I do not own Final Fantasy IX, though I'm pretty sure we all wish we did. (unless you got some horrible discapability of coping with a mound of stress, eheheh)
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"Reunited"
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By: Laura M. Ulian
Dedicated to: Um.....I don't know! *thinks* Well, Ornery-Chan and Blood Sinned, I guess. (they review almost all of my fics! *grin*)
(By the way, if anyone takes offense to my dedications, please don't. I'm not favoring anyone over anyone, and I don't wanna get flamed for it....I just know that it's cool to have your name in someone else's fanfic, lol. Plus, it doesn't mean that Blood Sinned and Ornery-Chan are the ONLY ones who review my fanficcys consistantly. There's Never-A-Final-Fantasy and the Sly Eagle, and EVERYONE else, too! In time, I'll have enough dedications to go around fer everyone! *falls over* ehehehe....)
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***It is sadly, 30 years after the end of the game. Yes, this means that Zidane and Dagger are actually 46 years old! Not only that, but Steiner is Over sixty! Ahhhh! Anyway, this fic, strangely is about all of the characters, not just Amarant as you'd expect, right? Actually, it's not quite the characters themselves....it's about Rey, the prince of Alexandria, and the children of every other character. Freya's son or daughter, Eiko's son or daughter, Vivi's sons, Quina's son or daughter (uh, both?) and yes, even AMARANT's son or daughter. Er, son, to be exact. (Amarant? With a daughter? Puh-lease! ;) and Steiner's son, of course, Gart. Well, I hope you enjoy! Please R&R!!!****
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"Mother, I can't take it any longer."
Queen Garnet Til Alexandros looked on with pleading eyes at the young man in which she knew was her son, beneath the layers of selfishness and perfection. Underneath his mask, he was tender-hearted, easily broken, as she knew the prince's father had been before him. Reynarld Van Alexandros, the VIII took after his grandfather's name, and his grandfather before him. Rey was distracted, torn between obeying his parents wishes, and freeing himself from what he called 'torture'.
"Reynarld...." the queen whispered softly, and sympathetically. "I understand how you feel, and your father felt the same way, under the pressure of those countless eyes. But you are the crown prince, and you will rule Alexandria after Zidane....Please, just go back for his sake."
"But I can't!" the prince insisted, gesturing helplessly towards the open doorway leading into the hall. Down that hall waited a hundred expectant faces, hoping to get a glimpse of the royal son of Zidane Arc Tribal and their queen, Garnet. Everything had flown smoothly until Eiko accidently spoke his name aloud. At that moment, Rey had felt terrified he would have been torn apart by the very hands of his many suitors. They never even looked at him, simply jumped at the very chance to touch him, perhaps steal an item of clothing, or acquire a lock of hair -- forcefully. It drove him literally mad.
"You are of age," Dagger pointed out, her adult, matured face already slightly creased from her years on the throne. Forty-six years old, and still ruling with a healthy reign. The queen did not want to give that up, until she was positive her only twenty-year-old son was ready to take over. Rey looked almost disgusted at her words, and turned away.
"So now I must be a certain age to be ripped to shreds?" he inquired, narrowing his eyes. "I don't want to be plucked of my very clothing, mother. I don't want a bride yet, and certainly not an older noble woman after my money and looks. I want....."
Dagger peered expectantly at her son, urging him silently to continue. But Rey sighed, and shook his head, "I don't know what I really want. I want a friend. I want a girlfriend, mother, that loves me."
"You have friends," said Dagger, hunting for some source of cheer to pour into her voice. "And your father and I love you. You just need more time before you can find the right one to share the throne with...."
"It's not just about the throne!" Rey cried, for what seemed to him for the millionth time. "Mother, you love Zidane -- my father. You knew him since you were four years under my age....I want a true friend. I don't want some cotton-stuffed, pig-snouted child hanging around my bedroom door come day come night. And you won't ever let me leave the castle. Not since I was seventeen."
"For your safety, Rey," said Dagger, softly shaking her head, darkened locks flowing over her shoulders. "Your father and I....we keep you locked in this castle, like a cage, for the same reason a falconer imprisson's his birds. Hunters, Rey. People. One mistake, and your secret is out. One mishap, and the future of every royal member is diminished forever."
"You felt this way, didn't you?" asked her son, anxiously. "You ran away when you were sixteen, with that Tantalus group...."
