"So the plan is to just waltz into the palace and ask for the island to be handed over to you?" Anberlyn asked disbelief evident in her voice. Even though she was quite used to Doflamingo's lack of concern for just about everything, she just couldn't believe that his plan was to walk into the heavily guarded palace and steak his claims on the castle as the 'rightful ruler' due to his 'royal' blood.
"Pretty much." He smiled broadly, enjoying how distraught Anberlyn seemed to be over the lack of an actual plan. Though, truth be told, there was a whole lot more to it than that, but, Anberlyn would find that out a little later.
He reached out, placing a hand on her head, stilling her movements. As he stroked her marroon, just recently cut short again, hair, he said,
"Do you have that little faith in me Sweetheart?"
"Of course not." She glared at him, insulted that he would doubt her faith and confidence in her captain. "I'm sure you have a plan far more advanced than what you're letting on swirling around that empty head of yours that you're just not telling me."
Doflamingo's smile broadened, if that was even possible. It was already wider than the Cheshire's but, there seemed to be room for growth.
"You know me so well Sweetheart."
"How could I not?" She grumbled under her breath averting her eyes and looking towards her feet. It wasn't as though she ever really had a choice. She had to know her enemy through and through and she had long since learned that resistance wasn't the way to Doflamingo's heart.
"Fufufufufufu." His laughter resounded through the air, tough Anberlyn didn't know what he found so funny.
The small island was on the horizon and they would reach it not long after nightfall. Doflamingo would strut into the castle, make his demand and while he did that, his crew would be busy staying out of sight, just waiting to 'save' the people or take the castle for Doflamingo.
"It's been a while since you got out hasn't it?" Doflamingo asked as night began falling over the ship and the island, as the ship neared the island.
"Not really." Said Anberlyn truthfully, still trying to figure out Doflamingo's exact plan.
He had probably omitted plenty of things when he explained the plan to her earlier. He had probably already told the top executives of his crew the entire plan. Actually, he had probably told everyone but her the plan in its entirety. Of course he could have just left some parts out because he just wanted to watch the wheels spin behind her eyes and smoke pour from her ears as she tried to figure things out, after all, he just adored playing around with her.
That was something that hadn't changed at all over the years and would probably never change.
"Well I'm going to need your help tonight-"
"There are plenty of clouds for you to get to the palace." She interrupted looked skywards. Really, there were far more than enough clouds for him to get to where he needed to be tonight. There was no reason she would be needed, not for that at least.
He let out a little chuckle and continued on, undeterred. "I want you to go to the island with me and when they are at their lowest, when they are trembling with fear, when they hate their current king, I want you to declare your allegiance with me and protect the citizens from the king and his army."
There was the missing pieces of Doflamingo's plan. He had left out the part where he was going to completely flip the hearts of the people of the country of Dressrosa. Though, he had thrown her for a loop. Instead of using tyranny, instead of going in and killing everyone, or everyone who posed a threat and couldn't be easily manipulated by fear, Doflamingo was going in and playing hero to the mess that he was going to create.
"What is everyone else going to be doing?" Anberlyn asked, not denying his round about orders, nor agreeing to obey them. To be honest, she didn't want much to do with this, but, when did she ever want to do things with Doflamingo's plans?
He shrugged and waved his hand carelessly about. "Some are going to be taking the palace, others are going to be with me and others are going to be doing what you're going to be doing."
"Oh."
"Act a little more excited would you Sweetheart?"
Anberlyn put on a fake smile and in a sarcastic tone said, "Whoopee, I just can't wait to take over this island."
"That's my girl." Doflamingo praised, completely ignoring the faux happiness she was displaying because he knew that after the first royal soldier fell to her feet Anberlyn would be more than thrilled, because, after all, every human had a streak of bloodthirsty cruelty within them, and even though Anberlyn liked hiding hers so, it was a caged beast and bloodshed was the only key to releasing it.
She just narrowed dark eyes at him, an annoyed look upon her face.
The small island was nearing, just as night was. And, as night fell, they reached the island and country of Dressrosa. And, with everyone aware of the plan, Doflamingo took off towards the palace to set stage one of his plans into action.
