Plantress: I have weird ideas no? ^^. This is came out of a few "what if" questions I asked, like What if Garnet wasn't allowed to keep her throne? What if because she married Zidane she had to flee for her life? What if her daughter had to save the kingdom twenty years later? Just some stupid questions that lead to this story. Enjoy.

Prolog

"Fifteen years ago eight heroes battled the genome Kuja for the fate of the world. Although the managed to defeat him, Kuja cast the, into a battle against death itself. After that battle the genome Zidane, brother to Kuja, went back to try and save this Kuja, but while he was inside it the Iifa tree collapsed.

Six months later Zidane came during the play in his honor. At the climax of the play he threw off his disguise and called out for Queen Garnet to come down to him. The Queen rushed down the stairs and into the crowd. Unfortunately the chain holding the Falcon Claw to her chest snapped and the Falcon Claw itself was thrown backwards into the crowd. Faced with the decision of going back and picking up the symbol of her office or continuing on toward her true love, Queen Garnet choose to run toward Zidane. It is said that Garnet even threw off her crown before she jumped into his arms. A month later they where married.

However "Happily Ever after" never happened for the two lovers because riots began to take over Alexandria. Some thought that the Queen should be able to marry her true love, but other though it was a heinous crime for the Queen to marry a mere thief. With no vents but violence the crowds began to attack the palace and attempts on the lives on one or both of the rulers where common. Finally one night, under the cover of darkness, Garnet and Zidane fled never to be seen again. Captain Albert Stiner and General Beatrix where called on to assume the thrones but the refused, saying the Queen would return.

After it became apparent that the Queen would not return, the city fell into chaos, and those who wanted to survive had to flee the city.

Now the once proud city of Alexandria is, if you will excuse my language, a hellhole of thieves, robbers and assassins. I sometimes wish that Garnet is dead, just so she could not see the sad state of the city that was once considered the most beautiful place on Gaia."

-As penned by Doctor Tot before his death five years ago.

Forgotten Birthright

Chapter One: Mistadon

"Iriador!"*

What now? An irritated Iriador thought from as she rolled onto her stomach. The sunlight that came through the window fell onto her black hair sending colored sparks along its length. Blue-green eyes glared about in annoyance. I haven't even done anything today. Iriador was wearing a pair of boots that went up to her calves, a pair of tight blue pants and a sleeveless orange vest with a white shirt underneath. With a sigh she flipped onto her side.

"Iriador! Get down here, you lazy girl." In response to the summons the sixteen-year old pulled her pillow over her head. I already got up once already, I don't want to do it again! Iriador knew that there would be hell to pay later but she didn't really care. Her black tail swished angrily as she pondered the injustice of having to wake up, get dressed, and then actually have to get out of bed. Her tail wasn't actually that different, the Genomes had started to interbreed with humans and other species after the Terra War twenty years ago and now they're where any number of young people with tails. What was unique about Iriador was that she had a small horn on her forehead. Long ago her mother had told her it meant she was special and that she must keep her horn hidden, so she grew her bangs out long and hopped for the best. Suddenly from down stairs she heard her mother give a cry of disgust and then her mother's shout echoed up the stairs.

"IRIADOR TRIBAL GET DOWN HERE NOW!"

"Full name, not a good sign with any parent" She muttered under her breath as she pulled the pillow off her head and sat up. With a sigh of defeat she stretched and then grabbed a hair tie off her nightstand as the past it, using it to pull her hair into a ponytail as she walked down the stairs. Finally she poked her head into the kitchen. "Yes, Mother?" She asked, then winced. Her mother was standing in the middle kitchen floor, an annoyed expression on her face, foot tapping the floor. Silently she pointed to where Iriador's cat, whom she had named Garnet after the run away queen, had deposited a dead mouse on the freshly washed floor.

"Both of them out, Now!" With out a word Iriador walked over and picked up Garnet in one arm and grabbed the mouse by the tip of it's tail in the other. She knew better then to try and argue with her mother when she was in a bad move.

"Come on you." She said to the cat as she carried it out of the house. As soon as she was outside, and far enough away not to be heard from the house, she dumped the cat unceremoniously to the earth and hurled the dead mouse as far away as she could. "Stupid cat!" She yelled after it as it ran away, "This was all your fault."

"She playing might hunter again eh?" Her father said as he walked around the edge of the house. He rolled one should and winced. Using his left shoulder hurt him, he said from a wound he had received in battle during the Terra War. He looked at his daughter for a moment before he spoke again. "Your seventeenth birthday is in two weeks isn't it?" He asked her.

"Two and a HALF." She corrected him. He smiled at her.

"Almost an adult."

"Yeah and Mom's freaking out about it. Ever since I told her I would be seventeen in a month she's been fussing over me like a Chocobo over its chicks."

"Don't worry about it, she's just worried about losing you."

"But I won't be going anywhere, you and Mom won't let me!" Zidane chuckled at her.

