"-et me see her! You know I would do no harm!"

The raised voice outside of my quarters caught my ear, and I halted in the middle of pulling my night gown over my head.

"I don't know shit about you, so you better turn around and walk away, My Lord, before I make you." Killer's voice had never sounded so vicious, and I hurried to finish dressing.

"I know you are sworn to protect her, and I am glad of it, but I really must speak with he-"
When I opened the door, I found both Killer and Marco paused, looking as though they were about to get physical with each other.

If they keep this up, Kizaru will show up with his whole army...

Heaving a lengthy sigh, I stepped aside and motioned for the Lord to enter.
"You have five minutes, and no longer, My Lord." I announced, avoiding the man's eyes as he murmured a thank you and entered my room.
"Five minutes. That is all I need, Your Grace..."

Killer moved to follow, but I held up my hand, offering him a tired smile.
"As betrayed as I feel by him, he would never do me physical harm. I know that much. Could you give us a moment?" I asked him, but he seemed hesitant to oblige.

"He is welcomed to be present. Actually, Your Grace, I believe he should hear what I have to say as well-yoi." Marco spoke up, and I was confused. Still, I was glad to allow Killer entry, and I was pretty sure the guard would have insisted either way.

Making sure the hall was empty before I locked the door again, I turned to the blond lord, crossing my arms.
"It is rather late, and you know I have little to no desire to speak with you after the stunt you have set into motion, so go ahead. Say what you must so you can leave."

It hurts too much...

Taking a deep breath, Marco bent the knee, like he had done so many times to both myself and my father, but this time felt more genuine than any other.
"My Princess, the last thing I wanted to do was drag you into the pits of political warfare, but it seems as though I have no choice-yoi..." He started, hand moving to rest over his chest.

"Political warfare? I have no clue what you are on about." I narrowed my eyes, taking a small side-step closer to Killer, who remained on edge and ready.
"As you heard at the luncheon earlier this afternoon, the capital has received a significant threat from Lord Portgas. Whilst there are many details I wish I could give you, I can only say this. Everything I have done for you, up until this point, has been to keep you safe-yoi."

I was thoroughly confused at this point. Was this just some pathetic attempt to trick me again? To make me trust him like I once had? Again, I shifted closer to Killer's side, and he took a slight step to come between us.

"To keep me safe? I fail to see how marriage has anything to do with that. You say there are details? Tell me. Only then I can truly understand. If not, then get out. Seeing your face is hurting my heart..."

Marco's face was wrought with concern, his usually youthful face now showing his age with creases and discolouration.
"Princess...I'm not sure I can tell you..." He murmured, growing smaller by the second under my gaze.

Killer took a commanding step forward, dwarfing the kneeling gentleman and leering fiercely.
"Then get out. Now." He had no need to shout. The venomous grit in his voice did enough to even give me a chill, and he wasn't even speaking to me.

Marco remained where he was, his other knee moving so that he was know kneeling in full. His head dropped low, and he raked a hand through the tuft of gold atop his head.
"If you were to utter a word of this, to anyone outside this room, my head would be detached by dawn..." He sighed, and I bit at the inside of my cheek.

Surely it cannot be that bad?

"You have my word. I would sooner cut my own throat than break an oath. You know this well, Marco." I tried to keep myself looking indifferent, but inside I was drowning in my own morbid curiosity. Killer made no move to step down, though he nodded also.
"As long as it doesn't get Her Grace hurt, then you have my word as well."

Marco looked up from the floor, obviously not at all happy that he had to reveal whatever it was he was hiding.
"May I speak to you as an equal? Without titles and honours-yoi?" He asked, and I nodded in agreement.
"You may. Go ahead, Marco."

Pulling himself to his feet, Marco began to pace, as he always had when he had a lot on his mind.
"Before your father seized the throne, I served as hand to King Newgate. You knew as much. Back then, he was affectionately known as Whitebeard. He was like the father I never had. As I have told you in the past, both my father and mother passed of plague when I was young, so I inherited the title of Lord of House Phoenix before I even had chest hair-yoi."

What does Newgate have to do with any of this? Something about this Portgas fellow?

