AN: Basically just a rewrite of Final Fantasy IX's ending as sort of a writing exercise to see if I can get back into writing. Enjoy!
Garnet sits, overlooking the main plaza of her kingdom, which is currently occupied by rows upon rows of seats crowded with Alexandria's citizens set in a circle for the Tantalus theatre ship. She gazes upon the rooftops surrounding the area, where those that were not lucky enough to get a ticket to this year's I Want To Be Your Canary are currently seated. She lifts a hand up to the large crown atop her hair, adjusting it absentmindedly as her mind fills with memories of the past.
Despite it already being over two years since ascending the throne, she is still not used to being called Queen Garnet. For as long as she has remembered, she has always thought of herself as the Princess Garnet of Alexandria.
The people had loved Mother, even as she had sunk into her madness due to Kuja's influence, yet they had accepted Garnet as their rightful queen and loved her equally, if not more - even after she had confessed to them that she was not of Alexandria, that she wasn't the true child of the late Queen Brahne and the King.
Doctor Tot had stood beside her as he explained to the shocked crowd that the true Princess Garnet Til Alexandros had passed away at the age of six after suffering a high fever and succumbing to it. When Garnet was found on the shorelines of Alexandria with the body of her mother aboard the small boat they had taken from Madain Sari, they had sawed off her summoner's horn and passed her off as the princess.
As to be expected, there were some protests, especially from the older Nobles - they claimed that a mere peasant shouldn't be sitting upon the throne. Doctor Tot had interjected and reminded them that while Garnet was not of their blood, she had been legally adopted and raised in royalty and there was no reason other than that that she couldn't be a successful queen.
The Nobles had grumbled, but the commoners, being far more populous than the Nobles, quickly silenced them with their thunderous cheers, including those from Tantalus that had travelled from Lindblum. Blank, Marcus, Cinna, Ruby, Baku, all of them had come to support her and her claim to the throne, and she would be forever grateful for it. Except there was still something, or someone, missing.
Her last memory of Zidane is of her flying away on the Hilda Garde 3, tears freely falling as Zidane gazes up at her from before the raging Iifa Tree, his trademark smirk gone from his lips to be replaced with a serene smile.
As she leans over the railing, his figure grows smaller and smaller the higher up in the air they go, until it disappears completely as they rise up above the clouds.
Promise me one thing… Please come back.
Her chest clenches as she remembers who it is that is supposed to be here with the rest of them. Even Vivi - Garnet's heart still aches for him as he passed merely a year ago - has his sons here to watch the play, along with those that had travelled with her all those long months.
"The theatre ship will arrive any minute," she tells herself, resting her hands on her lap. "It's been so long and I can't wait to see everyone." She purses her lips, feeling them start to tremble. "But… it'll never be the same."
She quickly wipes the traitorous tears that had appeared away with the back of her hand and straightens up, pristine posture on display for all to view. "I have to let go of the past. I have to move on- just like he taught me."
Lost in her thoughts, she barely notices the familiar Tantalus theatre ship arrives and land gracefully within the area marked for it, the crew beginning to file out from beneath the deck to set up.
She hears a throat clear from next to her and she jumps slightly, having not realized that Steiner had come up next to her throne, his newly restored armor no longer clanking as to alert her.
Her lips upturn slightly and she looks up at him. "Yes, Steiner?"
"Your Majesty, it appears as though they are nearly ready to begin," he says, inclining his head towards the theatre ship. She directs her attention back to the ship and indeed, the crew has dispersed into the background, having done their part. Despite the circumstances, she can't help but feel eager for what will be a fantastic rendition of her favorite play.
A true smile graces her face as Baku comes out on stage, garbed in his royal robe, ready to deliver the beginning lines of the play.
"Ladies and Gentlemen!" he booms out. "Tonight's performance is a story that takes place long, long ago. Our heroine, Princess Cornelia, is torn from her lover, Marcus."
Baku's arms gesticulate wildly as he speaks and Garnet lets loose a giggle, earning a small smile from Steiner at her side, unbeknownst to her.
"She attempts to flee the castle, only to be captured by her father, King Leo. Tonight's story begins when Marcus and Cornelia decide to run away together." Baku's eyes sweep over the crowd and then lift up to where Garnet is seated, a toothy grin visible through his thick beard.
"And now, Your Royal Majesty, Queen Garnet, Lord Steiner, Lady Beatrix, noble ladies and lords, and our rooftop viewers, Tantalus proudly presents 'I Want to Be Your Canary'!"
oOo
The play has proven to be a success so far. The audience is completely enthralled – gasping in shock as Cornelia, played by Ruby, is knocked unconscious by Blank, or when King Leo, played by Baku, cuts down Blank upon receiving the news that he has betrayed him.
Garnet has read and reread the play numerous times, memorizing every part of it, so it come as no surprise that she silently mouths along with the lines that are spoken by the Tantalus actors.
