Time and Tides Archives

Garnet had been staring off into the distance, her mind everywhere but in Alexandria. Word of Steiner's release had reached her, and she wanted anxious for his return. She wondered about Zidane and the rest of the search party on the outer continent. She worried about Eiko, and though about Rydia, and wondered if Mjrn was doing alright. So much had her preoccupied that even the clanking of Steiner's armor went unnoticed until he was at her side. The loud declaration jolted her from her thoughts, and she nearly jumped off the throne. Once her heart had settled and her eyes came back to focus, the site before her registered in her mind.

She beamed, and jumped off the seat, propriety forgotten in a moment of pure delight as she grasped one hand in both of hers.

"Steiner! It's so good to see you!" she cried, tempted to throw her arms around the captain, but just barely restraining herself. "We've all been so worried!"

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"My deepest apologies for causing you so much grief, your Majesty!" Steiner replied, slightly flustered by the fact that she had taken his hand. "It is good to be back, but I'm afraid there is no time for small talk. I have a guest to introduce: Emperor Vayne Solidor. Have you spoken to him before, your Majesty?"

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Good old Steiner. Always 'down to business'. Garnet supposed she should have expected no less. Still, when he said he's brought a guest, she was surprised. Mention of Vayne's name however, had her relaxing just a bit.

"We've met before, yes. He came here some time ago, offering to aid in finding a solution to the problems that have arisen." When she spoke of Vayne, she spoke with a polite fondness -- kinder than the tone she normally took when speaking of business, but only just a bit.

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"I must warn you, your Majesty. I believe his interest in you is more complicated than that. Zidane doesn't trust him, and I trust that boy's judgement. I would advise you to be wary, your Majesty!"

Steiner spoke in a low and urgent voice before glancing behind him. "I must fetch him; he will not want to wait."

With that, he hurried off back to Vayne.

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The captain had spoken the truth. He was gone little more than a moment. In the meanwhile, Vayne had stood immobile, stature proud as ever. If he was annoyed at being made to wait, there was no sign of it whatsoever on his face.

He turned to Steiner and issued a single nod. "If Her Majesty is otherwise occupied, I would not intrude on her time. My news can wait on her pleasure."

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"Not at all! She is expecting you."

Steiner led the way back inside, gesturing for Vayne to follow. He bowed deeply before Garnet, determined to impress Vayne with his manners.

"Your Majesty. Presenting Emperor Vayne Solidor, of the Archadian Empire."

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I believe his interest in you is more complicated than that. Well, of course. Garnet was not so sheltered and naive as she once was. she knew that when it came to politics, many only offered aid if it could be mutually beneficial. Certainly Steiner had to know that!

Zidane doesn't trust him. That one had caught her off guard, and rendered her completely speechless as the captain hastened to fetch the emperor. Garnet frowned. When had Zidane even spoken to Vayne? She hadn't even heard from him much, not since his phone call before leaving for the outer continent, and certainly not before then.

Zidane didn't know anything. That was part of the problem, wasn't it?

When the door opened again, all trace of discord had vanished from her face. "Thank you, Captain Steiner."

A gentle bow of the head, and a soft smile in Vayne's direction; her Business Face. "It's a pleasure to see you again. How was your visit with the regent? Did anything productive come of it?"

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Pausing only to murmur a word of gratitude to Steiner as he strode forward, he greeted Garnet with warmth equal to her own. A slight dip of the head, a small smile, his was smaller than hers, but that was to be expected in a man's response.

"The pleasure is all mine," he told her. "Indeed, I consider it quite productive and would be pleased to tell you what came of it. But first, Regent Fabool and his lady wife bade me convey their warm regards to you." He glanced aside to Steiner and added, "And I am certain that you would care for some privacy to herald the return of your good knight. I would not intrude on your time if it is an inconvenience."

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Steiner nodded at Vayne, then retreated to a discreet corner. He stood motionless ready to be dismissed if his queen so chose. It was not his place to speak now.

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((my apologies for failing at tags}}

"That may perhaps be best," replied Garnet, folding her hands in front of her. A quiet glance to Steiner, and then back to Vayne. "It is quite a relief to have Captain Steiner back in Alexandria, and we've much to catch up on. If your lordship is not otherwise preoccupied, perhaps we can reconvene over tea later this evening."

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"It would be a delight to join you later," he told her with a dip of his head. Then he held up a cautionary hand, "But perhaps I can tempt you into taking a turn about the gardens after the business is concluded. You deserve a morsel of time to yourself."

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Garnet paused, a look of moderate surprise on her face. It was only a second, before she smiled serenely. "I think I will take you up on that offer. The Gardens are quite lovely this time of year."