"Due to our close relationship, I came to know Ace...Lord Portgas...as a brother. When Marineford fell to your father, and Whitebeard executed, I was the one who safely removed Ace from the city. Ever since, we have been in close, constant contact..." Marco revealed, and I slowly moved to sit upon the end of my bed, not once allowing my eyes to leave him. Killer followed.

"So...you have known his exact location all this time..? And of his plans?" I questioned, despite already knowing the answer. Marco nodded, almost guiltily.
"I have. I know almost everything-yoi." He admitted, and I couldn't quite believe it.

So...

"Have...you been assisting him with these plans of usurpation..?" I was shocked. Marco had been the one person I had known all my life and, until recently, had held no ill-feelings towards. I couldn't wrap my head around what he was telling me.

Marco's eyes were sad when he looked at me. It hurt, even more than it had when he had been announced as one of my suitors.
"Please believe me when I tell you that your safety is paramount to m-"

"Marco, what does treason have to do with your desire to marry me?" I cut him off, making sure I kept Killer in my peripherals. I hadn't the faintest clue about the Lord's reasoning, so I wanted my safety net as close as possible.

Marco made sure not to get too close to me, because both he and I knew that Killer would not stand for it. He was still ready to attack in my defence. I could feel him bristling from where I sat.

"Let me take a wild guess..." The Massacre Soldier edged further in front of me, shoulders rolling slightly in what looked like preparation. "Taking her hand is a surefire way of making her a political hostage? Is that it, Lord Phoenix? Correct me if I'm wrong."

His voice...It's colder than death...

Marco looked almost offended, but made no move to aggress Killer. He simply stood still, jaw set tight.
"I would sooner die, and even if I was so vile, could you honestly tell me, without a shadow of a doubt, that it would make any difference to how Sakazuki would react to a threat to his throne?"

That hit me hard. He was right. My father wouldn't have batted an eye, even if I life were at stake. His position as King was everything to him. His reaction to my mother's death had been proof of that. Nobody who cared about the people around them would have married within the month if it had been the case.

"Then why the need to marry her? Perversion? Status? Power?" Killer pried, hands flexing close to the hilts of his machetes that sat upon his hips.
"None of those reasons! Not ever!" Marco snapped, finally sick of the accusations being thrown. "I love (Y/N) like family! She is the blood of my blood as far as I am concerned! I want nothing more than to ensure her safety when the time of war comes, which is sooner than any of us are prepared for-yoi!"

Pursing my lips, I stood up and approached Marco, having to hold up my hand to stop Killer from intervening. Stopping directly in front of him, blocking his pacing path, I swallowed.

"You know my feelings towards my father, but I must ask, why do you have so much faith in a man not much older than I? What reasons do you have to prove he could have any standing within the realm when all seem so loyal to my father?"

I need to know.

Marco's hand moved slightly, muscle memory, almost reaching to rest upon my head as it had done so many times in the past. Good times.
"You have been blinded by walls and comforts all your life. Out there? In the city streets? Poverty. Hunger. Hatred. I am sure your companion can vouch for me when I say that the common folk, in Marineford and every other region, North, South, East and West, want nothing more than to see your father burn."

Holding my breath, I turned to Killer, confusion written all over my face. He nodded slowly, almost sadly, like he didn't want to disappoint me.
"He speaks the truth, Your Grace. From entering the walls of Marineford, I saw more death and decay than I had in a long time."

I can't believe that...

My bottom lip felt as though it were going to bruise with how hard I was chewing it, and I turned back to Marco, squaring up my shoulders to try and hide my upset.

"I wish to see it for myself. Marco, take me to the city streets. Show me what it means to be ruled by my father..."

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***Road trip! (Or horse trip? Foot trip?)

Apparently when I was off sick last week one of our regulars at work came in and asked where "the cute anime girl that smells like watermelon" was and my boss won't stop teasing me about it 🤣 I have no idea which customer it was. I allegedly had a conversation with him about anime, and I always use watermelon sanitiser, deodorant, and drink a watermelon drink when I'm working so guess I'm melon girl now?

Next Time: Behind Closed Gates***