Chapter Text
--- PRINCESS REIJU ---
The Princess wakes in her four poster bed before the morning bells toll throughout the castle, as she does every day. She wouldn’t be able to get through her days with her sanity intact if she didn’t have the small amount of time she makes for herself. A time when nobody but the servants and night guard are awake that she has to worry about. Especially as of late, even within the deepest parts of Germa’s kingdom.
Reiju forces herself out of the safety of her warm covers, immediately feeling the chill that is nearly a full-year companion this far in the north. She shrugs on her purple dyed fur robe before heading to her vanity. Upon it sits her schedule for the day. Sighing through her nose deeply, Reiju takes note of the rather daunting amount of tasks listed for her. Half of her wishes to crawl back beneath the sheets that she’d just risen from, to hide from the duties she’d been born to. It’s a practiced response to ignore those feelings, but it doesn’t make them any less attractive an option for her.
Bringing her focus back to the schedule, Reiju finds most of them to be rather tedious common tasks. There are a few meetings she’s only expected to be at because she’s the current Vinsmoke heir. However, one of her afternoon appointments stands out from the rest.
Her father had made Reiju and her siblings aware that they’d be increasing the guard presence within the castle grounds. Their escorts outside of the kingdom would be similarly increased. That included the King hiring - much to the disdain of her brothers, and her own annoyance - a personal guard for each of them.
It seems that they would be meeting the newly hired guards today, their trip having gone much quicker than what time had been budgeted for them. Reiju frowns, of course the one time where the northern storms would’ve been welcome to slow visitors to their country, they’re nowhere to be found. It was almost as if the world itself was aligning to the Vinsmoke King’s idea that his views and directions were simply the absolute truth.
It would be much more difficult to deal with him for the foreseeable future with how much had been going his way lately, Reiju knew this from experience. She just hoped that her brothers wouldn’t provoke him into a rage when they’d be assigned their guard. Sanji wouldn’t, though not because he didn’t hate the idea of being followed. Ichiji would be just as neutral to the King’s face as he always was. But Niji and Yonji… Reiju would have to try and intercept them before they reached the throne room. To try and head off any of their complaints before they could cause more hassle for the rest of them. It was going to be hard enough to act as pleased as Reiju was expected to be without the headache of yet another family quarrel.
Although she didn’t think it was a foolish idea like her brothers did, Reiju wasn’t nearly as enthused about the idea as she’d acted in front of her father. King Judge was convinced that they needed to hire mercenaries and soldiers who were based far from Germa. People who wouldn't be interested in any of the rebel causes when they’d be getting paid beyond handsomely for just a few years of service. Reiju could see the logic, but at the same time she didn’t want to be shadowed by some stranger who could just as easily take a knife to her back as they could prevent it. Her father hadn’t allowed any of them to help review the potential candidates, and the unknown element of it all was adding a substantial amount of stress to the Crown Princess’s back.
Not that Reiju didn’t believe she could defeat anyone who was hired - she was trained in combat just as much as her brothers had been. But it was more the stress that would come from being on constant alert, the stress of having someone around when she’d prefer to be alone. Unfortunately for her, it’s looking as if solitude would be a solace unavailable to her in the upcoming years. It’s been clear that the riots and small-scale rebellions will not be put down quickly nor quietly - much to the King’s fury. He won’t be taking any risks with any of the Vinsmoke children when the Reverie is due to begin in a little more than a half year’s time. Especially when her father is trying to strengthen their trade routes and secure allies with other kingdoms through marriage.
As much as it pains her father, there are many reasons to choose other kingdoms for political alliances. Having word get out about how much instability the country’s been in for the last half decade would be devastating to his plans.
Though it's best for Reiju not to dwell on that line of thought for too much longer. Hearing about the lists of suitors that she’d rather
Just as she’s contemplating the likelihood of trying to delay the start date of her new guard, (it’s an impossibility - there’s no reason she should even be wasting time thinking of it) the day-bell tolls its customary 4 times loudly across the castle grounds. Almost immediately there is a soft knock at her door, and Reiju calls out to let her lady in waiting inside. Zoya - a rather petite woman with black hair wrangled into a severely tight bun - swiftly makes her way inside to begin attending to her daily duties.
