Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy IX®... SquareSoft© owns it all.... *sniffle... sniffle*...
Dedication To my special friends who are dear to me... Siena, Taemyr, Zidane's Dagger....-^_^-
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A Hero's Stand
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~~Chapter 2~~
A Father's Pain...
' Oh! What am I going ot do?! He can't het ahold of them... I won't let him! I'll sacrifice my very own life just to save them... ' Naria vowed silently as she sat up straight in the armless chair, her soft featured face completely troubled now as she stared at her reflection in the mirror.
" He can't have them! It's absurd if he gets his hands on them... including little Essie! " she spoke outloud now.
The door behind her opened and then closed. Naria froze. The candles that she had lit up on the dressing table went out, leaving her in complete darkness. Her heart pounded against her chest and she swallowed thickly, trying to calm her racing heartbeat as she placed a hand to her chest.
Soft footsteps were heard throughout the room, padding their way towards her. Naria swallowed again and slowly turned around in her chair to face her unknown visitor.
" W-w-who's there? Speak up, l-lest you value y-your life! " she called out into the darkness of the large room, her voice trembling uncontrollably as she scanned the darkness.
" Foolish mortal! Foolish human... " a deep raspy voice finally spoke out as a hand lashed out from nowhere, connecting with Naria's cheek, sending her to the ground from her chair with a loud yelp of surprise and pain.
Strong hands now gripped the tops of her arms, yanking her up from the ground and into the air. Deep red eyes glowed, looking at her before she was flying through the air and then landing on something soft and extremely bouncy.
" You try to defy me!? " the deep voice demanded, now right beside Naria's head as she brought a hand up to wipe at the blood that trickled from her nose.
" G-go away... " Naria murmured firmly as she sat up slowly.
A hard lean body was placed on top of hers, pressing her back down into the mattress. Warm breath fanned her cheek, making it's way down her neck, over her breasts and then stopped over her stomach. " I won't go away, Lydia. Long ago... you promised me love... you promised me good fortune. You promised me a family! But... where is that now? Hmmm... " the voice whispered into her ear now as a warm, moist tongue darted out to taste her earlobe that contained a ruby red stud.
" I-I don't know what you're talking about. My name is Naria Akimai... not this... L-lydia! I never promised you anything... nothing!! " she spat as she went to sit up again, but stong hands gripped her wrists and pinned them over her head.
" Lydia? You... you mean to tell me that you don't remember? "
Naria closed her eyes against the tears of pain. " Y-yes. I don't even know who you are anymore... "
" But! It's me... Khalid. How could you forget all those times we had together? All those adventures we went on throught together... we were in love! "
Naria shook her head. " I love no one... "
" Yes, you do! Me... you love me! " Khalid shouted into her face, causing her to cringe.
Naria was silent and still beneath him. Khalid watched her in the moonlight that shone from the roof window above the bed. " Lydia... ten thousand years ago, you disappeared. I searched forever for you, in sadness for the thought that my beloved wife was dead. I swore to live on. I swore to find you and here you are... ten thousand years later, working as a nanny for some royal family! "
Naria slowly opened her eyes and looked at Khalid who stared down at her, searching her face for an answer. She shook her head. " I know you not, Khalid, nor do I wish to be this Lydia that you speak of! Now... let me free! "
Khalid knitted his brows together and shook his head. " No. You are too Lydia Lanteire! You are my wife, the one woman I ever came to love... "
" K-khalid.. please! Just let me up... let me free to go back to little Esmeralda! Her Majesty is worried... I am certain of that.. "
Khalid shook his head again. " Lydia... you're going to stay here with me forever. I will not let all my searching go in vain! "
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Birds chirping. White, satin transparent curtains flapping lightly in the warm breeze. Soft, gentle, even breathes caressing flesh. Zidane slowly opened his eyes and then sighed lightly as he felt small delicate fingers apply pressure to his bare chest. He blinked the sleep from his eyes and glanced down at the soft sleep flushed face, the soft dark, long lashes fanned out nicely on the cheeks, small light rose lips parted ever so slightly, dark long strands of hair falling over the rosy cheek.
