Yuna knew the very moment the ship sailed across the waters' unseen boundaries into Totto Land's territory. The brisk, salty sea air that had accompanied their 7 hour journey disappeared with a gust of strong wind. Replacing it was the sugary scent of candy and confectionary goodness, a tantalizing hint of the promised paradise that Big Mom's country was said to be. No matter how you tried to mask it, the sweetness settled in and stuck in your lungs. It felt like breathing through a bag of cotton candy. Even the giant container of caramel they'd brought along with them as part of the agreement didn't carry as strong an aroma as this.
The waves settled from the plunging and rolling currents they'd encountered on their way here, calming as they grew closer to the heart of Totto Land. They had yet to see any of the islands that comprised the Yonko's territory, but given the laden sweetness in the air, she was sure they were nearing one of them at the very least. The heaviness of the air weighed on her, especially given her long-sleeved, floor-length gown that covered her from head to toe. The pastel pink gown had been specially made for this trip, in order to make a good impression on the Yonko who had agreed to protect their small country. Now, it simply felt stifling.
The crew of seamen sailing the ship all kept on alert, watching in all directions for any sign of approaching vessels. It was only half of the usual crew a ship like this would carry, plus half a platoon of castle guards, at Yuna's insistence. Her father and Daigon himself had adamantly vied for her to be accompanied by 2 full platoons of castle guards in addition to the full crew sailing the ship, but she had adamantly refused.
"We are already in a state of vulnerability. Reducing our numbers by so many just to escort me is absurd." She'd said, then gave a hard stare at her family members. "And you all will be staying here. We can't leave our people without their leaders in a time like this."
It had caused a full-blown argument, one that Yuna had eventually won out of pure stubbornness, but Denji, Genji, and her father had all realized that she spoke a good bit of truth even if they didn't want to hear it. To leave their people without troops to protect them and their leaders to guide and reassure them, they would be doing more harm than good. Denji in particular had stormed out of the room looking especially livid, and she wondered if she had somehow cracked the relationship they held.
The one compromise she had been forced to accept, like it or not, was that Daigon himself would see her safely to Big Mom's territory. She had grumbled and fretted about it, but he was nearly more stubborn than her and had been steadfast in making sure he personally saw this duty through until she was safely to her destination.
Standing on the deck down beside her, the man in question grimaced, covering his nose with clear distaste just as the princess spotted what she thought to be a ship on the horizon. Yuna looked his way, frowning. "What's wrong?"
"Never really liked candy..." He muttered with a small shake of his head. "Gives me a headache, this air. It's suffocating."
Unable to help him in any way, Yuna turned back to the water before them. The shape in the distance was indeed a ship now that she had a better look, and before long a second silhouette joined the first, making a beeline for Seiiki's vessel. The men around her gripped their weapons a little tighter, and she gave a quiet sigh.
"Remain calm." She spoke above the gentle wind, drawing the eyes of those intent on protecting her. "They're expecting us. There is no need to be so nervous."
"We're dealing with an Emperor of the Sea." Daigon stepped closer, eyes never straying from the approaching ships. "One can never be too careful."
"I understand, but if fear is the first impression we display, it will only serve to make us seem more exploitable." Yuna replied evenly, keeping her voice steady even as her heartbeat quickened in pace. "We represent Seiiki Kingdom, and I know our navy is comprised of courageous men. Let's show them that bravery instead."
The men exchanged unsure glances, but eventually they did appear to settle themselves. Either for her sake or the country's, she wasn't sure. Her hands clasped down in front of her dress, they squeezed together as the two ships that had been sailing towards them now slowed. Turning in place until they were stationed on either side of their own vessel, the sails once again unfurled, and they picked up speed to keep pace with Yuna and her escorting crew.
A majority of the other ships' crew were comprised of chess-styled soldiers, standing at attention at the railings. Those clearly in charge stood out from sheer height alone and their calm expressions. A tall woman wearing an insanely wide-brimmed hat stood with crossed arms on the deck on one ship. Yuna spotted a sword on a sheath around her waist.
