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Capitolo 8
Nentokanette what he was planning to do at the Reverie, she would probably agree to not be there. And she would certainly report him at the marine and ask for a divorce, and not necessary in that order.
So Sabo had to find an excuse to let her at Goa while he sailed for Mariejoa. It wasn’t an excuse per se, he thought for real it wasn’t a good idea for both sovereign to leave the kingdom. Someone had to stay and keep things in motion.
Of course Nentokanette wasn’t going to appreciate it. She had planned to go at the Reverie even before she had become queen, and Sabo was ruining her dream. The point was that Nentokanette couldn’t tell Sabo no, because he had his method to force her to agree. The main issue was enduring her behavior before the departure.
“You won’t fool anyone,” she told him when before Sabo left the palace. “Without me, everyone else will think something is off between us. They’ll talk.”
“Let them.”
“I don’t like it.” She glared. “She’ll come with you. Everyone will see. Everyone will know you’re a cheater.”
“Koala resigned two weeks ago.”
“Yeah, so you can bring her with you without showing she’s a mere maid. Clever choice.”
Sabo sighed. Lucky for him, it was the last discussion ever.
“The people of the Goa Kingdom will think how good you are as a queen, since you prefer stay here with them.”
Nentokanette snored. She had her back at him, with no intention at all to turn. Sabo sighed again. He didn’t even say her goodbye: it would have been another lie. He left the room and closed the door behind him.
Still the bad part of the day hadn’t ended yet. There was another person Sabo had to speak with, a person that managed to avoid him as much as possible for the past three months. Stelly. Funny enough, Sabo had once hoped revealing him his secrets would have brought them nearer. Koala had turned out right: Stelly wasn’t a person they could count on.
Which wouldn’t stop Sabo to try.
He stood still on the door of Stelly’s office, until he realized Sabo wouldn’t leave with a word. So he placed the pen on the desk and lift his face.
“Are you leaving?”
“Yes.”
Stelly nodded. He didn’t ask to come, he already knew something big was about to happen and he definitely wouldn’t like to be there.
“I won’t return,” Sabo said.
Stelly looked surprised. “What do you mean?”
“Well, assuming I won’t be killed, it’ll be safe for me and for this kingdom if I never return.”
“You don’t have to do… whatever you had in mind.” Stelly snored. “You have everything here. You’re the king, dammit!”
“I had,” Sabo replied. “I don’t expect you to understand.”
“Good, because I don’t.”
Sabo breathed hard. “I spoke with King Salmodovar recently. He told me about your request to go working for him and I know you move some of your fund in his kingdom.”
Stelly shot a look. “We barely speak to each other. I see it’s useless, since you know everything.”
“Don’t.”
“Don’t what?” Stelly rebutted. “You’re going to screw big time. Even more than the usual. Your maid slash revolutionary friend was pretty clear about that. You said you’ll give me everything if I stay loyal, but it was clearly a lie.”
“No.” Sabo swore internally. He didn’t even know why he should care about Stelly’s opinion. He was an idiot. One of the people Sabo hated. He decided to cut down the conversation. “If you’d like to leave, I’ll speak with king Salmodovar at the Reverie. But if you stay, you can become king.” He noticed the way Stelly grasped the pen. “Don’t tell me you’re not tempted.”
“Of course I’m tempted,” Stelly spat. “But Nentokanette can be queen alone, you made it possible.”
“She can, but she’s not able to. She’ll need someone to help her. She likes you, that much I know. And the people of this kingdom… They’ve managed to meet you at the audience. They trust you.”
“It’s because I’m your step-brother,” Stelly cut it.
“Not only. You were there for them. Maybe you didn’t like it, but you did. If you keep that way, you can be a good king. I hoped so, when you didn’t shoot me that day.”
“I should have done it. The prison would be a safer place now.”
“And I shouldn’t have become king,” Sabo explained. “I tried to leave this place trice. I hope this time will be the last.”
“I won’t miss you.”
“Neither will I.”
And that was their goodbye. When Sabo jumped on the chariot and left the palace, all the bad thoughts drained from him. He spent so much time there, that the people there had become part of his daily life. But neither Nentokanette nor Stelly were people he liked. He tried to bring the good part of them on the surface, but he had his limits. He had other people, other friends. He didn’t care about them anymore.
He left.
“Everything good, your majesty?” asked Pratchett.
Sabo nodded. “Everything excellent.” He smiled. “I’ve told you before, but Reverie will be… a lot messy. You could-”
“And I’ve answered you before I didn’t care,” Pratchett replied. “I’m not loyal to this kingdom, I’m loyal to you, my king. I’ll follow you. Besides,” he added, “I’m sure you’re not going to do things I’ll disapprove.”
“Not sure about it, but thank you.”
He was glad Pratchett was coming with him. Having fighting alone for so long had tiring him out. Maybe sometime you can get up and fight back alone, but you can win better when you have someone to back you up.