It's easy to ignore the woman as she efficiently brings out Reiju’s outfit for the day, one of the most comfortable formal outfits in Reiju’s closet. The princess can appreciate her handmaid’s attempt to make the long day in front of her a little easier. In the background, Reiju can hear her getting a bath ready and taking out whatever soaps and makeup she uses when Reiju’s making official appearances as Germa’s Crown Princess.
Though she would never admit it — her father would be extremely displeased to discover Reiju had any goodwill for the lower class — she felt comfort with the young woman’s presence. It was rather lonely in the castle, and even her brothers had become less welcome company as the years passed. The King had wanted soldiers with unbreakable skin and dispassionate hearts - ones that would only listen to his commands. Being around her brothers was uncomfortable and painful now that they’d been moulded in the exact way . She remembered times of joy - there had been a scant few, so the princess cherished them secretly to keep them safe. No matter which one it was, they had a few things in common. Her mother’s presence, her father’s absence, and the weightlessness of no inhuman expectations.
Only in hindsight could Reiju see how much Queen Sora had blocked the science and military divisions from her father’s greedy fingers. It was an open secret amongst the Vinsmokes and the small circle of her father’s advisors that there were subjects scattered across the lands that ended up in the castle’s labs and dungeons. Though most of them didn’t last long. Without the experiments that had been performed on the siblings when they were young to give them enough resilience, it was rare that the test subjects would live longer than a month.
But what they had gained from the inhumane research was made use of on her younger brothers. Ichiji’s eyes were replaced with, well, Reiju’s actually not sure what they were replaced with. Only that they gave him enhanced sight with different lenses, and allowed him to beam lasers from his eyes. Niji had circuitry embedded within his nervous system, allowing electricity to course through his body at will. Sanji’s mouth had been sealed and his body temperature lowered with whatever implants and injections the scientists could come up with. And Yonji. His arms taken and replaced with metal, other augmentations added to his body to support the weaponized arms.
What made it all worse was those were the only experiments that she knew about. With how often the boys were in the field and the labs, especially the way they acted afterwards, Reiju knows that there’s many more terrors than she can imagine that lie beneath the castle.
The only reason Reiju had been spared from the same fate was by virtue of being the eldest - Vinsmoke Judge’s heir needed to at least appear as normal as possible. The Crown Princess needed to be able to think with a clear head and evaluate people’s actions to be able to make treaties and lead successfully.
Reiju gives herself a couple moments to grieve silently for what was taken from her siblings before she tucks it away in the back of her mind. There’s no use thinking of situations she can’t change, she learned that a long time ago.
It’s shortly thereafter that Lady Cosette is welcomed in by Zoya, and Reiju can’t help but perk up at the smell of yet another delicious meal prepared by the young woman. Along with the eggs and pastries is a delicious green tea. She holds the warm tea in her hands, allowing the relaxing aroma to loosen her shoulders.
“Thank you for the meal,” Reiju tells the young sous chef. “I’ll send someone else back down with the tray.”
“It's my pleasure, Princess.” Cosette bows before leaving the room as swiftly as she entered.
Her allotted time for breakfast is a mere quarter-hour, but Reiju tries to savour it as much as she can. It’s an easy task with how delicious everything is. The pastry dough is light and fluffy, a perfect fit with the running yolk of her eggs. There are definitely worse ways to start the day, Reiju decides.
Once Reiju’s finished, Zoya comes over to clear the platter and the princess walks swiftly to the ensuite washroom. The oil her handmaiden has used in the bath this morning has a citrus scent, something energizing that helps wake Reiju up. However, its effect on the way her body’s chemicals are altered by the oil betrays the fact that her father’s scientists had meddled with the small comforts Reiju’s handmaiden has given her. The princess’ mood sours further as she comes to the realization that she’s going to need any energy she can get for the day. Consciously, Reiju allows the oil to do its job, despite the disgust she feels at the situation.
