Warnings: Violence, gore, dismemberment.

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or the characters, the belong to Eiichiro Oda.

Brother's Betrayal

His heart pounded in his ears as he hastily made his way through the king's courtyard. He took no care in softening his footsteps. He wanted Enel to hear him coming. He wanted everyone in the fortress to know he was on the move.

A bell rang overhead—Nami's falcon announcing its return after over a day away.

Law took a deep breath as he neared the king's quarters. He could not give away his unease. The timing depended on his certainty in this plan. Nothing could be left to chance.

The guards halted him with spears raised outside the building, their annoyed frowns lit by flickering torches on either side of the walkway.

"What brings you here at this hour?" one guard asked. "Lady Nami is asleep. Return after dawn if you wish to visit her."

"I'm not here for her. I have an urgent message for the king," he explained. "Time is of the essence, so quit wasting mine and announce me to the king."

The guards exchanged a look, but neither appeared eager to wake Enel.

"If you're afraid of his wrath, I'll wake him."

"No," the other guard huffed. "What is this message about?"

"I will only share the details with Enel, but he needs to know that his new priest means to betray him today."

The guard cursed and spun away from his station. "Wait here."

Law forced himself to relax when the guard vanished into the building. He had expected a long wait while the king prepared himself for a guest, but the guard returned within a moment.

"He will see you," he announced, waving for him to enter.

Law nodded his gratitude and shook away his confusion as he stepped through the entrance. He cast a glance down the hall toward Nami's quarters. The hall was dark with no light shining through the door. He hoped that meant she was deeply asleep. She needed the rest, and he would rather she not be awake for this. She may try to get in his way.

He turned for the king's chambers and was surprised to find Enel wide awake, sprawled out on the cushioned bench in his sitting room. He was half dressed, lounging with a set of sapphire and jade stones spread out on a gold silk cloth in front of him.

"Corazon, I have been waiting for you," Enel said without taking his eyes from the stones as he flipped through them.

Law tensed at the bored tone that held an edge of impatience. Enel's gaze flicked to him, blue eyes narrowing.

"You did not expect that, did you?" Enel asked. "You thought to confuse me with your announcement as I woke. Unfortunately, I have had a recurring dream the last two nights. A bear in the woods, paw caught in a trap, and a swarm of flies gathering around its corpse. The flies took to swarming me, nagging me with their nips as I watched a black and gold snake slither its way out of the bear's belly. Quite an interesting vision. It took more time than I care to admit to decipher its meaning." Enel flipped a stone and glowered at it. "So? Ove is set to betray me—finally. And now the flies come for me." His lips twitched with a smile as he flipped another stone. His gaze slid back to Law, his smile widening as he gestured for him to look at the stones that had his attention. Runes. The king had been attempting to divine something while he waited. That might not bode well for them. "Or perhaps you're the snake. It's so hard to tell with tricksters like you."

Law refused to let Enel's knowing gaze get under his skin. He straightened and scowled down at the king. "Do you want to hear my message, then? You seem to know everything already."

Enel waved. "Please. Amuse me by pretending I did not see this coming. If you would like, I'll even feign surprise."

"Ove is waiting at my home with his slave. Kamakiri has been ordered to flee at dawn's light, causing a commotion as Ove chases him down. In the confusion, he has entrusted me to slip away with his lady, smuggle her onto a boat, and help her flee to Drafn."

Enel chuckled. "Ah, the details are amusing. Why did Ove trust you with such a delicate matter?"

"He is aware I swore a blood oath to Lady Nami. I am as good as a brother to her in his eyes."

"And he believed this oath?" Enel laughed.

"My oath is true. My loyalty is to Lady Nami and her alone."

"Hmm, I see. Yet here you are betraying the traitor priest who must have been waiting for this very chance to whisk her back to his jarl."

"As I said, my loyalty is to her. I act in her best interests. Ove believes her message will enrage his jarl. Eustass will then refuse to come for her, his pride too bruised to show his face to a woman who professes no love for him."

"Isn't that exactly what Nami desires?" Enel asked with a wide grin.

"I think you and I both know what Nami truly desires."

Enel laughed. "That is true." A soft knock at the door quieted the king's amusement. "Nami? What good timing. Come in."

Law's chest tightened as he turned to watch Nami quietly open the door and peek in. Her eyes were tired, with bags nearly as dark and swollen as his own. Her hair was unkempt, twisted in a loose, tangled braid that hung over one shoulder.

"I'm sorry to disturb. I woke when I heard you laughing and wondered if Satori—Oh? Corazon? What are you doing here?" She pulled her fur lined robe closed when she noticed him, clasping her arms over her chest with a blush.

"I apologize for waking you," Enel said, waving her over. "I know you have not been sleeping well. Come. Come. Rest over here while I get ready."

"Ready?" she asked, blinking in confusion as she glanced between them. "What are you preparing for?"

Law watched as Nami remained motionless at the door, not heeding her king's command. She didn't move until Enel stood to his full height and took a step toward her. She flinched and stepped back before freezing in place, bowing her head, and hurrying over to his cushioned bench to take his place. She stiffened once more when she came within Enel's reach, but stayed perfectly still as the king gently brushed a stray hair from her face.

Her breath left her all at once as soon as Enel pulled away and she collapsed on the bench, clutching herself even tighter than before.

"Mm, Corazon, please inform Lady Nami of what you just told me," Enel commanded as he slipped into his bedroom to dress.

This had not been part of his plan, but he steeled himself for the worst as he looked down at Nami. "Ove has been plotting to steal you from the king."

Nami's mouth fell open. "What? What are you talking about?"

"He has been waiting for an opportune time, but your message to Jarl Eustass has made his task more urgent."

"Wait? Task? I don't understand."

"It is not so complicated, my dear," Enel said as he returned, straightening his white tunic and gold-trimmed belt. "Ove has been in my hall as Jarl Eustass's spy this whole time. He was sent to guard you and take you back to Drafn, or at least somewhere less dangerous should your wolf come to war with me. You did not know?"