By morning, Dressrosa would be his.
When they reached the island they made themselves scares while Doflamingo took to the skies and went to make his request for the island that he had explained was his.
But, before he reached the palace, Doflamingo made a stop atop a cliff that overlooked the city around the island and wasn't too far from the palace. When he did, the arms around his neck released and a pair of sandals hit the ground.
"Now, you stay here." He told the woman.
"But I thought-."
"Don't worry, you'll get your release soon enough." Doflamingo said before turning away from her and taking to the skies, making his way from cloud to cloud to the palace where King Riku lay, unknowingly in wait for him to make his appearance and inform the king of his decision to take the island back. The island of Dressrosa was what he wanted and the island would be what he would get, whether he had to take it by force or not.
But, he had nothing to fear, for everything would go according to plan.
Anberlyn stood atop the cliff none too thrilled. She'd rather be with the rest of the crew, waiting for the order to come out and do their jobs.
Doflamingo made himself comfortable on the sill of an opened window, the night breeze pushing the bound curtains about. The moon shone coldly overhead. Tonight would be the night that god turned its eyes away from the peaceful island of Dressrosa as it fell to its knees, as its citizens trembled with fear and their love of their king turned into unrivaled hate.
Once the king awoke, quite alarmed, after establishing who he was and just how much power he had, Doflamingo got to the point of the late night visit.
Instead of taking the country by force, he was kind enough to make the king an offer. If he could gather up ten million beli, then Doflamingo would sell the king the island that was rightfully his. Doflamingo was even kind enough to give King Riku until dawn, though, he made it VERY clear that the king was not to ask for assistance or to contact anyone or reveal their late night meeting to the citizens.
And once the steaks were clear, he took his leave returning to the cliff where Anberlyn was waiting. He had taken her along with him because he wanted her to experience this moment, the moment when a country fell to its knees and he would pick it up, he wanted to see her reaction to the part of the plan he hadn't fully explained.
Anberlyn wasn't left alone for very long and when Doflamingo returned to the cliff, she asked, "Done already?"
"Surprised?"
She shrugged, surprised that the demand for the country took so little time. One would think that a king of an island that had been peaceful for eight hundred years would not give his island up so easily.
"A bit." Anberlyn confessed, wondering what he had done, if talking was the only thing that had transpired between Doflamingo and the King.
They stood around in silence for a while, listening as the panic of the island unfolded beneath them, the shockwave rippled through the country. They heard the king ask for the country's wealth and the shouts of people begging the king to not bow so lowly to the people. And while this unfolded, Anberlyn snuck a glance at the man beside her.
There was a smile upon his face, one broader than usual.
With furrowed brows, Anberlyn suddenly asked, "What now?"
He shushed the curious woman at his side and in a quiet voice said, "Just listen and watch Sweetheart. The show's about to begin."
Only when he lifted his hand and began moving his fingers did she realize what was about to happen. He was manipulating someone with his strings, someone who wasn't her for once, which was bad for everyone that wasn't her.
With a clear view of the city, she watched a horse with a man on it gallop from the gates of the palace and shoot a flaming arrow at the buildings. And, at first, Anberlyn thought that it was one of the Donquixote pirates, after all, who else could it be?
But, when there was a collective cry from the confused and now frightened citizens for King Riku to stop, she realized who was on the other end of those strings and she realized why he needed her to help save the citizens. He was going to play hero even though he was the villain.
Doflamingo watched as the realizations dawned on her, he watched them travel across her face before the words, "You're awful," came from her mouth.
He let out a laugh and crooned, "You love it Sweetheart."
Anberlyn bit back a retort that would set him straight, but, it was doubtful that he would believe her if she were to tell him that she hated him and everything he did at this point in their relationship. He would probably brush her words off with a laugh or a wave. So, instead, she offered the words,
"I have come to not mind it as much, true. But, how do you expect me to follow out your orders if you keep me up here to watch the spectacle unfold, hmm?" She crossed her arms over her chest and frowned up at him.
"Just a little longer Sweetheart.