Slipping out of her robe and nightwear and into the bath, Reiju doesn’t bother turning as she hears Zoya come through the door. Though her instincts tell her to keep the person (the danger) behind Reiju in her line of sight, she tamps them down severely. It’s the excess energy that’s triggering her, she knows. And she doesn’t want to take it out on Zoya, who likely hasn’t even realized that the gift she’d brought her Princess was altered.
Reiju focuses on keeping her breathing light and even, certain that despite how well her handmaiden knows her, she won’t be able to realize how on edge Reiju is.
The usually refreshing morning ritual morphs into a cage, and Reiju feels like an animal pacing and glaring out between the bars. Though it's common for her to feel trapped within Vinsmoke castle, usually her sanctuary allows her some respite. Now she felt as if her own space was attacking her, too.
Reiju nearly jumps when Zoya’s hands come up to gently lather some soap into her hair. To hide her discomfort, the princess repeatedly fists her hands under the surface, knowing they’re hidden by the suds that sit atop the bathwater. Trying desperately to retain control of the panic that starts to spark underneath her skin. She remembers the feeling of gloved hands on her body, poking and prodding all under the order of her father. Reiju tries to remember that she’s a person, that Zoya wouldn’t ever do anything to harm her. The woman somehow cares about Reiju’s health and feelings, something her father could never seem to do.
Somehow, she manages to reign in her scattered thoughts and feelings, Reiju’s body feeling as cold as ice despite the warmth of the water surrounding her. She doesn’t know how much time has passed, but she’s somehow missed her handmaid leaving the room. Reiju can faintly hear the woman looking through some of her closet’s items, the fabric brushing together like the whispering of a faint breeze.
“Zoya, may I have the towels?” Reiju says loud enough to pick up through the door.
“Of course, Princess Reiju,” Zoya calls back, bringing them quickly.
The princess stands to stand into the embrace of the soft and fluffy pink towel. It covers her from shoulders to knees, keeping her brandings out of sight from the mirror, for which Reiju is thankful. She sits in the stool in front of said mirror, watching as Zoya drains the tub and wipes her hand off on the cloth tucked around the front of her belt.
As Zoya begins to brush Reiju's hair, the princess’s eyes glaze over as she gets swept away by the anxiety that plagues her mind. She shouldn’t feel this tired so early in the morning, but any energy she’d gained from her sleep seemed to have vanished as quickly as the water had drained from the tub.
It's imperative that nothing of her body language betrays that fact — something she’s quite practiced at.
Her body moves on autopilot while her handmaid helps Reiju into the white pants that are perfectly creased and still warm from the iron. First, she slides into her under-corset. Zoya ties it in a way where Reiju can still move if necessary, though Reiju always feels a bit short on breath with it on. Then on top of that, she wears a silk shirt that is a couple shades lighter than her pink petticoat that falls behind her back like two wings of a butterfly. The well-made gloves she wears are for comfort in the cold as much as a shield for her to hide her trembling hands. Something she’s come to appreciate about them as she becomes older.
Last is her boots, slightly higher heeled than is practical, but with the inside lined with fur. They’re better than some of the shoes Reiju’s seen the few other women of nobility forced into, but they aren’t trained in war the way Reiju’s been.
Leaning down slightly to allow Zoya to place her tiara atop her head. It rests behind her hanging bangs but in front of the rest of her hair. It’s a simple piece, a thin half circle of palladium with a flower of small pink gemstones in its center. Reiju has to admit that most of the Germa fashion is underwhelming when compared to most of the other cultural hotspots around the world. Though her father seems to be trying to change that, spending exuberantly on newer upgrades to the castle and clothes he owns as the date to the Reverie steadily approaches. The rest of the nobility will follow suit quickly, the princess is sure. Earning the King’s favour is every bit as difficult as climbing the mountain ranges on Germa’s coast.
