Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Final Fantasy IX characters but my characters are my own creations and I do own the rights to them.



Chapter Four: Changing Lifestyles

"All right, you brainless idiot, where have you been!?" Steiner yelled. "The queen is waiting for you. If you're late again I'll take your head off and save her majesty the trouble!"

"Alright I'm comin' rusty," Zidane waved him off. "Just make sure Phina here gets a bath and some breakfast." Steiner was surprised by this action. Mainly because Zidane had indicated to someone behind him. He took a step to the right and peered at the dirty young lady behind Zidane. She also peered at him. His armor was old but not necessarily rusty as Zidane had implied. She couldn't make out many of his facial features because of the iron helmet he wore but she didn't really care. She wasn't done dealing with Zidane yet.

"You can't seriously expect to leave me here, can you?!" she snapped.

"First you hate me and now you want to tag along. Would you make up your mind already," Zidane said tiredly. This woman was really starting to try his patience.

"Why I aught to." She threatened. Zidane just ignored her and walked out the door, leaving a stunned Captain of the guard and an angry Phina behind him. As soon as Phina was sure he was gone she turned her glare on Steiner. He just glared back, mumbling under his breath about bringing trash into the castle.

"I'll get you Beatrix. She has a better handle in manners such as these," he stated officially, walking out. Slamming the door behind him, he muttered curses on Zidane's head.

Phina stared for a moment at the closed door. She was alone again, just like that. She crumpled to the floor trying to get a grip on what had just happened. Everything was moving so fast. She was just an ordinary woman living on the streets, what was she doing here? Speaking of here, where was here? Then something came flooding back to her. That stupid knight had said 'queen'! That meant she was in Alexandria Castle.

~Why me?~ she moaned in her head. Now they're going to throw me in the dungeon or behead me. She had heard of cruel kings and queens who did things like that. Not that she had ever heard of the queen of Alexandria ever doing something like that but there was a first time for everything. But why would they feed her and wash her if they were just going to do something terrible to her?

She didn't want to wait to find out. She bolted upwards, looking around for an escape. She headed for the door and tried the handle. It wasn't locked. Phina opened the door slowly and quietly peeked into the hall. The narrow corridor was painted in red with wine colored carpeting to match. There were several doors leading off into more rooms and there was no one in the hall.

Phina cautiously stepped out. She didn't have a clue where to go so she turned to her left and ran. She burst around a corner coming in contact with something very solid. She and whomever she hit went down in a massive tangle of legs and arms.

"This is just not my day," Phina groaned holding her head for the umpteenth time that morning. Slowly the other person she'd hit untangled themselves and stood up.

"And who might you be?" came the melodic voice of a woman. Phina looked up into the dark eyes of a brunette beauty. She had an eye patch but this only added to her beauty. She wore armor like the knight but hers was thinner and lighter. She also wore a cape and there was a gleaming sword by her side.

"Well aren't you going to answer my question?" the brunette asked.

"Uhhh.yeah," Phina finally answered, standing up. "I'm Phina. And I'm sure you're very busy so I'll just be on my way." She started backing down the hallway when the brunette grabbed her arm and pulled her back towards the room she had awakened in.

"My name is Beatrix and Steiner told me Zidane wanted you washed, clothed and fed. So that's what I'm going to do." Beatrix lugged Phina back to the emerald and navy room. She threw open the bathroom door and plunked Phina down on the stool in front of the large mirror. Phina took in the beautiful room awed. The walls were lavender with small white flowers patterned on to it. The bathtub was a huge, white, porcelain basin with clawed feet. The sink matched the tub and the countertop was the same color as the walls. There were pull out drawers made out of the same dark wood as the bed and the closet in the bedroom.

Beatrix quickly filled the tub with hot water and soap. She made Phina get out of her clothes and into the tub. Phina didn't want to admit it but she was glad for the warm bath. Beatrix went over to the drawers under the sink and pulled out some shampoo and a bar of soap. She put some of the shampoo in her hands and settled down to wash the young woman's hair. It took quite a while as Phina's hair was so tangled that it needed to be lathered and rinsed several times. Beatrix was actually a little surprised. She had pulled, ripped, and tore her way through the young woman's hair and she hadn't uttered so much as a squeak.

When she was done, she handed Phina the bar of soap and a washcloth and left to find her some more suitable clothes. She couldn't quite see what Zidane wanted with this girl for but she was sure he had his reasons. Back in the bathroom Phina had finished washing herself and stepped out of the tub. She found a fuzzy white bathrobe hanging on the back of the door. Feeling very refreshed she stepped out into the bedroom.

Beatrix was there, holding something only in nightmares could dream up. She held up a very pink, very fluffy dress. Phina started backing away from the crazed woman. There was no way anyone was getting her into something like that.

"I thought this might be nice. Don't you think so, too?" Beatrix asked with a voice as innocent as a newborn baby's.

"There is now way in hell you're going to get me to wear that," Phina stated, giving Beatrix her worst glare. To her surprise the older woman started to laugh.

"Don't worry. I'm not that cruel. Actually I have some very nice clothes that the queen used to like to wear." She held up a pair of tan overalls with a white shirt. The outfit reminded her a lot of her own. She laid them on the bed telling her, "Come down for some breakfast when you're done. Oh, and don't try and run off. We're not going to hurt you." With that she was gone.

As soon as Beatrix left, Phina's stomach started to growl. She hadn't eaten since the day before yesterday. Hurriedly she put on the clothes and braided her hair, tying a small blue ribbon at the end. She looked herself over in the mirror of the vanity. She was a whole new person. With the dirt gone her complexion stood out nicely contrasting with her green eyes and red hair. She smiled for the first time in a long while and headed out the door to find the kitchen.

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Things should start to pick up next chapter. Don't worry I categorized this story as Action/Adventure for a reason. I just haven't got to that part because there's a few things you need to understand first.