For perhaps the first time in her life, Yuna felt truly small. Really, anyone would, sitting amongst the many daughters of Charlotte Lin Lin and the monstrous Yonko herself at the head of the tea table. All in attendance for their mother's tea party, it was the first gathering of the Charlotte family that she had been witness to. Other than her own wedding, of course. Not all of them were on par with Smoothie's or even her own height, but the ease with which they interacted with one another was intimidating. Brulee-the sole person in the room that Yuna could tentatively call an acquaintance-sat at the far end of the table, barely within earshot to the former princess.
After the incident in the bakery, she wasn't sure what their standing with each other was, but she had parted from Yuna with a much more pleasant expression than when she'd first met. That spelled...something positive? Yuna could only hope.
The castle's tea room sported high ceilings and painted walls to make you feel as though you were out in the garden and gave it a sense of size that couldn't be matched anywhere Yuna was familiar with. It would have made more sense to hold the gathering in the actual garden, but she knew better than to question Big Mom's decision.
The large circular table was topped with dozens upon dozens of the finest china, ornate and pastel and...animated. When the chefs had poured the tea for the 40 or so women seated around the table, the green-haired woman had picked up the tea cup upon her plate and nearly dropped it when it smiled back at her.
"Drink from me, Miss Yuna! Oh, please, won't you?"
"Ahem..." Covering her surprise with a quiet cough, the former princess had glanced around at the others, noticing that none were at all concerned that their cups were talking. They sipped and talked amongst themselves, not even acknowledging the cups' words. It took a good few minutes to convince herself to take her own sip, feeling strange as it wiggled against her lips. Ehhh...
There was no official beginning to the gathering, and for the most part, the former princess was ignored by those she sat around. That was fine, she didn't particularly want to stand out for any reason, especially with Big Mom in attendance with them. Even the outgoing part of her had a limit, and surrounded by 40 people who disliked her so much wasn't the time nor place she'd prefer to win Katakuri's family's favor.
Watching the Yonko in her natural element didn't assuage the former Princess any of her fears. Her mother-in-law ate and drank alongside her daughters with a mad sort of glee, grinning at the talking plates and cups, and even the silverware. There was something so disconcerting about that woman's demeanor. Yuna couldn't say exactly what it was that made her so uncomfortable, she just...was.
She remained quiet through most of the affair, content to be left alone and ignored by her sisters-in-law. Big Mom jovially laughed and spoke with those closest to her at the table, not having paid her a shred of attention this entire time. Was there even a point to her invitation? Why was Yuna here?
The waitstaff finally brought small crackers and cookies to the table to enjoy with the tea, and Yuna saw with dismay that they too had faces and spoke. The one blessing about Komugi Island was that, for the most part, the country was devoid of the homies that Big Mom created for...whatever reason. Yuna had little experience with them other than during the time she'd prepared for her own wedding.
Steeling her nerves she picked one up, inspecting it with a furrowed brow.
"Eat me! I'm delicious and sweet!"
"Umm...please, don't speak." She requested in a whisper, holding the smiling dessert close to her mouth. It only laughed harder, making her grimace.
Trying not to think about it too much, her teeth sank into the cookie. The...thing only laughed with glee upon being devoured, and Yuna decided then that she really wasn't that hungry after all. She placed the rest back on her small plate and pushed it away, barely able to swallow the small bit she had eaten. The taste was overshadowed by the terrible thought of having eaten something living.
Sitting in her chair, feeling rather uncomfortable, Yuna wondered how long these gatherings typically took. For so many of the Charlotte daughters to come together, to take time away from their duties, it must not be a short event. Oh, how she wished to be out and about with Komugi's people, eating pastries at the lake-side and watching the-
"So you were able to make it, Yuna!" A thundering voice cried out, making her freeze in her chair. "I'm so glad you could come."
Her eyes slid down the table-most of the Charlottes were now looking her direction-to finally light upon the huge presence of her mother-n-law. The Yonko's eyes were directed straight onto the much smaller woman, and to say that it was intimidating was a gross understatement.
Yuna blinked, finally catching her brain up to the present to snap a convincing enough smile on her face. "Yes...I'm very glad to attend. Thank you for thinking of me."
