A.N. I do apologise most sincerely for the delay in the posting of this chapter however my time away was tiring indeed and it has taken me some time to recover. This, couple with the anniversary of my birth was meant that I have not had time until now to put this chapter into type. I hope that you will accept my apologies and assure you that the next chapter will be up within a week.
Secrets Revealed
As the huge double doors swung open in front of her Dagger's breath left her in an astonished gasp. The genome throne-room was elegant in its natural form, something intrinsically royal and noble about the place amazing Dagger who had seen countless kingdoms and palaces. But this outshone them all for here there was no show of wealth and power but rather a room to please the eye or a ruler who was so assured of her possession of the two that she felt no need to display them. Lush, growing trees grew everywhere she looked, the hundreds of shades of green combining with vibrant blossoms to make the hall shine more brilliantly than any amount of gold or jewels had done.
Yet there was no shortage of these either. An estuary of treasure crossed the floor beneath her feet, the rivers of gold and gems arranged artistically around the beauty of nature. Yet again there was the sense of this not being for show but rather simply there because the genome queen was pleased with its appearance and not because she felt she had to show off. After all, who did she have to show off to, no ambassadors ever visited her throne room. It seemed that only those from Fried knew that they even existed.
Her gaze moved through the beauty of the forest, sunlight glistening in a hundred drops of water formed on leaves as the humidity condensed on every cold surface it could find. Through the shafts of sunlight that span through her gaze her eyes rose to behold the genome throne. It was a formation of living wood, the tree which the palace was built upon providing the seat of power for the genome queen. A knot of boles nestled between a fork in an enormous branch and formed a what looked to be a very comfortable seat. Numerous layers of fur provided a cushion for the queen as she sat on her throne, green shoots of leaves replacing the ornate carvings of those who had their palaces on the ground. Yet once again the natural beauty seemed to shine more gloriously than anything any artist could have even conceived, much less undertaken to bring forth from the wood.
Upon this seat of power, monarch of all of the natural glory around her sat the genome queen. She was the definition of savage beauty, power and grace combined perfectly in her visage. She sat with the regal pose of any monarch and yet there seemed to be an animalistic edge to her stance, as though she were a great cat ready to leap upon its hapless prey. Again, there was none of the showiness about her that even Dagger had to admit to. There were no royal robes of office but rather rich furs that fitted her loosely but comfortably, undergarments that almost matched her bronzed skin preserving her dignity.
Her face was mostly unadorned however there were touches of make up, the first Dagger had seen on Genome woman although she had had no more than a glance at the others. Yet even with the queen they were sparse and light, deepening her gaze and making her lips seem fuller. However she seemed to have a fondness for jewellery. Large hoops of gold studded with precious stones hung from her ears, the same exquisite workmanship displayed in these as was evident in the bracelets that jangled along her forearms as she sat up, turning her gaze toward them. In her hair there could also be seen jewels glinting in the sunlight that streamed in through the skylights. It was blond and straight like all the genomes she had seen but hers was long but not silky, the waist length strands seeming to form a savagely noble mane behind her, the precious stones only adding to the image.
A small smile crossed her face as she rose her right forearm and motioned them forward, Zidane's hand gently touching her shoulder to tell her to continue. As they moved forward Dagger noticed for the first time the genomes that were concealed in the undergrowth. Their skin and faces were smeared with charcoal and plant dyes as were their weapons, no glint giving them away until they opened their eyes at her approach. Somehow, their unmoving vigil reminded Dagger of the guards that always stood like statues either side of the red carpet that led up to her mother's throne whenever the court was in session. They were only a few metres from the throne when the queen held up her hand again, the bangles and bracelets on her arm tinkling together as she did so. The genomes either side of her stopped and she followed suit, a muttered exchange passing between them before Zidane's companion let out a quite snicker.
The queen motioned her aside and rose from the throne, her stride again reminding Dagger of a large cat. Dagger followed her through a door and into a small room a table with eight chairs around it the only furniture as light from yet another skylight illuminated the room. She closed the door apprehensively and cursed herself for not having prepared a speech in advance. This next conversation would determine whether of not she lived. Her mouth went dry at that thought as the queen's eyes narrowed. Yet before she could speak a word in defence the Queen's voice rang out, powerful but melodic,
'I trust you have been pleased with you stay thus far in my kingdom First Princess Garnet Til Alexandros.'
