Ever After
The sun had just begun to sink, slowly making its' way below the horizon; painting the sky with a variety of colors: reds, pinks, oranges, and yellows. But the sky still remained that light blue in various patches across the sea of color. The moon and stars had already began they're appearance, soon everything would become dark and yet serene. Fluffy clouds rolled through, leaving bits of white and grey walls against those brilliant colors. It felt as thought the sky was rushing to become night, everything seemed to be flowing as if they had tickets to the performance that would be taking place this very night. Below on the light sandy colored cobble stone roads, used as paths (as cars are not used in Gaia), were many nobles, and many lords with their wives sitting on bronze carved chairs clothed in red velvet waiting for the show to begin. The sounds of their chatter was about the only thing one could hear. Except for maybe a few children playing outside of the area, or maybe one or two trying to sneak a peek and the sounds of their feet bouncing off and on the ground, echoing past the great, currently closed off, entrance. The gulls squawking around the roof top viewers, those who lived in the houses they sat on and didn't have enough money to get the 'up-front' view those wealthy men and women were going to experience, and the soon in coming theater ship.
The one person who would be able to receive the real, close up view would be the one living in the enormous pearly white castle, the now heir to the throne, Queen Garnet; she received the throne after her mother's death and soon after leaving Zidane to return home. The new queen stood arms resting on the ledge of the balcony, the right hand holding her head up. Her sad and longing eyes peered into the drawing night's sky, hoping for his safety, or at least… hoping he was even alive. They had told her… there was no way any person, or any being could survive that, the end of the Iifa Tree, most likely the end of Zidane. She knew, deep in her heart, where her love for her kidnapper, rescuer, the infamous thief, he was alive. But, what made her so saddened was that, maybe he didn't want to come back, maybe he was thinking it would be better if they all thought I was dead, I've cause them enough trouble.
Her eyes squinted some and her head lowered only now to stare at the stone ledge she was resting against. Garnet's head shook a little to each side as she told herself not to think like that, that was wrong. She knew he would never think that. A soft depressed like sigh emitted from deep within as she closed her eyes. A single tear fell down her cheeks, adding a reddening wetness to her milky complexion. She wiped it away and stood tall staring out into the, now almost darkness of night; the sky was still bright, but was no longer filled with all those colors. The same colors she had said goodbye in. A small smiled played on her lips as her small glint of hope grew just a little stronger, and much bigger. She remembered how he would do anything to save another from any danger, no matter who they were. Garnet played they're last time together in her head, it was something she could never forget, something she may never heal from, 'the last time together'.
"Dagger… I mean, your highness. The abduction is over. I cannot take you any further. …I'm sorry for being so selfish…"
"You're not being selfish…"
"Promise me one thing… Please come back…"
"Thank you… Zidane…"
Ah, how she remembered her disguise name, Dagger. Chosen from the two daggers Zidane wielded as weapons. Those daggers that had once made her hair short. Garnet remembered, and now what seems like an eternity her hair has grown back and most people's memories had faded about him. Hers had been dwindling too, but the sudden spark of the play that was preformed the day she was 'kidnapped' had come up again. She was even wearing the same dress that she wore that night, now adorned with the crystal which now hung around her neck… Maybe she was hoping that she had gone back in time, just to experience it all again… but maybe she should forget… to try and forget about him, and that night, that adventure, and the ship. The ship!
"The theater ship… it's going to arrive any moment now." That smile once again played across her lips as she thought of those memories, but quickly faded.
"It's been so long… I can't wait to see …everyone…" That depression that once coursed through her body had returned.
"But… It'll never be the same… I have to let go, move on… just like he taught me…" Her eyes, still saddened, became affixed on the now arriving ship, the Tantalus.
It smoothed it's way over rooftops and over those sitting on top, waiting for the performance. It lowered with great speed and yet as gentle as possible down, giving the Queen and those in chairs the best view available. Those without a good view, those who either snuck in or those atop the roofs had to move to get a better view. Everything was silent, except the tapping of feet as those made their way to a better sight.
