Chapter 1 – The Queen and Her Knight

A lone swordsman walks through the Northern Forest, his path and goals unknown to everyone but himself.

His name is Roronoa Zoro.

It's quiet… nothing but the sound of the wind, nature's soft whirrs, and the clicking of his boots playing at his ears.

However, it's just the way he likes it, away from the noise that comes with being inside the kingdoms and big cities alike.

He's a wanderer.

It gives him time to think; something that he's found himself doing a lot in the latter years of his journey.

It's been nearly 16 long years since he started this little adventure of his. Leaving his dojo at the age of five, the 21-year-old has done a lot of growing up.

He's searching for someone.

He started this adventure a boy; a reckless and scrawny hotheaded one with short spiky green hair. Now a built fully-grown man, his hair remains the rare mossy green but its now a little longer, and slightly slicked back. He wears a long green jacket opened up at the top and tied together at the waist by a red sash. Three expensive looking swords are tucked in under the crimson garment. Underneath his coat, there is a green haramaki visible at his midriff. To add to his look he wears black trousers that are tucked inside black boots, all hidden behind his long green coat.

Two interesting pieces of fashion that are on the swordsman is a black bandana tied on his left bicep and three identical gold earrings on his left earlobe.

Upon his body however are the most interesting things to look at. There is noticeably a large gash across his chest leaving a thin and stitched line from his upper left shoulder to his lower right waist. He also bears a scar running down his left eye, for who knows what reasons he now keeps closed.

Zoro made his way down his path until noticing some commotion up ahead. There seemed to be some sort of altercation between two groups of people.

Upon closer inspection, Zoro had arrived at the scene of a robbery taking place.

Four men, each with swords in their hands had surrounded a wagon, trapping the carriage completely. A couple dead soldiers were spread about on the floor, clearly having lost the fight to protect their precious cargo.

"Come on out Queenie…" one of the men slurred. "We know you're in there!"

The other men chuckled at this. "We won't hurt you" another started. "We promise!"

Movement and fidgeting could be heard inside the wagon. Finally the backdoors of the carriage opened up to reveal a tall and slender woman, a few inches taller than Zoro holding a lance in her arms. She had piercing light blue eyes and raven colored straight hair that came all the way down to the mid of her back. Her skin was a soft shade of peach and her royal blue gown hugged her hourglass figure tightly.

Upon the top of her head was a beautiful silver tiara that solidified her role as royalty.

She was indeed a queen.

The men all made their way to the back of the carriage. One of them let out a wolfy whistle while the others snickered evilly.

"Well then girly, ladies shouldn't play with weapons you know," said the strongest looking man out of the four, while making his way closer to opening of the wagon. The woman assumed he was the leader. "How about you put that down and we talk like civilized people..."

She scowled at the man.

"Civilized people huh?" The blue-eyed woman stared him down with hate and disgust.

She pointed the lance at the man in front of her and held it threateningly. This stopped him from closing the gap between them.

"So much for civilized when you attacked my wagon without a word of notice!" She was not going to back down. She had an important mission to complete, and some petty thieves were not going to stop her.

"I am queen Nico Robin of the North. If you don't surrender yourselves at this moment, in the name of justice I will make you suffer!"

The four men turned to look at each other and then burst out laughing. One woman? And a queen at that… what was she going to do to them? She had probably never held a weapon in her life!

"Listen girly, we know exactly who you are," the leader said now turning serious. "We've been sent here to assassinate you. Now drop your weapon or we're going to make you drop it. You may be queen within a kingdom, but your just another woman out here."

Robin's eyes widened. 'Their assassins! I wonder if they have any connection to the recent murders' she thought. 'I have to escape and continue east! I can not die here!'

Robin took a deep breath. She was going to pay for what she was about to do. She knew it ahead of time. But if things go her way, she'd be free.

Without a second thought, she spat in the man's face.

"What the f-" the guy shouted but before he could even finish his sentence, Robin lunged at him with the lance in her hand.

The man was barely able to react, but he successfully dodged her attempt at ending his life.

"Get her men!" he shouted. The four men jumped at Robin. She was skilled in using a weapon. Since she was small Robin was taught to defend herself. She was always told there would be a time when she would need to know how. She wasn't some prissy queen or princess. She could handle her own.

