"Agitation"
(This would be rated PG-13 BTW…..it has a little blood and swearing. That's all though….I'm running out of time! Heeeeere's the next chapter!)
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Before….
"So he's gone…."
Only Dagger detected the hint of relief in Zidane's voice, even with his back turned. The queen smiled softly, much to Velra's confusion, and addressed the guard with a new firmness, "I thank you an behalf of us both….you may return to your post now. Beatrix," She nodded towards the general, silently ordering her to remove Velra from the chambers.
Beatrix saluted her queen, and gestured for Velra to accompany her as she left the room. With a respectful nod towards the queen, and a wary glare for Zidane, the guard obeyed, silently. The doors had barely closed before they swung open again to reveal a very flustered Steiner, complete with a new set of armour, "Y-Your Majesty…" he knelt before the queen, mouth gaping for air. "Searched….the…the city, your highness,…No sign of a…a Corala anywhere."
Dagger nodded again, "Thank you Steiner, and please, I'll ask you again not to kneel before me. It's embarrassing after all we've been through together."
Cheeks flushing bright red, the knight got to his feet, "My a-apologies…I will try my best to remember that."
"Hey, Rusty…" Zidane began, facing the Captain, "How is it Dagger gets all the formality? By Conde Petie law, your lookin' at the new King of Alexandria."
"Why you insolent-" the knight began, shaking a fist in the genome's face.
"Steiner! Zidane! This is hardly the time or place!" Dagger snapped, crossing her arms. "This is a discussion about Amarant, not your pointless quarrels! This is….this is horrible. What if he appears in Alexandria again? I'd be declared a bad queen, and it's so soon…"
"Your majesty should have no reason to worry," Steiner pointed out, cheerfully as he could best. "As much ignorance that man shows, I do not believe he will do something as rash as that."
Zidane nodded in agreement, "For one, Sir Rustalot is right. He may be a little hard to cope with, but he knows that you'd be blamed if he returned. You don't have to worry about that."
"Then….then that's it," the queen confirmed, looking only slightly relieved. With a sigh, she sank into a velvety chair. "That means he's gone….It's so unfair, Zidane. All he did was help us save the entire world, and now he's been banished under…under my order!"
"He might be a fault, remember," said Zidane, his brightened features fading instantly. "He was a bounty hunter or something before he joined up with us….he could be one again. He never told me what happened to Lani…I'm sure she was with him throughout the entire thing. I'll bet she's even the one that freed him from prison, and gave him back his weapons."
Dagger shook her head, "That's where you're wrong, Zidane. He might not have told you, but he informed me that Lani had gone back to Madain Sari. I even bade her goodbye when she left, and saw her escort take her away….There isn't a way she could have returned without the airship in such a short time."
"I don't know then," Zidane sighed. "But I'm confused. You're right – he may not have actually committed the crime. I just don't want to trust him right now….that's all."
For several moments, Dagger listened to the silence created between the three. It must have been her imagination, but she could have sworn there was a change in his voice. He wasn't speaking right, either. It was almost as if the entire event had made him someone new…..but that was impossible. Of all things, Amarant's exile would be the last thing on his mind, would it not?
"Zidane…." The genome glanced in her direction, with no change of expression. Dagger cleared her throat, and looked momentarily at her feet, "Is there….Is there something wrong? You're…."
Zidane raised and eyebrow at her in such a way, that it set a humiliating ball in the pit of her stomach. He paused, and then spoke, "What's wrong? There's nothing wrong with me."
Even still, the tone in his voice was unchanging. It sent a shiver down the queen's spine, and she turned away, to hide her blushing face. "Um…no, never mind then. I'm probably imagining it. I….excuse me," Quickly, and rather clumsily, Dagger picked up her skirts and began to trot towards the chambers door. No soon had she gone a single yard, than she felt Zidane's. warm hand on her shoulder. "Dagger?" came his worried voice. "Is something the matter?"
The queen turned to meet his worried face, and sighed with relief. The old Zidane was back, shining through the eyes she had been lost in not a single day ago. "No," she said, softly, and managing a small smile. "Nothing is the matter…I'm in a hurry to return to bed, however….It's four in the morning, Zidane….surely you're tired as well?"
