Jade: I love you reviewers! I think I like this fanfic even better now :P
Ussop: if Nami didn't quote me about love Zoro wouldn't have kissed her!
Jade: Don't get big-headed… though it might go in proportion to your nose…
Ussop: that hurts!
Jade: no it doesn't, this does, -punches his big nose-
"Your highness!" Angus said as he came around the corner, reading some parchment.
Zoro broke the kiss with Nami but did not let go of her hands, "don't call me that!" he said, he almost preferred 'marimo' or 'moss-head'.
Angus looked up from his reading to see Zoro holding Nami's hands.
"Sorry to disturb you, but you must come into the entrance hall at once. As your father is not able to pass down the crown to you, Marc will be doing so for him. He is to do this as the king's adviser." Angus replied, he still looked upset.
Zoro looked at Nami then back at Angus, about to ask if they could come. But Angus saw already that he wanted them to attend.
"They may attend the ceremony, witnesses are needed."
Zoro put his arm around Nami's waist and they walked together into the entrance hall with Sanji, Ussop and Luffy behind them. When Zoro stopped so did everyone else. He let go of Nami and walked up to Marc who was standing in front of his father's throne. Zoro knew what to do, his father had taken him through the process before, he kneeled in front of Marc while Angus read from the parchment the words that would officially name him as king.
"i don't think i could cope with the responsibility of being a king" he thought.
"…As the king has now passed, the crown goes to his son, Zoro. The crown cannot be taken, only received through death or handing it on to another…"
"How is this going to affect my friends?" Zoro thought, "how is this going to affect Nami? I don't think I can handle being king."
Angus declared, "Only when this crown," Marc placed the crown upon Zoro's head, "is passed down from the king's hands to another being, will they be named as King, ruler of this kingdom."
Zoro stood with the crown atop his messy green hair. Marc stepped to the side and bowed as Zoro took his father's throne. Zoro looked over to Angus, dreading the next thing he was to say, the one sentence that officially declared him as the king.
Angus knew how much this was hurting Zoro. He knew because when he was a child he watched his closest friend become king. He never thought he would have to put someone else through this experience.
And as he spoke the last part, a tear rolled down his cheek, "All hail, King Roronoa Zoro the First!" he bowed.
Zoro watched as his friends started to bow their heads and kneel before him. Sanji was the first to do so. Ussop then Nami followed. Luffy stood, grinned, then took off his hat as he followed the others.
"Arise" Zoro said.
Angus approached Zoro, "I know you don't wish to hear this but your friends need to be trialled."
"I'll do it tomorrow," came the reply from a depressed and pissed looking Zoro, "give these four people rooms, food, water, and in the morning I will trial them" he stood, "give them the rooms down the hall from my room" he said this because he knew these ones were the best, "I'm tired."
Zoro left before anyone could say anything else.
That night Zoro was on his balcony, leaning against the rail. There was a warm autumn breeze blowing in. He looked over to the ceremonial crown on his bedside table.
"Good thing I don't have to wear it again, the ceremonial one is so heavy." He looked over to theother little gold crown on the bedside table on the other side of his bed, "two crowns, thats just too much."
He looked back over the balcony. He looked down at the water feature he had destroyed. Then his gaze wandered up to see all the little houses in the village, some more extravagant than others. He could see all the way to the ocean. He wondered what it would be like if he was on a ship sailing the ocean, "probably wouldn't do much else besides sleep and eat." He said to himself.
He looked out over the kingdom like he had countless times before. But this time seemed different.
"Shit," he said realising why this view seemed so strange, "this is all my responsibility now."
It seemed like he couldn't bear to look over the balcony again. His eyebrows knotted as he thought about how he was going to handle this tomorrow. He grunted then left his room. He looked down the hallway to the bedrooms that his friends were staying in.
"Now to find which one is Nami's" he said to himself.
"The end one to the right" said a voice behind him.
He spun around to see Angus holding a tray of food, "will I leave this in your room?" he asked.
"No, no" said Zoro absentmindedly, "actually, give it to Luffy, he wouldappreciate another dinner."
Angus smiled then left for Luffy's room. Zoro approached Nami's door and put his hand on the handle. He lent his forehead against the door and closed his eyes.
"Come on Zoro," he thought to himself, "turn the handle and go in, you know she wants to see you."
Meanwhile, on the other side of the door…
Nami had been leaning against the door for quiet some time now. She thought she heard voices in the hallway but didn't dwell to long on the matter. In fact, she was still wondering whether she should go to Zoro or wait for him. She didn't want to appear clingy by coming to him, but she didn't want to wait to see him. Her hand rested on the doorknob.
"Maybe I should go…" she thought.
Jade: Awwww! Can't you just picture them on either side of the door?
Sanji: oh Jade-san! You're so beautiful.
Jade: Hey you're meant to be depressed! –punches him on the nose-
Sanji: Ouch! Well I am now…
Jade: I can be so mean sometimes... -sigh-