He would have liked to bring Lestrade too, but he feared the kingdom could be in danger and it was better someone competent remained to defend it.
Sabo looked outside the window, at the ship that would bring him far. Once he stepped on it, he would stop being the king of Goa. And even if Sabo knew it was for the best, he couldn’t help but feel like a traitor.
***
The feeling of sadness was washed out, or at least hidden in a very back corner of his mind, once the ship sailed. Sabo wandered on the main deck, imagining to be on his pirate ship, ready for adventures. Every island they stopped by was a new place for Sabo. His mind guessed if Ace or Luffy had visited the same place.
For the first time, Sabo started a diary about what he was seeing. He was happy. He didn’t remember what it meant. There had been some happy moment when he was in Goa, but it had come from satisfaction and revenge. The one he felt right now was completely different, pure happiness for being finally where he supposed to: on the sea. A place where he didn’t feel as people will arrive to strike him out.
Once at the Reverie, Sabo knew things would change again, so he needed to take everything before losing it again.
He put on the mask of the king again when they reached Mariejoa, but he couldn’t keep himself by being in some way exciting by the place. Not many pirates had access to it and, he had to admit, the place was awesome.
After the ceremony in front of the empty throne, Sabo moved into the main hall where most of the king and queen were reunited. His attention was immediately caught by king Neptune and his children. Koala had spoken to him a lot about the fishman race, but he was the first time he saw some of them in person.
He chuckled as he watched princess Shirahoshi rejecting all the prince that were introduced to her. The image of Stelly came in him mind and he tried to cancel it. Stelly probably would hate being associate with that race, even if Shirahoshi was hot-looking, at least in the human part.
When Shirahoshi left the main hall, Sabo followed her. King Neptune was busy talking with some of the other sovereign and Sabo wouldn’t bother him with his question about his island. It looked it was Shirahishi’s first time in the surface and Sabo hoped they could exchange some information about the respective kingdom. He hoped to go to fishman island sometime in the future.
He found her in the garden, together with princess Vivi of Alabasta, king Dorton of Sakura Island and some other people he didn’t recognized. Passing all his evening studying the king and queen that would have attend the Reverie hadn’t been a waste. As he got neared, he heard them said the name “Luffy”.
He blinked. “Are you talking about Straw Hat Luffy?” he exclaimed.
They startled, noticing his presence for the first time. “No. Of course no. Why should be talking about a pirate?” princess Vivi answered. He liked her composure.
“Don’t worry,” he said, with a small chuckle. “I know Luffy too. He came from my kingdom.”
Vivi blinked. In that moment, the attention of everyone was on him. “For real?”
Sabo nodded. “Goa kingdom, in the East Blue. Well, he lived in the forest most of the time, so I’m not even sure he knew the name of the place. And I don’t think he cares.”
“So you know Luffy-sama as a child?” Shirahoshi intervened.
“How he was?” another girl – that Sabo recognized as the maid of princess Violet – asked.
“He was a crybaby.”
“Seriously?” Vivi raised an eyebrow, skeptical.
“Oh, yeah.” Sabo smiled, his mind filled by the memory that not even the Celestial Dragon managed to cancel for too long. “Once, he was captured by pirates. They tortured him to force him to reveal the place where him and Ace kept their treasure. He didn’t talk. He took all the hits, but he didn’t say a word.”
“That sounds like Luffy,” Vivi admitted.
“Looks like his hearts had been in the right place since he was a child,” Dorton commented.
Sabo was about to confirm it, when Shirahoshi’s yell rip the air. Everyone’s attention turned to her: a Celestian Dragon had her caught with a net and he claimed her as his property.
Sabo noticed absent-mindedly two men rushed towards her, only to be stopped by the CP0, Vivi’s intervention and king Neptune’s arrival. His eyes were on the Celestial Dragon, on the way he was completely fine into catching a person- a princess – as it was a feral animal. No remorse, no worries. In the same way the Celestial Dragon had shot him back them – as it was nothing.
Without even noticed, he walked towards him. One of the CP0 moved to stopped him.
“Please, your highness, stay back.”
“Move aside,” Sabo ordered.
“Don’t interfere with the Celestial Dragon.”
“Move. Aside,” Sabo repeated. “Or I’ll make you.”
He closed his gloved hand, already covered with haki, but before he could hit the CP0 agent, another Celestial Dragon intervened, smashing his colleagues and freeing Shirahoshi. The surprise caught Sabo off-guard and his fighting trance disappeared. Not the anger he felt, though – one Celestial Dragon didn’t make up for a group of degenerates.
He forced himself to remained there with them, listening to Saint Donquiote and his promise to help the fishermen. He knew if he remained alone, he would have let his anger taking place and probably rushed to break all the Celestial Dragon’s head he could.
But I’ll do. I’ll do it sooner or later.