A curtain made from various cloth was raised and that oh-so-familiar stage crept into view. Garnet's anxiety and hope were the only two things pumping threw her veins as she took her seat, a chair made from pure gold and was shaped in a way that stated royalty was sitting here. The cushions were red but were made with a much richer material then of what the nobles were resting on. Behind the Queen were her two loyal and trusted knights, Steiner and Beatrix; they had also been there through her adventures and helped her progress until the end. Her eyes peered over the balcony and down to the stage as the boss, Baku stepped out. Above him were around 5 members of the Tantalus playing the music for the play she knew would be acting out. Above them was the cloth ceiling. She sighed and listened as Baku introduced what would be occurring this night.
"Ladies and Gentlemen! Tonight's performance is a story that takes place long, long ago. Our heroine, Princess Cornelia, is torn from her lover, Marcus. 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. 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'!"
Baku stepped off the stage as the other actors, and actress take their places. Two figures walked on to the stage. One known as Ruby, she had bumped into her before, and a figured almost complete covered by a robe were standing, embracing each other warmly. Ruby must be playing Cornelia, she supposed the other figure was playing Marcus.
"Marcus?" Cornelia states more then asks, resting her head against his shoulder.
"Sweet Marcus, I fear I love thee more then I should!" Her voice was cracking, she sounded so hurt, so sad. Garnet giggled a muted giggle, the play was different then she remembered.
"Princess… Wilt thou be happy, married to a lowly peasant such as I?" Marcus' face was unseen, but the emotion in his words told how his heart was feeling.
Cornelia lifted her head from his shoulder and with her best effort looked into his eyes, covered by shadows. She seemed a bit angered, but only a bit. One could tell with how much love they shared for each other, it was hard to stay mad at each other, or even get mad at all.
"Prithee, call me 'princess' no more! Marcus, wilt thou truly cherish me, the King's only daughter?" Cornelia back away a little from her beloved, confused, and searching for answers.
"Or is such a desire too dear to wish for? After the nuptials, shall I become no more than a puppet? A mindless puppet, never to laugh, never to cry? I wish to live my life under the sky. At times I shall laugh, at other times cry. For no life is more insincere than that lived as a masquerade." Her arms never left his back, only seemed to show she would never stop loving him. Marcus didn't move his position, but his mouth could be seen, moving, as he answered her.
"So much consideration thou hast given it! But worry not! Cast away thy trappings of royalty, and I shall swaddle thee in a gown of pure love! Never again will I part from thee! Pray, my love, make me thy canary to keep me forever in the cage of thy bosom! Let us embark on the first ship tomorrow, before dawn can tell of our elopement!" His head lowered to face hers more directly, to gaze upon her face.
Cornelia once again embraced him, her head digging into his chest. "All my fortunes at thy foot, I lay, and I shall follow thee throughout the world!"
"No cloud, no squall shall hinder us!" Marcus said to her, letting his arms fall and his body turn away. He walked away from her, leaving her alone with her thoughts.
"O, love is the sweetest joy and the wildest woe. All I wish is to be by my sweet Marcus's side." Cornelia faced the audience, giving her heart out. Garnet could feel the emotion, it seem all so real. The scene had ended and only for a second did the curtain drop, only to lift again showing a new day, a new scene.
Another person was now on the stage, Blank. He used his same name in the play, Garnet remembered. In a loud booming voice he spoke forth to the audience as if they were in the play. It shocked some of the audience.
"Fie! It shall be war again unless this marriage is stopped. Ne'er will I let their plan come to fruition."
Cornelia walked in from the left side of the stage, she would have walked right past Blank if he hadn't spoken up.
"Good day to ye, Highness."
She stopped at his side, and glanced at his face.
"Good day…" She replied, almost warily, to him.
