Beatrix stood still, her one eye watching the play while her other eye--the one protected and hidden by that metal guard--was madly swiveling and rippling weird sensations about her facial skin. Eventually she not only felt the sensations pull at her expression, but it sank deep into her mind and her body seemed to lightly numb. All the while, her good eye watch Brahne and the play and kept aware of the outside world. Her other eye saw the tension and enticed it with an unseen force (though, not as strongly now that it was covered) and she saw the pictures of the source. Tension, you see, is a spiritual force and to make it you have say or do a sort of action, either a symbolic sort of thing or emotional sort of thing. Emotions were the mothers of tension just as symbolism. Symbolism was emotion's sister. A long time ago, General Beatrix would see two scenes before as she went through her childhood. She would see people--random or not--and the problems and the horror that was caused by them and then she'd see normal reality. She was born screaming into this world as a child, killing her mother with her birth, and opening her eyes for the first time only to have blood seep into her left eye and taint it with its curse. The blood that seeped into her eye was her father's, who was murdered shortly after mother died and Beatrix was born. You see, Beatrix was born an ordinary country girl, but to a family with many rivals. A rival came and killed her parents, they would have killed Beatrix as well, but they decided to let the infant die eventually, in her father's bleeding arm. The blood that spilled, Beatrix was told, for her. Because of her.
She was cursed forever with the sight of tension, but in only one eye. She hindered the sight of that one eye by covering it up with mythril metal and blocking it's sight of the outside world, with a metal the curse detested for it's magical being and mysteriousness. Years that passed by gave her time to master her control of her slightly restrained eye. She learned to grip it by the reigns now and to only bother her when she absolutely needed it to. Of course, mind you, her control often slipped. Never during a battle, however, did her control slip. Tension was too much seen by her normal eye to have her cursed one be necessary.
But her curse wasn't so bad. It made her a better General.
Beatrix stood there watching two things at once and letting the tension move within her body. She cleared her throat uncomfortable as the tension started to fade rather quickly. It so, then, started to leave her presence and leave her alone. But so quickly. It gave her the feeling of her blood level dropping. Because it lasted so shortly she only saw a flash of a picture that focused translucently and so closed to Queen Brahne. It looked as though it was a shadow of her image appearing because her vision was out of focus. Beatrix distinctly saw a pendant shadowing Brahne, grasped by hands, and the General suddenly felt the sadness, of something, move within her briefly, and then it was gone and she felt normal and saw no more.
Out of need to get used to the norm she idly twisted her smooth brown hair around her finger. She sighed, noting how it wavered. The vagueness that she saw scared her. It was never this vague....
Plus, why had it been so long since her last disturbance of Tension?
....... .. .
Garnet didn't go through the door to the west (where the audience was seated) because she claimed others were turning the knob and coming out through there, thus she'd get caught. Indeed, others were coming out of that door. After beating up two pathetic Pluto Knights they robbed them of their armor and garbed themselves in the armor. Both were truly disgusted afterwards at how smelly and slimy and unkempt and...personalized (cookie crumbs and wet boots, ew!)..these armors were. They didn't have much of a choice though. They wore the suits and started on their mission to capture the princess after their complaint session, and strived to either move their attention elsewhere, other than on the thankless task, or let their cockiness sustain pride. (Guess who chose which.)
"According to recon," Blank said, after shuddering a mite at the faint sloosh and squish made by his wet boots---with the volume of the dampness seemingly loud and disturbing to only him, being that he could feel it. He looked up at the flight of stairs north of them, continuing after a pause of thought and regained composure. "The royal seats should be above these stairs."
........ .. .
Garnet breathed heavily, a large parting sigh. She looked around at her surroundings. Slowly, the burdening thoughts and emotions of loneliness, betrayal, and pain started to lift and replace with duty. A black strand of hair hung in front of her eye. Her hair was long, symbolizing her thoughts, as a member of the Royal House and the heir, that dwell ever more on her duties and people. Her Kingdom. Every second and throb of her heart was for Alexandria. Her hand grasped the pendant. She closed her eyes and silently prayed and begged in her heart and soul for help and support. Someday, I will be Queen, but I will always be myself. But saying I distinguishes myself too much for comfort, thought she. I wish I wasn't so lonely and alone. What do you do when you feel lonely? She opened her eyes and looked up. She heard 'ahs' from the crowd. She must hurry! Garnet pulled her hood over her head a bit more, to cover more of her face. She pushed her ebony strand of bang aside and rid her growing annoyance. She opened the door and started to step out--only to nearly walk into someone! She gasped quietly and stepped back a bit as the other swayed and fixed his balance. It was a knight! Dear Lord, she tried so hard...
