Chapter Text
It was dark, cold, yet familiar to Sanji. The walls are barren, covered in dust and webs, the floor surprisingly kept clean but it doesn’t make sitting any less uncomfortable. From time to time, Sanji will visit this God forsaken place whether he likes it or not. A place, which is a prison for him.
He thinks back as to how many times he has been locked here out of his own volition, even going back as far as when he was just a child, he has already been locked here as punishment for ‘rebelling’ when really it’s just him defending himself from his wretched brothers.
When he was first dragged into this prison as a child, he bawled his eyes out, shouting for his father to come free him yet none were heard. He could still hear the crawling of spiders and bugs against the surface until now that it’s become a fear of his. But now that he has grown up, he also grew a backbone to go against his brothers and father. This prison no longer scares him, and he no longer cries.
Sanji has been locked here for a few days after punching his eldest brother, Ichiji for disrespecting one of the servants — Although he’s not even surprised anymore as his brothers are huge assholes who only cares about their own selves.
When one looks at Sanji, they most likely would be surprised to find out that he’s a prince. His corner lips are bleeding, his left cheekbone bruised, and hair disheveled. The only thing princely about him right now is his fancy royal attire that’s also quite dirty from the scuffle he had with his brother.
“The least they could do is give me some change of clothes, damn assholes…” He mutters against his breath, face frowning.
His train of thoughts abruptly comes to a halt when he hears footsteps echoing near, footsteps that he’s known by ears by now. His father. And surely so, standing outside the prison bar was his father, alongside him though was his sister.
“Father, please reconsider this! Sanji is still well beyond his years to deal with such importance!” She exclaimed, anxiousness clearly shown on her face. This could only mean one thing, a storm is coming for Sanji.
“Surely you’re not questioning my own judgement, Reiju.” His father said sternly, making Reiju close her mouth, jaw visibly tightening.
Sanji stood up from the tiles when the clunking of keys could be heard, his father unlocked the door and wariness slowly rose within Sanji.
“Get out.” He ordered Sanji with that condescending tone of his. Sanji slowly walked out of the prison, now standing face to face with his father and sister.
“What could be the matter…father?” Sanji grits his teeth because he knows that nothing good will ever come from his father.
“It’s finally time for you to be of use, Sanji.”
“You’re getting married.”
Sanji's heart pangs at the words coming out of his father’s mouth. All of a sudden his mouth feels dry and his chest tightens. Reality comes crashing down on him. From the moment he was born he was already deemed as the black sheep of the family for showing weakness and from that moment on, he no longer had any free will to decide what will be of him.
So Sanji knows, whatever he says or does wouldn't change the decision his father — no, Judge — has made. But nevertheless, Sanji still attempts to argue.
“Wait! Wait! You can’t just do that without even discussing it with me!”
“This is my life you’re talking about! Shouldn’t I have a say in it?!” He angrily shouts at Judge which was answered with a fist on his face. Sanji fell down from the sudden impact, his hand clutching on the new bruise as he glared upon his father.
“You insolent brat!”
“Since when have you had any say about what will become of your life! I am the king, and you are nothing more but a failed subject, yet you speak of such insolence?!” He clicked his tongue as he looked down on Sanji with clear disdain. Sanji could only tighten his fist and looked down on the floor as he gritted his teeth.
“You have three days to prepare before your departure, ensure you’d at least look somewhat presentable.” He said before turning his back to leave.
A pop of thought came to Sanji. Who exactly is he marrying? And maybe he said his thoughts out loud because his sister suddenly answered his question.
“The prince of Wano Kingdom, Roronoa Zoro.”
“A prince?! Is he insane?! How could two princes be joined in marriage!”
“Let’s discuss this somewhere more appropriate, little brother.” His sister offers a soft smile and a hand which he gratefully took to hoist himself up.
When he stood up, his sister gave him a gentle embrace that he delightfully returned, making their different body heights apparent. When they were children, Reiju used to be the taller sibling, but now that Sanji’s all grown up he has become taller than his older sister. When they stepped out of each other’s embrace, Reiju gave him an apologetic look.
“Forgive me, Sanji. I tried my hardest to change father's sudden decision, but no matter what I said or did, he wouldn't budge.”
“I know.” All Sanji could offer was a grateful smile to his sister before making their way down the hall.
Reiju, even since back when they were children, always had his back and for that Sanji is always grateful for her. But although Reiju has a kind heart, she has always been obedient to their father no matter his commands. It's one of the reasons why she was anointed as the crowned princess rather than Ichiji, the other reason would most likely be her competence and intelligence.
Sanji stopped his train of thoughts as they arrived in his bedchamber. His chamber had always been a comfort place for him, a place where no one usually bothered him and a place where he didn't need to pretend.
Once they entered, they both sat on the canapé, sitting next to one another. Silence filled the space, yet his mind felt loud as it's burning with questions. Sanji wasn't sure what he should choose to ask first so he decides to choose the one that's making a huge burn mark on his mind.
“Why…?” He asked hesitantly before continuing.
