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Once upon a time there was a young prince named Trafalgar Law. He lived in a lavish castle atop the snowy mountains of france. He had everything he could ever want, but he still wasn't satisfied with his life.
He wanted to be a doctor, but not for any charitable reason. No, he only cared about the truly morbid cases of diseases and illnesses for his own curiosity. He cared so much about his desire that he had an entire part of the castle transformed into a medical wing. His servants didn't know what to do with him and his odd behaviors.
One particularly snowy night, a frail old woman knocked upon the castle’s doors. She was sick and cold and begged him to help her. Seeing that the woman did not have any interesting or rare diseases, the prince turned her away.
She pleads with him to look inside himself and take pity on her, and offers a single Queen of the Night in return. Annoyed by her intrusion, he refuses her again.
At that moment the old woman turned into a beautiful enchantress. When he tried to take back his decision, he was cut off by the woman’s cold words.
“I have seen into your heart, you have no love for those you view below you.”
As punishment she transformed his body into a horrible beast to reflect how ugly his insides were and placed a powerful spell on the castle and all who lived there. Nobody on the outside would remember who lived there.
Upset at his now monstrous appearance, the beast hid himself within the walls of the castle with only an enchanted mirror as his window to the outside world and the Queen of the Night.
The flower the woman offered was truly enchanted and would continue to grow until his 26th birthday. If he could learn to love another and earn their love in return by the time the flower bloomed, the spell would be broken. If not, he would be doomed to remain a beast for all time.
As the days turned into months and then years, he fell into depression and hopelessness, for who could ever learn to love a beast?
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The sound of chirping birds and the sheep bleating in the distance awoke the young woman from her restless sleep. After laying in bed for a while longer,she figured it best to get up and start the day.Throwing off the covers from her body, the woman pulled herself up and out of bed, already knowing what clothes she’ll pick out.After putting on a simple lavender dress with white puffy sleeves the young woman, Nico Robin, made her way out of her small cottage.It was quite a walk to the village she called home, nestled between a large expanse of plains and the snowy looming mountains in the distance, Robin wouldn’t have it any other way. She and her father moved here shortly after her mother passed away when she was only 8 years old. Her father, Saul, wanted her to have a fresh start and leave all the painful memories in their old hometown. Although it was hard for her, especially since she still couldn’t make any friends her own age, she began to see the beauty in her new home. She still wishes her mother could be with her but she’s come to accept the reality that while she may carry this grief forever, she’s at peace with it. Robin is shaken out of her musings by the sudden bustling of the townsfolk, scrambling around buying eggs, gossiping or taking their children to the local school. Robin smiles at a young boy running by a map in his hands, his large backpack weighing him down. It’s only a matter of time before it knocks him down, poor boy. She gracefully makes her way through town, dodging puddles and passing bakers with their trays of bread on the way to her favorite place in the village. Robin doesn’t notice the looks she gets when she passes by others, too focused on her destination to care. The bell above the door chimes as she opens it, revealing a quaint but cozy library behind it. The green haired man behind the counter looks up at the sound and smiles fondly when he sees who it is.“Well if it isn’t Robin. Back again so soon?” Professor Clover spoke, happy to speak with her each time she came in.“Good morning, Professor Clover. I came to return your book” she replied, taking a hard leather bound book from her satchel and handing it to him. “Done already? You just checked this out yesterday.” He remarked, a hint of amusement in his tone. “Oh I couldn’t put it down.” She gushed thinking about the wonderful book. “ It was amazing, the plot was so interesting and the twist at the end made it so I couldn’t leave it.” He chuckled lightly at her words “I see. I’m glad you enjoyed it.” “Do you have any new books that came in?” She asked hopefully looking around the small room, fingers occasionally moving across a book spine. “I’m afraid not, but you’re more than welcome to re-read any of the old ones you like.” “Really? That’d be lovely.” She scanned the books lining the walls before carefully picking out one that had some aging to the cover. Professor Clover looked over as she showed him the book she chose and smiled “That one? I’ll bet you’ve read it around a dozen times!” Robin shrugged sheepishly while smiling “I can’t help it. It’s the first book I read here, it brings back good memories” Putting the book in her satchel she made her way to the front door before turning to look back at the man “Thank you Professor Clover. You make our small corner of the world feel big.” “It’s always a pleasure to see you Robin. You come back whenever you want” his smile was warm and genuine. Robin smiled brightly at his words, giving her goodbyes and exiting the store and back into the bustling streets. What she did not notice while she was walking through the streets was the gossip somehow following her from every person she passed. She was too happy to pay any attention to the women sending her disdainful looks full of envy. “What a shame she’s so beautiful but no man wants a woman smarter than him.” “I can believe she’s got Lucci after her? What does he see in her?” “I heard he’s not really in love with her, he’s just around her so much because of spandam” “But why would-“ the woman was cut off by a glare sent by Robin herself having heard the last tidbit of gossip. She gave an affronted scoff before grabbing her friend and dragging her away from Robin’s gaze. Ah yes the infamous Rob Lucci. He was handsome, sure but Robin never liked him and his rude attitude towards her and others. To some he might come off as mysterious and sexy but to her he was just a prick. She dragged a hand down her face and sighed. Where did they get the idea that he liked her? In