Hey yo. Here's chapter 21 where we catch up with the gang going back to the Outer Continent, unfortunately without Zidane. What will they do with themselves now? What about poor Garnet, how will she cope? What awaits everybody back in Alexandria? The character Lord Randle FINALLY comes into this story in this chapter. I've been meaning to put him in for a while and hear he is. He's a completely new character who doesn't exist outside this fanfic; decide for yourselves what you make of him. Well here we go, please enjoy and forgive any spelling or grammar mistakes.

As the airship pulled into Alexandria harbour, Garnet stood in her cabin gazing out of the window at the late afternoon sun with a sad look on etched on her young beautiful face. The troubled queen could barely hold a thought in her head because her emotions were so all over the place. She kept asking herself the same question over and over again but came no closer to an answer. The question was; "what am I going to do now?"

Flashback

"Your Majesty I'm afraid I think the time has come for us to return to Alexandria. The kingdom needs its' monarch and the people need us to return." Beatrix spoke calmly and softly because she knew this issue would have to be addressed very delicately. Garnet, who was standing across the inn room, turned around to answer her.

"Beatrix, I thought you of all people would understand," she whispered very sadly. "I can't go back unless I go back with Zidane at my side. If I left this continent and returned to Alexandria alone it would feel like I were leaving him behind and losing him all over again." Beatrix walked over to her and again in a big sisterly manner placed her hands on Garnet's face and then slowly lifted her head up towards her towards her own so their eyes met.

"Your Majesty, I promise you we will locate Zidane and find a way to help him," she said defiantly. "I promise you with all of my heart and loyalty. But for now I'm afraid we need to leave this village and return to Alexandria. The people will surely be aware by now that your marriage to Lord Randle will no longer being go ahead, as will the man himself. They will all undoubtedly be confused by this turn of events and will be wondering why you're absent. We now need to go back and put on a strong front to remind them all you are still a very capable Queen who has their best interests at heart."

Garnet still bore a look of deep sorrow in her eyes, mixed together with uncertainty. Beatrix again tried to comfort her.

"I realise how difficult this must be for you Your Majesty but please understand. Alexandria needs you. Zidane can take of himself for now and it's unlikely he'll come to any harm. When we manage to work out a way to help him then we will because we won't leave him to fight this alone I promise you. But right at this moment in time we must focus on our more immediate problems."

Garnet drew a deep breath before giving the general a little nod. Beatrix pulled her into a hug and allowed Garnet to rest her head against chest, like a mother comforting a child.

"That's a good girl," whispered Beatrix in her ear. "I could never show the bravery you've showed over the past few days Your Majesty. I'm so proud of you and your mother would be too."

Back to the present.

Now the that the airship had come to a complete stop and was safe inside the air hangar, Garnet began to gather herself as she prepared to disembark. She also began to wonder about what situation awaited her outside and back at the castle. She would more than likely have to face Lord Randle. Knowing him like she did, she knew he would not have taken the news that she'd cancelled their wedding and ended his chances of assuming the throne lying down. Although she hardly spent any time with him in the run up to their wedding, Garnet knew enough about Lord Randle to know that he wasn't a very nice man. He had foul temper and showed no respect to anybody he felt was beneath him (almost everyone he came across). During the selection process she'd undergone some months ago to find a future husband when she'd first met him he'd been charming and respectful. But all of that was just for show and was done only improve his chances of selection. The first time she ever got to see him for what he truly was shortly after he'd been picked by her to take her hand in what she'd admitted to her friends and Zidane was only a sham marriage done to please the people of the kingdom who adored him. This was because they did not know of his true colours. This occasion where he'd showed his true nature occurred when during a meeting with Garnet to discuss their wedding details such as the date, location and the guest list etc. To say he'd cruelly berated a young castle-maid because she'd accidently entered the chamber not knowing about the meeting taking place would be an understatement. He'd roared himself hoarse at her, in front of Garnet, Steiner, Beatrix, Doctor Tot and several members of his own entourage.

