~ A Princess and Her Thief ~
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Author's Note: This is the first chapter to my first fanfic! This isn't really like anything in the game. It's more of a story about how times were back then for royalty and poor people to be together… as you will see. Not all the characters of FF9 will be in here. There isn't really much here yet, but yeah. There's nothing really bad here by the way, not yet except for the bad language. It's rated R for future chapters. So go ahead and R/R, please.
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-- Chapter One --
"Princess, are you ready?"
Princess Garnet Til Alexandros the 17th sat at her vanity table, staring at her reflection in the mirror. Today was her 16th birthday. She had just enough time to get back from her dinner party to change
She was dressed in her finest, a lavender gown with white satin and lace given to her by her mother as a birthday present. She wore her usual silver tiara, with her long, dark hair falling down her bare back. Silver earrings dangled from her ears, and the royal pendant hung from her neck.
"Princess?" she heard General Beatrix's voice sound outside her bedroom chamber door.
"I'll be right there," she called back softly.
She took another look at herself in the mirror. Chocolate brown eyes stared back at her. She touched a small hand to her face. She looked absolutely stunning, that's what Beatrix had said once she had finished helping her get changed. She didn't feel stunning. She felt tired and exhausted. She'd spent the whole day partying with her friends and family, and the last thing she felt like doing was going to a play. But she knew if she didn't go none of the others would. And she knew how much her mother loved the plays, and her friends always loved the view from the balcony. And besides, they were playing her favorite tonight, "I Want to Be Your Canary" by Lord Avon.
"Princess, please hurry. We're going to be late."
"Yes. I'm coming." She quickly checked herself over once more and then headed for the door, where a tall woman with long, golden hair dressed in uniform known as Beatrix was waiting just outside for her.
Beatrix smiled as Garnet exited the room and closed the door behind her. "Ah, Princess, are we ready to go?"
She smiled back. "Yes, Beatrix. Are my mother and friends waiting for me on the balcony?"
"Yes, Princess. Shall we?" Beatrix held her arm out in a gesture that she go first.
"Yes."
-----
"Dear, there you are," her mother greeted her as she walked out onto the balcony. Queen Brahne was seated in her large throne in the center of the balcony. Garnet's was on the right side of the throne, and there were two other seats placed beside her where her friends were sitting.
"Hello Mother," she said as she leaned over to plant a kiss on her cheek before taking her seat. She turned to her friends. "Hello Daisy. Annie." She nodded to them as she said their names.
"Oh, Garnet, you look beautiful," Daisy, the one right beside her said, grinning. "I love your gown. It's beautiful."
Daisy had long, blond curls that fell halfway down her back, and big blue eyes. She was short for her age, about a foot shorter than she was. She had a petite body, and a small, button-round face. She was wearing a pink gown with red floral patterns.
"Thank you," she replied, smiling.
"Yes. It looks very nice on you," Annie, the one on the other side of Daisy added, smiling as well.
Annie had long, fiery red hair that cascaded down her back, and amazing emerald eyes. She was pretty tall, but a bit too thin for her height. And she had a heart shaped face, much like her own, although hers was speckled with barely noticeable freckles. She was dressed in a white gown with golden embroidery.
She laughed. "Thank you, girls. You look lovely yourselves."
"Oh, and I see you are wearing the earrings that I gave you," Annie pointed out, sounding pleased.
She nodded. "Yes. Thank you for the gift, Annie. I love them."
"Are you pleased with the gift that I gave you?" Daisy asked.
"Of course. The ring is beautiful, Daisy." She looked down at the ring sitting upon her middle finger. It was a silver ring, with a large silver star studded with Rhine stones on it. It really was beautiful. It almost matched the earrings that Annie gave her. They had tiny little silver stars hanging from the ends of them. She smiled. It touched her how they both remembered how much she loved stars.
"Shh," Queen Brahne broke into their conversation, bringing a finger to her lips. "The play is about to start."
She sat back in her chair as the lights dimmed up on the stage and the crowd standing below hushed. It was clear out tonight. The full moon hung low in the sky and millions of stars dotted the heavens. She breathed in the sweet smell of the night air as she waited for the play to start.
Finally the lights went on. Colored lights flashed across the people down below, and bright white lights shot up into the sky and wavered all around. There was a whistling sound as fire works went off, booming loud and raining down in radiant colors. The crowd awed and she even heard her own mother and her friends gasp in amazement at the display. She watched as the pretty colors swirled around in the air and then plummet to the ground. She wished she wasn't so tired, then she might be able to enjoy this more.