However… taking on four men at one time was a little too much for an inexperienced queen to handle. She didn't know how much longer she could hold her own. She had to find some way and escape.

She continued to dodge their attacks and strike back whenever she got an opening. She juked left and right for as long as she could but eventually found herself backed into her carriage.

'Crap,' she thought.

All three of the lackeys noticed her predicament and ran at her wildly. She stabbed one of them through the chest with her weapon but with killing the man, her lance got stuck inside his body.

The two remaining men seized this opportunity, now that Robin had no weapon. They grabbed her hands and held her to the ground, successfully restraining her. They put their combined weight on her back, keeping her leveled with the floor.

"Let go of me!" Robin screamed.

"Heh, like hell we are. You put up quiet the fight, but we got you now wench!" the man screamed. "I'm going to make you pay!" He raised his hand ready to strike her. He wanted to slap that superior attitude right out of her. To think some woman was actually able to strike down one of his men and spit in his face… He could easily assassinate her here, but no, he was going to enjoy this.

He was going to ruin that pretty little face of hers first. When they were finished with her, she's going to be begging for death.

"Move…"

"What?" the leader muttered. His evil thoughts interrupted, he turned around to see where the voice had come from.

Zoro was standing right behind him, a bored expression playing on his features.

"I won't say it again… move."

"What the hell do you want!" the assassin leader yelled. "Can't you see we're in the middle of something here?"

"Run away!" Robin yelled instinctively. She had no clue who this person was, but she was not going to be the reason another life was lost. "These guys are assassins! Get away from here!"

"Shut up!" one of the henchmen said, pushing her face into the ground.

Zoro watched from the frantic woman, to the henchman, to the said be assassin leader. In all honesty he did not care for this. This was not his issue. He was actually going to just move past this whole thing, but their blocking the whole path.

He was no hero. He was not a good guy. He was no one's savior…

All he wanted was for these stupid people, to get the hell out of his way, so he can continue onward.

Zoro groaned. He hated people that don't listen. Did he have to really explain why he wanted the leader to move? "Your in my way. If you don't move, I'll kill you where you stand."

Robin forced her head up to look at the green haired man. 'What is this guy doing?' she thought. 'I told him to run! He's going to get himself killed!'

She tried to wriggle free, hoping to catch the two henchmen off guard because of the newfound distraction but it was to no avail. They pushed down harder and kept her still.

The leader just stared at Zoro in disbelief. First the stupid queen, now some idiot bystander.

"You people have no damn respect," he muttered to himself.

Zoro raised a brow at this, getting more bored by the minute.

The assassin leader was getting disrespected all day! Without even a word, he whipped his arm forward, full intention of slashing Zoro in two.

Robin closed her eyes; she did not want to see another person fall victim because of her.

Zoro however didn't have dying as one of his objectives today. He dodged the man effortlessly, sidestepping to the right, and without any warning slayed him.

He then turned to the two henchmen.

"P-P-Please!" One begged. Spare u-"

In the blink of an eye, they were both lying on the floor.

His movement was so fast, it almost looked like he had not even drawn his swords at all!

Robin, feeling the weight of her captor's bodies off her opened her eyes and got off the ground. She couldn't believe it… all three of the remaining assassins were dead!

In lightning speed, they were killed! Just like that.

Zoro spent no time looking over their bodies and continued on his way. His path was cleared and that's all he cared about.

Realizing he was getting away, Robin jogged after him, determined to at least say thank you.

She jumped in front of him, and bowed her head.

"H-Hey! Swordsman, thank you for saving my life!"

Zoro just watched her. He didn't intend to save her. It just happened that way.

Noticing the silence, Robin lifted her head a little agitated.

"Y-You could at least say your welcome," she mumbled. Robin was a tiny bit scared. How could she not be? The way he killed those assassins, he could easily slay her as well. But she was slightly confident he wouldn't, since he hadn't done so yet.

"Your welcome…" said Zoro. He didn't feel the need to keep up with this conversation. However the woman in front of him had other ideas.

Robin smiled, taking his reply as a means to continue. "My name is Nico Robin, Queen of the Northern Kingdom. Perhaps you've heard of me?"

Zoro remained quiet for a second, as if in deep thought. Then he answered, "Not really…"

An awkward silence fell upon them.

'How the hell has he not heard of me?" Robin fumed a little inwardly. 'Is this guy that stupid to not know the Queen of the North?'