Flashback

"How dare you come in here uninvited you pathetic low class piece of scum!" he'd screamed. "Do you not realise that we're in the midst of serious discussions? Get out of here right now you idiot before I have the guards throw you out and into the dungeons!"

"So sorry…. sir. So sorry. Please forgive me, I meant not to intrude. So sorry," bumbled the poor maid who was in tears.

"JUST GET OUT! GET OUT YOU FOOL!" he continued to roar. The poor maid didn't need to be told again, she slammed the door shut and could be heard running off down the corridor, no doubt trying to get as far away from the room as possible.

"Lord Randle, please do not speak to my maids like that," stated Garnet with some authority.

"Well tell those god damn fools to do as they're told, when they're told to do so!" he snapped back. Both Beatrix and Steiner both looked angry after he said this and looked as if they were both about to retort, however a stern look from Garnet was enough to tell them to leave it alone so they kept their silence.

Back to the present

Garnet disembarked the airship closely flanked by Beatrix, Steiner and the rest of the group. Around a dozen or so knights and Doctor Tot were there to meet them at the end of the hangar's bridge.

"Your Majesty and to the rest of you, welcome back to Alexandria," he said as he gave them all a deep bow, as did every single one of the knights. Garnet just gave him curt nod in reply; in the mood she was in she couldn't find any words to say. Thankfully though, he didn't make a fuss though.

Doctor Tot began to examine the group to see who was there and who wasn't. He obviously knew why they'd all travelled to the Outer Continent, so he was soon confused to find that he couldn't find the face of a certain young man amongst the new arrivals. His wisdom however made realise that there had to be a reason for Zidane's absence and that it was bound to be a very sensitive issue so he decided not to ask about until later when they'd be in private.

"It's good to see you again Doctor Tot," said Beatrix smiling as she decided to speak for her clearly still upset Queen. "How have things been whilst we've been away? How are the Regent and his wife? Is there anything to of urgency that you need to report?"

The elderly doctor didn't answer immediately, he looked at Garnet and their eyes made contact. The look in his told the young Queen all she needed to know before he spoke.

"Ah, yes much has happened in your absence that you will need to be brought up to speed with. I suggest we discuss this all somewhere more private Your Majesty." He spoke in a very heavy tone which could only mean that the matters of which he spoke were obviously very serious indeed.

"Very well then," Garnet managed to say in a quiet voice. "Let us head back to the castle."

Skip forward a little while.

Garnet was back inside her royal quarters with Doctor Tot, Steiner and Beatrix. Everybody understood that royal business that didn't concern them needed to be discussed so everybody (despite Garnet's offer to let them stay the night in castle) split up and went their separate ways. The Tantalus gang headed back to their theatre taking the Vivi's with them, Freya and Sir Flatley announced that they needed to head back to Burmecia and Amarant headed off on his own to places unknown (he didn't say where he was going and nobody asked anyway). Only Eiko and Quina returned to the castle with them, once they'd arrived the Qu headed back off to the kitchens and Eiko was politely asked by Garnet to go outside and play in the castle's grounds for a little while. Now the serious talks began.

"So Doctor, what has occurred during my absence? Where are my Uncle Cid and Aunt Hilda? What has become of Lord Randle? What have the people of the kingdom made of the recent developments?"

"Your Majesty, I'm afraid to report that the situation you left behind before your journey to the Outer Continent has become very serious," he explained, he took off his glasses and wiped them as he did so. "The Regent and his wife are fine. They ventured into town today to meet with Lord Randle's representatives in order to try and diffuse the situation that has arisen."

"Diffuse what situation?" asked Garnet starting to worry.

"Forgive me, I will explain it all to you fully," he answered. "I'll start from the top. When you all left Alexandria several days ago you left the Regent and his wife in charge of the kingdom and also the responsibility to inform the people and Lord Randle that your planned marriage would no longer be happening. They've done as you asked in both cases. They've taken care of the kingdom impeccably and made the announcement."

Garnet intended to ask a question at this point but surprisingly Steiner got in first and asked it for her.

