Chapter 3
The summer sun shone through the trees, casting shadows across the Black Mage Village which most of its inhabitants were currently using for shade.
A small group were gathered around a small patch behind between the Inn and Items Shop. It had been clears by the mages and the wood was being gathered in piles by the small river. Mikoto was stood with her feet in the water, ordering where the mages were to go and what to do. Zidane stood in the midst of all the chaos with papers strewn before him.
Today they were building him a home. Part of him felt excited, the Inn was small and offered little privacy and he'd never had his own place before. But he also knew that this meant that things were final. He would live here now and Garnet would be on a whole other continent.
His house would have two floors, the downstairs with a living room and kitchen all as one room. The upstairs would lead straight to his bedroom and an attached bathroom. Not too shabby compared to sharing a bunk bed with Cinna. When it was all finished he would send a message for them to come and visit.
The hours passed and the beaming sun burnt Zidane's bare back, all he wore were his boots and jeans with his shoulder length hair pulled back in its usual ponytail.
Mikoto was playing in the river with some of the other genomes. Zidane had to marvel at their ability to adjust to their new home so quickly, every time he woke he expected to hear Ruby yelling or Baku laughing.
By the time the sun had started to set they had lain the foundations of his new home, all that was left was to install some windows and the doors, as well as adding the furniture and setting up the bathroom to work.
The mages really loved being given things to do, so as Zidane retired for a good nights sleep before visiting Conde Petite for some things for his new home the next day, they began to put together chairs and decorations for him.
Mikoto was insistent that she paint the house for him, apparently she had discovered a love for drawing since travelling.
He collapsed onto his bed and was asleep in minutes, not caring that he was covered in dust and dirt from the days building.
Meanwhile, Garnet was doing the same thing in a village not far from him. She had forgotten how small the beds were as the people of Conde Petite were so… well, petite!
She had told her Uncle that she wished to take some time to recover on her own, and even though he insisted she take some guards she had declined. Cid was all to aware of her stubborn streak and knew that she had become quite capable of taking care of herself over the past year. He also suspected that this recovery involved a certain blonde young man, and with her happiness being his priority he hadn't been able to deny her. She was a young woman now, capable of her own decisions. Whether they be right or wrong…
So she had left in the early hours of the morning on a small boat that Cid loaned her, only the captain Erin had been aboard and she was waiting patiently on the ship docked just south of the village.
Garnet had also equipped herself with a staff and was confident on her use of magic and summoning's to help her cross the continent alone. Tomorrow she would travel back south and work her way through the forest, hopefully she would remember the way to the village.
She woke the following morning just as the sun was rising, the villagers had remembered her from their previous trip and offered food and clothes before she departed. On her bed lay some clean clothes for her which the Inn Keepers wife must have stitched to fit her during the night.
The consisted of black leather boots, white leggings and a long sleeved white shirt with a red strapless dress which came to her mid thighs to go over the top. There was also a brown belt similar to the one Zidane would wear, they had even given her a small dagger of her own which the belt would hold.
She washed and dressed quickly, her stomach felt like it was filled with butterflies at the thought of seeing him again. Would he be angry? How would she feel seeing him again anyway?
As she set out she thought of her first home, only a few miles away. She had visited Maiden Sari only once, when she had accompanied a search for Zidane which was unsuccessful. During that visit she had uncovered a message from her father, and found that her original name was Sarah. Had she even told Zidane that? It seemed they'd barely had time to speak.
She passed the large boat suspended in midair and tried not to think about the fact that here, on this continent she and Zidane were still legally married. He had tried to kiss her but she had simply walked away, to scared of letting her feelings getting the better of her.
Thankfully, everyone was still sleeping soundly and she was able to leave with less fuss then when she arrived. The sun was rising into the sky now and she suspected it to be about seven am.
What she did not expect was to see was a man with blonde hair walking through the entrance and headed towards the item shops.
Her breath caught and she realised she was completely unprepared for this. Still she followed him and stopped at the top of the steps when he approached the shop keeper, who was just opening up.
"Ah is good te see you again! You's after a present for You's lovely wife?"
"Huh? No I just need some things for my new home…"
"Tis shame, she was looking particularly in need of cheering up yesterday"
Garnet could almost imagine the confusion on Zidane's face, she took a deep breath and took the last few steps into the shop.
"Hello Zidane"