Zoya steps away and nods as she sweeps her gaze over Reiju, making sure once more that everything is in place. Reiju turns her eyes towards the full-length mirror that opens her closet. Even to her critical eye, Reiju looks every bit the untouchable and cold Crown Princess that her father wishes her to be. She has to remind herself to make sure she embodies that vision every time she steps from her bedroom.
She nods crisply to her handmaid, slipping into her character as simply as putting on her gloves. The princess knows that Zoya takes no offence from her easy dismissal. After all, the woman has had to take care of Reiju numerous times after she’s taken her own punishing visits to the labs and the princess could barely stand.
Reiju sweeps out of her sanctuary, boots clicking against the floor at a crisp yet measured pace. As she steps down the stairs, her eyes widen in shock. She feels the floor escape out from her, a swooping feeling in her stomach. Her foot slides off the step with a shriek of something being dragged across tile, barely managing to catch herself on the railing with a gasp.
A sharp breath escapes her nose in a frustrated huff and looks down as her heart rate returns back to normal. Someone had dropped a pen cap that she hadn’t noticed. Instead of screaming her frustration, she merely furls her brow, picks up the offending cap and crushes it within her fist. Reiju dumps the trash on the nearest surface for someone else to deal with, attempting to get her unruly and undesirable emotions back into order. But she just can’t get rid of the heavy unease that’s settled atop her shoulders, making every step feel that more laborious.
Reiju’s seen too much in her father’s labs to believe in fairy tales and magic, so she isn’t exactly superstitious. But it’s hard to see so many negative things and feel as if the day will only get worse from here.
What a promising start to the day, she thinks sarcastically.
--- TASHIGI ---
The ex-military swordsman had made a huge leap of faith in her team’s information and her Captain’s opinions in coming here to Germa. Especially with Tashigi’s assigned charge being the eldest Princess of King Judge’s brood. As one of the most secretive kingdoms on the planet, there was barely any information on each of the Vinsmoke children — other than the bare basics that were practically worthless when it came to understanding the kingdom. It had taken a while, but the military’s underground informants had managed to uncover that the whole family were trained assassins, and every bit as dangerous as high-level military personnel. It was shocking, and spoke even more on how necessary it was to get some inside eyes on the situation within the small northern territory.
Since she’d first been assigned to work under Smoker years ago, Tashigi hasn’t been away from her squadron for too long- especially not in a solo role. But it had been such a perfect opportunity, and she’d been the best choice that Smoker had. It was imperative for the Guard to get someone into the Germa palace. They hadn’t been able to get any deep insider knowledge into Germa for decades, ever since the country had taken a sharp turn back to their militaristic roots.
Still, Tashigi missed her Captain, the Vice Admirals and the younger cadets she’d been working with recently. Her isolation was so noticeable while on the freight ship that was transferring her to the Northern border islands. Especially with the rather unfriendly nature of the sailors hired by the King of Germa to transport her and a few other mercenary-types to the castle. Comparing them to herself was a fruitless endeavor, given the way she’d heard them talk to each other. Tashigi’s certain that at least a couple of them are bounty hunters, and one of them is a fugitive of some sort.
There’s a part of her that’s affronted that she’s going to be seen on the same level as a common criminal.
But beyond that, she couldn’t get over how cut-off from the rest of the world just on the trip to Germa. Tashigi can see why it was so difficult for the world military to get resources to the far North. Just the distance and resources required to get that far north are powerful deterrents. Not to mention the devastating storms and dangerous water patterns - though they’d been quite lucky from what she overheard from the sailors. Which was a rather terrifying comment given how rough the waters had been. It was nothing like the East where Tashigi had been stationed for the majority of her career.
Perhaps she’s slightly biased to her home territory. But to Tashigi, even the tiny Eastern islands where the only communities were based off of the military bases seemed homely in comparison to the desolate islands they’d pass. Many of the villages or towns amongst their brief stops were located deeper in land, the ports guarded by a few watchtowers or small homes. The people she’d seen — not even met, they didn’t dare approach the ship or the foreigners — had seemed to carry heavy burdens.