"Of course, I didn't know," Nami shouted, leaping up to her feet. "I can't believe this. Where is Ove? Let me speak with him."

"Absolutely not. He swore an oath to me. I will see he keeps it. You are to stay in this fortress and not move until this is over," Enel commanded, his mood darkening as Nami panicked.

"But—" Nami began to protest, only to slam her mouth shut when the king moved in her direction.

"But what, Nami?" Enel asked, a low growl in his voice.

Law brushed his hand over the grip of his sword as he watched Nami bow her head and openly shiver. The tension in the room was heavy, like the weight and spark of a brewing tempest. He had missed something important between them, but there was ample evidence in Nami's cowering frame. Gone was her flirtatious demeanor and arrogant confidence, and in its place was a demure woman unwilling to test her king's temper.

The fact Enel's temper was thinning at all told him his plan may not succeed. He had gambled anticipating the king's continued apathy and hubris clouding his sight to their movements, but his plan may backfire and Nami may be the one to suffer most of all.

"Nothing, my king," Nami whispered. "I will do as you say."

"Good," Enel grunted and turned for the door.

"I have a plan," Law said, moving to stand in the king's path. "Ove is expecting me to arrive at my home with Lady Nami. His guard will be down if he believes I continue to aid his efforts."

"Nami will stay in this fortress," Enel repeated, a low warning in his tone.

"I don't need her for this. Conis is about her size and build. Lady Nami, may I borrow your handmaiden and cloak for the day?"

Nami looked up at Enel first and then to him. Her cheeks were pale, and her eyes held a glassy sheen that hadn't been there before. She was confused and scared. Guilt pricked his heart for putting her through this.

"I will return her before supper," he promised. "Whole and well."

She pursed her lips and began to stand while giving a stuttered nod. "Very well. I will wake her."

Law waited until she was gone before speaking again. "If you wish to wait with your lady, I can take care of this problem with Ohm."

Enel's gaze sharpened with anger. "I have already lost one priest to her scheming, I will not lose one to yours," he hissed. "I do not know your intentions here and I do not trust them. I will send Ohm after the slave and see that he is properly cut down. But I will deal with this traitor myself. Understood?"

Law bit back the urge to growl as he gave a short nod. This was promising to be a disaster.

While they waited for Nami and Conis, Enel sent a guard to wake Ohm. Law could feel time slipping away. He could see his contingencies drying up and withering. He still had a few lines to grasp, but they all depended on time, and there wouldn't be much of that to spare.

"Did Ove give any details of what direction he would send his slave?" Enel asked as he examined his spear.

"Not particularly. Directing attention away from your hall and the fjord was of utmost importance."

"Did you place a boat in a particular inlet?"

"Just west of the peninsula, not far from Pagaya's home."

Enel hummed but asked no further questions. The silence weighed heavy on him, but he refused to show his unease. Even the slightest twitch of impatience could give him away. The king was too observant, more than he gave him credit for.

Ohm arrived with his dog, both yawning and grumbling unhappily at the early hour, just as Nami appeared with her handmaiden in tow. A quick glimpse down the hall allowed him to see Laki standing outside her rooms, eyes wide and frantic. Aisa clung to her hip, gaze solemn but knowing. The little girl knew something was brewing, had heard the gist of their plans. She was wise in her young years. At least wise enough to keep her mouth shut.

"Conis, I apologize for dragging you in to this," Law said as Nami fretted with hiding her handmaiden's blonde hair beneath a blue shawl. Nami glared at him, but Conis merely nodded and made no argument. "When things turn bloody, please do your best to flee to safety."

"We will not be far from her father's," Enel said, his flat, bored gaze returning. "She can run to his home and hide there until it is over." He turned to Ohm. "You will come upon Corazon's house from the east. Kamakiri will likely flee in that direction. Corazon will escort Conis from the northwest."

"And you? I thought you meant to deal with Ove yourself?" Law asked.

There was a glint in the king's eye he did not like. With Enel taking control of the situation, Law could only hope his contingencies gave them a small chance of success.

"I feel like taking a walk along the fjord," Enel said with a crooked grin.

Law bit back a curse when he realized Enel would take that walk along the western beach. There went that contingency. They would need a miracle now.

"Come. Let us not waste any more time," Enel announced, waving for them to leave.

Law hung back, making a show of offering his arm to Conis when Enel glowered at him from the door.

Nami grabbed his other arm, her tight grip drawing his attention to glistening brown eyes and a quivering lip. "What is going on?" she asked in a hushed Frankish. "Tell me the truth, Law."

He glanced toward the door and then back to her. He wished he could reassure her, but in this instance, the less she knew, the better. Enel believed that she knew nothing about Ove's true allegiances because she had genuinely believed him to be a traitor. If Enel questioned her and she did know something, it would be difficult for her to lie, not when the king seemed to see through them.

"The only truth I can tell you is that Ove is in fact here to protect you," he whispered. Nami sucked in a shaky breath. "And he will do anything to see his mission through, even at the cost of his life." He looked away from the silent plea in her eyes. "I gave my own oath to you. I hope tomorrow you still have faith in it."

With that, he tugged his arm from her grip and dragged Conis out the door. They had no more time to waste, not if he was to have any chance of keeping those two alive.

He did not trust Corazon's information. There was truth to what the man said, he could see no lie, but the thick fog shrouding his gaze told him something was amiss.

Trickery was afoot, yet he could not say if it was the southern man weaving the spell. Nami had no place in this, her denials were true. He could see that much in the genuine fear and panic in her eyes.

Every instinct in his body screamed at him. There was danger now. It felt like the edge of a sword pressed at the back of his neck. Sharp, cold steel sent a lightning bolt down his spine and surging through his heart. Such a strange feeling. He did not like it, yet he could not see the weapon, nor who wielded it. If he did not do something to stop its swing, his very life could be at risk.

He did not like this. He did not like this at all.

Corazon was the mastermind, he had to be. But what did he have to gain from this plot? He could not see it. He could not see the man's motives. Black mist shrouded his intentions, a fog not of his lady's making.

There was another trickster. Another deceiver. Something beyond his gaze. Something he could not feel.