"Hrmm, she sure is dressed funny." Zidane whispered to himself. He had run up the stairs like Blank told him to do, but he didn't exactly find himself stopping at the royal seats. He found himself at the end of the top of the staircase, he assumed that the hooded-girl in front of him was Princess Garnet. Why was she dressed like this? He was tempted to ask, but that would be a little too random for a beginning line. Then again, he was at a loss. What now? He was supposed to slip sleeping weed in her tea, but...well...he obviously couldn't do that! But what if this wasn't Garnet? Zidane decided to gather more confidence on this girl's identity. Kidnapping jobs were best done correctly. It wouldn't do if he captured the wrong girl. Plus, the rest of her looked pretty nice already; it wouldn't hurt to see if she had a pretty face to go along with that lovely, curved figure of hers. His body leaned to the side and his eyes searched, but ever so gently and un-forcefully. Garnet was almost shocked at how someone could so easily display tenderness at the first shot and so well, with only a glance. She might have been captured by it but she was scared at his eyes' persistence to look at her. But she refused to show she was afraid or nervous and make him more suspicious than he probably already was. She cleared her throat, attempted her best at a nice, unknowing smile and said the first thing that came to a blank mind. "Is there something on my face?"
"Oh, no!" Zidane was slightly startled. Check yourself, Zidane, her reminded himself. Staring at her persistently was probably not the smartest thing to do. He made her curious and now they were both watching each other. We can either speed this along or smooth it out, but which is safer? Zidane blinked at the thought, smiled, then continued after his statement. "No, I just thought you might be the one I've been waiting for all this time." I've never heard anything go wrong by trying to smooth things out.
Waiting for? All this time? Was he trying to tell her something or was he foolishly trying to flirt with her or...was their a third category that remained yet to be named? A category that suggested he wanted something and this was his opening. It surely felt like that was it. Garnet wondered if this knight knew who she was. She didn't know who he was or of which noblemen he belonged to. The fact that she was very confused anew with him in her own castle (which also held much from her as well) did not suit well with her. Not at all. She frowned as she responded back to this knight, tempted to cross her arms and lower her brow to sport her frustration. "You were waiting for me?"
What did I do? Thought Zidane as he watched her delicate lips arch. The color and shape were tempting his own lips and curiosity with the mystery of their taste. Her figure was gorgeous even without a thorough look-over. She radiated beauty. The longer he stood here with her, the more he started picking up. Too bad the beginning lines were displaying his crappy professionalism at this kidnapping. "Yeah," Might as well drag it out. Maybe it'll get her to laugh if it's corny? Everybody loves to laugh. "I've dreamt of meeting you here ever since I was born!" Okay. That was a little too flat to even be corny.
"Do you mock me?" What was he trying to say? She didn't understand. What did he want? Maybe he thinks me a simple girl of no real title. Maybe he knows I'm Princess Garnet? She hid her anxiety nonetheless.
"No, of course not."
"Then I shall take my leave of you!" Finally, maybe she can get out of this mist of tense and mass confusion!
"Wait a sec!"
Now what did he want? She stopped in her fist step forward and shifted back, a hand now resting on her hip, and hand going to her side. She sighed, finally showing aggravation and frustration at this male. I'm not simple-minded. I will not play anymore games, she wanted to scream. But she kept silent and let her dark orbs look up at him with sharp inquiry.
"Have we met before?" Aha, I got an idea...I at least need her to smile, thought Zidane desperately. He was hurt by her distress, for some odd reason. If he was going to kidnap her and possibly make her more miserable, before she realized this mission's true purpose, he could try to get a little respect and trust from her now and use it to aid him and making her happy again. Kidnapping jobs were the worst and the only way to soothe the pain was any memory he could salvage, a happy memory, and make them smile. Or any idea of what technique he could use else wise and make them smile. Or laugh. He gazed up at her, still with his soft blue eyes, but she looked away. He kept his gaze on her the whole while, though. IN case her gaze found its way back to his.
"No, I do not know you." Is he stalling?
"Hrmm.." Zidane let his warm grin turn more roguish and smirk-like. He had no idea how she would react, but he'd take the blow if it were bad. So far, he's known girls to blush and blushing makes them smile. He circled around the princess, looking about her body and absorbing the details of her frame. Surprisingly, she did not do anything to stop him. Funny, he would have thought her uptight. He came back to the fore. "Yeah, you're right. I'd never let someone as pretty as you get away." She was a vision of loveliness. In short, she was down right hot, and so gorgeous it was almost unbelievable. He just wished everything went smoother. Zidane found himself a little more taken in by her physically beauty that now, as he stepped away and stared and smiled at a blushing and smiling Garnet, he could say no more. That is, until he was snapped to his senses and remembers something he probably should have asked earlier. He started, "Say you wouldn't--"
No. He was cut off.
"Hey, Zidane, what's going on?"
Zidane? That's a funny name for a knight, thought Garnet. However, after that thought slipped lazily out, as if she was in a dream, she snapped out of it. Why did that line daze me? It was pathetic! But, it was dear in its own way. Zidane? Hey, that voice! That name, it sounded familiar! But where did it come from? In any case, the fact that another was coming up made Garnet panic as she heard footsteps rushing up. Maybe he was stalling until more came? What was going on? Can I afford to stay and find out? She decided no. "I...I must go!" She ran off, pushing this Zidane person aside and then the other that was heading up towards where she and the knight were talking. He fell over when she pushed past him. She kept running, hearing "Get up Blank that was the princess!" and "Are you serious...?" Should Garnet find that threatening? She didn't know, so she kept running. As she ran she started contemplating where she's heard the name 'Blank' and 'Zidane' from and the voices...