every interaction with him and his clique he always made her day harder by blocking her way and attempting to intimidate her. At least those women got one thing right, it had to do with Spandam. Robin had the unfortunate pleasure of meeting that slimy man. He was rude and arrogant more so than his lackeys he surrounded himself with because of his daddy’s influence. She wished she could punch that disgusting smirk off his face every time he showed up.She however did not get the chance to be the first as a boy she can’t remember that well managed to sock him so hard he now has to wear a mask. She laughs a little when she thinks about it, wishing she could’ve seen it in person. “Nico Olvia Robin!” Came a shrieking voice. Speak of the devil and he shall appear she thought the smile on her face instantly fading as she turned around to catch sight of the one man she wanted to avoid today. Spandam came walking up her a smug smile on his ugly face and his posse not too far behind looking as mysterious as ever. Why did they have to do this in the middle of town? she thought, looking around at the crowd gathering to watch the spectacle. Maybe that’s what he wanted to happen so she couldn’t escape his advances so easily this time. “You’re a hard woman to find, my dear. I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” Spandam simpered his smile daring her to reject him in front of everyone. Well unfortunately for him Robin wasn’t raised to take this kind of treatment silently. She could be civil but she was tired of acting like it, especially now. “Did you ever stop to think I was avoiding you on purpose or is your head really that far up your own ass?” She asked coolly with an empty expression. Gasps of shock were heard from the audience, she even saw a mother cover her child’s ears and glare at her. She wasn’t paying attention to that however because she was too focused on the look of surprise on Spandam’s face and his rising anger at being humiliated. “I never asked you to follow me around like a lost puppy. I don't know how to make it clearer to you that I don't appreciate you near me.” she glanced at his ‘friends’ and continued her verbal assault. “I find it pathetic you have to rely on your daddy’s workers to do your dirty work. Stalking and harassing me on the daily just to profess your love for me, a love I don’t want nor reciprocate. Do us both a favor and never taint my day with your face again.” Robin made sure to send him and anyone looking at her a mocking smile before turning on her heel and pushing through the crowd. What a lovely start to her day she thought sarcastically. All she wanted to do now is get back home and read her book. As she passed by the people on the road back to her cottage she caught the glances thrown her way and the not so subtle ugly words directed at her. If her father didn’t raise her to be a ‘lady’ she’d have a few choice words to give them. Instead she settled to unsettle them with a glare and watched in satisfaction when they scattered.
Finally she made it home, sighing heavily as she leaned against the closed door. The day hasn’t even started yet and she’s already drained. As if sensing her brief relaxation, a loud bang echoed through the home followed by a muffled curse. Robin raised her head and slowly looked towards the cellar stairs where the noise undoubtedly came from. Ah, she didn’t realize he came back while she was out. She chuckled lightly at another thud and made her way carefully down the old stairs. As soon as she reached the bottom, she had to immediately duck down to avoid a flying log which made a significant dent in the wall behind her. “Dad?” She asked, waving her hand to disperse the dust around the room. “Oh Robin! Sorry I didn’t hear you come back.” Her father, Saul, responded with a smile. “I’ve almost got this machine up and running, just a few more kinks to fix.” Saul was her eccentric inventor father, always building something down here, causing the neighbors to quite frequently come over to complain about the noise. It never stopped him however. The people in town seemed to think he had a couple of screws loose since her mom left but Robin thought he was just as he was supposed to be. “Oh I see. Will you be entering this in the contest coming up soon or is it more of a personal project?” She asked observing the machine closely. “Well. If all goes well I’ll win at the fair tomorrow and get a patent for my invention. If it works correctly that is.” He explained going back to working, every so often steam coming from the contraption.
Robin hummed, sitting on a stool nearby watching him work. A brief thought crossed her mind and before she had time to think it over, she voiced it. “I’ve always wondered, why did we move to this town?” Saul stopped tinkering momentarily “What do you mean? We moved here because your mother passed. I didn’t want you to associate those feelings of grief with our old home.” She sighed “I know that but why here? Surely there were better options that didn’t involve living directly in between a snowy mountain?”
There was a pause before her father peaked out from behind the machine and asked “Do you not like it here? Is someone giving you trouble?”
“Nothing I can’t handle.” She laughed slightly “I just wish I could be left alone, they act as though I don’t know how they stare and gossip about me.. I’m not weird am I?”
“Robin, you’re the smartest woman I know, and I’m not just saying that because I’m your father. If those people can’t see that, they aren’t worth the time of day.” He smiled with a tinge of sadness in his eyes, “Your mother would be so proud of you if she were here.”
She felt like she was going to cry if he kept this up, wiping her eyes she looked at him gratefully and nodded. “Thanks Dad. Sorry to pull you from your work”
“You’re more important to me, besides I think I got it!” He fiddled with the mechanism once more before it made a reving sound, steam pouring from the top.
All of a sudden it began to work, even without dual telling her what it was she could tell pretty easily what with the axe coming down on the logs. From her father’s proud ,and albeit shocked look, it was working like it was supposed to. Joy overcame her and she hopped up from her seat to grab her father’s shoulders “You did it!” “Wh- I did!” He smiled brightly at his invention before turning to her “I need to start packing, I’m going to the fair!” A little while later sees Saul on their family horse, André, hooked up to a cart carrying her father’s invention. The sun is setting, casting the sky in a brilliant orange.