A bell rang out overhead. To the west.

He turned in that direction, searching the sky and trees for that damned bird she was so adamant to claim.

The trickster cloaked in a falcon's feathers. Why would she trust it?

He found the boat, just as Corazon had said. A piece of the story was true, but why tell him the truth? Why betray these men if he claims to work for Nami's interests? What interest does he have in her?

The bell rang out again, directly above. The falcon circled but stayed just out of reach of his spear.

The fog grew thicker. The black mist nauseated him, gripped his throat. The stench of death wafted from the sea.

Danger. Danger. A wicked plot was afoot.

He drove his spear into the small vessel, shattering old, weathered boards with but one strike. The boat would not have made it far, its condition too poor. It might have made it to Drafn, but just barely. He would have caught them before they reached a safe shore.

The falcon screamed out as he pulled his spear from the sinking boat.

A wind picked up. A scent of rain.

There. He could hear it. To the east. A clash of steel. A bear's grunt. A dog's howl.

He shut his eyes and concentrated on the single thread of sight he found within the mist.

Heavy breathing. Poor leather scraping stone. A low curse. And another. The Sami was on the run. To the east. To the east. No. To the west.

Enel opened his eyes and grinned.

Straight to him.

Law grabbed Conis and drew her away from the path when he heard Ove's enraged shout in the distance. The battle had already broken out. There was no more time to delay. He had to make his choice.

"Conis, I need you to go to your father," he said in a rush, pulling her in close as he dug in a pocket of his cloak. "I moved McKinley to his home so that he will not see what is about to happen. I need you to keep him occupied so he does not take notice of anything." He pulled a small leather pouch free and shoved it into her hands. "Give this to your father. He will know what to do with it."

Conis stared down at the pouch, brows knit with confusion. "I do not understand, Corazon. What is going on? Lady Nami told me nothing."

"Because she does not know," he hissed. "She cannot know."

"But—"

"I will not be able to get to Kamakiri in time. I have to protect whatever pawns I can," he explained. "Go. Now."

His heart pounded in his ears, deafening him to all but the falcon's cry echoing over the fjord from the west. He shoved Conis in the direction of her father's and turned for the east.

"Go. Hurry. If you waste even one moment, one breath, then all of this will fail," he hollered at her as he ran off, hand on the grip of his sword.

"Understood," Conis called after him, her tone firm with determination. He breathed a sigh of relief when he heard her take off running in the opposite direction. She may not know the details of his plan, but she at least understood what was at stake.

If they could protect even one life that day, then he could say his plan was a success.

But he would feel better if he could protect two.

He wasn't surprised to find Ove and Ohm clashing in front of his home, but he was shocked to see Ove struggling against the priest. It hadn't been too long, he hadn't wasted so much time, but Ove was snarling through his exhaustion, sweat and blood marring his face and chest as he struggled to hold Ohm's sword at bay.

Holy stood growling nearby, the white fur of his muzzle stained bright red with blood. The dog didn't appear wounded, so Law assessed Ove's condition closer.

His left leg was a shredded, bloody mess. That was the source of his struggle. A chunk of his calf was torn away, leaving him unable to properly brace his stance in the fight.

Ohm whistled as he twisted his sword around the shaft of Ove's axe and drove the tip into his leathers. Holy launched at Ove and latched onto his knee, burying his sharp teeth into the joint and shaking until the warrior cried out in pain and shifted to make a desperate slash at the dog. Another whistle made the dog leap away, only losing a few tufts of fur.

He was released from the dog's strong maw, but the damage had already been done. Ove's leg gave out and drove him forward into Ohm's sword.

"Do not worry," he heard Ohm say, his voice low and flat, "I will free you from this life."

He had to do something. He had to end this battle before the priest could make good on that promise.

"Wait," Law called out. "The king said he would deal with the traitor himself."

Ohm's grip on his sword loosened and Ove took that opening for all it was worth. He pushed from the priest, gritting his teeth as blood gushed from his wound, and brought his axe arcing up to slash at Ohm's chest. The priest leaped back but caught the edge of the blade on his shoulder. Red blossomed from his white tunic, but the wound didn't faze him enough, only drove him to lash out again. Ove ducked away from the long sword slashing at his neck. The blade carved over his temple, took part of his ear, and Ove stumbled back gasping for breath.

"He swore an oath to King Enel," Law reminded, rushing forward to grab Ohm's forearm before he could take his advantage and attack again. "He must answer to him for this betrayal."

"The serpent is correct," Enel said as he sauntered toward them from the west.

His spear sat upon his shoulder; the bronzed tip tarnished with drying blood. Law hid his grimace and focused on the men before him. He could not think about Kamakiri, could not wonder what condition he was left in. He had done everything he could to buy the man time, but if Enel had seen through his efforts and pierced the Sami's heart, then none of it mattered. He had to move as though Ove was the only one left. He had to protect this single pawn.

"I dealt with the slave while you wasted your time on this traitor." Enel swung his spear around and moved forward so fast, Law had no time to react. In the blink of an eye, the spear's tip had sunk into Ove's side. He had only managed to move enough to avoid a fatal blow, but his eyes were wide with shock and Law knew his movement had been sheer instinct and nothing more.

Enel twisted his spear with a vicious grin and laughed as Ove cried out, dropping his axe to clutch at the spear and try to pull it free. The king only pushed the barbed end deeper before tearing it out. Blood sprayed over the king, drenched the soil, and turned it into a slick, red-brown mud. Ove clutched the wound before falling forward, slamming onto his knees with head bowed in defeat. His shoulders heaved and he wretched up blood and bile.

Law stood completely still as he watched the king plunge his spear into the ground and step toward the fallen warrior. He could not fight Enel freely—it would only end with his quick defeat. This was a foe that needed numbers to take down. But he could not let Ove die so easily.

He needed a miracle to save that man.

A bell rang out above. The shrill cry of a falcon drew Enel's attention just as he reached out to grasp Ove's hair. The king scowled at the bird, and then turned the glare over his shoulder, straight at Law. He stared for a moment, his glower turning thoughtful before he looked back at the man waiting for the king's form of mercy.

