Smokeless War - One Piece

(2)

At my exhaustion sapping away my strength to fight, I felt a frightening but familiar sensation tingling on the back of my mind. But so unsettling once again, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up.

Something was watching me.

Slowly I urged myself up and ran, knowing something drew near to harm me. My breathing quickened and the sunlight filtered through the trees felt like a mirage at the darkness clawing at the edges of my vision. But at the sounds behind me I was beginning to feel like running was futile.

"Come on out, girl. I won't hurt you." A bandit snickered, another silently creeping up. The birds of the trees flew up in alarm and an arrow tore the ribbon out of my hair, leaving my hair a tangled mess I couldn't even begin to fix.

I bit my lip and grabbed a rock I'd collected earlier to hit one of my attackers in the head. Which I did in a single throw, squarely on the target. It was one of the only sportsmanlike qualities I possessed.

My peripherals showed too late someone dashing towards me with a sharp knife, grabbing a fistful of my hair to hold me in place and the dagger at my throat he forced me to my knees and I dreaded whatever came next.

I struggled immediately, hitting him in the collarbone squarely with force that hurt me to use. Only to turn my head again as he grabbed my bruising jawline.

"Don't worry, you're useful to me. That's some aim you have on you, I bet you have enough brains to know I've done worse than slit a young ladies' throat in my days." The bandit hissed in my ear, as he forced me down to my knees.

I struggled again refusing to speak and felt blood seep out of the stinging wound he made with the dagger at a slight press of his hand. I closed my eyes and shivered in disgust at him, craving death than to be in his presence any longer.

At that moment when I dared open my eyes, time went slow. I saw them, the gleaming pools of fearsome gold in the darkness filled with a hint of surprise at the look in my own eyes, before he moved so quickly my attacker fell silent and I was in his grasp again instead.

I backed away from him, the kneeling form of the swordsman sending shivers down my spine. Why had he done that? Had he sent me here for a test? My head spun with pain and fatigue as I leaned against a tree and could scarcely keep my eyes open.

"Work for me." He suddenly stated and I closed my eyes to avoid the overwhelming sight of him all together. I was unable to open my eyes then, but the presence of him only drew stronger and I knew he was closer once again. Cold breath hit my face and my eyes fluttered open at the strange sensation.

With what felt like my last breath before exhaustion took over I murmured, "Yes sir."

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Warm cotton enveloped me, and for a split second all was peaceful until my instincts kicked in and I sat up so quickly my head throbbed. A dreary sight greeted me, grays and blacks and whites. I tried to keep my wits but I was at a loss at the raging lightning and thunder outside.

Fingers grazing what I thought would be a painful wound on my neck, I was surprised at how nicely it'd been patched up and the energy I felt. Even the bruises forming on my face and arms weren't aching quite as much as before.

I'd never woken so blessedly rest and healed only to see him sitting in the corner of the room. And my soul almost left my body at the sight of him before I fell back down on the pillow in surprise.

I rose again at once though and my back straightened as if held by knives, which who knows? It could have been true for all I know.

"Do you remember your prior agreement, madam?" He questioned after a moment, his eyes never leaving mine to which I felt to such a degree it made me want to run away. But I couldn't, much less bring myself to look away from him.

"Yes sir, I do." I spoke loudly enough I hoped he'd hear and not ask anything of me again. Though that was a rather foolish thought.

"Good." He murmured, his eyes telling of his satisfaction. "You, are widely a misleading woman. I admire your talents."

Feeling confusion at his words..perhaps there isn't the right word. At the uncomfortable feeling of my pounding heart I decided I was afraid of him and could barely speak to him, though I appreciated the aid he'd given me.

"Sir, I will do my best but I am..no better than any other of the streets." Finding it hard to say anything not foolish I struggled to keep my words at a normal pace. "Please, I implore you to order me as you wish, I am in your debt."

"A most agreeable request." He simply stated, rising to his full height. "I need no introduction do I?" I looked in his direction before keeping my gaze off of him, almost startled at his words.

"I dare say, no." I barely murmured, inwardly chuckling miserably at what I'd got myself into. In the blankness of his expression, I could not help myself but I was reading every thought he let escape into his facial features. It's simply a survival instinct and he was..not hard on the eyes at all.

His pale, perfect skin almost blinded me at the flashes of lightning dancing across the floor and his face before I realized he didn't seem to have a bad disposition like all the ones before.

"Find me in the first floor parlor. Change into any clothes you find suitable." I almost found the voice to ask him at least one question but he was already leaving and I definitely didn't feel comfortable stopping him.

Eying my surroundings with almost disbelief I mow realized. Yes, there was stone making up the majority of the walls but aside from the cobwebs, there was obvious expensive art work, wardrobes, and dressers. One look at any of the fancy old garments and I knew whoever these belonged to before had to be at the very least, royalty.

I picked through the clothes meekly at the realization and chose something hurriedly at another thought because of all things to hear, nice things about the greatest swordsman in the world was not one of them.