Zidane barely hesitated but nodded, "Of course. I'm sure that even a stud such as myself wouldn't find a spot in the-"
"Zidane!" Dagger laughed while she scolded him. "Don't even say it! If I hear it one more time-"
The genome held up his hands in a mockingly defensive way. "Hey! Don't kill me for trying! Geez….well, care for an escort? I'm cheap."
And, both ignoring Adelbert Steiner's apprehensive scowl s and glares, the couple left the room, arm in arm. Dagger's laughter echoed throughout the hall, announcing another of Zidane's smart cracks. His own chuckle met the Captain's ears like a breath of relief. Steiner 'harumphed' and crossed his arms with a clank of metal, his eyes trained on the genome's back as they withdrew. As long as the queen was happy, he was content to say in the least…
But there was something fishy with Zidane….what was wrong with him? Certainly, he didn't care that much about the mongrel, Amarant?
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"Ugh! I'll tear you from limb to limb! I'll kick your ass so hard you'll kiss the moons! Just wait until I get my hands on you! I hope you hate your life, because it's going to end very soon! Let! Me! Go!"
Despite the red-hared woman's screams and threats, the lumpy-armed, greenly man's grip remained firm and cold. Lani bit, kicked, punched, screamed and raged, but with no prevail. The only reaction she received from the towering monster was a steely glare and a nonchalant grunt. After that, he remained unaffected by her torments.
"He'll come! Dammit, he's gonna….he'll….." Lani found herself running out of threats very soon. Pushing her mind to the brim, she came up with yet another,. "He'll pound your head in so far, you'll have to watch the rest of your buddy-buddies die through your-"
It was a smart, and very ugly comment, but the bounty huntress didn't have a chance to finish it. The very moment the 'a' of her next word escaped her mouth, she felt something with the force of a sledgehammer hit her in the stomach. Unable to draw her next breath, Lani doubled over on the ground, clutching her stomach. Helplessly, she watched as her attacker – not her captor – approached the now-circling groupd of towering men. It was a cloaked man, with a youthful face….all of what showed, anyhow. Lani gritted her teeth.
The cloaked man stopped, feet rooted to the ground in front of her. After a short pause, he bent down to retrieve the club that had been his choice of assault. Swinging it by the handle, he allowed the rough surface of the weapon brush the bounty huntress's cheek once or twice, before grabbing it by both hands and driving it softly down upon her head. Even the lightest blow was enough to send her sprawling. Though she rest against the dusty ground with eyes closed, her breathes came in even gasps. It appeared that she was unconscious.
"Must I do everything?" The cold, merciless voice filled the air. Dropping the ugly club on the ground by Lani's feet, he dusted his hands off the front of his cloak. "Even a moldy intellect such as yours could have thought of that. Do try to think of it next time."
Literally whimpering in fright, the stocky, monster-like man knelt and bowed until his head touched his knee. Around him, his companions were doing the same, some squeaking in utter obedience. Mustering his shaky courage, Lani's captor spoke with dread in his voice. "I-I shall, y-your Grace, your Wisdom, sire…m-my liege, your-"
"That will do," came the same voice, as the smaller man crossed his arms. "Hurry it up, Hal. I don't have much patience."
"Y-Yes, m-my liege," stuttered Hal, deciding that 'my leige' sounded the best. "Our…our report is…The outskirts of the entire continent are d-deserted. W-we had little trouble capturing th-the girl. We had a skirmish with the savages on the opposite sh-shore, but w-we subdued them. Iet…Ietrea requests a d-discussion….Th-that…that is all."
Half a minute of scattered silence followed Hal's report. The cloaked man merely stood with his arms crossed, and his mouth a firm line. Hal shuddered, lowering his head again, as if detecting something amiss with the man's attitude.
"Is that all?" said the cloaked man. "My, Hal…you are a lousy liar…Now, Hal, I am a very impatienr man. Is there something more, perhaps? Tell me, and thank me, Hal. I'm giving you a second chance."
