(Y/N) trudged through the snow, coming out on the opposite row of buildings to the road the pirates walked.

If I were a loud, boorish, rough prince- where would I be? She looked around, starting to seriously doubt her efforts.

"Are you lost, little girl?" A deep voice spoke from behind her.

Little?! She felt like Leven for a moment as her brow twitched.

"No, I am—" (Y/N) began to wave the man off but something in her head clicked.

I know that voice.

She spun in the snow to face her potential fiancé, formally known as Prince Kazuyuki, now King Kazuyuki, beast spirit.

He was a large man, standing at six feet and eight inches, and his large muscles bulging from under his clothes.

Though he was so tall, he was proportionate all over and would look like an average man from a far distance.

He was handsome, even (Y/N) could admit that if she did not find him so very unbearable. He had a sharp jawline, auburn almond eyes with dark lashes, and full, long black hair that was beautifully kept.

"You!" They said in unity, Kazuyuki with an accusing point.

"What are you doing in my kingdom?!" Kazuyuki continued.

"Oh, I don't know, sightseeing, trying the local cuisines," (Y/N) began drastically out of character.

The first thing she hated about Kazuyuki, he always made her lose her temper quicker than anyone else could even attempt.

"I am here on business!" She finally snapped in truth.

"Business? How did Taycia get past my gates? I did not pass any invitation! Did you attack—" He began but (Y/N) slapped the man's arm, he flinched away even though the slap felt more like a tickle to him.

"Shut it, Kazu!" She harshly whispered.

"What?" The king asked bewildered.

"Listen," She grew closer to him as she continued to whisper. "I ran away from my palace a few months ago." She confessed.

"What!" Kazuyuki's voice bellowed.

"Hush!" She quickly shushed him. "I could not stand another second of my parents' reign and be locked away in that place like some bird." She explained looking into his auburn eyes with a plea.

"I am here with my new... friends, they are here to speak to you about the Taycia war, please, I am begging you, do not expose me to be the princess of Taycia." She almost got to her knees but dreaded thinking about getting down into the snow.

Kazuyuki thought for a moment, still confused, and certainly taken aback by his likely fiancée begging him in the middle of his village.

"You are fine with what they are planning?" He finally asked the pleading girl.

She bit the inside of her cheek.

"I am more than okay with it, Kazu." She corrected him. "I am going to help them."

Kazuyuki's eyes blinked rapidly, clearly gobsmacked further with her response.

"So please, please, please! Do not reveal me!" She grasped the front of his animal hide clothing.

After a moment of thought, Kazuyuki knew his answer.

"Fine," Kazuyuki smirked.

"Really?" (Y/N)'s eyes brightened.

"Sure, I don't care much either way and having you beg me for something is the highlight of my century." He crossed his large arms over his chest. "But I will not pretend to not know you,"

(Y/N)'s hopeful smile dropped.

"Come on," His large hand came down her shoulder, jolting her whole body. "We are friends after all."

"Do you think so?" (Y/N) deadpanned.

"I know so," Kazuyuki cheered walking past her. "Now let us find these pirates you are traveling with."

(Y/N) rolled her eyes as hard as she could.

I hope this works.

She carefully rotated to follow him, marching through the snow trying to keep up, having a lot of trouble doing so.

Kazuyuki turned to see why he did not hear her following him and saw he had walked fairly away ahead of her.

He watched her struggling to stand upright and walk, he chuckled a deep but soft laugh.

"Having trouble, Bumble?" Kazu called out as he swiftly walked back to the girl.

'Bumble' was his nickname for her after one of their courting dates ended with both of them being stung by bees when (Y/N) angered the hive on accident.

"I am fine." She panted, pulling one leg out of the snow just to shove it back in a step ahead of her, and replicating that motion.

"It will take until sundown at that rate," He laughed. "Here."

Before she could refuse, Kazuyuki wrapped one arm around her waist and hoisted her up.

The second reason (Y/N) hated Kazuyuki, he always manhandled her with his stupid brute strength.

Kazuyuki is tethered with the spirit of the bear, specifically a polar bear, and always used his strength to lift (Y/N) unwillingly.

Silas could never stop him because Kazuyuki was royalty, but Kazuyuki tended to carry (Y/N) wherever they went, complaining she walked too slow.