"Yes, yes that's all well and good. But what was the reaction to this announcement?" he asked impatiently.

"Well," said Tot slowly. "The reaction has been mixed. Of course the people we're disappointed and confused about the decision, but I honestly feel that in that it's begun to subside and the people have already accepted it and begun to move on with things. At first rumours were rife as to why the wedding had been called off? The theories vary from the realistic to the ridiculous."

"What are these rumours?" Garnet asked sharply. She wanted to know exactly what was going around on the streets of the kingdom about her and what the general opinion was.

"Well like I said Your Majesty, some of the rumours are complete border on lunacy. One rumour I've heard people discussing is that Lord Randle is the one who called off the wedding upon discovering that you've fallen pregnant with another mans' child. Another is that you called off the wedding over an argument with Lord Randle because he refused to provide the royal knights with items and weapons. Other rumours are closer to the truth though I believe."

"How do you mean?" she asked.

"Like that you've called off the wedding because you've fallen in love with another man," he answered calmly. He was right and they all knew it. So some people did have the brains to work out the true reason a new king wouldn't now be crowned.

Garnet took her time and gathered her thoughts before speaking again.

"What was Lord Randle's reaction to the news?" she asked, although she was pretty sure she already knew what the answer was going to be.

"I won't lie to you Your Majesty, Lord Randle was absolutely furious when he learned that he would no longer be becoming the King of this great nation. He has spent the last several days demanding to meet with you immediately so he can obviously attempt to try and persuade you to change your mind. Regent Cid, Lady Hilda and I have been attempting try and calm him down but he just won't listen. He won't accept that your mind is made up so I'm afraid you're going after to have to meet with him and at least to some extent explain your decision. I recommend you also publicly address the people because they will feel like they have a right know what is happening, plus to put an end to all those silly rumours as well."

Both Beatrix and Steiner turned to the young Queen to await her response. She again took her time before speaking; she drew a deep breath and then stood up off her seat.

"Inform Lord Randle that I will meet with him tomorrow morning," she said finally and firmly. "I do owe him an explanation but I will tell him the absolute truth, I have no reason to hide it. I love Zidane, not him and I will absolutely not be changing my mind. And after I've spoken to him I will arrange a public address to inform the people of the reasons of my decision also." After she'd finished speaking Doctor Tot also stood up and gave her another deep bow.

"Very well Your Majesty, I will see to it that he is informed about you're meeting proposal. I think you are definitely making the right decision. I will get straight to it. You can expect Lord Randle to be here at the castle tomorrow morning. For now I suggest you get some rest, you'll face a lot of challenges tomorrow." He gave her a final bow before deciding to take his leave, he left the room leaving the queen and her royal knights alone.

"I think Doctor Tot is right Your Majesty, you could use some rest ahead of tomorrow," suggested Steiner after Doctor had closed the door behind him.

"Yes thank you, I think I will retire," answered Garnet without turning around.

"Very well Your Majesty," said Steiner getting the hint. He gave her a deep bow of his own and then turned towards the door, closely followed by Beatrix who also understood that Garnet wanted to be alone. They exited door leaving her alone with just her thoughts. Her deeply sad and depressing thoughts. All she could think about was Zidane and where and what he might be doing right now. Was he okay? How was he faring now that he was under Garland's control?

She suddenly burst out into tears because a certain thought just hit. She realised that once again, tonight she'd have to go to bed alone wishing with all her heart that Zidane could be there with her.

I previously posted this chapter yesterday but after re-reading it I realised dozens of silly spelling mistakes. I make mistakes in every chapter but this one had just too many for me to pair so I took it down and reposted it edited. Hopefully I corrected all the mistakes but I wouldn't be surprised to find that I've missed one when I read this again later.

Phew, nice long chapter here. Hope you enjoyed it because I really worked my backside off on it. The next chapter will be a long one too where Garnet will have to confront Lord Randle face to face. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE leave me a review. I love it when I receive fresh reviews, it helps motivate me to keep writing and updating. Until the next chapter (hopefully I'll get it written in the next few days or so), see ya!