The months pass quietly on the island of Ohara until Christmas in 1501. Like every year, the Tree of Knowledge is decorated with a multitude of colors that light up the snowy night. But it's not a happy day for Robin.
After her aunt dumps her in her room with nothing to eat, she flees out the window to escape this uncaring family.
Her shoes sink into the snow, walking towards her mother's empty house, as the cold assaults her skin, not having had the chance to take a coat to keep her body from shivering. If she's going to be alone, it might as well be in a house where she feels safe, even if it's been empty for months.
She walks past the tall tree that glows like a milky way in the night sky.
Her white breath flies skyward as she watches the lights twinkle before her. All around her, she can hear the sound of cheerful conversation over a hot meal prepared especially for this day. Her body shakes with cold and her hands begin to ache.
As best she can, she suppresses the painful lump forming in her throat. Head down, she continues on her way so that no one can see the tears beginning to form in the corners of her eyes. But then, two arms wrap around her waist, and she finds herself easily carried in fur-covered arms.
"What have we here? May I ask why you're all alone on this Christmas Eve, Princess?" "Robin turns her head in surprise to the woman who has just caught her and finds her looking at her with a small smile. The sight of the woman's white hair and face completely breaks down the last defenses the child tries to hold on to, and she breaks down crying in her arms, which feel warm compared to the surrounding cold.
Stella tightens her arms around the child upon seeing her crying and begins to walk.
"You shouldn't go out alone at night, let alone on Christmas Eve. You'd better get home to warmth." Robin clings even tighter to the big white coat. She doesn't want to go back to her aunt and uncle; she knows she'll be punished for leaving and disrupting their Christmas Eve.
"No... Please... don't... don't..." Seeing the child clinging to her even tighter, as if afraid of being let go, Stella bends down, grabs the edge of her coat brushing the snow on the ground, and wraps it around the child, covering her from head to toe, leaving only the sad, frightened face protruding from the white fur.
"You should spend Christmas at my place. What do you say?" Robin looks up, surprised. Really? Spend Christmas with Stella? And not alone? New tears well up in her eyes, and she nods, burying her head in the neck of this woman who resembles her mother so much.
Walking slowly through the cold night, Stella heads for her house, which overlooks the town on a hill.
The building is very old, constructed of stone blocks and wooden beams, yet this ancient style does not detract from the beauty of the house beneath the snow. Pushing open the wooden door, Stella removes the cape protecting Robin so she can see inside.
This is Robin's first time here. Few people are allowed to enter the queen's house, which despite its title, is anything but luxurious. It's a cozy, warm house. A fire crackles in the fireplace, spreading warmth throughout the living room and kitchen, which are furnished with comfortable wooden furniture. Stella carries her to the sofa in front of the fireplace and sets her down gently.
"Stay here and warm up. I'll be right back. Make yourself at home." She finishes with a big, warm smile before putting her coat away and heading for the kitchen.
Robin can't believe what's happening right now. Her gaze loses itself for a few seconds in the fire warming her frozen hands, before she looks around curiously. At first glance, there's nothing very different from the other houses, but what catches her eye is a huge vivarium occupying an entire wall. Curious, she approaches it to observe the lush vegetation inside. The lights are off, so it's impossible to see if there are any animals inside, but the presence of plants she's never seen before is more than enough to captivate her until Stella calls out to her.
"Princess? I've made some hot chocolate, are you coming?" Surprised and a little embarrassed, the little 7-year-old, soon to be 8, gently approaches the woman holding two steaming mugs in her hands beside the sofa. "Settle down on the sofa, you'll be better off drinking it. There's nothing better than hot chocolate in front of the fireplace when it's snowing outside." She says, holding out the mug when Robin shyly sits down next to her.
The cup in her hands warms her even more, and the sweet smell of it soothes her heart. Cautiously, she tastes the drink and a few tears roll down her cheeks without her realizing it. "It's... nice and warm..." She says, wiping away the tears that have escaped and taking another sip.
Stella looks at her with a hint of sadness.
"Tell me, princess. Why did you run away from your uncle? And why did I sense your sadness all over the island?" The child keeps her gaze on her steaming cup. Should she tell the truth? And tell her that her aunt mistreats her even more since she's been absent from time to time? She shakes her head. There's no question of it, she mustn't know.