She looked over at her mother, who was watching the lights with beady eyes as wide as they could get and a smile on her crimson lips. Her pale, bluish-green skin seemed florescent under the moonlight. She watched as the colored lights danced across her face and saw them reflected in her eyes. Her mother must of sensed her looking at her, for she turned and asked, "Garnet, dear, are you alright?"
She nodded. "Yes, Mother. I'm fine."
Her mother nodded in return then turned her attention back to the stage. Her mother always had the biggest fascination with plays, and rarely ever paid any attention to anything else. She was in love with the drama and acting of it all. She would often at times get all excited about it and get herself all worked up. She herself was a real dramatic.
Although she wasn't nearly as fervent about plays as her mother was, Garnet shared her love of the drama and acting as well. She enjoyed reading and studying about them too. Reading page after page of script brought her to new places and different worlds and into the lives of people she could never experience in real life.
The lights and fire works stopped. A spot light lit the stage, and a big man with a pig's snout and long tresses of pink hair mostly hidden under a large golden crown and a mustache growing down into a beard, dressed in a red robe, stepped out from behind the black curtain. He bowed slightly before saying in a deep, raspy voice, "Ladies and Gentlemen..."
-----
Zidane Tribal peered through the black curtain of the theater ship out into the crowd. There were over a hundred people just sitting around the stage. There were probably a hundred more watching from the rooftops and in the castle.
The ship was filled with the sound of people hustling and bustling about behind the curtain, getting ready to begin the show. Musical instruments played loudly off to the side backstage. They were playing a low beat, dramatic piece for their upcoming scene. All that mixed with the people clapping and cheering in the crowds made it difficult to hear much of anything else.
His eyes wandered over to Baku, who was reciting the introduction to the play. "Ladies and Gentlemen! Tonight's performance is a story that takes place long, long ago..." He paused to stifle a sneeze. "Our heroine, Princess Cornelia, is torn from her lover, Marcus..."
He glanced backstage just in time to see Ruby rush by him with her costume in hand. She was playing one of the main roles as the Princess Cornelia. Cinna and Marcus followed at her heels, along with two other men whom he didn't know very well.
He tugged at the collar of his shirt. He was wearing a big, baggy white shirt that had seen better days, and a pair of brown pants and black boots. This was his costume for his part as a fellow peasant friend of Marcus'. It was so hot back here. The steam from the machines used to switch scenes and props and power special effects was making it impossible to breathe. That and all the body heat were overwhelming.
"She attempts to flee the castle, only to be captured by her father, King Leo," he heard Baku continue with his lines. He'd better get to his place. The play was going to start any minute now. He wondered where Blank was. He hadn't seen him run by with Ruby and the others.
He turned his attention back towards the crowd, pushing the curtain open a bit wider. He glanced up at the royal balcony. This would be his first time seeing the queen and the princess. He'd seen them in pictures before, but he'd never actually seen them in person. But he wasn't so interested to see the queen as he was to see the princess. He'd seen her portrait, but he wondered if she really was as beautiful as they say. Rumors from people who have seen her have said that she was the fairest maiden in all of Alexandria. With long, thick hair like a curtain of night, and perfect ivory skin. Lips so full and eyes so dark it made a man's heart stop and his mouth go dry.
And then he saw her. Up on the balcony between the queen and two other girls. Indeed, the rumors were true, he thought, eyes widening at the sight of her. She was having a conversation with the two girls at her side. The other girls were quite beautiful too, he noted, but they didn't even come close to Princess Garnet's beauty.
"Hey, Zidane!"
He whirled around at the sound of his name to find Blank standing just before him. The young man was just about the same height as him with dark red hair that stood up on end, and one gray eye - the other covered by a large eye patch. He was dressed in a costume almost exactly like his except he was wearing black pants and his shirt was a bit more decent looking.
"Blank," Zidane greeted him, grinning.
"Here." Blank handed him the one of the two swords he'd been carrying. "C'mon, we gotta get to our spots."
"Wait. Have you seen the Princess Garnet yet?" He opened the curtain once again and peered out at the balcony.
"No. I haven't," Blank replied, stepping up to take a look.
He watched Blank's expression - eyes widening and mouth gaping open. "Gorgeous, eh?"
"Damn right," was all he said as he continued to look on. "Her friends aren't that bad either."
"Yeah."
Blank nodded and closed the curtain. "Alright, now, come on. We gotta get going."
"Right. Let's go."
-----
"...When our story begins, Marcus, having heard of this, crosses swords with the king. And now, Your Royal Majesty, Queen Brahne, Your Highness, Princess Garnet... noble ladies and lords, and our rooftop viewers, Tantalus proudly presents 'I Want to Be Your Canary!'"
