betweenpart11
Grrr...review you morons... I'm in a really bad mood.
This is cleanup. Bye.

***
A knock on the door stirred Beatrix from a satisfying session of slumber. She sighed herself into a semi-consciousness and rolled over to answer. A hand clasped firmly over her mouth, and, before she could protest, the question was asked for her:
"Yes?" She froze at the recognition of the voice.
"Breakfast is served, Lord Kuja," a far inferior voice replied. "Her Majesty requires your presence."
"I shall be there shortly," the reverberating resonance filled the room—filled her head—as she remembered what had transpired mere hours ago. The footsteps of the servant steadily drifted away; Kuja's hand lingered at her mouth a similar amount of time. She turned and smiled up at him as he seated himself beside her on the bed. So he will not gloat his triumph over me…why was I afraid? He was fully, so to speak, dressed now, which was far more than she could say for herself. "Good morning, General." No three other words would she have preferred from his mouth.
"Mmm…" she purred as she stretched lazily beneath the sheets as an unsettled cat might shift in the sunbeams. Her sunbeam had grown very warm. "What time is it?" He removed himself from the bed, taking the sheets with him.
"Time for breakfast, I am told," he told her, his eyes of the deepest of all Azure taking in her full glory. The knight's eye snapped open.
"Egad! I am late!" She sprang from the bed and ravenously scavenged the floor for her uniform. He laughed softly and helped her into her outfit. Raising a dainty finger to his lips, he opened the door and looked both ways, and seeing a clear hallway, motioned her over. He sent her on her way down the hall with a love tap to her rear and a word of reassurance:
"I'm certain the princess does not mind these spare moments to herself." He could be kind when he wanted to be.


*Treno, about a year and a half later
Hilda stood in the lobby waiting for the servant to return. He had not even offered he a seat while he went to talk to his master. If he had known who she was, he most certainly would have offered her a seat, but she was not revealing her identity to anyone. Still, was it not proper to offer a lady a seat? Finally, the servant returned.
"Follow me," he said. "His Lordship will see you." Actually, she was very curious about the mystery man who now controlled the estate of the King's family. Too bad she needed his help now. He would probably be very self important and hard to deal with. She was led through vagrant halls to wind up in a splendid room full of tapestries. The servant bowed and left. The lord turned to look at her. Hilda was not sure which shocked her more: the way that he dressed, or the fact that he was in his early twenties.
"Would you care for a seat, Lady Hilda?" he asked right away. This pleased her manners, but she had quite forgotten them.
"I hadn't announced myself," she eyed him suspiciously. "How did you know it was me?"
"I know many things," he shrugged non-chalantly. "There is a chair right there." Begrudgingly, Hilda seated herself. "Wine?" the pale lord asked.
"No thank you," she answered. He smiled at her, toy fully. She had little idea what to make of this.
"To what do I owe the honor of your presence?" he asked finally.
"I'd prefer my presence went unnoticed," she nodded, "…I am in need of your assistance."
"I see," he stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Trouble with your husband?" She found her feet in shock.
"H-h-how…?!" she stuttered until she was cut off.
"I assumed, since you ask not for Cid's help. I daresay he has better resources than myself, therefore…"
"I see," she sat back down. "I heard that you were from away; I hoped that you could get me to a place where Cid might not find me."
"That I can do," was all he said.
"But?" she asked after catching on.
"I may require your airship." Hilda laughed aloud. She knew what he referred to. And he could keep Cid's precious steam-powered airship, the Hilda Garde, for all she cared. He'd loved that ship more than he had loved her anyway.
"Refuge for an airship? It is a deal."


*Alexandria, several months prior to disc 1
Beatrix was spending another lonely night with her thoughts. She stood on the dock, staring at two of six moons hanging in the sky over the waters. A gentle breeze wafted through the warm night air, batting at the curls of her brown hair as it passed by. It was a gorgeous night in an ugly world; Beatrix could reap no comfort from little pleasures. The Queen intended to start a war. It was as if Beatix's life had been a woefully strong and steady build-up to this point. Now that she was General, there would be a war. She knew war and she knew what to do with a war. She was the force of the battlefield, the woman who knew no mercy. She was the factor that would determine the winner. But that there would be war…she could find no comfort.
My queen…surely you know best…I will follow you and I will protect you. Two strong arms entwined themselves around her waist. She knew these arms, she knew them well, and she did not want them there.
"Where have you been?" she asked him reproachfully.
"What sort of question is that?" his face entered her line of vision with a questioning look plastered to it.
"You've been making more black mages, have you not?" It was more of an accusation than a question that came from her mouth as she pulled from his embrace.
"That's what I'm paid to do…" he gave her an odd look. Yes, that's the excuse you've given me all this time…I'm a woman, give me the answers, Kuja.
"What do you really want? I know it's not the money you're after, so tell me." His hand came up to rest under her chin and his fingers slid along her smooth jaw line. She ignored his touch and continued to stare deeply into his eyes, awaiting her answer.
"As insightful as you are, General, you cannot possibly hope to understand what it is that I am after. It has little to do with this place…" his voice trailed off and he shrugged, his arms dropping to his sides. He turned to leave.
"Try me!" she called after him, the desperation in her voice surprising even her. But she needed answers, and he knew something she didn't. He looked back at her, eventually turning himself to the dual moonlight.
"I'd rather not," he smiled that smile, a sadness settling in his eyes. It was that sadness. Everything about him settled down to this that he wouldn't tell her. This was the answer, and she was denied it. A rage built into her—the rage she thought she had put away that night. She swiftly strode over to him and finally slapped him on his ivory cheek.
"I was a virgin!" she screamed in his face. You owe me!!
"Yell that to the whole castle, why don't you?!" he responded, his calmness tried. The following moment was suspended as they gazed again into each other's souls. So… she realized as he tenderly rubbed his reddened cheek. It was not just my reputation you've been protecting all this time… You've been protecting me from the truth. I am not worthy of the truth, Kuja? I am helpless and innocent, Kuja?
"You are the proudest, most self-important bastard I know," she spat angrily, "and I am sorry to have known you!" She brushed past him, leaving him at the dock. What was worse was that he simply let her go.


*Alexandria, day before disc 1
No one will listen to me… There must be a way to stop this… Uncle Cid, you said I could always come to you with my problems; you said that when Father died. Please listen to me… I am coming.


There, I finished it. Okay, okay...yes there is more!! Lots more! But will you read it? You're gonna hafta convince me to finish this.
btw, read the INDWELLING, it's good...