"I..." Her throat tightens, she can't lie to her. Stella is the only one, along with the archaeologists and her mother, who has always seen her as human and not as trash. But she doesn't want to talk about her family problems either. It might risk making things worse rather than better.
"Do you miss your mother?" Her face turns sharply to Stella. Of course she misses her mother, every day she works to be able to go away with her the next time she returns to the island. But she has to admit that Christmas and her birthday are particularly difficult times. She nods softly, trying to push away the overwhelming feeling of missing her mother.
The woman looks at her with a certain sadness. In her opinion, no child should cry on Christmas Day, but she is also fully aware that in this cruel world, there are children who are enslaved or forced to kill to survive, that they will never know the joy of a warm and safe home.
She also knows that children are extremely clever and intelligent when forced, just as they can be extremely cruel without necessarily realizing it.
Since her return to the island, she has taken charge of the children's safety, leaving their education to the parents and the school. However, she keeps a close eye on parents who seem to take pleasure in torturing or mistreating their offspring. This has happened before, and the adults responsible have been banished from the island and the children placed in foster care.
Today, Stella sees a child who has run away from her unloving family. According to Olvia, her brother is a very gentle and kind person, but perhaps too loving towards his wife. Perhaps that's where the problem lies? She'll have to make a courtesy call later, but for now, she needs to ensure that Robin has a good time with her
Gently, she rests her hand on the ebony hair to soothe the child, who looks at her with some sadness.
"As powerful as I am, unfortunately I can't bring your mother here tonight." Says Stella in a gentle voice in front of the little girl's face, which is trying not to show anything. "But I can make sure you have a good Christmas with me. Is there anything you'd like to do? Or that you want to do?"
Robin turns her gaze from the blazing blue eyes to the hot chocolate still in her mug. Is there anything she wants to do tonight? If her mom were here, she'd want to play with her, take photos in Christmas costumes and open presents under a big tree after eating a meal they'd prepared all day. But it's a sweet dream she can't have tonight, because her mother isn't home and it's already dark.
She fidgets on the sofa, not quite sure what she'd like to do with the Queen of Ohara.
"I don't... I don't know. " She said in a small voice with a little apprehension, thinking that Stella would be disappointed by her lack of response, but faced with the tender smile she relaxed, looking at her with a little curiosity.
"If you want, I can tell you one of my adventures, it seems to me that you like listening to them? And I know you have a weakness for animals, are you interested in dinosaurs?" The queen asks softly, not taking her eyes off the child's face, which lights up at this proposition.
"Yes... I would like that, please." The woman lets out a little laugh as she heads towards the stairs.
"All right, little archaeologist, wait here, I'll fetch something you'll like."
Robin watches her disappear upstairs and refocuses her attention on the fireplace, sipping the last of the chocolate while swinging her little feet with a hint of impatience. A few minutes later, Stella returns with a book under her arm and sits on the couch, placing the book on her lap.
"Let me tell you about Little Garden, the island lost in time." Stella begins with a mock dramatic air that amuses the little girl and widens her smile of curiosity. Slowly, to maintain a certain tension of mystery, Stella opens the book to the first image, which shows a photo of a lush island with little relief, except for a few active volcanoes.
"When I discovered this island, I thought it looked like all the other tropical islands I had seen." She turns the page, which shows the vegetation up close. "But if the vegetation seemed a bit strange to me, it was the animals that caught my attention the most." Another image shows something blurry between the trees, quite small and colorful. "I will always remember my first encounter, because it literally jumped on me." Another image shows a small group of strange animals that look like a colorful chicken with teeth and claws. Robin sees a name next to the image. "Archaeopteryx." Her eyes widen at this name.
"These are..." Stella nods.
"Yes, they are dinosaurs, and they are not the only ones I will encounter." The images scroll one after the other, showing many animals that are now extinct. Some are small, others large, even gigantic. Robin's attention is drawn to an image showing a large plain with many animals, but it is the foreground that interests her the most, as she recognizes the back of a T-Rex's head.
"You rode a T-Rex ?!" Her eyes widen, and she looks at Stella with admiration. The woman chuckles at her bright eyes.
"It wasn't very cooperative at first, but it eventually gave in when it realized it couldn't do anything against me." She says with a proud smile.
