There are times when we must rest and take stock of our situations else we become lost in the now
Dr Tot "Narratives" second edition
The winter was still hanging on tight in the kingdom of Lindblum the city itself was completely blanketed in snow. From his office high in the citadel of the castle Regent Cid Fabool the ninth took a moment to gaze at the city that was his charge.
The city was painfully white only the smoke and steam from the new restored industrial district marred the pristine quality of the scene. With a tired sigh Cid turned away from the window and pulled his fur lined cloak around himself, the city had managed to make through the winter, food from the harvest earlier had been unexpectedly high and with rationing had lasted. The problem was fuel, luxuries such as heating the palace was vetoed and now even the Regent went cold. Still the year would turn in a few days and the city would continue to rise from the ashes. With chattering teeth Cid picked up a report fresh from the south gate garrison
"Thaw continues, still no monster on monster aggression it would appear that in agreement with news from the Alexandria that this monster war is over
"The so called "monster war" Cid mused, despite assurances that with the mist clearance that monster aggression would drop there had been the matter of monsters fighting monsters. Was it as some had speculated a fight for a niche in nature, a fight for a home which mankind could only watch from the sidelines.
Still the activity had lasted from late summer till early winter without slowing and then simply ceased beast that had been until recently tearing each other to bits wear now living side by side in relative harmony.
***
Earlier that year
Lani stared critically at the activity lower down the valley.
"Ya' think their going to go on like this for ever?" she asked the silent observer to her left.
Aramant shrugged, the valley bellow was a battlefield, corpses lay unattended and the noise dieing filled the air. "None of our concern." He replied.
"But you and I know our monsters, since when have the acted like this?"
Aramant considered this. "Think about it this way Lani you have your Terran Monsters on one side and the native type your Gaians now there’s no mist instinct takes over."
"Like some big turf war between to rival gangs?" Lani took out a whetstone and began to sharpen her axe. "None of our concern. As long as these Dali hicks keep paying us."
"Well the people are paying us to protect the crops and harvesters so at least look like you have something to do with it." Sighed Aramant crossing his arms over his chest.
Aramant again wondered why the two ended up working together. Nearly four months since the faltering mist had deposited the Red Rose near Madin Sari and Lani had latched onto the expedition to bring everyone back to the Mist Continent.
Three weeks of the domineering Beatrix, stuck up Genome and spineless Knights of the Pluto had really chaffed with Aramat’s style. The familiar presence of Lani was almost reassuring even with her endless bragging and chiding. Anyway the journey had lead them though the thick of this "monster war", it seemed that nature had now returned and every monster no matter what its origins wanted to carve a niche for its self. The group had even had to detour to the black Mage Village to rest and re-supply. To Aramant’s total bafflement a rescue mission was sighted just a days march from Fossil Roo. He had ground his teeth when he heard the number of times they could have been picked up and saved the long trek, worse still if they had stayed at the landing site they would only have had to wait five days till Lindblum engineers came to out fit the Red rose for temporary non-mist flight.
Still they had returned to Alexandria heroes. With his new reputation and the unexplained monster activity work was more than forth coming only problem half of the jobs he seemed to get were shared with Lani. It wasn’t intentional but he had realised that in a scrape it was good to have some one to watch your back especially if you were a wanted man over half the civilised world.
Lani too had changed; her experiences in Madin Sari seemed to have helped her grow. The two seemed to be teaming up more and more lately they were even calling them a name, one that Lani was quick to encourage.
"Conquers of the Outer continent" he sneered.
"Something wrong?" Lani asked.
"Nah just the countryside I don’t like it." Aramant muttered watching the farm workers scuttling like ants over the crops.
***
Cid shivered and placed the report down and picked up another piece of paper from a near endless pile. To his dismay it was another letter from one of the nobles who sent their children to the same school as Eiko.
Your Excellency if you must exercise charity and continue to educate that feral child I request that you do so privately. She has no manners, is loud...
Nice wording and beautiful calligraphy couldn’t disguise petty sentiments and small-mindedness his brother had always said. He put the letter on the small fire with out the least regret except that it wasn’t bigger and therefore more warming, still there would be at least five other letters in the pile from concerned parents. It was odd though how the ruling family of Lindblum had taken the child under their wings. Thing had just turned out that way after the return from Iifa the Hilda Garde III had stopped off in Lindblum and Eiko had been sort of stayed behind. The Fabools a childless couple had had the novel experience of having a child as their charge. And the girl had just grown on them.
The problems had started when the girl had expressed an interest in getting an education.
"Master Forman how are things going? Master Forman? Oh Eiko not again!" Lady Hilda picked up the tutor; the man was unhurt but also only one foot high.
"That child is impossible!" he squeaked, Cid sighed as he watched her wife use her magic to return the man to his normal size.
After apologising to the man and being told again how the child was a minx the Regent returned to the room to find his wife berating Eiko.
"I know it may seem unfair to you dear but mini-ing someone is not good manners." Hilda told the child with a smile.
