Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ JOURNEY ❯ Free ( Chapter 12 )

Part Twelve: Free

The inevitability of the prospect didn't excuse Beatrix from thinking about it anyway. It was almost certain, almost 100% positive that she would go through with it, without any trace of doubt or thought at all. It really was to be expected, this decision of hers. And why would it not be? For half her life, she had mended and defended Kingdom Alexandria, in times of peace and war. Had she not earned a true rest? Had she not earned a retirement? Did she not deserve to have the rest of her life in her own hands, to be able to have freedom, and to determine what would happen by her own will, and not the words of another? Of course.

The real enigma was whether or not she would do it, the question was why was she thinking about it still. Lady Beatrix was resting on her bed one common wintry morning, her body and mind in a state of lull as she stared up at the ceiling, her feet dangling over the side and touching the floor. Her bed. Her room. Her ceiling. Her thoughts, her dilemma, her freedom. It had been the first time she really gave any of that any thought. It all seemed very minor until now, when she seriously gave retirement a thought. But now, everything that was now merely hers, had now been transformed into "HERS", if one could tell the difference.

A sigh came out of her mouth.

I won't be staying here any longer, she thought to herself. In a few days, maybe even in a week, I'm going to be leaving. I actually made my decision already--I must go, for myself and no one else. It is time, I believe, to think about myself, at least for a little while. I'm entitled to pleasuring myself every so often, aren't I? This move, this "stepping-down", will be as pleasing as I can think, until some other happy day comes by. I've already made up my mind, but the strange thing is, I haven't told anybody yet. Not Freya, not Steiner, not Garnet or Zidane, nobody. I'm the only one that knows.

So why am I laying here, looking at the ceiling?

…Because I don't think I've ever given that ceiling a look.

I'm going to miss this ceiling when I'm gone.

Well, no time like the present. Better get up and start gathering support. Telling Freya and Steiner's going to be tough as it is; I wonder how their Majesties will take it.

The time: Mere days before Lady Beatrix of Alexandria retires indefinitely.

The place: The room of Lady Beatrix, the place that houses everything she has ever owned.

The players: One single woman who is at the turning point in her life, preparing herself to transfer from one existence to another.

Status: Deliberation.

Describing the day outside was bland. It had snowed again, leaving the entire area covered in white, and few people save for the children were really enjoying the day. The old folks went "Bah!" and huddled close to the fires, and adults said "Who needs snow?" and began shoveling it out of their way, and the kids squealed as they held onto their youth for another year. Beatrix said, "Just whiskey" when she went into the bar.

"Whiskey?" said Steiner as he looked over to her. "Lady Beatrix, are you feeling well? In all my years knowing you, you have never drank--"

"Whiskey, Chester," she repeated to the bartender, "whiskey."

"Okay, I ain't your papa…" The tender gave her a shot, and Beatrix held it in her hand. Freya, who was sipping down coffee, gave Beatrix a wary eye before inquiring.

"Trouble?"

"Hm?"

"Is there trouble? You ordered whiskey. I've never known you to be a serious drinker." Beatrix paused, thinking of the best answer, and replied steadily.

"I just need to take the edge off of my thoughts," she said as she downed the drink. Steiner and Freya warned her not to swallow it all at once--but by that time, the glass was empty. Beatrix grinned at them, made a funny face, and shook her head.

"…That took something off!" she shouted. "Wow! Yikes! I feel like there's knives in my brain--and in my throat!"

"Whiskey can do that," said Freya as she drank her coffee. Concern marred her face, and she gave her friend an attentive look. "Trixie, honey, are you all right? What's bothering you?"

"I know what it is," offered Steiner. "It's concerning that business about you retiring, isn't it?" Both Beatrix and Freya gave him a look, and when combined, their faces had enough confusion, worry, and disbelief on them to feed a person. Steiner coughed, realizing he had let the rat out of the bag, and decided to elaborate. "Am I right?"

"I have lots of things on my mind," said Beatrix as she ordered more hard liquor. Freya snorted.

"Not if you keep drinking! Beatrix, this is news to me! I mean, I've heard you mention retirement every so often, but I didn't think you gave it any serious thought! And I certainly didn't think that you had came to a conclusion already!" Beatrix nodded her head and swiped the hair out of her face. Leave it up to Steiner to bring something like that out on the open. Oh well. At least she didn't have to beat around the bush anymore.

"Well, I did, about two days ago," said the General. "I've made up my mind. I'm leaving once and for all. I've deserved it, don't you think? I've already told both of you what I think and how I feel, and now I'm left with telling their Majesties about it. Oh, and Adelbert? Please, I know how much you care about me, but please don't stop me this time. I've seriously made up my mind, and there isn't anything you can say that would convince me otherwise." Steiner gave her a warm smile, and nodded his head slowly. He understood her perfectly well, and would not get in the way of her ambitions again.

"I understand. I will let you leave the kingdom. You have earned the right to live your own life." Beatrix returned his smile, and tilted her head over so that her hair cascaded to one side.

"Thank you, Steiner. You've always been good to me, especially when I didn't deserve it. That's why I like you: you're a blockhead, but you sure do know how to treat a person. I'm going to miss you the most when I'm gone." She leaned forward and kissed his cheek, then went back to swallow a second glass of whiskey. Beatrix grimaced and made a funny face, and shook her head until her senses returned. She turned her head and smiled at her dearest friend, who had been minding her business most of the time.

"Don't even think about it," she said suddenly. Beatrix was left puzzled.

"Think about what?"

"Kissing me," she said as she sipped. "I know you're going to do it, but don't."

"I wasn't!!" insisted Beatrix. Freya snorted and gave Steiner a smile.

"This girl is a loon," she said as she poked her friend. "Loony, loony, loony. You'd never know just from looking at her, but she's really a child at heart."

"Do shut up, you dirty rat," moaned poor Beatrix. Freya laughed out loud and slapped her friend's shoulder.

"I'm sorry. I'm only mean to you because I love you, dear."

"Some way of showing your love…" muttered the poor knight. Freya laughed again; Steiner, poor dear sweet loveable Steiner, mumbled something that guaranteed himself a place in Beatrix's heart.

"I would never tease you, milady…" Beatrix smiled warmly, sighed, and gave him a loving gaze.

"I know. That's another reason why I like you. Unlike some people who call themselves my friends, you never make sport of me!"

"I'm just kidding, Trixie!!" insisted Freya in a loud voice. "For the sake of the Creator, dear! I don't mean any of it! Friends do that sort of thing to each other!!"

"Well, I didn't know that when I was growing up," huffed Beatrix as she drank a glass of cold water. "I was rather short on friends. Pax?"

"Of course. I'm sorry for being a jackass."

"That is putting it mildly…"

"Oh, go hang yourself!" snapped Freya as she gave her friend a gentle push. Beatrix chuckled, and pushed Freya in return. The girls would have fought it out right then and there, had dear Sir Fratley not arrived and saved the day. He split them up, giving them both a sagely look in the eye.

"Merciful heavens, ladies!" he exclaimed. "I don't know whether you're good friends or still fighting each other! Honestly! You both are acting like children!"

"We're only like this because we're too bloody drunk," answered his wife. "And I think Beatrix here is experiencing great happiness."

"Not particularly--I'm just a little drunk," answered the knight. "In all seriousness, Freya, I'm just worried about what their Majesties would think. You and I can goof off and still love each other, and I really do cherish that, but… I just…"

"We'll be here for you if you need us," said Steiner gently. He and Freya both placed their hands on Beatrix's shoulder, and she thanked them from the bottom of her heart. After hearing the news, Fratley put his support with theirs as well, and a final toast was made before anybody left the bar.

"Thank you, all of you," sighed Lady Beatrix as she left the tavern with her friends. "It's through wonderful friends like you all that I am able to be strong. If I can gain such support from the King and Queen, and if I have their blessings, then I will be content. Oh, how I will miss this place!"

-----

Unaware of Beatrix's desires, for the most part, Garnet and Zidane slowly digested through all the papers they had to sign and laws they had to ratify. More money needed to be sent to rebuild Burmecia. More people had sent in applications for knighthood. A band of thieves were making demands. This person and that person were arguing over land. The border guards were asking for better pay. The grain in storage was getting low. Just normal political business that they both detested.

"I need an adventure!" moaned Zidane as he signed off another paper. "I want to see mountains and rivers, and sail on boats and airships! Being stuffed up in this room is the pits!" Garnet sighed, but couldn't help grinning or agreeing with him.

"You know what? So do I. Let's go somewhere wild and crazy tonight!"

"Nah, it's cold," he sneered. "Besides, shouldn't we start preparing for that baby?"

"It won't be due for… oh, perhaps seven or eight months. I'm not even showing!"

"Okay. But let's take a break at least. These papers aren't going anywhere."

"Agreed." Garnet and Zidane both stood out of their chairs, stretched heavily, and groaned until their bodies recovered from sitting down so much. Zidane warmly hugged his wife from behind, tracing his hands over her still-flat stomach, and carefully guided them upwards, to where her chest was.

"Hey, stop!" giggled Garnet gently. "Don't do that! At least not in public!"

"Nobody's around," he whispered into her ear. She blushed and chuckled again, and would have let him chase her halfway across the kingdom if a sudden knocking hadn't broken their moment. Both young monarchs sighed wearily, and gave sheepish smiles to each other as their intimacy was interrupted.

"Oh, well. Who is it?!"

"It's Beatrix, highness!" It was Beatrix.

"You may enter!" called Garnet. Beatrix entered into the throne room, followed by Steiner, Fratley, and Freya. They all either saluted or kneeled out of respect, and at first, it seemed as if this was just going to be another report or social call. When Beatrix stood up, the King and Queen noticed that she had a very unsure look on her face, like she was actually nervous in front of them. Beatrix had not been nervous in front of royalty since her first years in the kingdom, so something was troubling her. Still, Zidane and Garnet remained cheerful.

"Why, what a pleasant surprise to see all of you!" exclaimed Garnet. "Are you all on an outing? Zidane and I were just talking, and we figured that a few hours spent outside these stuffy old walls would do us all good."

"A novel idea, Majesty!" boomed Steiner proudly--then he said "Oh…", remembered why they were all there, and slinked back slightly. Beatrix paid him little mind, bowed to her lieges again, and began her speech.

"……I… have something very difficult to say to both of you," she began. "I don't know how I'm going to get it across, and I'm actually fairly nervous about the whole thing. These three you see before you have come to support me in this time of need, so you'll forgive me if I suddenly act out of line."

"It's okay, dear," smiled Garnet. "We're all friends here."

"Yeah! There's nothing you could say that would upset us!" Beatrix smiled at her king, a man who had once been a rascally thief and a temporary student of hers, a man who cursed and swore and stole (treasures and hearts), a man who led the kingdom in its darkest hours, and felt a little better. Zidane had that kind of affect on people.

"…Then, permit me to continue," she said. "My honorable lieges--no, my dear and cherished friends…" Before she could talk, Freya and Steiner stepped forward and held her hands, and Fratley placed his hands on her shoulder. She smiled, drew support from them all, and continued.

"I have given much consideration and thought to my future," she began. "…And… as difficult as this may be to hear, but I feel as if my future is not in Alexandria. My King, my Queen, I have served this land for almost fifteen years, about half my entire life, and through my sword and my will, peace has prevailed and enemies have fallen. I have become a changed person, on the field of battle and in the struggle of my own heart. I have gained precious friends, and have embraced my past, and found that I have a large group of people in this kingdom that love me, and that I consider family, every one of them.

"But now, I have been thinking that it is at last time for me to hang up my sword and armor for good, and retire from my services as a knight and General, and depart from this land. I feel it is time for me to seek out my own destiny, to become my own servant and master, and to follow nobody's will but my own. I feel I have earned this at least, and with your permission and blessing, I would like to end my services under the banner of Alexandros. Your Highnesses, my Lieges, the decision is yours. I place my life in your hands for what I feel to be the final time, if it is your will. That's all I have to say."

--------------------

"Beatrix…"

Queen Garnet, who now shouldered the responsibility of deciding her top General's fate, took a few cautious steps towards the older woman. Beatrix had just given a stirring plea to her lieges, permitting her to retire and leave the kingdom permanently. It was eerily reminiscent of a few years earlier, after the fight against Kuja and Garland, when the General had very similar notions in her mind. A rumor went around that she had stayed solely because of Steiner's request, and later, because of the wars the kingdom went through, but now that there was peace without and within, she honestly had a good reason to leave at last.

So of course, Garnet took the entire matter with queenly deliberation.