Robin looks at her with even more respect. She would like to be like her, so powerful and free! To be able to go anywhere and discover things that are as beautiful and cool. Her lips nibble as excitement flows through her veins. Maybe when she leaves with her mother, she will visit this island? Or an even stranger and more mysterious place?
"How do we get there?" Stella smiles at this question.
"I can tell you where it is, but you need an Eternal Pose before going there. Because it takes a year to charge the Log Pose on this island." The child looks at her with wide eyes. She knows the basics of navigating the Grand Line from reading books about this strange sea. She can't imagine surviving on this island for a year without being devoured by an animal or dying for another reason, even feeding herself seems complicated.
"Wow... Grand Line is scary, but..." She looks at Stella with enthusiastic eyes. "It sounds so cool! I want to see it with my own eyes!" The adult smiles, tousling her hair and getting up.
"And I'm sure you will someday. But until then, you must grow up and become stronger. Knowing how to fight is essential for survival, as there are many dangerous creatures and unsavory people in the world." She warns as she heads to the kitchen and puts the book on the dining table. "But let's put that aside, you must be getting hungry, right? Come to the table, I've prepared a big turkey and I'm going to need help finishing it." She says lightly, fetching two plates from a cupboard and utensils from a drawer.
Much more at ease, Robin jumps off the couch, grabs her empty cup and Stella's abandoned one from the coffee table. With a light step, she enters the kitchen and heads to the sink, which is a bit high for her. Stella comes to her rescue, picking up the cups and placing them in the sink to clean later.
"Thank you, princess. Do you want to sit down and continue looking at the photos while I take care of the rest?" The child nods and rushes to one of the chairs, climbs onto it before settling comfortably, book open in front of her.
Her eyes continue to gaze at the images with admiration, wondering how Stella made them so clear and realistic. Her curious mind urges her to learn more.
"Stella?" The woman, checking on the poultry that has been cooking in the oven for a few hours, looks up curiously. "How did you get these images so clear and real?" Robin asks, her eyes full of curiosity.
The queen smiles as she closes the oven to keep the turkey warm.
"I used a Den Den photographer. By the way, I had some births a few days ago, would you like to see them?" Robin's eyes shine even brighter.
"Yes!" She says excitedly, before blushing at her overly enthusiastic behavior. "Please." She adds with a bit of embarrassment. The woman giggles softly before making a small gesture with her hand to indicate for Robin to follow her.
Curious and excited, the child jumps to her feet and follows Stella closely as she heads towards the massive vivarium.
Pressing a button, the woman slowly increases the brightness to see better inside. The vegetation is very dense and humid, but Robin can now catch a glimpse of the inhabitants of this small ecosystem.
Many snails sleep among the leaves and mossy branches, some gently opening an eye before falling back asleep.
Stella opens the glass door and gently pushes aside the leaves in search of something, which she quickly finds. Slowly, she takes her closed hand out of the vivarium and places it in front of Robin's face, who observes it with curiosity and a little impatience.
Slowly, Stella opens her hand, revealing two baby Den Den who open curious eyes to look at the child's face.
Robin's smile widens at the sight of the little snails. The first one is blue and purple with silver glitter, and the other is red and black with golden glitter.
"These are the two latest arrivals, born just two days ago." Stars shine in the child's eyes.
"They're so cute! What are their names?" Robin asks without taking her eyes off the two little beings so young and fragile.
"They don't have names yet." Stella calmly replies with a small smile. "But if you want, you can find names for them." The child's eyes widen, and she backs away a bit in surprise.
"What? But I..." She refocuses her attention on the two little snails, who are looking at her attentively, seeming eager to have a name. A certain apprehension begins to seize her small body; it's still a huge responsibility because the two Den Den will carry her choice for the rest of their lives. And she doesn't want to disappoint Stella, who in a way trusts her to name the two newborn snails that will live with her.
Robin bites her lips while playing with her fingers, but as always, Stella seems to know what's wrong.
"You don't have to worry; if they don't like the name you suggest, they'll let you know, and you can come up with another one as often as you want." The woman says in a gentle and encouraging tone.
The child nods, relaxing a bit and starting to think more actively about the two names. She has never had a pet before, so she doesn't know if there is a rule to follow before giving a name. Should the name indicate the species it belongs to? Its color? Their shape? Should the name be cute or not?