Dagger gasped, a thousand fearful thoughts running through her head. 'How do you know who I am?'
The genome queen smiled as though recalling a memory fondly, 'Zidane. Behind that vacant grin of his he is actually quiet intelligent. You ought to be more careful about what you say around him, he never misses a trick.'
'But I never said anything that could give even the smallest clue to my lineage? How could he possibly have figured it out?'
'You didn't have to give him a clue. He knew that you were a noble cause the ambassador didn't treat you like a commoner and he could tell that you wee pretty important cause, well, you seem very used to authority. I wouldn't have known but someone had evidently told him of your appearance and he simply compared the two. He's probably outside right now with a huge smug grin on his face because he's heard you give the proof that he was right.' She span and her fist smashed into the door with sudden, furious energy, the timbers shuddering under the force of the blow. If Zidane had had his ear pressed against the timbers then he was probably regretting it.
The queen sighed and continued as though nothing had happened, 'Sometimes I just don't know what I'd do without him.' She straightened and fixed her eyes on Dagger, he manner serious once more. 'However, that is not the question that I must answer at this moment. The question that I face is what am I to do with you Garnet.
'An invasion from Alexandria would be inevitable were I to simply have you killed.' Dagger's mouth went dry at the offhand manner in which the queen referred to her demise. 'It would be highly unlikely that were such an event to occur that we could simply hide our existence from your armies. Your seekers are some of the best in the entirety of Gaia and despite our expertise at cloaking our minds and bodies. Therefore a war would ensue and I cannot afford that. For though my warriors are the kings in this kingdom it would doubtless be a costly war that would leave us open to Fried in the aftermath. Therefore it cannot be thought by your mother that you are dead, nor I doubt will she simply stand for you staying here unless I reveal more than I wish to.
'Therefore only one course of action is left to me. I must let you go from Terra, back to your own kingdom.' Dagger struggled to stop herself from letting out an audible sigh of relief. 'However, I cannot allow you to simply waltz back to your mother and tell the entire court of Alexandria of the power that resides here. It would be so much simpler if you did not know the legend.'
She sighed, 'I really must attack Zidane for imparting it to you. But he is like a small child in many ways. He decides almost instantly whether or not he likes someone and the treats them as though they have been his friend since childhood. Unfortunately it's hard to rebuke him because he is almost always right. It's a gift to him and a curse to me.
She smiled and there was genuine humour in it, 'I spoke to him about you this morning before one of the guards came and told me that the northerner had decided to visit you. Do you know what he told me about you once he had told me who you were, "She must be the apple of her mother's eye with looks and personality like that. If we treat her badly or stop her from going back to Alexandria then it will bring the entire Alexandrian army down on our heads. You know that you can trust me on things like this so trust me when I say that if you get her to make a solemn vow then she will keep it. She knows the value of trust."' As the queen finished Dagger felt a wave of gratitude toward her protector. The queen's manner made it clear that the genome's testimony had won her freedom and possibly even her life.
The queen gave her a calculating look and smoothed her hands through her hair, the bracelets jangling and tinkling as her arms moved. She took a deep breath. 'I believe him. Therefore I will let you go back to Alexandria provided you make a vow that you will never tell a soul what you saw. Your column was attacked by a green dragon. You were the only survivor, you magic protecting you until the creature eventually succumbed to the wounds the knights had inflicted on it.'
Dagger nodded almost laughing as relief flooded her body, her lips eagerly forming the words of the vow, 'I swear on my royal ancestors that I will never tell a soul what I have seen or heard here.' She paused, 'Furthermore, I have seen that your cause here is both admirable and noble. I wish you every success in the times that will come. Also, when the darkness does arise in Fried then know this, Alexandria is no great friend of them and will stand by the kingdom of Terra with all its armies and magic. This is my solemn vow as Garnet Til Alexandros First Princess of Alexandria and heir to the crown and sword of Alexander.'
A.N. Who could have guessed the hidden depths that lay within Zidane. However all have hidden depths, each of you who write on this site plunge into yours every time you do so. If you do write I urge you to continue as it is a most worthwhile act and I hope that you will give me your opinions on my own writing by reviewing this chapter or contacting me personally via the address that is posted on my profile.