The Greatest Swordswoman

Family Matters

"I just... I don't understand. I mean, you died... I... I visited your grave." Sanji said as he held his mother's hands. After the initial reunion, Sora brought him to her room. She was living in a large castle on the Island of the Germa Kingdom.

After meeting at the docks, they rode a carriage back. It was almost surreal to Sanji, seeing the kingdom he had abandoned in his youth pass by his eyes while he sat next to the mother he had thought dead for so many years. It was too much for him to handle and every few seconds had whipped his head back around to look at her, as if expecting her to disappear. But every time she would smile back at him.

"You died too." His mother Sora responded simply as they sat on plush cushioned chairs in an elaborately decorated room. Sanji's eyebrows scrunched up as he remembered his 'death' from childhood.

"That was a ruse just to hide my worthlessness from the public." Sanji replied, stung. His voice came out bitter as he recalled the incident.

"You're not worthless, love." Sora said softly, gripping her son's hand. "I've been watching... your bounty is quite impressive, isn't it?" Sanji looked at her surprised and flinched slightly.

"Um, yeah. I suppose." He replied, looking awkward at the mention of something like that. He didn't know if a large bounty was something his mom would exactly approve of.

"It's amazing, dear! You've grown so much since you were a child... I'm sure your father is so proud of you!" She giggled. Sanji pulled his hand away from her, frowning now.

"Father... Father doesn't give a damn about me. He never has." Sanji replied coldly. "Is he here? I haven't seen him or the others yet..." He looked around the room as if expecting his father or siblings to jump out at any moment. Sora shook her head and grabbed the teapot on the table, pouring her son a fresh cup of lemon tea.

"I think they are out at the moment. Oh Sanji, is that what you've thought all this time?" She frowned and shook her head again.

"What I thought? What are you talking about?" Sanji asked, reaching over and taking the teapot from her hands and pouring a cup for her as well.

"Sanji dear... he was protecting you." She explained, looking him in the eye. His curly brow shot up.

"Protecting...? Mother... he locked me in the dungeon..."

"Because you weren't ready... Sanji dear, you know you are so different from your siblings." She smiled sympathetically. "The others were already achieving so much. It would have been dangerous to keep training you all together. He had to take a different approach."

"How is being locked away a different approach?" Sanji asked, his anger rising.

"Look at you now dear, aren't you so amazingly strong now? And capable?"

"Wait, are you implying that he planned all this? That's preposterous! I escaped! He was going to keep me in that dungeon forever, hiding away the one child that he couldn't stand!" Sanji's voice rose with indignation. Sora stayed perfectly calm, however. Her face was full of sympathy.

"It must have been so hard for you dear... I know. You poor thing... just a child. I know it wasn't the best method... but you could have been killed if you kept up with all that training with your siblings. I know he's regretted it ever since. He's always telling me what a huge mistake it all was." She said, frowning. Sanji stared at his mother, confused. His father was never one to regret anything, nor one to ever think of apologizing. Wasn't he...?

"He said that? Father? Judge?" Sanji asked, still skeptical. "Please don't lie for my sake, mother..."

"Dear, I would never lie to those I love... " Sora replied, smiling at her son.