Disclaimer-i dON'T oWN wITCH hUNTER rOBIN
Chapter-Acceptance
Robin raised a slender hand to her face to shield sensitive eyes from the flash of bright light, the Great Hall being rather dark most of the time. Doujima stirred from where she was sitting. She got up and walked over to Robin, also shielding her eyes, until the light died down. Once the light did die down 3 figures became visible behind the first figure. A long ornamental trench coat-one she had never seen him in-swirled around his ankles as he stepped into the room. It was then she realized that he was decked out in full General regalia. She looked him up and down and couldn't help but mentally point out the differences. When she had always met him in the woods his hair had always free and messy. His hair was neatly combed and restrained under a formal army cap. The trench coat was nothing new….trench coats were standard issue for a Natural uniform, except his trench coat had silver gilt braid on his wrists…silver to set off his eyes. He looked completely different…more official…and yet. The gleam in his eyes…the gleam that had developed, she noticed, when he fell for her, was still there, still peering dully out of his eyes.
Michael left the little group behind the General, walking the distance of the Great Hall, stood where Yuri was standing, a few inches behind Robin. Doujima reached out and squeezed Robin's hand briefly for moral support. Robin nodded to the guards flanking the doors and one by one they filed out. The two aides of the General flanked him, similarly to how Michael and Yuri were flanking the Queen. Robin raised her chin and started the meeting with four words. "Why are you here." Not a question, a statement.
Amon took in the sight of Robin as Queen. Putting a pensive look on his face as though mulling over her question he took in every inch of her. From the hair that wasn't in it's normal style, rather a messy bun, with a thin yet beautiful tiara embedded in her hair. Her attire was totally opposite from the peasant's gown he was accustomed to seeing her in, not only was this dress white, but it was off the shoulders, long, flowing, and yet it clung to her figure just right. He quietly swallowed and responded to the question posed. "I have come to negotiate a peace treaty for a war that has gone on for many years, has claimed many lives and," he added "I'm afraid might take my love away from me should I not act immediately." Even from across the room the General and his aides could tell that this information took the Queen aback.
As Robin fought to maintain her composure at those words she had to think fast for an excuse to distract them from her discomfort. Ripping something off the top of her head she asked "What are the names of your assistants?" With a gloved hand he gestured first to the woman, saying "Miho Karasuma" and next to the young man standing on the other side "Haruto Sakaki. Both Lieutenants in my Army, both trustworthy." Meanwhile her thoughts raced through his head. "He's here because the war might have taken his love away? Me? But I'm still right here…" he decided in that split second what was necessary. To gain a treaty and trust from his love he needed to reveal that his power was awakened. He had told her he was a witch, yes, but she was the only one who knew that also. And that would also involve some explanation as to why the General of the Natural's army was the one thing he stood against.
Robin saw that he was about to say something and interrupted him, just before the words materialized. "Sir, might I ask why now? Why not six or seven months ago? Why not a year ago?" Amon looked at her and said, while sending her a message she would understand, with his eyes, "I didn't know my love a year ago. In fact, when I first saw her, I tried to kill her." When Robin opened her mouth to say something else, this time it was Amon who interrupted her. "If I may be so bold, your Majesty, what are your aide's names." Robin did something similar to what Amon did. Pointing to the ornamented Captain she said "This is Michael Lee. He is my very capable captain of the guard, and a very good friend. On my other side is the Lady Yurika Doujima. She's my best friend."
Amon opened his mouth to beat Robin to the punch just before she said something else. "If you don't mind, Your Majesty may we cut to the chase? I would very much like to hold my love in my arms but cannot until the proceedings are completed." Robin guessed that he was doing that because he didn't know that Yuri and Michael knew about them. "Fine. What are your conditions and I will consult with my aides to see if they are acceptable." Robin waved a hand and, from nowhere a servant and a guard appeared. The servant bore a stack of three chairs, which were set down for the visitors, who immediately sat, while the Queen and her aides sat on the throne and the lesser seats respectively. Robin gestured to the guard to come closer and she requested that guards be posted at every entrance to the Great Hall and that anyone who should be seen eavesdropping on the meeting would be arrested, no matter the station. Mind you only arrested, but not executed. The guard nodded and turned to execute the Queen's request.
