章 17: Fealty
With Andrew still possessing the armor he had stolen during his initial foray into the castle, Zidane put it on before venturing out in search of Steiner. While he did that, Freya guarded the entrance to the Brahne's chamber, providing Andrew and Garnet a bit of privacy as they made themselves comfortable atop a luxurious sofa covered in a velvety red material.
Now that they no longer had to keep their relationship a secret, Garnet openly rested her head against Andrew's shoulder while they waited for Zidane's return. The two appeared to be sitting in silence, but if someone were to look closely, they would see their eyes moving, their expressions subtly changing as if lost in whimsy. In reality, using the Correspondence function of Andrew's Menu, they were translating their thoughts into text, using it to exchange secret messages.
Still fascinated by the existence of other worlds, Garnet pestered Andrew for as much information as he could provide about them, their culture, and their power systems. Fortunately, while his knowledge of the first six Final Fantasies was lacking, Andrew could confidently recount information from the settings of seven through sixteen. He also had an active imagination, so if there was a gap in his recollection, he could make things up and add details that Garnet might find interesting.
Reading the details provided by Andrew and seeing how excited he got while recounting them, Garnet snuck a peek at him from the corner of her eyes and narrowed them into a smile. Passion and excitement were two of the most transferable emotions, so she could feel how keen he was to link and explore the other worlds, causing her to feel the same.
'Just remember our agreement,' said Garnet, transmitting her thoughts as text that appeared on the window hovering before Andrew. When he read it, his smile briefly cramped but quickly returned to normal as he turned to Garnet, leaning forward to press their foreheads together as he placed his left hand on her stomach...
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Hearing the distant sounds of clattering armor fast approaching, Andrew rose from the sofa, standing nearby while Garnet fixed her posture. A few seconds later, a tall and stocky man with a wide, perpetually serious face charged into the room, his body garbed in a suit of well-worn silver armor, a pair of grey shorts, and a steepled helmet with a white feather sticking out of it. He also had a large broadsword fastened to his back, kept there by a leather sheathe.
Seeing Garnet, the man abruptly fell to his knees, exclaiming, "Princess! Thank goodness, you're okay...!" with tears spontaneously erupting from his eyes, streaming down his face.
Adopting a smile, Garnet remarked, "It pleases me to see you as healthy and robust as ever, Captain Steiner. I apologize for concerning you, but I had to meet with my Uncle to try and avert this war. Please understand."
"Oh, Princess...!" exclaimed Steiner, using his gauntleted hand to rub his eyes as he sobbed, "The Queen...Lady Brahne, s-she...her behavior has become strange! At this rate, I...I'll no longer be able to feel proud calling myself a Knight of Alexandria...!"
"And that's why I have returned," said Garnet, her expression serious and voice assuring as she added, "I do not wish to see Alexandria reduced to a military nation that rules and occupies other countries through fear and butchery. We only recently attained peace after centuries of war. I do not wish to see my people, nor the people of other countries, suffer to further the greed and ambitions of a few..."
"Then I shall do my best to aid you...!" exclaimed Steiner, bouncing to his feet with surprising ease. At the same time, Zidane, having discarded his helmet somewhere, entered the chamber and asked, "What's all this fuss about? You trying to announce our presence to the entire castle, Rusty...?"
"You...!" exclaimed Steiner, reaching for his sword as if he were about to draw it before Garnet said, "That's quite enough, Captain. Please do not point your weapon at the people risking their lives to bring an end to this conflict."
Though he clenched his teeth and glared at Zidane, Steiner eventually released his grip on his sword and turned back to Garnet, taking a knee and bowing his head as he said, "Your will is my command, Princess. Tell me what I must do, and I shall execute my duty without fail."
Nodding in approval, Garnet began explaining her intention to seize and occupy the castle, pressuring her mother and the pro-war faction to end the war prematurely. She would then compel her mother to abdicate the throne, as it was clear to all that she was no longer the kind, caring, well-respected ruler she once was. Not since the death of her dearly-departed husband, Garnet's father, King Philip.
Hearing Garnet's plans, Steiner would be lying if he said he didn't have mixed feelings about a foreign army occupying the castle and forcing the Queen to abdicate. Garnet was very clearly suggesting a coup, but as the next and rightful heir to the throne of Alexandria, she was within her right to do what she must to restore peace and stability to the Kingdom. They could not embroil the Continent in another war. That era was supposed to have ended some thirty years prior. It could not be allowed to return...
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With most of Alexandria's forces stationed near the border and more than 90% of their fleet moored in the gulf near Burmecia, fewer than a hundred Knights remained in the castle. As such, while there was some resistance initially, it didn't take long for Alexandria's defenders, mostly cannoneers who specialized in defending the castle from external threats, to lay down their arms and surrender. They simply weren't prepared to repel invaders from 'within' the castle, and with Garnet leading the opposing forces, they had little reason to fight to the end.