"Put me down, Kazu!" She snapped beating her fists against his large legs.

"When has that ever worked, Bumble?" Kazuyuki laughed.

She let out a frustrated sigh but gave up, hanging limp in his arms.

It is easier to get around in the snow like this. She admitted in her head, enjoying the rest on her legs.

(Y/N) notice Kazuyuki walked with ease through the snow and got around a lot faster than she ever hoped to.

"Koyuki! You did not mention a dear friend was visiting me!" Kazuyuki called out and (Y/N) tensed.

If he is speaking with the princess, then that must mean four certain pirates are seeing me in such an embarrassing position.

(Y/N) thought to herself as a blush rose to her cheeks, and her scarf felt strangling.

"Oh, brother!" Koyuki greeted him back. "You know this young woman?" The raven-haired princess pointed to (Y/N) in his arms.

Kazuyuki started to walk again with a booming laugh.

"Of course! (Y/N) and I go way back!" Kazuyuki emphasized her name as a way of showing he did not use her title.

"Put her down!" Leven snapped to which Kazuyuki laughed more.

"I found her struggling in the snow," Kazu raised his other hand to her waist and maneuvered her until he had a good grip.

Kazuyuki then held (Y/N) up like a prize in the air. "So, I decided to help, and low and behold it is her."

Oh, gods, kill me now. She thought.

"Kazu put me down!" She snapped, jarring the pirates who have never heard her raise her voice in anger.

Kazuyuki chuckled more, but finally put (Y/N) back down, and she sank into the snow.

"You know the King of Kori, little dove?" Ivo asked helping her trudge back over to their group.

"Unfortunately." (Y/N) bitterly muttered.

"Ah, let us discuss this inside, I think bumble is about to die from the cold." Kazuyuki motioned to his family home.

The pirates all glanced back to an angry, worried, and embarrassed, (Y/N).

She just shifted her eyes to the ground followed the King and princess inside.

————- ❈ ————-

(Y/N) slid off her gloves sitting awkwardly between Leopoldo and Ivo at the large dining room table. Leven sat on the other side of Leopoldo to her left, and Kazumi sat next to Ivo on the right. Kazuyuki sat at the head of the table, freeing his waist-length black hair from the hair tie.

Koyuki was preparing tea in the close-by kitchen.

Their bags sat at their feet under the table.

Kazuyuki held a smirk on his face as the pirates seemed to be in downcast moods as if they should have a thundercloud above their heads.

"Let us not dilly dally with small talk." Kazuyuki started. "What would like from me in your effort to take down the Taycia reign."

He propped his elbows on the table pressing his fingertips against each other.

"Soldiers." Kazumi cut straight to the chase, as blunt as he could muster.

"How many?" Kazuyuki quickly countered.

"Five hundred." Kazumi retorted.

Kazuyuki chuckled.

"Spare five hundred men? For a war that you are bound to lose? What do you expect you and five hundred men to do?"

"I think you are mistaken, your highness." Kazumi leaned forward by a small, intimidating amount.

"I am requesting five hundred from you, our comrades are requesting five hundred from the deserts, they have five hundred from the jungle Bizia, along with Possessed soldiers working under us," Kazumi explained. "We suspect after we kill the royal family and a few nobles, Taycia will want to go to war, or perhaps Ekapan, and we do not intend on taking it lightly."

Kazuyuki's eyes flickered to (Y/N) at the mention of the royal family.

The King thought for a moment before leaning back in his chair as his sister brought in the tea.

"What do you think, bumble?" His smirk widened.

(Y/N) looked bitterly at the male she has known for so many years as Koyuki poured her tea.

"I think you should give us double." She said plainly picking up her teacup to take a sip, causing a soft snicker from Koyuki who went to move to Leopoldo's cup.

"A thousand of my soldiers it is then." Kazuyuki nodded decidedly.

(Y/N) coughed up her tea as Koyuki dropped the teapot, it hit the ground in a loud crash that rattled in (Y/N)'s head.

I was joking! (Y/N) choked on her tea as she cleared her throat.

"I'm sorry? Did you say you would be lending a thousand soldiers?" Leopoldo asked in disbelief.

"Yes." Kazuyuki smiled.

"Brother! Please, think about it for a moment before so readily deciding." Koyuki scolded him.

Kazuyuki laughed as if he had not a care in the world, gaining several confused looks.