"W-Well anyways, I am a queen!" Robin said more to reassure herself than to inform Zoro. "And what you did just now was an noble act. After seeing your skill, I would like to appoint you as my honorable bodyguard!"

Zoro was not about being a bodyguard for anyone, especially for the so-called queen of the north. He had other things in mind.

"Listen. I'm not going to be your bodyguard. I'm heading east, now leave me alone…"

Zoro began walking again, and actually expected the dark haired queen to have followed him, expecting her to have not given up so easily in trying to make him her bodyguard.

Instead he just heard the sound of laughter. She was laughing. 'Why is she laughing?' The thought was bugging him.

"Oi! Woman! What's so funny?"

Robin's laughter settled down to a slight snicker. Her confidence was building. At first she was a little scared of mossy haired man. However so far, he has not even made a single attempt on her life, which means he obviously has no intention of killing her.

She decided to be a little more assertive. She was a queen after all. Being meek and passive was not something she knew how to be. "You're an idiot swordsman aren't you?"

"W-What?" How dare she call him an idiot? Zoro was taken slightly by surprise. "Listen I could kill you if I want you know" he threatened.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you" Robin countered.

Zoro made his way over to her. "And why wouldn't I? Because you're a queen?" Zoro pulled out one of his swords at placed it on her neck. "I don't care who you are, you have no rule over me."

Robin held her ground. If she were to show fear here now, she would lose this battle of wits. Plus she was sure he would not kill her… right?

"True, one of my reasons is because I'm a queen. But the other reason is because you need me."

Zoro raised a brow at this. 'What is the woman talking about?'

"You said your heading east right?" She waited for him to nod, and she continued. "Well your heading the wrong way. That's North!"

"R-Really? You're lying!" he said in disbelief.

Robin smirked. "I'm the queen of the North, I think I would know if we were heading in the direction of my land…"

Zoro was left speechless. She had a point. 'Dammit.' He'd been walking in this direction for over a few days now. 'No wonder I had not arrived at the Eastern Kingdom yet!'

Robin saw the defeated look in his face and her smile widened. She had gotten him right where she wanted him.

"What's your name anyways Swordsman?"

"It's Zoro... Roronoa Zoro." He wasn't planning on telling her his name. In fact, this whole conversation wasn't planned for. However, he just as easily found himself telling her.

"Well Your in luck Zo-Ro." She drawled out his name on purpose in order to tease him. She was even tempted to saying it again, kind of liking the way it rolled off her tongue. "I'm actually heading to the Eastern Kingdom. I will serve as your guide, and in turn, you will serve as my bodyguard."

Zoro hated to admit it, but that did sound like a good deal. His navigation skills were something close to disastrous. If he had a guide, he would arrive at the eastern kingdom in no time.

Reluctantly, he agreed.

"Great!" Robin chirped. This way she had secured a strong bodyguard, and would also be on her way east without any troubles. "Let's be on our way then!"

Robin took the lead and Zoro followed close behind her.

He had a bad feeling about travelling with this woman. Felt like things were about to become far more troublesome.

Zoro just sighed. There was no turning back now.

'This is going to be interesting…'

Authors Note: DONE! Wow, that was kind of long right? Well I hope so; I think it was a good first chapter. I know the prologue was kind of short so I had to make up for it here! What do you guys think? Like it? Hate it? All types of criticism are accepted.

Also trying to manage a relationship with Zoro and Robin is hard. Both are relatively quiet characters… If I were to write this kind of story and keep both of them in full character, then we would have conversations of pure silence -_- HAHAH. So I made Robin a little bit more talkative but kept Zoro relatively the same. As a queen, I thought she would have great skill in communications. Also I remember when Zoro first had a real convo with Robin aboard the Merry Go (or the Going Merry, whichever you prefer), she lead most of the convo. So I took that as reason to make her the more talkative one.

Plus I enjoy the fact of seeing Zoro squirm a little under Robin's teasing haha.

Well anyways, that's the end of the first chapter. Hope you guys like. And if you feel up for it, leave a review to let me know what you think! It makes me feel loved! Bwhahahaha. Really, do it. I have no friends…. LMAO.

Edit: 6/23/2013

1. Thanks Zero for making note about the height! Adjusted it so now it's more accurate.

2. Thanks Dark-Shadow for making a great point! Zoro now introduces himself.