"I knew this day would come," she said gently. "I thought… after the fight with Kuja… you were serious, and I am glad that you decided to stay for a few more years. You've been one of the many pillars of strength that kept this kingdom up, and for that, I thank you. I guess… it really is time to let you go, then."

"You mean… I have your leave?" Garnet smiled and nodded at her friend, who grew instantly relieved the moment her Queen gave her the decision.

"Yes. You know, there is a sort of parable in these parts, about a mother who was growing tense when her child was preparing to leave home. The child was all grown up, and ready to face the world on his own. The mother was reluctant to let her son leave the house, but knew that in order to stretch his wings out to their fullest length, he had to be set free.

"General, in all the years that I've known you, I have rarely granted you any requests. In fact, except for a few on your birthdays, I really have not done anything for you. Of course, I was your Princess, and now I am your Queen, but I would rather think of myself as your friend, as a young woman in whom you can trust and rely upon, and who would be willing to do a few favors for you every once in awhile. I shall grant your request, my friend. God knows you've earned a rest."

Beatrix grinned, sparing not one tooth in her smile as she beamed back at her liege and friend. She bowed out of habit and respect, and with a little more bravado left over from Steiner's and Freya's support, she walked up and gave the younger lady a hug. Garnet returned it and kissed her on both cheeks as a Queen was accustomed to doing.

"I knew something like this was going to happen," she said as she looked up into her guardian's face. "Beatrix, you seem very set upon this decision of yours, so not only will I not stop you, but I shall give you my support and blessing as well."

"And don't think you can leave me out of everything!" said Zidane as he slapped the General's arm. "For shame, you ladies hogging one another while leaving us men out in the cold! I know this is Alexandria, but…"

"Excellency?" said Beatrix.

"Yeah?"

"Do shut up, sire." They both grinned, and Beatrix gave him a hug as well. Zidane knew that she had been wanting to say that to him for a very long time; perhaps this was the earliest liberty she took as a retired General? In any case, it was heartwarming to see this woman acting so warmly and affectionately, and one couldn't help but think that part of the reason she was like this was because this would be one of the last times she ever saw them.

"I guess, if you're both behind me on this, the only things left for me to do is to make it official, say my goodbyes, and leave the kingdom."

"What do you think you'll do once you're away?" asked Zidane as he let her go. She shrugged and gave him a smile.

"I don't know. I might stop on by Burmecia first and see how they're doing. But to tell you the truth, I'll be doing everything I've always wanted to do, but never had the chance to."

"You deserve it," smiled Garnet sweetly. "But still, there's going to be a big hole in the military without your presence. Major Steiner, unless you plan on accompanying her, you're going to have to pick up a lot of slack." Steiner's face flushed at the mention of leaving the kingdom with Beatrix, and though he tried to say something, all that came out was muttering and stuttering.

"No, you should stay here, at least until you decide to retire," recommended Beatrix. "No sense in both of us leaving."

"But, there is also no sense in you going out there all by yourself!" he argued. Beatrix sighed and nodded her head, but ever-loyal Freya stepped in to cover that base.

"I will go with her," she said. She smiled, looked her friend straight in the eye, and added, "To the very ends of Gaia. Where your home is, there shall be mine as well."

"You're not going anywhere without me!" hissed Fratley as he put his arms around his wife. He kissed her ear and she giggled, and there seemed to be no way of talking him out of it. Besides, as he mentioned, "I've been living so much of my life without you, my dear. May the Creator curse me if I spend another second away from you."

"That's so romantic!" cooed Garnet affectionately. She grabbed hold of her husband and cuddled up to him; Zidane, never one to refuse such an action from a pretty young lady, grinned and held her close. Poor Beatrix rolled her eyes, but at least things looked to be going well. She wanted to leave the kingdom knowing that everything was going to be safe, and with the way things looked now, everything seemed to be looking well.

"Anyway," she said, interrupting the mushy moments, "I'm going to pack up my things and get into a new change of clothes. This uniform that I have on now is best suited for a General of Alexandria; I am merely a woman now. With your leave, my lord and lady…" She bowed again, and wandered off to her room. Everyone watched her go in silent reverence, and knew that once the woman emerged, she would never be quite the same again.

"Farewell, General," whispered Zidane as she left. "We're going to miss having you around."

-----

Once everybody got the news, they assembled in Alexandria Square. Most everybody was there, gathered together to give the General an official send-off. A replacement for the warrior would have to be found, and speeches would most definitely be made, and the process of saying goodbye would definitely be traumatic for a few people. Zidane and Garnet were all right with Freya and Fratley leaving--they considered no better a company to follow Beatrix into her new life than they--and a small farewell service had already been planned for them.

Quina shivered.

"Cold, cold, cold!" s/he sang. "Always cold, always cold! Why we have to hold this outside? Much warmer indoors!"

"You just want to go in because that's where all the food is!" exclaimed Lani. Quina nodded its bulbous head fiercely, unashamed of the truth.

"Yes-yes! Warm fire and warm food are good when saying farewell to friends! I say, we have great feast in honor of Freya and Beatrix! Great feast in honor of Fratley! Great feast in honor of King and Queen!"

"You might as well throw in a 'great feast for the chef'," noted Zidane. Quina nodded its head again with equal ferocity.

"Oh, yes-yes indeed! Almost forgot! Must have great feast for chef! No point in doing otherwise!"

"How many feasts does that make?" asked one of the Vivis gathered there. Everyone had lost count of the number, but Quina did the math and came up with six, one for each individual person.

"Ugh, I'd be stuffed to the gills from so many feasts," groaned Steiner. "And I don't even have gills!"

"People would think I'd be pregnant already by the time I finished!" agreed Garnet. A few people tried to make other similar jokes, but with the exception of Vivi's, none of them were particularly funny.

"If I ate that much, I'd blow up like a balloon and float away!" he exclaimed.

"Then we must have one great big gigantic feast, in honor of everybody!" declared Quina. S/he shivered again, and added, "Though still indoors! Too cold to do anything out here! Would rather stay indoors!"

"Hush now," muttered Steiner. "This is all for Lady Beatrix! She deserves this sending-off party! Remember, this might be the last time any of us sees her, so make sure she feels appreciated! …Though, I believe she does already…" Steiner trailed off and began muttering to himself, while Zidane and Garnet gave each other sweet looks.

"It's too bad she's leaving," said the Queen.

"They'd make a good couple," said the King.

"Should have been a wedding," noted Garnet.

"You think he'll run after her?" asked Zidane.

"No, that would be too romantic. Steiner would just smile and say farewell, or something."

"Yeah."

"What is it you speak of?" asked said knight. "I heard my name. Do you need me, my liege?"

"No, not really," they smiled in unison. He grumbled, scratched his head, and wondered "what that was all about". Fortunately, for Quina and everybody else, they didn't have to wait long for the guest of honor to arrive. She came with two of her subordinate soldiers, each one of them leading a horse by the reins. Beatrix had completely disposed of her General's uniform, from the boots to the sword-belt she had, and now wore wintry clothes consisting of a rose-red sweater and maroon wool leggings, along with a light coat and earmuffs. One of her soldiers was bearing her sword for her, but that was the only thing remaining of her past.

"Sorry to keep everybody waiting," she said as she arrived. "Ronnie and Bonnie were busy rounding up the horses I asked for. I didn't figure that I'd want to walk in this cold weather."

"Thoughtful to the end," remarked Freya. "Well, we all know why we're gathered here, so we might as well say our goodbyes or whatever. Bea, whenever you're ready, Fratty and I will be waiting." Freya smiled, and took Fratley's hand as she approached the horses. The two soldiers helped them mount up, then all eyes turned towards Beatrix. Garnet and Steiner, the ones who had known her the longest, had to wonder just what kind of speech she would give.

"…It all happened so fast, didn't it?" she began with a chuckle. "You know, in the old days, a warrior that returned home after a brilliant campaign was given the honor of a triumph, a tumultuous parade that celebrated the victory. There would be musicians and poets singing about the champion, and revelers throwing flower petals in front of him as his chariot paraded through the town. There would also be animals and treasures brought forth from the foreign land, surrounding and adorning the conqueror. Sometimes, his children would be on the chariot with him, or they would ride ponies out in front. He would also have the prisoners of the conquered land chained before him, too stunned to even speak. A slave, holding a golden crown, would be at his side, whispering a warning in his ear: a warning, that all glory is fleeting."

Silence. The snow died down.

"It just happened so fast…" she whispered again. "It happened so fast… so very fast… Life is filled with so many ironies, and strange events that couldn't happen anywhere else, except in fairy tales. But… I have seen my fair share of miracles, and I have been led into dumb-stricken awe by what these eyes have seen. Oh, yes. I have lived through fire and terror, one of two last survivors of the D'negel attack. I was in a circus once, with performers and actors, and I grew into womanhood under a tent.

"I… met the great master Atma when I was young, and trained under him. I… I even fell in love while I was training under him, and as many loves end, mine ended in tragedy. I… excelled in my teachings, and became a great General for the Alexandrian army. I was Beatrix the undefeated, wielding an unstoppable weapon called Save the Queen. I was at one time a hated enemy, but through a trial by fire and a benediction of chaos, I turned into a beloved friend. I found love, and people who would die for me, and… I have known happiness, and mercy, and… good friends who would… share… the beauty of life with me. …Excuse me for a second!"

The General was crying. She had broken down towards the middle of her speech, and had to pause to regain her senses.

"I'm sorry," she said after awhile. "I know it's strange to see me cry… But, I'm human too. I can bleed, and lose battles, and question my position in life. I can yearn for freedom, and be permitted to love, and be permitted to have dear friends. I'm just as human as any of you--well, you know what I mean." (That last part referred to the Qus, the Burmecians, and any other species around that was not humanoid)

"I can cry too," she continued. "But anyway, this is it. This really is my last hour here. I am no longer General Beatrix Francine de Alexandria; I am just plain old ordinary Beatrix. ………Well, maybe not old…"

"Here, here!" shouted Zidane. Most everybody present gave him a strange look, but the only thing Beatrix had to give him was a smile.

"My dear friend, Zidane," she indicated. "A youth of whom I have had the pleasure of teaching and serving. He is the King of this land, but to me, he is a precious friend--like the little brother I never knew. I love him dearly." The crowd let out an Awwww, and Zidane's face turned tomato-red. He grinned at her shyly, perhaps the first time he had ever done so, and waved at the crowd as he was suddenly thrust into the spotlight.

"I love all of you," said Beatrix, looking around to see who had gathered in her honor. She approached Quina first, smiled, and said, "I love Quina, for introducing me to piece'a, and getting me ridiculously hooked! And I love Quina for greeting me so happily after I returned home late after the war against Iudicium. Thank you, Quina." She gave the Qu a hug, and everybody went Awwwww once again.

"And I love Vivi," she said, kneeling down to the black mage's level, "every single one of them. I mean, come on, ladies! How adorable is this guy?"

"Extremely adorable!" shouted one of the gathered kids. Beatrix smiled and agreed. Vivi, on the other hand, was blushing furiously.

"But more noble is his heart, and his courage, for without this little one, I'm afraid this kingdom would be in worse shape than it is right now. You couldn't ask for a better friend than Vivi. Nor any of the Tantalus thieves, despite their reputation. They are all loyal, more loyal than I can hope to be, and if they were not so rascally, they would make excellent knights." The members of Tantalus all smiled sheepishly, except for Rubi, who sang out her thanks as always.

"Aw, shucks! I ain't no knight material! Heck, none'uh these ornery rascals are! …That's cuz' we're too good fer knighthood!"

"Darn right!" chimed Blank. "Here's to being better than knights!" The members of Tantalus cheered and performed their trademark greeting, and out of habit, Zidane did it too. Beatrix smiled at them, then turned towards the King and Queen she loved so dearly.

"My dear, dear Lieges… I don't think a measurement exists that will give justice to how much I will miss you, and how much I love you. Even if you could stretch from one end of the universe to the other, it would still fall terribly short." She gave Zidane a hug first, whispering, "Take care of the Queen, Zidane. This is a request from me. You are a good King, and I hope you can forgive me for doubting you. You will make a wonderful father." She kissed his forehead, then turned to hug her Queen. "And Garnet," she said, "take care of the King, for we all know the punk needs all the help he can get."

"HEY!!!!!" Naturally, everybody broke out in unrestrained laughter. Even Zidane cracked a smile, scratched his head, and admitted that Beatrix got him good.

