***Hello, everyone. You may have noticed the last bit of chapter 1 didn't quite fit… that's because it wasn't supposed to be there. I'm not sure why I pasted that bit in there, but it actually belongs to chapter 3 below. I have fixed chapter 1, if any of you are inclined to read it again to see where it REALLY ends. I apologize for the mix-up; that was sloppy editing on my part. I hope you enjoy the rest of the story without encountering any other errors. Thank you.***

We lay awake that night, Zidane and I, bathing in the moonlight flooding through the tall windows. A gentle summer breeze made the curtains dance there.

Suddenly Zidane's head came up. "Oh, yeah!" he exclaimed. "I almost forgot your surprise."

I smiled in anticipation. "I'm waiting."

"Well it's not a thing so much as it is an announcement." Suddenly his expression darkened. "I went ahead and signed the contract, so it's official. I hope you're okay with that."

My eyebrows pulled together. "Zidane… what contract?" My first thought was that he'd had a marriage contract drawn up behind my back. All at once I was furious with him.

"My employment contract," he replied, sensing my unrest. "At Ruby's theater."

I could've laughed, the relief was so great. "But what about Tantalus?"

"They can survive without me. Marcus has been a grouch ever since I came back, anyway. Now he can be in the spotlight again, and I can bring a little class to Alexandria's theatrical scene."

"Zidane, I don't know what to say."

He grinned. "I did it so I could stay in Alexandria all the time. Aren't you happy?"

"I'm… elated," I stammered. "But is this what you want? Won't you miss the travel?"

He shrugged. "I miss you more. I hate going away."

I threw my arms around his neck then and kissed him. "As long as you don't feel like you're giving anything up, I'm fine with it."

"I was hoping you'd be more than 'fine' with it…"

I laughed. "I'm speechless with glee. Is that better?"

"Yeah," he said, kissing my nose playfully. "That's better."

The next morning, we shared breakfast in the dining room. Leaving the head of the table vacant, I took a seat across from Zidane. Quina and the kitchen staff had prepared crepes with a creamed fruit topping. The meal was delicious.

After eating, we took a walk through the gardens. Zidane was unusually quiet, I noticed. I took the opportunity to start a conversation.

"I've been thinking about what you said. Maybe I do need a vacation."

He smiled warmly at me. "Where will you go?"

"Nowhere I can't take you with me. I had thought of Treno, but it's so…"

"So full of snobs?" Zidane offered.

"Right," I agreed. "But I was thinking of going somewhere a little more rustic and out of the way. City life grates on you after a while."

"You can say that again," Zidane murmured. He caught his slip too late.

"Zidane, if you aren't happy here…"

"That's not what I meant," he assured me. "Alexandria is small potatoes compared to Lindblum, where I grew up. Don't get me wrong – it's a great city. Hell, it's home. But sometimes, it's just nice to get away."

I nodded. "Exactly. I thought you might have some suggestions."

"Well, let me think. There's Dali, but…" He read my expression. "Too much bad blood there, maybe. How about Conde Petie?"

"I don't think I could handle those dwarves," I admitted, somewhat ashamed of myself for saying so.

Zidane laughed. "I know! What about the Black Mage Village?"

I stopped then and shot him a quizzical look. "Are you sure you're ready to go back there? I mean… after everything that happened."

Zidane shrugged. "I can handle it," he said. "It's so peaceful there, and we never get to see Vivi."

"Or the other genomes," I added coyly.

"I do miss them," he said. "But this is your vacation."

"No, Zidane. It's our vacation. We need to pick the destination together."

"Anywhere is fine with me," he insisted, taking my hand.

"You're so sweet, Zidane. But really, I want you to have a good time, too."

He pulled me into a sudden embrace and squeezed me tightly. "I'll have a good time no matter where we go. It's been so long since I've seen you anywhere but here."

He let me go then and I smiled up at him. It was funny to think about the past. How Zidane used to annoy me with his incessant flirting – which I never believed was sincere until it was too late. And how I beat myself up after we said goodbye at the Iifa Tree, for not being with him when I had the chance. I had clutched desperately to the hope that he would return, but as the months and years went by, I'd lost faith. Beatrix assured me the pain of his loss would dissipate with time, and it did… somewhat. But I still thought of him every day and wished things could have been different.