The other was helmed by a barrel-chested man with a strong jaw and half-blue, half-pink hair. Could this be her groom? Yuna still had no clue who Katakuri might be, and wondered when they would introduce him to her. This man seemed unlikely to be him, given he didn't bother glancing in her direction whatsoever.
With the escort ships on either side of them, they continued sailing inward, passing by several islands off in the distance. It was hard to pick out details so far away, but anything recognizable was generally something of the food variety. Even the waters changed color from beneath their ship, the deep blue fading into orange and pink in a stunning display.
Totto Land was already living up to it's name of a paradise, and she hadn't even stepped foot on land yet.
The island in question they were headed towards came into view from off in the distance, the high-rising cake-styled architecture catching and keeping the princess' attention. The pink striped cake-like building that dominated all others in sight was quite a marvel. The crew of her ship muttered to themselves, not having expected to see such a wonder. Nothing in Seiiki Kingdom was that large.
Yuna looked down from the massive structure to see their ship approaching a large port, the middle dock open and assumably reserved for their arrival. A large ground party awaited on the shore, more of the chesspiece soldiers surrounding the area and towered over by a much taller, important-looking person.
Docking was a quick affair, her own crew coupled with the dock workers awaiting them to haul in meant the entire process was expertly finished in a matter of a seconds. Yuna closed her eyes and took a steadying breath as the boat lurched from the stop, the constant sway and rock of the sea halted as the ship was roped and securing in place. Daigon remained at her side, the half-platoon of soldiers from her country taking up loose formation around her as she stepped to the railing.
"Stay close to me." Daigon muttered, making it clear that he wouldn't be leaving her side no matter what happened. Even so, he allowed her to be slightly in front of him to display her own authority. And though Yuna had fought against him accompanying her on this journey, she was suddenly very thankful to have him at her side. He was a steady rock to cling to in these swirling tides of change, no matter how much shorter he may be in comparison to her.
The tallest in the crowd below, a white-haired woman dressed in a leotard who was clearly descendant of the long-leg tribe, stepped forward to address those onboard. "Welcome to Whole Cake Island. You must be the princess we've been waiting for."
"Thank you." Yuna replied, looking down at those who'd welcomed them. "I am Onegama Yuna, eldest and sole princess of the Seiiki royal family."
The woman gave a nod. "I'm Charlotte Smoothie. I hope your journey through our country was pleasant."
"It was very beautiful."
"That is good to hear." She gave a small smile. "I'll be escorting you to the castle. Your guards, however, must stay aboard your ship. We cannot allow armed men to come through our country so freely."
Yuna felt the sweet-scented air turn sour and tense around her, the crew bristling with suspicion. Daigon growled under his breath in rebellion to such an idea. But the Princess hadn't come this far to cause such trouble now. "I understand."
"Princess-" One of the seamen started, but she held up a hand to halt the rest of his concern.
"The Captain of our Navy also serves as my retainer on this journey. I must insist that he remain at my side." She said politely, voice keeping surprisingly even despite the circumstances. Her years of public speaking lessons were coming in handy now. "And I ask that our ship not be boarded for the duration of our stay. Our countries are not yet allied, and it would put my mind at ease to know that they are left alone until their departure."
Smoothie thought for only a moment, before giving a curt nod. "I can accept these conditions, so long as your people show no aggression towards us." One of her crossed arms gestured to a large, ornately-decorated candy carriage that sat waiting behind her. "My people will take the caramel offering to the castle as well. Please follow me. Mama does not like late guests, and there is much to be done before the wedding."
Yuna lifted her chin and made her way towards the now-lowered gangplank, followed closely behind by Daigon. His face was set in hard lines, eyes flicking back and forth among the chess soldiers but always returning to settle on the giant of a woman that was Charlotte Smoothie.
Her feet touched upon the wood of the dock, behind her the combined crew of Totto Land and Seiiki both worked to haul the large caramel container down with them. Stepping closer to the Charlotte daughter, it was then that Yuna realized Smoothie was a good 4 or 5 feet taller than herself and it made her stop walking entirely from shock. Smoothie noticed the strange behavior and frowned. "Is something wrong?"
"I'm sorry, I'm just...I've never seen someone who was taller than me." She answered honestly, feeling the need to voice this incredible discovery. "It's a bit of a surprise, frankly."
