"Dear, would you like some tea?~"
"I can wait until we arrive in Amazon Lily" His eyebrows twitched, they were in the middle of the sea on Gorgon's back, where was she going to get tea from?!
"Are you sure? you're not hungry? I can give you anything, even water" Hancock scooped some water from the sea and offered it to me with that ever-so-beautiful look on her.
'Darling you're beautiful indeed but I don't need that!'.
She's too beautiful and cute now, I'm having trouble resisting her. Gorgon is leading us to Amazon Lily at a fast pace and I can tell by the shadows hidden under the sea that she's being 'escorted' by her bunch of sea king underlings.
I didn't know it was Hancock's birthday, what am I going to gift her? surely the kiss we had earlier is not enough, although she looks mellow and satisfied.
"Is there anything you'd like Hancock? I can gift you anything..."
"I already have all I want right here~" She hooked further against my arm.
'Don't do this to me...' He cried with fake tears, there was something about Hancock that made her completely different from Mihawk. One was his beloved mother indeed, a gorgeous woman that one could only dream of obtaining with how strong and prideful she was. Every time they were together, it felt like victory and conquer but at the same time, he couldn't help but associate the same woman with discipline, wisdom, thoughtfulness and harsh training.
Then there was Hancock who was like a childhood sweetheart one could only hopelessly fall in love with. Cute in every sense... one could only feel proud of having such a girlfriend.
"How is your mom?" He asked her about the other woman he felt complex about.
"Mother..." The beauty's face soured, raising his concern.
"Something happened to her?"
"She has been acting odd as of late, I think she's feeling a little sick".
"S-Sick...?"
'I hope it is not what I think it is...' He thought, although regular flu came to mind, there was another 'sickness' he knew was associated with Amazon Lily, their empress to be specific.
"It started recently, like a month ago, she'd usually be more supportive and be present in our training but lately she doesn't attend as much and instead locks up in her room. She also left a lot of important meetings of the Kuja Pirates to Gloriosa and me. Sandersonia told me that we may be overthinking it".
"Is that so? I should go and see her right away".
Veyron rubbed his forehead, if it was what he thought it was... then it would be a lot of trouble.
**
**
I don't know when this started. Or maybe I do… it was that time I was training my daughter, Hancock.
We were both dancing on the field, she grasped the essence of my technique faster than her sisters, we were both fast, stylish yet lethal as our kicks met -I didn't fight all out against them as this was training. I'm teaching her my techniques, my Haki. But even then I felt danger. My leg turned into stone... and it was something I couldn't evade or stop.
Hancock's devil fruit Mero Mero no Mi, allows her to turn into stone anyone who is attracted or 'loves' her.
I guess the love of a mother counts in this case, with my leg turned into stone like this... I was technically out of combat. It took me by surprise and I could have easily evaded it, but the result was the same... in a sense, Hancock defeated me.
"You see that Mom? I managed to mix them!"
"Hancock…"
My daughters are getting cute and beautiful by the day but among them... Hancock is giving me a lot of surprises.
She's getting a lot stronger, very fast... her determination to become the Empress of Amazon Lily has only gotten stronger and if that wasn't enough I recently discovered she also has Conqueror Haki. It wasn't a surprise since I and my late mother Boa Paletulip had it as well.
It makes me proud to see their progress and it makes me even more proud that she and her sisters are leaving their past behind with steady steps as if Marie Geoise never happened. I know Veyron is the biggest contributor, that boy will spoil them rotten and kiss that accursed mark whenever he has a chance, making them know that it is nothing to be ashamed of and that he actually 'loves' it.
He says to them recurrently that it looks like a cute tattoo...
Sandersonia has become a gorgeous beauty whose might in her snake form doesn't know rival in the pirate crew. Marigold is not far behind, she even managed to produce fire using her poison, she said Veyron gave her the idea since her poison was 'inflammable'.
They're all growing up into fine young ladies, dangerous pirates and more so… dependable heirs, and all thanks to that boy.
When she 'defeated' me, that day... thoughts started lingering in my mind: One of these days one of them is going to challenge me and defeat me. And she, the one that defeats me and becomes the Hebihime-
'Then she will marry Veyron... and I'll be left behind'.
That night my heart palpitated slower, deeper... painfully. The next morning I woke up with that realisation and my body felt different. I didn't think it was anything special, but this pain in my heart wouldn't go away for the whole morning, I had to call Gloriosa.
"G-Gloriosa, what's happening to me?".
"Lovesickness".
I had already thought about it, but I just couldn't believe it, "N-No, it can't be".
"You know exactly who it is… Hebihime… why didn't you listen to me? I told you to distance yourself from him!"
I got scolded and rightfully so, she did advise me but I underestimated it, I underestimated how swift love worked and corroded the heart, so fast that I didn't even realise when I was craving his return so much.
"It doesn't matter if he's a kid, if he's your daughter's fiance, Hebihime... once love touches it never goes" Gloriosa was talking from experience, she had already experienced this sickness and it nearly cost her life.
There is a myth in Amazon Lily -an island where men are prohibited from entering- the empress who falls in love with a man shall die, It is our curse and it only remained a myth in my mind, until I personally saw it happen to my mother. This disease is no joke.
All I could do was kneel down and cry, there is no cure for this. I can't allow this love to happen... I'm going to die for falling for someone I shouldn't have.
…
I didn't want to leave my room for the weekend, but he's coming and today is Hancock's birthday, and tomorrow is Sandersonia's, Marigold's the day after. I promised her and her sisters we would do a big banquet and that I'd get Veyron to come from Rusukaina; although Shawty let me know ahead of time that he was coming.
'I have to prepare'.
After taking a deep shower, wearing my best perfume, makeup and dress; I was led to receive him at the shore of the island. It is not like I wanted to look the most beautiful possible for him, I just wanted to be presentable since all of the Kuja Tribe ladies were coming for their break, it would be an insult if I didn't receive them the best way possible.
I am definitely... not doing this for him!