"And I never spent a moment without blessing that day," admitted the queen, softly. "But it doesn't give reason to why I did it. Though you may have never been born, and though the very existence of this planet would have vanished....It never gave a promise to turn out the way it did, when I first thought about doing it. I was a princess, escaping a princess's duties. But you, Rey, are the only hope for this kingdom now. You have to accept that."
"What if I don't?" he demanded suddenly, moving closer to the window. He nervously ran his figners through his short, semi-blonde hair, and gazed out over the numerous rooftops and peaks. "What if I choose to run away, like you did?"
Dagger's eyes began to glass with pending tears. She choked them back, and shook her head again, "Then people will die, like they did the night I ran away. I thought I had it planned....I thought no one would ever notice I was gone.....But, Rey, others payed for my mistake, with their lives. Houses were destroyed. I made a decision that caused destruction."
"And yet, here we are now...." Rey inhaled sharply, and turned to face his mother again. "There were casualties, but the outcome is now. Mother, admit that you are happy now. Admit it, please. Say that you are glad to be ruling Alexandria, with father by your side. And please, let me into town, if just for a day...."
"I admit it," the queen said briskly. "But Rey, I can not grant you what you want. I can not take the risk of something happening to you. One day is too long...."
"One hour!" the prince pleaded, gesturing with his hands.
But Dagger shook her head. "One minute, one second...it's too much. Rey, please just stay inside the castle walls. Gart keeps you company, doesn't he?"
"As mush as a self-centered know-it-all can," sighed Rey. "He is the closest I have to a companion, yet he isn't much of a friend. One day he'll turn his chubby cheek on me, and run away with a pig-sized bride. The Duke of Greenscoff will be glad for his pretty way of persuading. He'll make a fine lawyer, but never a friend."
"The pressure get to you, huh?"
Both Dagger and Rey turned to face a broadly-grinning Zidane, with his slightly-greying hair and white-patched tail swaying patiently back and forth. The king's smile only grew wider as he advanced through the doorway and towards the two discussioners, "Don't mind if I drop in?"
"Not at all," said Rey, absently. He managed to flash a smile in his father's direction, but suddenly fell heavily into a nearby armchair. Zidane's eyes grew as wide as his grin.
"I take it you'll be retiring then," he joked and looked to the queen. Dagger simply shook her head, implying that she had nothing to say about the subject. Zidane again returned his attention to his only son. "I got used to it, Rey. You've only come back from Linblum three years ago. It takes a little time for a year-round trip to wear off their minds completely. It'll only be this way for another month or so...."
Rey's eyes sparked at the thought, "And then, could I go venturing outside of the castle?"
Zidane looked troubled, "I....we'll have to see."
"I can't believe this!" muttered the prince, in disbelief. "I'm a grown man and I'm treated as if I were born yesterday! Why don't you just kill me now and get it over with? At least I won't have to wait, until I die of boredom!"
"Hey," the king warned, his tone changing drastically. "Watch what you wish for, son. Listen to you mother on this," Suddenly, his old, sixteen-year-old self sparkled though his eyes. "She's an expert."
"Oh...." Dagger sighed, and tilted her face to gaze at the heavens above. "Listen, Rey....I am sorry. Please understand that it isn't my fault. If you wait, just a little longer, I can bring Lady Eiko's daughter by. You and her seem to share a good company. After all, Steiner is taking Gart to Burmecia tomorrow, and Eiko is arriving with her daughter on the airship that will take them. Palla is her name, isn't it?"
"She is, with all due respect, Mother, a litte irresponsible. She can't keep her muzzle shut," said Rey.
"Hear, hear," joked Zidane, only to recieve a wincing blow via Dagger's elbow to the king's stomach. "Ugh...never mind. What I mean is, that is the way she is raised. It wouldn't be fair to say it didn't run in her bloodline, either," he conlcluded, looking thoughful for a moment as he searched to remember the six-year-old summor girl with the horn (which was still attached to the summoner's head due to her stubborness).
"Well," said Dagger. "You could always accompany Gart ant Steiner to-"
"No, no...." said the prince, with yet another heavy sigh. "Don't worry about me, Mother, Father. I'll be here in the morning. Please let me get some rest now, though. It's nearly eight o'clock and I have three formal discussions, two meetings, and six escorts to attend to in the morning."
