Brahne's Story

By: Ultima's Angel

Disclaimer: I own nothing of FFIX but this story! Bah...

1. Welcome home Princess Garnet!

She was beautiful. Small like a petite doll with round brown eyes and a cute smile. Her parents were so proud that they named her "Garnet" after a rich and expensive gem that shined and she did just that, no visitor to the castle would leave without commenting on her beauty. They all said she looked like her mother.

Queen Brahne was the best Queen Alexandria had seen for many years. With long dark brown hair that fell to her waist and pretty brown eyes, she certainly looked the part but it was her caring soul that brought inspiration to the people of Alexandria. She was the one who had brought equality. Before the kingdom was ruled by her and her husband, Alexandria was a place of class. Children of the working class were dying from malnutrition while the rich upper class feasted on large banquets. Brahne had therefore spent most of her time as Queen on bringing a solution to this. It was a cruel ironic fate then that her own little Garnet became ill.

It was a day of misery. Outside, Alexandria was plagued by incessant rain and the sky was filled with swirling grey clouds. Garnet, now a young girl, had mysteriously collapsed and had been bed ridden by a fever. Queen Brahne, in her panic, had called upon every doctor imaginable to cure her but every one diagnosed the same.
"Your Majesty, the princess is dying"
Queen Brahne herself died that day. Overcome by grief, she shut herself away from the outside world and her little princess died some time after. Like a curse had been cast on the castle, it lay silent until one day a young knight called Steiner spotted something in the distant water.

"You there! What are you doing floating so close to the castle!"
From the boat came no reply. Like a ghost ship in light of its surroundings, it continued to bob along in the current coming closer to where Steiner stood. Once it was ashore, Steiner could get a closer look. It had been badly battered with torn sails that spread like a blanket over the cargo. Confused, he lifted up the sail as the wind picked up speed making the boat sway impatiently on the waves. He was aware that this was no cargo… it was a body. In complete shock, he nearly fell backwards. If it hadn't been for a small voice from inside the boat he would have just let the boat be swept back out to sea.
"Help me… please"

Steiner approached the body once more with caution, his heart pounding, and was relieved to see it was a little girl.
"What are you doing in there?" he asked, his eyes locking on the girl's large brown ones. "…Garnet?"
It was an odd moment. Excitement filled every part of him. The Princess had not gone away and been killed like the Pluto Knights had been told. She was in the boat. She was alive. He lifted the girl out and rushed into the castle shouting "She's alive!" as he ran up the stairs towards the royal chambers.

"I must speak with the King and Queen!" he yelled at the young guard.
"What does this concern?" he asked, like it was part of his routine.
"Please… it's a personal matter!"
The young guard noted Steiner's frantic state and let him pass.
"I have great news!" Steiner cried and he kneeled down to the King and Queen. "The Princess.. she is alive!"
"My dearest Steiner. Please don't speak such nonsense. You are upsetting my wife!" the King said almost instantly, clasping Queen Brahne's hand.
"It is not nonsense! I speak the truth, she is here!"
Steiner summoned the child to stand near him and, as soon as she walked in, Queen Brahne's eyes filled with tears.
"She was found sailing, Your Highness," Steiner said urgently, "I'd say she's been in a storm from the look of the boat we found her in. It's a miracle. A real miracle has happened. Princess Garnet is alive!"
He himself looked alive with excitement as if he couldn't wait to leave and spread the good news which he did soon after he had stopped speaking, the noise of his armour heard as he raced down the winding stairs. In the room, however, it was a completely different atmosphere altogether.

"Come child. Let me take a look at you," the King said, but with much less excitement than would be expected of a man who hadn't gazed upon his long- lost daughter's eyes for a long time. "Do not be afraid…"
"I'm not afraid, I'm just not who you think…" the girl said quietly before being interrupted by the King.
"Brahne…You know as well as I do that this is not Garnet…"
The Queen's bottom lip was trembling and her eyes looked as if they had been drained of all colour where once they had been bright.
"I know…" she whispered to herself. "I know that our Garnet's dead, our little princess is gone. But she looks so much like her… the eyes, the hair, everything… " She looked up. " Where do you come from? Where is your home, who are your parents?"
"My name is Sara… I'm from…. I'm from…. I don't have a home."
"Don't have a home? How is that possible?"
"It was destroyed."
"My poor child," the Queen said sorrowfully, "Where will you go?"
Sara obviously hadn't thought this far, she pursed her mouth deep in thought.
"I don't know, Your Majesty."
The Queen looked at her, her eyes filled with love as if the child before her really was her own daughter. She was beautiful and alert yet grief had obviously taken its toll. Her long dark brown hair had frayed at the ends and her eyes, once shining brown, were dull only showing signs of life when she looked at Sara. Suddenly she knew what she had to do.

"Steiner!"
The knight appeared from nowhere, out of breath from running about the kingdom spreading the news.
"I want you to take Princess Garnet to her room. You are to protect her at all costs- even if it means your life. Do you hear me? We will not lose her again."
Steiner nodded.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
He turned to look at Sara.
"Welcome home Princess Garnet."

This first chapter isn't very detailed and some part of me thinks I maybe should have put some more detail in. However, it is really just an introduction into the story... I normally over describe! I think I was being cautious this fanfic lol... anyhow please read on for more descriptive chapters and, before you do so, please review as I listen to them and I sometimes reply to what people have written. It helps me a lot.

And... this takes a scene out of my other fanfic "Sacreda" just in case anyone was wondering but they're not actually related.

Thanks for reading! o:D