"Wist thee Marcus?" He asked her politely, trying not to sound too bold. Her eyes seemed to light up by his question
"Marcus? What news dost thou bring?" She clasped her hands together, behind her back, her eyes never leaving his face, not until too late that is.
"This." and Blank thrust his fist into her gut, stunning her and eventually resulting in her losing consciences. But before she could fall to the ground, Blank caught her and carrying her in the way a husband would do to his bride, carries her off stage.
Again the curtain fell, and again for not very long. There weren't many props for this play. The imagination was always more creative anyway. This time on the stage is King Leo, or Baku. He seems frantic and worried. He stops in the middle of the stage.
"Where is she? Where has mine only daughter gone?" He spoke in a terrorized tone to the audience.
Blank suddenly walks in and up to the King, showing his politeness and somewhat loyalty to the king by giving him a half-way kneel and bow.
"Blank, Good man! Hast thou seen Cornelia?" King Leo asks Blank chirpily.
"Worry not, Majesty. I shall make sure Cornelia marries Prince Schneider. Be thou at ease." He places his hands on the King's shoulders to show how sincere he is.
Stepping backward out of his reach the King asks: "At ease, sayest thou? How can I rest, not knowing she is safe? Could it be...thou hast betrayed me?" The small thread of suspiciousness had begun it's growth within him.
"But my troth, sir, I betrayed none other than poor Marcus!" Blank tries to reassure the King, but the glare he was sending him proved he wasn't getting very far.
"Thou had the gall to betray thy dearest friend. Wouldst thou not betray me as swiftly?" Blank seemed to have failed in telling the King things were fine, as the King's hand groped for his blade. Blank quickly takes notice and takes a step back, with a face full of confidence he would turn it around. Confidence was only a mask to hide the arrogance and how much pride stuffed he really was.
"Stay thy hand, I merely…" But he never got to finish his sentence, or got the chance to turn things around. King Leo had drawn his blade and as quickly as he had unsheathed it had slashed it deep across Blank's chest. He fell to the ground in pain grasping the wound, the blood tumbling from his body and spilling across the stage floor. It ran right of the side and down to the ground where the audience was sitting. Blake fell face first into the floor, his body almost giving up completely, almost dead. With a dying gasp Blank speaks.
"...I merely... sought a lasting peace between ...the two kingdoms!" And with one last gurgle his body gave out and his life was over.
Two fellows dressed in black leather straps with spikes walked out onto the stage. They were known as Benero and Zenero in both the play and outside of it too, Garnet remembered most of the actors did that.
"The traitor is dead!" Zenero spoke up, staring at the mess of blood, at the body.
"O, cruel fate!" Benero half mocked, half saddened. He lifted his arm over his face to mock the dead Blank some more.
King Leo re-sheathed the now tainted sword and looked up from the body to the audience, but not at anyone directly.
"You two... Quickly, find Cornelia and bring her before me!" he said, not caring anymore about Blank. Not caring that his body was laying there in the middle of the floor.
Each answered him with "Yes, Your Majesty." and quickly ran off in separate directions.
King Leo growled, seeming to stare out a window that could not exist. "Wretched daughter! How dare she disobey her father's wishes!" He turned and stomped off to the right, awaiting his daughter's arrival.
The curtain was lowered and everyone waited in anticipation. The curtain didn't rise for at least five minutes, but everyone clapped when it did. The moon had reach high in the middle of sky, but Queen Garnet had been so absorbed in the play and her memories that she hadn't noticed it was completely dark out now.
The robbed figure, Marcus was back on stage and so was Cinna. Cinna's character also kept his own name. Both seemed to be discussing things against each other.
"The time for our departure is long past. Where is Cornelia?" Marcus asked Cinna.
"Marcus, the ship soon embarks! Board ye this boat alone, and peace could come to both kingdoms, as Blank so said. Speak, Marcus!" Cinna replied back.
"She told me that she could not live without me. So, the sun is our enemy, too. The eastern sky grow bright. Will we not spread our wings, as yonder birds in joyous flight?" Marcus continued the argument of his love for Cornelia and how he won't leave.
