Disclaimer: Don't own FF9. Obviously.
Author's note: First Final Fantasy 9 fic, yay! Please give me some feedback, so I know whether I should continue. If this story progresses, it's likely the rating will go up, so be prepared.
Duplicity
Chapter 1
Queen Garnet gazed out from her balcony seat, a melancholy look in her eyes. Below her, the citizens of Alexandria cheered and clapped as the Tantalus players paid homage to Lord Avon's classic, I Want to Be Your Canary. The young queen had endeavored to remain cheerful herself—to put the past behind her as Zidane would have wanted her to do—and simply enjoy the performance. Yet, though more than a year had passed since their parting, the pain of leaving him behind had not faded, and this play she had once loved so dearly now only served as a reminder of her loss.
Zidane, you liar. Her eyes fell to her lap, the ivory silk of her gown bunching as she clenched her fists. You promised me you'd come back.
As the hero Marcus stood cloaked and hooded upon the stage, delivering his famous soliloquy, Garnet's mind wandered. She imagined that it was Zidane hiding beneath that cloak, waiting for the perfect moment to surprise her. A soft smile touched her lips. Yes, that was exactly the sort of thing he would do.
The hero turned from the crowd, throwing his arms wide.
"…I beseech thee, wondrous moonlight, grant me my only wish!"
Now, the queen prayed silently, leaning forward in her gilded chair, her throat desert dry. Please let it be now.
But the loud, clanking footsteps of an approaching soldier wrenched Garnet from her musings, and she sank back against the plush velvet of her seat, feeling foolish.
"Pardon me, Captain, but there's a strange man at the gate asking to speak with Her Majesty," Weimar whispered loudly behind her.
"A strange man?" Steiner echoed just as quietly.
"Yes, sir, he's got a long tail like a monkey, and when we asked him why he wanted to see Her Highness, all he would say was that he 'had a promise to keep.' What should we—"
Garnet's sudden hold on his chest plate startled Weimar into silence.
"Where is he?" she demanded. "Answer me!"
"Your Majesty!" Steiner exclaimed in shock.
"He—he's at the palace gate, Your Highness," Weimar stuttered, his eyes wide beneath his oversized helmet.
He staggered back as Garnet released him, striding towards the massive double doors that barred the balcony's exit.
"Your Majesty, please wait—"
Garnet ignored Beatrix's plea, shoving back the doors and hurrying down the giant spiral staircase beyond. Servants' heads turned as the queen practically sprinted past them, racing through the castle's grand foyer and out onto the palace grounds. Her lungs burned from the chill of the autumn air, her cheeks flushing red from exertion.
She could hear her retinue of guards and attendants hailing her, entreating her to stop, but Garnet pressed on. She splashed through icy puddles without care, the hem of her lovely dress snagging and tearing on the cobblestones. When the great palace gate came into view at last, a delighted laugh escaped her lips. She felt so light, so free, so alive!
Zidane…Zidane has returned to me at last!
Finally reaching the gate, Garnet slowed to a halt before two Knights of Pluto who were facing away, apparently conversing with the visitor. Glimpsing her over his shoulder, Blutzen elbowed Kohel, and the pair of knights promptly stepped aside, revealing the strange man who sought an audience with the queen. At the sight of him, Garnet's heart froze in her chest.
"You," she breathed, a drop of cold sweat slithering down between her shoulder blades.
Though he had not believed it possible, Queen Garnet of Alexandria had grown far more beautiful since last he'd seen her. Even as her cheeks paled and her face crumpled in despair, even with her gown dirtied and her crown skewed atop her tangled hair, no other woman could compare.
Zidane, what a fool you were, Kuja thought wistfully.
As he gazed at her, the legion of soldiers pursuing the young queen finally reached the palace gate, forming around him in a loose circle at the command of their general, Beatrix. He glanced at her dispassionately as they leveled their swords against him, and could not help but roll his eyes when a large knight in gleaming armor did the same, throwing himself between Kuja and the queen.
"Your Majesty, stay behind me!" he bellowed hoarsely, still struggling to catch his breath from the chase.
"My lovely Queen," Kuja chided sweetly, his azure eyes never leaving the knight's, "your lapdog has a shiny new coat, I see, yet he still barks like a cur."
