"Freya!" Zidane gasped, grabbing onto the metal bars. Judging from the condition she was in, it was obvious that she had been there quite a while. So, who then had he chased in Burmecia? He could feel the anger at her injuries welling up inside of him as he hurriedly picked the lock of the cell, wary that the guards might return any minute. Hearing the expected click, he pulled the door open and hurried to her side. Reaching into his bag, he wasted no time grabbing his last potion and carefully pouring it into her mouth.

Freya coughed and hacked painfully, but she was alive and she was still breathing. He doubted she would be strong enough to regain her consciousness for quite a while at best, so he would have to carry her. But how would he find the strength to get her and the others up the ladder and across the desert? He wasn't in the best condition either, but he would have to find a way because he couldn't leave her, he couldn't leave any of them. That's just all there was to it. Trying his best to clear his mind again, he figured there had to be another way out; whoever controlled the prison wouldn't have wanted to carry their prisoners out of the city and across the open desert.

"If ye let us go, ah'll show ye how to get out o' ere." Someone with a deep voice drawled from the cell behind him. "Me and ma gang got what was comin ta us, we ain't no eroes. But, if ye let us out, we'll help ye and tha o'thers."

Zidane turned around and saw that it was a very large man, and had it not been for the numerous scars covering his face and his disfigured nose, he might have looked a little bit like Steiner. Behind him were five other men of various statures.

"After we're done, you go your way, and we'll go ours. No questions asked." A shorter stocky man standing behind what he had assumed was the gang's leader added. "Those guards aren't gonna stay outside long!" A third member hurried. "C'mon already!"

If the gang chose instead to kill him and save themselves, there would be little he could do to stop them, but what choice did he have? A few short moments later their cell was open, and true to their word, all but one of the gang hurriedly began to help him unlock the other cells and release all of the prisoners. The last member of the gang came from the entrance as Zidane picked the last lock, he hadn't even noticed him heading in that direction. "Those two guards outside won't be bothering us anytime soon." He commented casually.

Nodding on acknowledgement, the stocky man turned back to Zidane. "The way they brought us in is through there." He pointed to a small passage between two of the cells. "There won't be too many guards, if any. Why bother when they know most of the people in here are starving and don't have the energy to escape? Your only problem is gonna be when get to the surface."

"I'm guessing its heavily guarded?" Zidane groaned, expecting the worse.

"The entrance is a cave next to the mountains, it may not be heavily guarded, but there will at least be a few of those bastards blocking our way." He replied with a grunt and spat on the ground. "It won't be easy with only that one knife you're carrying, but I think we can take em."

"I though you said we were gonna have a problem?" Zidane asked, surprised.

"No." He shook his head. "I said you were gonna have a problem. Unless u want all the people right back in here, you're gonna have to steal an airship and get them the hell away from here."

There were no comments from anyone in the now large group. He doubted stealing an airship would be anywhere near as easy as last time but he could see the man's point. "Ill take care of it." He replied.

"Then that's that. Once we're past the entrance, we part ways. And for your sake, let's hope we don't see each other again or it might not be under such pleasant circumstances." Zidane nodded,and picking up Freya, He and the people that were healthy enough began the long walk down the dark tunnel, those that couldn't walk were carried. He had no idea how how steal the airship, nor did he have any idea where he would take all of the people, but he did know that the prisoners wouldn't be able to make it on their own, so one way or another he had to get them somewhere safe; he just hoped Dagger would be alright because he had no idea how long it would take… "Please Rusty, keep her safe and don't let me down."

6 Months Later…

"Please! It has been over a year! Surely you must be able to see reason!" A shrill voice yelled behind the heavy wooden door.

On the other side, Garnet slowly sank to the floor, her hands covering her tear-stained face. There was no doubt about it, It had been a tough year. She had never expected being queen to be easy, but there were days like today when she wished she had just stayed in bed.

"We are not being unreasonable. Her Majesty knew it would be expected of her before she ascended the throne!" The man continued, though in a lower tone. She assumed that he must have diverted his attention fully to Beatrix.

"Give her time.." Beatrix soothed the man. "You cannot expect her to take the idea of marrying someone she barely knows so lightly."