Her brain starts to heat up, but a hand rests on her head and stops her intense pondering. She looks up to see the smiling face in front of her.
"Don't look for something complicated." The hand slowly descends to rest on her heart. "Let your heart choose; say the first thing that comes to mind when you look at them." Robin takes a deep breath to calm her emotions and looks at the Den Den. The first thing that comes to mind?
The blue snail wears this color perfectly, with shades of purple and silver glitter, giving the impression of looking at a starry sky. The other has harder tones of red and black, with gold glitter that give the impression of seeing molten lava.
"Aoi and Maru..." The eyes of the Den Den light up as they emit a small, high-pitched, joyful note.
"It seems they like their new name. You're talented!" Stella declares with a big smile, while Robin smiles again, proud of having found the right names for the two newborns on the first try.
The woman looks long at the two Den Den, then at Robin.
"Tell me, princess... If I offer you one, do you think you could take care of it properly?" She asks seriously. The child looks at her with wide eyes, then at the two little snails, who don't seem upset by the proposition.
"What? But... I..."
"You have time to think about it. Anyway, you'll have to wait a few years before I give it to you because they need to be trained and educated to be able to take photos and serve as transmitters. But if you choose to have it with you, then you'll have an ally for life, who will protect you in case of danger, provided you take care of it properly." She finishes, looking with the utmost attention at the child who slowly digests the information.
An ally who will protect me? Like... a friend? A feeling of warmth begins to spread in Robin's chest, and a soft smile forms on her lips as she looks at the two snails.
Seeing the child's face take on such an honest expression, Stella gently grasps the little hand, turning her palm upwards.
Seeing the child's face take on such an honest expression, Stella gently grasped the little hand, turning its palm upward.
"Do you want to hold them?" Robin doesn't take her eyes off the Den Den as she nods. Calmly, Stella presses her hand against the smaller one, and the two Den Den begin to crawl toward the child.
Robin watches them intently, unmoving, as they climb onto her hand. The sensation of cold and moisture lingers on her hand as the snails pass, but aside from this strange and new feeling, Robin continues to smile affectionately.
"They're so small, will they really protect me?" The woman gently strokes her black hair.
"For now, they are small, but they will grow quickly. Plus, they're special. You've probably read stories about Devil Fruits, haven't you?"
"Yes, eating one gives you a special power, but in exchange, you become vulnerable to sea water." Stella nods.
"Exactly. Well, these two little guys and their parents have the ability to weaken Devil Fruit eaters upon contact. So if you ever get attacked by one of them, you can count on Aoi or Maru to protect you." Robin smiles even wider.
"Good thing I haven't eaten a Devil Fruit, or I'd be down already." The child laughs at the queen's gentle gaze.
"Indeed, but wearing gloves solves the contact issue. So if you ever eat a fruit, think about the benefits it can bring you, and take the time to learn about the power it grants you. It would be foolish to eat a fruit that turns you into mud or a hamster." Robin laughs at the imagery, but she understands the message. Don't act impulsively, but always seize opportunities when they arise.
"I'll be careful, I promise!" She says with a big smile, showing her white teeth. Stella looks at her tenderly before taking the two Den Den and putting them back in the vivarium next to the two parents who were waiting for their little ones to return.
"I'm counting on you then. It would be a shame to end up with a power that you can't use for archaeology, wouldn't it?" Robin vigorously nods before following the queen into the kitchen.
"I'll be careful! But I hope I get something cool!" The child declares, sitting on the chair as Stella opens the oven to take out the smoking turkey.
"I hope so too, but you don't necessarily need a Devil Fruit to be important or powerful. Look at me or your mother, we don't need extra power to do what we want." The little girl nods in understanding as a slice of meat accompanied by roasted vegetables arrives on her plate.
"But it looks so cool! Being able to fly like a bird or pass through walls, that must be handy!" The woman nods as she takes her seat opposite the child.
"Indeed, it's quite handy, but you don't necessarily need a Devil Fruit to do it. If you want, I can show you after dinner." The blue eyes shine even more intensely, making the queen smile even more.
The couple quietly enjoys their Christmas meal before indulging in a red fruit ice cream log for dessert, the pace of the conversation shifting from one topic to another under Robin's incessant questions and Stella's tender laughter.
Once everything is eaten and washed up, the woman heads to the front door and puts on her large white fur coat before indicating to the child to come closer.