Saul tightens his luggage once more to the cart before mounting André. He looks down to her “Anything you’d like me to get you while I’m gone? Anything at all.” Robin muses on it for a moment, her hands resting on the fence gate, “I hear they have a special kind of flower near the fair, a queen of the night.” She grins up at him “if you see one, could you bring it to me?” “Of course. I’ll be back soon with the first prize and your flower.” As he started to leave he looked back at her and waved. “Take care Robin! Be safe!”
She waved back “You’re the one I need to be worried about, don’t get lost!” She got a laugh in response but she knew he would be cautious. If only she knew that day that her uneventful life would take a turn. For the best or worse is anyone’s guess.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
It didn’t take long for things to go horribly wrong. Here he was Nico Saul, on his way to win first prize at the fair and become a world known inventor. If he won he would go back home and his daughter could finally have a father she wouldn’t be embarrassed by. If only that happened however. The dusk sky quickly became dark, and he had to rely on an oil lamp as his only source of light. He must’ve taken a wrong turn somewhere along the way he thought, looking at the split in the path. One was covered in a layer of snow leading to the side of the mountain, the other going down into a dip and out of sight. After observing both directions for several minutes he decided the mountain would be faster. With the wind howling in his ears, Saul regrets taking this path. Not only was it not a shortcut, but the wolves howling in the distance sounding closer with each passing second were making André nervous. It only took a snap of a twig for him to buck Saul off and run back the way they came, leaving him in the deep snow. “André!” He shouted hoarsely “come back boy!” Of course there was no answer from the horse, so he figured he’d better get himself together to figure out where he was. Standing up shakily he observed his surroundings, nothing but snow and a dense forest, with a very faint path in front of him.Before he had time to decide if it was smarter to turn back rather than go forward, something else made the decision for him in the form of a deep growl. Saul didn’t think before he started to run further down the path sloping up the mountain, he couldn’t let whatever was behind him catch him, there had to be some kind of shelter nearby. He briefly caught a glimpse of just what was running after him, and was surprised by the cougar gaining speed on him, growling all the while. Taking a quick turn he caught sight of a brilliant white gate, both sides having a 10 foot high stone wall that stretched across the forest until it eventually curved. Realizing this could be his one chance at salvation he grasped the bars of the gate and shouted with all his might. “HELP! Please help me!” He pushed a shoulder against the gate and it came open with a click, dropping him on the ground past the entrance. He quickly scrambled off the ground and slammed both sides shut, seconds before the cougar smashed into it hissing in irritation at its lost dinner. Panting saul let out a small nervous laugh watching as the cougar sulks away to find dumber prey. “Where am I?” He breathes out, turning around and stopping staring slack-jawed at the sight before him. Taller than anything he’s seen before, was a pristine white castle, with hedges lining the outside in a maze-like manner. The front entrance is guarded by two large statues, each with a thin sword in hand, crossing into the shape of an X above the door. Upon closer inspection of these statues, both have odd hats on, both black and white but in different styles. Saul disregards this and hesitantly knocks on the door hoping someone will open it. After a few moments with no response he opens it slightly and walks in. Not a moment later he hears a small noise behind him. When he turns around however he sees nothing but the two statues and dismisses it as his mind playing tricks on him while shutting the door. “Hello? Is anyone there?” He calls out into the dark, only just able to make out the grand staircase that leads up to a second floor. “I’m sorry but my horse ran off and I need a place to stay for the night.” He says trailing off towards the end at the eerie silence answering back.
“Should we just throw him out? He won’t have to know about anything..”
“We can’t! Although he’s not a lovely lady, I can’t in good conscience let him go back out there hungry and cold.”
“We don’t know that he’s hungry though..”
“A cook always knows Bepo!”
Saul startled at the slight whispers he could make out “Who’s there? Please I’ve had too much stress for one day I don’t think I could take anymore.” There was a faint shushing sound and then silence once more. Saul looked around uneasily before he made his way further into the castle, feeling around the walls when suddenly he saw a light emitting from a room not much further away. It was as if someone started a fire at the right time. “Please is someone there? I don’t mean any disturbance!”Silence Figuring he’d get no answers standing in the entrance hall, he made his way towards the room, stepping quietly in case there was someone there. Who wouldn’t be? A fire can’t start on its own. Entering the room he found it was more or less a sitting area, with a large rug in front of a fireplace and a map hanging above the mantle. Two chairs sat atop the rug, taller than any chair he’s ever sat in, they looked more like thrones made of leather. Looking around warily he searched for someone who lit the fire in the first place. He did see another light source on a small corner table, a candelabra burning brightly. Under the table was a medium sized polar bear rug, its eyes beady and staring into his soul. Shaking off the feeling that he was not supposed to be here, Saul came to sit at one of the chairs in front of the fireplace, warming his hands.
“Should we do something?”
“Shush! It’s better to not do anything at all.”
“But the master..”
“You know how he is. He’d throw the poor man out.”