Cid rolled his eyes now I have two women in my life and both of them mages.
Later in the withdrawing room the two discussed about what to do for the girl.
"Its not as if she doesn’t try she seems so eager, its just that she doesn’t know what to do and the tutors pick on her because of it." Hilda considered
"Of course she hasn’t spent any time with any children her own age, she acts so mature you forget she’s so young."
"Cid that’s it! We can send her to the institute I’m sure she’ll do fine, there are other children there so the tutors won’t have just her to pick on." Hilda put her embroidery down and gave her husband a kiss.
And that was how Ekio ended up in Miss Minipole’s school for privileged children, and she was doing well, a quick learner she now fitted in and no letters came from the rather severe Miss Minipole. The letters that came were from the parents of the children of her class. Eiko trailing stories of her adventures and mogs running around after her had become a heroine to the noble born children from strict reserved families. Now she brought children in satin and lace to the Qu marshes to introduce her friends to the gourmands living there (much to the horror of the launderers in some of the noble house) or as today brought them out to the plains to make snow mogs.
Speaking of the small friendly spirits the palace was now practically swarming with them resulting in more complaints from the nobles. Well at least there was a reliable delivery service in the city, even Cid used the mognet himself and even now he could make out hushed kupos in the hallway. With a smile he picked up a report from the traders guild.
"Activity of a group of smugglers and unlicensed traders calling themselves the "Free Lancers" has increased, suggest mounting patrols on the eastern coast to deal with this matter…"
Cid put that aside for later scrutiny, he knew that the Traders Guild were a group of money grabbing cut throats that had a habit of not simply cutting out any competition but also jumping up and down on it with rather heavy boots.
***
Far from Lindblum
The young man dodged as the lizard man brought its cleaver down in a head splitting arc.
Breathing heavily he swung his quarter staff at the creatures unprotected shins, with reptilian speed the lizard man slammed the other cleaver down and deflected the blow that should have knocked it off its feet. With practised ease the boy managed to catch the staff on the down swing and aimed an attack at the reptiles unprotected head at the last moment the lizard man crossed the twin cleavers over its head catching the staff with an almighty twist it managed to send the pole spinning into the air.
With a threatening hiss it advanced on the boy however the youngster leapt into the air with supernatural speed snatched the staff out of the air and with a resounding crack brought the staff over the lizard man’s head.
"Yield Hrssk?" He asked as the dazed creature cradled its bruised head. It hissed reproachfully at him.
"I got too caught up in it?!" the boy said in mock outrage "It was you who almost split my head like a week old melon!"
The lizard man made a dry chuckling sound and went to retrieve a cleaver that had fallen from its senseless hand. The boy turned to see a man walking towards him.
"Crowley!" He shouted excitedly I beat Hrssk did you see!"
Crowley a man in his early thirties tall and handsome in a wolfish way laughed, shaking his head in exasperation he marked the page in the book he was carrying and picked his way down the incline of the natural amphitheater that his captain was sparring in.
His robe once white is now off grey through years of travel and repair a heavy maul is strapped to the scabbards on his back. On the left side of his head his hair is cropped short while on the right its almost shoulder length giving him a bizarre look.
He stares down a the boy and wonders why he and so many others call this man Captain perhaps it’s the infectious enthusiasm or the boundless drive that rubs off on any one he meets even monsters seemed to follow this youth wearing a captains hat and a heavy sea-coat or perhaps he thought a little cynically it was curiosity to see what damn fool thing the boy would do next like fighting a full grown lizard man (one that the boy had known since childhood but a lizard man all the same).
As for Hrssk the question when is a lizard man not a lizard man? Is finally answered when it’s the female of the species.
"Well I found the two of you." He grinned then executed a mock salute.
"The Cutty Sark is now re-supplied with water and any available forage. The men are awaiting you return Sir!"
The Captain laughed easily arranging the tricorner captain’s hat he almost never removed. "How many times do I have to say Crowley sir makes me feel like an old man Kam is the name my father gave me and it’ll do for everyone else."
"Looks like the two of you took a few bruises want me to heal that?" Asked Crowley as the captain buttoned up the blue great coat that Hrssk had handed him.
"Not necessary I won’t always have a white mage to watch my back better I don’t go running to you for every lump and bump."
The lizard man exhaled a resigned hiss and shrugged at Crowley.
"Yeah." He agreed. "Best be headed back to the ship."
***
Cid’s paperwork had brought him to his weekly intelligence report from Alexandria. Something he always felt guilty about keeping taps on his niece. Still he was regent first and uncle second. But anyone in the room would have noticed the regent surreptitiously look at the report.
The rebuilding of Alexandria continues a pace It would appear that the Princess has for some reason once again deferred the work on the castle, the reason eludes me getting near the castle is remarkably hard… ***
The last night’s snow was already turning to slush when the workmen resumed their work on the restoration process. From a covered carriage Garnet watched the work, beside her were the latest plans and petitions of the townsfolk. She wrapped her fur-lined cloak around herself and turned to the other occupant of the carriage.
