[[ I DO NOT own music or the art. Please remember to like and comment (if you would like) to show you are enjoying the story, it means a lot to me! - L RANDY]]
"You look so cute!" Ivo squished Alana's cheeks together as she glared away embarrassed.
"I feel so..." Alana looked down at her clothes. "Covered."
She wore a large, thick slate gray peacoat, that puffed out with her dress at her knees. On her legs, she wore a pair of extra thick black hose, though they were mostly covered by her light navy-blue knee-high boots. Her dress was a black turtleneck dress, with long sleeves and an A-line cut - that Ivo insisted she wears a petticoat with. On her hands, she wore navy blue gloves with a keyhole opening on the back wrists.
"It is a very cold kingdom this time of year, you must be covered properly," Ivo said as he slung on a scarf over her head.
I have never worn so much fabric in my life! She thought to herself as Ivo shoved the ends of the scarf into her coat.
They were alone in her cabin; the others were on deck getting ready to dock for Kori.
Ivo wore a dark olive-green turtleneck under a lighter olive sweater, under a thick wool dark green coat. His chestnut brown trousers were tucked into his burgundy red knee boots. His brown hair was tied up into a bun on the crown of his head, the shorter pieces and his bangs hung loosely around his face framing it beautifully.
Alana wondered what the others were wearing if they were not able to show off their chest like always.
She has yet to go on deck, in fact, she has been confined to her cabin for the past few days as they were entering colder weather on Kazumi's orders.
He has funny times to make me feel like a prisoner. She thought to herself when she heard his order to keep her locked in her room.
Her window was locked, and all she had was her embroidery to keep her entertained with the coal burner that one was always making sure was lit and contained.
Kazumi had only one reason for keeping her out of the cold weather for as long as he could, he feared her getting sick.
"And one more thing,"
Alana noticed the evil smirk on Ivo's lips as he reached into his pocket.
Oh, no.
Ivo pulled out a dark navy-blue beret for her to wear to keep her head warm.
"No thank you." Alana smiled sweetly.
She attempted to walk by him but he grabbed the collar of her coat and pulled her back, not roughly but enough to do exactly what he planned.
The force made her stumble back, tripping on her heel and she began to fall towards the ground. She squeezed her eyes shut as she went down, but a strong arm wrapped around her waist and caught her before the ground did.
She peeked her eyes open to see a smirking Ivo.
"Just wear it for me, okay little dove?" He asked kindly.
She immediately nodded as she stared into his pale green eyes.
Ivo plopped to beret onto the girl's head with a bigger smile.
"Ah, perfect!" He exclaimed, standing her up straight.
Her gloved hands reached up to feel the first hat she has ever worn if you do not count her royal headdress.
She stepped over to her mirror and looked over it closely. The only skin Alana was showing was her face, even her hair covered her ears. The hairstyle was growing old to her, as it seemed to have a mind of its own, curving outward at the ends when she brushed it.
"I feel silly." She confessed.
"You look beautiful." Ivo countered.
He hooked his arm with hers leading her out the room, scooping up her overnight bag for the stay in the town on the way out.
Ivo was more than happy with how he dressed his life-sized doll today.
Alana immediately felt a chill when she walked into the hallway, the shiver hit her spine hard and uncomfortably.
This is what it feels like to be freezing?
She grimaced as the two of them walked the maze of the lower level to the stairs. The closer she got to the steps, the colder she got, and the more she slowed down.
"I don't like this," She told Ivo at the bottom of the stairs, already beginning to shiver.
"Fishing for compliments, little dove? I will not tell you how absolutely adorable you look again." Ivo smiled.
"No," Alana grumbled. "The weather, I don't like it. I want to go back to the heater."
She almost whined, certainly out of character for the girl.
Ivo furrowed his brows at her behavior. This must be certainly uncomfortable for her to act so childishly.
"Nonsense, you will get used to it soon." Ivo returned to smiling and attempted to continue up the stairs.
