Chapter 1
Glass Vase
The skies shone brightly with the radiance of the sun. The giant, crystal sword statue of the castle stood tall and gleaming, bathing within the rays of the sunlight. It reflected a beam of glorious shine down towards the streets of Alexandria, creating a daytime spotlight for the newly wed couple and the rulers of the city for a long and prosperous generation.
Mr. and Mrs. Zidane Alexandros-Tribal ran joyfully through the cobbled pathways. Townspeople cheered and threw flowers into their path. The petals were pricked from their pollens by the gentle breeze of the wind and they glided through the air like magic, following the couple as if they were marking the first steps taken by the husband and wife. The smile of Zidane's face was wide and Garnet's was even wider, showing her beautiful, white teeth, staring into the loving, blue eyes of her husband.
Behind the couple where all of their close friends. Yes, it was the people who had braved the trials the couple had faced, stood firmly by their side, fought to defend them, and rise up to shower the land in light. It was them who the new married couple truly thought this day belonged to, yet they could not bring themselves to move from each others' gaze.
Then, up ahead, the horns sounded, and before them was the dock where a gorgeous gondola was waiting patiently for them. Decorated in flowers, petals, white vines, and fruit the gondola held two soldiers of the city, standing with oars resting in their hands. They were dressed in special armour for this wondrous occasion. Gold-plated metal with pink roses painted on the sides. Their helmets where the same colour with horns of flowers stretching from the top, curling round to complete the shape.
Zidane and Garnet took no hesitation in entering the boat and, after sitting on the seat of thorn-less roses, they waved to the people standing on the stone steps of the dock. A new journey for them was about to begin. A journey filled with nothing but happiness and love as they drifted off into the distance of the canal for the "Lily & Rose" airship. They continued to wave, and their friends, who where littered across the front row of the crowd, waved back, cheering words of congratulations and fortune for the future. Then the couple lowered their hands and turning to one-another, smiling uncontrolably, they kissed. And that kiss rode with them, with the wind snatching a part of their love, and it drifted away into the skies, carrying their happiness to store forever.
Then, when the crowds saw the airship rise from behind the buildings in front of them they screamed their final words of love and watched it fly away over the horizon…
- - - -
"Oh my, wasn't it marvelous!" General Beatrix placed one of the white and pink roses of which she had not thrown into a glass vase of water. "The queen looked so beautiful!" The good friends of the newly married couple had gathered within the chamber of the queen, reminiscing the events of the wondrous day. Vivi and Eiko were sitting on the bed, Eiko squealing cutely as usual. Steiner stood by his beloved Beatrix whilst Freya, Quina and Amarant rested on the crimson chairs up against the wall. Also within the crowded room stood the Tantalus group, leaning upright against the wall with arms folded and legs crossed.
"I so agree!" Eiko, who was one of the few that was sitting on the grand bed, bounced up and down in excitement. "They so belong together!" She turned to Vivi, who was sitting next to her, and panted her words to him, "Don't you think so Vivi?!" Vivi replied quietly as he always did.
"Yes. They're bound to live happily together forever!"
"Well then people, sorry to leave but Ruby's forced us to go and see this dumb play of hers in memory of Zidane and Garnet." Blank rang out, his leather headband covering his face so much no one could barely see his eyes, of which looked as slits of black to those who gazed at him.
"Heeeey! What's that s'possed to mean!?" Ruby yelled as they group bounded off out of the room, not forgetting to wave goodbye to their comrades.
Not only where the Tantalus to leave but Amarant, Freya and Quina had to also for previous engagements, Quina's involving a cake. It was difficult to catch the rest coming from it's mouth as it had already sped out of the room, slobbering unknowingly. Soon, it was only Beatrix and the two children left within the comforted walls of the chamber. Beatrix smiled at the young magic-users.
"Well," she exclaimed, kneeling down to their height. "It's been an exciting day. How about you two speed off for some fun in the streets before you have to leave tomorrow morning? There's plenty of celebrations going on in the city that last well into the depths of the night." The two stared and it each other and nodded in content.
