I don't own the Final Fantasy series of course, nor any of the characters in Final Fantasy Nine. Squaresoft (or if you prefer Square-Enix) do and I'm happy with that so long as they don't sue me for a ridiculous amount of money.

Odysseys

Garnet Til Alexandros the 17th

Intrigue stalked the corridors of Alexandria castle, the Queen was away which gave the courtiers and guards a chance to discuss her latest behaviour.

"She's been behaving very violently lately." Remarked one Pluto knight to his companion

"Yes…nothing like the gentle Brahne I remember." Agreed his older friend.

"And it was so sudden, almost within a week. I wonder if it's anything to do with those two clowns."

His friend nodded, Thorn and Zorn, the Queens royal advisors and sometimes jesters, had arrived three months ago and ever since the Queen had been behaving very strangely, disappearing sometimes for days on end on the Red Rose, always leaving her daughter behind.

But Garnet was used to this, she would sit alone in the gardens of the castle and listen to the bird song, cherishing their gentle melody and humming to herself a tune that she had heard in her dreams. Such strange dreams they were too, of being trapped in a small boat in a storm, rocking amongst the towering waves, the howling of the wind barely disguising the crashing thunder as lightning bolts rained down upon her. There was someone else in the boat too, someone older who had held her when she felt scared and gently sang the song that Garnet hummed now.

It had reassured her in the dream, and in the waking world, it reassured her too.

A leaf fell into the water in front of her, the ripples created by its falling moving outward until they were lost in the lake of Alexandria, swallowed by the large body of water. On the other side of the lake lay the city, Garnet rarely saw Alexandria, it was forbidden for any member of the royal family to venture alone outside the boundaries of the castle, once however Garnet had disobeyed the rules and snuck out of the castle by hiding on the ferry boat, she had had so much fun by herself in the city, she had met other seven year olds like herself and had learnt how to play 'Tetra Master' and how to use a skipping rope. Sadly, the experience didn't last and she was discovered playing with her new found friends by a young knight of Pluto called Adelbert Steiner, who was now the leader of the Knights of Pluto.

She sighed and rubbed her hands nervously, so much had changed. Next week she would be sixteen, her mother was planning to throw a party for her birthday, there were rumours that a performance of the classic 'I want to be your Canary' was to be staged for her. Perhaps a year ago, Garnet would have had her heart lifted by the thought, but now it wasn't the same, although she wasn't sure why, the atmosphere within the castle had changed dramatically recently.

Even the courtiers and knights had noticed it, only yesterday she had caught a pair of women from Squad Beatrix whispering about her mother. It had really hit home for her though when Uncle Cid visited last month, he had arrived in his large airship which he had christened the Hildagarde.

"And how's my pretty little niece?" he'd asked

She had hugged him and smiled.

"Not so little any more Uncle."

He had rubbed his moustache and smiled back at her.

"That's true…sixteen next month…you've grown up so fast."

Then wishing her well, he had left to speak with her mother. Their talk had gone on late into the night and when Garnet had paused outside the royal conference room to eavesdrop she had heard the raised voices of both her mother and Cid.

"I've said it before and I'll say it again Brahne, the army you're amassing is a clear violation of the treaty of 1705!!"

"And I'll say it again, I don't care Cid! Your airship fleet is a threat to Alexandrian sovereignty!"

"You know full well those ships would never be used on Alexandrian forces unless provoked!"

"You wouldn't stand a chance!"

There had been the noise of someone thumping the furniture, Garnet couldn't tell if it was Cid or her mother.

"Why does it have to be like this Brahne? The peace is working, both of our nations have flourished in ways never seen before." Said her Uncle in a tired tone of voice

"Lindblum has flourished, and as a result is now threatening Alexandrian territory, the rate of expansion of your forces is unacceptable Cid!" yelled Brahne

"The expansion of MY forces?!! Let me see, just over the past seven months, Alexandria has constructed twenty-five new naval vessels and taken delivery of a new weapon we've never seen before, in fact, we've still not seen it, only heard rumours of a powerful army. What are you doing Brahne?!"

"That is none of your business!"

And so they had rowed well into the small hours, after a little while of eavesdropping Garnet could hear no more and fled to her room where she burst into tears, why was this happening? Why were Mother and Cid fighting like this? They had been close friends for as long as Garnet could remember, Cid had sent some summer holidays at Alexandria and Garnet and her mother had likewise spent holidays at Lindblum.