"Lucky little luck-hogger," muttered the king. "Don't even bother asking me what I have to do come the crack of dawn. And don't get me started with your mother-"
"Zidane," said Dagger, almost pleadingly. "We should leave now and let him get his rest. Besides, you have an escort to attend to right now."
Zidane looked slightly baffled, "I do? When?"
"Right now," repeated the queen, through gritted teeth. She half-dragged the king from the room, glancing only once behind her shoulder. "I hate to tell this to you before I say good night, Rey....but there are three noblewoman that are arriving on the same airship with Lady Eiko and Palla. They will all be attending dinner, and Zidane," she said, poking her husband in the ribs. "Has decreed that one of them will be your partner for the ball come tomorrow night. You have a big day, so please, try and sleep as fit as you can. Sleep tight, darling."
Rey muttered something of a 'good night' to her, and stirred restlessly in his chair. Sleep tight? With everything he knew he had to get done, actually done in one day? How could he sleep at all, when he had so much to think about? Exhaling slowly, to express his exhaustion, the prince pulled himself to his feet. Slowly, he sombred over to the open window, and looked directly down, into the street below. He could see nothing but cobblestone, and water. Directly in front of the window was an old, gnarled oak tree that towered high above the sill.
The prince took a long, chilled breath of the cool air. He let it pass through his lungs slowly, and breathed out with an exasperated expression. Not even the evening air could comfort him from the promise of tomorrow. Suddenly, a shivering breeze passed over his head, caressing the oak leaves and causing them to rustle eerily. They whispered to each other as the wind blew, a haunting, bristly sound filling the air. It almost seemed as if the tree were speaking to him in long, hissing words. But that was impossible. Trees did not speak, with or without the aid of the wind.
Slowly, it began to dawn on him that the tree was not actually talking itself, but the voice he was hearing was coming from someone hidden among the thick branched themselves. Rey squinted, and found that he could make out the intruder's form just barely through the darkness. A dull anger boiled inside of him, "Hey!" he shouted to the person. "Who are you? Why do you interrupt me so?"
"Reynarld...." whispered the voice again, and Rey watched as the figure shiftly quietly among the branches. "The prince."
A cold fear abruptly struck the prince's heart, when yet another figure suddenly dropped down onto the nearest branch. Eyes wide with shock, Rey stumbled backwards, as the imposter made for the windowsill.
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"Reunited"
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By: Laura M. Ulian
Dedicated to: Um.....I don't know! *thinks* Well, Ornery-Chan and Blood Sinned, I guess. (they review almost all of my fics! *grin*)
(By the way, if anyone takes offense to my dedications, please don't. I'm not favoring anyone over anyone, and I don't wanna get flamed for it....I just know that it's cool to have your name in someone else's fanfic, lol. Plus, it doesn't mean that Blood Sinned and Ornery-Chan are the ONLY ones who review my fanficcys consistantly. There's Never-A-Final-Fantasy and the Sly Eagle, and EVERYONE else, too! In time, I'll have enough dedications to go around fer everyone! *falls over* ehehehe....)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
***It is sadly, 30 years after the end of the game. Yes, this means that Zidane and Dagger are actually 46 years old! Not only that, but Steiner is Over sixty! Ahhhh! Anyway, this fic, strangely is about all of the characters, not just Amarant as you'd expect, right? Actually, it's not quite the characters themselves....it's about Rey, the prince of Alexandria, and the children of every other character. Freya's son or daughter, Eiko's son or daughter, Vivi's sons, Quina's son or daughter (uh, both?) and yes, even AMARANT's son or daughter. Er, son, to be exact. (Amarant? With a daughter? Puh-lease! ;) and Steiner's son, of course, Gart. Well, I hope you enjoy! Please R&R!!!****
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"Mother, I can't take it any longer."
Queen Garnet Til Alexandros looked on with pleading eyes at the young man in which she knew was her son, beneath the layers of selfishness and perfection. Underneath his mask, he was tender-hearted, easily broken, as she knew the prince's father had been before him. Reynarld Van Alexandros, the VIII took after his grandfather's name, and his grandfather before him. Rey was distracted, torn between obeying his parents wishes, and freeing himself from what he called 'torture'.
"Reynarld...." the queen whispered softly, and sympathetically. "I understand how you feel, and your father felt the same way, under the pressure of those countless eyes. But you are the crown prince, and you will rule Alexandria after Zidane....Please, just go back for his sake."
