Chapter Six - Late Start
She was over an hour late. Steiner found himself beginning to sweat inside his armor. Where was she? He'd been waiting at the Alexandrian restaurant for so long now, and from the looks and offers of free food they were giving him, he was beginning to think that the waiting staff was placing bets on just how long he would wait before admitting that he'd been stood up. Of course he knew that she would never stand him up. Perhaps she had simply gotten the time wrong? Or maybe he was holding a false hope. Maybe she was never going to come. Maybe he should just get up and go home...
"NO!" He stood up and screamed aloud, drawing the attention of several other customers who all turned to stare at him in their confusion. "I MUST persevere!" He sat back down with a steely gaze in his eye, and vowed silently to himself that he would not move from this spot until she arrived. Tonight was the night. Tonight he, Sir Adelbert Steiner, would finally propose to the lovely Captain Beatrix. He had of course told his men what he'd planned to do. As their Captain, he was concerned for their morale. After all, the Castle Guard and the Pluto Knights had been rivals since the day the late King created the Order as a joke to please his wife! However, to his relief, they'd taken the news rather well - why, each and every one of them had rolled on the floor laughing in their sheer joy of his announcement! But now...it looked as though their happiness would be cut short...
"PERSEVERE I SAID!" He shook his head shouting.
"Steiner?" That voice! His beloved had arrived at last!
"Belo- ah...Beatrix! You have arrived!" He jumped up, smiling with glee as he rapidly stood. Unfortunately with all that armor on he accidentally knocked over the table and spilt the dozens of appetizers he'd already eaten all over the floor. Beatrix held a hand to her head and laughed. Steiner winced and hurriedly set the table upright again.
"Err..." He rubbed the back of his head embarrassed. "Beatrix, I was beginning to get worried." He coughed, trying to change the subject.
"Whatever for?" She asked as she took her seat. "I was only a few minutes late."
Steiner stared at her. "Wait..."
"You forgot the time again didn't you?" She asked, looking at the fallen plates that the restaurant staff was busily cleaning up off of the floor. Steiner blinked, suddenly realizing that their dinner had been set for eight, not seven. He smiled sheepishly.
"It appears so. My apologies."
"You were the one waiting for an hour, not me." She grinned.
"In any case..." Steiner began. "I have something I wish to ask you." He wasn't sure he could hold it in anymore, not after debating with himself for an hour of the possible outcomes of this night.
"Yes?" She looked up at him.
"Ah."
He fumbled around in his pocket for the black velvet box. "Beatrix." He
took her hand and slowly started to kneel. "Will you-"
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!"
His proposal was cut off by the ear-splitting scream that rang through Alexandria. Both Beatrix and Steiner recognized the sound. From it's high-pitch and loudness it could only be one person. "Queen Garnet!" They both shouted in unison as their hands automatically went for their sword hilts. Steiner cursed mentally. The Queen was in danger. Romance would have to wait. Again. He shook his head.
"Come Beatrix! We must go to the-" He turned his head to face her, but she was already gone, running up the street towards the street. She didn't even hesitate! "She is so devoted to her duty!" He admired, and began running after her.
The doors to the Queen's chambers burst open with a terrible crashing sound. Steiner and Beatrix rushed in with their swords drawn. The first thing Steiner saw was Zidane standing next to Garnet, his hands on her shoulders. Filled with rage, he rushed forward yelling as loudly as he could. He grabbed Zidane by the neck and pinned the blonde boy to wall with his sword.
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO THE PRINCESS YOU FOUL MONKEY!" He shouted.
"Agck!"
Zidane spluttered in surprise. "I didn't do nuthin' ya big tin man!" He
shouted right back as he struggled to remove Steiner's hand from around
his neck. Beatrix sheathed her sword and walked over to a pale-faced
Garnet, who was shaking in uncontrollable fear. She was holding a
letter in hand, and staring at it as though in some sort of trance. "My
Queen?" Beatrix questioned, placed one hand on Garnet's shoulder and
slowly removing the letter from her grasp. Garnet appeared to be in
shock. Beatrix began reading the letter, surprisingly with no
difficulty in spite of fact that there were cries of, "PRIMATE!" and
"Rust bucket!" Going back and forth behind her.
"Steiner..."She said quietly, her eyes widening as she read further and further. "Put him down. He hasn't done anything"
"What?"
Steiner turned around. He dropped Zidane, sending the genome crashing
to the floor. He had been holding him quite high. "Read this." Beatrix
told him, handing him the letter and heading over to Garnet. Confused,
Steiner took the letter and carefully read it. "BY ALEXANDER!" He
shouted. "ADMIRER ISLAND!" Garnet bit her lip and nodded. "Ack..."
Zidane stood up, rubbing his throat. "Sounds nice. Why are you guys so
freaked?" He asked, walking back over to Garnet.
"Of course an uneducated knave like you wouldn't know." Steiner scoffed.
"Just tell me Rusty!" Zidane's tail twitched irritably. He was concerned for Garnet, and he certainly wasn't in the mood to deal with Steiner's insults. "Admirer Island." Beatrix interrupted. "It is a place of untold horror. You do of course know of the Diehard Fans Zidane?" "Ugh." Zidane shuddered. "Yeah I know 'em." He winced. "...Wait!" He shouted. "Admirer Island...THAT'S where they put them all?" His eyes widened in horror. Beatrix nodded solemnly.
"And now they've taken our composer." Garnet reminded them quietly. Apparently she'd snapped out if her trance.
"They want us to go rescue him huh?" Zidane questioned.
Garnet stood, clenching her fists. "We must."
"NO!" Steiner shouted. "Prin- ah, my Queen, it is far to dangerous for you!"
"What, you wanna just leave him there Rusty?" Zidane snapped. "The letter said all of us have to go."
"Of course not!" Steiner shook his head. "But...there must be another way!"
"Steiner. We must go. There is no other way. Mr. Uematsu is our composer, should we abandon him now when he needs us the most?" Garnet shook her head. "I for one don't intend to."
Before Steiner could protest further, Garnet turned to Beatrix. "Send a messenger to Lindblum at once. Tell Uncle Cid to send his fastest airship."
"Yes your majesty." Beatrix gave a deep nod. "First, we'll go pick up all of the others." Garnet stated the plan. "Then..." She took a deep breath. "We're all going to Admirer Island."
As an apology for my not updating for so long, you guys are getting two chapters! The next one should be up around tomorrow! Enjoy!