"Of course, my dear. I wouldn't forget to make sure you're doing well in your new home." The sickly-sweet smile never wavered on the Yonko's face. Whether she was even trying to make it look genuine or not, she wasn't sure. "How have you adjusted to your life with my son?"
Yuna didn't answer immediately, thinking up a positive enough answer that would be acceptable for the questions. "Komugi is...welcoming. I'm feeling right at home."
"Of course! Totto Land is a paradise, after all!" Mama clasped her hands together in a display of her glee. "As expected."
"Yes...very much so." She wasn't sure what else to possibly respond with.
Yuna expected the conversation to die away then and there, but that gleam in Big Mom's eye only sparkled more prominently. That smile turned almost predatory.
"I've been meaning to ask you about the very interesting stories going around the castle nowadays, about the incredible ability you possess."
Oh.
Oh dear...Ice gripped the Princess' veins, and it took everything in her not to widen her eyes in fear. It was an involuntary reflex, to straighten her back, spine pressing against the back of her chair. The room had grown quiet, all of her sisters-in-law curiously listening to what their mother had to say. A secret ability? Oh, the gossip was sure to spread fast.
This was the absolute worst case scenario Yuna could have ever imagined.
Big Mom smiled with a sly grin, leaning forward in her seat as she took a bite of a handful of crackers. "Is it true, then? Are you able to heal others with your devil fruit?"
She swallowed, mind racing. Of course word would have eventually reached the monarch. Yuna should have expected this in the end, but she'd foolishly started settling into old habits without thinking on the consequences. She of course didn't regret healing all of those people, but still. Her father would have been disappointed in her for acting and not thinking first. Her healing had always been a point of contention between them, one of the few things they argued about.
Well...so much for keeping it secret. Lying would get her absolutely nowhere.
"I can." Yuna could feel the eyes of the Katakuri's sisters zeroing in on her, perhaps seeing her differently than before. Though whether that was a positive or not, she didn't know. Had they turned up the temperature? It felt like an oven all of a sudden.
"Ma ma ma ma!" The monarch laughed with a pleased smile. "To think, you'd have more use than just your country's caramel...This little fact must have slipped through the information about you in the proposal your father wrote to me..."
"...Ah. I suppose it did." Yuna couldn't help but glance at Brulee further down the table, who was also looking uncomfortable. The one person in the room who she felt wasn't eyeing her like a bug under a microscope. The mirror woman only offered her a worried expression. "It was a tumultuous time-"
"Today has been such a wonderful day, I'd hate to ruin it, so I'll forgive you forgetting to tell me about your devil fruit this one time." The Yonko claimed, sitting back in her seat again to continue eating her food. "I'll be sure to keep your healing in mind the next time any of my children become injured. Katakuri will let you know if I have need of you."
She felt her heart drop, but her outward expression remained the same. With a timid smile, Yuna gave a nod. "Of course. I'd be happy to help-"
But Big Mom's attention was already elsewhere before she finished her sentence, clearly her interest in Yuna having finished. Whatever topic she chose to speak of after that, Yuna paid no attention to. Taking the blessing for what it was, she sat smaller in her chair, holding the animated tea cup closer to her face.
Brown eyes stayed riveted to a single spot on the table, mind racing through the endless and spiraling possibilities for what Big Mom had just implied. Her stomach coiled with sickening, nervous energy. Perhaps this was nothing. Perhaps she was overthinking all of this, and Big Mom would once again forget Yuna existed at all. But something in her gut told her that this was a turning point for her time in Totto Land. A very dangerous turning point.
Her eyes tracked around the table, seeing a few of the older siblings watching her with a renewed interest, like a bug that had captured their attention, shiny and strange. Keeping her deepest secret-the bandages and the scars underneath even those- had just become infinitely more difficult.
Yuna lifted her teacup to her lips with shaking fingers, hoping that the time went by so much faster than it felt like it was going. She just wanted to go back to Komugi Island and bury her nose in a book, pretending this whole thing hadn't happened.
