Medieval AU Part 1/2

[mekachu04]

Universe: One piece
Characters: Kuina, Sanji, Zoro
Word Count: 1203
Dated: Dec. 2006
Genre: AU medieval.ish...
Rating: G i suppose?
Pairing: I wouldn't give it any definite pairings
Disclaimer: I can't draw comics... and currently, i'm failing my animation classes.... do you THINK there's any way on God's Green Earth that One Piece could be mine? No.
Warnings: another permanently incomplete story, beware as i brutally murder the english language. two parts, because i did have fun writing the first drabble, and wanted to add more.... Not really a 'medieval' story, but it was having more the feel of that than anything else. that.. and i doubt medieval persons would be using japanese honourifics..



“Really madam, to keep such a creature already says little about your tastes, but must you bring it with you in here? Honestly, tie it outside with the other beasts of burden. Do not make us suffer in seeing it….”

The Prince raised an eyebrow at such ill manners, half temped to jump in on her behalf, even if he’d been thinking much along those lines himself. He watched as the woman in question set her jaw, most likely biting back a response of some sort. Her companion was equally as quiet, eyes narrowed, and looking at her.

Probably looking for an okay to speak its mind, no doubt. The Prince mused. At least it’s well trained; I’ll give Her Lady that at least.

No one said a thing for a long moment; all eyes on the two newcomers, gaze torn between the unsightly man, and the near beautiful woman to whom he belonged. She had soft light skin, and hair of the blackest sky. She was confidant in her self, and stood proudly before them. If she where to change from the peasant garb she wore, into something more feminine, more fitting, than she was sure to be very near to one of the most beautiful woman the Prince had yet to ever see.

But her companion however… It hurt the Prince’s eyes to even linger of the man’s form, dirty, unkempt, clothes so torn and disheveled he’d probably been wearing that outfit for years.… It made the pig farmer’s look like a peasant; made a peasant look like a king…

The men in the corner must have spoken again, because the woman sprang to her feet, pulling the Prince from his musings. A white sword had been drawn for heaven knows where, and the Lady looked very much like she planned to use it. The Prince jumped to his feet as well, in-case the men proved to be too much for her Lady to handle, as the bar tender gave an unheeded “No Bloodshed!” before ducking under the counter.

There was screaming, as patrons dove for cover, but the blade never fell, halted in its descent by a sun-bronzed hand. No words passed between the two, as the woman glared coldly at the cowering men before her, body tense in its halted motion. Finally, she let her arm fall, giving the sword over to her companion, which he returned to its scabbard, hanging empty at his own hip.

It was then that The Prince noted two still sheathed swords hanging there as well, and he pondered on that for a moment. What manner of man would carry three swords? And then let a Lady trouble herself by drawing one? And what man would own three swords, and yet no clothes?

It was then The Lady stormed past him, roughly shouldering him out of her way without a word. The strange man with her dropped a few coins on the bar, before the two left. Low murmurs went thought the building as patrons stared in stunned shock, whispering to and fro as they gathered up their dropped dignity.

The Prince was the only one to follow the two out, watching them from a distance as they conferred in low tones, making their way out of town. He thought he stayed far enough behind to not raise suspicion, but he soon discoed this was not so.

Before he was certain what exactly had happened, he found himself with a sword’s blade only a hairbreadth from his throat, staring down its edge to the hooded gaze of its wielder.

“Stand down Roronoa” The Lady stated, looking rather displeased, and mildly annoyed. The man’s gaze narrowed, the only sign the Prince could see that he’d heard her at all, because he didn’t move away.

“Do as you Mistress tells you, or I will kick you-” the Prince began, annoyed that this man would dare raise an arm against him.

“Never mind, Cut off his damn head.”

“M’lady!” The prince started, recoiling in surprise, fairly certain that the man before him was serious on the cutting of the head business.

Roronoa, the Prince gather that was his name, did not, however, and only smirked, once again sheathing the blade. The Lady rolled her eyes at the display; for surly, she could be rolling her eyes at He could she?

“Tell me sir; does everyone in this country fancy getting on my nerves?”

“It’s an honest mistake, My dear Lady; a dreadful misunderstanding!”

“A... A misunderstanding? Oh my. Did you hear that, Zoro? It’s was a misunderstanding…”

“Aye. And let us bear in mind that t’was not but an honest mistake.”

And though the man did let out a hearty chucky, there was no mirth to be found in her. “Yes, because so many people these days seems to mistake you for a ‘beast of burden.’ ”

“Nay, Kuina-domo, if you do remember, I was mistook for a plant but not a week ago.”

At this a smile did break across her face, and she gave a soft snort at the memory. The Prince however stood agape at the remark. “A.. A plant, you say?”

The Lady pulled down the black bandana covering the man’s hair… His .. green .. hair… “And thus you meet my dearest friend Roronoa Zoro. The human plant.”

“Your… your hair is green!?”

“Yes.. I suppose it is.” The man stated, taking back the bandana from the girl with a scowl.

“Is it real?” the Prince asked. How can that be real!? It has to be a trick of some kind. He thought, reaching out to pull on the hair.

The man winced, glaring at him lightly, his hands occupied with tying the black cloth around his arm. The Lady however laughed lightly, taking the prince’s hand in her’s and pulling it away from Roronoa’s hair. “Yes, sir, it is very much real.”

The Prince smiled his most charming-est smile at the woman, his other hand coming to cup her’s in his own. “My name is Sanji, my dear Lady.” He said, kissing the back of her hand lightly.

She smiled back, but it was a queer sort, one showing disdain in his actions, the feeling mirrored when she removed her hand from his grasp. “It’s Kuina.” She responded, voice having lost the humor it once held. “Tell me, Sir Sanji. How do the people here define Mistakes and Misunderstandings?”

“Maybe he should define Beast of Burdens instead, Kuina-dono. Maybe His people are still fans of human servants and slaves? If that is the case-”

“I don’t think it is. Is it Sir Sanji?”

The Prince bowed his head. “Please forgive me Lady Kuina. There is no justification, and I was wrong to try and rationalize it.”

“Bull shit.”

Sanji glared at the vernet and straightened so he was looking down at he other. “Excuse me?”

Which in turn, caused the other to stand straight, so they where glaring at each other evenly. “I don’t believe you. You’re doing nothing but sucking up to Kuina-dono, and maybe even hoping to clear your own conscious it the process.”

Notes on vernet and dono

Vernet(te) - Verte + net(te) = not a real word, but a bastardied french term for "green hair" I use it a lot in my original story, where greeen is a natural occuring hair colour

Domo = roughly means "lord" or "master." It doesn't equate noble status, rather it is a term akin to "milord" or French "monseigneur," and lies between san and sama in level of respect (wiki)
I didn't want to use '-sama' becuase I have a hard time hearing Zoro use that word with anyone. But in this setting - Kuina is very important to him, an he does place her very much higher than himself, and I wanted that respect to show through. '-San' just didn't seem to be strong enough.

Part two



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