***
At evening, Vivi had calmed herself enough to tell her father what had happened with Shirahoshi and the Celestial Dragon without having the feeling of punching someone. Giving that it wouldn’t have been a great choice for diplomacy, Cobra was glad everything had resolved itself at the last, even if he shared the same opinion of her about the behavior of the Celestial Dragon.
“King of Goa, eh…?” he commented once Vivi finished her story, saying that she was sure Sabo would have punched someone in her place. He had scary eyes. “I’ve heard of him.”
Vivi frowned. “Gossip?”
“They could be,” Cobra admitted. “New kings are always subject of small talk.”
“And what did they say?”
“He became king after his father killed the previous king and the crowned prince,” Cobra told her. “And then he arrested most of the noble families of the kingdom because they tried to assassinate him. And he condemned his own father to the death penalty.”
“So his father wasn’t the king?”
“No, his wife, Queen Sarie Nentokanette, was the daughter of the king, but in Goa women can’t govern alone.” Vivi snorted, and Cobra nodded, agreeing with her at the absurdity of the law. “And King Sabo didn’t bring her at the Reverie, officially because he didn’t like for his kingdom to be without both of their sovereign.”
“Oh.” There was a shadow of guilt in Vivi’s face, considering both her and Cobra were far away Alabasta, and with the two best guard with them. “And unofficially?”
“Many voices. Some saying he had an affair with his advisor, who came with him.” Cobra shrugged. “Who knows. Surely, in the past there were a lot of suspect about him being the real mastermind behind the death of Goa’s previous king.”
Vivi put a finger on his chin. “As there were a lot of suspect about you being the cause of the rain in our country.”
“Ouch,” Cobra replied, with a smile. It was a good thing they could talk about what happened with Crocodile and their kingdom so casually.
“Sabo didn’t look like a bad person to me,” Vivi said. “He jumped to defend Shirahoshi, just like me. And he knows Luffy. No,” he nodded at herself, “definitely not a bad person.”
Cobra didn’t have an opinion yet. Surely, the gossip he heard and the story Vivi had told him made him interested in knowing the king of Goa a little more. His eyes searched for Sabo when he entered in the room for the Reverie, but his attention was caught by the talks about Luffy. Only when they sat down, he individuated him again, sitting next to King Neptune.
Cobra planned to talk to both of them at the break, not imagining a little what would happen next.
King Beer, as the head of the Reverie, welcomed everyone with the same old discourse, introducing the new kings and queens. “Now, I’ll say we can get started with the first argument.”
“I have something to say first.”
Cobra blinked. As all the other sovereign, his attention was caught by Sabo, who stood up, a hand lifted for attention like a school boy.
“King Sabo, you are new here, so it is understandable you don’t remember well the procedure,” King Beer said gently. “Personal discussion will be held from the third days of Reverie and onward.”
“I’m aware of it,” Sabo nodded. “But this is too much important to wait.” His gaze passed on all the other sovereign, but he didn’t wait for Beer to talk again. He smirked. “Because I’d like to make my declaration of war against the Celestial Dragon.”
Silence fell in the room. Everyone, Cobra included, were to surprise to speak. Cobra looked at him with wide eyes. Was this boy serious?
“Once, in my country, nobles believed poor people are garbage,” Sabo continued. “I told them that they aren’t. And that if you treated a person as a garbage, do not doubt someone else will treat you in the same way.”
As he spoke, Cobra remembered about the gossip he heard. Maybe not all of them were false.
“And the Celestial Dragons treat everyone as garbage. Including you.” Sabo’s gaze passed again on everyone’s face. “Do you think you being king and queen give you some privileges?” He snorted. “One of the Celestial Dragon was about to make Princess Shirahoshi his slave without thinking twice.”
He turned his face to king Neptune, who nodded. “This is true.”
“Can you imagine it?” Sabo said. “A day a Celestial Dragon can just decide he doesn’t like you. No process, no justice, nothing. He decides, he is the law. The only thing you can do is to cover your face with your arm and hope he doesn’t hit you with too much strength. Hope to survive.” His hand moved, touching the scar on his face. “Even if you are a king, you are nothing. I don’t want to live in a world like this anymore.”
He paused, taking a long sigh. “I decided that the real garbage out there is made from the people who had no respect in others, and especially sovereign who only think about themselves. And garbage has to be taken out. Starting from the Celestial Dragon. Who is with-”
His speech was interrupted by three gunshots. Yells exploded as most people get far from the round table of the Reverie. Cobra couldn’t take off his eyes from Sabo, as he noticed the gunshot that passed troughs his chest. Sabo didn’t fall, keeping his hand firmly on the table. It was one of the Celestial Dragon’s guard that had shot him.
“Speaking bad about the Celestial Dragon is a crime worthy of the death penalty,” the guard said, his gun still aimed at Sabo.