Zidane couldn't help but smile and then chuckle. He lifted an arm from Garnet's waist and brought it up to tenderly brush aside the hair, drawing a small, soft moan from the woman laying in his arms. He bent over slightly and planted a kiss to her forehead and then to the top of her head.
Garnet crinkled her nose lightly and her soft chocolate eyes fluttered open. She blinked and then stretched in Zidane's arms before tilting her face upwards to look at him look at her.
" Sleep good? " Zidane asked lightly as he tightened his arms around her waist and pulled her up to his body.
Garnet chuckled lightly and pressed her ear to Zidane's chest. " Yes.. how about you? " she asked, tracing little pictures along his chest with a fingertip.
Zidane made a face and began to squirm. " Hey.. come on.. stop! It tickles.... "
Garnet giggled and then pressed her hand flat to his chest. " Sorry... you didn't answer my question... "
" Oh! Right.. I slept alright. Just a little nightmare here and there... but I'll live... "
Garnet knitted her dark brows together and blinked. " What do you mean? "
Zidane shrugged lightly and then slowly unwrapped his arms from her waist as he sat up. " It was just the same old dream I've been having... ever since Kuja gave his life up for me...... "
Garnet sat up as well, hugging the sheet to her chest as she searched Zidane's back that was turned to her. " I'm listening you know... I'm always going to be here for you to talk to. You know that, Zidane.... " she whispered to him softly as she crawled over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck from behind, placing her head by his.
Zidane reached up and gently placed his hand on her forearm, giving it a gentle squeeze as he leaned his head back against her shoulder and sighed heavily. " I know, Dagger... I know. I just don't want you to... to get involved if my nightmare becomes reality. I don't want to go through another Garret and Anomen crisis.... ", he whispered.
Garnet licked her lips and pressed her soft, tender lips to his cheek. " Well... if you tell me about it, maybe I can stand clear of it if it does happen... "
Zidane nodded. " Yeah.... perhaps you're right, Dagger. "
Garnet chuckled and nodded. " Zidane... I know I'm right. Now... "
" Alright... alright. Well... in the beginning... I was just standing there... not doing anything, not moving, not speaking, probably not even breathing for all I know. But.. all of a sudden everything went white and then black. I close my eyes against the brightness and then open them sometime later to find you standing there waving to me.... your lips are moving.. but I can't hear anything.
I raise my arms, telling you that I can't understand and I shake me head. Suddenly you disappear and Naria replaces you.... I don't understand it though. After that happens... I see Esmeralda running through the courtyard again as she did yesturday and I see you chasing her and then suddenly everything goes white again and then I see some man; tall, powerfully built towering over you as you re-appear with Esmeralda in your arms... "
Garnet gently rubbed his back in circular motions, urging him to go on silently as he paused to recollect his thoughts.
" This time I run out into the courtyard, reaching for my dagger at my side so I can stab him in the back before he hurts you or Essie, but as soon as my fingers wrap around the handle everything goes black and a loud shrill desperate scream rings out from the darkness. Then.... it all comes back.... the man's gone, just vanishes into thin air. Then... I see you... the ground, you're laying on the ground... there's blood, lots of blood. "
Zidane stopped and Garnet knitted her brows together as she blow her bangs out of her eyes, hugging him hard, encouraging him to continue. He swallowed noisily and nodded absentmindedly.
