Disclaimer: Final Fantasy 9 belongs to Square Enix. However, any original characters mentioned in this story are mine, as is the plot.

Knightwatch
By Saffire Raynius

Chapter Eight

The prime minister refused to look at his two most embarrassing knights. He kept his pompously ornate front turned away, but Freya could taste his anger. Oh, and she had plenty of her own.

"Lady Freya, tell me this: what is a Dragon Knight's second most-important duty?"

"Protect the people, sir," she recited without feeling. Fratley stood as still as stone. He had done well, so the minister had no reason to pin things on him. Rather, he seemed prejudiced against the red-clad knight, even when things were out of her control—like now.

"Tell me, Lady Freya, how did a child manage to sneak past the city walls and wander near the firestorm? And don't believe for one moment that Prince Puck's holiday escaped my knowledge. I want answers."

She shuffled her feet, sweat penetrating each fold of her jacket. "I do not know, sir."

The prime minister seethed, his shoulders tightening, jaw popping with the effort of resisting a scream. "That is the wrong answer, my dear!" he cried as he wheeled on her.

Frustration lounged between them. Freya crossed her arms. "I was apprehending a thief, m'lord—I couldn't have seen the child."

Fratley nodded solemn agreement, but the minister refused to acknowledge the voice of sanity. His jowls quivered with tension and lack of exercise alike. He jabbed a threatening claw toward her chest. "Foul woman!" he growled. "Your witchery has brought me and all of Burmecia catastrophe!"

Freya's eyes widened considerably. "I—what? Listen here, lardface, I never once intended for that urchin to taste the plains! But kids will be kids—it's the parents who should be watching them, not the KING'S BODYGUARDS!" she screeched back at him. "I'm just trying to do my job, make things better around here, and live a normal li—"

"You'll never be normal, Freya," the minister hissed. "You'll always be a fluke. You thought that becoming a knight would let people like me forget the dishonor on your family and you from birth? Female knight—pah!"

Freya fell silent, though her skin crawled with adrenaline and nerves. The minister guffawed. "You bastard," the knight murmured. Fratley, who had been rather patient during this squabble, suddenly glanced to Freya with alarm.

"Lady—" he started, sensing doom.

"YOU BASTARD!" she repeated without diffidence. "Leave my family out of this!" She stalked forward, claws just inches from clutching the priest's throat. Although he gloated, there was a spark in his eyes that could have been fright.

"Ah, my lady! Your hilarity outclasses that of any court jester!"

"If you weren't supposedly blessed by the gods," Freya hissed, "Your head would be laughing fifteen feet away from your corpse."

He shifted positions in his high chair. "Is that so?"

"Freya," a voice urged at the edge of her crimson consciousness. Suddenly, the pretenses burst at the seams. Shocked, she locked eyes with Fratley for a brief moment before the minister interrupted them.

"Sir Fratley, please escort Miss Freya out of the building," thePriest ordered calmly. "And remove her crest while you're at it."

Fratley hesitated while Freya struggled internally. "Sir? That would mean—"

"Yes, Sir Fratley. Miss Freya is hereby relieved of knightly duty until midwinter's eve."

The news still didn't sink into the dragoon's skin. "Sir, I don't believe—"

Again the minister cut him off. "Unless you wish to join her noble cause as well?"

"No, sir. I shall do as ordered." Fratley glanced at Freya from beneath the brim of his hat to see if she was even conscious. She was unable to speak, her eyes locked on whispers of memories, regrets, angry words… She barely registered the kind, strong arm that encircled her waist and shepherded her out of the royal chapel.

Park bench, Freya thought belatedly. Wet.

"My lady…" Freya blinked a dozen times and slowly brought her gaze upwards. "Say something, Freya."

"M… knight?" she babbled, expression blank as rain coursed down her face. Fratley gripped her shoulders and shook them firmly, but her head only lolled forward. He stared at her expectantly, however, and within a moment she was alert again.

"Damn! Just—damn!"

Fratley relaxed some. "There's the old Freya." His finger caressed her wet chin. Their eyes met; Freya gasped quietly and looked away. "Are you okay now?"

The red-clad knight closed her eyes and shook her head, scattering raindrops. "I don't know. I just—don't—"

Fresh tears, unspoiled by the rain, crept along her cheeks. She pulled away from him and attempted to stand, but Fratley grasped her wrist. "Where are you going?" he questioned.

"You needn't see me weep over something so trivial," she sniffed. Fratley gave her a small, caring smile.

"My lady, you must pull through. It is the only way to succeed."

Awe-struck, she simply stared at the calm warrior. Within seconds, she was sobbing quietly into his shoulder. This caught him off-guard, but Freya couldn't sense his apprehension. He eased his arms around her and held her close without forcing the issue.

Eventually, she had no more tears to cry, She separated from him and sat properly on the bench. "Sir Fratley… thank you." Freya shook salty strands of hair from her eyes and looked to the overcast sky.

"Anything for my lady," he smiled, as if he had simply assisted her with some task rather than served as emotional support.

"Oh, Fratley… What am I… What shall I do?"

"The only thing you can do," he began, "is hold your head high. You may be relieved of knightship, but he can't take away your wit, your experiences, or your compassion."

Freya glanced to her friend. "You are sure? What if something happens to-- Oh, Gods, Prince Puck!" She had to blink when intense blue eyes stared into hers, reflecting her frown. "Fratl…" The name fell from her lips as they touched. An electricity like none other passed between them, and both knights had to pause to catch their fleeing hearts.

Freya found herself speechless as she gazed into the placid face of her partner. A small smile glinted in his eyes, tugging at the corners of her own, but she could not face him out of shame. "I, I have to go," the pale figure stammered. She gathered her jacket and stumbled away from the courtyard, resisting the light pressure on her forearm.

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Author's Notes: Wow, it's been a while since I updated, hasn't it? And the worst thing is, I already have about seventeen chapters written out. All I have to do is type them up and edit them! Laaazy. Anyway, thanks to everyone who has supplied me with constructive criticism and encouraging words. I loathe my writing, so I'm doing this for YOU! Also, I wouldn't have uploaded this at all had I not read "Super-Sized!" It's on my fave stories list if you want to check it out. I just might start fic writing again.

Ah, who am I kidding?