"Hark, Marcus! They cannot wait any longer! The ship departs!" Cinna said as the ship began to depart. Marcus had made his choice, he would stay. Stay for his love.
The robbed Marcus turns to the audience and looks up to Garnet. Garnet had been watch the entire time, waiting for the fight scene that Zidane and Blake had done. She looked back down with large curiosity about what would happen next.
"Could she have betrayed me? Nay, ne'er would my love speak false. I must have faith! She shall appear if I only believe! As the sun lends me no ear, I pray instead to the twin moons! I beseech thee, wondrous moonlight, grant me my only wish!"
Everything was silent, people leaned in closer to the stage, wanting to know what Marcus' wish was. Wanting to know how it would end. Garnet slowly rose and stepped closer to the end of the balcony. Her body leaning over, dark locks of hair falling from her back, over her shoulders, brushing her cheeks. Beatrix and Steiner also moved a bit closer to see the end, but they each had a feeling deep within they knew what would happen. Garnet was full of wonder as to how it would end. The silence presumed though, for the longest time, it caused the people seated and watch to cerate a hum of talk. Garnet turned and began back to her seat, letting that last bit of hope begin to dwindle. Like he taught her…
And that's when the figure began to take the robe off. He untangled it and threw it to the side. A few people silently gasped within the nobles. A smirk of joy and playfulness played the now uncloaked figures lips. He let his voice go back to normal, and not that of his character.
"Bring my beloved Dagger to me!" He shouted, still looking up at the balcony.
Garnet stopped and snapped back around, she dove fort he ledge, practically diving off it. Tears were streaming done her face. There he was, the same blonde haired, monkey tailed thief she had said goodbye to. He was smiling up at her, and only shock and sadness could be seen on her face. But unlike the people in the audience, now talking about what rude fellow he was towards the queen, he could see the happiness, the love, the joy in her heart. And as quick as she had thrown herself to the balcony she was gone.
Garnet quickly lifted her white gown between two creamy fingers and ran for the exit, only to be stopped by Steiner and Beatrix. Each blocking her way. Despair ran across her face and she looked down, the tears pouring from her eye lids, splashing against the ground. She looked up again at them, to see them smiling at her, and standing aside. She gave a faint smile, and nodded before running off, threw those two big doors. He smile faded again to those undecided feeling that ran down her cheeks. Her feet jogged down the plush red and gold trimmed carpet that coated the stairs and the halls of the castle. She pushed threw two more doors and was outside again. So many tall people surrounded her, standing from there seats to get a better view of the stage. She ran, dress still clasped between two tightly closed fingers. As she ran threw the ground she felt her self jerk sideways as a single man pushed threw the crowd and accidentally into her. His hand reached out and grabbed a hold of the chain around her neck and yanked. The crystal flew to the ground as the man fell with it. Her puffy red eyes widened and her hands grasped her neck, as if choking herself. She closed her eyes and the crystal sparkled in her mind, but something even brighter shined threw. Without looking back, or stopping to grab the crystal (that was once so important that the land, world, of Gaia depended on it) and ran in the direction of the Tantalus.
People moved from her way as she practically leaped at the waiting Zidane, who had now stood right below the stage, on the ground/ With new fresh hot tears running down her cheeks she pressed her head into his chest as Ruby had done earlier. She pulled back and shut her eyes, she raised her right fist and slammed it into his chest several times. Garnet opened her eyes to find loving ones staring back into hers. Her arms wrapped around his neck, his around her waist as they embraced once more. Wishing to remain like this for an eternity. A moment so perfect, and a love like theirs, so hard to come by is what made the crowds of nobles, of friends, of people around them cheer. This would be a memory never forgotten, and a memory to start new from. They clapped and shouted and whistled for one of the best endings they have ever seen, in years.
And, as one could imagine, they lived happily... ever after.