There were screams of the citizens below, begging for the soldiers to stop too. There were pleas for the king and the soldiers to stop and pleas for god to have mercy on them, for someone to save them. And Doflamingo reveled in every one of the sounds that wafted up to the cliff they stood upon.
"I want the whole country trembling with fear! And when they've come to hate King Riku with all of their hearts, that's when the hero will appear." Doflamingo exclaimed with malice, a joyous smile upon his face.
They stood there for a few more minutes and when the cry, "Damn you King Riku! I hate you you're nothing but an inhuman piece of shit!," was heard from their waiting place, Doflamingo grabbed Anberlyn around the waist and took off.
They had fallen into his trap so easily. Dressrosa was as good as his. All he had to do was show up and save the people from their awful king, the King they hated more than they had loved not a day before with all of their hearts. She clung to his side until they met with the other members of the Donquixote family, well the top executives at least.
"Sa…save me!" a man cried as the royal army, who were secretly under Doflamingo's control, rushed down the street, their weapons raised high, aiming to kill the fallen man
With Doflamingo perched on the building, or a building's rubble, with Pica, Diamante, Trebol and Anberlyn standing before him, they stopped the charging army.
"W-who are you people?" someone asked, causing Doflamingo to smile and introducing himself and his reason for arriving with his crew, which he also introduced.
Doflamingo seized the king and held him up, exclaiming to the people that the five of them would take out the islands trash. And somehow, the citizens fell for it; they gobbled up the rays of hope without a single question, without a shroud of doubt or realizing just how convenient it really was for Doflamingo and his pirate crew to show up and decide to save the island.
So, in the midst of their despair, and their need for salvation, the Donquixote Pirates saved the people under Doflamingo's control. There was nothing Doflamingo liked more than a plan going exactly as imagined.
Tears and snot ran down the faces of the soldiers as they slashed their own people down, but, the people were too terrified, too hopeless to notice such a minute detail. And once he stepped in to help, they were too overjoyed, too grateful to notice.
As his crew took the castle and saved the people, Doflamingo simply watched with a smile. He expected nothing less from the sheep or his crew. And so, before putting an end to the soldier's reign of terror and exalting himself as king, Doflamingo took a moment to simply observe, to watch and revel in his handiwork.
All around him his crew and the old king's soldiers clashed. Diamante, Pica, Terbol and of course, Anberlyn fought with complete and utter conviction. Only when Doflamingo had enough did he give the soldiers an option. They could either submit to him and accept him as king, or they could die. Truth be told, he didn't quite care what they chose to do.
Anberlyn stood by, waiting for the soldiers to make their decision; it was no easy one to make, not when the will to live was stronger than the will to defy the grinning man they were now facing.
To be honest, Anberlyn thought he should just kill them all so that their hate would not grow and then backfire on Doflamingo. The smart thing to do would be to kill everyone connected to the king and that included any blood relations and of course those he had surrounded himself with. But, with Doflamingo it could never be that easy.
No, he had to play his games and have his fun.
So, she simply stood there, gripping her katars tightly, waiting for that one to refuse to fall to their knees. A swift death would be much better than anything Doflamingo had to offer the stubborn few. And, of course, there were a brave few who locked their knees and refused to bow at Doflamingo's feet.
Unfortunately, it was her job to take care of them. So, she lunged for the closest man, preparing to plunge her katar through his trachea. As he fell dead, his neck only partially attached to his shoulders, she heard Doflamingo laughingly ask,
"Anyone else?"
She wasn't the only one who had sprung into action, who had executed someone who had refused to bow.
After that display however, each and every soldier was on his knee, their heads bowed to the new king of Dressrosa, just as Doflamingo wanted. And, it was clear by the smile on his face that he was quite happy with how extremely well things had turned, at just how pleased he was that everything had gone without a hitch. The people had been fooled, the palace had been taken, the trust in King Riku decimated and they now ruled, all of that in a matter of a few hours, it was quite impressive and kind of scary.
By time the first of the sun's rays began lighting the dark sky, the island was theirs. There was no grueling effort on the Donquixote Pirates side of the, no surprises, just a lot of bloodshed of the enemy and a lot of work that was more fun than anything.