Smoothie's mouth lifted in a grin, and she gave a pleasant laugh. "Wait until you meet the rest of my siblings, and Mama herself. You'll be even more surprised."
The two Seiiki residents climbed into the carriage that was somehow just Yuna's size. One plush seat placed in the middle was large enough for her to comfortable sit, with three other normal-sized seats surrounding it. Daigon sat in the one directly across from her, eyeing the empty ones with curiosity. The design seemed too customized to be coincidence.
"I suppose they expected His Majesty and the princes to attend."
"Naturally, one would be accompanied by their family at a wedding." Yuna agreed with a quiet sigh, feeling the carriage lurch as they began making their way towards the castle. The empty seats were an uncomfortable reminder that she was going into this alone, though it was through no one's fault but her own. She'd insisted on going by herself, not wanting to risk the safety of the citizens any more than was absolutely necessary.
Through the window, she watched the many chess soldiers and Smoothie walk beside the carriage, looking relaxed and calm. Daigon suddenly cleared his throat, head turning to face the window. "I'm sorry, Princess, I shouldn't have said anything."
"It's alright. You meant no harm in it." He still refused to look at her, perhaps ashamed that he'd caused her to view her situation in a more negative way. When he didn't respond, she looked at him with a critical eye. "Is something else the matter?"
"It was not my place."
"Not your place? Daigon, you simply commented on the seating. There is no need to feel guilty about something as inconsequential as a passing comment."
He gave a scoff and shook his head, which made her frown.
"It's more than that, though. It's...None of this is how it should be. This is not what our kingdom's Princess' wedding should be." He replied bitterly, hand clenching in anger. "Your father should be at your side. Your brothers too, not a lowly captain of the navy. You haven't even met the man who-"
"That's enough."
The seaman looked at her in shock at the harsh bite in her tone, the harshness very unlike what he was used to coming out of her mouth. Realizing just how sharp her quip had been she closed her eyes, relaxed her furrowed brow, and composed herself for a moment.
"You are no lowly captain. And while I may have wanted to have my family at my side on an occasion like this, there is no other person I'd have beside me in place of them. It's my own fault they are absent. I insisted on it." Her gaze settled past him out the window again.
"This marriage will bring peace to our country, which is all I can ask for."
"But-"
Yuna held up a hand to stop him. "Everyone has these lofty expectations for what my future life should have been, but I've never spent my time dreaming up fancy dresses or sparkling venues. I've known something like this might be what I was destined for. So I've made peace with it." Her expression took on a rueful smile. "Besides, in the grand scheme of things, this is perhaps the only sort of wedding I'd ever have anyway. It is doubtful a man of our country would have me."
"You are beloved by the citizens." Daigon countered with widened eyes. "There are many men in Seiiki who respect and no doubt love you dearly."
Yuna gave a sad chuckle. "What man would want a giant for a wife?"
"One who doesn't care of such things as physical appearance." He said, unsure of how else to respond, but not wanting to acknowledge her self-depricating comment. The carriage was plunged into a heavy silence after that, the sound of the chess soldiers' steps filling the space and easing some of the tension.
Wanting a distraction, Yuna settled with taking in the city as they passed by. Daigon had informed her of some basics of Totto Land in the hours before they'd arrived. This place must be Sweet City, the capital and most wealthy of all the islands. The cake-inspired architecture looked good enough to eat, and she realized one probably could if they so chose, after witnessing a young child take a sneaking lick of one of the outer walls of a building before running off in order not to get caught.
She'd never seen such fantastical colors used in building design either, the many pinks and yellows perfectly capturing the essence of a birthday party that never ended. With a name like Whole Cake Island, Yuna assumed that had been the intention.
Citizens of Totto Land watched with innate curiosity as the escort passed by. Such a variety of faces gazed back, smiling and happy. A few even waved. People of all shapes and sizes, races and colors. Seiiki Kingdom had always been a diverse place, welcoming former slaves from any walk of life, but Totto Land was in a league all it's own, many races of which she'd never laid eyes on before.
