Two days later there was still no sign of Dagger, nor any clue of who had taken her. When Zidane had voiced his fears that Kuja had survived somehow, Steiner and some of his soldiers had travelled to the Lifa Tree to search for a body, as of yet there was no sign. But there was a lot of debris to sort through and after eight months and various explosions, Zidane couldn't be sure that Kuja would be in one piece if he was truly dead.

Zidane was finally allowed out if bed, but told to keep resting and try to relax. He almost laughed out loud, how could he possibly relax? Dagger was missing and he had to do something about it.

His first idea was to visit the Tantalus crew and see whether they had any information.

"We had that big lug of armour down here a few nights back, asked whether we knew anything about a plot against the Queen" Baku had told him.

"Steiner suspects you?" Zidane frowned, after all they'd been though Rusty still couldn't get over old habits.

"I don't think so darlin', but if anyone in the city were to hear anything it'd probably be us wouldn't it" Ruby said.

Blank and Cinna were looking at the table top, Zidane had the feeling they were avoiding his eyes.

"What reason we got to kidnap the Princess then? You already got her for your self ain't you!" laughed Baku. Zidane shrugged sadly.

"So what's really happened then? Steiner said there had been a threat made against the Queen, she'd been moved somewhere safe. Why aren't you with her?"

Zidane contemplated for a moment, the castle were trying to keep her disappearance a secret, not wanting to panic the city after the recent events. Losing two Queens in one year… and with no clear heir to the throne. People would panic and just make searching for Dagger more complicated.

Zidane sighed, he trusted his friends more then anyone in the world. He was sure they could be of some help too. Sitting up he told them about the shadows at the window and even about him becoming mysteriously ill the same night. Blank shifted in his seat uncomfortably.

Zidane did not tell them about the dreams and things he had been seeing, and feeling, in fact he hadn't told anyone. He was afraid of what people might think… he himself felt like he was going insane at times.

"So, she's been kidnapped again. You ever thought about getting a bell or something for her?"

Zidane glared at his former boss, though he could tell he was covering up his anxiety. Apparently Dagger had been very kind to him when she took the throne, and even spoke with him about Zidane. He guessed he had become fond of her, like he had Ruby when she joined as an actress and became a permanent member of the group. Speaking of which, Zidane watched as Ruby sat beside Blank, rubbing a slightly swollen stomach. She was four months pregnant with Blank's child.

In normal circumstances this would be a time to wind Blank up about the endless nappies and crying he was going to have to deal with, but the mood was sombre and Zidane did not feel like celebrating or joking.

"You thought about who'd be able to pull off a stunt like this?" Marcus asked.

"Well, there's you guys"

Baku humphed, and Blank sat up straight, "What about someone already in the castle, someone close to Dagger?" he said quietly.

Suddenly the room was very quite, Zidane stared at his friend. The strange looks he had been receiving suddenly made sense.

"You think I had something to do with it?"

Blank looked at Cinna nervously.

"No, it's not that… it's just that… when we were flying over here you were acting kind of strange…"

Zidane continued to stare, expecting more of an explanation.

"Talking in your sleep, wandering around with your head in the clouds… and your mood swings… only Ruby could match you"

"Oi!" she said loudly.

"The point is, there was no commotion, no break in… and you were in her room…"

"Oh yeah, and how did I manage to get her our of the city in less then an hour, come back and oh yeah… I was unconscious for three days"

"Outside help" muttered Blank.

Zidane mouth fell open, Cinna was at least looking apologetic but Blank refused to meet his gaze.

"Do the rest of you think this?" he said darkly.

"No, personally I think Blank's just trying to focus on something other then his impending fatherhood"

Marcus ducked as Ruby threw a cup at his head, he sat back as though it happened everyday. And knowing Ruby it probably did.

Zidane stood up to leave. Baku followed him out, glaring at Cinna and Blank as he went. Outside the theatre they had all been sitting in Zidane leant against the wall and breathed out, Baku came up behind him and waited.