"Let us have a look at our new home." Doflamingo said with a pleased smile adorning his face as he turned towards the palace and started towards it, paying no mind to the bodies underfoot.
Without a word, they began following their captain. Anberlyn sheathed her katars and caught up with Doflamingo, ignoring it when he wrapped an arm around her waist. The king was thrown over his other shoulder.
And as they sauntered down the streets, the people who had loved the man not a few hours ago booed and lashed out, both verbally and physically, they passed. And even though some of the things they threw missed, hitting Doflamingo's broad back and precious pink feathered jacket, Doflamingo either didn't feel the rocks, the bricks or the other thing that were thrown at the king, or he was ignoring them. Truth be told, Anberlyn was surprised that he was putting up with it
But, finally they reached the palace, in which had been taken by the crew members that he had sent to do exactly that. Unsurprisingly, Doflamingo headed straight for the throne room, not giving any of the other rooms so much as a second glance.
Before settling into the throne that was his, Doflamingo threw the former king to the ground at his feet. And once he was perched comfortably on the arm of the throne, he praised his crew and the good job they had done in capturing the castle and taking over the island.
Doflamingo pulled Anberlyn into the seat of the throne as the crew chatted amongst themselves, mostly reliving and retelling their separate tales of the takeover of Dressrosa. Anberlyn frowned up at the new king and with a sinking feeling asked, "Is there still more to come?"
"Yes Sweetheart. The show is not over yet. The curtain close is still far off."
She was not thrilled to hear those words. She was not thrilled that there was more to come, though, she could not imagine what it was they were waiting for.
Kyros raced through the city the palace his only destination. He had to get to King Riku. As his footsteps pattered down the blood soaked streets, he passed by and flew over the bodies of friends and comrades alike, murdered in the most brutal of ways. As he ran, tears stung his eyes but, didn't fall. His ears rang with the chanting of a well-known pirate crew and its captain, only adding to the sense of urgency.
Finally, he reached the palace, his sword drawn and poised to fight his way to King Riku and, that was exactly what he did. They left him no other choice. But, finally, he burst from the hallway and into the throne room where he saw the king laying on his stomach, Doflamingo perched on his throne, a smile on his face.
"Kyros!" A voice shouted, and when he looked, he saw young Violet standing next to a pale, green haired woman.
He nodded at her, an angry growl rumbling in his throat, the grip on his swords hilt tightening.
"I'm so glad you could have made it." The blonde man, Doflamingo, crooned, the smile remaining on his face.
"I'm coming my king!" He shouted, before lurching forwards, aiming to take the pirates head.
Already knowing where this was going, Anberlyn slipped out of the throne, drawing her katars and stepping into his line of fire.
"I'm sorry. I cannot allow you to harm that man." She apologized to the man named Kyros just seconds before their blades clashed. Sparks flew from the collision, but, they both stood fast, glaring daggers into each other's eyes, vying for dominance as they pushed against each other.
"Move aside." He growled at her, as her feet slipped back and he gained an inch. Even though she was one of the ones who had done this to King Riku, he had no eyes for anyone except Donquixote Doflamingo.
Anberlyn sighed heavily and swiftly shifted her weight so that that muscular man stumbled past her. Tossing one katar aside, Anberlyn reached out to freeze him, but, he too was quick and used the momentum to shift out of her way and then attack once again.
Doflamingo watched gleefully as Anberlyn and Kyros went for each other's throats like wolves vying to be alpha. And, even though Anberlyn was physically weaker than Kyros, she had plenty of other skills up her sleeves. He was more than delighted when she used that one move where she mocked his ito ito no me and created strings.
"Get a pair of sea stone cuffs." Doflamingo gave the demand to the person closest to him, enjoying the fight too much to tear his eyes away from it.
"Rodger." Someone said and then ran off.
Even though Anberlyn was doing a flawless job at holding Kyros back, they were all over the place, exchanging an equal amount of blows.
A good portion of his men were tense and ready to take on Kyros, expecting Anberlyn to fail at protecting him, though, it was quite unnecessary.
