Chapter Fifteen

Because of Zidane's need for bandages and some rest, the War Committee was postponed to after lunch. Zidane, however, was back out of bed before morning had even ended. It was a bright day in Lindblum without a cloud in the sky. From his guest bedroom, as he dressed in clean clothes, he watched the tiny-ants of Lindblum whirl around each other, on the way to work and the market. Zidane took less travelled hallways to dodge everyone for the time being. He walked stiffly in the halls, ignoring the double-takes he got from the castle help. His face was quite the mess with large painted bruises and crusty scratches. Zidane found himself back at the airship dock, glancing to workers furiously cleaning the one that had just arrived from Alexandria. Zidane was pleased, however, when he spotted the usual courier, a young man, dawdling by the railing with a canvas bag slung over his shoulder.

When he saw Zidane approaching, he immediately straightened his shoulders and stiffly bowed. "Your Majesty! Glad to see you out and about. I was worried when they pulled you off the airship this morning."

"Yeah, thanks," Zidane sheepishly rubbed the nape of his neck. "Are you busy today? I kind of need a message to get back to Alexandrian Castle by sundown. Think you can do it?"

The courier glanced to the ticking clock. "Yeah, if you're quick about it I can grab the high noon ship back to Treno." He reached into his bag, extending a pencil and some parchment. Zidane walked towards a flat surface, smoothing his hands along the curling edges of the paper.

Steiner- it's happening again. Do not let Arabella out of your sight.

Zidane stared at the curt message he had written on the parchment, his stomach tossing and turning. He pursed his lips before he left it at that, folding the note up and handing it to the courier. The man tipped his hat to Zidane before he began his descent down to the rail station below. Zidane watched his beret bob out of sight and he let out a long sigh. Gingerly, he touched his temple, again reviewing last night's events. No matter how many times he ran through it, he simply couldn't wrap his head around it. He didn't want to. Arabella could never become the apple of Kuja's eyes. She wasn't a puppet to be played with. He felt his own insides grow cold at the thought. A feeling of panic was nearly welling up in his stomach. He couldn't let Kuja do this. He wouldn't allow his own child to become his weapon. Zidane tried to tell himself it was all just to get to him. To torture him for what he did all those years again. And it was beginning to work as the thought of any harm coming to his daughter's was the only thing present on his mind.

"There you are," Zidane's head snapped over his shoulder to see Freya dressed in a velvet blue coat with the arms of Burmecia plaited on the chest. She looked to him with composed blue eyes concealed behind her silky ashen locks. "They were right. You really did get the lights beat out of you."

"Eh," Zidane touched his sore cheek. "Looks that bad, huh?"

"I'll just pretend the other person looks twice as bad," Freya teased in her cool manner. "Lunch is about to begin. Everyone is quite eager to see you."

"Is the Count of Treno there?" Zidane asked.

"Count Servino? Yes, of course," Freya nodded. "This War Committee concerns everyone."

"Oh, great," Zidane heaved a sigh, walking with Freya back up the tall and numerous staircases. "He's not concerned about the war. He's just gonna talk my ear off about why his son should marry my daughter." Freya chuckled as they turned a corner.

...

The princesses didn't leave their room much that sunny day. They made appearances for meals and Alex went for a lonesome walk in search of fun, but there was none to be had. Even though most days Zidane was whisked away being a king, the castle was simply not the same without him. It lacked energy. It lacked love. The princesses lounged away in the sitting room between their chambers. Periodically, Steiner came by to see them, but they mostly were keeping to themselves. Alex arranged and rearranged her vibrant Tetra Master cards while Bella curled up on the couch and read anything to preoccupy her mind. Sarah sat on the floor near Alex, picking at her nail and pretending she was trying to read, too. The day had been a waste really. And the girl's knew the next day and the day after would only be the same story. They were simply cooped up in a castle, all alone without their father, left to stew in their own thoughts. Each girl felt the presence of world conflict differently and they found it hard to convey it to their sister's. They each dumbly glanced around the room occasionally when the silence pricked their ears again. It wasn't very often the king left the castle without his princesses.