"No," Enel whispered as he shoved Ove's head away and reached for the man's axe.

Law clutched his sword and prepared for the worst as Enel turned to face him.

"He promised me a hand," Enel said, flipping the axe and holding the handle toward Law. "And I understand you are skilled in amputation, Corazon. When you arrived, you even offered to take care of matters like this for me. So, let me see if you spoke true. Take his hand for me."

"Do you have a preference to which?" he asked as he took the proffered axe, easing at the suggestion he had hoped Enel would make. He scowled at the filthy, chipped blade. It would do the job, but it would be messy. He would have to take care to bandage it well, and Ove would still be at risk of infection.

Assuming he survived at all.

"Hmm, he favors his right in a battle?" Enel asked, glancing to Ohm for the answer.

"So it seems," Ohm said. He had spent the exchange wiping the blood from his sword and returning it to his belt. Holy had come to sit with him and groom his bloody fur, pausing only to happily accept a scratch behind the ear from his master.

"Take his right, then," Enel commanded.

"Does this mean you will allow him to live?" Law stepped forward, maintaining a cold facade as Ove lifted his head to meet his gaze. For all his wounds, there was resolve in his eyes. He was prepared for this moment, as well as whatever came next.

He would take that to heart and do his best not to feel guilt over the outcome, no matter how grim.

Enel threw his head back with a loud, ringing laugh. "He will die here today, and I will see that you deal the final blow." Law's attention snapped from the warrior to stare in shock at the king. Enel stepped forward and leaned in to speak quietly in his ear. "You have become much too familiar with my future queen. You desire to be her knight, but I will make sure that she sees you for the trickster you are, swathed in black mist, reeking of death and decay, a harbinger of flies. If you thought you could slip behind my back and steal her from me, then you thought wrong. I am the only one she need have faith in. I am her king. I am her god. She will not flee from me with a godless murderer whispering venomous lies in her ear. So, take his hand, and then do as you offered when you first arrived and deal with this traitor for me. Stain your hands with his blood, serpent. Burrow into his bowels. Fill his blood with venom. Cut out his lungs. His liver. His spleen. Flay him to pieces and feed him to a pig. Do as you please, just make his death as slow and excruciating as possible."

"If slow and excruciating is what you desire, I can take hours. Perhaps days. Would you like to stay and watch?"

Enel stepped back with a chuckle. "No. I will suffice with watching you remove his hand. But bring me a gift once he passes."

"Perhaps a heart would please you?" he offered, not bothering to hide his excitement. Enel could mistake it for sadistic glee, but he was merely grateful for this opportunity.

Enel's hubris would be his undoing, after all.

"A heart? Ha! What a splendid idea!" Enel called out. "I shall accept your offering when you bring it." Law's excitement faded when the king looked at him with cruelty and malice darkening his gaze. "I am sure Lady Nami will be most pleased to see how you protect her interests."

He knew this was the true risk to his plan, and it was the risk that Enel would take advantage of. He would have Nami's trust in him falter. But, if his plan worked, he would win back her trust and likely never lose it again.

It all hinged on his ability to keep one man alive.

He nodded to the king in understanding and moved toward Ove. He grabbed the man by the back of his furs and tugged him to his feet. Ove struggled and fought, but Law shoved him toward the stump he used for chopping wood.

"You made your oath," he hissed to Ove. "A hand for a betrayal. You knew this is what it would come down to. Are you a man of honor?"

"I am, but what of you?" Ove growled back.

Law kicked him in the back of the knee and sent him to the ground. That barb had been genuine. He expected it, knew the warrior did not trust him, yet still it stung.

"My honor is a different color than your own," he explained. "It's black and bloodstained, but I am a man of my word. My oath is to Lady Nami and none other. Now, stick your hand out," he commanded as he readied his axe, testing the weight of it as he considered how to make the cleanest strike.

Ove growled, but placed his arm over the wood stump. Law kneeled beside him and used the axe to cut away the man's sleeve. As he used to coarse wool to bind his arm in a tourniquet, he leaned in close to whisper in Frankish. "Hold perfectly still, and this will all be over soon."

He did not wait for an answer as he moved away and took his stance. Ove sneered at him before taking a deep breath and turning to stare forward, unblinking and completely at ease as he faced his fate. He knew it was useless to fight it now. He was not strong enough to choose his death.

It would be up to Law to make that choice for him.

The blade arced down, clean and smooth. He had done this more times than he should be proud of. He knew how to make the cut jagged and ugly, difficult to heal. And he knew how to angle the blade to slice through tendon and bone as easily as one cut through a stick.

Nezumi's amputations had been intentionally painful and would have rotted if he had not taken specific care to cleanse the stumps and treat the infections. Left alone, the man would have died in a day. There was still a chance of infection setting in later, the rot lying dormant in the man's blood. Without Law to provide treatment, he may die from the cuts, anyway.

But Ove's amputation would be clean and precise—at least as much as could be done with a dirty axe. It would still be painful. There would still be a chance of the limb rotting away, no matter how good the care. Law would do everything in his power to prevent that, but Ove's fate lay in the hands of his gods.

For his sake, for Nami's sake, Law hoped they were merciful.

Despite his fortitude and resolve, Ove could not restrain his pained cry as the axe severed his hand. He pitched forward and drew his bleeding limb in, cradled it to his chest as he gasped for breath and fought back tears. The tourniquet kept the bleeding light, but he would need to cauterize the wound soon.

First, he needed privacy.

Enel laughed as Ove curled in on himself, giving up his gruff stoicism as he struggled with the pain of a lost limb. Law could only imagine what it felt like. He hoped he would never have to learn.

"Well, I will give him an ounce of respect. He is a man of some honor," Enel said as he took his spear and turned away. "Perhaps he is owed a small reprieve. Play with him all you like today, Corazon, but try to bring me that heart by supper."

That was fine by him. The sooner he placated the king, the sooner he could see his plans through.

"I will see that Nami looks forward to your visit," Enel added as he waved back at them and then gestured for Ohm to follow.

