"To be the empress of the Kuja Tribe, it takes a lot of strength, ruthlessness and also… wits. I ask you to please understand the Hebihime. She wasn't like that, she was made into that in order to protect all of us".
The pair of individuals, boy and grandma, walked on the sand bordering the island. Gloriosa took Veyron through what he recognised was a secret path into the city, towards her private lodging.
He understood what she was trying to say but that didn't mean he had to agree to it. She was the empress, she had to be impartial to everyone and punish those who made mistakes, but even then it was a matter of humanity.
"They're her daughters!"
"She's not allowed to show favouritism. The Hebihime is tasked to protect all inhabitants from outsiders AND insiders. Even if she wanted to pursue her daughters, she was shackled to this place that also needed protection, in the last years we have been invaded more often".
Gloriosa started to explain that this island being in the calm belt made it secure against invasions, but ever since the sea stone was reproduced, marine and pirates have become more active in the area... let alone in this new age of pirates, the brazen adventurers didn't fear the sea kings as much as before. The Kuja Pirates needed to plunder the resources from the nearby island in order to feed their citizens. They were in the end still pirates and even Boa Primrose had a price for her head.
"For years she has worried about them, unable to do anything… that's why I ask you to please understand her. Those girls will only receive some scolding for a while and that's it, they won't be mistreated, That is not how we handle things on this island".
'That's how Hancock handled things in the show though!' He recalled how she had transformed the girls into stone just because they had helped Luffy, in a way she resembled the first Primrose she saw, e. He even recalled Hancock being way colder in the manga than what he had seen so far.
'In order to become the Hebihime, Hancock must have defeated her mother… it was clear that to become the Empress she had gone through a lot and never really resolved her mental trauma'.
He wanted to help her, be there for her... but not while breaching the beliefs she considered important. If Hancock didn't love her island and culture, she wouldn't have stayed, making that promise.
'There must have been a huge misunderstanding between mother and daughter'.
They reached a small hut where Gloriosa started serving some tea with leaves.
"Could you tell me more about you? What's your name".
"I'm Dracule Veyron".
!!!
The woman started to shiver, "Are you related to Dracule Mihawk?"
Gloriosa took a newspaper and showed it to him. It was a wanted poster with Mihawk's face, she was worth four hundred million bellies, although he believed that price would be changing very soon.
"She's my, ah... adoptive mother".
He felt the necessity to clarify their relationship now since it had now gone way beyond regular mother and son. Although such a juvenile term didn't exist in this world, she was what he'd call a 'girlfriend'. It just so happened that this girlfriend was also his mother.
Little details, not a big deal.
...
Glorisa had her doubts at first but looking at Youbi -the sword that was even bigger than the boy himself- she had to believe since those swords looked technically the same.
"No wonder you're so strong, boy… she must have put you through a hellish training".
He reserved the right to comment, yes... it had been a hellish training but the reward was well worth it.
Their conversation continued, mostly about Gloriosa explaining to him what would happen to Hancock and her sisters. They made a mistake during a trip to Sabaody and that ended up getting them taken by a celestial dragon... hence they needed to be punished for the aforementioned mistake, those were the rules. But at the same time, they wouldn't be too ruthless with them.
A door opened in the midst of it all and a woman entered with slow strides, swaying her hips and holding her head in a sign of headache.
"Hebihime..." Gloria gulped and looked towards Veyron whose glare was piercing cold. He needed to do that or otherwise, his gaze would go somewhere else. She ended up sitting next to him with an expression that portrayed anxiety and stress.
"Prepare me one as well, Gloriosa".
The Elder nodded and after releasing a sigh the lady turned around towards Veyron, leaning her head on her palm lazily and regarding him up and down.
"Where are they?"
"Confined to their room until their punishment is finished".
"How can you punish them!? Have you got no heart at all!?"
He grabbed her by the collar, fed up with her nonsense. If what Gloriosa said was true then this woman was hurting but he just couldn't understand why when it was only the three of them, she still had to pretend.
Primrose never cast his grip away, instead, her blue eyes regarded his red ones, soon Tears pooled up in there and Veyron faltered... a woman crying -pretty or ugly- was not a sight he enjoyed. He released her collar and the woman's gaze went down to the floor shedding tears.
"It's their punishment for making me worry for five years! What do you even know? You're just a kid".
"…"
"Those girls wanted to leave the island, they were very strong at a young age, like you. I reluctantly allowed them on the ship to gain experience, it was an exception... we sailed a few times, our island doesn't produce many resources and it is the crew's responsibility to ship the goods back to the island. We reached Sabaody, those girls left my sight, I warned them to stay together with me..."