The princess leaned her head out of the carriage window, looking ahead to see the massive pink structure that was their destination. A door dozens and dozens of meters above her Yuna's own height bore the jolly roger of Big Mom herself. The closer they came, the more it seemed to loom threateningly above them.
Chastising herself for making things seem worse than they no doubt were, Yuna sat back in her seat, folding her hands in her lap to give them something to do. Her heart hammered in her ribcage, the reality that she was so close to meeting her future husband had gotten her in a cold sweat. Tugging at the sleeves of her dress to make sure her skin was covered, her eyes darted to Daigon, who shot her a grim smile in way of reassurance. He'd always been adept at reading her emotions.
"Do I look ok?" Came her sheepish question, suddenly worried about such a trivial thing. Really, she wasn't sure what had overcome her, but she felt like a child again, hoping to look her best for the ball in the vain hope that one of the boys her age would ask her to dance.
"Princess, you're lovely as ever." He replied, reaching over to put his smaller hand on top of her own. She flashed him an appreciative smile.
The carriage slowed as they came upon the large entrance, until it stopped completely. Yuna and Daigon were assisted out of the carriage by a few of the chesspiece soldiers, though they weren't able to offer much help to Yuna who stood twice or in some cases three times their height. Her long skirts brushed against the ground, and she was lead forward by Smoothie.
The Charlotte daughter spoke with the two guards stationed at either side of the kilometer-high door, who spoke with someone else on the inside through a snail communicator. They waited only a moment before a deep groaning indicated the doors were opening, slowly revealing the darkened interior of the receiving foyer inside. More chesspiece soldiers stood to either side of the long center carpet that enticed them further within.
"Big Mom will want to see you. She is waiting in the throne room." Smoothie said. Yuna looked around at the stone interior of the castle, impressed with it's general size. She didn't want to fathom the amount of time it had taken to build. All her life she'd thought her own family's castle was large, but this took the cake. Ah...pun intended, she supposed.
Smoothie took them through a few turns in the castle hallways, guards posted at every corner and every 10 feet or so. Yuna couldn't tell if this was their typical security or if their anticipated arrival had warranted a bigger display of strength. She highly doubted it, given the low political sway her country actually had on a world scale.
It did serve to put Daigon on edge, having resorted to staring at everything they passed with narrowed eyes. She appreciated his diligence, but hoped they wouldn't take his behavior as hostile.
The loud and rambunctious laugh of a woman further in caught Yuna's attention, and despite the possibility that it could have come from anyone, she had a distinct feeling she knew exactly who it belonged to.
"That's relieving. Mama's in a good mood." Smoothie suddenly muttered. Whether she'd intended for Yuna to hear it or not, the seafoam-haired princess wouldn't know.
With one last turn, they found themselves in a wide and spacious throne room, the walls striped with various shades of pink, and a plethora of desserts stacked around the center throne. It nearly sent her into shock to see the foods all had faces and were moving on their own, singing and talking amongst themselves.
Paradise, indeed?
But what trumped even that was the figure sitting on the throne, the large and imposing woman who'd been laughing joyously before they'd walked inside. Her general color scheme of pink wasn't doing her many favors but with a reputation like hers, Yuna knew better than to voice those thoughts aloud. The Princess had never imagined facing one of the legendary Yonko and so had no expectation as to what to feel. The sheer power this woman emanated was staggering.
Even so, Yuna was here for a very important reason, and did her best to school her features into a polite neutrality.
"The bride! The bride! She's arrived!"
The desserts all chimed in singsongy voices while Smoothie lead her directly in front of the throne, dancing and swaying in place as Big Mom's gaze swept over the newly arrived troop of people.
Smoothie gestured to the guests she had escorted there. "Mama, the Princess of Seiiki and her retainer have just arrived."
Mindful of her manners, Yuna lifted the edge of her skirts just enough to perform a respectful curtsy, careful not to show any semblance of skin beneath. Another shrieking laugh overtook the obese woman, and she leaned down from her chair to get a better look at them.
"I want to personally thank you for accepting my father's proposal." Yuna started with much respect, truly thankful that her people's safety had been secured because this had all worked out.