"True, but you know we have only your best interests at heart."

"That's what you say every time!"

"So? Now lets go and help your Mom clean up what ever mess that cat made." Iriador shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest.

"You go help Mom, she'll just make me wash the floor again." Zidane looked at her and laughed.

"Have I ever said you remind me of myself when I was your age?"

"Every time I get in trouble! Mom says that too." Zidane shook his head at his stubborn daughter and handed her a piece of paper.

"Here take this list and go to Dail, take Star. I'll tell your mother that I sent you to town as a punishment." Iriador took the list and shook her head at her father.

"Going into town is suppose to be a punishment?" She asked. Her parents, particularly her mother, did allow her to go anywhere on her own.

"Don't worry about it, just go." He said as he pushed her toward the Chocobo stables. With a laugh and a wave Iriador ran into the stables. She slowed down as soon as she walked through the door; the familiar Chocobo smells calming her. With a soft wark one of the Chocobos stuck its head over the door.

"Hey Choco." She said as she ran her hand over his golden feathers. Choco had been her father's Chocobo for as long as she could remember. She even remembered riding on him, her father holding her up from behind when she was little. The only problem was that unless Zidane was with them Choco would allow no one to ride him. With a soft sigh Iriador turned toward the pen that was opposite Choco's. "Star, here girl." She called softly and clicked her tongue. Star was her mother Chocobo, a present form her father after Iriador had been born. Her mother had named her Star because of a strange shaped mark on the Chocobos forehead. But it was mostly Iriador who rode Star now, her mother rarely left their yard.

As soon as she had saddled Star, Iriador led her out of the stables and looked back at her house. Then she swung her leg over the back of the Chocobo and slapped the reins sharply. Star set off at a trot. Iriador began to hum, and then sing under her breath, a habit she had had as long as she could remember.

Dail wasn't really that far from home and with Star it only took about ten minuets to get there. Even though Iriador hadn't been to Dail that often it wasn't that big and she was able to find her way to the store. She dismounted and tied the reins to a post outside the door; she stroked Stars head before giving her a grysal green.

I didn't take long for Iriador to get everything on the list. Most of it was simple home supplies, like food, but a few made her wonder. Why dose mom want potions? She thought Or ethers? It's not that dangerous around here. As she was paying for the items she noticed that it had gotten darker outside.

"Looks like a storms coming." The shopkeeper remarked. "You had better get home afore it hits here young lady." Iriador nodded and grabbed her bag.

"Thanks for the advice." She called as she walked out the door. Outside dark clouds had plotted out most of the sun, and the wind had picked up driving most people back into their houses. "Come on Star, we have to get home before we get wet." She was shouting to make herself heard over the raising wind. But Star was being unusually stubborn, twisting its neck and warking urgently, and flapping her wings as if trying to take flight. "What is it girl?" The young women muttered to the Chocobo in a soothing tone. She managed to calm the bird long enough for her to mount but then a shriek ran through the air. It was longer and sharper than the shriek of the wind; it cut her to the bone. Star panicked and jumped about warking in pure terror, it took all of Iriador's strength to keep the bird in check. Iriador turned Star in the direction of home, but then a crash echoed behind her and she stopped. Iriador looked behind her just in time to see a monster lurch around the corner.

Iriador had seen the monster that inhabited the plains and forests around Dail many times, her father had even let her kill a few of them, but this was beyond and thing she had every even heard of. It looked almost like a deformed caterpillar with many legs that moved it along, but the head had was pointed and the eyes where red dots in pits on it's head. Suddenly it whipped it's head around and saw her, with an unearthly shriek like the one she had heard before it rushed at her it's claws clicking. Weaponless and with no desire to fight it Iriador jabbed her heels into Stars side urging to runs as fast as she was able. Star with the monster shriek had already took off running, Iriador's kick just urged her to greater speed. As the speed away Iriador looked behind her and gasped, for although Star was leaving the monster behind, it too was running at speeds that seemed impossible for those tiny legs. She tried to urge Star to even greater speeds.

With terror at their backs the girl and her Chocobo managed to reach Iriador's home in less than five minuets. Dagger, standing out side waiting for her daughter gasped when Iriador raced in a top speeds.

"Iriador Tribal you nearly ran me over!" Then the she noticed her daughter's face as she dismounted. "Iriador, what's wrong?" Dagger moved to comfort her daughter but then the hunting shriek of the monster rang out. Dagger stopped and looked over at Iriador, "No." She whispered "Not yet, not now." Zidane, alerted by the shriek, came running around the house.

"Dagger, Iriador, are you all right?" He shouted as he ran up to his family. He stopped short when a shriek rang out. Half-buried memories came to new light. "Mistadon." He muttered under, then he turned to his wife. "Dagger, we have to hurry. You know what to do." Dagger nodded numbly. "Iriador go with your mother."

"But.." She protested

"Now." Zidane said as he grabbed Star and lead her into the barn. Iriador started to follow but her mother grabbed her hand into the house.