There was a loud creak coming from the hallway, like a large door was being opened and shut forcefully.
“He’s in a bad mood..”
“When isn’t the bastard?”
Saul barely had time to turn around before he was met with a low growling sound coming from behind his chair. Did the cougar follow him in somehow? “Who is this in my home? Bepo! Why did you not come get me immediately?” “Well I wanted to but-“ “I told him not to! You’re such a prick, I knew you wouldn’t understand that his situation isn’t so simple that he just waltzed in for no reason.” There was a hiss “Sanji. I don’t remember giving you the authority to disrespect me.” “Someone has to. And you know Bepo won’t do it.” Saul was unbelievably confused, both at the conversation and where these people came from. Turning around slowly he began to open his mouth to explain himself before stopping and gaping at the sight before him. The candelabra that stood on the table before was now on the ground, burning brightly and moving on its own. Next to it was the bear rug, its head hanging low in submission before the large shadow standing before both. What he saw he can’t explain..The man? Beast stood tall, its horns adding to its height, while its long tail flicked behind it aggressively. Its neck had a fair amount of fur, not not enough to call it a mane, it was scruffy and unkempt. He couldn’t make out the outfit the creature was wearing, just that it was long and resembled a coat. It stared down the candelabra, which in any other case would’ve been amusing to Saul, but in this case he’d rather not interrupt the conversation. He didn’t have to however before piercing yellow eyes turned towards him and practically pinned him to his spot. “Now don’t do anything rash, he’s hungry and cold. He means no harm!” Came a new feminine voice sounding very concerned. “Yeah you may be heartless but you can’t-“ “Quiet! I can do whatever I want in my home.” Answered the beast, advancing on him. “Please! I don’t mean to intrude, I was chased here by a cougar and my horse ran off. I just needed shelter.” Saul tried to explain to the man He didn’t answer back, the only noticeable difference was its eyes narrowing before standing back to its full height and gesturing behind him. “Shachi, Penguin. Put him in the dungeon.” “What? But-“ “I don’t think-“ “Do as I tell you. You won’t hurt him, just place him there.” There was a grumbling sound before the two statues that stood outside the entrance entered the room, moving on their own. The one on the right looked at him with pity before speaking “I am sorry about this.” It must’ve been the stress or maybe the exhaustion, either way black spots began entering his vision. Very quickly they overtook his vision, and before he fell into unconsciousness he heard an angry voice. “This better not be one of your experiments!” ~~~ Robin sat in her living room, engrossed in her book. It was almost noon and while she hadn't been interrupted she did hear a lot of chatter outside near her home. Although for her sanity she’s chosen to ignore it unless it becomes irritating. Three knocks sounded from her door however, well she supposed that it was bound to happen soon. Sighing she placed her book carefully on the table before making her way over to the door and peaking out. Spandam’s grotesque face was there to greet her, smiling awkwardly in the peephole holding a bouquet of flowers. Standing behind him she could make out three figures, it didn’t take a genius to figure out who they were. Robin slumped against the door groaning. He just couldn’t give up could he? Just what does he get out of harassing her at her own cottage? If humiliating him publicly wasn’t enough, how else can she get rid of his presence? Figuring this won’t go away until she confronts it, she opens the door, but does not unhook the lock leaving only a small opening for her to look out of. “Didn’t I tell you yesterday in no uncertain terms that I don’t want to see your face again? Was the public spectacle not enough?” She asked coldly. “Oh but I know you didn’t mean it! You’re just shy in front of all those people.” He answered back. “I’ve come with a proposal.” She raised an eyebrow not liking where this was going already. “A proposal?” “Yes. Robin, you are the most beautiful in town,” one of his colleagues, a blonde woman she knew as Kalifa, made an affronted scoff. “You would make me the happiest man alive if you would marry-“ He didn’t get to finish his sentence before she slammed the door in his face. How dare he? Ask her to marry him after all he’s done to her?? She’d laugh if it wasn’t so frustrating. She called out the door “I will never marry you! I will say this a million times until it gets through your thick twisted head! the best time you accost me at my own home, I will not hesitate to give you a new scar.” There was a frustrated yell she couldn’t quite make out but she got the gist. She just hoped he would leave soon. Making her way back to her spot at the table, barely able to pick up her book before she was one again interrupted by a sharp neigh coming from her backyard. André? Was her father back already? The fair was today and he shouldn’t be back this soon. She drew back her curtains and looked out. André wasn’t the only thing that caught her eye, but instead the elaborate alter set up with guests, flowers, and a minister. Had he expected her to say yes?? Thinking about it made her frustrations come back full force. Breathing in deeply she reasoned that she would deal with that later. However all the anger at spandam left her body when she saw the horse she raised as a child, come galloping back without her father in sight. Feeling a sense of unease and fear she practically ran to her door, hurriedly unhooking the latch and flinging it open. Unbenounced to her, spandam still stood on her doorstep, and unfortunately for him when the door swung open it caught on him, pinning him to the wall. One of his ‘friends’ laughed suddenly at his misfortune, she did not have the patience nor the energy to stop and apologize. Not that she would anyways. “André! What happened? Where’s my father?” She asked worriedly, inspecting the stallion and petting him gently. She got a whinny in response, André gesturing behind him with his head. Without thinking Robin unhooked the wagon and with a swift motion mounted him. “André bring me to him. Go!” She flicked his reins and turned back to where he arrived from. He took off in a canter and soon a gallop, she just hoped she would be quick enough. ~~~ Robin stared