She might have figured out from the play, but she was too busy running and trying to figure out where to go. She never thought that her plan could be a lot more successful if she just stopped.
....... .. .
"Did you see that?"
"See that, I did!"
Zorn and Thorn stare dumfounded at the floor, trying to puzzle out what happened. It was as if someone knew they were watching and was trying to stop them from watching on. Thorn's little orb that let them watch all that Garnet was doing, had started growing hazy and a translucent hand seemed to try and help cover what was being seen. However, as stated, the hand was transparent. A different shade--a shade of light blue--overlapped the white orb Thorn fixed up. It was fighting the enchantment and trying to swallow the spying-orb up and stop the two jesters from looking on. However, the force that was doing this must have been weak. It wore off eventually and was seen no more.
What it had managed to do was take away the sounds and voices the orb once allowed them to hear, and it made the visions all fuzzy. However, Thorn and Zorn could figure out who they were looking at. Princess Garnet, they saw, ran outside of her mom's chambers nearly running into a knight. They seemed to converse, then, another came running up the stairs and Garnet ran off, shoving the arriving knight aside. The one Garnet was talking to chased after her, taking his armor off to reveal an imposture!
What did those mean though?
"The princess is danger!" Zorn screamed at length, panic finally settling in.
"She has the pendant too!" Thorn responded, panic settling in him, too.
"Our heads Queen Brahne will have!" They screamed and jumped in unison.
"I'm not sure, however, what sort of danger she is in though. We had very little to go with." Zorn said, calming down for a moment. He put his hand on his chin. He was calming down, but his face was still pale, then again, his face was painted with mostly white paint. Still he looked terrified, but moreso confused. His twin, Thorn, remained panicked.
"What danger she is in I am unsure of too. But the pendant and a danger she still has, and our heads Queen Brahne will still have!"
He covered his mouth, trying not to scream at the thought of his head lying lifeless on the ground after being severed from its body. He choked back tears of panic and felt his body tremble from so much suppression. His muscles then tightened. The only thing he couldn't hide was his anxiety that brought tension with it. The chaos that was going on in his mind drove him mad and he soon couldn't take just standing there, possibly letting the situation grow worse. He jumped at the sound of Zorn tapping his foot in contemplation of what to do. Zorn was panicking as well, this was the beginning of his stage of fear: starting his bad habit, foot tapping. After jolting at the little thud, Zorn decided he had enough of standing here and enduring a building fear. He started across the room, back to the other room with the spiraling staircase, where Garnet once was. "We must tell the Queen and get the knights and guards to retrieve here!"
Zorn jolted. Yes, of course! Maybe Queen Brahne will have their heads, maybe not. Not if Garnet was retrieved. He ran after his brother. Despite the bright possibility though, they couldn't find it anywhere in their slightly twisted souls to be positive. Torn turned around as he got near the base of the spiraling stairs. Zorn called, as he was catching up, "We are in trouble!"
"Trouble are we in!"
........ .. .
He eyed Beatrix as her face scrunched in disturbance and her right hand, which rested atop her sword hilt out of habit, raised to delicately massage her right temple, over her remaining eye. She must be having one of her spells or headaches, thought Steiner as he continued to watch her. The brown, silken hair of hers eventually slid like hesitant, flawless liquid and curtained Steiner's view, forcing him to look at the General no more. Beatrix had told him and the rest of their comrades about her little battle-incident not too long ago that caused her to loose that eye and how the injury gave her little pain-fits. She said it was no big deal, really, and only gave off odd twinges; never really hurt. It was nothing to retire over and that it actually strengthened her more than hindered her. Since nothing was given to prove otherwise, no one continued bothering her about it. Still, looking past thought of 'maybe she should retire,' Steiner couldn't help but wonder if she could live with what she's putting up with now. It seemed to vex her. Steiner clenched his jaw, however. No, wait! Why should I care? I don't care! She's pompous, wench that completely deserves to be the General, the leader of that snobbish, pathetically ignorant group of soldiers, since her demeanor seems to be on that should inspire the lot of Alexandrian Soldiers.
He'd gotten in a fight with Beatrix the other day. They used to be great friends. They'd find how interesting it was that they could share so much in common, and it was especially interesting in how they differed. They mostly discussed battle stuff or political views, castle-stuff. Though, they did often dare to drift into deeper issues or crazy issues that formed great inside jokes and the most splendid period of time that were honestly made to be filled with laughter. They were great friends in a castle that became clouded with a vibe so static it made their flesh crawl. The fact that they were great friends did not mean they were together often, though. It just meant that out of anyone in the castle, if they had to be placed in guard duty with one other, they'd chose that person. Because they could tolerate each other much better than anyone else. They scarcely argued, and if they did, it was all in good fun and nature. That is, until that day...
Beatrix was acting as if she'd had another spell and Steiner grew concerned for her and asked if she was all right. She said she was, and that she hadn't really had a headache, she just wondered why she wasn't having one. They were usually frequent during times where activity made by her and her troupe was low. Steiner scratched the side of his head, growing curious, "Do you know why you get these terrible spells of yours? These spells-of-mostly-headaches?"