Sabo smirked. “I just proved my point, didn’t I?” He regained his composure and, even if there were three bullet hole in his suit, no blood was there. Sabo turned to the guard and, before there was a change for another shoot, fire erupted from Sabo’s hand. The fire hit the guard and sent him against the wall.
Other yells around him, as Cobra watched the sparkles around Sabo’s shoulder. Sabo knew Luffy. Luffy was Fire Fist’s brother. And Fire Fist had had the power of fire. That couldn’t be a coincidence.
“Enough! I don’t want being associate at any of it! I’m innocent!” Wapol marched towards the door, but he didn’t manage to open it. He pulled in vain. “You! You did something!” he turned, his finger pointed at Sabo.
Sabo smirked. “It’s not time to leave yet. You should listen to him now.”
A wave of wind moved around the room, taking off all the guards that were about to attack Sabo again. Then, in the middle of the table, a cloaked figure appeared and it took only one second to recognize he was the leader of the Revolutionary Army, Monkey D. Dragon.
Then an explosion was heard from outside: Mariejoa was on chaos.
***
Stelly cursed. Against Sabo. More against himself, for hesitating too much in leaving Goa behind before Sabo could destroy everything. Now it was too late; after Sabo’s declaration at the Reverie, Stelly doubted anyone else would hire him. He was Sabo’s step-brother. But maybe, if he traveled far enough, where nobody could recognize him…
While he reflected about his next course of actions, he looked out of the window. He blinked, as he noticed a large group of ships at the horizon. He grabbed field glasses to watch better: marine warships, at least twenty. Stelly trembled. It was the buster call, as Koala anticipated. That wasn’t supposed to happen.
He rushed in the hallway, unsure how to escape, and he bumped into Lestrade.
“Lord Stelly.”
“There is… Outside… Warships…”
“I know,” Lestrade nodded. “Please, come with me.”
They reached the throne room: Stelly’s mother was there, alongside with the chamberlain and the maître, two people Sabo had hired from the commoners. Nentokanette sat on her throne and, by the gaze and her messed hair, Stelly could tell she wasn’t pleased with the outcome. He didn’t blame her.
“So?” she demanded, tapped the point of her shoe on the ground.
“The World Government is attacking the kingdom,” Lestrade announced. “Their warships were at forty-five minutes from harboring. We tried to contact them, but they refused our call. No negotiation is possible now.”
Nentokanette forgot her rage for a second, swallowing. “What now?”
“Before leaving, King Sabo prepared a plan in case of emergency,” Lestrade explained. “We all know how to operate today.”
“So you know!” she accused him.
“No, your majesty. Not exactly.” Lestrade bowed. “I didn’t know King Sabo was planning to declare war at the World Government.” Stelly looked at him, trying to hint any disappointment in his voice. “But I knew that something tragic could have happened. The important thing is that we can operate with a safe plan.”
“You too, mother?” Stelly dared to speak. When had she become so strong?
She nodded, not looking at him. “Yes.” So Nentokanette was the only one who had no idea about it. Well, Stelly wasn’t aware of the emergency plan, but he definitely had some information more about Sabo’s intentions, even if he hadn’t anticipated a war declaration.
“What is it?” Nentokanette asked.
“The royal army will prepare a first line of defense at the harbor and then in the downtown. We will bring the people safe here in the high town; everybody will be ready to flee in the castle if the situation worsened. Until then, though, King Sabo recommended for your Majesty and for Lord Stelly to remain here, safe.”
Nentokanette snorted. “I didn’t need his advice.” Her shoe tapped again on the ground. “Proceed,” she ordered.
Lestrade bowed. He leaved the throne room followed by the other three. Stelly’s mother gave him a small smile, but she didn’t comment further. She had changed too. Nentokanette glared at Stelly.
“So we were the only two left outside Sabo’s great plan.”
“It seems so,” Stelly nodded. “And the only two Sabo decided they should be protected.”
“Don’t you dare to defend him!”
“I don’t,” Stelly replied, offended by the accusation. “I was just describing the situation.” Sabo’s reasons were a mystery, even for him.
She scoffed. “What he did was treason. I can finally divorce from him. He will see, when he’ll come back.” She stood up and trumped towards the royal quarters. Stelly looked at her back, wondered if he should inform her about the fact Sabo’s wouldn’t come back. He decided not to, because that could lend to some inopportune questions.
Right now, Stelly was more focused on getting out from the situation. Alive and, possibly, rich. He returned in his office. From the window, he watched as the army left the royal palace to reach the harbor, and the preparation they were making. Maids and butler and other servants where on the street, calling from house to house. When the people started fleeing towards the door of the high town’s wall, he checked the warships with the field glasses. They were nearer. And scarier.
He had to get out of it. Soon. His mind returned at the hidden chamber Sabo had used for his trained. It was a chamber made for hiding, closed from the inside. And made to resist even if the castle fell. He could hide inside, getting out only when the danger was passed. Even if the kingdom would be destroyed, some of his money were safe in another island.