"…"
"Before I knew… they were being taken, shackled. I couldn't do anything. We can't defy the celestial dragons. If I hadn't allowed them in the ship..."
'She's blaming herself'.
"For these years I haven't had a single night in which I could sleep well. Every single night was spent thinking of what those bastards were doing to my little girls. I have already been punished for my mistake..."
"Do you think they haven't been punished for theirs?"
"..."
The lady bit her lips until they bled, it was a humongous internal battle. One in which she had to decide between her responsibilities, her family and the wicked feelings and frustrations stored for five years.
'Even if someone has to be blamed... I can't blame them for this'.
"Neither you nor they are wrong, Primrose".
"..."
"What's wrong is this world".
With the sight of Veyron's clenched hands, she understood, like a bright realisation. She didn't realise when it became something normal in their lives, perhaps from generations ago... that the celestial dragons were untouchable and blameless.
Her eyes opened with a newfound flame and black lightning that Veyron felt just slightly, like a newfound determination.
'The blame is THEIRS!'.
"You're right, they have already been punished for their mistake... there is no need for further punishment".
She stood up before kneeling down next to him until her forehead hit the floor.
!!!
"From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for saving my daughters and opening my eyes…"
"S-Stand up, I get it!"
Her body started levitating against her will, shocking her and before she knew she was sitting back on the chair next to him.
"I wasn't the only person that saved your daughters, there were many involved. But I'll accept your gratitude for now. Just make sure those three feel loved, they need it".
Primrose didn't speak any further about the topic, he only saw her smile with thousands of emotions. The last few years had been the hardest of her life, even more than her job as an empress. Just like her daughters, this was the day she was finally set free.
"What is your name, boy?"
"He is Dracule Veyron… that Mihawk's son"
The empress took her tea from Gloriosa and gasped, taking her seat back next to the boy who also took his tea. Veyron then recalled something that he had in his power and took it out from one of his pockets while the Empress analysed him up and down.
"No wonder you're a little monster. We're both rookies from the same generation but I can't begin to scratch her toes".
"By the way, this is something that Rayleigh gave me in order to reach the island. It is your vibrecard"
"Oh? You can keep it".
"Are you sure?"
"Yes..." She leaned closer and crossed her legs tantalisingly, "In fact, why don't you give me yours? equal exchange~".
"..."
The boy gulped audibly, she extended her hand forward. Giving one's own vibrecard wasn't a trivial matter. It had been Mihawk who also told him that he should only give them to the people he trusted.
He tore a piece out of his paper and handed it over, Primrose giggled and stored it away. Although they had their crosses at first, Veyron thought he'd never mistake an aggrieved mother. Primrose was not a bad person just someone misunderstood with a weight on her shoulders.
"Thanks~"
"About this, Hebihime... have you considered the proposal?" Gloriosa observed all the exchanges and joined only when the time was right.
"Not yet, but after what they've done to my babies..."
"Even if it is advantageous to Amazon Lily?".
"Huh?" The conversation drifted to a position in which he was lacking information. Primrose was about to explain, She sipped her tea and accidentally let out a bit of it fall on her cleavage.
"Oh my... how uncouth of me. If you may excuse me~" She giggled and proceeded to clean her top, her eyes glaring at him at every instant, gauging his expression.
"D-Don't mind me" He turned around, inhaling and exhaling as deep as he could. The level of sexiness irradiated by this woman was through the roof, he closed his eyes, thinking about his mom in a not-so-pure way and trying to remove any wicked thoughts towards the Empress.
Primrose borrowed a towel from Gloriosa and cleaned herself, smiling lightly when the boy's ears flared up, she could see from his back. After she was done, the conversation continued.
"I was invited to be a warlord by the world government. My bounty is a hundred and thirty million bellies and for them, it is convenient to have an island in the calm belt that's not in their jurisdiction".
"How do you guys even cross the calm belt?"
"We love and worship snakes. Our ancestors developed a relationship of love and companionship with the Yuda. A powerful race of poisonous sea serpents. The sea kings avoid them callously".
He recalled their ship was always pulled by two serpents, 'so that's them'.
"What do you say, boy? Should I become a warlord of the seas? A dog of the world government?~ Doing so would guarantee the safety of my island, but I'd be at their disposal".
Primrose leaned back, crossing her arms and waiting for his answer. She merely wanted to hear his point of view and know if he was someone worth befriending. She could never join the rank of warlord herself. Not when the world government that was reigned by the celestial dragons, had done that to her beloved daughters.
She expected a simple yes or no, but never could she have thought he'd suggest this.
"No need to join them. I'll protect this island myself, Primrose" said the boy whose sword was bigger than him.
"..."
"..."