up at the castle, holding André’s reins in a white knuckle grip. could her father really be here? She knew he was smart enough to seek shelter but this castle was surreal. Who builds a castle on top of a snowy mountain? Steeling herself, she hops off of the stallion and begins pushing the door open. Before she enters she gestures behind her and says comfortingly “André stay here. I’ll be back soon.” She makes her entrance as quiet as possible, first looking in through a small crack then shutting the door as quietly as she can. Upon noticing that the place is empty she calls out “Dad? Are you here??” There was no answer, and the silence only made her heart beat faster in her chest. What if something happened to him? The thought made her feel hopeless. Robin quickly climbed the stairs of the elaborate building, noting the large windows and ornate furniture scattered across the place. Any other time she’d stop and look around but even with her curiosity peaked, she couldn’t indulge. “Dad! Please say something!” She tried again looking in any room she came across but only finding more unused furniture. She flung open a door, but was met with a spiral staircase made of old stone. She didn’t know if Saul would be here or not, he could be at a different portion of the castle, but something was telling her this was correct. She quickly made her way up the stairs, passing by many cut out window holes along the way. Even if she didn’t find anything here she could at least figure out where to go next with such a high vantage point. Robin stopped suddenly at a door halfway up the staircase however, it was old and worn down with claw marks indenting the wood. She furrowed her brows in confusion and curiosity. What animal did this? The door was pushed open away from the lock she guessed it usually would have on. This was opened recently she realized with a start pushing open the door with all her might.
Did I find him? Is he here?
The sight that greeted her was something she could only describe as out of one of her fantasy books. The ceiling was covered in cobwebs, some with spiders still occupying their webs. The walls were worn and covered in moss, some parts gone completely. Robin couldn’t make out much of the room, the only source of moonlight was through a large opening in the ceiling which did nothing to stop the snow from falling in. she could make out the faint lines of iron bars however. “Robin?” Asked a wary voice she knew all to well. Rushing over she fell to her knees and reached in through the bars “Dad! What happened? Why are you locked up?” She asked inspecting the lock on the door. “Don’t worry about that, you have to get out of here. There’s something here he’ll-“ he interrupted himself with a harsh cough. “I’m not leaving. Give me one of your tools so I can get you out.” She answered back, not minding her volume. “No Robin! You need to leave. I don’t feel well enough to come with you.” Saul interrupted in a whisper. “I’ll carry you if I have to. Just tell me how to-“ he grabbed her hands in a firm but gentle grip. “Listen to me. There’s a beast here. He ordered me to be held here because I trespassed. I’ve lived my life Robin, and I’d rather die here than see you be captured by that creature!” She could feel the tears welling up behind her eyes, and her throat beginning to close up. “What will I do? You can’t ask me to leave you! You’re all I have left.” She cried bowing her head so he wouldn’t see her tears. “You must live Robin! I-“ her father’s words were cut off by a low growl, sounding more animal than human. “What are you doing here?” The voice hissed before a large paw grabbed her by the shoulder and turned her around. “Robin go now!” “What? Who’s there?” She asked, blinking away her tears to gain back her confidence. “The master of this castle.” It answered back.She glared at the space where the voice came from and said firmly “I’m here for my father. He’s sick, can you not see that?” For a moment the voice did not answer her then it coughed “yes I can. He however came into my home.” “He could die! Are you really this heartless?” A sharp canine sounding laugh resounded through the room “I’ve been told so, yes. There’s nothing you can do anyways. I've made up my mind.” Huffing the figure moved to exit. Before she knew what she was doing she grabbed him tightly by the wrist. Feeling not skin but fluffy fur there she faltered before she steeled herself once more and staring coldly up at where his eyes should be. “Take me instead.” She demanded “No I won’t let you, Robin!” Her father cried grabbing at the bars. “You would take his place?” He asked, sounding unsure. “Would you let him go if I did?” She replied not backing down. A hum and then “You don’t know what you’re doing. If you did, you'd have to promise to stay here forever.”
Forever?
Robin stepped back, tilting her head at the figure. “Step into the light.” She responded. There was a small shuffle and she was greeted be the sight of something she couldn’t believe. It was a beast, just like her father said. He was a mix of several animals, although she could only make out a couple. A goat from his long horns, two of them like that of a ram and two more atop his head like that of a demon. More than half of his body was that of a snow leopard, the spots stretching across his fur, although peaking out were lines that did not resemble any pattern she’d ever seen on an animal. The legs were obviously that of a wolf however, the pattern of the leopard ending right before the bend. Two teeth protruded from the top of his mouth and curved downward. As shocked as she was she stood firm and stared into his yellow eyes and nodded slightly. “You have my word. Now let him go.” His face twisted into a small snarl at being told what to do “Fine.” Her father stumbled out of his cell, grabbing her shoulders “Please don’t do this Robin. I don’t want you to do this.” Robin opened her mouth to respond, to tell him it was okay. She’d trade her life for his over and over again. But she never got to tell him.A large claw grasped her father by his cloak and started to drag him away from her. “No! wait!” She cried trying to reach out for him one last time. “Robin!” “Stop!” The door closed sharply without so much as a response from the beast. She stood there, not knowing what to do. She turned upon hearing the large entrance door open, briskly making her way to the window and looking out. She caught a glimpse of a shoddy looking carriage moving on its own, out of the castle gate and into the woods.