Within a small journal she kept on her person, Tashigi made sure to keep meticulous notes on everything she observed. In code, of course, though not a terribly difficult one. It was surprising what information could be useful to the military, and Tashigi would rather have given some unhelpful information than miss anything she dismissed at first glance as unimportant.
Her personal journal is kept in her pack; daily writing was a habit she’d carried for years as she’d trained at the dojo.
Tashigi snaps the book shut when she hears the shrill ringing of the warning bell. The swordswoman curses as she looks out of the porthole her small room had, she’d not noticed how rough the waves had gotten. Even if they were finally close to reaching the kingdom in the north, it looks as if their ship has been cursed to deal with a final parting gift of the sea.
Quickly, Tashigi straps down her open luggage and closes the desk drawers after shoving what she needs to inside them. Though her instincts scream at her to move up to the deck, the sailors had made it quite clear that their passengers were to stay in the bowels of the ship. They hadn’t wanted the human cargo they were carrying to disrupt their routines and practices.
Which, fine. Tashigi can understand that — the storms are dangerous, and it’s important to have fluid teamwork on a ship like this. But she isn’t used to sitting on the sidelines; normally she’s in the thick of any action she’s around. There’s order that she can make sense of from the middle of the playing field, and with the understanding comes a sense of calm. So sitting on the bed in her room is nerve wracking, being on the sidelines is so unusual. Her stomach is tight with nerves and she can barely hear the shouted orders of the captain of the ship over the crashing waves against the hull.
She tries to remember the practices she was taught so long ago for clearing her mind. Tashigi hasn’t had to actively think about slowing her breathing down into an even count for years, but she isn’t ashamed to have to go through the steps again.
Nearly falling off the bed at a sudden crashing wave, Tashigi yelps and she hears shouts and swearing of the sailors above deck. They’re doing their best to deal with the sudden onslaught of the sea, but there’s only so much they can do. They have to ride it out.
Tashigi is glad that she’s gotten as much exposure to sailing as she has. The jarring motions of the ship in every direction are enough to make her slightly uncomfortable, though. She spends the rest of the storm in a cycle of anxiety, queasiness and helplessness. Definitely not the perfect combination for a smooth and successful journey.
Alas, the storm passes, though it’s a long-drawn out event — at least a quarter of a day passes through the terrible weather. Tashigi can only be thankful that she’s alive and well, despite having no say in the matter. The most difficult part is convincing herself to go above deck and check on what’s happening on the deck after such an exhausting experience.
Shockingly, the ship is barely damaged. Despite how terribly everything was rocking and the violence of the storm, Tashigi was impressed with how well the sailors had handled the situation. She supposes that’s the advantage of having a King’s purse to hire competent workers that are familiar with the climate.
Tashigi gets a nod from the deck chief as she walks over to him. She’d had a couple passing conversations with the man, and he’d seemed to enjoy them. Tashigi finds that it’s always a good idea to have a friendly rapport with someone on the ship who would know what’s happening.
“Miss, good to see you up and moving.” The younger man looks pleased by the fact. “There are a few passengers who had to be sedated.”
“Ah, really?” Tashigi’s brow furrows in concern. “I wouldn’t think that’s a common occurrence.”
“We try not to make it one.” The man says with a grimace. “They were gettin’ a little hysterical. Getting in the way of the crew and making it dangerous for them to work.”
Tashigi nods. It makes much more sense to do if they’d been posing a serious hazard to the crew trying to keep them alive.
“Were we blown too far off course?” The swordswoman asks instead.
“Not too far, miss.” He fiddles with his hat. “Honestly, for the season we’re in, it wasn’t such a bad storm. We were prepared for a lot worse.”
“Good to know,” Tashigi murmurs. It’s a bit of a shock to hear that, given that she’d nearly been sent into her own anxiety spiral. “Should we still be arriving at the port within the next three days?”