"Ma ma ma ma! Well, just look at you. So strange to find such a tall human outside of Totto Land." Big Mom marveled. Unsure of how to respond, Yuna kept quiet, allowing the ruler to inspect her for however long she wished. Her discriminating gaze was terrifying. "Are you perhaps part giant, my dear?"
"Not to my knowledge." Yuna said, hands going back to clasp in front of herself. "We're unsure why I-"
"Ah, no matter. A wedding will be enough!" Big Mom waved a hand dismissively, pleased smile still place as she regarded her daughter and the princess. Then her smile stilled, eyes searching for something nearby. "And where might the king be? He's not late, is he?"
The Princess gave an apologetic bow. "Regrettably, he was unable to accompany me here. Our island-"
"Unable?" She asked with a dangerous glint taking over her eye, her smile fading to settle into a displeased frown. Yuna felt Daigon step closer, feeling the shift in mood quite plainly. The Princess, however, kept her head bowed. "He couldn't find the time to attend?"
"Seiiki's security situation is very fragile, Your Majesty." Yuna wasn't sure how else to address the Yonko, and opted for what she was most familiar with. "We felt it would be too dangerous to leave our country leaderless in a time like this. If anything, this highlights how important an alliance with Totto Land is to my people."
The tense atmosphere didn't lift, however, even after several seconds of silence. Yuna swallowed down the fear that she'd angered the Yonko in their first meeting. But then Smoothie stepped forward, taking over the conversation.
"Mama, they have also brought the promised tribute of caramel. Would you like to sample it?"
A gasp made Yuna look up from her bow, finally straightening as Big Mom's face lit up in an instant. "Caramel? Oh, I've been looking forward to tasting them all day! Bring them forward!"
Yuna, Daigon, and Smoothie all stepped to the side to allow the chesspiece soldiers to carry the large container of caramel closer to the throne. It took 8 of them to simply carry it, and Yuna now understood why her father had insisted on sending so much. Anything less would be nothing to a woman as large as Big Mom.
The container was set onto the ground before her, the soldiers bowing and scuttling back to be out of the way. The Yonko leaned down to lift the lid of the container and took a large whiff of the contents. "Mmm! They smell lovely!" A pudgy hand reached in to take a handful of the caramel squares.
In a display unbefitting of an esteemed ruler, Big Mom opened wide and shoved the entire handful of caramel into her mouth, surprising the Princess and the Navy Captain. Both were careful not to show it, though a glance around the room made it clear that this sort of thing was a normal occurrence. Even Smoothie simply stood there, arms crossed as she watched her mother engorge on the sweets.
"Ohhh! Delicious!" Big Mom finally cried through her chewing, eyes practically alight with stars. "Such a small island creates such amazing treats? I could eat these all day long, heavenly sweet caramel..."
After another handful or two of the sweets, she seemed to calm down enough to come to her senses. The irritation from before had also disappeared, and the Princess had to wonder if Smoothie had interjected intentionally to keep things pleasant.
"It's unfortunate the King could not be here for the special occasion, but I suppose there is no helping it. The caramel and the bride are here, at the very least. That's what's most important!" Big Mom cried out, eyes closed in bliss.
Yuna wondered to herself which between the two sat higher on her priorities, but chose not to voice the question. She had a feeling she knew the answer.
Her eyes opened and she gazed down at the green-haired princess. "I suppose you'd like to meet the person you'll soon be married to. Isn't that right, my dear?"
The Princess' hands gripped themselves tighter, mounting curiosity and apprehension purging all else from her mind. Who was her groom? The name Katakuri had been ingrained in the back of her skull since her father had received a reply back. Her mind had desperately tried putting together a portrait of what the man might look like, but to no avail.
Would he be understanding of her strange height? Was he as compassionate as her father? Or as practical as Denji? Perhaps he was soft-spoken like Genji, or even as guarded and cynical as Daigon. In an effort to not be disappointed in whoever she may be forced to marry, she hadn't solidified any expectations thus far. Though now with the answer so close, she was near to her breaking point.
Yuna nodded, unable to hide her eagerness to have all of her questions answered. "I'm truthfully very nervous."
