was enough worrisome to at least checked it.
“I’ll come with you,” Sabo said.
The captain of the ship was perplexing, but he couldn’t refuse an order from the royal family, so he nodded. Sabo jumped on the bow desk, looking for the situation in front of him. As the ship approached the other, the flames became visible and it looked like something had split the ship into two parts.
Lifeboats came in their direction and the sailor hurried to rescue the people on them. From a briefly smile, they didn’t look hurt and Sabo let a relieved sigh.
“It’s too dangerous getting nearer,” the captain said. “We could run over other survivors and get caught in the shipwrecked.”
So sailors and paramedics together used the same lifeboats to get near the almost fallen ship. Sabo joined them, even if the sight of the situation made his scar aching. The smell of the burned wood mixed with the sea salt brought back memory to Sabo, who shivered and pinched his arm to remain focused. He helped the sailors to bring on board of the lifeboat the people that were swimming far from the ship, the ones that didn’t manage on time to escape. Only few of them were badly hurting.
“We need to go back,” said one of the paramedics. “It’s becoming too dangerous for us and we need to take care of the wounded.”
“But…” Sabo began.
“Your highness, we all know the king and prince are missing right now. But remaining here would only put everyone else in danger.”
Sabo gave a last look at the fallen ship before nodding. The people on the lifeboat were hurt and scared, they needed to be saved. But once on the ship, Sabo remained on the deck, his look focused on the fire and the sea, searching for more survivor. If only I would have been stronger, I could have searched the burned part of the ship here. Maybe he could have save someone else, as Dragon had saved him. But he was weak.
Once the ship returned at the harbor, Sabo was welcomed by Lestrade, who was the deputy head of the royal guards. The king and the prince had brought with them the head, alongside with some of the best guards. Sabo knew all of them and was sure to see most of them saved, but definitely not their boss.
“Your highness,” Lestrade greeted him with a bow. “I came here as soon as I was informed. What happened? It was the royal ship, wasn’t it?”
Sabo nodded. “Our king and prince… are nowhere to be see.”
Lestrade gasped. “I understood the captain didn’t want to risk to get too near, but we need to prepare another rescue ship right now.”
Sabo nodded. “The fire… It seemed started right in the middle of the ship, just where the king’s cabin is.”
“Not an accident, then?”
“I don’t know,” Sabo said. He was more tired than he thought and the adrenaline rushed towards his veins, making impossible to realize the situation.
“Your highness, please return to the royal palace,” Lestrade suggested him. “I will organize a search team for the king and the prince and we’ll start investigating this incident too. For now, you need to be safe.”
I don’t want to be safe. I want to be out there, helping people. Be strong.
Instead, Sabo nodded. He felt panic was already spreading around the harbor, even if Lestrade’s guards where keeping curious away. He’d like to reassuring his people, but right now he wasn’t sure he could reassure himself.
He got on his carriage, where he found Nentokanette and Stelly, who jumped still as soon as he saw him.
“People were coming and I felt her highness would be safe inside…” he justified himself.
“Go home, Stelly,” Sabo ordered, as he sat down in front of Nentokanette. Stelly stopped for a second, his mouth moved, but in the end he took all his papers and left.
“You look horrible,” Nentokanette said. Since Sabo didn’t speak, she continued, “So, what was it? A divine punishment because my father didn’t let me go to the ceremony?” She chuckled. “He didn’t even manage to left the harbor, I’m pretty sure he’s furious right now.”
“Sarie,” Sabo murmured, and she stopped.
“What?” She blinked, as Sabo’s serious expression, and she licked her lips.
“It wasn’t a minor accident,” he explained. “The ship was split in half, the central part destroyed by the fire. I’m not sure how many people we fail to save, but… Your father and brother were part of the missing people.”
“What do you mean, missing people?”
“They weren’t on the lifeboat, not swimming around the sea. We didn’t find them. It’s possible…”
“No,” she interrupted him. “No! No!” She stamped her feet on the ground. “There’s no way. Send all of guards, all of our servants, they have to find my father and my brother, do you understand? They will find them.”
“Lestrade’s already on it,” he assured her. “If they’re alive, he will find them.”
“If?” Nentokanette kicked him, then almost yelped from the hurt. “They are alive. Royals people doesn’t die like everyone else. They are alive.”