Both Steiner and Beatrix are ecstatic at how Garnet has taken to the play, though they are well aware that Garnet knows every single detail of it, yet that doesn't dampen her enthusiasm. Steiner catches Beatrix's eye and they smile widely at each other. Beatrix winks at Steiner and he flushes fuchsia before straightening up and directing his attention back to the Queen, who is now sitting on the edge of her seat, watching intently at the scene playing out before them.
Marcus, still adorned in that black coat that covers his features, is standing alone as the sun rises above the horizon.
"The time for our departure is long past," he says softly, lying a gloved hand on his chest above his heart. "Where is Cornelia?"
Cinna jogs onstage, panting slightly. "Marcus, the ship soon embarks! Board ye the ship alone and peace could come to both kingdoms, as Blank so said." His head cocks to the side at Marcus' silence. "Speak, Marcus!"
"She told me she could not live without me." Marcus says softly, watching as the sky lights up and birds appear. "So, the sun is our enemy, too. The eastern sky grows bright." The hand on Marcus' chest curls into a fist. "Will we not spread our wings, as yonder birds in joyous flight?"
Cinna sighs exasperatedly as the sound of a boat bellows its horn in the distance. "Hark, Marcus! They cannot wait any longer!" Cinna takes one last look at Marcus and then hurries offstage, leaving Marcus alone once more.
"Could she have betrayed me?" he questions himself. "Nay, ne'er would my love speak false." He shakes his head and raises his cloaked arms up high. "I must have faith! She shall appear if I only believe!"
Garnet's heart is pounding in her throat, befuddled by the raw emotion in Marcus' voice, almost as if-
"As the sun lends me no ear, I pray instead to the twin moons!" He turns, facing away from the crowd towards the luminescent moons. "I beseech thee, wondrous moonlight, grant me my only wish!"
Marcus looks as if he's about to collapse, but then-
Zidane spins around, flipping the heavy cloak off his shoulders.
"Bring my beloved Dagger to me!"
Without realizing it, Garnet has shakily stood up and her palms curl around the awning, her eyes wide with shock and head slowly shaking back and forth.
Her gown billows behind her as she races towards the double doors where Steiner and Beatrix have their arms blocking the door, barring her path. Her eyes flit back and forth between them, silently pleading for them to let her through. After a moment's hesitation, her barrier falls and the doors are open. Beatrix does a grandiose sweep of her arm, her chestnut curls falling over her shoulder as she does and from the other side of the doors, Steiner nods at her, unable to keep the smile from curling his lips. Garnet nearly weeps with joy as she races through and down the staircase, tripping over the ends of her gown but uncaring if it gets torn.
She throws open the doors to the courtyard and she hardly notices the citizens staring at her as she rushes past them, being nothing but blurs to her vision as they quickly move out her way. One isn't fast enough and his elbow hits her necklace, where it falls as if in slow motion a couple feet behind her. Her hand reaches out as if to grasp it, but she brings it up to her heart and she makes the decision that she never thought she would – she turns away from it and continues on.
She sees Zidane onstage, walking slowly towards her, and it only makes her run faster, tears beginning to flow uncontrollably down her cheeks. Her fingers grasp at her crown and she tosses it away, a sob choking its way out of her throat as she flings herself at Zidane, arms immediately wrapping around him. She feels his own slip around her waist and she buries her face into the dip between his neck and shoulder, inhaling his scent that is distinctly Zidane.
Her chest heaves as she weeps the hardest she has in recent memory and she feels a gentle hand begin to stroke her hair. After attempting to regain her composure, she leans back, swollen, red eyes finding Zidane's own clear, cerulean ones. She searches them and sees nothing but utter love and longing in their depths, and he shrugs a shoulder sheepishly.
The pent up emotions over the past two years suddenly overwhelm her and she bangs her fist, hard, against Zidane's chest. To his credit, he winces only slightly, but he takes the beating and continues to stroke her hair until her hits slow and then cease. When she makes eye contact with him again, he only smiles and the fingers sifting through her locks gently push her head back to his shoulder. Her sobbing has since ended and in its place is sheer exhaustion, so she closes her eyes tiredly and burrows back into his neck. She feels his warm breath at her ear and he hooks his chin over her shoulder, arms tightening around her waist. Everything fades around them as they are lost in each other's embrace, the crowd's deafening cheers unable to reach them.
oOo
Later on, when they are alone, she asks, "how did you survive?"
He shrugs and answers simply. "I didn't have a choice. I had to live." She watches him curiously as he shifts up on Garnet's bed to lean against the headboard.
"I wanted to come home to you."
Garnet grabs his hand and holds it in her lap, her heart filled to the brim with love and relief and everything in between. He gives her hand a tender squeeze.
"So… I sang your song. Our song."