Chapter 2

Another day dawned over the kingdom of Alexandria. The steeple bells were rung by Kupo, who treated them as if they were children, carefully polishing and shining them each day. It was another ordinary day at the castle. King Peytor was in a meeting with the ruler of Burmecia. They were discussing how to improve Alexandria's fledgling army. The Burmecian king had offered for some of his dragon knights to train the Alexandrians. They were still very ignorant in ways of war.

Queen Brahne was walking in town. To coincide with the army making it's appearance; a performance of 'I Want to Be Your Canary' was taking place that night, given as always, by the thief band called Tantalus. The tickets were selling fast. As she watched, the ticket seller became more and more frustrated by the pushing & jostling crowds, all fighting to be first in line. Eventually he snapped, after two boys ripped apart a ticket while fighting over it.

"That's enough!! Enough I tell ye!!" he raged, his accent betraying the fact that he was not from the Mist Continent. "Ye'l none of ye have ma tickets if ye cannae buy them proprly!! And with that he shut the ticket booth up.

The crowd muttered angrily, whispering about bad-tempered foreigners and unwelcome strangers. But then their attention was taken by something else. A figure came striding through the archway from the gate, and entered the city square. For some reason he caught everyone's attention immediately, even though he merely strolled unhurriedly in, not in any spectacular manner. And yet everyone looked at him. Brahne looked too, but only because everyone else was.

Beautiful. That was the only way to describe him. But not in a feminine way, not like the actors that pranced round on the stages dressed in skirts and makeup. He wasn't like that, even though he did wear a robe and eye makeup, but they were part of him, rather than something he was wearing. The splashes of red colour had been there since he was born, they had never been painted on, they were just there. But when had he been born? His face was youthful, but his air was that of an experienced liver of life. Someone who had commanded and obeyed, someone who had loved and lost, someone prospered & suffered.

While all these thoughts were rushing round Brahne's head, the mysterious man made his way to the centre of the square. He began setting up his stall, calmly ignoring the people around him. Out of his packs came weapons of all shapes & sizes. And mystical weapons they were, not like the sort sold in Alexandria's weapon shop. Alexandrian weapons were straight, strong broadswords & iron ones. They also sold rods, plain ones but with sturdy handles, & the occasional racket, as well as Burmecian spears which were delivered in shipments once a year. But these weapons were a wonderous sight.

It is true, there were swords,, rods & rackets, but what workmanship! A fine gleaming red sword that surely had fire burning within it, & a gleaming Ice Brand with amazing elemental power. But by far the most amazing was the Ultima Sword. It's blade gleamed in the sunlight, dazzling those nearest to it, merely a small example of the power it held.

The rods & rackets were stunningly decorative, & the spears spoke volumes of the noble dragoon lancers who possessed them. And then there were staffs, a rare weapon in that part of the world. They were only held by the highest order of the magi, who had died out many centuries ago. To see them here astonished the Alexandrians beyond speech.

The man stood by, standing with his hands clasped idly round a rod, twirling it slowly. The silence became prolonged. Brahne decided to break it, she didn't want this mystifying man to think badly of the Alexandrian people. She made her way swiftly to the front of the crowd, who parted like a sea before her.

"Good day sir," she hailed. "I am Queen Brahne. We are honoured to receive you in our noble country. We hope your business will prosper."

The man did not stop twirling the rod, he did not even look at the Queen.

"Why do you wish prosperity on a stranger?" he asked casually. "What good would it do you if I prospered. Are you of the persuasion that in some obscure way you will be rewarded when the gods decree you are to be taken from this place?"

Brahne was startled into silence. How strangely this man spoke! And how rudely! "I always wish the best for my fellow beings sir," she replied stiffly. "I am sorry if I have offended you in any way-"

The man suddenly smiled for the first time since he had entered.

"Please forgive me your Majesty!" he cried, flinging his hands up to the sky. "I fear it is I who have offended you! I apologise for my somewhat inadequate speech. I am honoured to make the acquaintance of such a charming Queen as yourself. Please permit me to serve you in any way the gods make it possible for me do so!"