"Come here, princess. I'll show you the island from a different angle."
Unable to stand still, Robin throws herself into her arms and easily allows herself to be carried and enveloped in the white coat. The cold outside hits her face, making her blush quickly, but Stella's warmth allows her to bear it easily.
"Hold on tight to me, we're going to take off." Robin looks at her perplexed before Stella winks at her and jumps high into the sky, making the child scream in surprise and forcing her to nestle against the queen's chest for fear of falling. The ascent lasts only a few seconds, but Robin refuses to leave the relative safety of the woman's neck, who chuckles at the child's cute behavior.
"Everything's fine, princess. Come on, try to look ahead, it would be a shame to miss such a spectacle."
Robin shakes her head in refusal, but with some encouragement, she manages to slowly open her eyes with apprehension, and leave Stella's neck to see what the queen wants to show her.
When she sees what's in front of her, all fear disappears and gives way to wonder. They are above the Tree of Knowledge, which allows her to see the entire island shining in a thousand colors. She has always wondered how all these lights were hung on the branches, but she now understands that it was Stella who did all this work.
Her gaze shifts to the horizon, which from here seems even vaster and infinite. A sense of adventure and discovery runs through her veins.
"So? How do you find the world here?" A smile spreads across her lips as she looks at the queen.
"It's..." She looks back at the island. "It's beautiful..." Then a feeling of regret creeps into her heart, she wishes her mother were here to see it. "I wish mom were here..." She finishes with a small voice as her face becomes sad.
Stella grimaces slightly, apparently nothing seems to make Olvia forget her daughter.
"I'm sorry, Princess... If I could, I would have granted your wish. Unfortunately, I can't, but..." She looks at the child tenderly. "I can assure you that wherever she is, she is alive and well." Robin looks at her, pouting.
"How can you know?" The woman gently smiles, placing her hand on her own heart.
"I feel her here... Like all the inhabitants who were born on this island and who have completed the ascension." The child's eyes become curious.
"The ascension? You mean the test we take when we're fifteen?" The adult nods.
"Yes. It's a passage done with me. Do you know what it implies?" Robin shakes her head. She has heard about it from her mother and a few other adults, but they never detailed what actually happens. Stella kindly nods to the child's ignorance and turns her head towards the stars.
"Imagine that each person is a star, shining in space, so far away from us that we can't see it." Robin listens attentively and in turn gazes at the night sky. "The ascension allows me to find the child's star and bring it closer to all the others. This allows them to see the other stars gathered together, and for the other stars to see them as well." She lowers her head to look at the child in her arms. "Your mother is part of this group of stars, and I embody the sky. I know your mother is alive because her star continues to shine, and when you complete your ascension, both of you will know that you are well no matter the distance between you."
Robin looks at her with wide eyes, alternating between Stella and the starry sky. She understands the purpose of the ascension, but she doesn't understand how it works, and especially why she has to wait until she's 15.
"How does it work? And why do I have to wait so long?" Because upon reflecting on it, she wants to ascend now to feel her mother's presence near her. She wants it so badly, she needs it.
Stella understands Robin's excitement and confusion, and she also knows that the child will probably ask her to perform the ascension, but she must be clear about the dangers of doing it too early.
"The procedure is complex and will be explained to you in due time. However, regardless of your requests, I will not make an exception for you; you will have to wait until you are at least fifteen years old to undertake it."
"What? But-"
"No, do you know why you have to wait until you are at least fifteen? As I said, you will be connected to all the others, you will almost constantly feel their emotions, but you will also feel their disappearance. Do you think a baby or a young child is capable of developing by themselves, of forging their own identity, if their feelings are constantly influenced by those of others? Furthermore, the ascension is not without risk or pain. Fifteen years old is the age when the mind is strong and autonomous enough to successfully undergo this trial without risk. Before that, children can become unstable or develop serious behavioral problems." Stella says seriously. "I'm telling you this from experience." She finishes before her face becomes sad as she looks at the sky.
Robin looks at her not knowing what to do; she should feel frustrated or even angry at the queen for dangling the possibility of being close to her mother, of being connected with her, and then denying it in the end. But seeing Stella's sad face, she understands that something serious must have happened.