" I... I run towards you and drop to the ground, gathering you in my arms, praying outloud that y-you aren't dead... I check for a pulse and find... none. Essie's nowhere to be seen, found. Suddenly everything goes white again and I see.. K-kuja standing there... his face set in a sad expression as he bows before me, saying something. I can see his lips moving, but I can't hear anything that comes out. "
Zidane continued, closing his eyes against the nightmare. " He holds his hands behind his back and when he bows, something behind him slides out into the open, some sort of statue that's covered with b-blood... blood that drips down the sides quickly. It's big, gray... and holds the face of a... m-monster of some sort. Kuja disappears completely as the man did - in thin air. I get off the ground with you in my arms and make my way over to the statue to only have the feeling of my heart being ripped from my chest as I bestow my eyes upon our little girl... chained to the stone table, her entire small body broken, battered, bruised... "
Garnet gasped and then her arms tightened around his neck. " I-is that all? " she whispered as she buried her face into his back.
Zidane shook his head slowly. " N-no... there's more, Dagger... "
" Go on then... I want to hear the rest... "
" Alright. The statue suddenly disappears into the ground and I whirl around to find myself face to face with the man who... k-killed you. He wears an evil grin on his face, somewhat harsh. He tilted his head to the side and looks at me, then glances down at you before unexpectantly slashing out at me with a sharp sword that was hidden within the folds of his long sleeves. The tip of the blade grazes my cheek and slices down to my chin, before he jumps up high up into the air laughing like a madman, his dark robes flaring out around him as he stops and just floats above me. "
Garnet heard the catch in Zidane's soft, hardened voice and then felt the muscles in his back tense up. She began to massage them gently. " It's alright... go on... it's better if you get it out in the open, rather then keep it bottled up inside... " she soothed.
" Well... as he floats above me, I gently put you down on the ground and then jump back away from you as he suddenly drops, trying to jump on top of me, his sword held ready, poised and aimed for the back of my head. He misses of course and then pushes himself off the ground as he launches at me, the handle of the sword held sure and steady by his eye, the sharp, jagged blade aimed for my neck.
As I'm running backwards away from him, the back of my heel catches on something and I fall. I fall on something sharp. It slams through my spine and I heard the bone crack... it enters my heart and I feel the muscles inside it constrict painfully as it's dragged up to slam against my ribcage, the arteries ripping instantly as the sword protrudes through my chest... "
" Oh my God... "
Zidane nodded and swallowed against her arm as he opened his eyes. " That's all... then it's over as until it plays over and over in my mind, making me have to relive the experience again and again... " he murmured softly.
Garnet slowly got off the bed and went to kneel down in front of him on the floor, her hands on each bare knee. She looked up at him, her soft eyes brimming with tears, her chin trembling. " It w-won't come true... r-right? You're not going to die a-again and leave me, r-right? "
Zidane felt his heart ache painfully as he slid to the ground in front of her, his arms automatically going around her waist. " I won't leave you, Dagger.... ever! I'm still here, aren't I? I didn't leave you before... " he whispered softly into her hair as he rubbed her back, pulling her onto his lap and rocking her back and forth slowly, gently.
Garnet sniffled and the tears streamed down her cheeks as she twirled a strand of his hair around her finger, keeping her head pressed to his shoulder. " You're alive now, Zidane... but... what about after? What happens if it does come true? What will I do then? "
Zidane shook his head hard and pulled away to place two fingers under her chin and then lift it upwards. He stared deep into her eyes and his face went serious, as serious as the tone in his voice. " Dagger, listen to me. When I say I'm not going to leave you, I'm not going to leave you. I could never bear to live without you by my side. It's just a dream that means to haunt me for the rest of my life since I cheated death... "
Garnet searched his face and then slowly nodded as she brought her hands up to cup his beautifully handsome face gently. She brought it down slowly towards hers. " I believe you, Zidane... don't you ever doubt my trust and faith in you.... "
Zidane smiled gently, impishly and stroked her cheeks gently. " Never, Dagger. Never.... " he murmured as he was going to press his lips to hers, but the door to their chambers flew open and little Esmeralda came bounding into the room, her small tail swinging out behind her as if she were happy.
Esmeralda stopped dead in her tracks as she saw her parents sitting on the floor with each other wrapped in each other's arms. She giggled and curtsied. " Good morning, mommie! Daddy! " she cried happily as she tilted her head to the side, watching them.