Garnet watched as the big man then bowed and turned to walk off stage. The crowds cheered as the curtain was raised and the music changed to more of an up-beat piece.
A castle, obviously made out of wood, painted to look like it was made of stone stood in the center of the stage. There was a drawbridge and a few small towers off to the side to make it look more realistic. There were also a few plants placed on both sides of the castle, and some around the drawbridge and such. They had a starry night sky background with a big, crescent moon in the center of it.
"Ooh, I'm so excited," Daisy whispered to her. "I love this play."
She nodded. "Yes. The scenery is very well done too," she added. But no one paid her any attention as the play began.
The drawbridge lowered, and three men stood just inside the castle.
"Berefet of father! Berefet of Mother! Marcus! Thou hast lost even thy love!" one of the men, a tall man with red hair that stood on end, said his lines.
"Fortune hath escap'd thee! For what end shalt thou live?" another man, a short, pudgy man with a potbelly, and a round face and a big red nose, spoke.
"For the sake of our friend... Let us bury our steel into the heart of the wretched King Leo!" the third man said. She couldn't get a good look at this man, for he was too far back and was hidden by the darkness.
"Aye!" the two other men said in unison. And then they ran out onto the stage where four other men had come out and were now standing in a half circle around the drawbridge.
"We shall back thee, kinsman!" the red head exclaimed, drawing out his sword as he stepped up to a hunched over man with a bald head wrapped in a bandana and a mean look on his face, who she assumed to be Marcus.
"Pray, sheathe thy swords! This villain is mine alone!" the bald man shouted, drawing out his own sword.
"Nay, kinsman! For I, too, have lost a brother to this fiend!" the pudgy man said.
"What ho?" the same man who had given the introduction spoke. "Out, vermin! Away! Thou darest bear thy sword before the king!? All who stand in my way will be crush'd!"
The third man from the drawbridge stepped forward from behind the two men he had come with, and now she was able to see him. He had to be the tallest of them all, besides the king. He had long, golden hair, which was pulled back in a loose ponytail, but most of his hair had fallen around his face. "Treacherous Leo, my kinsman's suffering shall not be in vain! For I shall instruct thee in his incomparable pain!" he spoke, taking out his sword as well.
And the fight began. King Leo took out his sword and his two knights - who looked like two rhinoceroses dressed in armor - came to aid him.
The redhead and the pudgy man attacked first, going for the two knights, while Marcus and the third man went after King Leo.
"Did you notice that the blond one has a tail?" Daisy leaned over and whispered in her ear.
A tail? Indeed, he had a tail. She watched as he slashed at King Leo with his sword, and she saw his tail, swishing back and forth with every movement. It was like a cat's tail. "Yes," she replied quietly.
"Well, isn't that strange?" Annie joined in. "He looks human, except for that tail. I've never seen one of his kind."
Garnet shook her head, not taking her eyes off the strange man as she scooted forward in her seat.
-----
"William? How's it goin'?" Ruby called out as she stepped up from the ladder. They were directly above the stage, on the rigging where William was working the lights. "Ya got it all fixed now?"
William looked up from his spot next to his toolbox, leaning over the edge to work on one of the lights. "I think so. Quite a few of the lights were loose. I hope I got them all screwed in tight."
Ruby nodded. "Mmm-hmm."
"You all set for your big role?" William grinned. "You nervous?"
She shook her head. "Nah. I've done this millions of times. And besides, I was made for the stage!" She posed, placing a hand on her hip and the other raised in the air. "I'm a born actress, ya know." She winked.
William chuckled. "I bet you are."
"You be doubtin' me?" she challenged, cocking an eyebrow.
"No. I've seen you act. You're pretty good."
"Pretty good?" she smirked. "You mean damn good!"
He laughed. "Yes. Damn good." He started picking up his tools. "Well anway, you better get goin'. Good luck to ya."
"Thanks, sugar, but I won't be needin' any luck." And with one last wink, she turned on her heel and headed back down the ladder.
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No, you fool! Get up!
Garnet was on the edge of her seat; hands balled up in fists on her lap. They were nearing the end of the fight. It hadn't lasted long, but they had used clever sword art that made up for it. And now Marcus was on the ground, with King Leo hovering over him with his broad sword pointed at his neck.The redhead and the pudgy man were advancing on the two knights, swinging their swords around in front of them. "Ugh! Retreat!" the knights cried as they threw down their swords and ran off stage.
King Leo whirled around. "Wait! You fools! Don't leave me!"
Marcus took advantage of the King's fury on his knights and jumped to his feet. He raised his sword high above his head and brought it down on the King's shoulder.