Brahne had a feeling that this speech wasn't entirely respectful, but she could not resist this fascinating man.

" I thank you sir, and in return will you permit me to take you on a tour of Alexandria's most wonderful sights, & then you shall meet my husband, King Peytor of Alexandria. Would you also tell me your name?"

"I am delighted to do both, Your Majesty," the still nameless man replied smoothly. "I have been wanting to meet your husband for some time & it seems that the Fates have blessed me with that opportunity. As to my name- my name is Kuja, nothing more, nothing less."

"Kuja," replied Brahne thoughtfully as she led him to the barge. Well Kuja I think you & I are going to get along very well."

"I am glad of it Your Majesty," answered Kuja. Brahne did not see his eyes narrow, & change from green to jet black. A colour that would soon dominate Alexandria, darkening the skies of those good people for a very long time to come.

*

" But Daddy it's just not fair!" Beatrix raged. "It's what I've always wanted & now that there's a chance you won't let me!"

"I stand by what I said Beatrix!" her father roared back. "I will not have you mixing with those sort of people & that's an end to it! You are a lady and shall remain so. One day you'll fall in love, get married, run a house of your own & that will be that!"

"But what sort of people Daddy?" she asked, desperately trying to keep her voice down. Her father might not be aware of listening servants, but she was. "You keep saying I'm not to mix with 'that type' or become 'one of them'. Well who's them? Tell me!

Her father sat down, suddenly looking old and worn. There was a silence. Beatrix waited.

"Beatrix my darling," he said at last, "You're my only daughter, all that I have in the world, I just want the best for my little girl."

"You didn't answer the question," answered Beatrix ruthlessly. She hated upsetting her father, but he was keeping something from her and she had to know what it was.

".The women that form the new army, some of them indulge in..pleasures that are.unnatural."

"Unnatural?" Beatrix at seventeen was still innocent about certain matters.

"Yes, things that I don't want you to get mixed up in."

"But what is unnatural?"

"Dammit Beatrix why can't you just accept how lucky you are?" he bellowed, losing his temper again. "When your mother died I lost everything, she left her fortune to that.that scum of a man who she ran off with! She betrayed me Beatrix, she left me with nothing! Both of us! She left us to starve! She didn't care what happened to us! If I hadn't got a jib as a footman here, & you hadn't got a job as a maid, then we'd be out with the gutter rats!"

Beatrix felt tears pricking at the back of her eyes. Mother. Her Mother had been everything to her, then she had run off with that lord from Treno & left them penniless. It had hurt her a lot and she always tried to push it to the back of her mind, it was cruel of her father to bring it up like that. But he marched out of the room, angrily slamming the door behind him. Beatrix stormed around the room for a while, kicking any furniture object that happened to get in her way. Why? Why? Why? Her mother was dead, her father distant, she had no friends as such, protecting her Queen & country was all that she had left. Her features softened as she smiled. The Queen had always been kind to her, she was her rock in all her uncertainty. The Queen would always be there for her, & she would do all she could to protect her.

*

"Interesting.very interesting," mused Doctor Tot as he paced the library floor, poring over a thick volume that he had found in a remote corner. It was a book about the history of an ancient summoning tribe & their eidolons. They had disappeared from history 500 years ago. There was no explanation of their disappearance or downfall, they were just simply not mentioned anymore. An interesting enigma, thought Dr. Tot. He was intensely interested in the unknown, since he was a scholar in nearly everything that was known. His mind thirsted for new information.

Suddenly he heard footsteps on the floor above, & he saw the Queen coming down the steps.

"Ah good evening Your Majesty!" he said jovially.

"Good evening Dr. Tot!" she replied smiling. "I'd like to introduce you to someone; this is Kuja, a weapons dealer from the Outer Continent. Kuja this is my daughter's tutor & a dear friend, Dr, Tot"

"I am pleased to be introduced to such a learned scholar," Kuja said, shaking Dr. Tot's hand. Tot felt an icy chill for no apparent reason.