A rap on the window caused every princess to jolt with startle. They were used to their door being knocked on, but the window? Bella gasped sharply as she sat up on the couch, gazing towards the large wall-length windows that overlooked the front of the Alexandrian garden. Sarah peaked her head around the couch and her eyes became as wide as saucers when she recognized Dante's tan face gazing through the clear pane. The brisk wind outside swept his shaggy brown hair everywhere. Sarah's cheeks began to burn and she hustled to her feet, lifting the window.

"Dante?" She asked, rather breathlessly. "What are you doing? And... how did you get up here?" Sarah furrowed her brow together as her sister's came to stand behind her.

"These ivy's are pretty strong," Dante told her. "Can I come in, though? It's cold up here!"

Quickly, the princesses parted and Dante scrambled over the ledge, shutting the chilly breeze out behind him. His cheeks were windblown. He raked his fingers through his hair as he took his first warm breath inside of the chamber. He glanced around, never having been so far into the Alexandrian Castle. He then looked between the stunned girl's eyes.

"How did you know this was the right window?" Sarah asked.

"I didn't," Dante admitted, shaking his head. "Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if a maid reported me to your knights."

"We'll just hide you," Alex grinned, her cheeks rosy as usual.

"Dante, what are you doing here?" Sarah glanced anxiously towards the door, already counting on another hourly Steiner pop-in. "You could get in a lot of trouble. Especially because my father isn't here. The castle isn't supposed to be open to visitors."

"Well, they didn't seem that concerned," Dante grinned. "I just walked on in. But that's why I'm here." He pulled his backpack from his shoulder and looked to the princesses.

"Dante, are you here about what we talked about last night?" Sarah asked as if he fiddled in his bag. After a moment, he held a small silver dagger out towards Sarah. It was no where near the caliber she had seen her father train with before. It was a simple silver silver, rather short, with a hilt on it engraved to look like ivy leaves. Bella and Alex recoiled from the small weapon like it was poison. "Where did you get that?"

"I made it. For you," Dante said, glancing to the glinting weapon laid flat in his palm. "I know it's not much but... it's a little more protection for you. You can attach it beneath a cloak-"

"Why does she need a weapon?" Bella asked, furrowing her brow. Her chin-length black locks brushed against the frame of her face. "Sarah, why did he make this for you?"

Sarah's blue eyes were trained on the small dagger in Dante's hands. Pensively, she licked her lips, her eyes not leaving the shiny silver. Finally, she looked to her dark haired sister. "We should learn to protect ourselves, shouldn't we? Isn't there a war looming?"

Alex got on her tip-toes to peer in Dante's hands. "Wow, you made that?"

"He's very talented," Sarah said, making Dante blush madly.

A knock at their door made all the young people jump. Sarah gasped sharply, knowing Steiner was just on the other side. She gripped Dante's shoulders, surging him forward towards a door. "Hide in my room!" She said.

"No, no, mine!" Alex jumped up and down. "Steiner will never suspect my room."

"Get him out of here!" Bella ordered, leaping back towards the couch. Hurriedly, Sarah shuffled Dante into Alex's room, promptly shutting the door. Quickly, the sister's arranged themselves again. Sarah sank down with Alex on the ground, grabbing a random number of cards from her Tetra Master stack. The girl's all drew their breath in as the door opened and again, meek Steiner entered. He looked tentatively between all the princesses, checking three off in his eyes. They hadn't moved much from his last check in. Tenatively, they all gazed to Steiner.

"Is anyone hungry?" Steiner asked, trying to evade the awkward feeling creeping in on him. He was completely out of his element with both Beatrix and Zidane gone from the castle. He loved taking care of and watching the girl's, but somehow it felt easier with Beatrix making her rounds through the castle. "Maybe someone wants to go for a walk?"

"That's okay, Steiner," Sarah shrugged, shifting through her assortment of cards. She was at an utter loss as to how to play the game. "I think we'll wait until dinner."

"Well, alright," Steiner said, looking around the room. "If you're certain... You can find me-"

"Yes, at the far east tower," Sarah looked to him. "We know where to find you, Steiner."