"Seriously," she said, "love each other until you are dead, and when you meet again in the afterlife, love each other anew. I trust you both." She gave Garnet a kiss, and then went over to Lani, a person who very few people expected her to approach. Beatrix asked one of the soldiers to bring forth her sword, and she commanded Lani to kneel.

"Whoa, waitaminute!" screamed the dark-skinned woman. What's the big deal here? What're you gonna do with that sword?" Beatrix gave Lani a "trust me" smile, and held Save the Queen in her hands for the last time as Lani kneeled.

"Since I will be leaving soon," she began, "I must pass my sword onto another, one whom I can trust to wield it properly and justly. Unfortunately, since there isn't anyone like that for miles around, I'll just have to let Lani borrow it until then."

"HEY!!!" Again, everybody broke out in laughter, except for poor Lani.

"I'm just kidding, Lani!" exclaimed Beatrix through her laughter. "I'm just kidding! You really have proven yourself, and since you've gotten to be a trusted and loyal member of the kingdom's personal guard, I now place this land in the hands of yourself and Major Steiner. I now give you Save the Queen, Dame Reimilani Hrist Ravenstone, in hopes that you will wield it as well as your predecessor." The crowd let out a small gasp of awe as Save the Queen was handed down to Lani, who took it with quiet reverence. She stood up, received an unexpected hug from Beatrix, and smiled sheepishly. Suddenly, as a few people absorbed what happened, the dam inevitably broke.

"…Reimilani? Reimilani Hrist Ravenstone??! Is that your full name?!"

"Lady Beatrix!!! How could you?!" screamed poor Lani. "How did you know my full name?! I thought that was confidential!!"

"You know how it is here in Alexandria," shrugged the former General coolly. "Nothing is secret or sacred."

"But, but, but…" By this time, nearly everybody was laughing or trying in vain not to laugh, leaving poor Lani so steaming mad that the snow around her actually melted a little.

"SHUT UP!!" she screamed. "So what if that's my name?! My father gave me that name! You gotta problem with that?!"

"No!" snickered everyone, though they tried hard not to. "No! It's a… it's a… very… beautiful… name! …HAAA HAHAHAHAHA!!!"

"Ohh, Lady Beatriiiiiiiiiix!!!" Poor Lani pouted and whined, and Beatrix, ever sympathetic, groaned and snapped at everyone to behave themselves. They all straightened up and sobered, and not a trace of a smile was on anyone's face, save Freya's and Fratley's.

"Reimilani Hrist Ravenstone is a very beautiful name, Dame Lani," he said as he smiled warmly. "It is a name of great grace and beauty. It suits you well. Your father must have been a very noble man." Lani smiled warmly at the Burmecian, who (for all records) seemed to be very serious and genuine. She waved at him and gave him an honorable thanks, then dismissed herself from Beatrix's presence. It was later rumored, once the former General left, that Lani could be seen modeling Beatrix's uniform around the kingdom, but nobody could really guarantee that since she was unrecognizable in the garments.

Finally, Beatrix walked towards Steiner, who looked like he didn't know how he was going to say farewell. The two of them had obviously drawn very close in the years since they first met each other, and Beatrix's additional years serving the kingdom had only helped to draw them even closer together. The poor guy fumbled for what to say, and as usual, Beatrix's smile calmed him down. She only had one real thing to say to him, but that was enough.

"I think I'm going to miss you more than anybody, Adelbert." She smiled, then suddenly drew in to kiss him full on the mouth. Everybody's eyes widened in surprise, especially Steiner's, and somebody whistled. Another person shouted "It's about time!", and Beatrix released her smooch to give him a loving smile. Poor loveable Steiner was frozen in place, though there was no doubt that he had enjoyed it. With a satisfied grin, Beatrix turned away and joined her Burmecian friends.

"Lady Beatrix!" called the knight suddenly. She turned around to see what he wanted. "Write me sometime!"

"Don't push your luck, Bert!" she called back. Steiner chuckled out loud, and raised his sword in a final farewell. The Pluto Knights and the Alexandrian guard did likewise (as did Lani), and everybody smiled warmly as Beatrix hopped up on her horse. For awhile, she took in a few last glimpses of the kingdom, of the land she had lived in and served for so many years, and to friends she had known and loved, and to the sky and the ground, and the smell and the feel…

"Beatrix? Beatrix?" Freya's voice jarred her thoughts, and with a smile, Beatrix looked back at the kingdom for one last time.

"Just memorizing every detail," she said. "I don't know how I'm going to say goodbye."

"Long farewells never were necessary," advised Fratley. "Perhaps a revered silence would be the best form of farewell." Beatrix gave him a smile, and turned to look at Alexandria one last time. She raised her hand in a final farewell, and stirred her horse to gallop away.

"Okay, let's go!" And with that, three warriors and friends rose away into the distance, away from one life and into the next. The air was cold and breezy, and a feeling of renewal washed over their bodies and souls as they rode away, off into the sunset together.

--------------------

How does one best describe the feeling of complete freedom? Or is it even possible? One can try. Lady Beatrix, formerly of Alexandria, swore that she felt as free as the wind as she rode her steed down the snowy plains of the world, across vast landscapes of wild grassy plains and over majestic frozen hills. The snow fell into her face as her ride guided her into the unknown--into the unknown future, into a life and destiny that would be forever hers to mold as she saw fit. She tried to think of a good way to describe how she felt at that moment, and "free" seemed best.

There were no more restraints keeping her anywhere--that was a good way to put it. She had been released of any chains, freed from their enormous weight upon her limbs. There was not an ever-present eye watching her and willing her to do things--from that day forward, she did as she saw fit. She experienced freedom as her ride guided itself across the plains, and the only thing that led her was her own heart. That, she figured, was what freedom was: letting her heart be her guide and nothing more.

Two faithful friends, the dragoons Fratley and Freya, accompanied her into this new life. They were as dear as heartbeats, refusing to let their beloved ex-General venture into the unknown on her own. Truth be told, Beatrix was actually rather frightened and unsure about leaving the kingdom. She had told Freya on many occasions that she did not take a change well, and she had been the one who insisted upon leaving, so one could only imagine how she was feeling now. The cold weather, with the falling snow and the shredding wind, disabled any of the three from conversing amongst themselves for quite awhile.

Freya didn't know where her friend was heading, nor if she ever intended to stop riding. Beatrix had planned up to this very moment, and now that they were all free and a good distance away from the kingdom, Freya had to know if her friend had any destination in mind. They certainly couldn't live out in the wild, and unless Beatrix had an infinite supply of Tents with her, they would all have to find a place to stay--at least for a few months, until the lady truly decided what she wanted to do with her life.

For the moment, Beatrix seemed content to just ride away, despite how cold it was. The sun was out and bright, giving the world plenty of illumination as it shined down upon the freezing wintry world. There were patches of snow and ice to be seen as the trio galloped down the fields, and they glimmered back a blinding glow as the light touched them. There was not much green in the world, except for a very distant grove of pine trees that stood out like a tiny dot in the horizon. The world was in winter, in sleep--it had earned the sleep, after soaking in so much blood from the previous struggles.

After riding aimlessly for an hour or so, Freya wished to have a talk with her friend. Beatrix didn't seem to know where she was going, and Freya was okay with the mass amounts of freedom she was now experiencing, but they needed a place to aim for. It was cold and the dragoons' furry coverings would only last so long; Beatrix had on a heavy coat, but even she would freeze eventually. Since neither dragoon wanted to remain out in the cold for very long, they both decided to ask Beatrix where they were headed. Freya had to guide her steed over and intercept her friend in order to gain her attention.

"Sorry," she apologized, "but we need to have a talk. Now all this riding is well and good, but do you have anywhere in mind, Trixie-dear? Or are we just going to ride until our tails freeze?" Beatrix gave her longtime friend an empty gaze, almost as if she had never considered a destination.

"I, uh, well, ummm…"

"You did have somewhere in mind where you wanted to go?" asked Freya. Beatrix frowned and genuinely gave it a thought. "…No? Don't tell me that--"

"Actually," interrupted the older woman, "now that you mention it, I think I said that I wanted to go to Burmecia. Not to live in, just… to check up on the place. I want to see how it's improved since I liberated it. But if either one of you object to it…"

"I've got no problems," said Freya with a shrug. "I've learned to put the past behind me. If you want to sojourn to Burmecia, then it is there that we shall head. Any objections, Fratty?" The only male of the group paused and gave it a thought.

"No, none. As a matter of fact, I've always had this burning desire to go return to the old kingdom. I haven't been there since that awful attack, but it seems like a lifetime ago. I'd… love to see it again…" Freya smiled at her husband, gave Beatrix a nod, and since she knew the way best, she led the entourage towards the city of eternal rain--or, in this case, eternal snow.

The trip through Gizamaluke's Grotto was a bit painful for Freya. Even now, so many ages after her disastrous visit there, she still bore memories of many of her friends being killed as the heartless black mages stormed through the area. Burmecia, and Cleyra after it, had both been used as mere stepping-stools for Brahne's evil campaign. Beatrix had been part of that campaign once, and she shuddered as well as images of innocent people being slaughtered entered her mind.

She had been responsible for many of those deaths… So many of those deaths… The lady would have broken down and shed quiet tears if she didn't receive hands of support from one of her two friends.

"Are you all right?" asked Fratley as he gave her a smile. Beatrix visibly shivered, and shook her head. Poor Fratley had not been subjected to the horrors of the long-gone campaign, and thus he was largely unaware of Beatrix's involvement. He had been told bits and pieces from the two ladies and a few others, but some thought that it was best he was left in the dark.

"…I can't help but feel terrible for what I did," she whispered. Fratley kept his smile and patted her shoulders.

"But that was an ancient sin committed by a woman General named Beatrix de Alexandria. You are neither a criminal nor a General, nor even a resident of Alexandria. You are simply Beatrix, our dear friend, who we both love quite well." The woman gave her one-time rival a warm smile, and thanked him for his support. Suddenly, as the trio wandered through the caverns, she stopped herself as a thought came to mind.

"You know," she said, "now that I'm not living in Alexandria anymore, I really can't be called de Alexandria now, can I?"

"It seems like another freedom that you've been given," remarked Freya. "you're right. You really can't have that name anymore. Do you remember your family's name?"

"Not for the life of me," grunted the former knight. "I think it started with a B, or maybe it was a D… No, I can't remember my family's name. Freya, that was almost twenty-five years ago! I can't remember that far back!" She let out a sigh, and rested on a nearby crate that had been left over from the black mage invasion. Freya remained standing, and pondered over the infernal situation. Beatrix was freed, no longer a citizen of Alexandria. She needed a new identity to completely start her new life, but what could she be called…?

"…I have an idea," said Fratley after a pause. He looked back and forth between the two women and smiled. "The two of you say you are like sisters, right?"

"…Yes…"

"Then you can simply call yourself 'Lady Beatrix Francine Crescent', and be adopted into Freya's family as her 'sister'. What do you think? Do you like it?" Beatrix couldn't help but smile broadly as Fratley made the suggestion, and a look from Freya's emerald eyes told the lady that it would be a very sentimental gesture.

"Could I do that?" she asked. Fratley gave her a shrug.

"I don't see why not. Do you have any other options?" Beatrix did not, and so she smiled and approached the woman she considered a sister.

"It sounds a bit odd," remarked the Burmecian woman, "but I like it. But next thing you'll have us doing is having 'family reunions' and all the other confusion of nieces and nephews. What do you think would happen if any future children of mine, or yours, asks why their auntie looks different from them?"

"We'll just tell them the truth!" exclaimed Beatrix with a smile. "Now are you going to adopt me into your family or not?" Freya gave her oldest friend a loving smile, and used her spear to cut a thin slice in her palm. Beatrix did the same, and the two sealed their new "union" with a blood pact.

"Of course," replied Freya with a smile of her own. Their hands clasped for a good while, letting the blood mix and churn until it had passed through their palms. They then gave each other a hug--and later, once they reached the pool of Gizamaluke, there was much washing and scrubbing and healing of the cuts.

"You are now Beatrix Crescent," noted Freya wryly as she cleaned her wound. "How does it feel?" Beatrix grinned, and laughed out loud as she washed her own hand.

"Pretty good, actually. I never thought that you and I would be real sisters," she remarked. Looking over at an amused Fratley, she added, "I guess that makes you my brother-in-law."

"I guess it does," he shrugged.