"Ahahahahaha! Ma ma ma ma! As expected." Big Mom grinned with mirth, setting a hand on her own cheek delicately. "But I'm sorry to tell you, he was sent out this morning on a pressing matter and hasn't returned quite yet. So you'll have to wait a bit longer to meet with him."
Her shoulders fell, the excitement dulling somewhat to hear the news that her groom was not currently present. A hollow settled in her chest, disappointment filling the space. At this rate, she would not know what he looked like until she walked down the aisle to marry him.
Her gaze lowered to the ground. "I see..."
"Mama." A deep voice interjected from the entrance, and those in the room turned to see who had spoken.
Taller than even Smoothie, a broad-shouldered man entered the throne room. Yuna found herself staring at his intense, red eyes from above the fluffy scarf that covered the lower portion of his face. They bore into whatever he looked at, and she found herself wondering how insignificant she would feel under their direct attention.
Her eyes finally traveled lower to the bare muscles that toned his body, the unbuttoned vest doing very little in way of keeping modesty. Yuna's fingers shifted to grip the hem of her own sleeve. Red-pink lines adorned the right half of his chest, rising up to his shoulder and on to the upper half of his arm.
Each of his steps was accompanied by a metallic ching, and she looked down to see spurs attached to his boots, black pants completing his punk-esque style.
"Ah...Katakuri!" Big Mom called out with glee, holding out her hands in a welcoming gesture. "They didn't tell me you had returned."
Katakuri. Yuna froze, posture stiffening as her husband-to-be came to stand in front of Big Mom's throne not far from her. Just as Smoothie had, he stood several feet above her. Any questions she had about her height being an issue was thrown out the window. The ridiculous thought that she wasn't tall enough now crossed her mind. Such a problem had never presented itself in her entire life.
"I only just arrived back." He responded in a deep, resonating voice that made her clench her fingers together. Dear lord...Staring would have been rude, despite already having done so when he'd walked in, so Yuna faced forward to look at Big Mom instead. She tried her best to hide the fact that his appearance had her reeling.
He was not at all what she'd expected. But truthfully...not in an entirely terrible way.
"Have you dealt with those nasty intruders?" Big Mom asked of her son, and he gave a slow nod.
"They weren't much trouble at all. It was foolish of them to cross into our territory to begin with."
"Good, good! Now that the ants have been squashed, we can begin preparations for the wedding." The Yonko's hands clapped together with glee. Then, with a pleased grin, she swept her hands to Yuna. "Meet your lovely bride, Katakuri. She's almost as tall as you! How lucky!"
His head turned to look at her, eyes gazing down from his superior height. She met his with as much composure as she could manage, not entirely able to hide the heat from her cheeks. She'd been right. Those red eyes of his kept Yuna in place and held her there as he inspected her with...interest? It was impossible to know.
This would soon be her husband, it was best to leave a good first impression. And without having seen his face in it's entirety, overall she was still flustered and rather pleased to see her groom was not unpleasant to look at. The Princess managed a small smile and nodded. "I'm-"
"Yuna." He interrupted, eyes closing for a moment. But before they did, she could have sworn they glowed a brighter red. She blinked in surprise. "I wouldn't be so quick to say you're pleased to meet me."
Her mouth was left opened, having been about to say that very thing. "How-"
"Advanced observation haki." He explained before she could even ask. "Future sight, if you wish to call it."
Yuna blinked, expecting another interjection from the man, but when one didn't come she hummed. "I see. Well, I am pleased to meet you, regardless."
He simply stared at her, whatever he might be feeling hidden away behind those intense eyes. The conversation came to a complete halt, Yuna unsure of what else to say and Katakuri offering no lifelines. Oh dear...This wasn't exactly what she'd been hoping for when they first met, but at least there wasn't open hostility.
Daigon shifted in place beside her, but she ignored it, knowing that he was growing impatient and irritated with Katakuri's behavior thus far. His opinion of how she should be treated much more in line with her kingdom's respect of the royal authority. Here, she got the feeling things weren't quite so rigid or formal.
Big Mom's thunderous laughter broke the moment. "Ma ma ma ma! There are so many things to prepare! My dear, why don't you see yourself to your guest room, and the seamstresses will prepare you a dress for the wedding tomorrow."