Steiner paused briefly before he nodded, closing the door behind him. He let out a long sigh. The east tower. He occupied it every day to look out over Alexandria. It happened to be the same tower he had seen Dagger leap from when evading Zidane on her own birthday all those years ago. It was hard for Steiner to remind himself the Queen was dead. Even after ten years, it was hard for Steiner to imagine he was living in a world without Dagger. It had been a decade and still, not a single day changed the fact that Steiner had to continue on without her. And every day he couldn't help but feel like he failed. As his armor clattered down the hallway, the feeling of failure loomed even heavier over him. Everything he had nightmares about was happening again.

What was it all for, Your Majesty?

...

Zidane seated himself between Freya and Beatrix at the large and long chestnut table that gleamed in the afternoon light pouring in. There was shuffling and the low murmer of chatter that rose in the high vaulted ceilings of the conference room. Leaders and heroes alike found their seats with the confident and always regal Regent Cid at the head. Beside him sat the wiry Princess Eiko who had her purple locks contained in a fish-tail braid that ran down her back. Amarant sat across from her, his head tilted down in his reserved way. Quina found himself beside Count Servino of Treno and beside the Count draped in velvet purple fabrics, sat the thin and poised leader of Cleyra, a bishop named Aandin, whom Freya trusted very much. Fratley was on the other side of Freya and together, the esteemed knights represented Burmecia. Zidane looked up and down the table. He couldn't help but feel so out of place. And like a part of him was missing. Two chairs were always absent. Vivi and Dagger should have been there. He pursed his lips and fiddled with the grain of the table.

"My esteemed guests," Regent Cid began with his husky voice. "I humbly welcome you to the Lindblum Castle, though, I do wish our meeting were in greater spirits. Now we have all gathered because we are not naïve to the trouble we see brewing again. It is times like this we must re-promise ourselves to the idea of peace, freedom, and righteousness and band together to help each other when most needed. In times like these, together, we must stand. Today, I feel we can all come as one with a solid plan. And we must hold strong, especially for Alexandria." Zidane felt a wave of eyes turn on his sorry bruised face. He couldn't help but feel rather sheepish. Aren't I just one big chump? Zidane scoffed in his mind. Regent Cid cleared his throat. "Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I feel electing Zidane as the Head of this committee is in our best interest."

"I agree," Freya's smooth, harminous voice rang out. "There's nobody who knows these predicaments better than Zidane."

Zidane pensively licked his cracked lips and looked around the quiet room. All eyes were on him like he was magically supposed to know what to do. In the moment, Zidane felt the least qualified to lead this committee. Seventeen years ago, Zidane had less on the line. He had more elbow room to act first and think later. He was no longer the hero the tales boasted him to be. He didn't want to be that person anymore, anyway.

"King Zidane," Bishop Aandin spoke up, his voice smooth and calculated. "Perhaps you can start by telling us what you have learned?"

Zidane knew he needed to act. The stares were beginning to grow agitatedly concerned and pensive. Zidane tall-back chair scraped against the polished marble floors as he came to his feet. Regent Cid took this as his cue to seat himself. Of all the eyes at the table, Eiko's burned the most into the side of his face. He felt hot as he took the floor beneath all the nation's watchful eyes.

"A lot of questions about this war are still unanswered," Zidane began, certain his voice was going to falter. His head throbbed from his lumpy nap the night before. "We still can't be sure of the magnitude or scale of the war. And we can't pinpoint exactly what the ultimate outcome is going to be. But there is one thing for certain." Zidane pressed him palms to the cool rigid surface of the table, gazing up and down at his audience. "Kuja is alive. How? I don't know. Where? I'm not sure. Last night, aboard my airship, I was attacked by someone who works for Kuja; a very sneaky, well-trained mage. In the last war, you may remember he used Black Mages. Those are still a factor at play in this war. They're Kuja's pawns. But it seems he's stepped his defenses up with human agents. They're deceptive and could be apart of any crowd without you being aware. Some of these agents may already be inside of your nation's." A murmer broke out between all the leaders, now. But they curtly hushed when Zidane remained standing, his face unmoving. "I was able to extract some information from the agent before she left. How much of it is true? I'm not totally sure, but it seemed familiar enough to work with for the time being. The Cycle of Souls has been restarted. Even with Terra's destruction and the fall of the Iifa Tree, there is still hope for Kuja to re-cycle these souls back to Gaia, to finish what Terra couldn't. And- they don't even need Terra this time to make it happen. Right now, they have one clear adjective to getting the upperhand on us."