"I assure you the pleasure's all mine," replied Tot. "You are from the Outer Continent? You must be widely travelled then."

"I have been to many places, I admit."

"Have you perhaps heard of the small village of Madain Sari?"

"Indeed I have. But unfortunately the gods have not smiled upon me in that respect, I have never been fortunate enough to visit it."

'He certainly believes in his gods,' thought Brahne, laughing inwardly.

"Well I think I'll leave you two to huddle together & talk," she said to them presently. "Tot ,I've invited Kuja to stay to supper, perhaps you will escort him to the great hall when the gong sounds?"

"Willingly Your Majesty," answered Tot with a sweeping bow.

Behind him, Kuja rolled his eyes. Huddle together indeed! How innocent these Alexandrians were! Still, he might as well make use of this bumbling doctor.

"I should be interested to hear about the ancient summoning tribe that supposedly inhabited Madain Sari," he said to Tot with a hint of a question in his voice. Tot turned to face him.

"Ah so you know your history Kuja sir," he replied.

"Naturally."

"Well there is very little known about the actual tribe, apart from the fact that they existed. But there is slightly more information about certain artefacts linked to them and the 'eidolons' that they summoned.

"Do please enlighten me."

" Two phrases are commonly found in documents more than 500 years old.. One is 'jewel'. The other is 'summoner tribe'. But 500 years ago the phrases mysteriously disappeared from history.. The archaeologist Frederick Ash theorized that 'jewel' refers to the pendant passed down to the ruler of Alexandria. But the pendant.It is much too small to be referring to the same 'jewel' . Other research suggests a relationship between 'eidolons' & magical 'stones'.

"Dr. Tot!" A figure came running down the stairs, who Tot recognized immediately as little Princess Garnet.

"Ah Princess!" he smiled. Kuja ducked neatly behind one of the decorative stair rails, unnoticed by Dr. Tot.

"Were you reading that big book again?" Garnet asked, her little hands on her hips.

"Ha ha ha.I've already read every book in the library," answered Tot, evading the question. "But I think I'm better when I'm surrounded by old books."

"Really? I don't like books."

"You are a person of dignity. It is imperative that you study hard." Kuja snorted, but it went unheard.

"I know I know..Oh but I was quite taken by that book you gave me!" She frowned. "what was it called.It was.."

"Was it 'I Want to Be Your Canary" by Lord Avon?" It was the only book she'd agreed to read in ages.

"Oh yes, that's the one! So there is a book I like after all."

"My my," Tot replied non-committally.

"What's this Dr. Tot?" asked Garnet, her sharp eyes catching sight of his globe.

"That is a globe of Gaia. It's a model of our planet."

"A Gaia globe? I didn't know our castle was shaped like a sphere."

"Ha ha ha..We live on the surface Princess," answered Tot, making a mental note to give her a geography lesson as soon as possible. He drifted off & began to think aloud, as was his habit.

"Ah yes, the stars! They inspired the theories relating stones & eidolons. That is why." he checked himself sharply, reminding himself of what he should & should not say in front of the Princess.

"Oh I'm sorry I was lost in thought again," he said.

"It's ok," replied Garnet, her attention still on the globe. "Where is my room on this map?"

"Oh your room is much too small to point out on this globe," said the Doctor, glad for a change of subject.

"What about the castle?"

"Ah, now that I can do."

Kuja slipped quietly away while Dr. Tot carried on pointing out places of interest. He didn't need the doctor to show him to the hall, he had already made a mental map of the castle in his head, it could come in useful. There was something strange about that child, he mused. He had noticed it on the night of the army party. She was nothing like either of her parents. He had met Peytor, face to face this time, during his tour of the gardens, he wanted to meet tomorrow to discus weapons, he must try & get out of that somehow. His rudimentary knowledge was no match for Peytor's obvious expertise. He must not know how he had come by those exotic weapons either. What was also strange, yes very strange, was the way Tot had stopped abruptly when the summoning tribe were mentioned. Surely he was eager for the child to absorb all the facts that she could? He would have to find out some more about young Princess Garnet.