Her father was gone. Everything she knew before, whisked away in an instant. Grief hit her at full force, and she fell to her knees once more. Finally letting her tears fall she cried. She wasn’t able to comfort her father, and now she’ll never see him again. She wished for more in her life, but this isn’t the way it was supposed to be.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Robin was still silently crying when she heard a shuffling behind her and a firm feminine voice hiss.
“Don’t stand there! Go comfort her Law!”
“What am I supposed to say?”
“Oh I don’t know, ‘I’m Sorry’? You’re unbelievable.”
Robin wiped her tears on her sleeves, giving herself a moment to collect herself before she carefully stood up. Brushing off her apron she turned on her heel and looked coldly at the beast.
He stared back at her and just as quickly looked away, looking awkward for someone who just imprisoned her for the rest of her life. His previous behavior having melted away completely, she observed.
“What, you can't look me in the eyes now?” She asked, coming up to stand in front of him, trying to catch his eyes. He avoided her gaze and found his padded feet more interesting.
She quickly grew frustrated at his avoidance, how dare he ignore her? He took away her father and he gets to act embarrassed now?
“You didn’t even let me say goodbye! I’ll never see him again and I couldn’t even say goodbye!” She snapped, tears forming in her eyes.
There was a momentary pause before those sharp yellow eyes met hers again, and he spoke in that deep voice once more.
“Follow me.”
“What? That’s all you have to say?” She demanded “Why do I have to follow you? Is there a worse place in this castle than here?”
“If you want to sleep here for the rest of your stay, be my guest. It’s not as if this place has unused bedrooms that would be better” he huffed back.
Just as she was about to express her frustrations at him again, she was interrupted by the feminine voice from before.
“Law!”
Another figure entered the room, this one shorter and less beast-like. It was like the woman was taken straight out of a garden, a simple statue that had moss clinging to her fingertips and legs. Her face, while made of stone, had a gentle appearance that radiated warmth. Her hair didn’t move from its shape, but it was curly and puffed out past her shoulders and down her back.
She smiled softly at Robin, showing off her dimples that somehow stayed with her in this form.
“I’m sorry about him! We try to get him to be nicer but he’s been alone for years and doesn’t know how to talk to anyone but us. What he
meant
was that we have a better arrangement for you!” She expressed coming up to her excitedly and took her hand. It was cold and firm, just like real stone.
“I’m Ikkaku. If you need anything at all don’t hesitate to call me!” She grinned.
Robin stood shocked and hesitantly muttered out an introduction. “Robin. I’m sorry, what do you mean ‘better arrangement’?”
“Well we have many bedrooms here! And we don’t use them because..well we look like this.” She gestured to her current state. “Aside from the dust that’s accumulated in them, they’re in perfect condition. We’ll get you situated in one so you don’t have to sleep in the tower.”
“But I thought..?” She trailed off looking around the old room.
“What? You want to stay here?” The beast, Law, snarked back. He quickly earned a smack on his shoulder by an irritated looking Ikkaku.
“Stop it!” She hissed, turning back to Robin with her sweet smile again “Oh no, there’s no way I’d let you stay here. And if Sanji knew, he’d really have a fit. Best avoid it all together and get you to a real bedroom.”
Robin had never been more confused in her entire life. They were going to give her a room? They just forced her into imprisonment and they were going to not keep her in this jail cell?
Law evidently noticed her confusion and scoffed.
“Why so surprised? I’d rather not come all the way up here everyday to check on you when you could be closer to the main hall.”
Ikkaku gave an exasperated sigh. She leaned in close to Robin and cupped her hand to her mouth and whispered “Let’s just go, before he gets grumpy again. He’s been in a bad mood all day.”
Still feeling like she was missing something, Robin nodded her head silently. She’d go along with this for now, it’s better to know what she’s working with than run away without any plan.
Ikkaku clapped her hands and smiled brightly. “Great! Let’s get you settled.” She turned and made her way out of the room, gesturing for Robin to follow her.
Robin passed by Law on her way out the door, looking up at him with thinly veiled contempt. He stared back at her but said nothing, the only indication he was irritated was his ears which were pulled back.
They made their way down the spiral staircase, Ikkaku in front of her excitedly rambling, and Law following behind silently. She could feel his piercing eyes on her back, if she didn’t know any better she’d think he was trying to intimidate her. She however wasn’t amused at his attempt.
They barely opened the door at the bottom of the tower when she was greeted by more stoney faces. These were not like Ikkaku, they were taller and had little to no cracks on their ‘skin’. Where Ikkaku had moss, they had frost and snow coating their shoulders and heads.
Both of them were so large they had to kneel on the floor to greet them. Their hands, or at least the ones that weren’t carrying giant spears, were pressed against the floor. Both of them had black and white hats on, one resembling an orca and the other a penguin.