Once the guard was gone Amon got up out of his chair and, clasping his hands behind his back, began pacing in front of the throne. "My dear Queen, I believe that in any situation where peace is desired what first must come to pass is complete trust that must exist between sides, otherwise the treaty is too easily broken. I had that trust with the woman I am doing this to win back, however the trust was broken when she told me that she wasn't whoI thought she was,and I hadn't told her who I actually was." Amon paused to look up at Robin's reaction, only to see that she was perfectly stoic, keeping every trace of emotion locked up deep inside of her. He continued pacing as he continued his story. "For that trust to exist there is something that everyone in this room needs to know." He paused and, with an eye on his Robin and an eye on his Lieutenants he said in a loud voice "I am an awakened Witch." His Lieutenants jumped up in surprise, but he gestured with one hand to tell them to sit back down. "It's a secret passed down from General to General. As I'm sure everyone in this room learned in history the instigator of this conflict, the first General was one Juliano Collegli, a priest in the Catholic Church. A little known fact about him was he too was an awakened witch. He fought against his own people as I am doing now, however only told his successor of his powers. Ever since then the General has been a Witch to honor his memory."
Robin sat there stunned. He was an awakened witch? Had the fates planned this? Well obviously. Her people would accept a witch as a co-ruler. And the naturals would accept whoever their General picked. She opened her mouth to ask what his power was but he beat her to the punch. "I have the power of Telepathy. I can read people's minds." Robin gasped. He could read her mind? The many things he could know about her…she blushed quickly. He made eye contact with her as the pink tinge faded from her face. She stood up and behaved like a queen for the first time since he had started talking. "Well General, I believe, under the circumstances that, based on what you have told me, that peace will be an acceptable option." The General smiled and saluted the Queen who acknowledged this with a nod. "Now, your Majesty, may I be permitted to see my love as simply Amon? I have a few things to tell her."
Robin paled slightly and nodded, allowing her assent. Amon took off his hat, and trench coat, making him seem more the man that she had fallen for and less the arrogant General. He walked a few feet to her throne and kneeling on one knee like she had just seen him do not 48 hours ago. "Robin." He said in a soft voice. "It doesn't matter to me if I'm the General and you're the Queen. It especially doesn't matter now that peace reigns in this world, finally. What does matter is that I still love you; no matter if you are the Queen, you're still Robin to me. You're still the girl I found crying over the loss of her family on that first day, still the girl I could tell about my family when I could confide in noone else, still the girl that I…proposed to and was broken by when she said no." He paused to gauge her reaction to these words and watched anxiously as she bit her lip.
"Amon…I didn't want to say no but I had no choice. My feelings haven't changed one iota either and….I do still love you." Amon reached into his pocket, they were now oblivious to their aides. "Robin. You said no before but now is different circumstances. Peace means we can be together and I ask you again, my …little bird," coming up with that nickname at the spur of the moment, "Will you marry me?" Robin got up, smiled, tears pouring down her cheeks as she whispered "yes", throwing her arms around his neck. For the second time the beautiful ring was slipped around her finger as a loud bang echoed through the hall.
The young man slid through the castle like a shadow. It was hard to tell whether or not people could see him, but even if he thought they did he just breezed on by, his objective the Great Hall. When he finally reached the servant's quarters, right by the Great Hall, using his flashlight, he found the peeping hole that opened the passage into the Great Hall and looked in on the tableau before him. His objective, the one he wished to speak to, kneeled before the Queen, holding out what looked to be a ring box. 'So that's what this is about.' The young man thought numbly in disbelief. 'He loves her.' When he saw the Queen get up and throw her arms around the General's neck and obviously say yes, he was so shocked the flashlight fell to the ground with a clunk, it was obvious was heard by everyone.
A/N R&R! And no, the dude sneaking around isn't Zaizen. Remember in the prologue I said that the factory had happened…with Zaizen….without the STN-J team on the show.