Sabo didn’t press. She could not like her, but she could understand the feeling of losing someone dear. Not accepting the situation was a way to deal with the pain. So when they reached the royal palace, he suggested her to relax a little in her room, since he would call for her as soon as Lestrade would bring back news. She looked tired, so she obeyed.
Pratchett, Sabo’s personal secretary, arrived to ask information about the situation, since some rumors had reached the palace. Sabo asked him to keep the situation under control for now, until they received better information. After that, he closed himself in his office, alone. Hidden below the desk, there was the Den Den Mushi the Revolutionary Army had given him for sending them message.
And he did. Just few words, because he couldn’t be sure of the situation yet.
But if the king and the prince really had died in the shipwreck, the what would happen? It wasn’t part of the plan. Becoming king wasn’t his mission.
Sabo didn’t want to become king.
***
Lestrade came for his report the morning after the day of the incident. Sabo welcomed him in his office: he hadn’t slept much and Nentokanette had closed herself in her room, so Pratchett was his only company for the moment.
“I apologize, your highness, but I prefer spending a little more time to investigate before explain the situation to you.”
Sabo nodded and gestured for Lestrade to sit down, but the vice head remained still. “Please.”
“We searched for other survivors all day and night, but we managed to find only two bodies. They were sailors and it is likely they remained trapped at the bottom of the ship when the explosion happened.”
“So is it confirmed it was an explosion?” Sabo asked.
“Pretty much,” Lestrade hummed. “We didn’t find any traces of the bomb, but I feel the evidence are enough.”
“After all, I also heard the sound of the explosion.”
Lestrade nodded. “And you were on the land: the survivors heard it better and there’s no mistake it was an explosion. Or better, two.”
“Two?” And Sabo’s eyes widened in understanding. “For two people…”
“I fear you are correct, your highness. For what we can see from the remains of the ship, the two explosion took place from two definite spots: the king’s and the prince’s cabins.”
Pratchett gasped.
“I’m afraid so,” Lestrade agreed. “Two bomb exploded from the two cabins. The people that were in those rooms probably were killed on the spot.” He ignored Pratchett’s shivers and continued, “the bombs weren’t strong enough to destroy the entire ship. I guess because they were enough small to not be found during the inspection.”
“But the ship sank.”
“Yes, the explosions expanded on the bottom of the ship, opening a hole where the water entered. And it started a fire, which made impossible to intervene for repair the said hole. That’s how it went.”
Sabo sat down and closed his eyes. “You said you found only two bodies. What about the other victims?” Lestrade spoke as there was no way they would find other survivors.
“Their bodies probably got destroyed because of the explosion,” Lestrade said. “Other than the King and the Prince, also the king’s advisor, the king’s personal secretary, the king’s butler, the head of the royal guards and the prince’s second secretary lost their lives.” He put on the desk a paper filled with names. “I interviewed the survivors and most of them confirmed those men were probably together at the time of the explosion. And from the list of people onboard, they were the only we hadn’t found.”
“So we lost the king and the heir at the same time…” Pratchett murmured, letting sink the magnitude of the situation. “Who could have doing something so terrible?”
Sabo was reading the list Lestrade’d gave him and, without lifting his eyes, he answered, “hypothetically speaking, me.”
“Your Highness...!” Pratchett gulped, outrageous.
“Please don’t joke on this,” Lestrade added.
“I’m not saying I did it, but people might think it,” Sabo said. “After all, I’m the one that gains more from their deaths. Before, I was only the husband of a princess, with the hope one of my son will ascend to the throne one day. A remotely one, since the journey in the first place was for the prince to get married. Now, well, I’m becoming king.” The last words were pronounced with a tired tone, and there was a crocked smile on Sabo’s face.
Pratchett and Lestrade exchanged a look. “Then I’ll do whatever it takes to find the real culprit,” Lestrade commented. “I already had a hunch.”
“Thank you,” Sabo said sincerely. “But I have another favor to ask: can you please continuing the research of survivors for the shipwreck for three more days, alongside with your investigations?”
“Of course, your highness, but I had to say it’ll be pointless.”
“I know, but at least I don’t want anyone to suspect we don’t search long enough.”
“I understand. I will bring you news in three days then.”
“Thanks. And Lestrade…” Sabo called as the man was about to leave. “I can’t nominate you until I’ll be crowned, but the position of head of the royal guards it’s already yours.”