"Wait here." She instructed her daughter before she disappeared into her bedroom. Iriador stood in the kitchen numb with shock. Her parents knew something; her father had even knew what that creature was. How could they possible know something like that? What where they hiding from her? Her mussing were cut short when her mother returned with a beautiful carved wood box. She placed it on the table before turning to face her daughter.

"Iriador" She said softly "You were made for much better things than simple village life." Before the shocked Iriador could answer she continued. "Your birthright claims you for great things daughter, you are meant to change history and the world, I know it."

"M…mother." Iriador stuttered shocked, her mother had never sounded like this before. Dagger lifted the lid of the box but stopped and looked at her daughter.

"I wish there was more time to explain. Suffice it to say that we were suppose to take a trip to Lindblum on your seventeenth birthday, that's what all the supplies you bought were for."

"What!?" For a moment the surprise of the announcement over through Iriador's confusion. They where suppose to go to Lindblum for her birthday, she couldn't have asked for a better present! But then a shriek, heard even through the walls jolted her back to the present. Will go to Lindblum, IF we manage to survive today. She corrected herself. Then Daggers began to speak again.

"But now you'll have to go alone. Your father is outside saddling Comet for you."

"Alone!" Iriador began to panic inside; confusion pushed aside by amazement. Comet was the only offspring of Choco and Star but Zidane had kept her hidden for five years, training the young golden Chocobo to accept riders. "Why do I have to go alone?"

"There is not time to explain!" Dagger said. With a sigh she reached into the box and drew out pendent. Dangling at the end of a silver chain was what looked like a shell made of the purest crystal. Iriador gasped once in amazement, then once more in shocked when her mother slipped it over her head. "Go to Lindblum Castle." Dagger instructed her "Ask to see the Regent or whomever they have ruling now. Show them the pendent and tell them you're my daughter, that should get you in."

"Why Mom, why would they let you in?"

"There isn't any time!" Dagger looked at her daughter for a second. "Oh Iriador…" She pulled Iriador into her embrace. "I've taught you all the white magic I know and I want to go with you but I can't. You're a young woman and you must discover you're heritage for yourself." Dagger released her daughter and pushed her toward the door. "Now go, your fathers waiting!"

"What heritage, what are you talking about?"

"There isn't any time, you have to go!" As if to punctuate her words the Mistadon shriek rang out. Outside the wind was blowing harder then ever, forcing Iriador to run up the hill to where she could see her father standing. For a moment Dagger stood in the doorway watching her. "Go with my love." She whispered before turning back inside to make preparations of her own.

"Iria!" Her father called to her as soon as she was in hearing rang, using the nickname he had given her. "Did your mom tell you where you have to go?" He was fighting to make himself heard over the wind.

"Lindblum!" She shouted back as she studied the Chocobo standing next to him. Comet looked a lot like Choco except she bore a strip of green on each wing.

"Good." Zidane said. "But the guards at Lindblum are tough, if they won't let you in go to the theater district and look for a clock tower. Ask for a man named Blank, tell him your Zidane Treble's daughter and why you're there, he should get you into the castle!"

"Why would he get me in, what's going on?" But Zidane shook his head.

"No time!" He shouted as the Mistadon roared sounding dangerously close. Iriador had put one foot in the stirrup and was about to mount but Zidane stopped her. "Iriador wait!" He handed her something he had been holding in his hand. "Take this." It was a long pole with a sharp blade at each end, like the one she practiced with, but this one seemed to glow with light and power. "It's the Ultima Weapon." Zidane explained, "The most powerful weapon ever made! I have a feeling that you're going to need it more than I will!" Iriador took it and mounted Comet; she looked down at her father.

"What about you, how will you survive." She was frightened now, for her family. Her father flashed the reckless grin he was famous for.

"Will manage, don't worry! Now go!" His last words where accompanied by a crash near by. "Go!"

Iriador took in a deep breath.

"I love you Dad." She said. His eyes softened.

"I love you too Iria, Now get out of here!" Without another word Iriador kicked the Chocobo into a gallop, speeding for her home and danger, heading deep into her destiny.

*yet another character name I took for a book, This time from Elaine Cunningham's book Elfsong. Iriador is taken from the elvish word for ruby. (Ruby, Garnet, get it?)

Plantress: Phew! Five pages for the first chapter, I'm proud of myself. ^^. Any way this got stuck in my head and I had to get it out before I went insane, it does have some basis in fact though, if Garnet married Zidane she would start to sympathies more with common folk and this wouldn't go over well with the nobles, whether she was a hero or not. If I made any spelling errors please tell me so I can correct them; I'm the world's worst speller. Anyway, read and review or else my pet dragon will eat you!

Oh, thought I'd better clear something up, the reason that Iriador thinks her mom and Garnet are two different people is because Zidane has always called Garnet Dagger and told Iriador stories like Garnet was a different person.