'Sorry I'm late everyone,' said Zidane as he trooped into the dinner hall of castle Alexandria, 'I was just having a look around.'

'Nice of you to join us,' said Garnett suspiciously as her partner kissed her.

'No problem,' grinned Zidane, taking a seat next to his wife.

'I must say, your highness, dinner smells lovely,' beamed Lord Peeves, who apparently did a lot for the community. Zidane never really found out what exactly, but assumed it gave the populace someone to hate.

'Yes! It does! Rather!' boomed Lady Fletching, a woman who seemed to be always surprised or excited.

'Ha,' said Lord Peeves, 'while I was approaching the castle, I was jostled by a most hideous purple-haired peasant girl. It was very unpleasant.'

Garnett nodded, trying to get off the subject, but it was too much for Zidane. 'That'll be Eiko,' he said, smiling nastily. 'She is a very, very good friend of ours.'

'Quite,' smiled Peeves nervously.

'Peasant girl, you said?'

'Did I say that? I meant… lovely girl.'

'I thought you might have,' said Zidane, trying to hide his grin, 'I didn't think you'd have the audacity to insult our friends. Terrible things happen to people who do that. I'm glad you miss-said it, instead of really meaning it. It's good that; isn't it?'

Peeves swallowed awkward, trying to nod.

'Well,' said Garnett loudly, 'how is everyone?'

'Fine, your grace!' said Lady Fletching.

'Wonderful,' said Peeves, avoiding Zidane's slouching figure and deep glare.

'Most happy,' stated Professor Slake.

'Excellent,' said Lord Man.

Zidane wondered why all these people he didn't actually like all had important, privileged titles.

'Zidane and I are getting an extension. It's going to lead underwater and I have windows and everything,' said Garnett, while the servants hurriedly put the food on the table.

'Oh, that's lovely!' exclaimed Lady Fletching.

'Since when?' asked Zidane, almost choking on his wine.

'Since this morning darling,' smiled Garnett, looking straight at him, she said the words so orderly that he couldn't counter or continue arguing. This is the epitome of women, preferring not to tell men anything, until it is irreversible.

'Me and Rodger are getting a steeple for our house,' boasted Lady Fletching.

'Yes, we're most excited!' said Professor Slake, touching his wife's hand happily.

'Got planning permission?' asked Zidane.

The couple froze. 'Sorry?' asked Slake.

'You know; planning permission. So you are allowed to build,' Zidane continued, he was rather enjoying this.

'I thought that was just for peasants?'

Zidane almost winced at the spite of the word 'peasants.' It was the same tone as someone would say 'animal.'

'It actually applies to everyone,' he said, 'don't worry though; I'm sure someone with your stature will get it.'

The professor was quite shaken at Zidane's words and tone, and his smiled showed it.

'Just out of interest,' Zidane went on, waving his fork about, 'what is it that you do?'

'I research social economics.'

'Figures,' coughed Zidane.

Garnett coughed even louder. 'This meal is very nice, very nice indeed.'

'Who made it?' asked Lord Man, carefully inserting a sausage into his mouth.

'One of the finest cooks in all of the Mist Continent,' replied Garnett.

'It's a two legged frog,' said Zidane resolutely.

'Haha, you do joke, your grace,' smiled Lord Man.

'Well yeah, but not at the minute. I'm not joking now. He is a frog, a humanoid one.'

'What about the smell?' asked Lord Man, looking worried.

'Ah, won't worry about it. He won't mind.'

At this, Lord Man shuffled, his mouth frowning and his eyes almost watering.

'Well,' said Garnett, pushing the plate forward, 'that was lovely.'

'Agreed,' said Zidane, 'what did you think, Lord Man?'

'It was… nice.'

'Glad you liked it. Come round next week too.'

The nobles, as one, started getting up.

'Oh don't leave!' said Zidane, 'there's trifle next.'

'No, no, we really must be going!' said Lady Fletching, fidgeting.

'Oh well,' said Zidane, 'bye everyone. Steiner will show you out.'

The nobles walked out awkwardly, as if terrified of being dragged away to a torture chamber. But after the last fifteen minutes, even tat felt like paradise. Zidane and Garnett heard the door shut hurriedly.

'That was really nasty, Zidane,' said Garnett.

Zidane grinned. 'I like them.'

'You like the horrify and demoralize them.'

Zidane shrugged, and put his head on Garnett's shoulder. 'At least we're alone now.'

'Hmph,' said Garnett, though not in an unpleasant way, 'I noticed you didn't get dressed up.'

''Course not. I said I wasn't going to, Besides, I like this suit. I know you do.'

Garnett smiled, 'It's a very nice one.'

'You like me even better out of it.'

The Queen gasped. 'Zidane!'

'Don't worry, I'm not taking anything off here. Maybe in bed later though,' he grinned, and then looked up from Garnett's shoulder, 'Vivi wasn't very happy today.'

'Why? What's wrong with him?'

'Just depressed about being different and everything. I sorted it out though. Until the next mood swing, that is.'

'You're dead nice to him.'

'Yeah well. I don't need a reason to help people. But he's a good friend.'

'Yeah.'

'Oh,' smiled Zidane, sitting up. 'Here's the trifle.'

Alexandria pier was even nicer at sun-set. The sun gently glinted off the water, the buildings, and passing ships. The royal couple watched all this from the same bridge that Vivi and Zidane stood on, just hours ago. They were tenderly holding hands.

'You are going to give Professor Slake planning permission, aren't you?' asked Garnett.

'It's your country,' said Zidane, 'I just fill the male position. You can decide.'

Garnett nodded, and giggled. 'I loved Peeve's face when you mentioned Eiko.'

'Haha, yeah, me too.'

'Say,' said Garnett, clutching onto Zidane's waist, 'how about getting you out of that suit like you suggested before?'

Zidane grinned. 'Sounds good to me.'

Garnett reached over and kissed him. Zidane followed on, and wrapped his tail around both of them. Their lips separated as Garnett pulled away. She brushed his hair out of her King's face, and looked at his feline eyes. 'I love you Zidane,' she said.

'Yeah, I love me too,' he replied, and they kissed again.

And in the castle, someone realised that they didn't have any money left, and in the town a mage watched an excellent play, and in the backstreets, a thief sold on a golden clock, another person caught a fly, and a few nobles were very confused.

And a royal couple went to bed.