Sabo’s felt a sting in his heart, because the last sentence felt a lot like a bribe. It wasn’t, because Sabo had known Lestrade since he’d married Nentokanette and he knew his valor, but at the same time he’d became his friend, just as Dragon’d suggested – speak with everyone, make friend so you can have allied – and he lived in that garbage world for so long his mind had become malicious.
And for that, he was glad Lestrade didn’t comment further.
“No words, for now,” Sabo ordered Pratchett. “People will talk, but we need to keep quiet.” He wouldn’t tell Nentokanette too: it would be hard for her, so Sabo decided he would wait until he would be inevitable.
***
As promised, Lestrade came back three days later, but he didn’t have different news from the ones he’d already brought, so Sabo hadn’t any choice but to announce everyone what’d happened.
“Please, Pratchett, summoned all the managers in my office in half an hour, I need a meeting with the about the future. After that, ordered as much funeral wreaths as the number of the victims and set them in my chariot.”
“Why?” Pratchett asked, as he signed down the orders in his notebook.
“I’d like to say my condolence to the families in person,” Sabo explained. Even if most of the victims were from noble families and they probably hated him, he felt the urge to do so. “And the first person we’ll be Nentokanette.”
“I suppose you won’t need flowers for her,” Pratchett commented, with sympathy.
Sabo shook his head. “I’ll see you at the meeting in half an hour.”
He hadn’t see Nentokanette in four days. He couldn’t say he missed his company, but it made the meeting with her more complicated. He knocked the door from the hallway, even if their two rooms were connected, and waited for the answer before entering. She lied down in the bed, but as soon as he saw him, she sat down.
“Sabo, honey, finally!” she exclaimed. “I miss you. And father and brother. Where they are?”
She could look happy, but her hair was a mess and her nightdress was stained. And no make-up. No matter how much she’d tried to hide his worries, her bodies betrayed her.
Sabo sat down to the bed next to him. “They died, Nentokanette.”
She blinked. “Sorry?”
“It was a bomb. The explosion killed them and destroyed their bodies,” Sabo explained. It was cruel from his side, but he had no other choice to wake her up. “Lestrade’s investigation was meticulous. That’s just what it is.”
“Well, it’s clear he’s not good enough,” Nentokanette replied. “Fire him and hire someone better. Someone that can actually find my father and brother.”
“No.”
“You… You… Fine, I’ll do it myself.”
She was about to leave the bed, but Sabo dragged her back by her arm.
“You won’t fire someone just because you don’t like the answer.”
“It’s just not true!” she screamed, as she squirmed to break free from Sabo’s grip. “Let me go!”
Sabo grabbed her other’s arm to block her. “They’re dead, Nentokanette. Not your money or your position will change it. Just accept they’re gone.”
She froze, eyes big and watery. Tears streamed down her face. “You’re so cruel…” she sobbed. “You hadn’t lost anyone dear to you, so you can’t understand!”
He blinked and immediately released her. Nentokanette turned his back at him and covered her face with her hands. Sabo felt the tears on his cheeks, as the image of Ace’s face from his bounty poster compared in his mind.
Nentokanette was right. He’s cruel. He’s cruel because he didn’t like them, and he didn’t like her.
“That’s not true,” he murmured. Even if she was sobbing and not paying attention at him, he continued, “I lost someone I care about. I lost him and I wasn’t able to tell him goodbye. Just like you. I may have not liked your father and brother, but you’re allowed to be sad. Just… you’re also the princess. You have duty that cannot wait for you to grieve.”
He moved near to him, so he could hug her. Nentokanette hid her head against his chest. She was crying. “Not even you can protect me forever…” she murmured. “I’m so tired… I just want to forget all…”
“You can rest for now,” Sabo assured her. “I will take care of everything.”
He let her cry until he felt her breathe was becoming harder. At that point he moved near the bedside table. He passed Nentonakette a couple of sleeping pills and a glass of water. She didn’t complain, otherwise she was eager to drink it. Sabo waited until she was asleep before leaving the room.
He was late for the same meeting he summoned himself, so he wasn’t surprised when he saw the look the others shot him as he entered in the office. After all, they all hated him and now that he was basically in charge, they’re also worried.