Zidane fell into a silence, having a hard time bringing himself to say it. Beatrix watched her king, silently, unwanting to speak the words herself. "It's Eidolons, isn't it?" Eiko asked, lifting her chin. "Kuja cannot tame them himself, but he's powerful enough to project them."

"No..." Zidane shook his head, rather grimly. Slowly, his darkened blue eyes gazed over Eiko and she felt a chill creep up her spine. "Kuja knows a ultimate weapon now. Part Genome, part Summoner, she's the perfect oracle for Kuja. Princess Arabella Alexandros-Tribal."

The room was still for a few beats before Eiko stamped her heel to the floor, coming to her feet. She clenched her fists. "What bullshit. That bastard, he really knows how-"

"Princess Eiko, please contain yourself," Regent Cid said, folding his hands together.

"All those years ago, we were angry at Kuja because he wanted to mess with Zidane and Dagger," Eiko burst out, nearly reverting back to her old dialect. "We should be angrier now and get on defense. Kuja wants a thirteen year old girl. Arabella barely knows the first thing about summoning. Kuja could kill her."

"We don't even know where he is," Zidane countered. But he paused for a moment, recalling Fauna's velvety words. Something dawned on him in the next moment and his eyes intensely met the Princess of Lindblum's. "He's at the Iifa Tree, Eiko."

"What? How do you know?" Eiko shook her head. "It's probably withered away to nothing but a large crater now."

"No, that's not she told me," Zidane replied. Eiko straightened her shoulders and furrowed her brow. "Kuja revitalized the Iifa Tree. He did that so he could use it to re-cycle the souls. She told me she was one of those souls Terra had kept there for safe keeping. That would explain why it was raining in Madain Sari." Zidane shook his head. "Kuja was nursing it back to health."

"This is absurd..." Eiko whispered, seemingly bewildered by what she was being told.

"So, we should head for the Iifa Tree," Regent Cid nodded.

"We can't simply show up," Freya shook her head, glancing to Sir Fratley whose face was contorted in opposition. "We're ill prepared. We know it's Kuja, but we don't know what we're up against. We could be ambushed."

Beatrix came to her fee beside Zidane now, her curly brown locks bouncing on her shoulders. "The Alexandrian Castle's first and foremost primary goal is the protection and security of Princess Arabella."

"Yes, yes," Regent Cid agreed, lifting his hand. "The rest of the nation's should prepare fortifications for their town. They should also in state drafts within their town walls and begin training for field battle. In the meantime, to stall things, Princess Arabella must be dealt with."

"Princess Arabella should come here to the Lindblum Castle," Eiko declared. "She will be safest here with our airship brigade."

"Burmecia may be better," Sir Fratley offered. "The least suspecting and we have many underground cellars we could covert to a living space for the young girl."

"I don't want Arabella separated from her sister's," Zidane told them, looking around the table.

"A grave mistake, Your Majesty," Amarant finally spoke in his gruff voice, his eyes piercing out from beneath his mop of red hair. "You want them separated. They'll be sittin' ducks together. One little swoop and your entire bloodline is ended."

"Amarant!" Eiko shot him eyes of daggers. Zidane tensed at his words.

"The Alexandrian Castle is more than equipped," Beatrix said, more as a means to comfort Zidane. But her eyes looked towards the nation's earnestly. "We have always forseen conditions such as these. In the good times, you prepare for the bad. We have safe places for the princesses. We needn't concern ourselves with transporting the princesses anywhere. Like Zidane said, the agents fit in in normal society. They could be spotted and tracked."

"The only thing preventing this world from being overtaken is Arabella," Eiko pushed, looking around the table. "She needs constant supervision. She should continually move around the continent as to keep Kuja at bay. Keeping her in one place for too long is dangerous."

"This is my daughter and I want her at my castle," Zidane was quick to reply, his body temperature elevating. Of course, of all people to butt heads with, it is Eiko. "I'm not going to have her separated from what she knows, constantly on the run like a wild animal being hunted. That's not the way I'm going to treat this, Eiko."

"It might not be ideal," Eiko shook her head, her plaited hair beating against her back. "But if we can keep Arabella out of Kuja's hands, we'll still have a chance of stopping him again, Zidane."