-----

The world that awaited the trio once they stepped outside of the Grotto was one of unimaginable wonder. There was a magnificent chain of mighty mountains that greeted them first, each one was tall and proud and shining as a sentinel. Their snowy peaks sang out to them; their blue foothills quivered in the soft chilly breeze. The clouds above were a gorgeous silvery color, with painted streaks of blue and gold etched in to make the scene heavenly. A thousand shafts of light, some so bright and wide that they might have been indicating some spectacular miracle, poked out from behind the clouds to shine down upon the cold day. The grass beneath them, full and rich and impervious to the cold of winter, waved fiercely as the wind picked up, and where there was no mountains to obscure the view, the hills and plains rolled on forever until they were lost in the distance.

Both Freya and Fratley took a deep, relieved breath--not only because they were leaving the dank caves of Gizamaluke, but also because they were now in the place where they had been born--and because the scenery was just so breathtaking. The sky, especially, was a sight to behold, exploding into rich colors of clouds and lights. Beatrix smiled as they drank in the day, and the trio rested from their travels for a few minutes before continuing.

They passed a Qu marsh, and fond memories of Dr. Quban entered into Beatrix's mind. She recalled being saved by the kind Qu some time ago, after her one-woman liberation of Burmecia. That battle had been one of her hardest, and she had desperately needed the skills of a talented doctor to heal her up. Dr. Quban was not the world's best, but for a Qu, s/he was quite talented. Freya and Fratley were not so intimately-involved with the bloated being, and passed by the marsh wondering why Beatrix looked so bright. They just figured it was relief at being so free.

After the marsh, the three came upon the boundaries of Burmecia, the city that had suffered through one war right after the other. Freya and Fratley had been the last two dragoons that defended that kingdom from invaders, and both had nearly died in the effort (Fratley practically did perish, though once again, it was Dr. Quban who saved him). The city still looked to be in ruins, although the everlasting rain (or snow, in this case) had covered the city in a beautiful blanket of white, making it look less haunting.

Freya and Fratley paused, and stared at the kingdom where they had spent their lives.

"You don't have to come," said Beatrix gently. "I really just wanted to stop on by here briefly, and see how it was holding up. I really won't even be gone that long--maybe half an hour. You two can find somewhere to rest if you need to."

"No, that won't be necessary," said Freya quietly. "I'm willing to go back one last time. But by God, it's haunting! Burmecia… has changed so much since the days of my youth! I remember when it was a sprawling city, filled with my kin! I could look up and see the rain soak my face from the sky, and I remembered leaving it to search for Fratley. Hahaha… it seems that every time I try to come back, I'm always pushed away."

"But you also said that this place was not your true home," noted Beatrix. Freya smiled and nodded her head, and quietly led the way into the snowy city. Fratley followed, his own face aghast at what he was seeing. Beatrix tried to remain as stoic as possible, but even she was amazed at how much the place had changed.

The funny thing was, though, the place had changed for the better.

Burmecia had almost completely changed since any of the three companions had last seen it. Beatrix and Freya remembered it to be a city in ruins, and Fratley swore it was hardly ever lively, but as they looked at the city, their beliefs were questioned. Dozens, perhaps hundreds of humanoid rats and mice were scurrying around the city, performing a million jobs and working feverishly to restore the city to its former glory. There were people operating primitive craned and levies; people carved wood and stone, or recycled the ruined pieces into smaller uses. There were carpenters fixing houses, janitors cleaning up the messes, shovelers clearing out the snow, cooks feeding the workers, organizers directing the mayhem, and contractors raising roofs and building houses.

It was chaos, beautiful chaos, and for the longest time, not one of the three knew what to say. They each shed a tear that froze as it fell to the ground, too happy to speak.

"How did this happen?" squeaked Freya. "I… I thought… The small refugees, and Fratley and I, were the last of our kind… But, how…"

"I guess we were wrong," assumed Beatrix. "The sheer number of people here is staggering! I don't think there were half this many when Brahne and I invaded! I have to admit, I don't know how this is possible!" Standing out in the entrance of the city, the three friends gaped at the activity for a good while before Fratley got an idea.

"Let's have a look around," he suggested. "Maybe we can inquire about all this to somebody in charge." The ladies agreed, and the three of them entered into Burmecia, plodding through snow and being greeted by their enthusiastic kin. Beatrix saw quite a bit of humans in the mix, as well as a few other species, like the Qu and the humanoid owl (in which category Dr. Tot belonged in), and let out an especially broad smile as she recognized one particular human woman in the mix.

Slowly, Beatrix approached her and the Burmecian male she worked alongside with. The girl was moderately tall and somewhat lean, and had long honey-gold hair flowing down her back. She had on a heavy winter coat and white earmuffs, but there was no mistaking the woman once she turned her back. With the telltale dark glasses and the ever-present walking stick, Beatrix could recognize her instantly.

"Why, if it isn't lady Cassandra!" she exclaimed. The blonde woman turned to face the former General and gave the woman a beautiful bright smile. Indeed, it was Cassandra, the mysterious young blind woman who had arrived in Alexandria to foretell of the invasion by Vikar Iudicium. With her was her ever-present aide Morris, and a few others Beatrix didn't know.

"Lady Beatrix!" exclaimed Cassandra, and she leaned forward to give the elder lady a hug. Beatrix returned it gladly and, even though the other woman would not see it, she gave her a smile.

"My dear lady Cassandra! What in the world are you doing here? You vanished from the kingdom so suddenly that I was afraid that something bad happened to you!"

"Oh, I'm sorry to worry you!" exclaimed Cassandra, keeping that bright smile on her face. "I really just felt like I overstayed my welcome in Alexandria, so I went with Morris and a few others to rebuild Burmecia! I knew that after all the fighting was over, there would be a need for people to rebuild what was lost, and…… guess who volunteered!!" Beatrix's smile increased, but she had a reason to. Cassandra hardly ever seemed jovial or bright during her stay in the kingdom, and to see her acting so chipper and upbeat was a welcome sign.

"So that's what happened…" Beatrix gave the young lady a smile, and let out an involuntary shiver. Cassandra sensed it, smiled, and apologized for keeping them outside.

"I'm such a fool… Morris, would you please lead us all inside? I think we're all ready for a break anyway. The fire will do us all good."

"I agree," said the young Burmecian, and he eagerly led Cassandra, Beatrix, Freya, and Fratley inside the nearest building. A great roaring fire warmed the bodies of several other workers who had came in from the cold, and Morris dismissed them all as he came bounding in.

"Away with ye, lazy rats!" he shouted. "You've been in here long enough! Break time's over! Go help Shotel shovel the snow!" The older workers grumbled, but left the party of five to their privacy and left the building. Morris gave them a smile and offered seats, and Cassandra thanked him for his dutiful work. Freya and Fratley both took a good look at the young man, and inquired about him.

"As you might know, this is the young man who was assigned to be my aide," said Cassandra as she made introductions. "His name is Morrison Daily Feena, an orphan of the struggle against Brahne. He and I met when I was…… well… let us say, when I was 'lost' in the world, and we have been together ever since. Lady Beatrix, Lady Freya, I don't know who this third person is. Would I know him?"

"Perhaps," replied Fratley. "I am Fratley Irontail, a former dragoon serving under the King of this land. I am Freya's husband, and as of late, I have become Beatrix's brother-in-law."

"Brother-in-law?" mimed Cassandra in confusion. "But… I was told that Freya was Burmecian, and Beatrix an Alexandrian! How can they be sisters…?"

"It's a long story," replied Freya with a smile. "Just accept that we're family now."

"I see…" Cassandra paused, and carefully reached over to grab a cup of hot cocoa that had been placed on a nearby table. She drank carefully, and placed the cup back after a moment. "Burmecia has suffered many scars," she continued in a more serious voice--the one that Beatrix had gotten used to hearing. "I can feel the torment of those slain in the past. There have been many enemies of this land… but… I sense that many of them are no longer walking the earth. For that, I am thankful.

"This town deserves peace and health and good years, just as any other town that has suffered through war. It is a blessing that I cannot look upon such terrors, and a curse that I may never be able to see the joy that has been pulled out from the ashes. I feel……" The young lady paused, shifted in her seat, and smiled. A look of relief washed over her face, and she continued.

"…I feel as if I can finally rest here," she said gently. "I have found purpose in rebuilding Burmecia. There is much a woman like myself can do, even with this blindness, and as long as I have purpose and I am at peace, then I can ask for nothing else."

"Finding purpose……" Freya muttered out the statement, paused, thought, and muttered out a second. "…And being at peace…"

"It is all I need to be happy," replied Cassandra with a gentle smile. She suddenly blushed, grinned, and looked over in Morris' direction. She didn't have her dark glasses on, so her golden eyes shined warmly. "Morris and I… well… you could say that we are more than good friends now…" Fratley tried for a smile, but until the young Burmecian elaborated, he didn't know what they meant.

"I proposed to her a month ago," said Morris sheepishly as his hand went to Cassandra's. "She accepted quite gladly. A human/Burmecian marriage is slightly rare, but these days, it's becoming a little more common. But I don't care; I want to be with Cassandra for the rest of my days, helping her out and loving her as much as I am able. She deserves it all." The blonde grinned in embarrassment, and tried to squeal her way out of being in the spotlight. Fratley, however, just plain grinned.

"Well then, congratulations for you both. But tell me, Lady Cassie, what sort of connection did you have in Alexandria? I'm afraid I never got a chance to communicate with you."

"That's right," she agreed. "Well, to put it simply, I… uhh… 'predicted' a few future outcomes for the kingdom. I was a kind of soothsayer, I guess you could say, and I suppose it was my visions that helped the kingdom endure through the battles with Iudicium. Oh, speaking of which, how is the Queen? I have not received word about the results of the fight, and I'm afraid my psychic powers don't tell me all." Beatrix and Freya paused nervously, but told the young woman the kingdom's fate.

"…Queen Garnet has recovered from her mutilation," reported Beatrix. "She seemed to be faring well the last time I checked. She was also expecting to have a baby in nine or so months, so I would guess that her health has returned."

"I see."

"The entire kingdom is peaceful and happy again," said Freya. "There is no cause to worry. Why else do you think the three of us are here now?" Cassandra grinned, chuckled a little, and nodded her head.

"Right, right, I see. You…… wanted to be freed from your old life, but you couldn't do it while you still had obligations. I see…" The young woman trailed off and didn't talk for awhile, which she was prone to do. If anyone had a good reason to sit down and think, it would have been Cassandra.

"…Tell me something," said Fratley, breaking the silence. "How is it that so many of my fellow people have assembled here? I thought that the last of them died out in the latest invasion."

"There were many refugees that fled after Brahne attacked," explained Cassandra. "And many more who did not even live in either city. I would estimate that yes, probably half the population of your people is gone, but the other half remains, having been elsewhere when the holocausts occurred. I wish there was a more miraculous way of explaining it, but there's not."

"And you have to remember," noted Morris, "we Burmecians and Cleyrans can produce very quickly. Our gestation period is not nearly as long as a human's, so we'd be able to replace all who fell in a matter of a year, at the most."

"(It's a wonder you haven't overrun the planet, then,)" murmured Beatrix to herself. Cassandra looked over at her and gave her a look.

"Hm? What's that?"

"…Nothing, dear," smiled the ex-General. "Just wind. Don't mind it." Cassandra slowly nodded her head, finished her cocoa, and asked if there was anything else she could do for the wandering trio.

"As long as this city is being loved, populated, and cherished, then nothing else will make me happy," responded Freya. "If Burmecia is in peace, then I am content."

"Then you will be returning to your homeland?"

"No, I'm sorry. Our destination is elsewhere. We merely stopped here first because we wanted to see it one last time. Well, maybe not last. Now that you're here, helping rebuild the place, I'm sure you'll see more of us."

"I'd like that," said Cassandra with a smile. Fratley gave her a smile and a salute before standing.

"And who knows?" he said. "We may come and visit you if the two of you ever have kids!"

"Fratley!" The loveable dragoon chuckled and grinned, first kissing Freya then giving Beatrix an innocent, gregarious stare. She sighed at him, very much tempted to slug him for his comment, and excused herself from the room.

"We really must be going now," she said as she bowed to the blonde. "Though I don't know where, I'm sure I'll find something."

"Perhaps I can be of some help," offered Cassandra. The three travelers became silent and paid her their attention. "You see, before I moved into this city, I lived in a small wooden cottage a few miles away. It should still have a few furnishings left over. It's near Lindblum, somewhere after you leave the Grotto, and it will have a red roof on it. Do you need a guide there?" Beatrix smiled, and mentally tried to write down the location of the cottage.

"I think we can find it. It's not that cold out there. But are you sure it's all right if we take it?"