Adelbert Steiner bristled, his gauntleted fingers tightening visibly around the hilt of his greatsword.
"Silence, villain, or I shall not grant you the mercy of a quick death," the knight growled. "How dare you threaten Her Majesty's safety and disturb the peace of Alexandria!"
"I do not recall making any threats, sir knight," Kuja replied evenly, his arm sweeping out in a placating gesture, "particularly with regards to Queen Garnet's well-being. I assure you I mean no harm."
"Then why are you here?" Beatrix asked bluntly, her lone eye glaring at him in distrust. "What business could you possibly have with Her Grace?"
"Sweet General, I am but a humble messenger, eager to fulfill a promise I made to Her Majesty's dearest friend."
Steiner scoffed. "Lies. A fiend like you would never swear such an oath."
Kuja's smile was brittle. How keenly he desired to throttle the armored oaf with his own gorget.
But he had made a vow—the first vow he had ever truly intended to keep. He couldn't afford to be distracted by this simpleton, so he closed his eyes briefly, and remembered.
The vines had left gaping holes in Zidane's chest, deep wounds that Kuja could not hope to heal in his weakened state. Yet he tried. For three days he attempted to stop the flow of blood, to knit together flesh and bone…
But his efforts were in vain. Exhausted, defeated, he finally collapsed next to Zidane and for a while just stared blankly at the canopy of roots and vines above them.
"Why?" he demanded feebly, turning his head to face the boy lying next to him. "Why would you sacrifice yourself for me?"
When Zidane smiled, his mouth was full of blood.
"Because…you're my brother."
Kuja opened his eyes, taking a few steps forward in the direction of the queen. The soldiers surrounding him held their ground as he advanced, the points of their swords biting through the fabric of his cloak and tunic.
"Has the canary lost her voice?" he inquired in a smooth, cool tone. "Is this why she permits her servants to speak in her place?"
"Such impudence!" Steiner began, brandishing his sword anew. "You will address the queen as Her Majesty or—"
"Steiner."
The knight faltered, turning to face his queen. "Y-yes, Your Majesty?"
"Please stand aside."
Reluctantly, he complied, and Kuja found himself facing Queen Garnet once more.
"You came here to deliver a message from Zidane, is that correct?" she asked him carefully, her clear brown eyes trained upon his face.
"Quite correct, Your Grace." Kuja paused, tilting his head slightly in question. "May I approach?"
"Your Majesty, please!" Steiner begged, his sword nearly slipping from his grasp in his agitation. "The words of a madman cannot be trusted!"
Kuja paid no heed to the knight's blathering. Instead, he studied the queen's expression. Her lips curved downward in uncertainty, a deep, dark hunger slowly eclipsing the hesitation in her eyes.
"You may approach," she said at last, silencing Steiner with an upraised hand.
Unhappily, General Beatrix ordered her soldiers to stand down, and Kuja was allowed to pass. As he crossed the short distance between himself and the queen, Zidane's last words echoed in his mind.
"Promise me, Kuja…swear to me you'll give this to her…"
He stopped a foot away from Garnet, flinging back his sable cloak as he reached towards his hip.
"…and tell her…just tell her…"
"'I'm sorry,'" Kuja said, holding Zidane's weapon out before her.
Wordlessly, the queen accepted the dagger, careful not to brush his hands accidentally in retrieving it. For what seemed like days, Garnet stared mutely at the plain, worn knife lying unsheathed against the silk of her gloves. Unsettled by her cold silence, Kuja searched for something appropriate to fill the void. Something that would console her.
"At the end, he spoke only of you," he lied gently. "'Garnet' was the last name to leave his lips."
Abruptly, the queen looked up at him, her eyes hard and full of pain. In her hands she clutched the naked blade, and her pale gloves blossomed crimson with blood. Startled by the venom in her expression, Kuja took a step back.
"Seize him," the queen commanded sharply to Beatrix, her delicate form trembling with rage.
Before Kuja could react, Steiner's sword was against his neck, drawing the slightest amount of blood.
"Do not move," the knight ordered unnecessarily.
As Beatrix's soldiers bound his arms behind his back, Kuja caught the queen's eye.
"Where should we take him, Your Majesty?" a soldier asked.
Garnet turned away from him, shaking her head.
"Just get him out of my sight."
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