"I love her"

"I know you do boy"

"I'd never hurt her"

"Not intentionally, no"

Zidane whipped round, "You agree with them!"

"No, I just think that you should be careful. Maybe get some help… you've been through a lot and trauma can do strange things to ya…"

"Yeah, thanks for the advice" Zidane turned and walked back towards the castle; ignoring the stares and whispers of the people around him. As far as the general population knew, Dagger had gone to visit her uncle in Lindblum with some of her guard. There were rumours that she was preparing for marriage and of course, after being witnessed hugging the Queen by most of the upper class, people suspected him of being the groom.

Zidane tried not to think about it, if Dagger were here with him right now, would they be preparing to marry? He had thought of it, on his lonely journey back to the place he strangely felt was his new home. His mind wandered back to a conversation the two had had in the black mage village. Zidane had explained what home meant to him, how he made his own home with the people who cared about him.

Even if they now believed him to have taken Dagger, it made no sense to him. He suddenly became aware that he was being followed, he was at the entrance of the alley leading to the town square, a good place to pick pocket as he himself had discovered many years ago. He stopped, placing his hand on the dagger concealed in his blue jeans. The same dagger that she had named herself after… she had held and cut her hair with…

Veering left he headed into the inn, it was quiet and that was just what he needed. He threw some gold on the counter and received a key from the young boy working there, he tried to smile as the kid gasped when he realised who he was serving.

"Hey kid, have some extra if you don't tell anyone I'm here. I need a rest ok?"

The boy nodded vigorously and accepted a handful of money. As Zidane headed to his room he wondered whether Dagger would disapprove of the way he was spending castle funds.

The sky grew dark and Zidane sat, motionless, on the windowsill. He stared out across the surrounding mountains and began to think, however did this needed to be physically fit and stealthy. They'd have to know both the city and the castle perfectly… they'd also need to know that Dagger had switched rooms…

When Zidane finally moved it was to rub his aching eyes, he had gone over and over a list of suspects. Beatrix had investigated several leads on various groups and persons known for kidnapping people of high status, intending to demand a ransom. However, day six was approaching and there had been no contact made from the kidnapper.

He shut his eyes and leaned his head against the cool glass of the window, in his mind he replayed the actions of that night. He had climbed the tall wall to get to dagger's bedroom window… and there was no guard. Beatrix had informed him that the woman placed under the window had been taken out with a sleeping spell and then dragged out of the way.

Stealth… strength… knowledge… magic…

Zidane's eye's snapped open. What if Blank had been onto something? What if it had been someone within the castle?

In his minds eye his thoughts wandered back to when they had climbed the Lifa Tree… he had carried Dagger up on his back… but someone else had climbed the tree easily, carrying two kids at the same time.

Could it be possible… could Amarant be the kidnapper?

Zidane jumped up and opened the window, skilfully he leapt down and landed gracefully on his feet. He intended to run back to the castle, to tell the others of his suspicions. It made sense to him… Amarant was a bandit, he didn't feel obligated to anyone, Dagger could earn him a lot of money, and he too had been in the castle hours before Dagger disappeared.

Zidane rounded a corner and collided with something heavy.

"Watch it" he snarled.

Suddenly from him heard footsteps. Members of Steiner's guard surrounded him.

"What the hell's going on?"

"Zidane Tribal, you are under arrest for suspicion of kidnapping, or conspiring to kidnap Queen Garnet of Alexandria-"

"You've got to be kidding!" Zidane shouted, "I know who did it! It wasn't me"

"He felt his arms being pulled back behind him, for a moment out of instinct he considered fighting back. But they would take him to the castle to be interviewed and there he could explain to Steiner that he had made a mistake.

He couldn't believe that after everything Steiner still thought Zidane couldn't be trusted, as he was escorted back to the castle Zidane looked into the sky and watched the full moon shine down, illuminating the castle beautifully.

It reminded him of the night Alexander was summoned, in his heart he felt the same rise of fear that had accompanied him that night when he desperately searched for Dagger in the castle.

He would get her back, if he had to fight every friend he had who suspected him.