“Ikkaku! Did you hear?” The one with the penguin hat asked excitedly.
“Nami said she saw a woman walk in the castle. I thought she was full of it, we just had that man come in yesterday.” The statue with the orca hat explained.
“And now he’s got a bet with her. You know how those end.”
Ikkaku laughed “Shachi, you made a bet with Nami? You never win.”
“No this time I will! There’s no way a woman walked into this decrepit castle, she’s trying to gaslight me!”
Robin heard a small huff of laughter behind her, but when she turned to look, Law still had that same expression on his face before. Did he just laugh?
“I think Nami just gained more money than she needs.” Ikkaku smiled before she exited the doorway and revealed Robin to both of them.
Robin stared up at the two men in shock, their expressions mirroring hers. She could handle Ikkaku but these two were giant, if the ceiling wasn’t so high they wouldn’t be able to fit in the hallway!
Shachi sputtered looking at her “I-you..what???”
“She really is here! And she’s cute too!” The other exclaimed, smiling brightly.
“Ah. Thank you?” Robin hesitantly answered back. What was she supposed to do in this situation?
“Well to get introductions out of the way, this is Penguin, and the one currently regretting his choices is Shachi. You may have noticed empty spaces at the entry door, that’s where they’re supposed to be.” Ikkaku explained
“I owe her so much money..” Shachi whined.
Penguin patted his back comfortably. “By the time we turn back, she’ll be too happy being human again to come and collect.”
There was a scoff before Law made his presence known again. “I doubt it, she’ll get her payment one way or another. Zoro-ya is right when he calls her a witch.”
Shachi and Penguin froze, looking like they’d been petrified by Medusa herself. Like her, they probably didn’t realize Law was nearby.
Penguin recovered quickly with a laugh, “You only say that because you owe her the most money out of all of us! She’s going to bleed you dry.”
“Yeah She’s terrifying..” Shachi agreed
Ikkaku clapped her hands, gaining the attention of the other two men.
“Okay, we’re getting off topic. If that’s all, I have to escort our
guest
here to her room. She’s had a long day and she needs to rest.” She explained putting her cold hands on her shoulders.
The two men exchanged glances before backing away from the doorway and standing up carefully. Perhaps her previous observation was wrong, even standing up they still had enough room. But looking up at them like this made her neck hurt.
“Alright. We’ll let you go, but you’ll talk to us later right?” Shachi asked
“Yeah this is the best thing that’s happened in years, you have to tell us everything Ikkaku!”
“I will! I will! Now go, you’re taking up half the hallway.” She replied before guiding Robin out and past the two.
“Sorry about them. They’re overexcited. We don’t get visitors here.” She sighed, “You and your father are the first people we’ve seen in years.”
Robin hummed, still unsure what to say. It’s only been themselves for years? And how long do they mean? Logically it couldn’t be that long, these people still talk with the same or similar slang that she hears everyday so they couldn’t have been here for more than 10 years.
While she was caught up in her thoughts, she didn’t notice they’d stopped in front of a hallway lined with doors on both sides. Ikkaku took in each door, pondering.
“Now let’s see, some of these aren’t bedrooms, so we’ll go down the line and pick the right one for you!” She said smiling as she reached for a door knob and opened it.
It seemed this one was not a bedroom, but a medical room, with white walls and a cluttered desk. In one corner was a skeleton propped up with wires and a long support piece along its spine. Oddly enough it had a violin in one hand and a bow in the other. It raised its head when the door opened and made a surprised noise at the sight of them.
Robin barely had time to process what she saw before Ikkaku slammed the door rather forcefully. She took a step back at the sudden movement and looked at the woman in confusion. Ikkaku sheepishly looked back.
“Sorry, that wasn’t a bedroom. And trust me you don’t want to room with Brook anyway. He’s nice but. he’s a pervert.” She stated simply before going to the next door.
Robin followed but glanced back at the other room. She caught a glimpse of Brook peeking out staring after them with Law speaking quietly with him. She sent a small wave but quickly turned back to the task at hand.
“Ah ha! This is a good room, I- oh..” her voice trailed off, leaving Robin to stare at her crestfallen face. Curious, she came up beside her and peeked in.
It was indeed a bedroom, but not for an adult she was sure. It was like a lilac wonderland, the walls, floor and bed. Robin wished she had a room as spacious as this when she was a child. She caught sight of a neatly made bed and a crudely made stuffed animal sitting atop.
A children’s room? Here? it couldn’t be Law’s, while that seemed funny, he didn’t strike her as someone to keep their childhood bedroom in pristine condition. She only hoped there wasn’t a child running around this huge place.
She turned towards Ikkaku, ready to start firing off questions when a clawed hand reached between them and quickly shut the door.
“Don’t go in there. That’s not a place she should’ve shown you.” Law growled at her.
“I’m sorry.. I forgot, Law.” She apologized softly. She raised her head to Robin and stated firmly “He’s right, I shouldn’t have shown you that room. It’s private.”
Robin nodded, not understanding completely but letting the topic go. It was best not to get on this man’s nerves anymore than she should. She’d find out what that room held in her own time.
