Robin: Inevitable War

Arrival

This place is huge.

Robin was slowly walking through the gardens, admiring the view. There were flowers and bushes everywhere, sectioned off into neat little squares.

Four guards were standing in front of the entryway to the castle, two men standing slightly more in front and towards the middle than the others. As he approached he was quickly barricaded; the men readied their spears in case of an attack.

"Who are you, and what is your business with the king?" the two guards in front said simultaneously.

"My name is Robin, I was sent by Esmara," he spoke to both guards, not sure which one to talk to or look at.

They looked him up and down, then raised their spears. "You may proceed."

As if in a very practiced formation, both sides worked together to open their respected doors identically. They opened the two doors at the same speed and time, and even had their hands held in the same position as the guard across from them, just like if they were mirrors of each other.

That's a little strange. Not to mention slightly unnerving.

Robin walked through the doors and into the throne room. It was mostly empty other than the guards lining the room and the paintings and murals and the walls.

At the end of the room, King Hal was sitting on the throne with handmaidens by his side. Two doors on either side of the room led out into the rest of the castle.

There was a large, black, and skinny carpet below him, muffling his steps just enough so they wouldn't echo around the room. It was a nervously long walk, and he could hear the women giggling at his uncomfortable walk.

When he was but ten feet away from King Hal, two more guards in front of the throne halted him with a quick motion of their hands. They were also working as a pair.

Ok, this is more than a little strange.

"So you're the one Esmara was telling me about," the redgiant said from atop his throne. "I do hope that you pass my expectations."

The king tilted his head and gave Robin a crooked smile, "show me the light."

Robin brought his hand up, stopping when it reached his chest. He produced a small ball of magic in the palm of his hand, much to Hal's pleasure.

"Good, good! Now, turn around. Do you see that banner up there?"

Robin nodded. There was a red banner coming down from the ceiling, held up on either side by two strings.

"I want you to knock it down, but you're only allowed to hit the strings."

Robin lifted his arm and pointed it to the left side of the banner.

"Wait! You have to hit them both, at the same time!"

He pulled his other arm up and fired small bursts of magic from both of his hands.. The banner fell, hitting the ground with a soft thud.

The king got down from his tall throne and walked towards Robin. Robin turned to face him and edged back uneasily as the king stared into his eyes.

"You really should get better at hiding your species. Those eyes are going to get you caught by an endangerment lab, where they'll perform all kinds of gruesome tests on you to get the cinders to come back." Hal backed up. "And what a shame losing my pawn would be."

Robin pulled his ears back, stunned.

"See? There you go again, changing the color in your eyes. You can either learn how to control the flow of your emotions or get something to hide it. You'll never be strong enough if you show emotion to your enemy. Follow me."