Chapter 110: You know nothing, Silver Rayleigh

“God… What did I ever do to you to deserve this?”

That’s what Rayleigh thought when he saw Hancock and Kaza in a standoff. Both women had ice in their eyes as they looked at each other. Kaza knew, of course, who Hancock was and knew who was the baby in her arms. The pirate queen was infamous after all. For Hancock though, she didn’t know the redhead facing her from Adam but with vice-admiral Tsuru in the room and a pre-teen looking exactly like the woman in front of her she had the right idea.

Despite being the Dark King, Rayleigh slowly moved behind the counter and kneeled, hiding himself from the nose down, while keeping an eye on the situation at hand. He changed his focus on his wife when she whispered to him.

“Really?”
“I may not know many things about women despite my age… but I know one thing, don’t get in the way of a cat fight.”
“... At least you know one of the basics.” she said with a smirk.
“I don’t need to know about anything else, I got you.”
“Oh? Are you saying I’m not a woman?” she asked, clearly toying with him.
“You’re more than a simple woman, dear. And I don’t need to know things about women, I just need to know things about you and you know damn well I do.” he said with narrowing eyes.
“Eh, smooth talker.”
“Always for you dear, always… Now are you going to do something?”
“And ruin the fun? Not a chance.”

Rayleigh looked incredulously at her and shook his head then went back to look at the situation. He could almost see sparks flying between the red and black colored cats. They haven’t blinked the entire time their eyes had met and the tension could be cut with a knife.

“Enough!” Tsuru said with a bossy tone.
“We all knew that day would come. Preferably with Rick present but we don’t always get what we want. So…”
“We?” asked Hancock, diverting her eyes to the side to look at the vice-admiral, while raising an eyebrow.
“We.” was all Tsuru replied.

For her part Kaza said nothing and kept looking at her rival? Enemy? Next murder victim? She hasn’t decided yet but she was hesitating because of the baby’s presence. She wasn’t about to hurt an innocent child, that was not her. There were lines that she refused to cross. And even if she were, the task fell upon Eri. That baby was her half-sister and it was up to her daughter to do… whatever she needed to do to get the most of her father’s love. Still Kaza’s hand was still on the pommel of her blade, ready to unsheath it in a blink. Her hesitation faded when her eyes landed on Hancock’s bulging belly. She was clearly pregnant. Sighing and relaxing her stance, she went to Shaky and asked for a drink.

The pirate queen relaxed too and turned her head towards the old man hiding behind his wife from her point of view.

“We’re going, now.” she commanded.
“Fu…*slap* I mean no.” answered the dark king rubbing the part of his head his wife hit.
“YOU GET OUT OF THERE AND…” began yelling Hancock before being interrupted by a crying Lynda.
“Oh sweety, I’m sorry. Mama yelled because the old bat over there doesn’t want to protect you.” she said, while rocking her daughter gently to calm her down.

It was to no avail as Lynda kept on crying and Hancock knew why. The little baby was hungry. Without paying any attention to any one she walked towards a table and sat on a chair. She had left the baby food on her ship as she didn’t think Lynda would get hungry during her very short stay on the archipelago. Thankfully her pregnancy was far along enough that she started producing milk again. It was not ideal as her daughter has been wean for six months already, but beggar can’t be chooser. Hancock delicately dropped one loose sleeve of her dress from one of her shoulders and revealed one of her very large and firm breasts. As another slap could be heard in the bar Hancock began to breastfeed her daughter. Nobody said a word and just kept looking at Hancock and Lynda. The former ignoring everyone.

The only one who moved was Erica. It wasn’t the first time she saw someone breastfeed, she had seen it enough with Makino, but she was intrigued by her little sister. Getting closer to Hancock she asked a simple question.

“What’s her name?”

Looking up from her daughter the pirate queen looks at the young girl in front of her. She was a carbon copy of her mother and took that as a win as Lynda had at least her father’s eyes.

“Lynda”.
“...”
“...”
“She’s cute.”

Hancock kept looking at the girl. She had heard the genuineness in her voice and saw in her eyes the same eyes her father had when he looked at their little snake.

“She is.”
“...”
“...”
“It means ‘noble serpent’ right? Or beautiful.”
“Yes.” replied Hancock, surprised that such a young girl knew of her daughter's name’s meaning.