Beatrix leaned against the wall, her right hand gripping Save the Queen's hilt removed itself from its mount, the sword wouldn't trip her if she wasn't moving, after all. She smiled weakly at Steiner, but it was soft nonetheless, "Well, maybe it means I'm a good General? No pain, no gain.." No. She didn't expect Steiner to believe it, but she couldn't tell him the truth and so...she had no real reason.
"Well, you know, I've been starting to get headaches too," Steiner thought to say. He was, actually, but it was more coming from yelling at his knights to get on task. Beatrix comment made his self-esteem go up. Maybe his frustration was the pay of a hard day's work and that tomorrow might be better? But, apparently he was wrong in thinking so. She started laughing at him. His pride was being hammered. She was mocking him! She thought she was so much more superior and smarter! Steiner tightened his jaw, rose to his full and marched away without another word. It was silly for him to get cross and to let his pride get injured so easily, but Steiner refused to go and admit it to high-and-mighty Beatrix.
His thought was thankfully interrupted by the sound of two proper and annoying voices rushing in. They words were so rushed that Steiner only caught the word "queen." His attention and awareness of his surroundings rose at the word and his pulled out his sword, swiveled and blocked the entrance to that lead to the throne that seated Queen Brahne. He saw it was only those two less-than-humorous jesters Zorn and Thorn and he rolled his eyes and narrowed them at the two. Though they were supposed to be somewhat respected around the castle, everyone found them bothersome, even the queen herself. So, expressing dislike was considered okay. The twins jumped up and down in a panic, waving their arms and exclaimed that they needed to see the queen. Steiner frowned and shook his head. "The Queen is busy. Come back later."
"Is it an emergency?"
Blast! Beatrix. Steiner stifled the urge to express anger. The two clowns moved over to Beatrix, seeing hope. "Curse that Beatrix," Steiner murmured, balling his fists in growing rage. "Always trying to one-up me!"
Beatrix shook off a dizziness that had her in the thickest haze, pushed a lock of fluid-like hair to give her an excuse to shake her head and dizziness away, and finally she was okay. She listened to the two talk about how much of an emergency it was, nodded at that and raised a brow at the word 'urgency.'
"Her Royal Highness...."
"..Princess Garnet..."
"Is in terrible danger!" They said that last part in unison. Beatrix didn't need them to say anything past "Princess Garnet" for she remembered the Tension source she saw. Was that Princess Garnet who had the pendant? Was that Zorn and Thorn she stopped from spying on Garnet? She felt a chill, but remembered her duty. She remembered the word emitted from the two jesters. "Danger". She could see the princess conversing with the stranger, but like the jesters she couldn't hear what was going on. Protect the princess - that was her duty.
"I see," General Beatrix said. "I'll see what I can do. Wait here."
She walked over towards the lump of queen that seated herself on the throne. She salute the queen by balling her fist and letting it hit the center of her chest and, straight as an arrow, let it stretch out in front of her and fall to her side. "Your majesty," Started Beatrix.
"What is it!? Can't you see I'm watching the show?" Responded and irritated Queen Brahne, eyes glued to the happenings on stage. The crowd let out a gasp, as did the queen. Beatrix frowned inwardly and felt very stupid for disturbing the queen. She was also mad and Zorn and Thorn for causing her to do this! Beatrix cleared her throat. "Your majesty, Princess Garnet has run off with the royal pendant." There was no point in mentioning the danger part. It would worry the queen, believed Beatrix.
"Well of all the--what could she be thinking? Well, go find her! General Beatrix and uh..."
"Steiner...Captain Steiner." Steiner whispered, hoping she'd remember. He heard the conversation and felt dumb for refusing to help the jesters and even more angry with Beatrix. He eyed her out of the corner of his eye with a glare hinted in his pupil and iris. A frown etched between his brow. Beatrix must have seen when she turned briefly to look at him. Her one good eye made her appear to be stricken, if possible. A twinge of what felt like guilt and pain chipped at him.
"Ah, Captain Steiner!"
Go figure, she remembered. He straightened his posture and moved his muscled bulk to her right side and saluted, hand going to his head before resting at his side.
"Go find Princess Garnet." Ordered Queen Brahne.
Funny how she can still remained focused on the play while being told her daughter is missing, with the royal pendant no less, thought Beatrix as she stole a last look at the queen before responding "Yes, your majesty" and leaving. Steiner stole no look at the unsightly queen, but saluted and obliged and left to go round up his knights. He was disappointed in that he had to go get them all individually and that Squad Beatrix seemed better disciplined....but in the end he found the princess. Oh, yes, he found the princess.
....... .. .
She ran and was fortunate that the guards in the castle were distracted by the lovely dishes in the kitchen, so she was able to run outside the castle without getting caught, yet still with a stranger after her. She was surprised at his speed; she was starting to loose energy quickly by trying to distance herself. She had to remain sprinting. He was even faster when his armor was thrown off. She thought of fighting, but if the guards should show up, she'd be screwed. She was lucky that Haagen was sitting back towards the castle, distracted by the moonlights dancing off the ink-black waters of the harbor. She ran with silent footfalls the abandoned left tower. It was practically the only option she had. Besides, improvising wouldn't fail her tonight. It hasn't so far, she'd find away out of her predicament.......