Smoothly, Anberlyn slid out of the way of the sharp blade, and reached out to solidify yet another limb, so far she had gotten an arm and landed several blows to his torso and chest, which caused much pain but didn't seem to slow him down much.
She wanted nothing more than to finish him off, however if Doflamingo wanted him dead then she would have been given the orders to do so, so Anberlyn would simply hold him off until she was given orders.
"You filthy pirates! What have you done?!" The man kept shouting things of the sort as they continuously clashed.
"Anberlyn!" Someone shouted, grabbing her attention as she ducked under a kick and then rolled to the side before the blade could sink into her flesh. When she looked, she saw Baby 5 standing there with a pair of sea stone cuffs in hand.
Baby 5 wasn't about to leap into the fray, not when Anberlyn was holding out on her own. She didn't want to distract the woman and result in her death. That wouldn't make Young Master very happy, because even though he acted as though Anberlyn was expendable, her loss would displease him greatly. So, once she was back on her feet, she tossed the cuffs to the maroon haired woman, who caught them and turned her attention back towards the gladiator hell bent on reaching Doflamingo and separating his head from his body.
"Got it!"
She had to make this quick because the cuffs were sea stone and they were rapidly draining her energy from her body. But, before she could be fully drained, she lunged at the man. Unfortunately, he simply turned his body to the side and let her stumbled past him, the cuff missing its intended target. With the hilt of his sword, Kyros knocked the weakened woman to the ground.
Doflamingo was surprised that Anberlyn would handle sea stone for him, that she would lose a fight just because he wanted someone detained. The fact that she was still holding them tight made him realize just how far their relationship had come, just how loyal of a subordinate she had become. He had not said that she had to be the one the put the cuffs on him, there were plenty of subordinates of his who could take Kyros on, who had not eaten the devils fruit, who could get them on the man.
With his main opponent dealt with, Kyros started for Doflamingo, seizing up the crew around him. If they were all as formidable as the woman then he would be fighting a losing war.
But, the only thing now standing between him and the pirate was a little blue haired girl, one he could simply maneuver around.
Anberlyn reached out and clamped on of the cuffs around his ankle with a victorious "Stupid bastard. Did you really think that would keep me down and out?"
Doflamingo threw his head back and laughed out loud at the expression not only on Kyros' face, but the one on Anberlyn's as well. Even though she hardly had the energy to hold her head up, let alone talk, she was talking big.
"I'm not a fruit user." Kyros said, a sweat drop forming at the woman's victorious expression. The cuffs had more effect on her than they did him.
"Doesn't matter. If he wants you restrained, then I'm going to do exactly that." Her grip on the sea stone cuffs tightened. She had gotten one on him, so, she was half way there.
Having not mingled with the crew much was a bit of a disadvantage at the moment because she didn't know who to call out to, who to ask for a hand. The crew members that she did know had all eaten a devils fruit.
But, it wasn't as though she was going to cry out for help anyways. It wasn't sea stone that was going to kill her.
"Even if it kills you?" He asked raising his sword. He didn't really want to kill her, Donquixote was his only goal, but he would do what he had to in order to reach the vile man.
She took several deep breaths, obviously struggling to so much as keep her head up, and then managed the words, "I told you I cannot allow you to harm a hair on Doflamingo's head or a feather on his jacket." And with that, she gave the chains a sharp yank, which brought the man to his feet.
They watched as they grappled on the ground, Anberlyn trying to get the second cuff on the other leg, and Kyros attempting to get the drained girl off of him. But, in the end, she somehow managed to get t second cuff on. It was fastened just below his knee on the same leg as the first, which was better than nothing.
Once her objective was achieved, Anberlyn threw the sea stone chains away from her and sharply ordered, "Someone else take these damn things." Before getting to her feet and strolling back to Doflamingo's side. Quietly, as she returned to the seat of the throne, she hissed, "I am NEVER doing that for you again."
"Fuffuffuffuffu! You did good Sweetheart." He praised Anberlyn as someone wrapped the chains around a pillar so that he could not reach Doflamingo or continue fighting.