Sometimes I still felt the shock of his return. When he was standing right in front of me, smiling – like he was now – my mind insisted he was merely a dream, that this could not possibly be real.

"Hey, you okay?" The sound of his voice brought me back to reality.

"I'm fine. I got lost in my thoughts for a moment."

"Well, what do you say? Honeymoon at the Black Mage Village?"

I rolled my eyes. "We're not married yet, Zidane."

He stared at me as though I'd said something shocking. I quickly realized I had.

"Yet?" he echoed, inching closer to me. He had that romantic gleam in his eyes again – the one that always made it hard to stay mad at him when he'd done something crazy or insensitive.

"We're not married, Zidane," I corrected myself. It was too late. His hands came around mine and his smile was as wide as a crescent moon.

"You said 'yet.' Does that mean you'll marry me?" His voice was so tender, his eyes so mesmerizing, I barely maintained my composure.

Reluctantly, I pulled my hands away and made for one of the stone benches. I sat down and stared at the stonework path for a moment. Then, "Zidane, in my heart, I'm already your wife. There will never be anyone for me but you. But you know it can never be made official."

He sat down beside me, gripping the edge of the bench lightly as he gazed up at the sky, his brow furrowed slightly. "Yeah, I know. Sorry I asked. Again."

I turned to him slowly, studying his profile with idolatrous admiration. He met my gaze then and his smile returned. Yet there was something else behind his eyes, something I couldn't identify.

"What are you thinking?" I asked. There had been a time when I might've feared the answer to that question. No longer. Whatever else Zidane was, I doubted there existed a more compassionate soul on Gaia. I loved him – more than I should, perhaps. Or at least, more than my royal station allowed. His happiness was my salvation and I knew the same was true for him.

"I was thinking… something bad." The guilt in his voice was evident.

I reached for his hand. "What do you mean?"

"Selfish thoughts," he added at length.

"Zidane. Tell me what this is about."

His thumb brushed against the back of my hand. "Sometimes I wish you weren't 'Queen Garnet til Alexandros.' Sometimes… I wish you were just my 'Dagger.'"

I scooted closer to him and hugged him gently. "I'll always be your Dagger," I whispered assuredly.

He shook his head. "I have dreams sometimes… In them, you're not the queen. You're free. We're free. We can go wherever we want, do whatever we want. It's… a nice fantasy."

"Oh, Zidane." I buried my face in his shoulder and felt him plant a sweet kiss on my head. "You don't know how badly I want that to be true. But… I…"

"I know," he said. "You've got duties, responsibilities. And my Dagger never runs away from her responsibilities."

"Zidane?"

"Yeah?"

I hesitated. Then, "do you really want to marry me?"

He was slow to answer. "Only if you want to marry me. I just want you to be happy."

"I am happy," I said. "But I'd be more happy if you were happy."

Zidane laughed. "I can forego marriage," he said, "as long as you'll always be mine."

"That, I can promise."

He kissed me again and only then did I remember to tell him about the engagements I was to be attending within the next few days.

"I told them all I would be bringing a guest… I'd like you to come with me, if you're willing."

Zidane cocked an eyebrow. "Are you sure? I'm no aristocrat. No, no, no… They'll laugh you right out of the party if you show up with me."

"Zidane!" I threw my hands on my hips. "I don't ever want to hear you talk about yourself like that again."

One corner of his mouth pulled up. "But it's true. You know it is."

"Okay," I said. "So you grew up poor. So you took to thievery because you didn't know any better. You're still the most courageous, most giving, most loving person I've ever known. Gaia owes you a lot. If those snobs want to comment about your upbringing, they can be most assured I care nothing of their idle gossip."

Zidane could only stare at me, as if not sure what to make of my sudden outburst.

I softened my posture and looked up at him with absolute resolve in my eyes. "I don't care what they think of you, or what they think of me for loving you. I would be honored to have you as my escort, Zidane."

For a moment, he continued to gape at me. Then he smiled the cocky way he sometimes did and said, "you forgot devilishly handsome."

I burst out laughing then and he joined me. "You're right," I said. "I'm afraid I'll appear a wilting flower next to you."

Zidane rubbed his nose against mine. "Never," he said. "But we do make a cute couple, if I may say so."

"You may indeed," I teased.