Garnet could hear the grunt of displeasure from them man. "I am only trying to help her." He reassured. "Though there are others in the council that would sooner see her removed altogether for her lack of royal blood, I have supported her from the beginning! I have no desire to see her miserable, but that fact is, she is better off unhappy in an arranged marriage than dead. Aside from marrying a noble of high rank, I see no other way to prevent further- "

"Your loyalty to her is not in question Sibert, but you must understand that she is still young." Beatrix interrupted. "In time I am sure that she will dio what is best for the kingdom.." Though she couldn't hear it, Garnet could picture Sibert sighing in defeat. Moments later, his footsteps could be heard as he walked down the hallway.

Was she being stupid, or just selfish? Garnet pondered as she pushed herself from the floor and walked towards the balcony window. Beatrix was right, she had always known what would be expected of her once she had ascended the throne. Up until the unexpected twists and turns her life had taken, she had actually fancied the idea of one day marrying a handsome noble, or rather a "knight in shining armor". Didn't all young girls have those same silly dreams? Sadly that's all they were, HE had taught her that. Often, the one that wore the best armor and the nicest suits showed that those were truly the best qualities they possessed.

According to the council, the best candidate so far for her to marry was Lord Gerain, one of the richest nobles in Treno. He was ten years her senior, but his immense wealth would guarantee Alexandria's economic stability. Not only that, but it would also secure a lasting alliance with what was now the wealthiest city in Gaia. The advantages of marrying him were both many and obvious to anyone that knew anything about politics, but at what cost would they come? Even if she again put her kingdom first and pushed her own feelings to the side again, how long would it be till he used the throne for his own personal gain?

Garnet leaned on the railing of the balcony, relishing the cool night air. Down below, only a few of the homes in the city had candlelight emanating from their windows. She guessed most of the townspeople were already asleep by now as the only noise that reached her was the faint slushing from the water below. Looking up at the stars that covered the cloudless night sky, she caught herself wondering if Zidane was looking up at it too? For months after his departure, she had sent countless search parties to try to find some trace of him, but even her closest friends and Tantalus, who had gained her immense respect, had come back empty handed. Was there a chance he was still out there somewhere? She shook her head disgusted at how weak she felt. The bottle of wine she had absentmindedly grabbed on her way to the balcony was proof enough of that. How many nights had she stood here and cried, begged for him to swoop in and knock her off her feet? Like a child, a part of her still imagined him showing up out of nowhere wearing shining armor and carrying her off into the sunset. But Zidane wasn't a knight in shining armor.. he was a thief. And what a thief he was! Despite her best efforts, he had stolen her heart as easily as gil from a noble in a crowded street!

She laughed loudly, taking another drink of the wine. How many had she had? She didn't care. Myricaria was the strongest wine that was kept in the store rooms, but like the tears that burned their way down her cheeks again, she barely noticed.

Memories of their journey together played through her mind unimpeded, but despite her best efforts the darker thoughts couldn't be held at bay. Had he forgotten about her and found someone else? Was Beatrix right, had he died in the Lifa tree?

Angrily, she threw the empty bottle over the railing and into the water below. "No!" She screamed. She refused to believe he was dead. But if he was alive, why hadn't he come back?

She hated him. She hated him for leaving. She hated him for not telling her how he had really felt. She hated that winning smile of his and how he was always ready to help anyone whether they deserved it or not. She hated how he had always showed more compassion and kindness than anyone else ever had. But mostly, she hated herself for not telling him that she loved him and still did. She hated herself for all the time she hadn't told him thank you when pretty much everything he had done had been for her. Her own stubbornness had pushed him away. As her vision blurred through the tears, a bitter truth became impossible to deny. Zidane wasn't coming back.

Tomorrow, she would work on doing what was best for the kingdom, her feelings be damned. It didn't matter anymore what she wanted, she wouldn't let herself act like a helpless princess. She would be the queen Alexandria needed, even stronger than her mother had ever been. One way or the other, she would see Alexandria rebuilt, grander still than even her advisors hoped. She would do it her way, not just be pushed to the side as an instrument to ensure some king's lineage. No, SHE would do it, and she would do it alone if that's what it took. Alexandria was all she had left and she would protect it. But for tonight, she decided as she closed the balcony and sank onto the bed, she would let herself cry this one last time.