"How could we coordinate all those safe houses?" Zidane asked, holding his hands out. "How can we really trust everyone is on our side? In a way, it would be like dropping her off right at Kuja's doorstep. It's out of our element, we can't do it."

"She shall go with me," Eiko told him. "I know of places. I know people, Zidane, who were part of the same resistance that rallied our sides in the first war. She is my mentee. She should stay with me. Amarant is right, in a way... we can't have the girl's all sequestered together. It's unwise."

"I'm her father and I want her with me."

"Perhaps," Freya came to her feet. "We should all take a brief break to get some fresh air, perhaps something to drink? We can revisit the topic at another time."

Zidane and Eiko held a tense eye contact with each other across the room, directly through Freya. But the conference room came alive with noise as the heroes and leaders stood, looking to each other with solemn and bewildered gazes. What was the world coming to?

...

Zidane found himself at the highest balcony perched a top the Lindblum Castle. Absent mindedly as he climbed the cobblestone stairs, he brushed his hands along the wildly climbing ivy. He came to pause before a somewhat rusty and clunky telescope. The cool autumn breeze brushed through Zidane's hair as he gazed out towards the distance. He dug his hands in his pockets, taking solace in the silence. Just beyond that mountain range was his home, where his girl's were. He wondered what they were doing, if they were behaving for Steiner. He imagined they were gravely worried, but hoped it hadn't sapped all the energy from them. He wanted nothing more than to transport himself through that mountain range.

"I knew I'd find you up here."

Zidane pursed his lips, holding in a groan as Eiko came up the stairs to stand beside him. The breeze carried her braid as she approached the telescope, running her hands along the flaking finish. Eiko took a moment to look out towards the clear plains before them. The thin snaking rivers glinted at them in the bright overhead sunlight. The air smelled of honey and roasted nuts with the approaching cold season. Eiko glanced to Zidane, who looked on edge. The sunlight accentuated the wounds he had sustained from the night before. His eyebrow and lips were already crusting with scabs and his cheekbone was purple and blue. She knew his concern was well-founded.

Eiko let out a sigh, hunching her shoulders. "Well, there I go again, being that thorn in your side."

Zidane was quiet for a few beats, scuffing his boots against the stone. Finally, his tired eyes turned on the impatiently waiting princess. "Look," Zidane licked his lips. "I know you're trying to help. And I know you want what's best for my girl's. But... I have to have control of some things, Eiko. And my daughter's is at the top of that list. I can't send Arabella away from me, out of my sight, for even a day."

Eiko pressed her palms to the telescope between them. "But Kuja is going to know to come after to you to find Arabella. She's a sitting duck in Alexandria."

"That's why I should return to Alexandria tomorrow," Zidane said. "I need to mobilize my soldiers and lock the castle down."

"Do you think it will be enough?" Eiko asked, leaning forward.

Zidane studied her face for a moment before pursing his lips. "I gotta hope so for the time being. Until we can get onto Kuja's trails and find the plug. Maybe my friendly neighbors in Lindblum can provide some air security?"

Eiko grinned, coming around the telescope now to stand in front of Zidane. "You know I'd do whatever it took to protect you and the princesses, right?" Eiko clasped her hands together in front of her. "I know I'm still that hot-headed immature brat you always saw, Zidane. And I know sometimes I speak out of line or make ridiculous requests of you, but it's only because I truly care about you. I would never forgive myself if something happened to you, Zidane. And I'm gravely worried that this time... something will."

"I'll be-"

"Please, don't say that," Eiko shook her head, looking to him with great concern. Zidane arched his eyebrows. "I saw how reckless you could be last time, Zidane. You would have let your head get chopped off if it meant one of us kept a finger. I simply cannot imagine what you would do for your daughter's."

Zidane glanced out at the landscape unfurling around them before looking to Eiko with soft eyes. "We don't know what's going to happen, Eiko. Or how bad it will really get."

Eiko's blue eyes gazed at him intensely. "Zidane... Kuja will kill you to get to Arabella. He's not playing games with you anymore. He doesn't need you."

"Yeah, well," Zidane shrugged. He was at an utter loss for words. "I'm no stranger to danger, am I?"