Few people knew even back on Amazon Lily. Actually only her sisters and elder Nyon were aware and she suspected Rick knew too as he called her his ‘little snake’. Sure, it may have been because Hancock’s symbol and favorite animal was a snake but she knew Rick was smart and knowledgeable so she chose to believe in the latter. That his eldest knew too only gave more credence to it. The girl may have her mother’s looks but seemed to have her father’s brain. Not feeling Lynda suck on her nipple anymore Hancock pulled her away from her breast and brought the part of her dress lowered back up.

Eri walked back to her mother quietly, her head full of thoughts. Kaza gave her a look that she ignored as she had more important things to think about than to indulge her mother. When they left Foosha Village, Eri was determined to be her father’s favorite no matter what. She was the first, the eldest and believed it was her right. Any siblings she had? She didn’t care one bit as she didn’t consider them siblings, not really. They were born from another woman than her, so they were not family. Yet now, after seeing her younger sister in the flesh… She had second thoughts. While she wasn’t interested in Hancock in any way as it was her mother’s problem, she did understand why her father had been intimate with her. The pirate queen was gorgeous and one look at Lynda made her realize that she will be too. Sure her mother was a beauty too and so will she one day, but she doubted she could rival her little sister. She would have to find another way than just being cute to get the most of her father’s love. Another part of her however, wasn’t thinking along those lines at all.

Surprisingly that part was her acknowledgment that Lynda was her baby sister. That she was family no matter how she felt about it. Turning back to have another look she couldn’t help herself and smile at the sight. Lynda was clutching fiercely her plushy snake and was trying to fit it in her mouth. Was she this cute at her age? She didn’t know. What she did know was that asking her mother was a fruitless effort. No one has ever seen both the sisters as babies, so no one would be able to give her an answer. Her musing stopped when Tsuru spoke up.

“Will you stop hiding behind your wife’s skirt already?!” she said to Rayleigh.
“I’m not!”
“You’re not? What are you doing then?”
“Hiding behind the counter.” replied the dark king as he finally stood up.
“““““...”””””
“Old man, you don’t want to bring me to O’hara? Fine, just give me the eternal pose.” Hancock said in a surprising calm tone.
“Yes, no.”
“Oh?” replied the pirate queen with a brow raised.
“First of all, the kid gave it to me. Second, it’s my only way to pay my respect to my friend.”
“Your friend?” asked Tsuru curious.
“Nico Olvia.” answer Rayleigh.
“Robin’s mother?” Hancock questioned to which Rayleigh nodded in affirmation.
“How do you know her?”

This time it was Kaza that asked. She wanted to know more about her greatest rival.

“Olvia was… a member of the crew.”
“What?!” Tsuru exclaimed.

It was news to her. While she wasn’t the one who was dead bent on catching Roger and his men, and didn’t encounter them often on the seas. Garp and Sengoku did and never mentioned anything like that. Even when Olvia was in the navy custody before her escape.

“The last few years, before the world crowned Roger as the pirate king.”
“I never heard of this.”
“And you were not supposed to. Not you, not any marines or members of the Cipher Pol.”
“Why?”
“To avoid incriminating O’hara. The archeologist… They were good people seeking the truth the world government wanted to hide. Didn’t matter much in the end.” Rayleigh said, gulping down a mug of ale he poured himself.
“That’s not true. Little Robin wouldn't be here today if you didn’t hide Olvia.”
“Maybe it would have been for the best. Her home destroyed, her family dead, on the run for more than twenty years since she was eight. Both the World Government and the yonkos after her. That’s not a life Shaky.” replied dryly the dark king, looking at Tsuru.
“Perhaps, perhaps not. She found her place now, and she’s happy.”
“... I guess you’re right.” replied Rayliegh after reflection.
“Is the history lesson over? Because I would like to get back to the topic at hand. You either lead me to O’hara, or you give me the eternal pose, old man. That’s the only choice I’m giving you. Be grateful that I’m giving you one.” Hancock said after getting face to face with Rayleigh.
“For the last…*slap*”
“We’ll lead you there.”
“Dear?!” asked her astonished husband.
“I’m coming too. Things are changing, Ray, and O’hara will be the best place to get fast and accurate information.”
“...*sigh* I guess there is a need for a barmaid there.”
“Good. Now… Are the two of you going to keep up your attitude towards each other or deal with it?” Shaky asked Hancock and Kaza.

The two women looked at each other in silence before turning back to shaky and nodding in agreement.

“My ship is docked not far and is ready to go.”
“It is a two week trip at the very least.” Rayleigh warned.
“There is enough food, I traveled with a very small crew.” said Hancock before leaving the bar.