Anberlyn just glared sharply at him and sank down into the throne, waiting for her energy to return.
Even though he was bound by sea stone cuffs, Kyros still gripped his sword tightly in hand and struggled against the chain. He even requested to be released from the cuffs. It broke his heart to see his king in the state that he was currently in.
"Kyros," Doflamingo purred, resting his cheek against his fist. "I have heard a lot about you. I want you to serve under me."
Anberlyn glared at Doflamingo wondering what the fuck was wrong with him. He wasn't fooled by the hero act as the rest of the country was. He had seen what they had done with his king and it was clear what they were planning on doing with his king, there was no way he would simply join them, even if Doflamingo used his strings to force him to do so.
Then, to make matters better, Doflamingo boasted that he had sent men after the man's wife and child, who both happen to be of royal blood. There was no way he was joining them, especially now.
The sword in Doflamingo's hand, the one he had been holding for quite some time now moved and the blade was lowered to the former king's throat, poised to cut, but slicing through not a single layer of flesh, not yet at least.
"See for yourself! The age of Dressrosa under the house of Riku is over!"
But, before Doflamingo could lift the blade and sever the king's head from his shoulders, Kyros made a move that shocked even Doflamingo. The man's blade sliced through his leg, just above the knee, before lunging for Doflamingo.
By time Anberlyn hand unsheathed her katar, it was already too late. The man fell to the ground, no longer a man but, a toy.
Relieved, but, none too happy, Anberlyn sunk back down into the chair, her hand slipping away from her katar's handle, arms folding across her chest. She should have let Sugar at the man, she should have just let the man at Doflamingo so that Sugar could have turned him into a toy and then that would have been that.
"That toy just ran off with the king!" Someone shouted.
Then why isn't someone going after it? Anberlyn wondered not bothering to get to her feet.
At least she hadn't intended on getting up or being the one to go after the toy until Doflamingo turned his sights on her and in a none too apologetic voice said, "I'm sorry to ask anything else of you, but could you go retrieve the king from that toy?"
"Only because you asked so nicely." Anberlyn sarcastically answered the smile on her face just as faux, pushing herself out of the throne and started for the door. On the way there, she picked up her other katar and then left the palace.
Anberlyn didn't know when it had started, but stepping out from under the shelter of the doorway of the palace, she stepped into the rain and started down the street. Since she hadn't been given any orders as to what to do with the toy soldier, she decided that she would just leave him after capturing the king and giving him back to Doflamingo. Though, if he fought for the king, then she would demolish the little guy.
Down the streets she wondered, asking if anyone had seen a single legged toy hopping around with a man. But, she had no luck, so she kept searching the streets and alleyways that was until, over the patter of the rain, she heard voices and then the pitiful cry,
"SCARLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!"
When Anberlyn peered around the corner, she saw the little toy hunched over a woman with reddish hair, several Donquixote pirates lying dead around them, piecing together the puzzle of the scene she had missed by seconds.
Anberlyn didn't know exactly how the toy felt, but, the king was not with him, so there was no reason to bother the couple. So, Anberlyn left the single legged toy alone to grieve over the woman in peace.
As they waited for the return of Anberlyn and King Riku, a black haired girl no older than eighteen pushed her way through the pirates and made her way over to feather wearing blonde.
With tears streaming down her cheeks, she begged for him to not kill the king. She hadn't heard him tell the maroon haired girl to kill him, and she hoped that if she found Riku that she would bring him back alive.
Doflamingo took great delight in having a princess bowing at his feet, begging him for something that was completely out of her control. "Keep him alive you say? Whatever for?"
It had been Doflamingo's plan to execute the man before the eyes of the entire island of Dressrosa. And unless she gave him a really good reason, then he would go through with his plan once Anberlyn returned and the rain let up.
"I-I'll work for you." She suddenly blurted.
"Hmmm." He audibly thought, creating suspense for princess Violet as she waited for his answer.
Having had Monet on the inside, posing as a maid, he knew all about her devil fruit and the fact that she could look into the minds and hearts of those around her, which could prove useful.