“Okay.. I think this room should-ah yes!” The statue woman exclaimed after opening yet another door. “This is perfect, I think it suits you.”
The room was unlike the last one, while it was just as big, it was decorated with ornate furniture and gold trim. On one wall was a long window with a window seat underneath, enough space to fully lie down. Robin imagined herself reading a book on it while the sunlight streamed through the glass.
She ran her hand along the yellow duvet and was surprised to find it was soft to the touch. It was bigger than both her and her father’s beds by a lot. Ikkaku said they don’t use those rooms anymore, but she has to think they once belonged to someone.
She turned to Ikkaku and asked, “Whose room was this?”
She looked surprised, or as surprised as a garden statue could look with a face of stone.
“Oh! I believe it belonged to someone before my time here. I’m unsure.” She replied with a small shrug. “Don’t worry they won’t mind you using this room, we can’t sleep like we used to anymore.”
Robin stared at her a moment longer before turning her attention back to the room. She quickly spotted law, his back towards her but focused on the dresser. She didn’t see what he was doing but saw him grab something atop it and put it into a pocket. As he turned back he caught her staring but stayed silent and looked around the room with what she could only describe as melancholy.
“Ikkaku, let me know when dinner is ready.” He started “And make sure she attends it as well.”
“Who said I’d attend-?” Robin began before she was interrupted quickly by the other occupant in the room.
“Yes sir. I’ll have her all settled before Sanji finishes his preparations.” She replied bowing.
He made a noise of acknowledgement before swiftly leaving the room, his coat billowing out behind him like a cape. Robin stared after him before she looked at Ikkaku coldly.
Noticing this the woman put her hands up in a surrender, but didn’t look too remorseful at all. “I’m sorry, it’s better to go along with what he wants. I know you don’t want to eat with him after what happened, but if you refuse he’ll be upset again.” She explained.
“So? That’s not my problem. I don’t want to eat with the beast that sent my father away and locked me here for the rest of my life.” Robin argued back “Who does he think he is demanding I attend?”
“He’s our master. We have to obey his wishes.” Although knowing it was rhetorical, she still answered.
“But why? You’re all no longer human, you don’t have to follow him.”
“Well.. it’s more for another reason now. We’ve all known Law so long. Longer than he was a beast, and when he was still young. I don’t know what happened in his life before I came to serve him, but I’ve been told it was something awful. I and a few others talk back to him, yes, but we know he’s been going through something we cannot comprehend.” She sighed.
“So it’s out of pity then?”
“I can’t say more . If you really want to know, you’d have to speak with someone who knows him longer than me.” She thought a moment before adding “or Law himself. But I think even you know he’d be against telling anyone such things.”
Robin was inclined to agree. From her brief time with him, he was not at all open with his feelings as others she’d known. Whatever had happened to change him so drastically she may never know.
Ikkaku put on a small smile before she made her way to the doorway. “Well, you’re all settled so I better tell Sanji that he needs to make an extra plate for you. Once I tell him it’s a woman he’s serving, I bet you’ll get a course better than Law ever got!”
“What does it matter that I’m a woman?” She asked in confusion
“You’ll see when you meet him” she laughed, shutting the door softly.
Robin found herself with more questions than answers floating around in her head. She desperately wanted to quell her curiosity.. well they never said she had to stay in this room..just the castle itself.
Robin quietly opened the door, checking that Ikkau wasn’t in the hallway anymore. She quickly slipped out of the room and stood alone, wondering where she ought to go next.
~~~
“Well, she certainly is quite the beauty. I just can’t imagine she’d come here of her own free will.” Brook mused, playing a couple notes on the grand piano. “Perhaps you could enlighten me, Law-san?”
“Why don’t you ask Ikkaku? She was there and she’s more willing to tell you than me.”
“Ah but I find it better to hear it from the source. It’s not often we get a visitor, I am simply curious.”
An exasperated sigh sounded in the dark room “Then be curious elsewhere. I’m busy.”
“Busy doing what exactly? You’ve been pacing for the past couple minutes.” Asked a muffled voice near Brook. “It’s pathetic.”
“I didn’t ask for your opinion. Go back to sleeping or whatever you do around here.” Law growled back.
“I’m good for now. It’s been awhile the last time I saw you this upset, over a woman no less. You’ve lost your touch Law.”
Brook hummed “Anybody with eyes could see he cares about her more than he’s letting on. Ah but I don’t have any eyes! YOHOHO!~”
He quickly settled “But in all seriousness, if he can get her to love him in return, our spell will be broken. We don’t have long before time runs out Law-san.”
The aforementioned beast had stopped before a flower encapsulated in glass, his head resting in his hands. He tensed up at the reminder, claws digging into skin.
“I know.” He hissed “But even I cannot force her to love me as I am.”
“Well, you’d better try. It’s almost your birthday and I’d rather not stay like this forever if you can help it.”
“Just leave already. I’m done listening to you.”
There was a scoff before metal scraping on the floor could be heard in the echoing chamber and a door was loudly closed.
“I shall see myself out too. Please think it over Law-san, I know it’s a lot of pressure but we do count on you.”
Law stood in silence for what seemed like hours, staring at the flower that has tormented him for years.
“I know.” He whispered to an empty room.