"I sure won't need it," said Cassandra with a grin. Morris smiled as well, knowing what she meant to a good extent, and gave them permission to use the cottage. Freya, Beatrix, and Fratley all gave their generous hostess a warm smile, thanked her for her hospitality, and bade her a very fond (and hopefully very temporary) farewell. Cassandra smiled all the way as they left, and let out a sigh as she placed her empty gaze upon her fiancé.

"Whew!"

"Tired, milady?"

"No… Just… glad to see that I am not the only one who is happy."

"I see. Come on, let's get back to work. Burmecia won't build itself." She grinned, and eagerly joined him in recreating the magnificent city of eternal rain--and snow.

-----

The three friends wisely rented a trio of chocobos that would take them back to the Grotto, once they refreshed themselves and packed up some food. The return journey was much more enjoyable, but not a degree warmer outside. The weather was still a freezing one, with plenty of snow that fell even as they all sprinted away from the city. Leaving Burmecia behind no longer felt so depressing and melancholy. With a trusted ally like Cassandra watching over the place, the once-proud city would find itself thriving again. For that, Freya and Fratley were happy.

After clearing the Grotto, the trio on chocobos looked around for the cottage that Cassandra had mentioned. Something with a red roof on it would have stood out very well in a world full of white, and after an hour of riding around searching for the place, Freya and Fratley found it nestled nest to a frozen river. The door was locked, of course, but Beatrix had been given the key, and in no time at all, the three friends released their chocobos and entered into their new home.

Surprisingly, Cassandra had kept most of the place well-furnished. Freya later theorized that it had been the girl's psychic powers that told her to keep the place livable, for just such an occasion, so it was a very welcome sight to come into a house with furniture and decorations still around. The inside of the cottage was very quaint and lovable, and the three instantly found themselves liking it.

When they came into a door, they could see a stone chimney in the right side of the room, and a furnace just waiting for a few logs to burn. A tiny stack of firewood, slightly old but still flammable, rested quietly at the side of the chimney, so Fratley volunteered to stoke a fire. There was also a nice velvet rug on the wooden floor, and a great big comfortable chair that could almost fit two. A room that led into the small kitchen could be seen from the door, and to the far right was a hallway that must've led to the bedrooms.

"It's such a nice place!" exclaimed Freya with a grin. "I really feel at home here. Fratty, dear, let me help you with that. Bea, would you be precious and start a meal, please? You made us such an excellent pancake breakfast that one time that I simply must try out anything else you may have." Beatrix agreed, and the three of them began their new lives together, inside that little cottage, with only each other to rely upon. They had set out into the world together, and they would face the remnants of their life together.

Night, however, was another story.

There were two bedrooms, and they were right next to each other, which might have been good in some situation. The walls were sturdy and thick but certainly not soundproof, and as Freya and Fratley retired for the night, Beatrix gave them both a stern gaze.

"I'm very tired, my friends," she sighed. "I'd really like to get a full night's rest, if I can. Now I don't mind if you play around a little and start to get intimate, but please try not to make too much noise when you're lovemaking."

"Who makes noise?!" wailed Freya. Beatrix gave her friend an irritated look.

"When I stayed over at your house, I could hear you two 'doing it'. It kept me up for hours on end. Don't you realize how loud you can get?"

"Why, I never!!" exclaimed Freya in a shocked voice. "Oh, Trixie, don't be such a big baby! Look, I'm sorry if I ever kept you up, but we hardly make any noise at all!" Beatrix, knowing better than that, gave her friend a dead-tired look.

"…Uh huh. Anyway, please try to keep it down. Please?" Freya gave her a reassuring smile, and placed her hand on her friend's shoulder.

"All right, all right. You know, you're welcome to join us." A pause.

"Get in that room!!" Beatrix shoved poor dear sweet Freya inside, slammed the door, and prayed to the Almighty Creator that she would be given at least a few hours of sleep.

It was going to be a long rest of her life.

--------------------

And so, the days turned into weeks, and the weeks turned into the months. The seasons changed, first enduring the bitter cold of winter before the awakening breath of spring could ever spread across the land. With the new birth of life spreading across the land, things began to look fresh and peaceful and beautiful once again. Spring grew warmer and warmer, until so much time had passed that it began to resemble summer in its first whispers.

The memory of Beatrix, Freya, and Fratley was still on the minds of the people they had known--after all, it is hard to forget a good friend--but while their absence left a small hole in the kingdom, and while they were all missed very much, life just seemed to go on as it always did, even as more than half a year passed by. Things began to resemble normalcy, months after the last war scarred the kingdom. It was nearly healed up completely, with a new populace to replace the old, and new friends to take the position of long-lost comrades.

Zidane and Garnet finally had their child, a young son they named Alex. The young boy was a treasure of the kingdom, one whom people like Steiner, Lani, and Vivi were beginning to like. But as the King and Queen were being swamped by papers and duties, a sitter had to be found for the young boy, so Eiko was called back to the kingdom and was hired to be the boy's nanny. She filled the position well… from time to time.

As for the Vivi army, they continued to live and play in the kingdom without any more cares or worries or thoughts of dread at all. They did not have the troubles that their predecessor had, and were always a bright spot on the kingdom, even as one or two of them "stopped" every so often. Quina, on the other hand, became rich when s/he mass marketed the piece'a to the countries all over the world, and had to sire several chefs in order to meet the worldwide demand.

Dame Lani, now a full-fledged guardian of the king and queen, was still chasing after Blank, and Blank was still trying to run away from the zealous woman. However, the months had shifted Lani from a selfish woman with a loud mouth into a more mature, debonair, sophisticated lady. People predicted that there might come a time when she and Blank would truly get together--or, at best, Lani would find some other poor soul to hook up with--but until that time came, if ever it did, she would be a reliable and formidable force.

Speaking of Tantalus, the group actually became legitimate (to the shock of hundreds) and turned its business from thieving to adventuring and exploration. They donated their skills to the high and might of the world--for a price, of course--and instead of robbing from the rich, they ended up robbing from long-lost temples and civilizations. Cinna, Marcus, Blank, Rubi, Benero, Genero, and Baku spread their talent across the globe, and enlisted literally dozens of others into their group, until it became so large that its original members attained legendary status. However, they all still loved to act.

Every night, if the moon wore a pendant out over the shores of the kingdom, Steiner would continually think of Beatrix, and the lasting gifts that she had given him. He would let out at least one forlorn sigh, but at least he no longer had any more regrets. He had told her the way he felt, thus leaving his heart light and relieved. He would always patrol the kingdom by himself, hoping in futility that one day, the woman he secretly loved would return, and they would be together once again. He could always hope.

Alexandria Kingdom was a prosperous place, a place where people could go to be happy and healthy. It was a place where people could live without troubles, safely protected by the honorable knights that guarded the place. They would have Steiner and Lani to watch over them, as well as Tantalus and the ever-vigilant eyes of the King and Queen--and though it was no guarantee, they might have had the eyes of a certain crimson-haired mercenary who could be seen wandering around Treno every once in awhile.

The food was good because the chef had experienced the taste of the world, and the medical aspects could shine with Doctors Tot and Quban patrolling around. The place was secure and clean thanks to the knights, but it was also a fun place to be with because of the children and the carefree Vivi army. It was a wonderful place to be in, during one of the most wonderful times in history. Beatrix, Freya, and Fratley had left the kingdom in good hands. Though some still lamented their loss, everyone believed that things had worked out for the best.

----------

Humming a happy tune to herself, Eiko Carol bounced a ball towards young Alex Alexandros. The baby boy caught it and sucked on the rubber ball, drooling all over it like a puppy would. Eiko smiled and scooted closer so she could wrestle it away, and cringed slightly at the saliva painted all over it. Luckily, her handy-dandy handkerchief could clean the mess up.

"Is Alex hungry?" she cooed. "Does Alex want some milk?" The baby smiled at her innocently, its brown eyes sparkling with the infinite naïveté of an infant, and gurgled something out. The young child greatly resembled his mother, from the dark wisp of hair that barely clung to his bald head, and the soft brown eyes he had, right down to the smile on his face. He was going to make a lot of women swoon when he grew up, but for now, Eiko was the one he loved the most. Garnet herself loved taking care of her son, whenever she was not working, and Zidane made a surprisingly good father.

"You want some food?" asked Eiko as she hoisted the baby upon her shoulders. "Okay… I'll go see if Quina has anything. You just hang on, okay?" The baby smiled and giggled as she skipped towards the kitchen with it riding on her like she was a chocobo. Inside the kitchen, Quina was busy making more piece'as, some with toppings so bizarre that only Steiner could come up with them. Silently, Eiko tugged on Quina's shirt and gained the Qu's attention.

"Yo, Quina!" she shouted. "Little Al's hungry! Ya got anything for him to chow on?"

"What I look like, food dispenser?" boomed Quina as s/he turned around. The Qu hopped in the air, making Alex laugh at the funny action. "I not have much food! I hungry too, but I never take my own food! Go look someplace else!"

"But this is a kitchen!" spat Eiko in disbelief. "Where else am I supposed to find some food? If I can't find something to eat in a kitchen, then there's something really wrong going on around here!"

"I know, I know…" sighed Quina. "But we only have supplies for piece'a here. Look elsewhere. Maybe you find bottle of milk or applesauce."

"Kay'." Eiko nodded her head and trotted along through the kitchen until she found the room that was keeping bottles of warm milk for Alex. With a declaration of "Aha!", she plucked one from the shelf and began to feed the baby. Alex sucked the bottle dry, amazing Eiko somewhat.

"Wow! Jeez, kid! You sure do take after your father!" Eiko grinned at the baby as it drank, and delicately caressed its soft face with her hand. She loved the kid a lot, and found it a pleasure to be his nanny. Madain Sari was guarded by the moogles and a few knights of Lindblum, so she could spend as much time in the kingdom as she needed. Eiko had little use for money, and since she loved taking care of and playing with little Alex, she did it all for free.

After feeding the kid, she carried him back up to his room, since his activities were slowing down. It was around his naptime, and she was getting a bit tired herself. After briefly stopping to burp him, she hoisted the baby up the stairs that led to his room, and gently carried him inside. Slowly, she placed the baby in the cradle, but the second he was set down, his sparkling eyes opened once again and he smiled.

"Oh, poo!" she cursed. "Awake again? What's it take to get you to sleep??"

"Ba ba!" replied Alex. Eiko blew some air out, flipping her long bluish bangs aside, and turned around in search of a toy. She plucked a cute stuffed chocobo from the floor and gave it to the young prince.

"You wanna sleep with Boco?" she asked. The baby brandished poor stuffed Boco around mindlessly, slamming it up against the crib more than a few times.

"Bo bo! Mo mo ma ma mo ba bo!"

"Well at least you make more sense than most of these people around here," she murmured. Sighing again, Eiko went in search for a few more dolls, and presented them to the baby (some of which Zidane had owned--and still technically owned even now). She gave a cactrot, a moogle, an onion knight, a Cait Sith, a Moomba, and a pupu doll to the baby, who was by now nearly suffocated with adorable plushies. The baby mumbled something from behind the mound, and Eiko giggled as she removed some of the toys.

"Sorry," she smiled. "You wanna sleep with them all?" The baby made a sound which Eiko interpreted as a yes, and so she covered the child with another blanket though the weather was now warm. She then plucked out a short storybook, and began to read it to the young sprout.

"'Once upon a time, Boco was out walking along the road. It was a sunny day, and everything was looking very nice. Suddenly, he accidentally bumped into a cute little moogle that had been sitting on the road! "Oh, I'm sorry I bumped into you," said Boco. "Are you hurt?" "Yes," replied the moogle in a squeaky voice, "but you didn't hurt me. I stubbed my toe while I was skipping across the trail, and I was trying to make it better when you came along."'

"'"Gosh, that sounds awful!" exclaimed Boco. "Do you want to ride on my back? I can take you to see Dr. Cactrot. He will make you feel better!" The moogle liked this idea, and so he jumped on Boco and rode him all the way to Dr. Cactrot's house in the country. When Boco and the moogle got there, they both knocked on the door, and the doctor let them inside…'"

Eiko quietly stopped reading, and smiled lovingly as she saw baby Alex asleep. With a quiet kiss, she bade him goodnight and crept out of the room. Once she felt she was a good distance away, she let out a sigh of great relief.

"Whew! That kid's a handful! But he sure is cute! I'll bet he's gonna become a real lady-killer like his old man!" With a smile, the perpetually-perky Eiko strolled away from the baby's room and back into her own, for a few well-deserved moments of rest.