He would survive.
As he left the office to reach the pantry, because there were no supplies in the hidden room, he reflected if he should bring Nentokanette with him. The World Government considered her Sabo’s wife, thus an enemy. They could take her hostage, or simply kill her. Her royal status wouldn’t protect her and she had tried to used Stelly once. Still, he liked her in some way, and his noble blood told him to not let a member of the royal family die.
He didn’t have the time to decide. As soon as he took the hallway towards the pantry, he noticed a movement. He blinked and stopped: the royal palace should be empty, since all the servants were outside, following Sabo’s emergency plan. He stood still, fearing the World Government had send spies inside.
“Look we have here.”
It was worse.
“L-Lord Fersen…?”
The only answered he received was a cruel smirk. The prison changed Fersen, making him thinner than he already was, and his face looked as a skull, but he was him without any doubts, and there was his son with him too. Stelly shivered.
“How did you get out?”
“Not all people worship that traitor of his own blood.” And Fersen raised the gun.
Stelly turned his back and run. He heard the gunshot behind him. He gritted his teeth, forcing his weak legs to move. Even if he felt Fersen wasn’t followed him, he didn’t slow, not until he reached Nentokanette’s room. He panted, recollecting his breath. She was on her balcony, looking at the city outside, and her eyes became bigger when she noticed him.
“What now?” she snarled.
“We need to escape. Now.”
“What? Why?”
No time for explanation. Stelly grabbed her for the wrist and dragged her out of the room. If they could reach the hidden room, they could be safe. They wouldn’t have food or water, but they only had to wait until Lestrade… Stelly trembled, but he didn’t stop running, even if Nentokanette had problems following him with her heels.
Lestrade could be killed by the warships. All the people could. And the Fersen could claimed the kingdom as his own, given he was arrested by Sabo. Which meant Nentokanette would be doomed, and Stelly with her. He shook his head. For now, all he should focused was escaping from the gunshot. Surviving another hour.
He climbed down the stairs that led from the royal quarters to the offices but, when he hoped to be safe, he saw them: Lord Byron and another group of nobles that had been arrested with him. All of them had gun in their hands.
Nentokantte hold her breath. Stelly turned around, but from the stairs Lord Fersen and his son were arriving, blocking their only escape route. They were trapped. Stelly wondered if the best course of action was to take Nentokanette as hostage before they could do, but he rejected the idea soon enough. They wanted kill him because of his betrayal, and Nentokanette wasn’t a shield enough for him not to be shot down.
Now he regretted not having shot Sabo when he had got the change. Maybe he could have been in prison now, safe from the angry nobles and the World Government.
Byron smirked: he got thinner too and his jacked was too big for him, but that didn’t make him less scary. His gun was raised, aiming at Stelly, who was still in front of Nentokanette. He was too scared to move, or even talked.
Nentokanette took a step forwards, putting herself between him and Byron. “I hope your intention isn’t to hit a member of the royal family, your grace,” she murmured, gently. Stelly didn’t expect her to be that cold, especially because he still had her wrist in his hand and he noticed the sweat and the slight treble of her arms. But she stood up, and fight.
“You lost the right to be called one of us when you lined up with your husband, your majesty,” Byron spat, the gun still pointed in front of him. God, Stelly thought, we’re dead.
“You don’t dare. You won’t… dare…” she exhaled.
Byron smirked. “The World Government will thank me.”
“You all never learn from your mistakes, do you?”
Everyone freeze. Nentokanette released a yelp and Stelly, unwilling, relaxed. Byron and the nobles turned around: just behind them stood Sabo, a metal pipe rested on his shoulders and an eat-shit grin on his face. He didn’t dress like a king anymore, Stelly noticed. That were the clothes Sabo used as a child.
“You!” Byron roared. With any warned, he shot, three bullet that passed troughs Sabo’s chest.
Nentokanette yelled and Stelly paled, before noticed the flames around the bullet hole on Sabo’s shirt. Sabo hadn’t even flinched. He stood there, smiling.
“You can’t kill me.” And in a flash he was in front of Byron and hit him with a punch in his face, smashing him against the wall.
“Father!” Byron Jr screamed, as he rushed to assist him.
“Anyone else?” Sabo commented, looking around. The nobles were watching him, eyes wide.
“M-Monster…” one of them murmured.
Sabo chuckled. “Oh, you can’t imagine.”
“You may, but what about them?” Fersen said, gun aimed at Stelly and Nentokanette.
Sabo didn’t turn, he lifted his arm and snapped his fingers. Fersen’s gun exploded in his hand and he fell on the ground, screaming for the flames that were attacking him. His son abandoned the gun and took off the jacket to erase the fire. Sabo glared at the others: one of another, they left their guns on the ground and knelled down.