King Leo yelped in pain and the crowd gasped. Garnet even heard her own mother's dramatic gasp of shock. She watched as King Leo limped his way to the castle, pausing on the steps the lead him to the top. "Arrg... Grr... Thou hast not seen the last of me, Marcus!" And with that, King Leo made his escape.
"Come back!" the blond man called after him. He ran up the steps after him, but the red haired man blocked his way. "Out of the way, Blank!"
"Consider this, Zidane," Blank began. "If Prince Shneider were to marry Princess Cornelia, peace would reign over both their kingdoms!"
Zidane shook his head. "'Tis foolishness! If all were so easy, why, none would suffer in this world!"
Another battle was to begin. Zidane drew out his sword as Blank ran up the steps. He caught up to him near the edge of the castle.
Blank took out his own sword as well and slashed at Zidane. "En garde!" he shouted as he did so.
"Expect no quarter from me!" Zidane replied as he dodged one of Blank's attacks and went to slash at his arm, but missed when Blank suddenly jumped into the air and landed on the ground below. He jumped after him and followed him across the stage.
They were about to run out on one of the bridges that went out into the crowd when there was a loud creaking sound from above.
-----
What was that? Zidane looked up just in time to see one of the large spotlights fall from the rigging above the stage.
"Zidane, look out!!!" Blank shouted.
Blank lunged forward, knocking him out of the way. He skidded across the floor, tearing his shirt on a nail that hadn't been hammered in all the way and puncturing a wound to his right shoulder. "Blank!" he grunted in pain as he pushed himself up on his knees.
There was a crash. Pieces of wood flew in all directions and there was a loud cry. The crowd gasped.
"Blank!" Zidane shouted again as he jumped to his feet and ran to center of the stage, where the spotlight had fallen.
There was a large indentation in the wooden floor, with pieces of broken wood and little splinters that surrounded the fallen spot light, dust hovering just above it. And Blank lay in the middle of it. The spotlight had landed right on top of his right leg. Blood gushed from the wound it had caused. He'd obviously broken his leg by the way it was twisted. He had scrapes and cuts all over his arms and upper torso - from the wood no doubt. There were probably more cuts on his body, but he couldn't see them with the spotlight on top of him.
"Oh my God! Blank!" Zidane cried in horror.
Baku ran up beside him. "Holy shit," he muttered. "Someone get a doctor, quick!"
-----
Garnet gasped. She watched as the pudgy man, Marcus and the rest of the people on stage surrounded the injured Blank, blocking him from view.
"Is there a doctor in the house!?" Baku shouted over the people.
"Steiner," Brahne called for her faithful knight. Captain Aldebert Steiner of the Pluto Knights.
"Yes, my Queen?" Steiner saluted, standing upright.
"Go find Doctor Tot."
"Right away, Your Highness," and with that he ran off to find Doctor Tot.
"Mother..." Garnet trailed off, unable to finish her question. How could her mother possibly know? She couldn't see anymore of what was going on than she could.
But Brahne knew. "It's alright, dear. He'll be fine."
"How awful," Daisy murmured, bringing a hand up to her face.
Garnet ignored them. She was now focused on the man known as Zidane. The look on his face was pure shock and disbelief. She could imagine the guilt he felt. They were obviously good friends, and if it weren't for Blank, Zidane would be the one lying there. She felt sorry for him.
"Poor man," Annie said quietly, shaking her head.
Poor Zidane,
she thought. "How could this have happened?""I don't know," Brahne spoke. "But it will be fine. Do not worry. Doctor Tot will take care of everything."
A sick feeling rose in her stomach. The whole scene played in her mind again. The loud crash and Blank's painful screams along with the screams of others. She closed her eyes.
"Beatrix, take the girls to their bed chambers," Brahne ordered.
"Yes, Your Highness." Beatrix stepped forward. "Princess, Lady Daisy, Lady Annie, come with me, please."
-----
"It's alright, Your Highness," Baku shook his head, strands of pink hair falling around his face. "After Doctor Tot patches him up we'll head straight back to Lindblum."
"No," Brahne snapped. She was determined that Baku and his band stay at her castle until Blank fully recovered. "I insist. There's so reason for you to travel all the way back to Lindblum. Blank and another one of your men was injured and--"
"It's no biggy. As soon as we get back to Lindblum I'll have them both rest up and get better."
"But I feel awful for what happened. I'd feel much better if you recuperated here."
Baku fell silent. She could tell he didn't like relying on other people for help. He was the leader. He felt he should be the one to take care of his group. But she could also see that he didn't want to travel back to Lindblum. At least not tonight.
"Alright," he finally said, nodding. "But as soon as Zidane's better and Blank can get on his feet, we'll leave."
