The Reunion
Chapter Two - Greetings From Alexandria
"Well, that about covers it!", said Zidane excitedly.
It was 6:00 early Monday morning, and Zidane Tribal had just sent out several invitations to a reunion coming up the next weekend. Now he was outside Alexandria Castle, watching the last of the moogles flying away to deliver the invitations to the recipients. A cool breeze fluttered through the air as Zidane walked back inside the castle.
"Everyone will still be asleep", Zidane thought as he was climbing the stairs and entering the Royal Hall. He chuckled at the thought of what Steiner would do if Zidane were to wake him up this early, then went back into his and Queen Garnet's room: The Royal Chamber.
The room was getting kind of messy, with papers strewn about, but Zidane was to blame for that. "I'll have to clean up before Friday."
Zidane looked around at the bed, and the queen was already lying awake in it.
"Oh, hey, Dagger", Zidane said with a slight smile. Although she was Queen of Alexandria, and pretty much everyone referred to her as either that or Garnet, Zidane was still so used to calling her Dagger.
"Zidane...", Garnet began to sit up more. "I thought I heard you leave a little while ago. Where did you go?"
"Well, first I had to go wake up Steiner and call him 'Rusty'", said Zidane jokingly. "Then I went to Treno for a little bidding at the auction."
Zidane looked into Garnet's eyes. She was so beautiful, her smooth hair falling down over her shoulders. "Oh alright", Zidane sighed. "I couldn't wait to send out those invitations I made out last night for the reunion. I'm so excited about it."
Garnet laughed softly. "Zidane, I'm excited too, but couldn't you have waited until later to send them?"
"I could have", replied Zidane, "but what's the fun in that?" He walked over and kissed Garnet on the mouth.
"So...", said Garnet, "I guess since you sent them, and judging by the countless pieces of paper lying on the floor, you finished the final draft?"
"Yep", said Zidane, "and I kept a copy for reference."
He pulled out a small, yellow slip of paper and read it aloud to Garnet:
Dear Friend,
Alexandria Castle cordially invites you to a little reunion this weekend. Think of it as a reunion approximately five years after the world was saved. On Friday and Saturday, anyone is invited who would like to come. However, on Sunday, only the people who were involved in entering Memoria and taking out Necron (you know who you are!) can stay. I have something big planned for that day. The reunion will then end on Monday. Please come if you can! I haven't seen some of you in a long time.
"King" Zidane
Zidane finished reading the invitation and put it back in his pocket.
"I quoted the word 'king' because while technically I am, I still don't do nearly as much as you do when ruling the country."
This was mostly true; Zidane and Garnet got married about three months after Zidane's big return. Zidane was crowned king, but he left most of the ruling up to Garnet, saying that he "wouldn't make a very good king."
Garnet laughed. "Zidane, you still help me out tremendously. I've just been glad to have you back. I really thought that I... I lost you back then..."
Zidanewrapped Garnet in a tight hug. "I'm glad I made it back to you, too, Dagger."
"RIIIIIIINNNNNGGGGG!" "RIIIIIINNNNNGGGGG!"
The alarm clock in Steiner and Beatrix's room was going off.
Steiner rolled over and slammed his fist on the alarm to stop it.
"Alright, I'm up already!" he shouted. "Hey, Beatrix, are you?"...Steiner rolled over, only to find that Beatrix wasn't there. "Hmm...must already be up. Let's see... 8:30. I guess I should start getting up too."
Adelbert Steiner, who was rarely seen out of his armor, got out of bed with a loud clanking sound. He hated taking off his armor if he could avoid it, because as he always reminded everyone, "You never know when the call of duty could arise!" However, it had been ages since any serious help was needed, but there was no telling Steiner that. He stuck to what he believed in.
As Steiner shuffled into the large kitchen of the castle, he found Zidane, Garnet, and Beatrix already there, eating a meal of pancakes and sausage, and drinking coffee.
"Thanks for waking me up", he said sarcastically to Beatrix.
"No problem", she said back.
Zidane and Garnet smiled at each other. They knew that Steiner and Beatrix loved to argue. It had become somewhat of a pasttime for them the last few years, but they still loved each other, of course.
"So...", said Steiner to Zidane, "Did you ever finish those invitations that you went on endlessly about all weekend?"
"I sure did, Rusty", said Zidane. He couldn't resist the temptation to call Steiner 'Rusty'. "And...I also sent them out first thing this morning."
"Mmm...", Steiner mumbled. He got some breakfast and proceeded to sit down with the others.
"Queen Garnet...", said Beatrix, "Most of the castle has been cleaned up this past weekend, so that we will be fully ready for this coming-up weekend."
"Good", said Garnet. "I still have a little cleaning up to do in m-"
"Don't worry, I'll take care of it", Zidane interrupted. "After all, I'm the one who made the mess."
"Mess...!...Mess?" yelled Steiner, "You've been messing up the Queen's royal chamber?"
"Relax, Rustman", said Zidane, "I'll get around to cleaning it... ...eventually."
Zidane and Steiner both laughed. They enjoyed arguing and tormenting each other as well, just like old times, but they were like best friends now.
"Well, anyway..." said Dagger, "Zidane, how many invitations did you send out?"
"Around fifteen or so", said Zidane. "But... I'm sure many more people will show up than that. Word of mouth can get around pretty fast. Those moogles I sent for were really excited to send those letters out though. I guess they like getting around themselves now."
Beatrix glanced at Zidane. "So, Friday and Saturday are open to anyone who would like to come?"
Zidane nodded.
"And Sunday it's just you guys?...That were in your group, I mean?"
"That's correct. So on Sunday, it will be me, Dagger, Rusty, and whoever else shows up that was part of the team. Eiko will most likely come. And Freya, if she can get away from Burmecia long enough. I hope you won't be too mad, Beatrix, not being here Sunday?"
"Oh no, not at all", said Beatrix. "I will probably go to Lindblum that day anyway."
Zidane gave a long sigh.
"It's a shame, though, that one of the key team members won't b-"
"Zidane", said Garnet, "Please don't mention that right now."
There was a long pause.
"Alright", said Zidane. "I understand."
Another long pause followed this, then Steiner was the first to break the silence.
"I believe you said that you had something big planned on Sunday?", said Steiner. "So what's that all about?"
Zidane had finished his breakfast. He got up from the table. "You'll see", he said in a solemn tone as he left the kitchen.
Zidane went back to clean up the Royal Chamber, and became lost in his own thoughts.
"I wonder if they'll want to talk about it by then...? No one has really wanted to for a long time. I don't really want to, either, but it seems appropriate for the five year anniversary coming up. He would have wanted it that way. I don't believe that he would just want us to forget about him. Yes... we should honor his memory."
A few minutes later, Garnet came walking into the Royal Chamber.
"Zidane", she said, "Someone is here to see you."
The next chapter should be up sometime this weekend. Until then, R & R. Thanks for the reviews so far!