....... .. .
A/n: Now, it's going to start skipping forward a bit. But that's until next time. Eesh. See ya! Review if'n ya want...let me know if I should continue or plum give up. I'm seriously thinking about stopping and letting this die. :P
Btw, sorry if this new part sorta blows. I wrote this with no inspirtation and a laziness that prevented me from proofreading it over and over for errors and such. I'll do so later, but right now I'm feeling a bit ickky.
She was cursed forever with the sight of tension, but in only one eye. She hindered the sight of that one eye by covering it up with mythril metal and blocking it's sight of the outside world, with a metal the curse detested for it's magical being and mysteriousness. Years that passed by gave her time to master her control of her slightly restrained eye. She learned to grip it by the reigns now and to only bother her when she absolutely needed it to. Of course, mind you, her control often slipped. Never during a battle, however, did her control slip. Tension was too much seen by her normal eye to have her cursed one be necessary.
But her curse wasn't so bad. It made her a better General.
Beatrix stood there watching two things at once and letting the tension move within her body. She cleared her throat uncomfortable as the tension started to fade rather quickly. It so, then, started to leave her presence and leave her alone. But so quickly. It gave her the feeling of her blood level dropping. Because it lasted so shortly she only saw a flash of a picture that focused translucently and so closed to Queen Brahne. It looked as though it was a shadow of her image appearing because her vision was out of focus. Beatrix distinctly saw a pendant shadowing Brahne, grasped by hands, and the General suddenly felt the sadness, of something, move within her briefly, and then it was gone and she felt normal and saw no more.
Out of need to get used to the norm she idly twisted her smooth brown hair around her finger. She sighed, noting how it wavered. The vagueness that she saw scared her. It was never this vague....
Plus, why had it been so long since her last disturbance of Tension?
....... .. .
Garnet didn't go through the door to the west (where the audience was seated) because she claimed others were turning the knob and coming out through there, thus she'd get caught. Indeed, others were coming out of that door. After beating up two pathetic Pluto Knights they robbed them of their armor and garbed themselves in the armor. Both were truly disgusted afterwards at how smelly and slimy and unkempt and...personalized (cookie crumbs and wet boots, ew!)..these armors were. They didn't have much of a choice though. They wore the suits and started on their mission to capture the princess after their complaint session, and strived to either move their attention elsewhere, other than on the thankless task, or let their cockiness sustain pride. (Guess who chose which.)
"According to recon," Blank said, after shuddering a mite at the faint sloosh and squish made by his wet boots---with the volume of the dampness seemingly loud and disturbing to only him, being that he could feel it. He looked up at the flight of stairs north of them, continuing after a pause of thought and regained composure. "The royal seats should be above these stairs."
........ .. .
Garnet breathed heavily, a large parting sigh. She looked around at her surroundings. Slowly, the burdening thoughts and emotions of loneliness, betrayal, and pain started to lift and replace with duty. A black strand of hair hung in front of her eye. Her hair was long, symbolizing her thoughts, as a member of the Royal House and the heir, that dwell ever more on her duties and people. Her Kingdom. Every second and throb of her heart was for Alexandria. Her hand grasped the pendant. She closed her eyes and silently prayed and begged in her heart and soul for help and support. Someday, I will be Queen, but I will always be myself. But saying I distinguishes myself too much for comfort, thought she. I wish I wasn't so lonely and alone. What do you do when you feel lonely? She opened her eyes and looked up. She heard 'ahs' from the crowd. She must hurry! Garnet pulled her hood over her head a bit more, to cover more of her face. She pushed her ebony strand of bang aside and rid her growing annoyance. She opened the door and started to step out--only to nearly walk into someone! She gasped quietly and stepped back a bit as the other swayed and fixed his balance. It was a knight! Dear Lord, she tried so hard...
"Hrmm, she sure is dressed funny." Zidane whispered to himself. He had run up the stairs like Blank told him to do, but he didn't exactly find himself stopping at the royal seats. He found himself at the end of the top of the staircase, he assumed that the hooded-girl in front of him was Princess Garnet. Why was she dressed like this? He was tempted to ask, but that would be a little too random for a beginning line. Then again, he was at a loss. What now? He was supposed to slip sleeping weed in her tea, but...well...he obviously couldn't do that! But what if this wasn't Garnet? Zidane decided to gather more confidence on this girl's identity. Kidnapping jobs were best done correctly. It wouldn't do if he captured the wrong girl. Plus, the rest of her looked pretty nice already; it wouldn't hurt to see if she had a pretty face to go along with that lovely, curved figure of hers. His body leaned to the side and his eyes searched, but ever so gently and un-forcefully. Garnet was almost shocked at how someone could so easily display tenderness at the first shot and so well, with only a glance. She might have been captured by it but she was scared at his eyes' persistence to look at her. But she refused to show she was afraid or nervous and make him more suspicious than he probably already was. She cleared her throat, attempted her best at a nice, unknowing smile and said the first thing that came to a blank mind. "Is there something on my face?"