"Bumble here thinks a thousand is needed, who better than her to decide?"

(Y/N)'s eyes went wide at his suggestive tone.

"How do you two know each other anyway!?" Leven snapped.

Oh, no... (Y/N) looked to Kazuyuki with a mix between warning and pleading.

"Oh! Bumble and I go way back to childhood, we met when we were both just twelve when I would visit Taycia." Kazuyuki explained with gap filled truth. "She would also pretend to hate me; it was so endearing!" He laughed.

"Pretend?" (Y/N) mumbled on the verge of a heart attack.

"Why did you not mention this, dear?" Leopoldo almost sounded threatening as all the pirate's eyes landed on her.

"Uh..." (Y/N) muttered.

"She did not know I was a prince, I would hide my identity; I doubt it crossed her mind as important." Kazuyuki interrupted.

"You have ties in Taycia?" Kazumi ignored his jealousy with suspicion.

"I was a suitor for the princess, though that was called off some time ago." Kazuyuki elaborated.

"During my stay there I would sneak out of that god's awful palace and roam around, and that is how I met Bumble."

Good lie. (Y/N) released a shaky breath of relief.

"Why do you keep calling her bumble? Why does he keep calling you bumble?" Leven was losing his mind at this manly man being so friendly with his idiot.

Another thunderous laugh escaped him.

"It is quite a funny story, actually."

"I think that is quite enough, Kazu." (Y/N) cut in quickly before he could tell the embarrassing tale.

"Come now, it is hilarious." Kazuyuki teased.

(Y/N) narrowed her eyes at the beast spirit.

"Enough."

Kazuyuki nodded in understanding. "Very well."

The pirates felt a whirlwind of emotions, possessiveness, jealousy, anger, sadness, confusion, rage.

Koyuki was picking up the shards of the broken teapot in a daze, wondering why her brother was doing something so reckless.

She had never heard her brother speak of such a dear friend on his travels to Taycia.

She knew the courtship between him and the princess of Taycia was never called off. And the more she thought, the more (Y/N)'s name sounded eerily familiar. Though she had her suspicions she kept her lips pressed in a hard line.

"Now, I think I have a way to make things interesting." Kazuyuki ignored the brooding pirates. "I vow to lend out a thousand of my men if you all come hunting with me tomorrow. A show of good sportsmanship and to see if you are deserving."

(Y/N)'s stomach did a flip.

Please not hunting again.

"Hunting what?" Kazumi responded cynically.

"Ah, we have a forest full of beasts, anything you would like to hunt you may. Apart from the sacred albino moose, of course. Though, I should warn you we also have large predatory beast-boned spirits."

Unlike a spirit beast, a human with the spirit tethered to their soul, a beast boned spirit is an animal with a supernatural spirit tethered to it.

With smaller animals like rabbits or cats, it makes the animals much cleverer, with odd colored fur, and heightened senses.

In large predators, it makes them ten times more aggressive, quicker, sometimes even with their abilities, really all around deadlier.

"We cannot risk (Y/N) like with those beasts roaming around," Ivo said coldly, for the first time speaking at the table.

Kazuyuki shrugged smugly.

"Then she can stand beside me, I will protect her for you if you cannot manage it, demons." He said 'demons' with so much spite it shook (Y/N) to her core.

Something in the demon pirates snapped, quietly and under the cover of the cool expressions, something deep inside their souls snapped like a single thread.

It was just as though Kazuyuki spit in their face, he disrespected them to the highest degree, and in front of (Y/N) at that.

The demons inside them roused, though they were not in mortal danger, they could feel their demons trying to claw their way up to their light.

Kazumi clenched his jaw, Leopoldo balled his fists, Leven gripped his trousers so tight his knuckles turned a paper-white, and Ivo bit his tongue. They were trying to keep from shifting and killing the king, their plan would be for nothing if that happened.

Leven shouted in his head.

Ivo was taking steady breaths to calm down.

Leopoldo unclenched and clenched his fists.

Kazumi locked eyes with the polar bear beast who just smirked at all of their reactions.

They were so wrapped up in their thoughts and fantasies of killing this king they did not even notice (Y/N) get up from her seat until a loud smack rang out through the dining room.

The pirates blinked out of the trance and focused in on the shocked king, and the woman who stood beside him caressing her hand.

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