Garnet sighed lightly and then chuckled as she ran a finger along Zidane's bare thigh, hearing his sharp intake of breath as his hand slid from her chin to reach down and grasp her hand. " I wouldn't do that if I were you, oh sweet Dagger of mine... " he whispered low in his throat as he leaned forward, pressing his lips to her ear and then kissing his way down her neck to her collarbone.
Esmeralda's small face screwed up in a scowl as she stuck out her tongue. " Eckies! Don't do that... what about me? Don't I get a kissie too? " she asked with a pout, crossing her arms over her chest. " Mommy always gets kissies and I don't! "
Zidane suddenly pulled away. " It didn't work... " he murmured softly in Garnets ear before turning to look at Esmeralda's pouty expression.
" Alright... come here, babe... " Zidane muttered softly as he held out an arm.
Esmeralda smiled now and rushed forward towards him, throwing herself into his arms, her small arms hugging his neck tightly. Zidane looked down at her and brushed aside some of her dark feathered strands of hair from her energtic eyes. He then grinned impishly at her and began to cover her small heart-shaped face with kisses.
Garnet watched with a smile on her face as Esmeralda giggled and held her face open, accepting her father's kisses as birthday presents or candy. She held a smile to her small face and then let out a squeal as he began to tickle her small tummy, along her sides and under her arms, still planting kisses on her face.
" Daddy! Kisses... all... wet! " she shrieked as she began to squirm on his lap, trying to get away from his hands that tickled her continuiously.
Garnet suddenly stood up and walked across the room to grab her white satin robe off the back of a light rose chair in the corner. Zidane suddenly stopped and looked at her, noting the troubled look as Garnet made her way to the door.
" Dagger? What's wrong? " he asked, standing up with Esmeralda in his arms.
" I think mommy wants kissies too, daddy... " Esmeralda whispered into his ear as she twirled a strand of dark honey around a small finger.
Garnet held a hand under her stomach and shook her head as she stumbled forward but regained her balance as she shot out a hand, holding herself up my the wall. " N-no... mommy doesn't need kissies, babe... mommie just needs to go to t-the bathroom... " she replied as she closed her eyes and swallowed thickly.
Zidane knitted his brows together as he gently setted Esmeralda on the ground and watched as small beads of sweat decorated Garnet's brow. He walked towards her quickly, hoping that she wouldn't faint on him or something, but she did.
Garnet heard a soft whisper in her ear and she felt herself sway slightly to the side. She heard the same whisper again and she opened her eyes to watch as Zidane began to make his way towards her. The whisper came again, only this time and more persistent as she felt a sharp stab of pain hit her square in the stomach, causing her to fall in complete darkness as the pain shot throughout her entire body, paralyzing her completely.
Zidane ran towards her in two long strides and caught her as she just about hit the ground. He slowly sank to the ground with her in his arms, his eyes checking her body for any signs of something, but that's when he spotted it.
Blood decorated thr floor where she once stood only to end up in his arms. He glanced down at her stomach and felt his heart lurch and then stop as he spotted the blood on the front of her robe as well. Esmeralda whimpered softly and Zidane tore his eyes from Garnet's body to look at his small daughter who was backing away from him.
" M-mommy's alright, Essie... she's just tired. What's wrong? " he asked as he went to stand up, gathering Garnet into his arms.
Esmeralda lifted a hand and then pointed a trembling finger at him, but she was pointing at something behind him. " B-bad man... " she whispered, tears brimming her eyes.
Zidane cocked an eyebrow and then whirled back around to see who his daughter was pointing at. No one was there. No bad man was standing there. Just the door to the bedroom that was still open from Esmeralda's barging earlier. A loud, shrill shriek from behind him caused him to spin around and face his daughter finding her hanging in the air by an arm, her other arm in front of her body, her legs kicking frantically as she began to try to kick at someone that... wasn't there.