Law scowled at the man's back as he continued to laugh, his good mood echoing through the trees long after he turned the corner and walked out of sight.

"She will hate you for this," Ove croaked in Frankish once they were alone. "She will spit in your face and curse you, your whole family. The gods will make you suffer if you make her cry."

Law sneered. "I'm already cursed. I doubt your gods could make me suffer any more than I already have. But I'll welcome it if they wish to try."

He grabbed Ove by the arm and hauled him to his feet. He shoved him toward his home, apathetic as Ove stumbled through the door and crashed to the floor. Stepping over him, Law went to the medicines he left out on his makeshift operating table, snatched up the bundle he needed and turned back to his patient.

"For now, you're at my mercy, so you should be praying to those gods to see that I can keep you alive through all this before they start thinking about cursing me," he said, holding out the open leather cloth.

Ove glared, the look less potent with the sheen of sweat on his brow and blood clotting on his face. With a huff and weak nod, he took the dried mushrooms and shoved them in his mouth.

Law stepped back with a wide grin.

"Now we have some fun."

Nami paced. All morning, she crossed the expanse of her little gilded cage, waiting for word from anyone about what was happening.

Her eyes burned. Her hands trembled. A curdling anxiety welled in her throat and she had to stop to catch her breath and swallow down the bile.

Laki paced with her, each of them going in opposite directions, passing each other by but never sharing their grief and fear. Nami did not know what to say to comfort her, she was too far gone in her own worries to consider it. She had pulled Laki into this plot, and unknowingly brought Kamakiri with her. She did not know what Law or Ove were up to, did not know if this was all according to some convoluted plan or if something had gone terribly wrong.

Or worse, that she had been wrong to put her faith in Law.

The servants brought them breakfast in her rooms, but neither of them stopped pacing long enough to eat. Aisa watched them as she nibbled at their food, owlishly large eyes clear of the fears they felt.

The little girl could see, there was wisdom and secret knowledge in her gaze, and they should have taken that as some form of comfort. Aisa was not worried, so perhaps she knew what would come. But then perhaps it was only childish naivete that kept her from panicking.

No, Nami knew that children sensed when something was amiss. They were not ignorant creatures, moving blindly about the world until they came of age. They saw everything adults did. They saw the dead and dying around them, saw the suffering and misery, and felt that weight and pain, even if they did not wholly understand. If anything, the girl should be more panicked and distraught than the adults around her. She had nothing to compare this to.

"He must have told you something," Laki hissed, breaking the tense silence.

"Nothing. I suspected Ove might have more of a purpose here than he originally let on, but he never told me about this. Neither did Corazon," Nami whispered back, afraid to speak too loud, lest Enel hear.

"And you call him a brother," Laki scoffed.

She took the cutting words, could only nod at the unspoken accusation. She had her doubts about Law's intentions, his motives, his plans. He was a brother, but she did not keep him any closer than she had to. She had not trusted him, and it seemed she had been correct. She only wished she had heeded her suspicions better.

A commotion in the hall brought their pacing to a halt. They stared at the door with bated breath, hoping it was Conis who returned to them with some news.

Nami jumped when the king appeared. She snatched Laki from where she stood too near the door and shoved her back behind her. Laki was tense, but Nami knew it was not fear that held her. It was anger, a rage so deep, she would lash out at a king she stood no chance of defeating.

But Nami wanted to run. She wanted to flee. Every fiber of her being screamed at her to run away, as fast as she could, and never look back, but her legs refused to do anything but tremble. It was a miracle she stood at all.

Enel, at first glance, appeared calm. Hooded blue eyes roamed over her room, taking in the barely touched meal and the slaves she swore to protect. When his gaze finally landed on her, she straightened and swallowed a whimper at the cold, electric charge that prickled down her spine.

"Nami," he said, his tone low and slow, as if his tongue was savoring her name and all he intended to do with it.

She stepped back and willed herself to breathe despite the tightness in her throat. The last time he looked at her like that, she found his hand wrapped around her throat, his fingers digging into her flesh. The bruises he left had been faint, imperceptible. Conis could only see a few spots of mottled yellow, but every time she brushed over her skin, she could feel the tenderness as though his hand was still there.

The weight of his gaze alone felt like a noose around her neck.

"Come here," he ordered, still deceptively calm.

She did not want to go near him, not with that deadly look in his eye, not when his temper had to be simmering just below the surface. But his eyes narrowed, then flit toward Aisa, and she rushed to follow his command.

She would not allow him to take his anger out on anyone else.

Enel's posture shifted once she was in reach and she tried not to flinch as he lifted a hand to caress her cheek. But he liked it when she flinched and trembled and whimpered. His shoulders relaxed, a smile brushed over his lips, and she lowered her head at the sound of a pleased hum.

"You will remain in here for the remainder of the day," he said quietly. "I will have someone fetch you when Corazon is finished with the traitor."

"Corazon?" She found enough courage to meet his gaze. "What is he doing to Ove?"

Enel's smile grew as he slipped his hand to the back of her neck. She stiffened at the tight grip. "He should be doing exactly as he swore to do when I permitted his residency here."

She had no idea what Enel meant by that, but she knew what Law was capable of to some extent. She wanted to believe that Enel was lying, or better yet, that Law was up to something that would help her, and Enel believed otherwise.

"Could I please go speak with him? I still can't believe that Ove was going to take me back to Drafn. Corazon must have been mistaken."

"No, he spoke true. Everything went exactly as he said. I even found the boat you were to be smuggled away with." Enel's eyes narrowed in thought and his grip tightened until she felt his nails dig into her flesh. "It was not far from your handmaiden's home. Her father has been repairing fishing boats for the village."

He trailed off with a hum and her stomach knotted with fear. Did he believe Pagaya supplied the boat?

"It was probably a coincidence," she said. "Or maybe Ove bought it from him?"

Enel hummed in response. "I will deal with that matter later."

She needed to warn Pagaya. It did not matter if he knew what Ove planned or not. If he gave a traitor a boat to escape with, Enel would not forgive him.