On her way to her ship she furiously thought about Kaza. One thing was obvious to her, the redhead was possessive like her, perhaps even more so. She acknowledged once again that Rick’s taste in women was exquisite and if the situation had been different she would have loved to have the ex-marine serve her between her legs. Things were not different though. While Robin had looked at her as an equal and with respect during the small time they had spent together, which surprised her but appreciated nonetheless, Kaza had been condescending with her behavior. Hancock didn’t know if she could defeat her with the condition she was in, so she just stood her ground instead of going on the offensive. Besides she was carrying Lynda and that was another point against her fighting for dominance.

Hancock was fine with it actually. Kaza’s attitude would not garner any points from Rick, quite the contrary. She planned to let the redhead shoot herself in the foot while she watched the consequence of her action. Besides, it's not as if she wasn’t already ahead of everyone else. She was the second wife, gave birth to his daughter and a second on the way. It was one to two more children than the others had and that meant that once Rick’s journey was over he would spend more time with her. From that she would need to get pregnant again and then again to keep his attention on her.

Behind her Kaza was getting scolded by Tsuru.

“Really? You couldn’t restrain yourself?”
“No.” the redhead replied coldly.
“You do know that you’re not helping yourself right?”
“What do you mean?”
“*sigh* I forgot that you lose all reason when it’s about Rick… What I mean is, do you really think he would forgive you if you do what you’re thinking to do?”
“...He wou…”
“He would not. I know it and you know it. It’s time for you to accept it and get over it, Kaza.”
“He was supposed to be mine.” She said in a whiny voice.
“He wasn’t. He never was. Despite everything you tried.”
“...”
“He went along with it because yes, he loves you but…”
“But what?!” Kaza shouted.
“But he’s a free spirit. Sure, he’s dutiful, but he needs his freedom. Freedom that you constantly tried to take away.”
“He… he would have gotten away from me otherwise.” she confessed looking at the ground.
“Any other man would have disappeared on you, true, but not him. He came back after all.”
“He came back married with one child, a second on the way and at least four other women.” she replied ruefully.
“But he did come back. The way you wanted? Certainly not. But would you prefer having to share him or not having him?”

Kaza kept quiet. What Tsuru said made sense. Rick would never forgive her if she laid a finger on his other belles and would lose him forever. Perhaps even Eri in the process. As for sharing him or not having him… that was easy. The past twelve years she felt dead inside without him. The first ten it was bearable as she knew he was out there and hoped that one day they would be reunited. The past two years however… were a living nightmare. It was thanks to her daughter that she had found the strength to go on. Without her she would have given up on life long ago.

“How… How should I… How can I accept  the situation, Tsuru?”
“Get to know her. Get to know them. They are in a relationship with him for a reason, and no it’s not because they are beautiful, he’s not like that.”

“That… will not be easy.”
“You did it for me, there is no reason you can’t do it again.”
“I already knew you.”
“It doesn’t matter. My advice? Sleep with her.”
“WHAT?!”
“I mean, you’re wearing the ring, so you accepted the deal, right?”
“I… yes, but I didn’t think I would have to honor it. I was thinking that I would have gotten rid of her before.”
“Well, now, you can’t do that anymore.”
“I guess not. Still, I don’t see how sleeping with Boa Hancock would help to get to know her better.”
“That would help with the tension between the two of you.”
“... You seem particularly aware…”
“I’m speaking from experience. If you thought that the men were bad when you were in the marines… They were ten times worse when I joined, so I found company with a few ladies here and there in the corps.”
“That’s…” Kaza was bewildered.
“That was a long time ago, and what I learned from it was that it’s really good sex.”

Kaza pondered for a moment what Tsuru had just confessed.

“Why didn’t you try anything with me?”
“Never thought you would be interested.” replied Tsuru nonchalantly.
“...”
“...”
“Would you mind now? I mean… I don’t have any experience with women while she…”
“She’s the queen of the amazon.”
“I can’t go without being prepared.”
“No, you can’t, she’ll eat you alive and not in a fun way. I’ll help you if that’s what you want.”
“Thank you… I guess. I mean… I never would have thought that I would have to sleep with women to have my husband.”
“Does the idea make you uncomfortable?”
“I… yes..”
“Then soldier on, it's not like it’s for forever. Once you do the deed with Nico Robin, you won’t have to do it anymore.”

Kaza nodded in affirmation but was still apprehensive.She’ll do it of course but she’d make Rick pay for it, that was certain.