She nodded. "Thank you."
He shook his head. "No. Thank you."
-----
"This is terrible," Daisy said as she flopped down on Garnet's large, four poster bed. They were all dressed in their nightgowns and were now just getting ready for bed. "I can't believe what happened to that poor man... What was his name?"
"Blank," Garnet replied from her place at her vanity table, running a silver brush through her long dark hair. "Or at least that was his character's name."
"Yes," Daisy continued. "How awful... Imagine the pain and humiliation of it all."
"Mmm," Annie nodded as she flopped down next to Daisy, holding the end of her long, thick braid in one hand, and her hair ribbon in the other. "The poor man." She tied the ribbon around the end of her braid.
Daisy looked down at the skirt of her nightgown. "I don't think I could have lived through that. I would have either died from shock and pain or humiliation or even both."
"I don't think the people in the crowd really mattered to him at the moment," Garnet thought aloud. She set the brush down on her vanity. She decided not to braid it tonight. She hated how it would be all curly when she undid it in the morning.
The grandfather clock sitting in the corner next to her vanity gonged ten times.
"He was very brave though," Annie commented after the final gong. "I only heard him cry out once when the spot light fell on him. After that he was silent."
Garnet recalled that too, but her mind was centered on something else. "And poor Zidane..."
"Poor Zidane?" Daisy sounded surprised.
She nodded. "Yes. The blond haired man with the tail." She paused, taking a long strand of hair and began twirling it around her index finger. "He and Blank were obviously good friends... Did you see the look on his face?"
"The same look was on the rest of the people's faces."
She shook her head. "No. If it weren't for Blank, Zidane would've been the one severely injured."
Daisy frowned.
Garnet got up from her seat and walked over to the bed. After sitting down next to Annie, she continued, "He feels guilty. Even though it wasn't his fault. Because Blank jumped in the way for him."
"How do you know this?" Daisy asked.
"Common sense," Annie smirked, flicking Daisy on the side of the head.
"Shut up."
Garnet laughed.
Just then there was a knock at her door. General Beatrix cracked open the door and stepped in. "It's time to go to sleep, girls. We've all had a long, busy day."
"Yes. I agree," Daisy said, following with a yawn as she got up from the bed. "Let's all call it a night and get some rest, hmm?" And with that she went to her side of the bed and got under the covers.
Annie followed, crawling to the middle of the bed.
And then Garnet finally crawled in next to Annie.
Beatrix smiled. "Alright, girls. Good night." She blew out the candles then left.
It was dark. Except for the moon and stars glowing brightly through her bed chamber windows. A gentle breeze came flowing in, offering relief from the heat of the summer night. But Garnet could not sleep.
Shortly after Beatrix left, Daisy and Annie had drifted right off to sleep. But Garnet didn't feel the slightest bit tired. She couldn't stop thinking about what happened at the play. It was terrible. She felt bad for Blank because of his injury. She hadn't heard anything of his injury yet, but she'd probably know by tomorrow morning. And the members of Tantalus, the actors and of course their leader, Baku.
But the odd thing was those things didn't bother her as much as the look on that man named Zidane. The look in his eyes when he laid eyes on his friend. Shock, disbelief, grief, guilt - all those things. The way he called out Blank's name and ran to his friend's side. It all hit her in a way she didn't understand.
She got up from her bed and walked over to the window, careful not to wake Annie and Daisy. Why should she be feeling this way? She was positive that the others felt the same way too. He was their friend too, and a member of Tantalus, was he not?
She shook her head, angry with herself. She didn't even know this man. This was her first time seeing him and it was from a distance. So why did his feelings and reactions mean anything to her?
Stop this, Garnet, you're being ridiculous,
she scolded herself. Just go back to bed and get some sleep. You have a busy day tomorrow and you need your rest. Just forget about everything and get some rest.But she couldn't get to sleep. The more she allowed herself to think about tonight's events, the more her mind kept wandering back to Zidane. And the more her mind wandered back to Zidane, the more she wondered why she was thinking of him. It was an endless cycle. She was so desperate to forget about this mess and get to sleep that she thought about marching down to Zidane's and Blank's room to see how they were doing. Maybe after she saw that they were both doing better she might be able to put her mind at ease. But her more rational self told her to stay put. It was foolish. What if one of them were awake or they woke up while she was in their room? That wouldn't be good. No. She'd just have to use her will power to push these thoughts out of her mind...
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A/N: So, what'd you think? I know it's not much, but it's just the first chapter. There will be many more to come. I'm not sure how many yet, though. If you see any spelling or grammar mistakes that bother you, please point them out to me and I will try to fix them, okay?
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