Yuna turned to look at the Yonko in surprise. Tomorrow? "I didn't realize it would be so soon-"
"Oh, I can practically taste the wedding cake! The frosting, the moist spongy cake..." She sighed aloud, finally shooing those in her throne room away with one hand. "Off you go, then. Peacekeepers, please show the Princess to her room. I must talk with Streusen about the wedding cake!"
Yuna glanced up as Katakuri turned in place, leaving the way he'd come. Not a word was said in departure, nor a glance in her direction. Their first meeting had been sudden and unplanned, and perhaps he too wasn't sure how to handle it. He disappeared behind the doorway out in the hall, his spurs clinking with each step.
"Princess Yuna," a small voice below her called, and she looked down to see one of the rook peacekeepers giving her a small bow, "if you'll follow me, I will show you to your room."
"That is your groom?" Daigon spouted into the spacious, peach-colored guest room they'd been shown to, pacing a furious circle in the floor space between the four-post bed and where Yuna was seated at the huge, white vanity. He was loud enough that the guards posted outside their door would have been able to hear, but apparently he didn't care. "He's a brute!"
"You know nothing about him. Just as I do." Yuna said with a sigh, leaning into her crossed arms over the back of the chair. The whole thing had left her drained and she wanted nothing more than to sleep in the bed that lay only a few meters away. It looked soft and comfortable, and most importantly, her size.
"Just look at him!" The Captain continued working himself up. "Unrefined, distant, callous...the man's the size of a mountain!"
Daigon caught Yuna's eye as he spat the last part, but then seemed to realize what he'd said. His incredulous expression softened. With an awkward clearing of his throat, he stopped pacing, standing firmly in the middle of the disturbed path he'd made into the carpet. "Then again...his large size is a good thing for our dear Princess."
"Perhaps he's simply nervous." Yuna offered, accepting the verbal olive branch the seaman had attempted to extend. "It's likely he has as much choice in it as I do. I didn't know what to do with myself in the moment either."
"Yes, but you minded your manners and remained polite. I'm not certain he has any to begin with." The leather-clad seaman grumbled, crossing his arms in disappointment. With a heavy sigh, his head shook. "As you said, there's no changing it now. I can't help but wish they had someone else to match you with, though. Maybe someone who actually wears a shirt..."
"I'm sure things will work out."
"Hmm. I'm sure." His tone left room for all of the unspoken doubt.
A loud knock sounded against the door, and before either of the occupants could respond, it opened to reveal a team of a dozen or so women, all of varying heights from average to nearly as tall as Yuna, holding large bolts of white fabric and other sewing instruments.
"Where is the bride?" The head seamstress-a round woman with a head of frizzy orange hair-called out, gaze searching the room until they landed on Yuna. "Oh! There you are my dear! We must get started on your dress right away! There is no time to dawdle! Up, now! Up!"
"Oh, uh, ok..."
The woman's hands were a flurry of motion as she stepped forward to beckon the Princess out of her chair, another two of the women dragging it away to provide them more room to work with. Daigon was forced to press himself against one of the posts of the bed in order not to be trampled by the team of busy women, most already setting up sewing stations and a mannequin stand that matched Yuna's height.
Daigon tried spotting Yuna around the mass of constantly moving women, who had dragged her to the center of the room to stand atop a small circular platform they had brought with them. "Princess-"
"The bride must undress! Out, now!" One of the seamstresses demanded, her hand gesturing in a shooing motion. "No men! None!"
Yuna shot him an apologetic smile, trying to ease his worries. "Daigon, I'll be alright. Why don't you get some rest in your room next door?"
Her suggestion wasn't to his liking, but he knew that he could not be in the room while they undressed her anyway. He gave a dutiful nod, before heading to the door to the hallway. "I will be close by if you need anything."
The door shut with a thump a moment later. After the last preparatory checks, Yuna felt a sudden pair of hands clutching the strings that tied her dress together at the back of her neck. The nerves that had settled in her stomach upon their arrival shot up several degrees, and she reached behind her to halt the woman's attempts at undoing them.
"Wait, please..." Yuna muttered, somehow stilling the flurry of activity that was the seamstress team, their attention on her entirely. The sudden stillness was overwhelming. "Do not ask about what you see, and I beg of you, don't speak of it to anyone."