Such a well mannered gentleman. Certainly, Steiner would see now that there was no need for unease. She dipped her head slightly to Vayne, a polite dismissal. "Until then, good day."

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After a brief set of farewells to Garnet and Steiner both, Vayne took leave so they could speak.

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Steiner bowed deeply. "You dealt with him brilliantly, your Majesty!"

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"Anything he has to say can wait until this evening," replied Garnet, and then she turned her serene smile (her Working Face, as it were) on Steiner. Slowly, it softened into something more genuine. "I get the feeling, that in your absence, you may have been uninformed of what's happened recently. Has anyone told you?"

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"I have heard many strange things," said Steiner, "but if you could tell me in your own words, your Majesty, I would be most grateful. I'm ashamed that I could not protect you as I should have done while I was gone."

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Garnet raised a hand, as if to silence and dismiss his apology. "There was nothing you could have done. I know this, because if you were able, you would have returned home immediately." a distant smile, "If I know nothing else about you, I know of your loyalty and determination."

The young queen moved away from where she stood near her throne, so that she could run her hand over the railing of the balcony. Her gaze went out over the kingdom; Spring had come already, and was slowly growing into Summer. It did not seem all that long ago that she'd returned home, after waking up disoriented in the fields outside of Dali.

"I'm afraid there isn't much that I know. Not more than anyone else does. Uncle Cid and his engineers have done a wonderful job with this new communication technology... but the face of the world has changed so much. Foreign places and people appearing from nowhere..."

Her chin dipped downward, her eyes skimming the rail. "As I hear it told, there was a flash of light before it all happened, and suddenly everything was displaced. These other-worlders, they call them People from the Sky. And many of Gaia's own have gone missing. I myself woke outside of Dali, and was told I had been missing for several weeks, but I do not remember anything that came to pass between the Light, and my waking."

Her gaze shifted once more, this time to Steiner. "You have been missing for a couple of months. And Beatrix, Freya... Amarant, Quina too... no one has heard from any of them. It seems as though they are nowhere to be found. Eiko had been found once, but she's vanished recently, and uncle Cid has sent out a search party for her on the outer continent."

The longer she talked, the more Garnet's mask of serenity slipped. She folded her hands, twisting her fingers together as if holding on to something invisible. She need not speak of her worry, for it was clear in her eyes, and tone of voice.

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"Beatrix," Steiner murmured. He'd heard already that she was missing, but that didn't stop it from hurting. And when both of them were gone, the queen had been left unprotected. It didn't even bear thinking about.

"Fear not, your Majesty!" Steiner addressed her in a clear, confident voice. She needed reassurance, so that's what he would give her. "Surely they will all return soon, as both you and I did. I am certain of it!"

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Garnet lifted her head, and smiled once more; it was sad, but she was trying.

"I really hope you're right. I keep thinking, they'll have to show up soon. But days turn into weeks, and weeks turn into months..." she trailed off, gaze wandering again.

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"You cannot give up," Steiner urged her. "I know your spirit is stronger than that."

He cast around, wondering if there was some way to distract her from her worries. Of course...

"Oh, before I forget, your Majesty... I want you to have this." Steiner took out the glowing green orb he had hidden in his armour and presented it to Garnet. "I found it in Lindblum, while I was imprisoned. I believe it contains magic, perhaps like your summon gems. Do you have any idea what it is?"

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Garnet blinked. Steiner's words drew her gaze, but it was the subtle glowing orb in his hand that held her attention. She stared at it with awe and fascination; it was unlike anything she'd ever seen before. Hesitantly, she reached out for it, running her fingers over the smooth surface before taking it delicately in her hands.

"No... I've never seen one of these before," she admitted softly, as she turned the orb over in her palms.

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"At any rate, I am sure it is magical!" said Steiner. "Perhaps Doctor Tot would know. I'm certain that you and he could figure it out."

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"Perhaps he would," Garnet mused softly, holding the sphere up to the sunlight. "Maybe I should call him. I could send it to him, but I don't want it to get lost."

Tilting her head slightly, she finally pulled her eyes away from the material. "If it is magical, I'm not sure how to use it. You said you found it in Lindblum?"

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Steiner nodded. "Yes, your Majesty."

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"I wonder what it was doing there..." the young queen mused quietly, before tucking the orb between her palms, concealing it from view.

"I will have to put it somewhere safe. We can't go letting something unknown get into just anyone's hands."

With another soft smile for the knight, she added, "It's really wonderful to have you back, Steiner. I trust that you won't mind if I go put this in my quarters immediately."

And as she inched around Steiner, making her way towards the door, it became clear that this was meant to be a form of dismissal.

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