The question returned to her now, why had everything changed like this so much? It had all seemed so certain before, the days were long and bright and Garnet had walked the corridors of the castle enjoying herself, now it was cold and dark and she dared not leave her room at night for fear of hearing something she wished she hadn't.

It seemed as if none of those close to Brahne could see it, Beatrix certainly couldn't, when Garnet had tried to talk to her about it she had brushed her off with comments that 'her mother knew what she was doing and it was none of her concern.', Steiner had been more friendly but had stuck to the same line. She felt shut out, a prisoner in her own home.

A stiff breeze sprung up around her, rustling her loose clothing and making her skirt flap from side to side, she stood up and walked slowly back to the castle. As she did she took one long, sad look back at the lake wondering where it would all end, whether her mother was trying to drag Alexandria into a war with Lindblum, whether they would land up killing Uncle Cid, it was not a very happy thought.

Walking through the doors and into the main entrance of the castle she passed two women soldiers who stood to attention, that was something she hated too, all the special treatment she was given just because she was the daughter of a queen. She longed for the kind of life she had seen outside the castle, spending the day with her friends instead of in the company of Beatrix or Steiner, free to do what she wanted and where she wanted instead of being bound to her mothers activities.

Garnet wondered if mothers departure had anything to do with the silver haired man she had caught her with four mouths back, she had been walking past the throne room when she had heard her mother laughing, thinking that some show was being provided for her, Garnet had pushed open the doors to see what was going on.

She had found her mother sitting on the throne rubbing her hands when a tall, slim man with long silver hair rubbed his chin thoughtfully with a smirk on his face.

They had both turned and looked at Garnet, her mothers face was one of guilt, almost as though she had been caught doing something, but the strangers expression had been one of hunger, he had stared at her, that smirk still on his face and Garnet had felt almost naked to his eyes.

"This is my daughter, Garnet." Her mother had said

The stranger had nodded but said nothing, still looking at Garnet, she had returned the stare unsure of what else to do, a little scared by his presence. His clothing was fairly exotic, he wore loose baggy purple and white clothes which exposed his belly and he also wore eyeshadow which gave his eyes even more mystery and threat.

Garnet finally broke the stare and cast her eyes to the floor, shuffling her feet uncertainly.

"Anyway Garnet, what are you doing in here?"

"I…was…just passing by." She murmured

"Well…we have important things to discuss, leave us."

 And she had backed away, leaving the room as they started talking again, as she had walked down the corridor she had heard her mothers shrill laughter again, just lately it had seemed more of a cackle than a joyous expression.

She shook her head, that was the one and only time she had seen mother with that stranger, and although she didn't see mother much any more, she refused to believe that she had had many more dealings with that strange man.

She stopped at the top of the stairs which lead up to the throne room and looked back down the hallway into the entrance way and her mind was made up, if she was a prisoner in her own home then the only solution was to break out.

She had run away before and she was sure she could again, after all it was many years ago and she was hardly under suspicion by the whole castle, no-one would notice a cloaked figure leaving discreetly.

But when?

She decided that during her birthday party would be the best time, when everyone was distracted, especially her mother. Garnet felt a little guilty about betraying her mother but with the way Queen Brahne was behaving lately, it seemed almost as though she wasn't her mother any more.

But where shall I run?

For a moment she thought, and then, not wishing to act suspiciously, she turned back to the stairs and carried on walking up them.

The most logical choice seemed to be Lindblum, with her uncle Cid, he seemed to be the more rational out of himself and her mother. Perhaps he could help her, he would understand.

She nodded gently, deciding for herself. She would run away during the party thrown on her birthday, just discreetly slipping away, getting changed into something less fitting for a princess and leaving for Lindblum. She wouldn't even have to use the ferry as the performance was due to happen on the city side of the lake to allow the whole city to watch.

Wiping a small tear away she wished that it didn't have to come to this, she wished that her mother would just return to normal, that she would behave like the loving, caring mother she had known for as long as she could remember.

Through the open door to her left lay the empty throne room, the plush red mixing with the stately gold, two Beatrix Squad guards were on duty outside the doors, they saluted her as she walked by, pausing for a moment to look in the throne room and remember her mother the way she used to be.

Someday I will be queen, she thought But I will always be myself.