"This plan seems to create an entirely new street between Broad Street and Point Lane what does that area traditionally pay rent to?"
Steiner sitting opposite checked a list on a rather old scroll.
"Well this says that particular piece of land belonged to the Noble house of Duke of Treno."
"There’s a Duke family? I had not heard of them."
"I’m not particularly surprised the last of the Dukes of Treno died eight years ago." The knight rummaged through papers.
"Which would make that land the property of the…Oh wonderful! The last Duke died with out leaving a will."
Garnet sighed. "Well we can sort this out when we get back to the palace. At least we can think in the warmth."
"And examine our latest treasure?"
The princess winced. "I just hope that keeping them isn’t a danger to the kingdom."
"We trust your judgement Princess.
The Trouble had begun a week ago when pressure from Beatrix and Steiner to restore the castle had proved too much. An old wall deep in the cellars had been breached and a secret chamber had been found. She had been sent for immediately.
"The castle plans show no sign of a chamber here." Steiner puzzled peering though the hole the workmen had enlarged.
"Red light Princess I have a bad feeling about this room." Warned Beatrix.
Entry into the room had realized their fears. Bizarre machinery loomed out of the shadows benches covered in books and journals all coated in dust.
Garnet picked one up normal writing was in places replaced by an unreadable but recognizable script.
"I don’t believe it." She managed.
"It stands to reason that if he stayed here for so long he would conduct some research here." Beatrix told her.
"Kuja! Princess do you want this room and its contents destroyed." Steiner looked at the room as if it contained the mad man himself.
Garnet looked at the book she was holding she could make out around half the writing, she paused this was an important decision. On one hand this room contain many secrets that still had the possibility of hurting people but also there was a chance to see into the heart of Garland’s angel of death and what had happened to make him and destroy him.
"Perhaps there is something here we can use. But we mustn’t let this get out people would worry other would get suspicious. The truth maybe here some where if we only look."
***
…Also there seems to be a decrease in root activity, thus the Princess has not left the Kingdom recently.
Cid frowned, yes all that ruckus at the Iifa still hadn’t solved the problem completely along with the increase of monster activity the period right after "the incident" had seen the roots of the Iifa buried deep into the earth in every landmass occasionally go berserk.
***
That previous autumn
The newly outfitted Red Rose laboured across the sky the new engines giving the pilots any amount of difficulty. A loud swearing would burst out from below as the ship veered of course.
Normally Garnet would be thrilled to take to the air even if the ship occasionally listed to port too often but today she had boarded feeling little but nauseous. She had hoped that the battle at the tree some two months previously had signal the end of the Iifa’s wrath.
However this was not to be, the main assault may have been stopped but the roots were still active they still had to finish their task. And all that Garnet could do was try to contain the damage. So whenever small tremors and anomalies in wildlife behaviour signalled that root activity was about to reach what had been dubbed an "Out Burst" she would board the Air ship and fly to the centre of the trouble and use her eidolons to blast the root cluster to ash.
Behind her Beatrix and Steiner stood to attention both were watching her with concern.
She had declined to take thee throne of Alexandria right away. So till her seventeenth birthday Beatrix would accept the position of regent until that time. To he shock the people of the city begged her to take the throne right away despite the disasters that had accompanied her short reign earlier that year.
She had explained how she hoped to mature and learn how to rule before accepting the crown, secretly she held out hoping that Zidane would show up in the crowd cheering her on. But as time passed she found that hope like a handful of sand is a difficult thing to hold onto.
In the distance she could make out the "outburst" a mass of Iifa roots rising out of the ground in a small crude replica of the original tree.
As she watched the root constricting puling themselves higher she felt her hatred rise again this tree had taken Zidane and now it would not let her rest, her hands tightened on the rail.
"Princess the time is right." Beatrix said softly mindful of Garnet’s mindset.
She nodded tiredly and began the invocation of Bahamut.
With a titanic rush of air the dragon appeared swooping towards the mock tree energy crackling around its mouth. With a deafening roar the eidolon realised it power Garnet felt her hatred get behind that surge of energy and push harder. The roots writhed for a moment before vaporising the shockwave shook the Red Rose. Garnet stumbled back into Beatrix’s arm exhausted and empty.
Please lets just go home." Garnet said totally drained.
***
Cid paused in his work the light was fading day into night. He was about to call for a servant to bring a lamp when the door burst open Eiko trailing Hilda entered the room.
"Dear! Eiko had a splendid idea. She feels that the old solstice festival is coming perhaps we could celebrate across the city to raise moral."
"Yeah every gets down the days are so cold maybe people could forget that for a while." Eiko stubbed a toe in embarrassment.
Cid looked at the piles of paperwork.
"That is a great idea maybe we should forget things for a while."
Each taking a hand the two women led him out of the room.