It's a restless mind that keeps Yuna up so late that night. Despite retiring to bed, tired and ready for the next day to come, the anxiousness of Mama's threat was something her brain refused to let go of. Her implied threat from simply keeping the truth from her was one thing. Her usefulness alone was what protected her from that punishment. But the fact that she was now obligated to heal the Charlotte siblings' wounds when called upon was a nightmare scenario.
Worst of all, she worried what Katakuri's reaction would be. Surely news of the rumors had reached him, if they'd reached Mama. But he hadn't yet said anything to her about having a devil fruit. She just didn't know.
Yuna tossed and turned in the giant bed. No matter how she positioned herself, she could not get into a comfortable enough place to settle her endlessly worrying mind. There was no point to laying there until she fell asleep. At this rate, sleep would never come. So with a sigh, she pulled back the covers and swung her legs off the bed.
The house was dark, the housekeepers, chefs, and other staff long having gone to bed. With the moon's light filtering through the windows illuminating her way, she stalked through the hallways to the library, a place she'd become intimately familiar with.
Katakuri kept many books, though she'd never seen him read anything. He was either too busy, or had read them all long before she'd arrived. Either way, it meant the book-filled room was always empty when she was in the mood for some reading.
Losing herself in a long and boring book was precisely what she needed then and there. Instead of listening to her own worrying thoughts, she'd fill it with someone else's drawling story. So late at night and after such an exhausting day, it was sure to work. The only downfall might be accidentally falling asleep outside of bed, but that was fine. The temperature outside was warm enough to still be comfortable.
It was dark enough that she couldn't distinguish the titles from one another on the shelves. In the end, she supposed what she picked didn't really matter, so long as it put her to sleep. Pulling one at random, she held it close to her chest and stalked off to find the private garden in the front of the home.
Yuna expected the garden to be empty, but as she rounded the corner and stepped outside, she stopped. Katakuri sat on the railing that separated the garden from the rest of the island outside, arms crossed and leaning back against the wall. His face had been turned to observe Hakuriki Town below, but upon her entrance, he swung his gaze to see her.
He moves to stand, but she holds up a hand to stop him.
"You don't have to leave. I was just going to read a book, and sit in the garden."
He examines her with a strange expression. "You're usually asleep by now." He muses. It should have surprised her to know that he kept a basic tab of her typical schedule, but somehow she had known that all along. Perhaps as a means of avoiding her.
Yuna shrugged. "I couldn't sleep. Too much on my mind...But please, don't stop what you're doing on account of me being here. I won't bother you."
For a moment, she worried that he'd leave anyway, but after a moment of thoughtful silence, he simply sighed and settled back against the wall. It was a start. After so many occasions of him leaving for some duty or reason or another, it was refreshing to see him actually remain in her company. A small step, but a step nonetheless. She'd take what she could get.
Pleased that she hadn't driven him away, the former Princess took her book and sat on the stone bench several feet away. It wasn't as comfortable as a cushioned seat from the library, but given the company as well, it was a much better alternative. She was glad she'd chosen to come outside.
The stone was chilly beneath her, but not freezing, on account of the warmer night air. Leaning her shoulder against the wall of the house, she opened the book and began to read with the help of the moon's pale light. It was a little difficult in such darkness, but she managed, at least for the first few pages.
The contents seemed to spell out the history of a country Yuna had never heard of. It read similarly to some of the Seiki Kingdom historical tombs, outlining the establishment and governmental landmarks for the country. It was throughly noted, and just as boring.
The ancestral genetic lines were described in detail in the book. Sons of sons, grandsons of grandsons, and wives once divorced. Why this book was in the library was beyond Yuna, but she supposed it was serving its purpose of being a dull read. And while that normally would have been exactly what she was looking for to put her asleep, Katakuri's presence gave her something to be distracted with when it became overly boring.
At first, it was simple glances in his direction, watching to see if he'd moved from his spot on the railing. But then, several minutes of silence and growing curiosity lead her to take the opportunity to just observe him in this state of peace. Without anything in the way to give him an excuse to leave, Yuna was able to truly just look at him for the first time since they'd been married.
His eyes, normally so stern and concentrated, for once looked neutral at least. The heavy frown that often furrowed his brow was missing. The expression wasn't exactly soft or kind, but it was better than what Yuna was used to.