Only then, Stelly released a sigh. He was sure he was about to die. Sabo placed his pipe on his back, but before he could open his mouth, Nentokanette threw herself at him, punching his chest with both hands. He let her venting, as she cursed him and cried.
“Didn’t you say you wouldn’t have come back?” Stelly asked.
Sabo smiled. “I should have been more specific. I won’t come back here as a king.”
“What… What do you mean?” Nentokanette stopped punching him and he looked at him with puppy eyes.
“Let’s go save the kingdom first.” Sabo lifted her in his arms and moved towards his office, ignoring the nobles around him. Stelly wasn’t called, but for no reason he would remain alone in the palace with the others: they could fear Sabo, but Stelly wasn’t sure how they would behavior once he was out.
“Wait, wait… let me… are you going let them here like that?”
Sabo entered in his office and opened the secret door for the hidden chamber. “Right now, we have more important matter than them. Lestrade will take care of them later.”
Turned out the hidden chamber had another hidden door, connected to a tunnel. “I didn’t know this place,” Nentokanette commented.
“I found out exploring the palace,” Sabo explained. “I guessed it is a secret only your father was informed of.”
“Where it ends?”
“The harbor.”
Stelly frowned. “Are you going to take down all the warships by yourself?”
Sabo chuckled. “I’m not that strong.” Then he added, “but I know someone who it is.”
After that, nobody else spoke until they reached the end of the tunnel. Stelly would like to ask about the entire ‘declaring war to the Celestial Dragon’ accident and he wondered how Nentokanette would act once the imminent treat of the World Government would be resolved, but he didn’t comment further. He wasn’t sure he liked the idea there were people stronger than Sabo out there.
As soon as they left the tunnel, Stelly saw the barricades Lestrade and the army had erected just at the end of the harbor, in front of the main street of Goa. The harbor so empty and silencing was a little scared. Sabo let flames erupting from his hands and a wall of fire was made to divide the harbor from the barricades.
“For now, it’s better only you see this,” Sabo explained, as he let Nentokanette down.
She adjusted her dress and her hair. “What do you mean?”
Sabo’s attention turned on the sea, and the other two followed him. The warships were near and threatened, but not near enough to start bombing the island. Then, sea kings came out the surface. They were gigantic, at least ten time bigger than one warship. Stelly had been unlucky enough to meet one of the sea monster before and he could tell the ones he was seeing were something else.
The screams of the marines could be heard from the harbor, as they bombing the sea kings. They reacted as nothing was threw at them. And then, they attacked. Their fangs pierced the ships, their tails encircled the masts. The warships were split in half and destroyed as they were toys.
Stelly’s eyes were fixed on that macabre show that he startled when Nentokanette, next to him, screamed. He took a step aside, scared a monster would attack him too, and paled as he saw what had scared her: a giant hand grabbing the dock. The hand was followed by a head and a chest, as a giant girl surfaced from the sea.
“Ah, Mister Sabo!” she exclaimed, with a childish voice. “Did I make in time?”
“Yes.” Sabo nodded. “Thanks to you, the kingdom is saved.”
“I’m glad.”
Sabo turned to Stelly and Nentokanette, who were remained froze in there, watching her with wide eyes and open mouths. “This is Princess Shirahoshi,” he introduced her.
“Is… Is she a giant?” Nentokanette asked, not turning her gaze from Shirahoshi.
“No, she’s just pretty big. She’s a mermaid.”
“A… A mermaid?” Nentokanette paled. Shirahoshi pointed out at the fish tail she let surfaced, before hiding it again. “I understand your surprise. I have a lot of thing to learn about the human world too,” she commented with a smile.
Sabo turned his head. “Princess, these are the Queen of Goa, Sarie Nentokanette, and my brother Stelly.”
“Nice to meet you,” Shirahoshi exclaimed happy. She leaned her hand towards Nentokanette, fist closed but the little finger. Careful, Nentokanette placed her hand on it, to retreat it a second later. Then Shirahoshi moved her hand to Stelly, who touched her in the same way.
“Princess Shirahoshi came from Fishmen Island, one of the kingdom that lined with us against the World Government,” Sabo explained. “As long as you have her protection, the kingdom will be safe.”
“She… can control those things?” Stelly commented, nodded at the sea kings.
Shirahoshi shrugged. “They listen when I speak with them.”
“There are other kingdoms that agree with you?” Nentokanette asked. She had regained a little of her composure even if, Stelly noted, she kept rubbing the hand that touched Shirahoshi against her dress. “You… You declared war against the World Government. Against the Celestial Dragon! Against the god of our world!”
“I wonder if they will give me the title of god slaughter.” Sabo crossed his arms. “It’s a cool nickname.”
“Be serious!”
Sabo nodded. “Other kings and queens agreed with me because the Celestial Dragons aren’t god, are just asshole that considered everyone else garbage. They’re just tired of having them and their degenerations around. We’re going to build up a new world government, one where everyone was equal to each other. Fishmen included,” he added, pointed out at Shirahoshi. “You will still be queen, Nentokanette, if it is what you’re scared off. We don’t plan to dethrone reigns.”