Several of the women gave each other confused glances, but finally nodded their agreement. And finally Yuna let go of the hands behind her, allowing them to loosen the fabric enough for it to be removed, though now at a much less furious pace.
The Princess' eyes closed as several of them gasped aloud. Her hands clenched in anticipation of their speculatory whispers or blurted questions of what had happened, but as promised, none of them asked or even commented on what they saw.
With a bit of shimmying, Yuna was entirely free of the gown and left standing in the middle of the pack of women in nothing but her undergarments. Yuna's hands reached up to hug her arms, vulnerability settling into her posture.
"Straight back, no slouching!" The head seamstress urged, a hand guiding the Princess' back into the angle she wanted, which forced her to drop her hands to her sides. Yuna finally opened her eyes, noticing that the women worked as diligently as before, barely paying attention to her body at all. That alone helped to ease the distress in her chest. The multitude of questions that they began to fire her way also served as a suitable distraction.
"Lace or satin?"
"Uh...satin."
"How many feet would you like the train?"
"It doesn't need to be very long..."
"Would you like sequins? Or floral?"
"Neither."
"Do you have a request for the style of the dress?" The head seamstress asked her suddenly, and Yuna nodded.
"Yes. I don't want any of...this, visible." She gestured to her body as a whole, and the orange-haired woman nodded, calculating gaze already designing the gown in her head.
"Hmm, very well. Traditional satin, no train and long sleeves with a high neck." She then turned to the others and tapped her clipboard where her notes were written down. "Ladies! Get to work!"
The next several minutes were spent raising her arms, standing still as they took measurements of her waist, arms, shoulders, hips, and legs. They chattered about about fabric and cinching, and other dress-related terms that flew by her head from the speed alone. They were nothing if not efficient, especially if they hoped to create her wedding gown in a single evening.
It was late into the night. The moon sat high in the sky overhead, clouds nowhere in sight to obstruct the view. The open window let in the constant scent of sugar that lay heavy in the air, but after so many hours spent in Totto Land, Yuna had begun to grow desensitized to it.
She sat at the window seat, a plate of half-eaten food beside her on the cushion. After such a whirlwind day, one would think she'd be starving, but nerves prevented her from stomaching much at all. With a sad look at the wasted food, she sighed and picked up the plate to bring to the table beside the door. She was sure the chefs would take care of it when they brought her breakfast the next morning.
Turning back to sit at the window, she caught sight of the luxurious white gown on the mannequin beside the vanity. It truly was a beautiful dress, soft and smooth, and traditional enough that she could imagine it having been made in her own country by their own seamstresses. It made her wonder if they knew anything of Seiiki's culture and had designed in with the intention of borrowing from it.
Yuna stopped herself from going over and stroking the long sleeves that dangled from each side. In fact, she turned away from it entirely and sat again at the window, watching from up high on the city below.
Lights dotted the windows in the home and shops. The citizens would not be in attendance of the ceremony, at least to her knowledge, so she wondered if many were celebrating the night before in their own way.
Right. A celebration. This was supposed to be a happy occasion. And in many respects, it was. Beginning tomorrow, her country would be under the protection of a feared Yonko. Raiders would think twice about attacking their navy and any that approached Seiiki's shores. The constant fear of attack would fade from the citizens until it was a forgotten memory of a time long passed. Peace would descend upon the land, and those freed from past bondage could begin to look only to the future.
But Yuna couldn't entirely dismiss the pang of sorrow that lurked on the edge of her heart. In the privacy of solitude, she let herself feel the negative emotions in full. She wiped away the tears that sprung from her eyes with the long sleeves of her pajamas, provided to her by the seamstresses before they'd left.
Practically alone in a foreign land, set to marry a man she'd met for all of 2 minutes. It didn't matter how many times she told herself this was something she'd come to expect as a Princess. It didn't matter that she'd presented the idea to her father. Yuna was afraid, deep down. Afraid that whatever happened come tomorrow, she would ultimately regret sacrificing this choice for the sake of her people.
ns 172.70.43.42da2
and then Add to home screen.