-----

Steiner had seen the whole thing, and couldn't help but smile at how close Eiko was with the little baby. He let out another one of his forlorn sighs, and turned back to attend to his duties. He had somehow continued to go on without Beatrix--after all, the kingdom was one of his loves--but he did not think he would be able to find anyone else who could know him and care for him just as much as she did. He was at least glad that he had admitted his feelings for her, and she had done the same to him, so there really was not much to be sad about.

Except……… he missed her.

"Oh well," he sighed to himself as he lumbered off to the town. "Things like this happen. I'm sure everything will work out all right in the end." He sniffled, and stepped onto the boat as it made its regular journey from castle to town. Poor Steiner thought of Beatrix more than he should have, but nobody blamed the armored guy. His Pluto Knights were fanatical about the pairing, and sometimes went to great lengths to see the two of them alone somewhere (Steiner still vaguely remembered the time when they all spied on him). At first glance, the coupling was a strange one, but that was because only a few people knew just how connected the two knights were.

With thoughts of Beatrix still tickling his mind--and thoughts of piece'a tickling his nose--Steiner marched into the kingdom for his usual inspection. There was very little use for a soldier like him in a peaceful world, but if he felt that things were truly quiet, he would have retired as well and probably would have joined Beatrix in freedom and isolation. But he felt he still had a job to do, so he went into the town and had a look around.

Alexandria Town was as peaceful as towns got. It didn't matter that the last war had ended almost a year ago; it was still a thriving, active town, with little or no malice to stain its name. Steiner got lost in the crowds as he stood there a head above everybody else, and crossed his arms impatiently. There didn't seem to be any crimes going on, or any disturbances, or any thieves--or for that matter, any thing. The day was good and pure, with people crowding the streets as always. Even during market hours, things were good and reasonably calm, and Steiner muttered to himself as he realized that he would not find anything amiss.

Somehow, the big guy managed to squeeze through the crowds, even with his bulky armor on. He wanted to check up with the gate guards, and then he would patrol around the entire town a few times before returning to the castle for lunch. His days were banal with routines, but it was the life he loved. When he came to the gate, however, something very out of the ordinary was there to greet him.

Ronnie and Clarice, the gate guards, stood at attention as Steiner approached them. In between the two women was a tall man, an imposing sucker who even dwarfed Steiner. He was a muscular and slick dude, coming in from the plains like the wind, and leaving just as quickly and quietly as he had entered. He had pale-blue skin, and a huge shaggy mop of red hair that surrounded his head. Steiner recognized him instantly, even though he had not seen the man in some time. With his arms crossed, Steiner let out a huff and addressed the man known as Amarant Coral.

"I should have known it was you," he stated. "You just can't seem to stay away from this kingdom! So, what breeze blew you in here today?"

"The breeze that blows quietest, and strikes swiftest," answered Amarant as he crossed his arms. Steiner grumbled and asked him once again, this time hugging the hilt of his sword with his fingers.

"Make some sense, won't you? As I recall, you don't usually come here nowadays unless there's some crisis going on!"

"Yup." Silence.

"But there couldn't possibly be anything going on now!" insisted Steiner with a shake of his hands. "This land has been peaceful for almost a year now!"

"Not a long time, is it?" asked the former assassin. "Heh… I know something you don't."

"Well, isn't that always the case!" retorted Steiner. "Listen, you! You had better tell me what is going on, or else I'll--"

"You'll what?" snorted Amarant as he leaned up against the gate. "Gonna kill me, or arrest me? Oh no, I'd better look out. Hey, tin man, if you do anything rash, your king and queen won't be able to hear what I have to say."

"They will if you tell me!" he replied. "Now please--tell me why you are here. I doubt it is a social call."

"You really want to know?" asked Amarant lazily. Poor Steiner nearly had a spasm as he heard the brash remark.

"Why you--! If I--! Ick! It! I! ……Of course, you imbecile!! What kind of a fool do you take me for?" Amarant paused, and gazed down at Steiner coolly as a smile threatened to ruin his tough mystique.

"Now you don't really want me to answer that question, do you?"

"Why you--"

"Just answer the poor man, red," sighed Lani, who had somehow been within eavesdropping range the whole time. "Steiner's got it bad enough. His sweet honey of a General left him all alone, so it's no wonder he's moody. Go easy on the poor guy, will ya?" Lani turned her head and gazed at her former ally softly, like it was a whole other person behind those eyes and not the rabid woman of yore. Amarant shifted uncomfortably, and drew in a deep breath as he apologized.

"Well, all right. Sorry, Sir Rust-A-Lot. You just make it too easy for me to have fun with you. But if you want the message, I guess I can give it to you."

"Thank you!" exclaimed Steiner. "Now, if you please…?"

"Right, right… Okay, brace yourself, here it comes…" Amarant paused for dramatic effect, and told Steiner and Lani the information he knew.

----------

"Not again!!"

"Fraid' so," shrugged Amarant. Queen Garnet shook her head, her prosthetic mechanical left hand barely clutching onto her weary brow. She was tired enough as it was; she didn't need this new information.

"…You're sure of this?" she asked. Amarant crossed his arms and nodded his head.

"Yup. Pretty sure…"

"Another stupid enemy that thinks they can invade the kingdom…" Zidane growled, and matched his wife's look perfectly as he boiled with aggravation. "This is getting annoying! Can't these enemies ever give us a rest??"

"Apparently not," answered Steiner darkly. "I have to wonder where you got that information, though. A large enemy force, heading straight for Alexandria on two fronts? Where might you attain such knowledge, from that Hunter friend of yours? Or Regent Cid? Perhaps that young psychic told you?"

"Nah, it's none'a them," answered the flaming one. "I got it from Treno. Let's just say that there's a good deal of big-mouthed people in that city. Anyway, I figured that I should tell you… cuz', well, I'd have one less employer if I didn't. It's not like I care if you get destroyed or not, but it's bad business to let any kingdom suffer…"

"I'm so glad you think so highly of us," grumbled Garnet, her voice soaking wet with sarcasm. She sighed, wearily. "…Anyway, I guess we should call a fighting force. Everybody knows the drill by now. Salamander, how much would you accept to stay behind and fight?"

"I need 100 Gil for an airship ride back to Treno, and another hundred for a few meals. Throw in 9800 for my services and you have a deal."

"Done. Do what you think will help this kingdom. Lani, you protect the gate, and I'll have Steiner and several of the others protect our shores. I think they'll want to come in from the sea."

"That sounds right," agreed Zidane. "Our navy and airship fleets aren't as good as our military, so the enemy will want to hit us from the waters. But what about--" Garnet suddenly stopped Zidane with a look, a look that told him a thousand things without the use of a single word. She knew what he had almost said.

"They are no longer part of this kingdom," said Garnet eventually. "They are living their own lives. They are no longer obligated to help. In fact, I wish that they would not. They have earned this rest, don't you think?"

"…Yeah," he sighed after a pause. "I see your point. Okay, I'm sorry. Anyway, we need to call Lindblum for air support, since the enemy might attack from above. Can somebody summon Moguo?"

"I'll do it!" shouted a page. He scurried off to call the world's fastest moogle; in the meantime, the king and queen prepared to defend their kingdom yet again. They gave orders left and right, organizing their troops quickly and quietly while telling several messengers to get all the civilians indoors. It was impressive the way the two young people controlled the kingdom, but after their experiences with Kuja, Ignus, and Iudicium, this next threat would be an easy one. As they gathered their forces and prepared their defenses, however, Amarant quietly slipped away…

"…Did you get all that?"

"Kupo! Sure did, kupo. A request to Lindblum for air support, right?"

"And what else did I tell you?" Moguo paused briefly and tried recalling what the very tall, red-haired man had told him.

"Oh yeah!" he exclaimed. "You want me to find the dragoons and the former General, right? And relay the message to them, right?"

"You got it," whispered the man. "Right… now go. I dunno, but I think we might need their help."

"You sure that's a wise idea, kupo?" asked Moguo. "I mean, they're all living happily, kupo. They're not a part of this kingdom anymore. Do you really think they'll come to help, kupo?" Salamander shrugged.

"I dunno. That'll be up to them. Either way, we'll see. Now hurry; we're losing time."

"Right! I'm on my way, kupo!" Moguo saluted the flaming one, and scurried off into the distance to relay the two messages. Secretly, Amarant smiled to himself as the moogle sprinted away. Sometimes--not often, but sometimes--he could do something selfless. The fate of the kingdom was in his hands once again, and this was one of those defining moments that would test the fate of everybody--including three old friends who had been given permission to live out their own lives, without the need of fate or destiny.

"We'll just see what happens," murmured Amarant quietly to himself. "You've already been on the road for a long time, but I have a feeling that your journey has just begun…"

--------------------

In the gentle quiet of the morning, there was an enjoyable silence that filled the air. The warmth of an early summer day was slowly reviving the world, bringing into it light and heat and just a tiny bit of love. There was a carefree feeling in the fragrant air, mixed in with marigolds and sunflowers and goldenrods strewn across a meadow. The delicious scent of dew on grass rose up into the air and mixed into the potpourri, and a certain woman let out a quiet yawn as she cuddled up closer to the object she had numbly felt in her sleep. It was just another lazy, hazy morning in the cottage, and all three residents were enjoying it to the fullest. Fratley was out fishing, but the ladies…

Beatrix yawned again, swallowed, and softly opened her eyes. Hazily, she could see the outline of her friend Freya, who was also opening her eyes. Suddenly, the girls snapped awake, and let out a brief shriek as they jerked away from each other. They both fell out of bed and landed with a nasty thump on the floor, which woke them up for good. Both Beatrix and Freya groaned, and nursed their behinds as they stood to formally greet the other.

"Ugh, you startled me," groaned the brunette. "I guess after all these months, I can still have my wits knocked outta me if I wake up to a rat."

"I'm surprised we both screamed out like that," replied the silvery-haired one wearily. "You'd think that after all this time…"

"Yeah," sighed the brunette. She groaned and rubbed both eyes until she could see clearly again. A cursory examination around the room baffled her. "…Huh? How did I end up here? I thought I was sleeping in my room. Ugh, don't tell me I sleepwalk."

"Okay, I won't," shrugged Freya. Beatrix gave her friend a weary look, but tried her best to ignore the comment.

"Things can't stay dull around here," she groaned as she helped Freya tidy up the bed. She asked aloud where Fratley was, but since Freya had just gotten up--with Beatrix to greet her instead of her husband--she didn't know either. Beatrix assumed that the only male among them was out fishing or swimming. By accident, Freya had discovered a nice pond a short walk away from the cabin, and the three friends would often swim there if the weather was good. Beatrix had been naughty and went skinny-dipping at night on more than one occasion, but that was just another benefit of being so free.

The ladies got dressed into casual summer wear, one in white and the other in green, and went out to see where Fratley was. As Beatrix thought, the Burmecian was out by the lake, using his tail as a fishing rod. He had not caught any fish yet, but it didn't look like he intended to. Since his back was to the lake, Fratley had set up a canvas, and was doing a landscape painting while relaxing at the pond. He ceased and waved as his "two favorite ladies" came out, and pulled his appendage out of the water (sans fish) to give them both a hug.

"Hi honey," he said as he gave Freya a kiss. He smiled simply at her, and winked at Beatrix before hugging her as well. "You two ready for another day here?"

"I don't know why we should even prepare," said Freya. "There isn't anything to do, unless you want to use your imagination."

"I feel like riding chocobos," said Beatrix suddenly. Both Burmecians gave their human friend a look, but they thought it was a nice idea, so they agreed. Freya went back to the house for a handful of Gysahl Greens, and went in search of chocobo tracks so she could hunt the noble birds down. One of them was peacefully pecking at the ground in search of insects, but chose to eat the more delectable greens as it saw Freya approach. She came back in a moment, leading the chocobo by a rein. Beatrix thanked her, but asked where the other two were.

"I thought you wanted to ride alone…"

"No, why would I do that?" she said. "…Or do you two not want to come with me."

"I think we'll stay here," said Freya. Beatrix silently nodded her head, and stirred her steed into a steady trot. The lady Beatrix was enjoying her retirement to its utmost, doing everything she had been unable to do while in the service of Alexandria. Some things she did were so strange that even Freya had to question her sanity, and some were so sweet and beautiful that Freya had to wonder why she didn't do any of it before.

I felt like I would be making a fool out of myself, Beatrix had replied. A General does not act that way. I had to be so strict and formal that it drove me insane. Of course, things did change once Garnet was on the throne--and more so when Zidane joined her--but old habits die hard. But now I feel like I can do anything without repercussion.