“You don’t?” Stelly snorted.
“Only the ones that aren’t good.”
“And of course you’re the one that can decide that.”
“Objectively speaking, I can define a bad king one that burned down his own people instead of helping them having a better life,” Sabo retorted and Nentokanette stiffed. The reference at his father was pretty clear. “And also a bad king one that shot people only because he can.” His hands touched his scar. “I don’t expect you to understand. In your opinion being king means living in a nice palace and being rich.”
Stelly gritted his teeth. “This isn’t true.”
“It isn’t?”
“Sabo,” Nentokanette called. “What will happen now?” She had a serious tone.
“We’re at war,” Sabo explained. “Us, the kingdom that joined the revolutionary army after the reverie, against them, the world government and the Celestial Dragon.”
“And you have a chance of winning?”
“A lot of chance, actually.”
“What about us? What about the kingdom of Goa?”
“Two choices: be our allies or return under the world government. As I said, until you are with us, Princess Shirahoshi can guarantee you protection. For the world government…” He shrugged. “You can ask them.”
“It sounds like blackmail,” Stelly commented.
“It’s only the truth, and it is logical,” Sabo replied. “There’s a lot of islands out there that need our help. If you prefer the world government to us, then let them protect you.”
“But you already decided,” Stelly retorted.
“I don’t. Nentokanette is the queen, that’s her choice.”
“And you’re the king,” Nentokanette pointed out.
“I’m not. Not anymore, at least,” he announced. “I’ll be out there, fighting. And when the war will be over… I won’t return here. I’ll be on the sea, as I’d like to.”
“You will be with her.”
Stelly understood immediately she was referring to Koala, but Sabo didn’t. He blinked. “Princess Shirahoshi? Well, she’s helping us and-”
“I should divorce,” Nentokanette cut him. “You leaving the kingdom should be treason enough.”
“You should,” he confirmed.
At that, Nentokanette threw at him and grabbed his shirt with her long nails. “You don’t care about me a little bit, do you?” she spat. “About us.” Her eyes were full of tears.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured. “I courted you because that had been my father’s wish. Then I married you because the Revolutionary Army asked me to. You should have known from the beginning that marriage into the royal family are just business.”
“You were different.” Nentokanette hid her head against his chest. “I thought you were.”
“Divorce from me, Nentokanette,” he said. “You’re young, and you can be queen alone now. Forget about me and move on. You’ll be happier now that you won’t have me around.”
“I love you.” Sabo swallowed, but he didn’t answer. Nentokanette’s tone became cold. “I will divorce, but I won’t forget. Set foot in this kingdom again, I’ll punish you with the death penalty.” He pushed him and Sabo let her, taking two step behind.
She crossed her arms. “Princess… Shirahoshi, right?” she said. “I hereby ask to protect my kingdom from now on. I’ll be with you in all this…” she waved her hand, “fight.”
“I will,” Shirahoshi smiled. “You can count on me!”
“I appreciated it, princess. I’d like to invite you and the king of your country at my palace when all this story will end.”
“That will be great!”
“Now, if you excuse me, I need to speak with my people about it.” She turned on her heels and she moved towards the fire wall at the end of the harbor.
Shirahoshi bent down Sabo. “You were pretty cruel to her.”
“I was,” he nodded. “But she’d been suffered enough because of me. The sooner she moves on, the better for her.”
Stelly noticed his hand were shaking a little. “You feel nothing at all for her?”
“I came back in time to save her,” was Sabo’s only response.
“They finished,” Shirahoshi intervened. She was referring to the sea kings, because nothing was remained of the giant fleet. “I’ll be back in a minute. I’m going to called them back and pray at the sea for the death.”
As she disappeared below the surface, Stelly commented, “This was the first time.”
“Seeing a mermaid?”
“Having you call me your brother.”
“Oh.” Sabo was surprised, before bending his lips into a smirk. “Are you becoming sentimental about our brotherly love?”
“Not at all,” Stelly spat. He already regretted having pointed it out.
“I hadn’t liked you in the ten years we spent together at father’s house, and I certainly don’t like you now,” Sabo said. “I’m pretty sure you feel the same.”
“That’s for sure.”
“But, in some way, I can say I respect you. And you will be better without me too,” he continued. “Just, don’t give me a reason to come back and kick your ass.”
Stelly snorted, but he didn’t add anything. He understood Sabo was referring about him being good with the people of the kingdom. That was a lesson he had learned and not a difficult task, not until he could continue having the privilege of a member of the royal palace. Even if… he wasn’t sure Nentokanette would keep him. Maybe he would remember Sabo to her.