"Yeah," Eiko replied, "That's sounds like a cool idea!"
- - - -
The streets were indeed filled with celebration for the day. Just because the married couple had left didn't mean that the people couldn't celebrate in their own ways. Laughter filled the main square as food, souvenirs and playfulness was being dished out by the ton, and there was even a skipping rope championship competition going on to the far left of the square. Vivi and Eiko stared in awe at the fun, each holding a special-flavoured ice cream a vendor had given them a few minutes before. Never had the two of them experienced such a celebration like this before this moment in their lives, especially in such an environment. Both where young, yet they were old enough to experience emotions like these.
Together they braved the journey through the crowds, down the alleyway towards Ruby's miniature theatre. The sign was improved, painted delicately with the words boldly standing out for passers-by. Apparently, the same man who mouthed off at the young Vivi that year ago when the young mage first came to Alexandria, hand-crafted the sign himself as a gift to the theatre troupe for their roll in saving the people of Alexandria. The sky began to glow red with a tint of orange and violet, the magical colours of night's entrance, and engulf the land with its wondrous beauty. With the moon round and high in the sky, being unveiled by the shifting clouds, night was slowly approaching. With sunset completely upon them the two ran, their tiny legs taking speedy steps and their feet scuffing the dust on the stones, and they scrambled down the stairs of the entrance, hearing a small applause from within.
Ruby stood on the wooden stage, dressed in a silk, white-layered dress, trailing the ground behind her. Her pure voice ringing out through the room, engrossing all those who watched. Vivi and Eiko found a table near the back of the theatre, lifted themselves up upon the wooden chairs, and sat down, their legs dangling above the ground from where they sat. Licking their ice creams they watched the show which enacted the time of when Zidane and Garnet first met. A story which had been told to them long before and a story of which Blank himself was there to witness.
As the show went on, a waitress with golden blonde hair approached them and, without any words, automatically placed two soft drinks upon the table. Smiling with thanks the two clasped both hands on the drink, knowing that one hand was not enough for the large glasses, and took a sip. The drink was fizzy and sweet and it was something that could make the ever-so-hyper Eiko even more so. She squealed softly in pleasure and exclaimed to her friend that she liked the drink greatly and immediately shouted to the bar, ordering another one for after her current glass.
She gluged quickly yet only as much as her tiny mouth would allow. Vivi sipped quietly, also liking the drink. His hat shadowed out the tip of the glass when he brought it to his hidden mouth. And, sitting ever so silently, except for the odd occasion where Eiko embraced the coming of a newly ordered drink, the two sat and watched the remainder of the show, their eyes pierced with tears by the talent of the actors and how they reflected the story of love.
- - - -
After the show, and after everyone had left, Ruby emerged from the backroom into the theatre once more to relax and take down a couple of drinks in silence. Approaching the bar she sat upon one of the tall, rounded stools and ordered what she liked to call, an "innocent alcoholic beverage". It was when waiting for this drink when she turned and saw something absolutely adorable she couldn't help but let out a large "Aww."
She spotted Vivi and Eiko, with no less than a dozen empty glasses in front of them, fast asleep, with Vivi resting against the back of his chair and Eiko who had slumped down to her right resting on his shoulder. With no hesitation, and realising that her drink had not yet come, she tiptoed up towards the tiny duo and, with both arms, wrapped herself around their bodies, lifting them up off the chairs.
She carried them through the door to the backroom where many beds stood and, very gently, she placed them within the one at the far end of the room, and tucked them sweetly into the covers and the thick duvet.
"It's been tirin' day for you two." She whispered over them, kneeling beside the bed. "Get some rest and I'll make sure our chef makes you both a grand breakfast in the mornin'." With that she kissed them both on the forehead, or Eiko's forehead and Vivi's hat, and she silently exited the room, closing the curtains to the one wide window of the backroom, the rings sliding gently across the pole. And with that she switched off the light, leaving the children to lay peacefully next to each other resting them for the many trials they where to face. Yes, trials, with the first to start in the very morning.
- - - -
"AAGGHHH!!!"