"Oh, no!" Zidane was slightly startled. Check yourself, Zidane, her reminded himself. Staring at her persistently was probably not the smartest thing to do. He made her curious and now they were both watching each other. We can either speed this along or smooth it out, but which is safer? Zidane blinked at the thought, smiled, then continued after his statement. "No, I just thought you might be the one I've been waiting for all this time." I've never heard anything go wrong by trying to smooth things out.
Waiting for? All this time? Was he trying to tell her something or was he foolishly trying to flirt with her or...was their a third category that remained yet to be named? A category that suggested he wanted something and this was his opening. It surely felt like that was it. Garnet wondered if this knight knew who she was. She didn't know who he was or of which noblemen he belonged to. The fact that she was very confused anew with him in her own castle (which also held much from her as well) did not suit well with her. Not at all. She frowned as she responded back to this knight, tempted to cross her arms and lower her brow to sport her frustration. "You were waiting for me?"
What did I do? Thought Zidane as he watched her delicate lips arch. The color and shape were tempting his own lips and curiosity with the mystery of their taste. Her figure was gorgeous even without a thorough look-over. She radiated beauty. The longer he stood here with her, the more he started picking up. Too bad the beginning lines were displaying his crappy professionalism at this kidnapping. "Yeah," Might as well drag it out. Maybe it'll get her to laugh if it's corny? Everybody loves to laugh. "I've dreamt of meeting you here ever since I was born!" Okay. That was a little too flat to even be corny.
"Do you mock me?" What was he trying to say? She didn't understand. What did he want? Maybe he thinks me a simple girl of no real title. Maybe he knows I'm Princess Garnet? She hid her anxiety nonetheless.
"No, of course not."
"Then I shall take my leave of you!" Finally, maybe she can get out of this mist of tense and mass confusion!
"Wait a sec!"
Now what did he want? She stopped in her fist step forward and shifted back, a hand now resting on her hip, and hand going to her side. She sighed, finally showing aggravation and frustration at this male. I'm not simple-minded. I will not play anymore games, she wanted to scream. But she kept silent and let her dark orbs look up at him with sharp inquiry.
"Have we met before?" Aha, I got an idea...I at least need her to smile, thought Zidane desperately. He was hurt by her distress, for some odd reason. If he was going to kidnap her and possibly make her more miserable, before she realized this mission's true purpose, he could try to get a little respect and trust from her now and use it to aid him and making her happy again. Kidnapping jobs were the worst and the only way to soothe the pain was any memory he could salvage, a happy memory, and make them smile. Or any idea of what technique he could use else wise and make them smile. Or laugh. He gazed up at her, still with his soft blue eyes, but she looked away. He kept his gaze on her the whole while, though. IN case her gaze found its way back to his.
"No, I do not know you." Is he stalling?
"Hrmm.." Zidane let his warm grin turn more roguish and smirk-like. He had no idea how she would react, but he'd take the blow if it were bad. So far, he's known girls to blush and blushing makes them smile. He circled around the princess, looking about her body and absorbing the details of her frame. Surprisingly, she did not do anything to stop him. Funny, he would have thought her uptight. He came back to the fore. "Yeah, you're right. I'd never let someone as pretty as you get away." She was a vision of loveliness. In short, she was down right hot, and so gorgeous it was almost unbelievable. He just wished everything went smoother. Zidane found himself a little more taken in by her physically beauty that now, as he stepped away and stared and smiled at a blushing and smiling Garnet, he could say no more. That is, until he was snapped to his senses and remembers something he probably should have asked earlier. He started, "Say you wouldn't--"
No. He was cut off.
"Hey, Zidane, what's going on?"
Zidane? That's a funny name for a knight, thought Garnet. However, after that thought slipped lazily out, as if she was in a dream, she snapped out of it. Why did that line daze me? It was pathetic! But, it was dear in its own way. Zidane? Hey, that voice! That name, it sounded familiar! But where did it come from? In any case, the fact that another was coming up made Garnet panic as she heard footsteps rushing up. Maybe he was stalling until more came? What was going on? Can I afford to stay and find out? She decided no. "I...I must go!" She ran off, pushing this Zidane person aside and then the other that was heading up towards where she and the knight were talking. He fell over when she pushed past him. She kept running, hearing "Get up Blank that was the princess!" and "Are you serious...?" Should Garnet find that threatening? She didn't know, so she kept running. As she ran she started contemplating where she's heard the name 'Blank' and 'Zidane' from and the voices...
She might have figured out from the play, but she was too busy running and trying to figure out where to go. She never thought that her plan could be a lot more successful if she just stopped.
....... .. .
"Did you see that?"
"See that, I did!"
Zorn and Thorn stare dumfounded at the floor, trying to puzzle out what happened. It was as if someone knew they were watching and was trying to stop them from watching on. Thorn's little orb that let them watch all that Garnet was doing, had started growing hazy and a translucent hand seemed to try and help cover what was being seen. However, as stated, the hand was transparent. A different shade--a shade of light blue--overlapped the white orb Thorn fixed up. It was fighting the enchantment and trying to swallow the spying-orb up and stop the two jesters from looking on. However, the force that was doing this must have been weak. It wore off eventually and was seen no more.
