Chapter 4:

Two weeks had passed since Zidane's execution. Garnet was told it was done in private for respect of her privacy and the privacy of the accused. It sounded nice but she had her doubts the humanity granted to her friend, Alexandria wasn't a city built on fear and torture but nothing really surprised her anymore. Zidane was dead and she was imprisoned in her own castle for an implicit period of time. No friend or acquaintance walked the halls of her immaculate prison; Paulus had executed or dismissed anyone that could have helped the queen - if that is what she could even refer to herself as in those dark days, not that she cared. Her heart felt as if it had been burned and diminished to nothing but dust that forever would have made a home in her stomach. No power, no friend, and no pain could phase her broken spirit. She had nothing left.

No graves were admitted to those who committed an "unholy act" act against the queen as Zidane was accused so Garnet had made an unmarked memorial in the garden. It was a strong metal slab she had found after the trademark sword of Alexandria was destroyed by the eidolon Alexander. She thought it was fitting for someone who protected her as unconditionally as the old castle had. The slab was placed in the center of the irises that were planted against one of the castle's white stone walls. Garnet took out a small candle that she had been burning at the site she made; she would burn it for only a few minutes and blow it out, hiding it away under her skirt so that no one would find out.

The sound of footsteps coming up behind her startled her. She quickly blew the candle out and began to wrap it away under her dress when hand grabbed hold of her shoulder. "No, please don't stop because of me." A calm voice said from behind her. Garnet flipped a glance over her shoulder to a man wearing a dark outfit with riding boots and a sword at his side.

"Who are you?" Garnet asked in a monotone voice.

"That's no way to speak to the general of Alexandria." He said as he tried to muster the most authority into his voice he could. He did not do as well as he thought he did.

"General?" She questioned.

"I am the new General, Leopold Alexandrius. I suggest you remember it, miss."

Garnet's ear was caught at his last name. The striking similarity to her own was interesting to her, but she was certain she had heard the same name somewhere else. She carefully and smoothly stood up and turned to face the new General.

"And I am Queen Garnet Til Alexandros XVII, I suggest you remember it." She retorted, though she felt silly claiming her rank even though she had been contained within her palace like a prisoner. Leopold's eyes widened in shock and embarrassment, he bowed apologetically.

"Forgive me, Your Highness. I didn't know-"

"There is no need to apologize. How can you disrespect someone who has so little to begin with?" Garnet strode over to a white iron garden chair, she sat down and sighed, it was such a beautiful day.

"Your Highness?" Leopold asked quietly as he came back up from his bow. He sensed something was wrong with the Queen but Garnet decided to brush his concern away with small talk, it had been a while since she interacted with someone.

"So that last name of yours…" She stated as she looked down at the white candle in her hand, she managed to force a polite smile at the General but she could only do it for so long.

"Ah, yes," Leopold seemed to know exactly what she meant and seemed rather excited she noticed. "My last name. It's the same as yours – or a variation, that is. My family's last name was derived from 'Alexandros'. We are related if you trace your lineage far back enough. I think there was a disagreement amongst the founders of the city, our family, and so there was a split and two different names. You may not have noticed but there has always been at least one Alexandrius in the royal court."

Garnet smiled, she didn't bother ruining the conversation with the fact that she wasn't really related to him. It was better of he didn't know anyways. "That is very interesting, General."

"Oh, no need for formalities! You may call me Leopold or 'cousin' if you like." The man said with a boyish smile as he pushed his brown bangs from his eyes. Garnet returned the smile in honesty. The man was new to her but she was happy to see such a sincere person.

In the prison beneath the castle, a figure sat with his arms propped on his knees. His head lay low as he began to tap his tail against the wall with a sigh. Zidane had been trapped down there with no trial and no hint of release for what seemed like ages. They had placed him in a section of the prison that wasn't occupied by a single soul but him and hadn't been used for what appeared to be hundreds of years. Though he was entirely alone for the most part, Paulus had made sure there were ample amounts guards all while maintaining the thief's solitary confinement.

Zidane peered out the small slits in the wall at the sun. He had started to keep track of the time by watching the sun in the sky, he would mark down the location on his cell wall with a piece of rock that he found. Many things would fall into his cell; the slits that he looked out of everyday had been a form of drainage hundreds of years ago before the sewer was replaced with the room he currently resided in. Down the hall from his cell, the sound of keys and metal gates could be heard. The slight mumble of men's voices echoed down the damp stone penitentiary.

"Good afternoon, Zidane." An old voice spoke in joyful tones from the darkness. The only light shone on an old face with deflated lips, a misshapen nose, and glassy eyes. A guard stood at his side his hand resting yet alert on the hilt of his sword.

"What do you want, old man?" Zidane snapped sharply as he fiddled with a rock in his hands.

Paulus sneered at the other man, "You can't intimidate me, Zidane. I've got a number of guards and your soul in my hand. I'm having a great day."

"Well honestly, you don't intimidate me all that much either. Oh, yeah. When are you going to kill me by the way?" The man said with a sarcastic chuckle. Paulus squinted his eyes and rolled his head around a bit as if he were thinking.

"You know," he said calmly, "I think I'll leave that up to you."

"That's a little stupid don't you think?" The thief laughed.

"Well I don't know. It really depends on how long you like suffering."

"Oh?" Zidane stated carelessly as he skipped his rock against some invisible water.

"I guess you couldn't have possibly heard being secluded down here and all."

Zidane's eyes flicked up to the old man's. "Heard what?" He asked as he started to sit up.

"Your Garnet is dead, son."

Zidane started to feel light headed, "You lie."

"Do I?" The old man said slyly, "I can poison a General, just as I can behead a chamber maid, just as I can persuade a young girl that her lover is dead."

Zidane became very still, his voice became weak and shaky. "Suicide?"

"Hung from the neck until death." Paulus stated in a cold uncaring voice he then began to walk away casually saying, "Have a good afternoon, Mr. Tribal."

Zidane curled up against the corner of his room his knees pressed up against his chest. "Why, Dagger?" He thought as he swallowed his sharp painful sobs. "Why couldn't you hold on to hope just a little longer? You aren't a quitter! You weren't a quitter… Just a little longer. You could have found me…"

Paulus continued on to the light from the doorway, his coat tails trailing behind him like black shadows. The guard who had attended him to the jail cell looked at him inquisitively. "Sir," he said in his most polite tone, "May I ask why you just lied to that man? The queen is perfectly fine."

The old man continued to walk with the man chasing behind him, "Boy," He waved at the guard, "I am not above murder and I am most certainly not above torture. Learn that. Live by that fear. That is how Alexandria is going to be run from now on; this city is a God damned mess. Now get back to work."

"Yes sir." The man said with a shocked stutter as he jogged back to his post.