Sabo sighed internally. It was like a fire trial. He stopped hiding. He stopped protecting himself with his arms, even if the strikes kept coming. But those people… Those wouldn’t it him straight in the face. They would hug him and then stab him in the back. It’s a kind of battle wasn’t used to it yet. The only way to survive was to hit first and faster.
“I apologize, but I was informing Princess Nentokanette about her loss.”
It was the truth, but Sabo felt an inch of happiness as he saw the look of the others shifted away from him, embarrassed.
Since none of the others were sitting down, Sabo remained still too. He observed the people in the room: save for Pratchett and Lestrade, they were enemies so Sabo had to be twice as careful as he spoke with them, since they were the most important employers of the royal palace and they were well known and respected.
Lady Chambord, Lady Fersen’s sister, was the housekeeper so she took care of everything involving maids, butlers and the palace’s furniture. Better than her only Lady Byron’s father Lord Richey, the Chamberlain, who was in charge of the entire organization of the palace and, now that the king’s advisor was dead and yet to be substitute, of everything involving the royal family’s affair. Last but not least, Lord Muzesky, the maître: kitchen, cooks and all that came with them.
“I guessed Lestrade already informed you about what happened that fateful day to our dear king and to the crown prince,” Sabo began, and Lestrade nodded in confirmation. “I waited, hoping I could bring you better news, but we can’t do that anymore. The kingdom needs time to mourn its death.”
He decided he wouldn’t make any reference about his future as king. He casted a glance at Pratchett, who took out of his folder some papers to be handed at the others.
“I prepared a small list of procedures we’ll follow in the next days,” Sabo explained as soon as everyone had the paper. “The funeral will take place in seven days at the church of Saint Joan. The bodies weren’t found, but I feel all of us need a ceremony to celebrate the royal family we lost. Can I trust you into organize it, Lord Richey?”
“Yes, your gr- your highness,” he answered. “Even if I saw you already have a lot in mind.”
“It’s just a suggestion,” Sabo replied gently.
Lord Muzesky hummed. “I agreed about the banquet after the funeral though.”
“What about the other loss?” Lady Chambord inquired. “I hope you don’t intend for a contemporary ceremony.”
Sabo shook his head. “No. Seven days should be enough to held the other commemorations before ours.” He paused. “After the funeral, we’ll wait thirty days for the coronation ceremony.”
Lord Muzesky and Lord Richey froze, remembering the truth of the situation. Lady Chambord snorted. Sabo turned his gaze to her, then slowly took three steps to get in front of her.
“Is there some problem, Milady?” he murmured, sweet. “Please feel free to add any suggestions. This is my first time in this kind of… unpleasant event and I’m ready to take any advices from expert people like you.”
Lady Chambord gulped under Sabo’s innocent gaze. She hadn’t bothered to hid his displeasure when Nentonakette’d chosen Sabo over her nephew Fersen jr, but now Sabo wasn’t just the husband of a royal, he was the future king and, even if he wasn’t crowned yet, none of the other yield as much power as him. A wrong word and Lady Chambord could lose her position. Any of them were in the same danger.
And Sabo played with her, fully aware he couldn’t actually fire them as he pleased.
He realized, in a glimpse of victory, that he wasn’t anymore the poor boy hidden behind a wall, waiting to be it. Now he was the one looking for hidden people.
“No, your highness.” She didn’t make the same mistake of Lord Richey, and addressed Sabo with his rightful title. “Thirty days are fine for mourning and for organizing the coronation ceremony. All three of us will collaborate for it.”
“Five,” Lestrade corrected her.
“I’m sorry?” She blinked.
“Five,” Pratchett repeated. “As the personal secretary of the future king and as the vice head of the royal guards, we are obliged to participate at the organization.”
And he pointed at himself and Lestrade. The other three looked outrageous, because Lestrade came from a fallen noble family and Pratchett was no noble at all.
“Of course,” Sabo confirmed. “I count on all you five for this. The kingdom need you.” A hint of a smirk compared on his face and he quickly hid it. “Now, if we’re finishing… Are what I asked you ready?”
“The funeral wreaths were loaded on your carriage and the driver is waiting for you, your royal highness,” Pratchett replied.
“Perfect. Let’s go.”
Despite the curiosity in the others’ eyes, Sabo didn’t bother to explain the situation and left the room with Pratchett at his side. He thought faced the family of the victims would have been hard, but after facing those three, nothing seemed impossible.
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