"You will stay here," Enel warned, as though reading her mind.

She nodded quickly. "Where is Conis?" Maybe she could send her to warn her father under the guise of a typical visit.

"Her father's, I believe," he answered, his tone aloof as his attention drifted over her shoulder. "And before you ask, the slave was killed."

"What?" Laki gasped.

"He fled east, as Corazon said he would, but he turned west when Ohm came upon them. I ran in to him and punished him for thinking to aid Ove's plot."

"He was only a slave following orders," Nami argued.

"So? He would have died sooner if Ove had not followed your lead and taken him as a slave," he pointed out, nodding toward Laki.

The world spun around her. This couldn't be happening. She had hoped to somehow protect Kamakiri, thought Ove taking him would be better than death, but all it did was delay the inevitable.

"Where is he?" Laki demanded. "At least tell me where he fell so we can gather him for a proper burial."

"Slaves do not receive proper burials," Enel said, his tone turning bored as his grip loosened on her neck. "I tossed him into the bay. The fish can feed on his corpse."

"You monster," Laki growled.

Nami felt him shift at the insult and forced herself to move. She shoved away from Enel and spun on Laki, striking her hard across the cheek. Her palm burned from the force of the slap, and Laki's head turned, a veil of dark hair hiding the bright red blossoming on her skin.

"Don't you ever speak to the king that way, or I will see you join Kamakiri in the bay," she snapped, swallowing down bile as fear curdled in her belly.

Laki angled her head to glare at her, but she only straightened and glared back. She hoped this was enough. This had to be enough. She could not let anyone else die.

Enel chuckled behind her. "You should listen to your mistress," he warned. "Her punishment is far kinder than any I would inflict upon you. In the meantime, you are both confined to these quarters for the day, so do not get any foolish notions of fishing out a corpse or interfering in Corazon's task. I will fetch you later, Nami."

"Of course, my king," she said softly, gracing him with a small nod of her head as he turned to leave.

She held her breath as she listened to his lazy, sauntering steps grow distant before peeking into the hall.

Two guards stood with their spears just outside her door. One spared her a short glance and a gruff look before grumbling, "Did you need something, Lady Nami?"

"No, only wished to see which of his fine guards he left for me," she said as sweetly as she could.

He grunted, gave her a nod, and then straightened back to attention.

She ducked back into her room with a sigh and dared to look at Laki. Guilt seized her, leaving a lump in her throat as she stepped toward her handmaiden.

"Don't," Laki warned, raising a finger as she moved from her reach. Her eyes glistened in the candlelight, and Nami felt her own burn in response. "You said you would help us."

"I said I would help you and Aisa," she reminded. "I could make no promises for Kamakiri."

"What was he doing helping Ove with this scheme?" Laki hissed. "And I thought Corazon swore himself to you? I thought he was your brother?"

Nami sagged forward and whispered, "I thought he was, too."

With every hour that passed, the tension in her rooms grew. Conis returned late in the day, but she swore she knew nothing of what had transpired.

Nami didn't believe her.

Her handmaiden could not look either her or Laki in the eye as they questioned her about Corazon's intentions. When Laki managed to meet her gaze, Conis chewed on her lip as her eyes glistened with tears. No words were exchanged, but there was no hiding the grief and sorrow Conis felt for her.

That was when Nami had to step out. She needed fresh air. She needed to breathe. And her two handmaidens needed the privacy. They had been pulled into this plot with the hope that she could change things in the north, but she was only making things worse.

"Lady Nami," a guard called to her as she stepped into the hall. "You are to remain inside."

"I just need some air," she said as she felt her heart cracking. "Please. Just let me sit outside the door. I won't leave the porch. The guards out there can point their spears at me if they wish. Just let me breathe."

The guards outside her room exchanged a look. After a moment, the one who addressed her turned back and waved for her to pass. She breathed a sigh of relief but was not given a chance to relax as the guard fell in step behind her, leaving his partner to guard her handmaidens.

She was barred at the door leading outside, but her guard whispered to the others and they allowed her out. She didn't bother trying to run, not when she spotted more guards patrolling the grounds than usual, each of them glancing her way as she stepped onto the porch.

She collapsed onto a chair facing the rowan grove and struggled to rein in her grief. She wanted to scream and cry. She wanted to rush into Enel's rooms and tear through his things. She wanted to break everything he coveted.

Even herself.

She slumped over as her breath grew short and tears burned her eyes. She dug her nails into her arms, gasped for a breath, and shut her eyes in the hope it would push it all back down.

This wasn't part of her plan. If she had known Ove intended to smuggle her back to Drafn, she would have done more to keep him safe. She would have talked him out of such a reckless scheme. Why hadn't he confided in her? If she had known, she could have found a way that would keep Kamakiri from turning into a sacrifice. She could have found a way to get the Sami back to their people first and protected them from Enel's wrath once she was gone.

And Law knew about all of this, but he never told her. Why keep this a secret? What was he hiding? Whose side was he truly on?

"I'm such an idiot," she whispered to herself as she drew her legs up and buried her head beneath her arms. "I shouldn't have trusted him."

"A hard lesson learned."

She jumped at Enel's voice and spun to find him standing on the walkway, glowering down at her. His blue eyes were hard, a grey storm of anger and cruelty darkening his gaze. Instinct told her to move away, to hide and cower, and when she twitched with the intent to flee, his lips curled with a merciless smile.

She swallowed hard when he held out a hand.

"Come. The lesson is far from over, Nami."

"What do you mean?"

His smile grew as he reached down to snag her wrist in a bruising grip, hauling her up when she did not take his hand. "Corazon has just arrived, and he has brought a gift."

She didn't like the sound of that. She didn't like any of this. She wanted this to be a terrible nightmare. She wanted to wake up, far away, somewhere safe.

Except this wasn't a dream and she had no choice but to face whatever new torture the waking world wished to inflict on her.

Enel dragged her to his hall, quite literally as she stumbled to keep up with his long gait. He made no effort to slow for her, not as he had the day Satori left for Drafn with her message. He only tightened his grip and tugged her along until they entered the main hall where Law waited with Ohm in the otherwise empty chamber.

