Hiding the Truth (One Piece)

Chapter 10 - Around the Palace

I groaned as the light brush of sunlight landed on my closed eyelids. I really had to break this habit of getting myself injured, this constant repeat of fight and fall was becoming tiring really quickly. 

Without much effort I opened my eyes, my sight still hazy with sleep and spotted my blurred surroundings. I could make out the cream coloured ceiling above my head, with the white drapes swaying with the breeze coming in through the opened windows. My hearing slowly returned with the pleasant pitter patter of the rain that hit the roof soon reaching my ears. Rain. How long this country longed for it, for its absence to be explained by of the actions of a greedy pirate.

I sat up in bed, propping my pillow against the headboard and leaned back against it. I looked out the window to see a courtyard with patrolling soldiers with the city spotted in the distance. So I was in the palace. I heard footsteps approach the door only to burst open a minute later with Luffy and the others flooding in.

Vivi was the first to notice that I was awake and she started to smile like a Cheshire cat, the others looked over to where she was smiling to spot me seating up with a grin. They all shouted, their words garbled as they spoke over each other, before they all ran and jumped on me, the exception being Zoro and Sanji. I understood Zoro because from what I've seen from the recluse was that he'll never admit that he worries about anyone but Sanji? That was weird. From what the others tell me, he's supposed to be a girl obsessing pervert. But now wasn't the time to go too deep into it for the others were destroying my diaphragm with the dog pile they'd dragged me under.

"Guys you're crushing me" I barely squeaked out and they got off me. They could only grin and their happiness was contagious, I found myself smiling back at them before it hit me. How long was I out? I voiced my question to the others.

"Well Luffy just woke up and he wanted to see you, so about three days" I choked on my air and Vivi patted my back.

"Three days?!" I shouted, my head pounding at the effort. I lied back down, reminding myself to not get worked up.

"Well you were pretty beaten up before from your fight with Crocodile and that bullet didn't exactly help" Nami chided, her arms crossed in a no-nonsense pose. I could only moan in anguish at the idea, the amount of hits I'd taken a deep wound to my pride.

"What's wrong? Does anything hurt?" Chopper asked sounding concerned which I found just completely adorable. His scrunched up little nose wiggling about as he tried to see what was wrong.

"No, just my pride" I stated, the others could only laugh as Chopper gave me a whack over the head, shouting that he was seriously worried for a moment. Just then a knock was heard on the door disturbing our antics.

"Come in" Vivi yelled to the person on the other side and the door opened to reveal King Cobra, Vivi's father. I bowed my head in respect and the others flustered about before following my example, clearly they weren't used to customs. 

"I thank you all for bringing my daughter back safely and helping my country during this predicament. I can only apologise at what issues may have arose due to my inability to aid my country in it's time of trouble" We all nodded our heads showing we acknowledged his gratitude and apology. He turned to me directly and had a big smile on his face.

"It's good to see you again Lana" he said and the others stayed quiet, watching our interaction.

"It's good to see you too Cobra" I added showing a smile of my own.

"How have you been feeling?" He asked and I could sense a double meaning and I think the others knew too, though they thankfully kept quite.

"Much better thanks to you" I responded "It's good to see everything was resolved without too big of a mess being caused"