"But I can't!" the prince insisted, gesturing helplessly towards the open doorway leading into the hall. Down that hall waited a hundred expectant faces, hoping to get a glimpse of the royal son of Zidane Arc Tribal and their queen, Garnet. Everything had flown smoothly until Eiko accidently spoke his name aloud. At that moment, Rey had felt terrified he would have been torn apart by the very hands of his many suitors. They never even looked at him, simply jumped at the very chance to touch him, perhaps steal an item of clothing, or acquire a lock of hair -- forcefully. It drove him literally mad.
"You are of age," Dagger pointed out, her adult, matured face already slightly creased from her years on the throne. Forty-six years old, and still ruling with a healthy reign. The queen did not want to give that up, until she was positive her only twenty-year-old son was ready to take over. Rey looked almost disgusted at her words, and turned away.
"So now I must be a certain age to be ripped to shreds?" he inquired, narrowing his eyes. "I don't want to be plucked of my very clothing, mother. I don't want a bride yet, and certainly not an older noble woman after my money and looks. I want....."
Dagger peered expectantly at her son, urging him silently to continue. But Rey sighed, and shook his head, "I don't know what I really want. I want a friend. I want a girlfriend, mother, that loves me."
"You have friends," said Dagger, hunting for some source of cheer to pour into her voice. "And your father and I love you. You just need more time before you can find the right one to share the throne with...."
"It's not just about the throne!" Rey cried, for what seemed to him for the millionth time. "Mother, you love Zidane -- my father. You knew him since you were four years under my age....I want a true friend. I don't want some cotton-stuffed, pig-snouted child hanging around my bedroom door come day come night. And you won't ever let me leave the castle. Not since I was seventeen."
"For your safety, Rey," said Dagger, softly shaking her head, darkened locks flowing over her shoulders. "Your father and I....we keep you locked in this castle, like a cage, for the same reason a falconer imprisson's his birds. Hunters, Rey. People. One mistake, and your secret is out. One mishap, and the future of every royal member is diminished forever."
"You felt this way, didn't you?" asked her son, anxiously. "You ran away when you were sixteen, with that Tantalus group...."
"And I never spent a moment without blessing that day," admitted the queen, softly. "But it doesn't give reason to why I did it. Though you may have never been born, and though the very existence of this planet would have vanished....It never gave a promise to turn out the way it did, when I first thought about doing it. I was a princess, escaping a princess's duties. But you, Rey, are the only hope for this kingdom now. You have to accept that."
"What if I don't?" he demanded suddenly, moving closer to the window. He nervously ran his figners through his short, semi-blonde hair, and gazed out over the numerous rooftops and peaks. "What if I choose to run away, like you did?"
Dagger's eyes began to glass with pending tears. She choked them back, and shook her head again, "Then people will die, like they did the night I ran away. I thought I had it planned....I thought no one would ever notice I was gone.....But, Rey, others payed for my mistake, with their lives. Houses were destroyed. I made a decision that caused destruction."
"And yet, here we are now...." Rey inhaled sharply, and turned to face his mother again. "There were casualties, but the outcome is now. Mother, admit that you are happy now. Admit it, please. Say that you are glad to be ruling Alexandria, with father by your side. And please, let me into town, if just for a day...."
"I admit it," the queen said briskly. "But Rey, I can not grant you what you want. I can not take the risk of something happening to you. One day is too long...."
"One hour!" the prince pleaded, gesturing with his hands.
But Dagger shook her head. "One minute, one second...it's too much. Rey, please just stay inside the castle walls. Gart keeps you company, doesn't he?"
"As mush as a self-centered know-it-all can," sighed Rey. "He is the closest I have to a companion, yet he isn't much of a friend. One day he'll turn his chubby cheek on me, and run away with a pig-sized bride. The Duke of Greenscoff will be glad for his pretty way of persuading. He'll make a fine lawyer, but never a friend."
"The pressure get to you, huh?"
Both Dagger and Rey turned to face a broadly-grinning Zidane, with his slightly-greying hair and white-patched tail swaying patiently back and forth. The king's smile only grew wider as he advanced through the doorway and towards the two discussioners, "Don't mind if I drop in?"
"Not at all," said Rey, absently. He managed to flash a smile in his father's direction, but suddenly fell heavily into a nearby armchair. Zidane's eyes grew as wide as his grin.