Law's expression was blank until the king shoved her to the floor in front of him. When she looked up from her knees, she caught Law's eyes widen. He made to step forward but froze the moment Enel's hand landed atop her head. She understood the unspoken command in Enel's touch, as did Law. He straightened, fixed his expression to be distant and stoic, and set his attention upon the king.

"So? You took my advice and gave him a quick death?" Enel asked.

"I would hardly call it quick," Law said with a dark chuckle. "The stories I've heard of your berserkers seem to hold some truth. That one at least withstood quite a bit. I'm curious to know how well others hold up in my care."

Her stomach churned at the twisted grin on Law's face.

"And you brought my gift, as promised?"

Law's smile faltered at the question as he glanced down at her. She could have sworn he was hesitating.

"Corazon?" Enel prompted, his grip tightening atop her head.

Law cleared his throat and reached into a satchel hanging over his hip. "I did," he said as he removed a wooden box and held it out to the king. His sadistic grin returned. "It's not often I get to offer a heart to a king who might appreciate my skill."

She choked down the urge to heave as Law's eyes flit to hers. She barely noticed how they softened. She didn't care. Whatever pithy apology he may offer would fall on deaf ears. His words were meaningless to her now.

Enel took the box, releasing her head to open it. She shut her eyes as he chuckled, tried to steel her heart to the truth, tried to shut herself away from this moment in time.

"Take a look at this, Nami." Wood clattered to the floor in front of her. She squeezed her eyes shut even tighter. "To think a crude, vulgar beast could have such a large heart. It must have pained him to treat you so coldly."

She curled in on herself and whimpered. She should have known better. Ove was always so kind to the children. He was quiet and patient, never raised his voice or his hand to those who were weaker. He had fought at Kid's side, given up his mercenary life to remain loyal to his jarl. She should have known he wouldn't have betrayed Kid, that there was more to his purpose there.

She should have protected him.

A hand dug into her hair, knotting painfully in the long strands. She shrieked as Enel shoved her forward.

"Open your eyes, Nami," he commanded. "Look at the consequences of your actions." She shook her head, and Enel twisted her hair as he pushed her down until her nose and lips touched wet, cold flesh. The sharp, metallic scent of blood surrounded her. She could taste it on her tongue.

Ove's heart sat before her, his blood staining her skin.

She gagged and released a sob. Her tears fell free as Enel's nails dug into her scalp.

"This was his fate the moment your wolf claimed you as his. This is the fate of any who dare keep you from me. This is your curse, Nami. This suffering, this death—I can make it all go away, I can show you how to rise above this filth, and sail you off to a new world where none of these people will matter ever again."

She didn't want that world. She didn't want to live in a place where others mattered so little. She didn't want to be bound to a man who would kill whoever displeased him, no matter how small the infraction. He could give her wealth and land, just as he promised. He could give her every treasure she coveted. She would rather live in poverty with those she loved than the gilded halls of Enel's realm.

"I have a favor to ask, King Enel," Law said.

Enel's grip finally loosened, and she gasped in relief as he allowed her to lift her head.

"What favor?"

"I wish to return the traitor to his people."

She opened her eyes, shocked by the request, and immediately regretted it as she saw the lifeless heart before her. The effort it took to hold back the urge to vomit left her cold and shaking. She tore her gaze from the heart and forced herself to focus on Law, to search for some crack in his stoic mask to see what he was up to.

He had to know it would be suicide delivering Ove's remains to Kid.

"Why?" Enel asked.

Law shrugged. "The man showed honor, even in his betrayal. I feel he is due my own in turn."

Enel stared at him in thought, his eyes narrowing with clear frustration. "Fine. As Nami's sworn brother you hold the protection of her ancestors and thus will return unmolested. Learn what became of my priest and his men while you are there."

"I'll need a horse and cart."

"You may have it."

"Then I'll take my leave immediately. My home has enough of a stench from the rat in his cage, the bear will only add to it if I keep him there."

Enel grunted as he stood, dragging her up with him. "Nami, you may return to your quarters. Ah, wait, take this." Her stomach lurched as he bent down to pick up the box and hand it to her. "My offering for you," he said with a malicious chuckle.

Her vision darkened as she stared at the heart. A fly came to sit on the bleeding lump of flesh, and for a brief moment, she swore the heart moved with a pulse, a flutter of life. A deep, resounding thump echoed from the box.

Her vision cleared and she heaved.

Enel's laughter filled the room as she fled from the heart and the strange vision. She raced out of the hall, leaving the monster and his repulsive gift behind.

She sucked in clean air as soon as she was outside. The distant sound of a slow, withering heartbeat made tears well in her eyes, clouding her vision once more.

"Nami," Law whispered as he approached from the side. The softness and pity in his voice stood in stark contrast to the coldness he showed inside.

Through her tears, he was nothing but a shivering form of shadows, swathed in darkness, bathed in blood. She blinked and saw the field, saw the hooded man with his hand held out to her. The smoke and ruins had turned to a chilly mist, but in his hand sat a bleeding, beating heart.

She shoved away from him and collapsed at the edge of the walkway to vomit over the side.

A disgruntled sigh was followed by gentle hands sweeping the loose hair from her face. She didn't want him to touch her, not with those bloody hands. She didn't want him to show her such care after what he had done.

She wiped the bile from her mouth and smacked him away as she struggled to stand.

"Nami," he whispered again.

He dared to sound remorseful, dared to show her pity. She wanted to scream at him. She wanted to strike him. She wanted to tear into his flesh as cruelly as he must have torn into Ove to remove his still beating heart.

But as her lips trembled, any words she might have to speak were strangled in her throat.

Law stepped closer, his expression wary and guarded. "I should return by tomorrow evening. The next night at the latest," he whispered, as though they were still allies. As though he was still her brother. "Stay out of the king's way until then."

Rage flared in her chest.

Where was his concern when she was on her knees with her face shoved against a heart he cut from a friend's chest? Where was his concern when she pleaded for him to tell her what was happening? Where was his concern when she was filled with terror?