What it had managed to do was take away the sounds and voices the orb once allowed them to hear, and it made the visions all fuzzy. However, Thorn and Zorn could figure out who they were looking at. Princess Garnet, they saw, ran outside of her mom's chambers nearly running into a knight. They seemed to converse, then, another came running up the stairs and Garnet ran off, shoving the arriving knight aside. The one Garnet was talking to chased after her, taking his armor off to reveal an imposture!
What did those mean though?
"The princess is danger!" Zorn screamed at length, panic finally settling in.
"She has the pendant too!" Thorn responded, panic settling in him, too.
"Our heads Queen Brahne will have!" They screamed and jumped in unison.
"I'm not sure, however, what sort of danger she is in though. We had very little to go with." Zorn said, calming down for a moment. He put his hand on his chin. He was calming down, but his face was still pale, then again, his face was painted with mostly white paint. Still he looked terrified, but moreso confused. His twin, Thorn, remained panicked.
"What danger she is in I am unsure of too. But the pendant and a danger she still has, and our heads Queen Brahne will still have!"
He covered his mouth, trying not to scream at the thought of his head lying lifeless on the ground after being severed from its body. He choked back tears of panic and felt his body tremble from so much suppression. His muscles then tightened. The only thing he couldn't hide was his anxiety that brought tension with it. The chaos that was going on in his mind drove him mad and he soon couldn't take just standing there, possibly letting the situation grow worse. He jumped at the sound of Zorn tapping his foot in contemplation of what to do. Zorn was panicking as well, this was the beginning of his stage of fear: starting his bad habit, foot tapping. After jolting at the little thud, Zorn decided he had enough of standing here and enduring a building fear. He started across the room, back to the other room with the spiraling staircase, where Garnet once was. "We must tell the Queen and get the knights and guards to retrieve here!"
Zorn jolted. Yes, of course! Maybe Queen Brahne will have their heads, maybe not. Not if Garnet was retrieved. He ran after his brother. Despite the bright possibility though, they couldn't find it anywhere in their slightly twisted souls to be positive. Torn turned around as he got near the base of the spiraling stairs. Zorn called, as he was catching up, "We are in trouble!"
"Trouble are we in!"
........ .. .
He eyed Beatrix as her face scrunched in disturbance and her right hand, which rested atop her sword hilt out of habit, raised to delicately massage her right temple, over her remaining eye. She must be having one of her spells or headaches, thought Steiner as he continued to watch her. The brown, silken hair of hers eventually slid like hesitant, flawless liquid and curtained Steiner's view, forcing him to look at the General no more. Beatrix had told him and the rest of their comrades about her little battle-incident not too long ago that caused her to loose that eye and how the injury gave her little pain-fits. She said it was no big deal, really, and only gave off odd twinges; never really hurt. It was nothing to retire over and that it actually strengthened her more than hindered her. Since nothing was given to prove otherwise, no one continued bothering her about it. Still, looking past thought of 'maybe she should retire,' Steiner couldn't help but wonder if she could live with what she's putting up with now. It seemed to vex her. Steiner clenched his jaw, however. No, wait! Why should I care? I don't care! She's pompous, wench that completely deserves to be the General, the leader of that snobbish, pathetically ignorant group of soldiers, since her demeanor seems to be on that should inspire the lot of Alexandrian Soldiers.
He'd gotten in a fight with Beatrix the other day. They used to be great friends. They'd find how interesting it was that they could share so much in common, and it was especially interesting in how they differed. They mostly discussed battle stuff or political views, castle-stuff. Though, they did often dare to drift into deeper issues or crazy issues that formed great inside jokes and the most splendid period of time that were honestly made to be filled with laughter. They were great friends in a castle that became clouded with a vibe so static it made their flesh crawl. The fact that they were great friends did not mean they were together often, though. It just meant that out of anyone in the castle, if they had to be placed in guard duty with one other, they'd chose that person. Because they could tolerate each other much better than anyone else. They scarcely argued, and if they did, it was all in good fun and nature. That is, until that day...
Beatrix was acting as if she'd had another spell and Steiner grew concerned for her and asked if she was all right. She said she was, and that she hadn't really had a headache, she just wondered why she wasn't having one. They were usually frequent during times where activity made by her and her troupe was low. Steiner scratched the side of his head, growing curious, "Do you know why you get these terrible spells of yours? These spells-of-mostly-headaches?"
Beatrix leaned against the wall, her right hand gripping Save the Queen's hilt removed itself from its mount, the sword wouldn't trip her if she wasn't moving, after all. She smiled weakly at Steiner, but it was soft nonetheless, "Well, maybe it means I'm a good General? No pain, no gain.." No. She didn't expect Steiner to believe it, but she couldn't tell him the truth and so...she had no real reason.
