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Looking toward the dimly lit room, Anos's gaze softened.
A slight smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he walked towards the door, making no effort to engage with the guard who stood silently at his side.
Anos, a figure as enigmatic as he was powerful, had grown accustomed to the reverent silence of those around him. Power commanded quiet respect.
The two guards exchanged glances as he passed, their expressions relaxed yet alert.
They held their positions, their eyes trained outward, surveying every shadow and subtle movement within the hall.
In the Tru Kingdom, vigilance was a necessity; the walls here, both literal and metaphorical, held secrets, and each guard understood the weight of the lives they protected.
Arriving at the door, Anos paused momentarily as if gathering his thoughts before raising his hand to knock with a courteous firmness.
He waited, feeling the steady passage of time, allowing a respectful silence to fall. When no response came, he gently pushed the door open.
Inside, the room was stark, nearly bare. Only the essentials adorned the space a narrow bed tucked into a corner and a small table near the door.
An untouched lunch box sat upon it, indicating that the meal had gone ignored for hours.
Shadows cast by the lone candle flickered on the walls, emphasizing the isolation within these walls.
In one corner, Robin crouched, folded tightly into herself as if hoping that the confined space might offer her some semblance of safety.
She remained motionless, her gaze unfocused yet vigilant, searching for something she'd long since lost.
The room, devoid of luxury, felt as empty as the desolate memories she harboured. Silence became her armour.
Anos entered the room, his movements quiet and measured, the soft tread of his boots against the floor barely audible.
His presence seemed to fill the space, though he allowed the door to remain ajar, leaving her a symbolic avenue of escape a gesture meant to ease her, if only slightly.
Without preamble, he began. "Nico Robin," he said, his voice calm and even, "born in Ohara, in the West Blue. Known widely as the 'Devil's Child.' You were wanted by the Marines from the age of eight and now carry a bounty of 83 million Beris. You are the last known person who can read the true historical texts."
At his words, Robin's composure wavered. She had believed herself an enigma here, a ghost with a past unknown to these foreign halls.
Yet this man, this king, seemed to have dissected her life and laid bare every chapter she sought to keep hidden. Her heart pounded with a growing dread, the words heavy in the air.
"Don't wonder how I know this," he continued, his tone unchanging. "I am not here because of your bounty, nor am I here for any personal vendetta. Your presence is a consequence of the knowledge you possess."
As he spoke, he moved closer, stopping at a respectful distance before easing himself into a chair beside her.
He studied her in silence, his eyes unwavering, seeming to calculate every reaction, every flicker of emotion that crossed her face.
She felt the weight of his gaze, a scrutiny that extended beyond the surface.
Robin's breath hitched, and though her instincts screamed at her to remain composed, she could not suppress the fear that trembled in her voice.
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"What do you want from me?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Anos's expression remained inscrutable. "You must have deciphered the Poneglyph in Alabasta's royal tomb, yes?"
Robin's heart stilled. The word "Poneglyph" resonated like an echo from her past. She swallowed, feeling her body tense involuntarily. "Is that…why you've captured me?"
"Perhaps," Anos replied, his voice soft yet unmistakably direct. "But my purpose is singular I cannot allow what's recorded to spread. I've known the location of the ancient weapon, Pluton, for years. But ask yourself, what would I gain from that knowledge? Why do you think I came to Alabasta?"
She searched his gaze, feeling the weight of his words, the depth of an intent that transcended mere curiosity. Her silence encouraged him to continue.
"My initial intent was to destroy the Poneglyph," he admitted, a hint of frustration in his tone. "But it's far tougher than I anticipated, far more resilient than any material I've encountered."
"So, if I cannot destroy the Poneglyph, perhaps eliminating the one who understands it will suffice. Don't you agree, Robin?"
The calm deliberation with which he spoke struck Robin like a blow. His gaze bore into her, as though he was reading the very thoughts she tried to conceal.
Unlike pirates who sought her for fame or fortune, Anos's intentions seemed much darker, his focus solely on silencing the knowledge she held within.
At this grim realization, a sob escaped her a sound she could no longer contain.
It was not the bounty on her head or the price others placed on her life that haunted her; it was this understanding that her very knowledge was deemed dangerous, that her existence threatened powers greater than herself.
"Who are you?" she finally managed her voice a mixture of fear and anger.
She assessed his attire, noting its regal bearing, and pieced together fragments of what she'd overheard from the guards.
Only one other person, a woman named Jasmine, had entered this room in recent memory, and even then, the intervals were sparse.
"I am the king of the Tru Kingdom," Anos replied, his tone softening slightly. "And the place referenced in the Poneglyph lies within my Reach"
For a moment, Robin saw a glimmer of something almost gentle in his expression, a brief warmth that dissolved as quickly as it appeared.
Yet even in his kindness, there was an underlying threat, a power that permeated his every word.
"Why?" she demanded, anger mingling with despair. "I've done nothing wrong, and yet people hunt me down, seeking my life. What crime did I commit to deserve this fate?"
Anos's expression grew serious, a faint shadow crossing his face. "Sometimes, it's not about wrongdoing, Robin. Sometimes, merely knowing certain things makes you a threat."
"Ohara's fate should make that clear. Many in this world do not wish for ancient truths to resurface. Yet you persist, even knowing the risk, in studying the Poneglyphs."
"Tell me, what do you believe this knowledge will accomplish? Uncovering the Void Century's secrets will not alter the present."
He paused, studying her reaction, allowing his words to sink in. "In this world, power defines everything. Only when you're strong, so strong that you fear no one, can you act with true freedom."
"Until then, weakness is a burden. The Tru Kingdom understands this. And it's why I am determined to erase any trace of the Poneglyph."
Anos's voice grew colder, a deep resolve within his words. "If word of Pluton's existence were to reach the Marines, the World Government, or even pirates, can you imagine the devastation that would befall the world?"
"Ohara served as a lesson, I will not allow my kingdom to suffer a similar fate, Even if it meant sacrificing others in Exchange"
As his words filled the room, Robin felt a chill settle in her bones. The guards outside, oblivious to the storm brewing within, stood at attention.
Anos had created a sound barrier, ensuring his conversation with Robin would remain theirs alone.
"How do you know about Ohara?" Robin asked, her voice trembling with confusion. "The Marines should have erased—"
"Erased all knowledge?" Anos interrupted, a wry smile curving his lips. "You give them too much credit. Information is a weapon, Robin, and I hold it well. I know more than you could imagine…even about how you escaped that island."
He leaned forward, his gaze darkening. "The events of Ohara were not isolated. That same year, my kingdom endured its tragedy on Baterilla Island. For the sake of a pirate king's legacy, over 2,500 pregnant women were slain."
"Innocents who paid with their lives because we lacked the strength to protect them because we held no standing in a world that disregards weakness & my father died in a massive guilt for not being able to protect his Kingdom"
Robin's mind struggled to process the enormity of his words. She had always believed her past, her suffering, to be singular in its brutality.
Yet here was this king, speaking of similar horrors, of darkness that mirrored her own, of cruelty that resonated deeply within her.
"What you know is limited," he continued, his voice unwavering. "There is a deeper darkness, a corruption within this world that runs far deeper than any ancient text."
Anos's words held a strange, cold comfort a reassurance that her isolation, her persecution, was not unique, that others, too, had faced the violence of power unchecked.
But even as he spoke, she sensed the anger within him, a barely contained fury that simmered beneath his calm exterior.
Robin felt a strange resolve hardening within her. She might have been deemed dangerous for her knowledge, but she would not let fear consume her.
Not now. She lifted her head, meeting his gaze with newfound defiance.
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