"I take it you'll be retiring then," he joked and looked to the queen. Dagger simply shook her head, implying that she had nothing to say about the subject. Zidane again returned his attention to his only son. "I got used to it, Rey. You've only come back from Linblum three years ago. It takes a little time for a year-round trip to wear off their minds completely. It'll only be this way for another month or so...."
Rey's eyes sparked at the thought, "And then, could I go venturing outside of the castle?"
Zidane looked troubled, "I....we'll have to see."
"I can't believe this!" muttered the prince, in disbelief. "I'm a grown man and I'm treated as if I were born yesterday! Why don't you just kill me now and get it over with? At least I won't have to wait, until I die of boredom!"
"Hey," the king warned, his tone changing drastically. "Watch what you wish for, son. Listen to you mother on this," Suddenly, his old, sixteen-year-old self sparkled though his eyes. "She's an expert."
"Oh...." Dagger sighed, and tilted her face to gaze at the heavens above. "Listen, Rey....I am sorry. Please understand that it isn't my fault. If you wait, just a little longer, I can bring Lady Eiko's daughter by. You and her seem to share a good company. After all, Steiner is taking Gart to Burmecia tomorrow, and Eiko is arriving with her daughter on the airship that will take them. Palla is her name, isn't it?"
"She is, with all due respect, Mother, a litte irresponsible. She can't keep her muzzle shut," said Rey.
"Hear, hear," joked Zidane, only to recieve a wincing blow via Dagger's elbow to the king's stomach. "Ugh...never mind. What I mean is, that is the way she is raised. It wouldn't be fair to say it didn't run in her bloodline, either," he conlcluded, looking thoughful for a moment as he searched to remember the six-year-old summor girl with the horn (which was still attached to the summoner's head due to her stubborness).
"Well," said Dagger. "You could always accompany Gart ant Steiner to-"
"No, no...." said the prince, with yet another heavy sigh. "Don't worry about me, Mother, Father. I'll be here in the morning. Please let me get some rest now, though. It's nearly eight o'clock and I have three formal discussions, two meetings, and six escorts to attend to in the morning."
"Lucky little luck-hogger," muttered the king. "Don't even bother asking me what I have to do come the crack of dawn. And don't get me started with your mother-"
"Zidane," said Dagger, almost pleadingly. "We should leave now and let him get his rest. Besides, you have an escort to attend to right now."
Zidane looked slightly baffled, "I do? When?"
"Right now," repeated the queen, through gritted teeth. She half-dragged the king from the room, glancing only once behind her shoulder. "I hate to tell this to you before I say good night, Rey....but there are three noblewoman that are arriving on the same airship with Lady Eiko and Palla. They will all be attending dinner, and Zidane," she said, poking her husband in the ribs. "Has decreed that one of them will be your partner for the ball come tomorrow night. You have a big day, so please, try and sleep as fit as you can. Sleep tight, darling."
Rey muttered something of a 'good night' to her, and stirred restlessly in his chair. Sleep tight? With everything he knew he had to get done, actually done in one day? How could he sleep at all, when he had so much to think about? Exhaling slowly, to express his exhaustion, the prince pulled himself to his feet. Slowly, he sombred over to the open window, and looked directly down, into the street below. He could see nothing but cobblestone, and water. Directly in front of the window was an old, gnarled oak tree that towered high above the sill.
The prince took a long, chilled breath of the cool air. He let it pass through his lungs slowly, and breathed out with an exasperated expression. Not even the evening air could comfort him from the promise of tomorrow. Suddenly, a shivering breeze passed over his head, caressing the oak leaves and causing them to rustle eerily. They whispered to each other as the wind blew, a haunting, bristly sound filling the air. It almost seemed as if the tree were speaking to him in long, hissing words. But that was impossible. Trees did not speak, with or without the aid of the wind.
Slowly, it began to dawn on him that the tree was not actually talking itself, but the voice he was hearing was coming from someone hidden among the thick branched themselves. Rey squinted, and found that he could make out the intruder's form just barely through the darkness. A dull anger boiled inside of him, "Hey!" he shouted to the person. "Who are you? Why do you interrupt me so?"
"Reynarld...." whispered the voice again, and Rey watched as the figure shiftly quietly among the branches. "The prince."
A cold fear abruptly struck the prince's heart, when yet another figure suddenly dropped down onto the nearest branch. Eyes wide with shock, Rey stumbled backwards, as the imposter made for the windowsill.