“Why do I have to marry some random prince whom I don't even know of!” Sanji shouted frustratedly.
“I mean, where is this even coming from?! All of the damn sudden I have to give my hand in marriage?! And to a guy at that!?” He groaned as he palmed his face.
“I know you're frustrated, Sanji. But please give me time to explain everything to you.” His sister gently placed her palm on his shoulder, attempting to calm him down by her gesture.
“Frustrated is an understatement… but go on I suppose.” He sighs before facing his sister.
“So, it all began when…”
“Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness! I come bearing terrible news!”
“Speak.”
“The Totto Kingdom has shown aggression in our borders, and we've been dealt with casualties!”
“What?! How could this be!” Judge said in fury as Reiju’s eyes widened in shock at the news.
“We're assuming that the Totto Kingdom has its target on us, Your Majesty!”
“How shall we proceed?”
“Father…” She said hesitantly, careful not to anger her father any further.
“I’m ashamed to admit that we are no match whatsoever with Totto Kingdom, we shouldn’t think too rashly.” Reiju could see her father’s eyebrows furrowed at her words, but it is only the truth she speaks of. The Totto Kingdom are far more advanced and powerful, moreover their military power is massive compared to theirs. If they decide to show aggression back, it will only lead to the fall of Germa Kingdom.
“Let’s discuss with the council before we act.” Her father ordered.
Once the Royal Council was assembled, her father quickly issued the problem to the council to seek their advice.
“The Emperor’s forces aren't just scouting anymore, they’ve crossed the line. They attacked our guard posts, killed our men, and only fell back once they'd tested our defenses. Next time, they won't retreat and I'm not going to let my reign be remembered for losing land to those machines.” Her father said sternly, his gaze intense with rage.
“Then we hit them back harder, Your Majesty! We have to send immediate backup to the border. We can't just sit here and appear weak after they've already spilled northern blood right outside our door." The general slammed his fist against the wooden table, making it shake against the impact.
“With what army, General? Sure, our workshops make the best advanced guns in the north, but we don't have the numbers.” The master of advanced weaponaries guild retorted.
“A few great weapons are rendered useless if they drown us in an ocean of armored soldiers. That border clash proved it, we barely held them off!” He continued.
“I am in complete agreement. We might have the tech, but we cannot sustain a full-scale war. We need a shield, and a big one at that…” The High Chancellor spoke in agreement, reasoning furthermore.
“The Kingdom of Wano to the east…They have one of the biggest armies on the continent, but their weapons are outdated—most used katanas and swords.” Reiju spoke in return.
“Wano Kingdom has wanted our tech for quite some time. They know our northern engineering would make their massive eastern army unstoppable.” Her father narrowed his eyes, making sense of the possibilities.
“But King Oden won't sign a treaty for free, especially not now that we're on the brink of war. But surely a royal marriage will seal the deal.” Reiju froze at the mention of marriage, fear slowly creeped its way.
"Since the Crown Princess has to stay here in the north for the throne, and the other princes are leading troops... the most logical choice for the marriage is your third son, Prince Sanji." The High Chancellor suggested, making Reiju’s eyes widened before quickly stepping forward.
“Absolutely not! We shouldn't just ship Sanji off to a foreign Kingdom in the east because it's convenient. He’s a prince of this kingdom, not a pawn to throw away!” Reiju argued, losing her composure.
“A pawn? He’s my third son. The disappointment. He has no right to the throne and does nothing for this court. He’s the perfect choice." Her father laughed coldly, turning to face her.
“Father, please! My brothers have diplomatic ties we can use, or we could offer a massive trade deal without a marriage. We shouldn't trade Sanji's life for our defense!" She pleaded, fists clenched on both sides of her body.
“Enough! Your feelings are making you weak. Wano won't accept a simple trade deal. Your useless little brother finally has a chance to be useful to this family, and you dare question my decision?” He slammed his fist against the table, making Reiju flinch before bowing her head while clenching her teeth.
“Forgive me, Father… I let my feelings get the best of me.” She spoke quietly, avoiding her father’s glowering gaze.
“Will The Kingdom of Wano actually accept a third-born prince instead of the heir?” The general clears his throat before speaking, breaking the intense tension.
“They will, General. Because Sanji has royal blood, and more importantly, he brings the ultimate dowry which are the blueprints to our advanced weapons. We give the east our weapons and tech, they give us their army to push back the Emperor of Totto Kingdom." The High Chancellor explained.
“Then it's settled. Get the messengers ready. Pack the boy's things and send him east to Wano Kingdom after the deal has been settled. We trade our tech for their soldiers, and we do it before the Emperor strikes again.” Her father ordered, a satisfactory smile plastered on his face.
“Yes, Your Majesty!” They all said in unison before the council was dismissed.
“...And the response messages only came in today. The Wano Kingdom accepted the treaty—however we were informed that the crowned princess of Wano was already being courted by one of the princes in Goa Kingdom, hence why they proposed the hand in marriage of Prince Roronoa Zoro.” Reiju explained.
“Did he- Did the prince agree to this proposal? Or is he also in the same boat as I?” He asked, wringing his hands together and gnawing on his bruised lips.