Eiko reached forward, grabbing hold of his coat. She gave him a gentle tug. "I can't lose you, Zidane." The beginning mists of tears came to the corner of her eyes. Instinctively, Zidane gripped her arms, gazing down at the flustered princess with a furrowed brow.

"Hey, Eiko... what's this about? What's going on?" Zidane asked.

Eiko's cheeks became a rosy red as the tears surfaced more in her eyes. "I sometimes worry... that we can't do this again, Zidane. And I know, I can't think like that, especially when so many people are counting on us, but I can't help but think this will all go terribly wrong and it... pains me to even think about a future on the other side of this. It could be a world without you, Zidane."

Zidane gripped Eiko's shoulders. "It's too soon to be thinkin' about whose graves we're going to be digging. I'm the last person you should be concerned about."

Eiko sniffled. "But you're the most important person to me, Zidane. I... I love you."

Zidane felt his body temperature rise and he gazed down on the flummoxed princess. He squeezed her shoulders, shaking his head. "That's crazy talk, Eiko. I'm going to be fine. We're going to be fine. I'm not gonna die on you, alright?"

Eiko furiously rubbed at her tears. "Okay... we should probably get back to the conference room now that this is settled." She turned her back on Zidane, tensely descending the stairs. Zidane scuffed his boot awkwardly against the stone again, jamming his hands in his trouser pockets.

"Hey, Eiko..." He said, stopping her in the middle of the platform. Curiously, with a red face, she looked over her shoulder at Zidane. "How 'bout after the war... you finally pick one of the dozens of suitors lined up for you?"

After a moment, Eiko grinned. "You really just don't get it, huh?"

...

As the evening sun began to descend across the Lindblum, the tired leaders and heroes finally retired from the conference room. They separated many different ways to find comfort in books and naps. Servino captured many with an invitation to rooftop wine drinking. Beatrix watched as Zidane marched through the idle banter of his companions, disappearing around the hall. She knew he was anxious and wound up. He was probably heading back to his room to promptly pack up. Beatrix politely wrapped her conversation with Sir Fratley about trench tactics up and decided to chase after Zidane, since she knew he was probably upset.

Though she was relieved to hear Zidane was as eager as she was to return to Alexandria, she worried it was perhaps premature. Fine details needed to be smoothed out in regards to war lines and soldier footpaths. As a war general of nearly three decades, Beatrix knew a war of this magnitude required calculated plans and the most equal balance of work between all the nation's. And she wasn't entirely finished hearing the other leader's offers on ways to shelter Bella. Though Beatrix wanted to support Zidane, a gut wrenching instinct was instructing her to make plans for the child. They couldn't wait until someone was simply trying to pry her from their hands.

After climbing the stairs, Beatrix began down a narrow corridor with many doors on either side. Zidane's was near the back, right across from her's. In her mind, she began elaborately preparing a speech. One in which she could appeal to Zidane emotionally, yet logically. A voice of reason, she wanted to call it. The grim reality that was setting in on her had her mind constantly drifting back to Steiner. She wouldn't be able to stop him from getting involved. It's his sworn duty and his right. And Beatrix knew Steiner had every reason to unsheath his sword.

Just behind Beatrix, one of the bedroom doors burst open, slamming directly into the wall. Beatrix became alert and swung backwards, pulling her ruby incrusted sword from her hip in one deft swoop. She tilted backwards on the balls of her feet as she drew her sword directly to the neck of a slender cloaked figure. Beatrix gave the stranger a hard look, her sword never lowering. But the cloaked figure was quick, dropping to a kneel and swinging their leg out. Beatrix felt her feet come out beneath her and she cursed as she fell against the wall, her sword clattering beside her. Quickly, Beatrix reared her foot down, causing a shriek to rise from the figure. Beatrix pressed with all her might against the wrist as it fell just inches short of her sword. Beatrix swooped her weapon up, pressing the tip to the base of the stranger's skull.