“Sabo!” Nentokanette called. “Take off this fire! I need to speak with my royal army!” she ordered. “And, Stelly, stop talking with him and come here helping me.”
Oh, well. That was his answered. Sabo grinned as he expected it to happened. Shirahoshi resurfaced with a sad smile on her face. “So many death…” she whispered.
“We can go, now, princess,” Sabo said. She leaned her arm and Sabo used it to jump on her shoulder. He moved his hand and the fire decreased.
“I’ll be a better husband, if Nentokanette let me,” Stelly said. “And a better king.”
“I surely hope so,” Sabo nodded. “Take care of you.”
And then Shirahoshi disappeared again below the sea, bringing Sabo with her.
“Don’t die,” Stelly murmured, before turning and moved towards Nentokanette.
***
Nentokanette had become stronger, stronger than Sabo thought. Sabo knew he would have hurt them, her especially. He hoped that, once she cured her wounds, she would be fine. But she was already fine, she didn’t hide her face and she was ready to fight. And she wasn’t alone, because Stelly was with her. Sabo didn’t like being the bad guy, the man behind the strikes. He was glad they could fight back now.
“Was it hard?” Shirahoshi asked.
“What?” Inside his bubble, Sabo was distracted by his own thoughts.
“Leaving your kingdom behind,” she explained.
Sabo smiled. He understood she was referring to her own kingdom, the kingdom she would like to leave for bringing her people to live on the surface. “Not at all,” he answered. “It was my wish since the beginning. It’s just a little be strange because it’s finally happening. But I’m happy and relieved. I can’t explain, but it’s the best feeling in the world.”
“I see.”
“You’ll feeling like this too, once we’ll bring your kingdom out of there. You’ll be happy.”
She smiled. “Thank you.”
They remained silent until they reached the ship of the Revolutionary Army. He jumped on the railway while she remained on the water.
“I have to return home,” she explained. “Check the situation with my father and my brothers.”
“Of course. See you soon and thank you, princess Shirahoshi.”
She waved at him and disappeared below the dark sea. Sabo turned to noticed that a lot of people from the Revolutionary Army were there to greet him: there was Belo Betty, Karasu finally in his human form, and Koala too, to which Sabo reserved the longest look. Sabo smiled, as he looked at Dragon.
Now, Sabo wouldn’t stop fighting. The only difference would be that he wouldn’t fight alone, and he wouldn’t fight for himself. There were people out there in the same situation Sabo was: alone, just waiting for the next strike, only their arms for protection. Sabo would help them, as the Revolutionary, Pratchett and the other did with him.
“Welcome back,” Dragon said.
Sabo inhaled. He was happy, he was free, he was home.
And ready to fight for the people that deserved it.
Epilogo
Nami’s yell brought the entire crew to the main deck. They were heading towards Wa to fight a pirate emperor after destroying the kingdom of another pirate emperor and, well, what she was reading on the newspaper was too much.
Sanji was the first to reach her. “What happened, Nami-san? Are you hurt? Someone hurt you?”
She waved her hand at the newspaper. Brook grabbed it and read the first page. “Whaaaat!” he exclaimed, startling both Carrot and Chopper. Luffy covered his ears, annoyed.
“Would you stop it?” Sanji protested.
Nami sighed to calm herself. “It is the Reverie.”
“What is it?” Chopper asked.
“A reunion of all the kings and queens of the world government,” Brook explained. “The Revolutionary Army attacked the Reverie and a lot of kingdoms decided to side with it.”
“Whaaat?” It was Sanji’s time to be surprised, as he stole the newspaper from Brook’s hand.
“Your father is really someone’s else, yohoho,” Brook said.
“Your father?” Carrot repeated.
“Luffy’s father is the leader of the revolution,” Chopper revealed to her.
Luffy clapped his hands. “If it is a king’s reunion, it means Vivi was there?”
Nami nodded. “Yes, along with his father. And also where there Dorton and Shirahoshi.”
“If my father hurt them, I’ll kick his ass,” Luffy affirmed.
“Good thing they were between the kingdom that joined the revolution,” Nami commented, tired.
“Oh. Fine, then.”
“Violet-chan was there too,” Sanji commented, as he read. “I hoped all of the beautiful girls out there are alright.”
“Yeah, well, for now. Who knows what will happen next?” Nami asked to herself.
Brook read the article below Sanji’s head. “It said the king of Goa was the only one to announce war at the Reverie. The others just followed ahead.”
“Goa?” Luffy blinked.
“It says something to you?”
“It’s the place I came from,” Luffy explained. “Oh, even if I never lived in the big city…”
“I wonder if I should be surprised…” Nami commented.
“King Sabo from Goa Kingdom…” Sanji read. “Of course the king of Luffy’s birthplace had to be as crazy as him.”
“Sabo? Sabo is the king?”
“That’s what I said, why?”
Sanji never received an answered. Luffy only laughed, a very big, happy laugh that echoed in all the ship.
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