"If I'm not to kill Riku, what am I to do with him?" Doflamingo asked, though he already had plenty of ideas for the former king's fate.
Before Violet could answer, Anberlyn walked in, a large bulk over one shoulder, water falling from both of their bodies as she strolled into the room.
"There's your king." She grumbled throwing him to the ground.
"I-is he dead?" the girl whimpered, holding her hands up to her mouth.
Anberlyn looked at the black haired girl at Doflamingo's feet, wondering exactly what it was she had just interrupted.
Regardless, she said, "My orders were to find and bring him back, not kill him," before returning to the seat of the throne. Unless requested, told or ordered to do something else, Anberlyn was done. There were plenty of other people to carry out Doflamingo's orders.
"Please." She begged, doubting that would have even the slightest of effects on someone like Doflamingo or any of his crewmembers. "I'll work under you so long as you don't kill King Riku."
The blonde leaned forwards, sharply grabbed her chin and, with their noses almost touching, growled, "I'm king now princess." Then, tossing her back he said, "But, I suppose I could keep him around in exchange of your services."
Anberlyn glared up at Doflamingo and asked, "Why don't you just kill them all?"
By them, she meant the royal family. She had already gotten rid of the daughter of the princess and princess Scarlet herself, so why not finish the job and kill Princess Violet and King Riku himself?
Keeping them alive would only breed hate and one day, it would all backfire on him, and Anberlyn didn't want that. No, she couldn't have that. She couldn't have the entire country finding out the truth about Doflamingo and the strings he had pulled to become king, not until she had her way.
"Because, Sweetheart, killing everyone doesn't always solve the problem. Plus, her devil fruit will prove to be quite useful, no?"
Haughtily Anberlyn crossed her arms across her chest, wishing that Doflamingo would listen to her for once. "Whatever. Do what you think is best."
If Princess Violet was anything like her, then she would simply bide her time until she was able to act against Doflamingo. She would patiently wait for a moment of weakness and then pounce like a cat upon an injured bird.
"Trust me Sweetheart, this is for the best." Doflamingo said with a smile, looking down at the exhausted woman.
Of course he would think it best to keep a Princess and the former King around just for laughs.
Even though she hadn't done much, it seemed as though the sea stone cuffs had taken more out of her than she realized that she was letting on, for she was practically nodding off in his throne. And, with blood covering her hands, spotting her skin and clothes, a frown tugging down the corners of her mouth, it was a rather sweet image to look upon.
Knowing that it was pointless to argue, Anberlyn just let out a heavy sigh and bit her tongue. Even if she told him the feeling she had about keeping the royal family around, he would probably just laugh in her face and, with too much confidence, declare that his decisions were for the best, that keeping the king alive and welcoming Princess Violet into their ranks were completely reasonable courses of action to take.
So, Anberlyn muttered the words "Don't stop the show because of me."
A little gesture with her hand for him to continue on with whatever it was he was going to do, accompanying her words.
Doflamingo, ignoring everyone else in the room, leaned down, his nose inches from her temple, before saying, "You played your role well."
She titled her head back so that she could look him in the eye. "That means everything coming from you," snapped Anberlyn in a sarcastic whisper.
"There are a few loose ends to tie up and then the show will be over. If you are unable keep your eyes open and your attention sharp for that long, then I shall forgive you this once." He then pressed his lips against her forehead and then straightened.
And, as he returned to the tasks at hand, he heard the quiet word, "Thanks," waft up from Anberlyn lips. Even though he heard her, Doflamingo did not respond, opting instead to figure out what to do with the former king, the country what was now his and the people who now adored him.
A/n: Well there was a small window of opportunity for me to type, so as a result you get this chapter. But, I'll be gone the first week of August and won't have anything up until the week after.
I tried not to use too much direct cannon things in this chapter cuz well it's fanfiction and well you've already read this (for those of you who haven't, I apologize for the spoilers) and there's no reason to read a written out version of this chapter.
Review please. I would be delighted to hear your thoughts and opinions. Please, if you think that I have gotten anyone OOC, tells me and I will try my best to fix it. Thank you much for reading and I hope to see you next chapter.