"Nobody touches my sword," Beatrix whispered sharply. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way. Who are you?" There was a silence for a few beats and Beatrix sighed, releasing her foot from the wrist that surely was broken. The intruder let out a sigh of pain, but kept their eyes lowered. Beatrix now pressed her boot directly into her back, keeping her sword against the neck. "Remove your hood." The person beneath her began to wriggle and Beatrix pushed more weight against them. The cloaked figure swung their arm backwards, using their sharp elbow to hit Beatrix in her knee. She staggered backwards, her leg searing. The intruder leapt towards Beatrix and they struggled against each other into a wall, knocking art work and candles down. Hands came around Beatrix's neck and she pressed herself against the wall to catch a breath, craning her neck upwards. Beatrix reared her knee up, landing a direct hit into the cloaked beings stomach. Beatrix shoved them across the hall, letting out a choked cough as she scrambled to pin them against the wall. One touch of their broken wrist had them howling and Beatrix had no problem containing them.

"Beatrix!" Zidane appeared from running up the hall. "What the hell is-" He stopped when he saw the cloaked figure in Beatrix's grasp. They began to struggle harder upon Zidane's entry in the scene. The king lunged forward and ripped the cloak backwards, revealing Fauna once more.

"Is this the person who attacked you?" Beatrix asked, giving her wrist a squeeze. Fauna ground her teeth together, pressing her flushed face to the wall. Zidane nodded. Beatrix looked towards Zidane. "I guess this is an interesting turn of events."

Zidane crossed his arms over his chest, looking towards Fauna with a piercing look. "Can't get me out of your mind, huh? You just had to follow me to Lindblum." Zidane shifted the weight between his boots. "Take her to the infirmary. Make sure she's chained up, too."

...

It was growing late into the night and Zidane began to wonder if he'd ever get a full night's rest again. Outside the infirmary door, Zidane met with Beatrix, Eiko, and Freya. They all seemed rather tense, glancing towards the closed door as if expecting Fauna to burst out at any moment. The milky moonlight bled through the tall windows of the hallway, drenching the heroes in a porcelain glow.

"She's extremely powerful from what I can tell," Eiko was saying, looking between everyone. Her eye's lingered at Zidane who ruminated in his fears and exhaustion. His eyes were dark and his face was pale. He hadn't been looking well and healthy for quite some time now. "It was a good move breaking her wrist, Beatrix. It seems that causes a disruption in her casting abilities."

"A weak spot... that's good," Freya nodded. "They may be powerful, but they have the same limitations as us."

"She's still only human," Beatrix said.

"A human with a Terran soul in her," Eiko countered. "We still aren't completely sure what she's capable of."

Slowly, Zidane's eyes shifted towards the moons and stars in the sky. He shuddered at the idea of the doom that awaited them. As they stood in that small circle, he couldn't but feel frightened of what was happening. Pensively, he licked his lips, keeping his eyes directed up. "I wonder what the real Fauna was like... before Kuja stole her body for his own uses. What was her Gaian soul like?"

"Now's not the time to wonder," Freya shook her head. "We cannot get muddled in details or feelings, Zidane. She is a threat and she must be contained."

Zidane looked between each woman in the group with him, studying their faces that were stone-hard and tired just like his own. He pursed his lips. "Don't I have the same Terran soul she does?" Everyone in the group was silent for a few beats.

"We should all go to bed," Beatrix eventually said. "We're tired and overworked. A good night's rest will do us well." The group agreed and Beatrix and Freya broke away, disappearing into the dimly lit hallways, their boots thudding away. Zidane watched the infirmary door for a moment before he began his own walk back to his chambers. But Eiko's quiet voice reached out to him in the darkness and he turned towards the slender girl. The moonlight poured over her silky hair and her bright blue eyes glowed.

"You know this is different, right?"

"What is?" Zidane asked, blandly.

Eiko hugged herself, holding in a sigh. "You and Fauna... you're different. Just like you're different from Kuja. Maybe your souls come from a similar origin but... you're not like them, Zidane."

"Yeah, I know," Zidane's blond locks bounced as he nodded his head, casting his eyes down to the thick running carpets. "Sometimes I wonder, though... how long can I run away from the fate that brought me here? How long can I ward off my origins and stop it from taking away everything I know and love? How do I stop Kuja from ever laying a hand on Arabella? It was different when he wanted me, Eiko." The two were quiet for a moment. Zidane heaved a sigh, hunching his shoulders. "I'm no different from them, afterall, Eiko. All I bring is misery and destruction. Just like they do." And with that, the king turned and disappeared into the shrouded hallway, leaving a silent Eiko behind.