“Surprisingly so, he was the one who proposed it. He must have a strong sense of duty…” She said, trying to sound reassuring—although nothing about this is reassuring because it means that he really has no way out of this. Sanji sighs before speaking.
“Even so! How could two princes join hands in marriage? Wouldn’t the people speak ill of it?” He pressed, leaning slightly forward with furrowed brows.
“In this Kingdom, it’s most likely to occur. But in the East—particularly in Goa and Wano Kingdom, same-sex marriage are fairly common. Though it’ll be the first to happen between the royal families…” Reiju muttered quietly at the end of her sentence, averting her gaze.
“That’s just delightful…” He retorted, words laced with sarcasm as he grimaced.
“Would you like to know more about Prince Roronoa?” She hesitantly asked, offering a tentative smile to Sanji.
“Well I suppose I've got nothing else to lose, I'm all ears.” He shrugs while Reiju’s eyes seem to light up at his words.
“According to my research, Prince Roronoa is famous for his swordsmanship and is even considered to be the best after his father.” She stated, sounding a tad bit too enthusiastic.
“How great…” He deadpan, unamused by the information his sister gave him which made his sister give him a look he can’t quite describe before she continues.
“That said, there’s not much information regarding Prince Rononoa apart from his skill, personality, and looks.”
“What about his personality and looks?” He raised his eyebrows as he crossed his arms.
“Well… It’s merely rumors, but people say that he’s cold and distant… And that he looks… Scary? Intimidating? It’s been said that he even has a scar on his left eye.” His sister explained hesitantly, sounding unsure of her words.
“I’m looking forward to meeting my scary and intimidating one eyed fiance then.” He scoffs before standing up from his seat.
“Thank you for the talk, sister. I’m afraid we’ll have to end it short here as my body needs a bath and rest after all the ordeal that’s been happening.” He smiled softly to his sister, offering a hand for her to stand up from her seat.
“Why of course dear brother, how unthoughtful of me. You must be exhausted. I’ll leave you to it, thank you for the talk as well.” She smiled gently before bidding him farewell.
As soon as his sister left his bedchamber, Sanji stretched his body, making him groan in satisfaction before sighing. The days of being beaten up then locked up has taken a toll on his body, to say he was exhausted was an understatement. He feels dirty and sleep deprived after being locked up and not receiving proper care.
Sanji then heads inside the bathing chamber reserved for him and starts drawing his bath before stripping off all his clothes to his undergarments. Normally as a royal, servants would be the one helping him bath, but during his early years he requested to not be assigned any servants aside from the chambermaids as he felt it was unnecessary and his father was more than happy to grant his request—As it was “A waste of resources” for him anyway as his father would like to say.
Once the bath had been filled with the right amount of temperature Sanji desired, he slowly submerged himself in the warm water. A sigh of relief left him, his body slowly started to relax and so did his mind. Sanji submerged himself further until his head was completely underwater, and for a moment it felt as though it was only him in this world.
When he started to feel his lungs running out of air, he quickly pulled himself up, gulping air as he caught his breath. After catching his breath, Sanji relaxed his head against the bathtub—his body slowly submerging in the water until it was mouth level to Sanji. He blows air into the water, making it create waves of bubbles.
A wave of sadness hits Sanji as reality settles in. He’s really leaving in three days. His own bastard father quite frankly sold him to another Kingdom without even consulting Sanji about it. Then again, when has he ever been consulted about anything that’s revolving his life. When his father makes a decision, it’s always a done deal.
On one hand, Sanji was truthfully relieved that he can at last get out of this hell hole but on the other hand he can’t help but worry that what awaits him is another hell hole. Not to mention, leaving would mean he might never see his older sister ever again, and that genuinely pains him. His sister was one of the only few people that ever cared for Sanji, and the thought of leaving her made him anxious.
The Kingdom he’s leaving to will be foreign and completely new to Sanji, it means new people, new surroundings, and even new language. Right. He had totally forgotten about that. Sanji is from the North, while the way he will be heading to is the east. They have different languages! How will they ever come to understand each other…
Sanji slammed his palm against the water, making water splashed against the tub, spilling all over the ground. He groaned frustratedly after making sense of his situation. My life is just getting even more difficult by the moment. Damn it! He thought as he grits his teeth before sighing defeatedly.
Sanji decided it was enough time in the water and stood up to sling a robe on his body, hair still drenched and water droplets falling to the floor. He took a head towel near and roughly dried his hair with it before sliding the towel down to his shoulders. His hands swiftly tied the robe before exiting the bath chamber. He slowly approached his bed before dropping his body on it, the bed lightly shaking against the sudden weight.
He gazed at the ceiling of his chamber, his mind loud yet filled with nothing. His mouth suddenly trembled, eyes suddenly blurry and chest tightened. His hand comes up to cover his eyes as images of his mother unexpectedly flashes in his mind.
“Mother…” He muttered quietly, mouth quivering as tears threatened to fall.
“What should i do?...” He whispered to himself before darkness took over him.