Even… say, running around in that field completely naked? Freya had said. Beatrix had smiled and nodded her head.

Oh yeah. As a matter of fact, that sounds like a good idea. You wanna join?

…ME??

Sure, why not? Haven't you ever done anything like that before?

Well, I…… No, actually, I haven't.

And… what's stopping you now??

Those had been good times, when the world was in the palm of her hand and anything was possible. There truly was nothing that could stop her; nothing at all, least of all the rules she had to live by back in the kingdom. Beatrix's love of Alexandria was not questioned, but she certainly didn't have the same love for all the rules she had to endure. The transition from General to free wanderer had done her good, and for that, Freya was happy.

"Fratty?" she said as she looked over at him. "Now that we're alone, may I offer you a proposition?"

"You may." She grinned, and took his furry hands into her own.

"Let's do something naughty while Trixie's away!" she squealed. "Let's run around the meadow completely naked, then make love in it!! Come on, what do you say?" Fratley chuckled out loud, his face just slightly flushed from his wife's suggestion, and answered her with a twinkle in his eye.

"I say, last one there's a rotten egg!!"

-----

It had been the good life for many, many, many weeks now. Beatrix continued to muse about Alexandria when she had the time. She would think about Zidane and Garnet, and of Steiner, of course, and the family that had adopted her into their home. She thought of her beloved circus, and where her old friends might have been at that time, and she let pass through her mind the memory of her Master Atma and her first love. She even saw the ghosts of her parents, who had been there for her when Death seemed ready to slam its scythe down into her heart. It had been a good life, but now, a wrench was being thrown into the works.

Fratley, who was relaxing on the slanted roof of the cottage, noticed a tiny trail of dust in the far distance. He squinted at it, and tried to peer as closely as he could at it. The cloud grew and grew as whatever was causing it came closer and closer, and at first, the Burmecian thought it was a storm of some kind. Faintly, in the whispers of the wind, he could hear a familiar cry of "Kupo!", and leaped down from the roof as a speedy moogle came into view.

"What the…" Beatrix and Freya joined Fratley, and stared at the hasty moogle kicking up dust. The little critter finally slowed down once it came within range of the cabin, and collapsed on the ground from sheer exhaustion. Its tiny mouth was wheezing for air, and Fratley rushed to its side to see what was the matter.

"Little moogle, why are you in such a rush?" he asked. "Where are you headed?"

"…Air! Air! …Need… air… kupo!" gasped the poor thing. Fratley understood, and plucked his hat off his head and fanned the creature with it. Beatrix and Freya helped, but it took some time before the moogle had caught enough of his breath to speak.

"Are you okay?" asked Freya. The moogle looked over to her, still out of breath, and tried relaying the message.

"Going… to Lindblum… kupo. Give… message… to Regent… kupo."

"Is something the matter?" The poor moogle drew in a breath, swallowed, and told them all its entire purpose for being there.

"Invasion… Alexandria…… There are enemies… in Alexandria!!"

"Oh, Lord…" Freya softly whispered out in amazement, and covered her mouth as months and months and months of peace and happiness came crashing down upon her. She was catatonic for awhile, but managed to look to Beatrix to see her reaction. The slightly-older woman was emotionless, deep in thought and pondering over things slowly.

"…I see… And you are going to Lindblum to request aid?"

"Yeah…" sighed the moogle. "King… and Queen… asked me… kupo…" Beatrix remained calm and unreadable, seemingly to absorb everything. Freya finally shook her, and looked into her eyes with a hint of desperation.

"We have to help them," she said. "I have no idea what's happened, but they may need our help."

"No!" stated Beatrix. "We can't…… we can't do that."

"…What?" spat Freya. To be honest, that was the absolute last thing she expected to hear come out of Beatrix's mouth. "Beatrix, what are you saying?? Are you just going to leave Alexandria to the mercy of some enemy?"

"Freya, that's not our home anymore!" exclaimed the one-time General. "We don't live there! We don't even live in the territorial boundaries of the kingdom. It's not our problem anymore! Yes, I know it sounds terrible, but Alexandria is no longer our responsibility. We're not obligated to defend it anymore. Do you understand?"

"…But… Beatrix…"

"Freya, listen," said the woman in a soft voice. She took hold of her friend's shoulders, and looked her right in the eye. "Freya… you and I both know that if we were still there, we'd be the first ones out fighting. But we're not. We don't live there anymore. It's no longer our business. Do you understand?"

"But how can you--"

"I already told you," sighed the brunette. "Besides, like you said, we don't know a lot about this enemy. It could be a human's army, or it could just be random monsters. Whatever it is, the people there can handle it without our help. We're only three people, Freya. Don't you think that Alexandria can handle an invasion without three people? Whoever it is, it can't be a big threat--otherwise, we would have heard about it by now."

"How do you know that?"

"It took Iudicium years and years to amass that army he had, and the only reason we never heard of it was because he was on another continent and Brahne thought that the Iudicium family was dead. There's no way that we can have another enemy like him, or anything that's even close. Trust me when I say that the kingdom will do fine on their own."

"Whoa, are you sure about that, kupo?" asked the moogle. Beatrix smiled sadly, and kneeled down to speak to the fuzzy creature properly.

"Yeah… I know my former kingdom well. Shoot, I'll bet even those wacky Pluto Knights will be able to handle things! Besides, it's no longer our concern. I don't want to sound cold or anything, but it just isn't. I'm sorry if I come off as insensitive." Beatrix blandly gave Freya a gaze, and then Fratley, who seemed neutral on the topic. The way she felt did sound cruel and uncaring at first, but Beatrix's logic was usually right. Not a one of them held any more allegiance to the kingdom. They were free, free from the responsibilities of protecting the place, and free to allow the kingdom to fight its own battles.

After thinking about it for awhile, Freya eventually agreed.

"You know what, you're absolutely right," she said as she attempted a smile. "Alexandria is not our home anymore. We don't need to go save it every time there's an enemy in the trenches! I'm sure you're right--they'll be just fine."

"If you're trying to trick me into going, it won't work."

"No tricks," guaranteed Freya with a look of honesty. "No tricks, really. I agree--we have no business there. Of course, I also agree that it sounds cold, but it's really not our place. I mean, if you want to help out…"

"That kingdom is no longer my home," said Beatrix in a hollow voice. She quietly left the area to be off by herself, to think or sing or scratch herself or eat some food or to do whatever she did when nobody was looking. Even though she had been completely honest when she said she agreed, Freya couldn't help but think that Beatrix was being just slightly apathetic. Then again, she didn't have anything to eat for awhile, either.

"What do you think, Fratley?" she asked. Her mousy husband shrugged and guided the moogle into the cabin.

"I think our fast friend here should rest for a few hours, and maybe get something to eat. Does that sound good?"

"Kupo, you'd better believe it!" exclaimed the moogle as it did a little jig. "I'm so hungry I could eat the pom-pom that's dangling over my eyes!!"

----------

When nobody was looking, Beatrix slipped into the pond, and dove down deep in the water, until her long braids of brown began to snake upwards like so much seaweed. Here, with only the waters clothing her, she could be at peace, and could let her body and soul wander wherever they wanted. There would be nothing that disturbed her, unless it was one of her friends, and she would never refuse their company, even at times where she wanted solitude the most. But Beatrix went undisturbed, and stayed deep under the water for forty-five seconds.

Just then, the surface of the pond broke, and another body joined hers deep in the water. Beatrix opened her eyes and could barely make out her friend Freya, who seemed to have the desire to swim with her. Freya silently pointed at Beatrix, then at herself, then at the surface: "You and I should go up." Beatrix understood, and swam up with her friend. As they surfaced, she drew in a deep breath of water, and parted her long hair out of her face. If one looked close enough, one could see that she resembled herself during those days when she still had that patch on, only maybe a fraction older. Freya, a drowned rat in the most literal sense of the word, gave her friend a soft gaze as she stayed afloat.

"Can we talk?" she said. Beatrix shrugged.

"Sure--if you don't mind doing it in the tub."

"I don't mind. There's nothing you have that I haven't seen before, and I'm a pretty good swimmer. You?"

"Swimming was part of the curriculum in knighthood training," she replied. "But I already knew beforehand, since Master Atma taught me. So, what do you want to talk about? Oh wait, is this about what I said about not going to help Alexandria?"

"Sort of," replied the Burmecian. "Beatrix, if you think I'm here to pass judgment or question your motives then you're wrong. I really do agree with you. It really isn't our place, and besides, this could be a very minor issue. How much do you want bet that our friend Amarant has told everyone about it beforehand?"

"I'd bet whatever I have left," replied the ex-General with a smile. "But what else is on your mind? If you agree with me, then what's to talk about?"

"I just like talking with my friend," said Freya with a warm smile. She paddled closer to Beatrix, and found a rock to stand on so she wouldn't have to swim to keep afloat. Beatrix swam over to the side, and grabbed hold of the muddy edge of the pond so she wouldn't have to swim much either. If Fratley ever chanced by that area, he would have called out to see if they were around, like the gentleman he was.

"…So do you miss it?" asked the Burmecian. Beatrix lowered her gaze and remained quiet for awhile.

"…A little."

"I bet you miss Steiner."

"Yeah…" Freya smiled.

"A lot?"

"Yeah…"

"You loved him, didn't you?"

"Still do," said Beatrix with a wink. Freya let out a dramatic sigh and placed her soggy head on her friend's shoulder.

"Ahh, young love… That takes me back…"

"Get off, you crazy!" Beatrix chuckled and shoved poor Freya back in the water. The mousy woman emerged with a wild smile, filled with the crazed intent of a Burmecian bent on revenge.

"Oho! You have spirit, girl! Ya want me to dunk you too?"

"I'll fight you!" exclaimed Beatrix. She gave Freya a shove, but Freya grabbed the other woman's arm and tossed her into the drink.

"But I'll beat you, as always!"

"Hey! Quit it!"

"Give up! Say you give up!"

"Never!!!"

"Beatrix? Freya? Are you around here anywhere? Ladies?"

He could search all he wanted, but Fratley Irontail would not find either one of them. They were nowhere near the pond--they had gone off elsewhere without his knowledge--so without either one of them present, he smiled and stripped off his clothes. Fratley loved dunking in the pond as much as his female comrades did, if not more--and of course, he would sometimes have Freya in there with him for very… long periods of time.

But on that day, he soaked by himself. It had been one day since Moguo, the world's fastest moogle, had sprinted past their little cottage and went straight for Lindblum, and so Fratley was expecting to see a convoy of airships fly overhead any minute. Until then, he rested and relaxed in the pool, not that he really did anything strenuous anyway. He let out a sigh, and absorbed the pure tranquility of a midday summer afternoon.

This is the life…

A yawn escaped his mouth, and birds flocked overhead as the predicted airship fleet appeared. Fratley smiled and waved at the group of five ships, but something else in the sky caught his attention. He noticed an extremely rare purple moogle floating around not too far away, and as he sat up from looking at the sky, he could see a pudgy golden moogle trotting towards him. With a smile and a noble nod, he greeted both Artemecion and Stiltzkin.

"Sir Artemecion! Sir Stiltzkin! What brings you two famed mogs over to our cottage?"

"So this is where you three have been hiding all this time, kupo!" exclaimed Stiltzkin. "I was beginning to wonder where General Beatrix and Dragoon Freya were once we passed by the kingdom."

"She is no General now, noble moogle," replied Fratley. Stiltzkin mumbled something and nodded his little golden head.

"Ah yes, that's right. I forgot, kupo, I forgot. Anyway, I passed by Alexandria, and I couldn't help but notice that the place was under a siege, kupo."

"A siege, lord Stiltzkin?"

"Yes," replied the moogle. "A veritable invasion that looks to be lasting some time. The enemy's not flooding the streets yet, kupo, but who knows what will happen in time…" The moogle trailed off, digging his stick in the ground and muttering to himself. Fratley did some thinking on his own, and waded towards the moogle so he could speak with him properly.

"Sounds like things aren't going so well."

"No, they're not," replied Stiltzkin. "I think they'll be able to hold them off, kupo, but it looks like the three of you left the kingdom without anyone to really fill your shoes. It seemed as if Lady Lani and Lord Steiner were doing well, but I ran out of there as fast as I could, kupo!"

"Speaking of which," said Artemecion as he descended, "why aren't the three of you out there helping them? I thought you would be, kupo!"