But Alana pulled her arm from him, an action that caused his heart to ache and blood to simmer.
"No, thank you though, Ivo." She smiled back and attempted to turn to go back to her room.
"Little dove..." Ivo said warningly with a sweet smile, again grabbing the collar of her coat.
Kazumi stood with the white-haired brothers as the gangplank lowered. He looked out to the village before him, the citizens all gathering at a distance to catch a glimpse at the visitors.
The villagers wondered who could be arriving, as it was such a rare occurrence.
Their ports were usually always closed, any ships coming in would have to pass through their large manmade gate, and if they entered without clearance they would be attacked. So, they must have been invited, and that means they must be honored guests.
"What do you imagine is taking Ivo so long?" Leopoldo asked aloud to his comrades. "He said he was going to fetch Alana and get her ready for the weather, but that was nearly forty minutes ago."
"The pervert probably attacked her," Leven grumbled jokingly, but with a hint of suspicion.
Kazumi did not say anything, but Leopoldo's question intrigued him as well.
Before the captain could order for one of them to go check a cheery voice dripping in sweet venom, nearly panting chimed in.
"Here we are!" Ivo smiled his faux smile brightly. The other pirates turned to him and nearly coughed up their hearts at the sight.
Over Ivo's right shoulder hung a limp Alana, she would have looked dead if not for her violent shivering.
"Oh, dear..." Leopoldo whispered.
"What did ya do to her?!" Leven shouted running around to Ivo's backside, trying to get a good look at Alana's face to make sure she was alright.
"She was being quite childish, so I had to carry her out like a child," Ivo explained.
Leven roughly grabbed Alana's head so he could get a better peek and grimaced at the sight.
Is this what she looks like when she is angry? Leven thought as his grimace turned into a quiet chuckle.
"She looks like Captain." Leven snickered dropping her head.
"Excuse me?" Kazumi cut in.
Ivo wondered what Leven meant as well with too much curiosity.
"I am going to put you down now, little dove." He warned, carefully shrugging her off his shoulder and easing her to the deck's floor.
Alana gained her balanced and immediately crossed her arms, standing straight and blank-faced- yet shivering so hard she looked to be vibrating.
Scary. Leven, Leopoldo, and Ivo thought in harmony smothering their laughs from escaping.
Cute. Kazumi almost smiled as he looked over the angry girl.
"Aw, I think the weather is turning our sweet Alana into an angry ice goblin." Leopoldo chuckled, fixing some of the girl's disheveled hair strands that caught on her hat.
It is so damn cold! Who can live in weather like this? Alana grumbled in her head as she watched her breath float away in the air, slightly distracted by her amazement at it.
"Do not worry, dear. I promise you will get used to it." Leopoldo said.
He wore a simple blue sweater, a black lightweight coat, and a pair of black trousers with matching boots. Nothing bulky like she and Ivo wore, and did not seem to mind the cold at all.
Her eyes flickered to Leven, who wore a white knit sweater, gray trousers, blue knee boots, and matching blue beanie over his white hair. His small nose was slightly red on the tip but other than that he also did it look at all bothered with the temperature.
Alana then remembered they were native to Fubukimouth, and the villagers there are born with unique characteristics, as well as a tolerance for freezing weather.
Lucky. She thought to herself averting her eyes from the brothers to look to Kazumi. He wore his usual overcoat, but he also wore a black turtleneck under a black sweater. Kazumi wore a pair of thick trousers, and again, his usual heeled boots.
Alana was still amazed by their beauty. All bundled up for snowy weather, no exposed abs insight, the pirates were still stunning. The sight of them made her heart skip a beat and her cheeks warm. She was finding it hard to stare too long, fearing she would die of a heart attack on the spot.
"Hello?!" A distant voice called, it sounded like a young woman.
The pirates looked down over the side of the ship, to see a waving black-haired woman dressed in animal furs and leather.
"Is anybody coming down?" She called out.
Kazumi cut his eyes at the hollering woman and looked back to Alana.
"Let's go."