"Well, you know, I've been starting to get headaches too," Steiner thought to say. He was, actually, but it was more coming from yelling at his knights to get on task. Beatrix comment made his self-esteem go up. Maybe his frustration was the pay of a hard day's work and that tomorrow might be better? But, apparently he was wrong in thinking so. She started laughing at him. His pride was being hammered. She was mocking him! She thought she was so much more superior and smarter! Steiner tightened his jaw, rose to his full and marched away without another word. It was silly for him to get cross and to let his pride get injured so easily, but Steiner refused to go and admit it to high-and-mighty Beatrix.
His thought was thankfully interrupted by the sound of two proper and annoying voices rushing in. They words were so rushed that Steiner only caught the word "queen." His attention and awareness of his surroundings rose at the word and his pulled out his sword, swiveled and blocked the entrance to that lead to the throne that seated Queen Brahne. He saw it was only those two less-than-humorous jesters Zorn and Thorn and he rolled his eyes and narrowed them at the two. Though they were supposed to be somewhat respected around the castle, everyone found them bothersome, even the queen herself. So, expressing dislike was considered okay. The twins jumped up and down in a panic, waving their arms and exclaimed that they needed to see the queen. Steiner frowned and shook his head. "The Queen is busy. Come back later."
"Is it an emergency?"
Blast! Beatrix. Steiner stifled the urge to express anger. The two clowns moved over to Beatrix, seeing hope. "Curse that Beatrix," Steiner murmured, balling his fists in growing rage. "Always trying to one-up me!"
Beatrix shook off a dizziness that had her in the thickest haze, pushed a lock of fluid-like hair to give her an excuse to shake her head and dizziness away, and finally she was okay. She listened to the two talk about how much of an emergency it was, nodded at that and raised a brow at the word 'urgency.'
"Her Royal Highness...."
"..Princess Garnet..."
"Is in terrible danger!" They said that last part in unison. Beatrix didn't need them to say anything past "Princess Garnet" for she remembered the Tension source she saw. Was that Princess Garnet who had the pendant? Was that Zorn and Thorn she stopped from spying on Garnet? She felt a chill, but remembered her duty. She remembered the word emitted from the two jesters. "Danger". She could see the princess conversing with the stranger, but like the jesters she couldn't hear what was going on. Protect the princess - that was her duty.
"I see," General Beatrix said. "I'll see what I can do. Wait here."
She walked over towards the lump of queen that seated herself on the throne. She salute the queen by balling her fist and letting it hit the center of her chest and, straight as an arrow, let it stretch out in front of her and fall to her side. "Your majesty," Started Beatrix.
"What is it!? Can't you see I'm watching the show?" Responded and irritated Queen Brahne, eyes glued to the happenings on stage. The crowd let out a gasp, as did the queen. Beatrix frowned inwardly and felt very stupid for disturbing the queen. She was also mad and Zorn and Thorn for causing her to do this! Beatrix cleared her throat. "Your majesty, Princess Garnet has run off with the royal pendant." There was no point in mentioning the danger part. It would worry the queen, believed Beatrix.
"Well of all the--what could she be thinking? Well, go find her! General Beatrix and uh..."
"Steiner...Captain Steiner." Steiner whispered, hoping she'd remember. He heard the conversation and felt dumb for refusing to help the jesters and even more angry with Beatrix. He eyed her out of the corner of his eye with a glare hinted in his pupil and iris. A frown etched between his brow. Beatrix must have seen when she turned briefly to look at him. Her one good eye made her appear to be stricken, if possible. A twinge of what felt like guilt and pain chipped at him.
"Ah, Captain Steiner!"
Go figure, she remembered. He straightened his posture and moved his muscled bulk to her right side and saluted, hand going to his head before resting at his side.
"Go find Princess Garnet." Ordered Queen Brahne.
Funny how she can still remained focused on the play while being told her daughter is missing, with the royal pendant no less, thought Beatrix as she stole a last look at the queen before responding "Yes, your majesty" and leaving. Steiner stole no look at the unsightly queen, but saluted and obliged and left to go round up his knights. He was disappointed in that he had to go get them all individually and that Squad Beatrix seemed better disciplined....but in the end he found the princess. Oh, yes, he found the princess.
....... .. .
She ran and was fortunate that the guards in the castle were distracted by the lovely dishes in the kitchen, so she was able to run outside the castle without getting caught, yet still with a stranger after her. She was surprised at his speed; she was starting to loose energy quickly by trying to distance herself. She had to remain sprinting. He was even faster when his armor was thrown off. She thought of fighting, but if the guards should show up, she'd be screwed. She was lucky that Haagen was sitting back towards the castle, distracted by the moonlights dancing off the ink-black waters of the harbor. She ran with silent footfalls the abandoned left tower. It was practically the only option she had. Besides, improvising wouldn't fail her tonight. It hasn't so far, she'd find away out of her predicament.......
....... .. .
A/n: Now, it's going to start skipping forward a bit. But that's until next time. Eesh. See ya! Review if'n ya want...let me know if I should continue or plum give up. I'm seriously thinking about stopping and letting this die. :P
Btw, sorry if this new part sorta blows. I wrote this with no inspirtation and a laziness that prevented me from proofreading it over and over for errors and such. I'll do so later, but right now I'm feeling a bit ickky.