“Hopefully two.” He gives her a smile.
“Thanks so much.” She smiles back before wandering over to the railing on the side of the ship.
The sky is overcast, the remnants of the storm showing in the blanket of grey. Tashigi taps the banister anxiously, hoping that nothing else delays them. She just has to let go of the anxieties centered around that which she can’t control. If there is anything that is affected by the delay, then Tashigi will just work harder to figure out a solution.
Feeling marginally more settled, she nods to herself before she heads back to her room. It’s time for her daily routine, and she needs to take care of her sword.
The kingdom of Germa doesn’t look like much from a first glance, though that doesn’t mean anything to an experienced soldier like Tashigi. What does matter to her is the despondent air that seems to hang over most of the citizens at the port. It’s not a promising sign for Tashigi’s extended stay here. Though similar, she’s loath to say the attitude is anything like the hardened exteriors of the other northern islands people. The shoulders of the men and women hauling ropes across the docks seem tight with tension, and Tashigi notices that they seem to be warily taking glances at the soldiers stationed there.
Her first observations haven’t painted the best picture of life here, but she tries not to get discouraged so early on in her mission. Perhaps there had been some border disputes, or pirate attacks. This just highlights the necessity to get a full-picture of the goings-on around the secluded kingdom — she can’t make any hasty or incorrect assumptions. The importance of this had been stressed three months ago when she’d accepted this job. She wasn’t going to allow herself to doubt her purpose or presence here, that would just make everything more difficult. No matter how off-putting the northern kingdom feels, Tashigi would face everything with squared shoulders and a determined mindset.
She doesn’t get the chance to speak with any civilians around the port unfortunately, all of the passengers she’d travelled with are rushed to a carriage. Well, at a second glance, it’s more of a cart than carriage, though it is at least a closed structure to protect its passengers from the elements. Being out for even a few minutes in the biting wind feels uncomfortable to Tashigi. Inside, there are a couple benches, cushioned with a thin blanket, and Tashigi sighs internally at the prospect of sitting in the small space for hours. Nevertheless, she jumps up the steps to get a seat in the corner before any of the others make a move. Perhaps her peers will leave her alone that way.
It seems she’s chosen right, as when she closes her eyes and leans back against the wall, nobody sits beside her.
At first she tries to listen in on the men’s conversations, but she quickly realizes the uselessness of the endeavor. They don’t even know how many children the King has — though thankfully they managed to deduce that there were five of them, since there seemed to be five newly hired guards.
If Tashigi’s eyes weren’t closed, they’d be rolling up to the heavens. She doesn’t understand how any of them would accept a job without knowing anything about where they’d be working.
At least she wouldn’t have to worry too much about any interference from these people. They won’t be keeping an eye on her when they’re only concern would be their own well-being and job in the harsh northern kingdom.
“Damn, that’s the place then?” The man who’s easily the youngest of their group of five asks.
Tashigi opens her eyes to catch a glimpse of the steadily approaching castle. The walls — grey stone, precisely carved to the same size — are high and uninviting, spikes sitting on top of them. The gate is large enough to fit two of the houses Tashigi had seen in the port village. They’re made of a dark oak, with strips and studs of iron keeping the massive planks together.
Surprisingly, there’s barely any noise for the size of the gate being opened for the small cart. It’s a rather impressive feat of engineering, rivalling that of some of the richest kingdoms that Tashigi had visited while on her tours with the World Military. It seems so odd when contrasted with the rather simple and low-cost architecture of the towns along the way. From inside the walls, she can see the many guards stationed at each of the lookout posts. They watch as the cart starts up the path to the main castle.
The boom of the doors closing sounds louder than it is, closing them off from the outside world. Tashigi feels much more anxious at the thought than any of her current companions. She’s got to be overthinking it but something about the entire setup of the kingdom is bothering her.
There’s a prickling at the base of her spine. Are the defenses meant to keep people out? Or is it meant to keep everything in the castle hidden within?