"Alexandria is no longer our concern," replied Fratley gravely. "We no longer live there; thus, it is not our obligation. At least, that is what Lady Beatrix said, but I feel differently. I am sure that even my wife Freya feels the same as I, but she agrees with her friend in order to keep her pacified. Deep down inside, though, I'm sure we're all unanimous."

Silence overcame the pond area for awhile as the dragoon and the moogles each mentally labored over what they had heard. Fratley quietly pulled himself out of the pond and swathed a towel over his body while he waited for the moogles to reply.

"Speaking of which, where are the other ladies?" asked the purple one suddenly. "They're not with you, are they kupo?"

"No, I have no idea where they are. As far as I know, I'm all alone. Why, do you wish to speak with them?"

"No, not really," answered Stiltzkin. "We just wanted to know. Anyway, kupo, I guess you should be made aware that Burmecia is also under attack."

"What?!?! You jest!"

"No, it's true!" insisted the moogle. "But don't worry, kupo. From what Artemecion and I saw, it's only a skeleton force. The Burmecians and that human girl, the psychic, are taking care of it. The thing is, though, they can't spare a single soldier now that they're locked in combat, kupo, not even one. It seems to be a clever ruse to keep any nearby allies away while the real enemies have their fun! Kupo!" Fratley growled and cursed to himself, clenching his fist until the water fell out of it.

"Things have taken a turn for the worst," he stated with a hiss. "Burmecia and Alexandria… it all seems like one big feeling of déjà vu. I have to tell the others about this…"

"But didn't you just say that Alexandria is no longer your concern, kupo?"

"Alexandria, maybe," replied Fratley in a stern voice. "But Burmecia was my home. It was where I grew up! I shed my own blood for that country! I nearly saw its end, twice!! I swore an oath long ago that I would protect that town, and I will go so far as to break my pride and my promises to see that it's done!"

"Well bravo for you, kupo!" exclaimed Artemecion. "It's nice to see that somebody around here is making sense! But are you going to do anything about Alexandria, kupo?" Fratley drew in a deep breath, and let it burn inside his lungs for a long time before he released it. He respected Beatrix and her feelings, and would not convince her to go against something she believed…

But as his father always told him, there were just some things more important than justice and pride.

"I'll see what I can do," he said slowly. "I cannot guarantee you anything, not even my presence at Burmecia. I will not go a step further by myself--I owe it to Freya to stay by her side--but Lord willing, if the ladies decide to go, then go we shall. Need you moogles anything more here?"

"…Actually," said Artemecion shyly as he waddled up close to the pond, "you mind if we take a quick dip in the pool?"

-----

Night now covered the land. On that particular summer evening, the moons were out and waxing well, just barely past the halfway point into becoming full. Stars lit up the sky, all of them twice as bright and brilliant now that there were no other lights to dim them out. The air was warm, with a good wind that soothed a soul into relaxation, and the pond sang out with the symphony of lapping water, frogs, and crickets. It was a good time to be alive, so of course Beatrix stepped outside to absorb the night.

As she was bathed in moonlight and starlight, she heard a peculiar sound coming from the roof of the cottage. It was somebody singing a song, a very beautiful but somewhat sad melody. Beatrix listened through the whole song, absorbing the words and what possible significance they might have had…

So far away from my home, sweet home
Day by day, from land to land I roam
Though told by the wind which way to go,
Oh, how I long for my home, sweet home.

You can come home in times of harshness.
You may come home in times of sorrow, too.
Your home will be waiting for you forever.
It will be waiting for you forever.

Fragrant blossoms blooming far away--
Do my folks see them as I did long ago?
Are they still joyful? Are they young at heart?
Will I see them again as I did that day?

Family, friends,
Home, memories.
No one will ever
Forget about you.

How far I've come from my childhood home!
There will come a time when my troubles are gone,
And when I shall not be all alone--
Till then, I dream of my home, sweet home.

Forest, stream,
Sky, Earth
Everyone is waiting,
Waiting for your return.

When it ended, she smiled and climbed up on the roof, finding her dear friend Freya sitting there, hugging her knees to her chest and staring up at the sky. The people at Tantalus would have called that a "heroic profile", and Beatrix thought she did indeed look quite noble sitting there by herself, underneath the dark sky. She quietly joined Freya, and gave her friend a gentle nudge to tell of her presence.

"Where'd you learn the song?" she asked. Freya smiled and let her legs hang loose once again.

"…My mother used to sing it to me before tucking me in at night. It's strange, really, but I've been able to remember it for all my life. You'd think that the years would erode something like that, but no… I have a clear recognition of that song." Beatrix smiled, somewhat amazed herself, and scooted a little closer.

"It's beautiful."

"Thanks. You know, dreams and memories have a funny way of working. You remember when I told you about my experience in Memoria?"

"Yeah."

"…I heard that song being sung to me once again, in that realm of memories. I… I knew it the moment I heard the tune, and I was never able to forget it, either. Just as the summoners of Madain Sari have a song to remember, so I too have song which is close to my heart. You know…" Freya paused, and chuckled to herself as another old memory appeared. "You know… I even saw you in Memoria."

"Me?" Freya nodded her head.

"Yes. At first I thought it was the memories of Steiner or Garnet, but then I noticed that your image and the images of my past were too well-connected. I didn't know why you were among my memories back then… but now, I think I have it figured out." Beatrix gave her buddy a grin, and scooted closer still until they were shoulder-to-shoulder.

"That's really interesting. But why did you suddenly feel the urge to sing that song? I haven't known you to be a singing person, and I've had enough time to find out."

"I'm usually not," said Freya with a shrug. "But I suppose… the events of recent have spurned me into song. You know: the business at Alexandria, Burmecia being under attack, and the three of us living here, wasting our lives away in a false sense of freedom."

"False sense of freedom? Is that how you feel?" Freya gave her friend another shrug, sighed, and laid down on the roof so she was looking directly up at the sky.

"It's more than that," she continued. "That song is a nostalgic ballad that's to be sung by wanderers who are out in the world searching for their place in life. It's a tune to remind them that they will always have a place to return to, even as they scour the corners of the globe. I think it's a fitting tune, considering what we're doing right now. I mean, aren't we all just trying to find a place where we can be most comfortable and most happy? Aren't we on this journey of life to discover who we are, and where we're supposed to be, and what we're supposed to be doing?

"I told you that I've been looking for a place to call home all my life," she continued. "Ever since I left D'negel, I've been searching for that one place where I belong, the place that I will return to one day. Zidane has made a similar journey, and so has Vivi--we all have to make that same journey sometime in our lives. I thought that Burmecia would be my place, but after Fratley left and I parted ways with the kingdom, I began to have second thoughts. Once the war ended, I returned, and… well… we all know where this leads."

Freya stopped talking for awhile, letting her friend think things over as the warm night air comforted them both. Beatrix had heard all of this before, but now that they were alone and free, it seemed more relevant, more genuine, more… significant. Freya had been wanting to find her place in life ever since she was born, and even now, it still didn't look like she would find it. Deep inside her heart, Freya felt that Beatrix was looking for exactly the same thing. After all, why else would she have insisted on living out here?

"I understand what you mean," said Beatrix gently. "I've been after the same things that you have. It's funny how similar the two of us can become. We really do make an awesome pair." Freya merely smiled.

"Yes, we really could almost pass as sisters…"

A pause.

"Beatrix?"

"Yes, dear?" Freya sat up, and looked her friend square in the eye. A mixture of emotions were stirring up in her liquid-green eyes.

"…I want Alexandria to be my home…" Beatrix returned Freya's gaze with as much gentleness as she could muster, smiled, and placed her hand on her friend's furry cheek.

"You wanna know something, Freya?"

"Yeah."

"…So do I."

"Really?" Beatrix kept her smile as she nodded her head. "But… why did you say…?"

"I just had some growing to do," whispered the former knight. "I just had to reach out into the world myself, and really think things over. I had to mature and learn by myself--I had to be free for once in my whole life. And now that I've experienced it, I can safely say that I know what I have to--no, I know what I want to do."

"And what's that?" asked Freya. Beatrix's smile grew even more, and she pulled the other woman into a tender hug.

"…I want to go home."

"Bea…… yes, of course… Let's… let us go… back to where we once belonged…" The two ladies shared a smile, and Freya leaned forward to gently kiss her buddy's brow. Beatrix growled playfully, and pinched the other woman's arm.

"What? You didn't think that I'd abandon my friends and family in their time of need, did you?"

"It never crossed my mind," said Freya wryly. She and Beatrix both leaped down from the roof, and headed inside the cottage to tell Fratley. "So," said Freya as they did all this, "when do you want to leave? Tomorrow?"

"Dawn," stated Beatrix as she opened the cottage door. "I want to leave at dawn."

----------

As the red sun rose up over the land, a trinity of chocobos and travelers could be seen milling around. Provisions were loaded onto the birds, and feelings and emotions were loaded onto the three friends as they packed up to charge back into their destiny--but from the other direction. There was no more question in Beatrix's mind. She was going home, back home to where she felt she truly belonged, and her two dear friends were accompanying her, into their own homes. Destiny and fate no longer held any grasp over any of them; they were bound by their will and their desire to be happy.

"You know," said Fratley as he mounted his chocobo, "you are a very fickle person, my friend." Beatrix smiled and gladly admitted to the fault of hers.

"Yeah, I know."

"I wouldn't know where you'd get it from," he muttered in return. Freya glared at her husband and slapped his leg as her own ride trotted past him.

"Fratley! I hope you weren't referring to me when you said that!"

"Of course not, dear!" he replied. "You know I would never speak ill of a loved one!" Freya smiled at his response--still smooth as silk after all these years--and guided her bird over to her friend for one last confirmation that everything was okay.

"Trixie, is this what you wanted?"

"What more could I want?" replied the woman wisely. "I have good friends here and many loved ones back in the kingdom, a life full of accomplishment and prosperity, and a place where I know I can belong. Need I any more?"

"No, I suppose not." Freya smiled, gave her loved ones a wink, and spurned her chocobo to ride off. Fratley bade Artemecion and Stiltzkin a fond farewell, and he and Beatrix joined the beloved dragoon as they all rode off, back into the distance, into the rising son, like three heroes returning from a long and weary conquest. They had all faced the brutalities that life had inflicted upon them--oftentimes even confronting each other in the process--but their loyalty and love for each other was always going to be constant. Their greatest difficulties might have still laid ahead of them, on the journey of life, but as long as they held true to each other, then every day would be a new joy.

----------

Beatrix paused just briefly in order to allow her mouth to hang wide open. She actually shed tears as Alexandria came into view once again--the home she had loved, and land that she served, the place of refuge and safety and love for a weary soul like hers. She smiled out of complete bliss, and shivered for joy. Freya saw her, and couldn't blame her friend in the least. Somehow, Beatrix managed to guide her chocobo up to the main gate, where the guards nearly fell over from shock upon seeing her. They both managed to salute, and squealed out her name.

"Please don't salute me, soldiers," sighed Beatrix. "I am no longer in a position of esteem. I have returned here to live out the rest of my life as an ordinary citizen, neither General or knight."

"We don't care, Beatrix!" exclaimed one of the guards. "We're saluting because we're so happy to see you! We… always believed you would come back to us one day!" Beatrix returned their smiles, and hopped off her chocobo to give them each a hug.

"Thanks… you ladies. That means a lot to me."

"Welcome home, Lady Beatrix!" sobbed the guards happily. Beatrix shuddered happily at the simple greeting, and gave both woman a beautiful smile.

"Yes… I am home now!"

"Erm, Trixie-darling!" snapped Freya suddenly. "Aren't we forgetting something?"

"Oh, goodness! I nearly forgot about the invading forces!" Fratley and Freya both rolled their eyes, and if the situation wasn't so happy and dire, they would have laughed. Instead, they both leaped off their rides and produced their weapons.

"Come on, Beatrix! Let's not dilly-dally! It looks like we have our work cut out for us!" Beatrix agreed, and excused herself from the guards so she could join her friends. As she ran back into the streets of Alexandria--for good and for ever, this time--she drew her sword and smiled out of pure happiness.

"I can't help but think that you're enjoying every second of this!" exclaimed Fratley with a smile. Beatrix returned it without holding anything back.

"Of course! I'm home, aren't I?" Fratley agreed, and as it always seemed to be, some random creature ruined the moment with a terrifying roar. It was a dragon, one of many who had overrun the kingdom. The adrenaline pump of battle surged through their veins, and the three friends prepared themselves to fight once again. Freya summoned up everybody's feelings with just a single, bold, joyful sentence.

"Well, here we go again!!"

@->>---THE END---<<-@