She bites her lip, as the feeling of frustration persists, but she wants to show that she's not an immature and whimsical child. She works hard to be recognized as a full-fledged archaeologist, and she's even going to take the exam next year, which will allow her to join her mother on her next return to the island. So no, she's not going to throw a tantrum like she sees other children do with their parents. She's grown up and smart, and now she has to prove it, even if it's difficult.
"Okay... I understand." She murmurs, looking at the bright blue eyes settle on her. A small smile forms on Stella's lips, although her eyes remain somewhat sad.
"Thank you, princess. You've once again confirmed how mature you are for your age." She says, running her hand through Robin's jet-black hair one last time before putting on a lighter expression when Robin lets out a yawn. "It's getting late, it's time for both of us to go to sleep." The child nods as she begins to feel her eyes heavy with fatigue and snuggles against Stella's warm neck.
The descent is gentle, and Robin barely feels the landing, already struggling against sleep to avoid falling asleep in the warm and soft embrace.
Stella smiles gently at this sight and enters her house as quietly as possible, careful not to make any noise as she climbs the stairs to the upstairs bedrooms. Quietly, she opens the door to one of the guest rooms that hasn't been used in a long time.
Gently, she pushes back the covers and lays Robin on the edge of the bed.
"I'll take off your shoes, then you can sleep, okay?" The little girl nods drowsily, rubbing her eyes absentmindedly. Her shoes are quickly removed and placed at the foot of the bed before Stella encourages her to lie down under the covers. "Goodnight, princess. Sleep well." Murmurs Stella, running her hand over her forehead in a soothing gesture before getting up to leave. But a small hand clinging to the sleeve of her coat prevents her from moving away. Curious, she looks at the child who looks at her expectantly. "What is it, princess?" Robin looks at her with sleepy eyes, but she doesn't let go of the sleeve.
"Stay, please." She asks softly, trying to hide the blush that appears on her cheeks due to the embarrassment caused by her request.
"Are you sure?" The child nods with hopeful eyes; she doesn't want to be alone in a house she doesn't know, even though she knows nothing will happen to her, she doesn't want to be alone. It's probably the only selfish request she wants to make.
Stella smiles gently at the child's request before nodding.
"Okay, I'll take off my coat and change, and I'll be right back. Okay?" Robin nods again, releases the sleeve, and watches the queen head to the door, already taking off her coat. "I'll be back in a moment." She says reassuringly before opening the door and disappearing down the hallway.
Robin listens to the sound of her footsteps receding and descending the stairs. The silence around her is barely disturbed by the muffled noise from downstairs. Her eyes grow heavy, struggling against sleep, waiting for Stella's return.
She doesn't know how much time has passed when she weakly opens her eyes to the sound of soft footsteps on the floorboards. Robin shifts weakly as the covers are lifted while feeling a weight in the bed behind her and the blanket is put back in place.
With some difficulty, she manages to turn around to see Stella settling more comfortably against the pillow.
Feeling eyes on her, the woman slowly turns her head to see the little blue eyes staring at her tiredly.
"Did I wake you?" she asks in a whisper. Robin shakes her head as she hesitantly moves closer. Stella looks at her before opening her arms at the silent request. "Come here." Without waiting, the child snuggles against her to enjoy the warmth of the adult while the arms gently wrap around her, as her mother usually does.
Robin closes her eyes with a sigh of satisfaction. She feels so good, as if her mother were really there with her. After a few minutes of calm and silence in this gentle warmth, she slowly opens her eyes to look at the sleeping face in front of her. A lump forms in her throat at the sight of her mother's face; she knows it's not her, but for once, she wants to be selfish and believe that she's really there, in her arms. Carefully, she moves even closer to snuggle against Stella's chest, who doesn't move, probably deeply asleep.
She gently closes her eyes, ceasing to struggle against sleep.
"Goodnight, Mom." She murmurs softly before drifting off into this reassuring warmth.
On the other side, Stella heard her and froze, completely paralyzed, as this simple word still hurts her so much. She looks at the child sleeping soundly and holds her tighter in her arms, as if afraid she might suddenly disappear. Her face rests on her head, and she closes her eyes as a tear rolls down her cheek.
"Goodnight, my angel." She whispers, her voice filled with tender sadness, involuntarily diving back into memories she had thought buried long ago, while Hisui purrs as he settles on her arm to be in contact with the child, protecting her from any nightmares.
