Chapter 2

The play had ended and this time there were no surprises, in fact Tantalus were not even the group that had been hired for Garnet's birthday.

The main hall was lined with tables of delicious food, Quina was constantly running back and forth from the kitchens with Eiko and all the Vivi's hot on his tail. Freya had declined the invitation, and so Garnet found herself surrounded by noblemen and woman, whom quite frankly bored her to tears.

It seemed she didn't fit into the role of Queen as easily as she'd thought she would.

"If Zidane were here, he'd just tell me to sneak off somewhere…" She thought to herself.

So why didn't she?

Whilst she still had the courage she looked around to make sure no one was paying her any attention, and slid out of the large oak doors.

The gardens were flooded with moonlight and she felt a familiar thrill of excitement as she lifted her dress and ran across cold grass. She stopped when she realised she had reached her mother's grave. There were candles stood atop her memorial, and she made a mental note to replace them the next day.

"I wonder if Amarant's grave is so cared for?"

True he had kidnapped her and with Zorn and Thorn almost killed her, but he had been under a spell… he had sacrificed his life to save Freya, something she never would have believed him capable of.

Perhaps it had been Zidane's influence…

She looked up at the moon, the sky was clear just like it had been one year ago on her sixteenth birthday. When he had knelt before her and promised to kidnap her-

"I don't think… it's a little soon isn't it, after everything she's been through?"

"The Queen must be questioned, that man has caused nothing but trouble and I have it from good intelligence that he is very dangerous!"

"What intelligence is that then?"

Garnet darted behind her mother's grave as two figures came into view, one of them she recognised with his large glasses and protruding beak…

"Doctor Tot, I am not at liberty to discuss my sources of information"

"Of course sir, however I myself am familiar with the boy and I can say truthfully that he has never shown any signs of-"

"He practically brought down Mount Gulug on his own… not to mention his survival of the incident at the Lifa Tree"

Garnet hadn't even realised that she was holding her breath, she recognised the second man as Sir Arnold Wolfe. He had been dismissed from father's counsel after being found to have dabbled in dark magic's.

"That does not mean to say that he is a threat, in fact his survival and power seem to have come from one thing only"

"Ah, not this twaddle about emotion causing a heightened state of… well all that, whatever it was"

Garnet's legs were beginning to ache, should she remain hidden? Or confront this man now?

"Mr Tribal had no other reason to do anything of the courageous things he did then to protect the one's he loved, Sir Arnold"

"And look where that's gotten him, rumour has it he was exiled by the Queen a month ago. Not been seen since! Can you explain this?"

Doctor Tot stuttered, Garnet hadn't told anybody what she had said to Zidane the night he left.

"Very well, if that is all you have to day on the matter, I will request an audience with her highness soon. Good night Doctor"

The man walked away towards the main hall, Doctor Tot sighed heavily before sitting on the steps beside him. Garnet, feeling shaken by what she overheard but angered at the same time, stood from her hiding place and sat beside her old teacher.

"Oh my dear! How long have you been there?"

"Long enough Doctor, what is Sir Arnold doing back in Alexandria?"

Doctor Tot removed his glasses and rubbed them against his waistcoat, "He returned a week ago, apparently he was reinstated by your mother before she died but was… indisposed, until a short time ago"

"My mother was not well at the time of his reinstatement, he doesn't belong here" Garnet's hand crept into a hidden pocket of her dress where the red stone lay, still warm and wrapped in its cloth.

"I'm afraid he has a solid contract with the Alexandrian Counsel, what he was ordered to do I'm afraid I've yet to discover… except he has taken a great interest in your adventures. Especially in Mr Tribal"

Garnet's heart jumped painfully, as it did every time she thought of Zidane. She cleared her throat before speaking again, "He's in danger… isn't he?" she said quietly.

"I fear so, your highness"

"Please call me Garnet… and will you alert me to anything more you find?"

"Of course I will"

"Good… I think I'd like to take a trip…" she said as she gazed over the still river.

"Is that wise? To leave your position…"

"I trust uncle Cid will understand, and I'm sure Lady Hilda will be quite capable of taking care of business for a while"

XXX

Bom bom boooooom, are ya scared yet? ARE YA?,,,, No? ok never mind.

I forget to thank my…three or four reviewers. Nearly a thousand hits and that's it? I'm disappointed! But thank you for those that do. It is you who encourage me to write instead of studying for A levels… lol

I find short chapters easier to write and read, plus I can do more in one day. If you want them any longer… well tough I guess! Lol

By the way, I have little idea where this is going. Except one thing that I have planned for agggggges. So bare with me!