| The only end to a story is one made up by its creator. The story itself extends into eternity, never to be rewritten. -Kitiane Dranoc III Epilogue � You�re such an idiot, Zidane.� � Hey!� � Well who hangs from the ceiling like that?� � Me!� � Besides you!� � . . . Kuja!� � Oh no! Don�t you include me in your lovers� spat! Besides, I would never participate in such an embarrassing, useless activity.� � This is not a lovers� spat and if you don�t come down from there right now, Zidane, I�ll climb up there and get you!� � Go ahead and try.� So Garnet hiked her dress up, kicked her shoes off, and began climbing the wall. It was relatively simple, since the rocks weren�t perfectly fit together and there were large spaces for her hands and feet. She was doing well and was two-thirds of the way up when Steiner came in, saw her, and let out some strange mixture of a shout and a gurgle. This surprised her and she lost her grip on the wall and fell. Every being in the room rushed forward to catch her, but none of us could reach her in time. Zidane, upon seeing the disaster ahead of time, straightened his tail and dropped from the ceiling. He spun once and caught Garnet, opening his wings and landing gently on the ground. She finally opened her eyes. � . . . Thank you, Zidane.� � Anything,� he replied softly, giving her a quick kiss. Then he smirked and bounced her lightly. � Have you gained weight?� With an angry huff, she smacked his head. � Ow!� � Stop insulting me.� � I wasn�t! Geez . . .� Steiner stomped over. � Zidane! The queen could have been killed!� � I wasn�t the one who screamed at her.� � Rrrrr!� � Steiner,� Garnet sighed, � it wasn�t his fault.� � It�s never his fault! When will it finally be his fault?!� � When he does something stupid that can�t be blamed on anybody else.� She struggled her way out of Zidane�s arms and slipped her shoes back on. � Which will happen very soon if he doesn�t stop insulting me.� � For the second time, I wasn�t insulting you!� She snorted delicately and resumed her previous occupation: sitting on her throne and looking as interested as possible in what she was (or wasn�t) doing. There was a brief stare-down between Zidane and Steiner--which Zidane won (nobody but another dragon can stand up to a dragon�s green eyes)--and then Zidane went and sat on the stairs leading to Garnet�s throne. Leaning back on the stair behind him, he looked for all the world like some type of sex slave. I told him so, and Kuja snickered. Zidane smirked. [That�s the point. Keeps all the nobles from putting moves on her.] � What are you talking about?� Garnet asked suspiciously. � How I look like a sex slave.� � Oh.� She grinned evilly. � You should see what he wears.� Steiner, who had been quietly fuming in the corner, looked up. � What?!� Zidane half spun. � You�re not supposed to tell them that!� She giggled. � Oops. Must�ve slipped my mind.� � What does he wear?� Vanel inquired. � Vanel!� Garnet giggled again. � Well, it�s this little---� Zidane put his hand over her mouth and glared at her. � Be quiet!� After a moment, he began to blush a bright red. � Stop that!� he hissed. Her eyes danced with mischief. � Dagger!� She apparently quit, because he relaxed and his face returned to a normal color. � So?� Vanel persisted. Garnet shook her head. � I�ll spare him the humiliation.� � It�s not humiliation,� he remarked defensively, returning to the stairs, � it�s just . . . private.� She got up and knelt behind him, putting her arms around his neck and letting her hands rest spread out on his chest. � But I can tell them about the chain, can�t I?� � . . . Yeah, I guess.� Vanel hopped excitedly. � So?! So?!� Garnet shrugged. � It�s just a steel collar that has a chain attached to it. That usually deters most of my would-be suitors.� � Why don�t you just get married already? It�d keep those morons away.� � Steiner won�t allow it.� � Oh, what does he know? Elope!� Steiner growled. � Love to, but I have a kingdom to take care off.� � Chill out, Vanel. It�s okay. I�m not sure I want to be a king anyway.� � You could always be a prince,� Garnet reminded him. � I�m that already.� � . . . True. I wasn�t thinking about that. Well, you could still stay a prince.� � I suppose.� The hatchlings popped up the stairs and swarmed over Zidane�s lap, then began rolling and playing with each other, knocking themselves or another down the stairs. Everyone watched them play, heard their happy squeaks . . . The runts had grown and were now about as big as the rest of the hatchlings, so they weren�t being picked on like they had been. Their wings had grown in and they were also practicing flight from the top of the stairs. Of course, they hadn�t quite mastered the art of actual flying; it was more like gliding. Garnet smiled secretively. � I have a secret,� she whispered teasingly. Zidane looked back at her. � It can�t be so secret that you have to keep it from me, can it?� � Maybe.� She pointed at the hatchlings. � What do you see over there?� � Hatchlings.� He paused, then whipped his head around to look at her. � I don�t believe it! . . . A-Are you serious?!� She nodded and he kissed her. � What?� Steiner asked, clueless as usual. � I�m going to have a baby, Steiner. It�s Zidane�s.� Steiner paled, then passed out and fell to the floor with a rattle of metal. We all stared at him for a moment, then Tiovex quickly looked away, took a breath, and said, [Anyway . . .] <--Part 89 |