Upon hearing that her castle had fallen, even if the person who seized it was her daughter, Brahne was understandably incensed. Unfortunately, while she could teleport her forces back to the castle, there were only two locations they could be transported, as she had specifically taken measures to ensure others wouldn't be able to employ the same tactic against her. The issue was that said locations happened to be at the base of the secret passage and within the dungeon of the East Tower. The first was a stairwell designed to be easily defensible and exceptionally difficult to attack, while the latter, like most dungeons, had numerous gates that could be dropped, preventing prisoners or anyone else who happened to be inside from getting out. To make matters worse, Andrew was aware of the latter, allowing Lindblum's forces to seal it in advance and surround it with cannons and ballistae.
If Brahne wanted to reclaim her castle, her only real option was a costly siege. But with the port closed off and Alexandria Castle's defenses being hyperspecialized in repelling airships and preventing ground invasions, the odds were stacked against her, even more so when she learned that Lindblum's 2nd Air Battalion had been seen traveling the long way around the mountains encircling her territory, clearly intending to blockade them.
With her options being to attack her own castle or launch what she knew would be a fruitless campaign to capture Lindblum from its harbor, Brahne had little choice but to dispatch Beatrix as a delegate to discuss the terms of her surrender. She secretly hoped that Beatrix would be able to reclaim the castle on her own, but when the usually dauntless General teleported over, even she felt nervous when facing an encirclement of cannons and the more than three hundred heavily armed soldiers. Thus, when Andrew, introducing himself as Garnet's personal Knight, instructed her to remove her armor, lay down her sword, and don a pair of magic-sealing manacles, she had little choice but to comply...
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After being escorted by Andrew to the interior throne room, Beatrix, upon seeing Garnet seated atop the throne, adopted a smile and expressed, "I am relieved to see you in good health, Princess..."
"And I, you, General," replied Garnet, returning a smile. Beatrix had been one of her closest allies and confidants since they first met. Beatrix was also one of the people responsible for bathing her, so it pained Garnet to see her in chains, even if she knew it was necessary for the peace of mind of nearly everyone present.
Seeing Andrew approach the throne and stand at Garnet's side, Beatrix's single visible eye widened, but she didn't question his actions. Instead, she got straight to the reason for her visit, stating, "Your mother, Queen Brahne, has sent me to hear your demands and discuss. And, if possible, negotiate a resolution..."
"My demands are simple," stated Garnet. "I wish to see an end to this pointless war and for my mother to retire to her villa. Now that I have come of age, she is no longer obligated to shoulder the burden of our Kingdom. I have already envisioned a path for Alexandria's future, one that would see our Kingdom rise above all others 'without' the need for senseless war and slaughter."
Impressed by Garnet's words and demeanor, Beatrix couldn't help but smile as she remarked, "You've grown up, Princess..."
Returning a smile of her own, Garnet stated, "I had extraordinary people like you to watch over and guide me. Now, I can finally start giving back for all the love and care I received. I do not wish my mother's name to be recorded in history as a war-mongering puppet manipulated by the hands of others, so before this matter develops beyond the point of no return, I will have her abdicate and ascend the throne of Alexandria myself."
Hearing Garnet mention Brahne being manipulated, Beatrix raised her brow, asking, "When you speak of the Queen being manipulated by the hands of others, are you referring to the arms dealer, Kuja...?"
Nodding in affirmation, Garnet stated, "We have substantial reason to believe he is trying to embroil the Mist Continent in war to advance his personal, wicked ambitions. To that end, he has manipulated my mother, kidnapped Lady Hilda, infiltrated Treno's social circles, and conspired to have me sacrificed to produce powerful weapons of war. And those are only a few of his crimes."
Furrowing her brows, Beatrix lowered her gaze and appeared to enter a state of introspection. She had obviously noticed the changes in Brahne since her initial encounter with Kuja a little more than a year ago, but as the General of Alexandria's military, it was her duty to follow orders, not question her Queen's intentions or state of mind.
"Please, Beatrix..." said Garnet, her expression and tone tinged with pain as she whispered, "You know this isn't the path that Alexandria should be walking. Our people deserve to live and grow in peace, not embroiled in a war orchestrated by someone from a foreign land. And if you join us, most of Alexandria's forces will feel motivated to do the same. If you side with my mother, even knowing her mental state has deteriorated, thousands of innocent people will die, and countless others will be forced to endure the consequences..."
"I understand..." replied Beatrix, opening her eye and raising her gaze to meet Garnet's. She had doubts about the present situation, but she had also observed Garnet growing from an insatiably curious young girl to a fiercely determined woman who was now prepared to do whatever it took to lead her people toward what she believed to be a brighter future. On the other hand, she had watched Brahne succumb to the despair of losing her husband, leading to the current situation where she felt compelled to cripple or destroy every other nation to 'protect' Alexandria...
Raising her head and puffing out her voluminous chest, Beatrix exuded a fierce resolution of her own as she declared, "Henceforth, I, General Tulia Beatrix, pledge absolute faith and loyalty to the future Queen, Her Royal Highness, Princess Garnet Til Alexandros...!"
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