Zidane gasped in horror and went forward to go grab his daughter, but he was pushed back slightly by something or someone that wasn't there. Esmeralda shrieked again and began to call out for Zidane as she watched him watch her with deep forest green eyes that were wide with disbelief and and filled with anger.
" Daddy! Daddy! H-help me... don't let the bad man take m-m-me.... " she sobbed as she outstretched her hand to him, her chocolate brown eyes pleading, begging him to come rescue her.
Zidane was completely helpless as he watched a tall man suddenly appear in thin air behind Esmeralda, his large hand gripping her small wrist tightly, holding her up in the air, a sardonic, evil grin imprinted on his rugged, handsome face. The man tilted his head to the side and watched Zidane watch him with eyes full of anger and hate for handling his daughter the way he was handling him.
" Let her go! " Zidane shouted, holding Garnet close to him as he felt the blood soak through her robe to soak his boxers.
" Such a pitiful sight you are, all Mighty King Zidane Tribal of Alexandria... and the Queen as well, oh my! " the man replied sarcastically as he began to pull Esmeralda to his body that was cloaked in nothing but a large robe.
Zidane's upper lip curled in disgust. " Look who's pitiful... picking on children and not people who are your own size. I suggest you release the girl and I might spare your life... " he grounded out through clenched teeth as he took a step towards him to only be forced back a few steps.
Esmeralda began to shriek desperately as her small legs began to fade from sight, the rest of her small body soon to follow if nothing were done. Zidane felt tears of frustration brim his eyes and he swallowed the lump of them in his throat as he glared at the man who as well began to fade away.
" You're going to... spare my life if I return your little Genome? How sad... just remember, Zidane... you can't kill me. No one can kill an Angel of Death... "
Zidane froze.
' I thought I was the Angel of Death... what the hell is going on? Who the hell is he? '
" Yes... you seem surprised to find out how I came to be the Angel of Death. It's all simple really... Garland was my master as well, but, I'm not a Genome as you are, oh no! I'm what you would call a more superior race that is higher then you pathetic scum that are unbelievely worthy of the title; Genome... I am a Zedtrite... "
' A Zedtrite?! '
" What the hell is that?! " Zidane cried as he racked his brain for a definition of a Zedtrite.
The man threw his head back and laughed loudly, causing Esmeralda to cringe and sob. " Don't bother trying to figure out what it means, Genome! ", he spat menacingly. " A Zedtrite is one who controls all. Has full power over everything and everyone. That basically means... well, you, Zidane... "
Zidane growled lightly. " No one has control over me, you bastard! Put my daughter down, now! "
" Daddy... h-help me... save mommy as well... " Esmeralda sobbed as only half her body showed, the rest fading rapidly now.
Zidane looked at his daughter and then down at Garnet, who's entire front was soaked with blood now, is upper torso as well as he cradled her limp body to his own. The door to the bedroom was thrown back against the wall and he whirled around to find Steiner and the entire Knights of Pluto standing there, shocked expressions plastered to their faces as they held their swords out in front of them, all poised at the man holding the small weeping Princess.
Steiner rushed over to Zidane, glancing down at Garnet. " What happened? Why's her Majesty covered in blood, as well for you! Why's the Princess with him! " he demanded, eyeing Zidane's face that was streaked with tears and held the expression of anger yet distress.
The man in front of them laughed once more before disappearing from sight, Esmeralda along with him, his voice echoing through the room. " Tribal... you want the Princess back alive, hand over the Queen or else she will die... remember, Zidane... I can't be killed.... but, you can... "
Esmeralda's shrill voice screamed out to Zidane, " Daddy! N-no!! "
Silence...
Complete utter silence...
...until Zidane felt his legs buckle beneath him and he crumpled to the ground, Garnet in his arms, more tears streaming from his eyes as he let out a loud cry of anger, frustration and pain. He buried his face in Garnet's neck and began to sob, letting the Knights of Pluto to stand there and watch their King sob, Steiner as well....
To Be Continued...
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