She didn't want his care when it no longer mattered.

She lashed out before she could think better of it. Law bore the strike silently, even as his expression tightened with anger. Her hand throbbed, the pain not satisfying enough. A slap was hardly punishment for what he had done, but even as she curled her hand into a fist and imagined beating him senseless, she restrained her anger.

Kid deserved to know what became of his spy. Ove deserved a proper burial, surrounded by the friends who had put so much faith in him. She would not rob him of that dignity, not when Law had robbed him of his life.

She spat at Law's feet and turned to storm back to her rooms.

She never wanted to see that man again.

The trees around him all looked the same, yet as unfamiliar as the rest. His feet carried him, numb and swollen, but he no longer knew where he was traveling.

He hadn't known for a while.

The last thing he could remember with any clarity was a flash of gold and sharp pain lancing up his back. He hadn't even had time to draw his sword before the king set upon him with the ferocity of a lightning bolt.

The leather tunic Corazon had stitched for him took the brunt of the damage, but still he felt his flesh flayed opened by a golden spear.

"Take no more than one strike and play dead," Corazon had instructed as he arranged the heavy, wet weight of pig fat and muscle on his back. Ill-fitting bone rest where it needed to, giving him a second spine and protruding ribs. He hadn't thought the vest would make a difference, that it would not fool anyone. He was too thin, and the meat made him too stocky. "They'll think it's armor Ove gave you," Corazon had explained, pointing to the bare chest of the berserker. "If you're afraid they'll suspect you, then eat the mushrooms. They won't question your death with those."

He had eaten the mushrooms as he fell and laid prone, waiting for the king to plunge his spear into his heart and end his life without a shadow of doubt to remain.

His body seized, bile rose in his throat, and blackness took him before the king could strike him again. After that, life and death felt as one.

He vaguely remembered an icy cold embrace and water in his lungs. His clothes turned to rope, a net dragging him to his grave.

Inky black hands rose around him. Dozens. Hundreds. More than he could count. They clawed at his face, pulled at his heavy tunic, wrapped around his throat.

There a beautiful visage appeared before him. A chilly frown, skin as dark as the sea. Wisps of algae flowed around her face. A light hit her, shone against golden scales upon full cheeks, like the blush of an innocent maiden.

He never knew the smile of a shark could be so warm.

Or that her kiss could be so sweet.

He resigned himself to her mercy.

He woke to a rocky shore, retching up sea water as someone rubbed his back. The world spun and his body felt frozen, his veins filled with ice. His back burned from the brine on his skin, the pain threatening to drive him back to the darkness.

Someone wiped his mouth with a cloth and helped him lay back. The forest around him swirled and blurred. He caught sight of a familiar face with a thick brown beard hiding a kind smile, but his memory could not grasp a name.

"Drink this," he whispered as he set a bowl to his lips. "No. No. Don't go back to sleep," he gently coaxed as the darkness swam before him. He felt his head tipped back, his mouth opened. A bitter liquid spilled over his tongue and he woke as he gagged. The man sealed his mouth shut and rubbed his throat until he was forced to swallow the thick concoction.

It came back up not long after, but the man didn't stop him as he vomited up everything in his stomach. He swore he had thrown up all his entrails. When he was done, his gut was so cramped and tender, he doubted he would ever be able to eat again.

"Now this," the man said as he lifted a sweet-scented pellet to his mouth. "Corazon said it will interfere with whatever toxin remains. Your senses should come back soon."

He didn't want to eat anything, but the name the man spoke told him he had no choice. By some miracle, he was still alive, so Corazon had not lied about anything. He choked down the medicine, gagged when the sweet scent only masked the utterly wretched taste of the herbs.

"Oh. Water. Drink it all down," the man instructed, tilting a skin to his lips to wash away the taste.

He pitched forward with a heave but managed to swallow down the medicine that threatened to come back up. He didn't want to take it again.

"We don't have long," the man continued as he set aside the food and drink. "I will bind your wounds as best I can." There was a hiss from behind him as he slumped over his knees and fought the urge to sleep some more. "He sliced through the protective layer Corazon made for you. If you had not been wearing this…"

He drifted away as the man tugged at the leather and fabric, tore the pig meat from his torso. He woke as the man sat him back against a tree stump, his chest haphazardly bound in fresh linen bandages.

"This is as much as I can do. I need to get back before Conis or McKinley suspect too much," he explained. "I took you as far as I could. From here, you only need to go south. Follow the coast. You should reach Drafn by nightfall. Ah, don't forget this." He pressed a satchel into his hands and wound a string with a gilded rowan coin around his wrist. "May the gods and your ancestors guide you forward."

Through the fog shrouding his thoughts, he watched his caretaker climb down the rocky shore to a small fishing boat floating in a foreign bay. He glanced back at him once in the boat, sparing him a wave and kind smile.

Pagaya. That was his name, he thought to himself as he stumbled through the forest, barely remembering that he had been walking at all.

He was told to follow the coast, but he had drifted away from the shore somewhere near midday. His thoughts had turned muddled, confused within the endless swath of trees. Fear took him, he could not say why, but it led him away from the sea, into the trees until howling reached his ears.

He followed the howling without a thought.

He tripped over a stone and feared that he would not be able to get up again.

The howling grew louder. The trees and brush rustled around him. He tried to will his limbs to move, to get up. He was too tired, too dizzy as the trees spun and blurred and reached for him with spindly arms.

Someone grabbed him, their grip rough and jostling. He cried out as pain tore through his back. The touch gentled and he breathed a sigh of relief as he dared to look up at the face of whoever found him.

He didn't recognize the man with his curly grey mane and scarred lips, he could only hope that he was one of the wolf's brothers.

"Jarl Eustass," Kamakiri croaked from a dry throat. "Ove sent me."

The stranger's expression relaxed into a smile. "Rest. I will take you to the jarl from here."

With that promise, he let his exhaustion take him.

A/N: I have nothing to say. I think this chapter speaks for itself.

But I know the next chapter is the one a lot of you have been waiting for since Law made his official appearance in the fic.