"N-n…" the large man began to say, and then stopped. For several moments, he appeared to be struggling with two decisions….none in which proved to end in life over death. "Y-Yes, s-sir…" he finally blurted, shaking until his very bones rattled. "M-my men…p-please, if there is n-not much to ask, I-if it pleases you, s-sir, my m-men are starving…there is no food, and d-due to our…our weaking….the g-girl killed five of our m-men….we…we need food…please…."
"Oh," came the starchy reply, thick with contempt. The cloaked man stepped closer to his inferior. "Is that it? All you wanted to say? Your men are….starving?"
Almost swallowing his tongue in the process, Hal manages to piece together a, "Y-y-ye...y-yes s-s-s-s-"
Hardly the man finished his last word did blood spill from his lips, and his eyes glass over with a dead man's stare. The cloaked man sneered, jerking his hand, which was attached to the bloodied sword. It came free of the large man's corpse, and the body fell into a heap onto the dusty ground. The surrounding men shrank back in horror, some emitting an unhuman shriek, and others falling to their knees in grief. They had witnessed the trial and murder of their own captain.
The cloaked man disregarded the screaming 'men', and wiped the mess from his sword onto the dead Hal's already-soiled vest. "He didn't thank me," he said uncaringly. Then, whirling about, he glared in the direction of the nearest trooper. "Fetch me another sword, mule," he spat, scowling at the dirtied weapon in disgust. He held it between fingertips, as if it were crawling with worms. "I refuse to confront the Master sheathing a blade stained with the blood of an ungrateful coward."
The trooper whimpered, then squealed as the same blade grazed his shoulder. The cloaked man roared, "Get me a new sword NOW! MUST I ASK AGAIN!?"
Screeching, the monster-man took off towards the campground as fast as his limbs could carry him.
"You," growled the cloaked man, bearing down on another, bulky giant-man. "You are in charge of this troop's rations, orders, and everything else from now on!" Softer now, and almost understanding, he spoke with a gentler tone. "Are we in agreement? Or shall I repeat my previous actions?"
Grunting, although clearly afraid, the giant-man nodded, half cringing. "Captain Grug will take care of everything. Lordship must not worry. Lordship has much to handle already."
The cloaked man, however, smiled at this, "There. You see, my fellow Masterlings?" he said, turning about in a lazy circle. He spread his arms wide, gesturing to all that surrounded him. "If you all understood me like your new Captain Grog, we would get along much better than this." He spat the last word, pointing to the mess that was now Captain Hal. "You are dismissed. I'm sure Greg will see to it you are fed tomorrow morning."
Captain Grug continued to nod, bowing his head, and muttering a low, "Thank you, sir. Tank you….thank you….thank you…."
And the monster-man continued to mutter his false apologies until the cloaked man dispersed. Two smaller troopers solemnly picked up the limp bounty huntress from where she lay, and carried her off towards the tents. They did not see her frightened, half-open eyes, nor her disgusted curse.
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"This isn't what I had in mind, Cora!" grunted Amses, sawing away at the coarse ropes he held in one hand.
"It's either my way, or the high way, Amses!" the girl retorted, slicing at one rope, and moving to the next. Three ropes later, she turned to face him.
"I thought this was the high way…." Her guardian muttering, continuing to hack and saw at the thick rope with his dagger. He could feel the weapon's blade growing hot beneath his hand again. He had already been forced to trade daggers with Cora twice, and he had three burn blisters on his left hand. The rope seemed to grow thicker and thicker, and it's thickness was beginning to drive the old man crazy.
You see, Cora and Amses were cutting the ropes to a small, fancy-looking airship.
"Did you expect us to swim or what?" the girl demanded, cutting at yet another rope. "There, that's all of them, I think," She put her hands above her head and stretched.
"If only," Amses growled.
"Ugh," Cora sighed, and with one swift movement, brought her blade down on Amses stubborn rope. With an obedient "snap", it flew into the air, and dangled. It's ends, of course, were much more frayed than the others.
"Ye certainly seem te have a way wit' torturin' an old man," Amses sighed.
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(What? A cliffhanger? Oh well. It's not a REAL cliffhanger. Sorry it took about A YEAR for this ting to be posted….like I said, I'm workin' on something big. Can't tell you what…..nope, not yet. R&R, please! Ciao!)