Tantalus was back on tour and Zidane had left three days age to join the troop. The passage of time was gradual, at best, in his absence. At least I was able to stay busy. There was no shortage of work, and I'd let a week's worth of papers pile up on my desk during Zidane's last visit.
I sighed as I began to sort through them, organizing them by date and urgency. Some of them were building permits – appeals to extend roads, add housing and otherwise continue the booming business that construction had been during the restoration. Others were simply invitations to various social events I was obliged to attend in the near future. I sighed as I counted three such affairs happening in the next week.
It still amazed me that, despite everything I had done for Alexandria and for Gaia, people still presumed to insult me publicly. Aristocrats – especially in Treno – could not get enough of the rumors surrounding my relationship with Zidane. The queen and her secret lover, the thief. Still, there was no way to get out of these functions. I would simply have to endure their gossip and rude comments.
Presently, there was a knock on the door. Beatrix entered with a chest-pounding salute before striding vigorously to my desk.
"Queen Garnet."
"Beatrix, how many times do we have to go over this? Just call me Garnet."
Beatrix shook her head. "I am, of course, obliged to obey your highness' request… But it is difficult for one such as I to be so informal."
"I understand. What did you need?"
She reached into a pocket and removed a sealed envelope. "A message from Mister Zidane." Gingerly, she set the letter in my hand and retreated from the room.
I stared at it for a moment before tearing it open and pulling the letter out. Zidane often wrote me when he was on tour. It was one of the few comforts I enjoyed during his absence.
Most of the letter was typical; he liked to let me know he was thinking of me. I smiled as I poured over his sweet nothings. It was the last bit, however, that stood out from the rest.
I have a surprise for you when I get back to Alexandria. I hope you like it. See you in one week!
Love,
Zidane
I held the letter to my heart and closed my eyes as I always did. I liked to picture him scribbling away backstage or between performances.
What could this 'surprise' be? I sighed as I realized I'd have to wait an entire week to find out what it was.
Wait!
I checked the envelope – it had been mailed from Treno. Mail took four days to reach Alexandria from Treno. A large smile pulled at the corners of my mouth as my excitement mounted. Zidane would be home in three days.
Presently I stuffed the letter back into its envelope and set it inside the drawer where all of Zidane's letters were stored. I shuffled through the endless sea of papers once again and found the invitations. Pulling out my stationary, I set about RSVP-ing to all of them. I grinned evilly as I penned a note at the bottom of each response – please allow for myself and a guest to attend.
Finishing the responses, I leaned back in my chair feeling rather pleased with myself. Let them gossip all they liked – Zidane was a permanent fixture in my life, and I would not hide this fact any longer. I was proud to have him at my side, in public or otherwise. A twinge of guilt came over me briefly, as I considered the repercussions such a renegade action might have on those who supported me. I thought of Uncle Cid, Aunt Hilda and Doctor Tot. Would their reputations suffer? I hoped not…
THREE DAYS LATER…
Tantalus had opted to end their tour in Alexandria. They were performing Wish Upon a Star – another of Lord Avon's plays and one of my favorites. It always made me a little sore when Zidane kissed the female actresses on stage, though I know it was only a performance. He'd openly admitted he thought of me each time a play called for such an intimate moment as this – an admission that somewhat soothed my jealousy.
If I focused on the story, there were times I could forget Zidane was on the stage at all. There were only the characters – their turmoil, their tragic romances, their seething vengefulness. It was always a delight to watch a Tantalus performance. I still found it laughable that such a talented band of performers had chosen to use their skills to such wily ends but, as Zidane told it, the group had put thievery long behind them. They had, after all, received a hefty reward for their services in Lindblum and Uncle Cid had been only too happy to pay it.
"…and now, glorious star, I beseech thee…" Ruby's replacement – Emma, I believe her name was – did well in the part of Talia, the young woman whose love had gone abroad to find his fortune and ended up drafted into the military services of a warring kingdom. In the play, she receives news of his death, but refuses to believe it.
"…Grant me this final wish: that upon my entrance to Heaven, or to Hell, I shall be reunited with the one I love. For no greater regret doth burden me than the knowledge of his lonely departure from this world."
Talia holds her dagger up to reflect the moonlight before piercing her own heart with the blade.
The audience rose from their seats with their applause and, I, myself offered a standing ovation to the stunning performance. The curtain fell and, a moment later, was drawn again to allow the entire cast their final bow. Zidane blew a kiss in my direction before retreating to the dressing room. That was my cue.
I slipped through the doors, down the stairs and made my way through the shadow along the stone wall of the courtyard toward the airship. Dressed in civilian clothes and with my face and head covered, nobody recognized me. Blank was waiting for me at the ship and gave me a familiar squeeze on the shoulder as he admitted me.
"How ya been, Dagger?"
"Well," I replied, smiling. I removed my hood then and folded it across my arm. "And yourself?"
"I can't complain," he said. "Full-time performing does seem a little dull after what we went through back in the old days, though."
I held my tongue, not certain it would be appropriate to tell him I felt the stagnation myself. Instead, I forced a laugh. "I could always use more men for my palace guard."
Blank laughed. "Thanks, but no thanks. It doesn't get much more dull than that!"
"Dagger!" Zidane burst into the room and flew toward me, lifting me off my feet in a spinning motion before pulling me into a strong embrace.
"Zidane, you were wonderful!" I praised him.
"Aww." He rubbed the back of his head bashfully.
Suddenly the door burst open and a hoard of screaming fans began pushing their way into the ship. Zidane's eyes went wide as he stepped in front of me. "Blank, get them out of here!"
Cinna came rushing in from another area of the ship to help and, together, the two managed to push the crowd back outside. This time, Blank locked the door.
It took a moment before Zidane let his guard down. He sighed, then turned to me. "Sorry about that."
I lifted an eyebrow. "I couldn't help but notice most of them screaming your name, Zidane."
"Yeah, Zidane gets all the girls," Cinna said – just before Blanks fist came upside his head.
"You idiot!"
"Hey, what's the… Oh, sorry, Zidane." Cinna fled then and Blank followed with an overly casual motion.
I stared after them a moment before turning back to Zidane. "What did Cinna mean?" I asked, trying not to jump to conclusions.
Zidane put on his brightest smile. "Cinna's just jealous because all the girls want me," he said. Then he added, "but they can't have me." He reached for me then, but I stepped away from him.
"Dagger… what's wrong?"
"I want to trust you, Zidane."
"Then trust me," he said, suddenly appearing taller and more masculine. "You know I don't want anybody but you. Did I fight my way halfway across Gaia so I could cheat on you?"
I couldn't keep from smiling then. "I'm sorry, Zidane. I've been… a little edgy lately. Of course I trust you."
The relief in his face was obvious as he gathered me into his arms. "My skirt-chasing days are long over, my love."
"Oh, Zidane."
He tilted my chin up and kissed me passionately then. When our lips finally parted, he pulled away just far enough to focus his eyes on my face. "You're so beautiful," he whispered. "I love coming home to you."
At that, he reached behind my knees and lifted me into his arms. He didn't set me down again until we were safely behind the door of my bedroom – our bedroom, when he was here. In less than a minute, the otherwise spotless room was littered with random articles of clothing.
Zidane touched me with such bittersweet tenderness as he moved inside me. I arched my back as his mouth pressed against mine, and let out a small moan. When I'd reached climax, he soon followed.
With a gasping breath, he collapsed beside me, pulling me into his arms tightly. "I love you," he whispered. "I love you, Dagger."
"I love you, Zidane."