Not for the first time, she wondered what lay hidden beneath his scarf. How she longed to just pull it aside and gaze upon her husband, truly see him, for the first time. But no matter how much she wanted to know, she knew she'd never actually dare try to force that secret out of him. Something told her he'd never forgive her if she did.
Her book forgotten, Yuna switched between gazing at her husband and past him to the town beyond. The lights from the houses and shops still open so late at night twinkled in the darkness, and occasionally a dark figure would pass by in front of them.
Yuna knew she had promised not to bother Katakuri, but there was so much she wanted to speak with him about. They rarely ever got to converse in private, let alone at all. Even if it meant breaking this small promise, she felt it was worth it.
Her mouth opened. "What are-" He glanced in her direction before she could finish.
"If you must know, I'm avoiding my younger siblings." He admitted, gazing back down at the island."Even so late at night, they tend to pester and follow wherever I go."
Well, it was a start. Deciding not to bother with the book any longer, Yuna sat it beside her on the stone bench and stood to join him at the railing. There was still a sizable distance between them, though. She didn't want him feeling crowded, now that he seemed willing to talk.
"Hmm. You know...it's rather tiresome to be interrupted so often." She found the courage to say, earning her a sharp glance from her husband. "Can you please stop using haki when I try and talk with you? It catches me off guard. I don't understand why you do it."
There's an extended silence, but eventually he does give a slow nod. "Apologies."
That went better than expected. Yuna gave herself a mental pat on the back. "I appreciate it."
Another long silence persisted, and Yuna struggled to come up with something to say. Gaze locked on the town below, her mind turned over what he'd said before, using that as the starting point for the conversation. "What's it like...having 84 siblings?"
"..." Katakuri ponders her question, and just when she thought he might not answer, his head gace a slow shake. "It can be stifling."
She gave an understanding smile. "I have only 2 younger brothers and yet even that could be too much sometimes. Denji is the loud and opinionated one, and Genji is a terrible worrywart. Combined, I rarely found time to just have to myself. 84 is...beyond my ability to imagine."
Yuna could tell she was rambling at this point, and so elected to leave it at that, but her surprise only grew as Katakuri spoke up again.
"It grew worse after they organized a fan club." His deep and low voice drew her in, and she didn't want to miss a single syllable. "Flampe especially. I know she means well, but there are now few places I can retreat to for solitude when needed."
She nodded, then the meaning of his words dawned on her. Her eyes took in the sight of the garden, empty so late at night, before looking back at him.
"I'm sorry for interrupting you, then. I didn't realize."
He straightened up from his seat on the railing and turned to walk away. "You could not have known."
"Wait. Please." Yuna urged, hurrying to stand in front of him before he could leave her behind, yet again. So quickly the feeling had changed. One minute, they could speak together in pleasant conversation, and the next he was yet again cutting their conversation short. It was maddening.
He stopped, staring down at his wife that now stood in front of his path. Yuna looked up with a pained expression.
"Is my presence really so intolerable?" She questioned, voice much smaller than she'd hoped it would be. But after a day full of anxiety and uncertainty, she couldn't help the hurt her heart felt at having yet another encounter with him not go well.
Katakuri looked away with a sigh, silent. But Yuna waited, not moving until she got an answer to such a vulnerable question. She must look pathetic, she thought, but she didn't rightly care then and there.
"I am used to being alone, to living alone. That is all." He finally said quietly, gazing back down at her. "I still don't understand why Mama chose me for you to marry..."
Yuna didn't know how to take that last comment, as an insult or his own confusion on the matter. She wasn't brave enough to ask. But her own head shook, and she found it in herself to give him a small smile. "Compared to others I've met so far, you've treated me with the most kindness. So, for what it's worth...I'm glad it was you. "
His brow furrowed at her words, and with closed eyes, he stepped past her back int othe house. "You don't know what you're speak."
Confused as to what she'd said wrong, Yuna followed him a few steps. "Katakuri-"
But he had rounded the corner without another word, leaving Yuna to stare in bewilderment at the spot he'd last occupied. The empty, temperament air felt suddenly colder, and she wrapped her arms around herself in a protective manner.
What had she said wrong?
ns 15.158.61.10da2
