Appointment

Since the planning room was empty, Andrew found a vantage point where he could view the play and see how things developed. So long as nothing unexpected happened, he could inform Baku that the Princess was safely onboard, letting him be the one to choose if they stayed to let themselves be searched or if they took off immediately, risking cannon fire and worse.

Fortunately for Andrew, the crew of the Prima Vista, and the citizens who called Alexandria home, no major incidents occurred before the end of the play, allowing it to conclude to thunderous applause. This suggested that Vivi wouldn't be joining them, but Andrew was confident their paths would cross. His top priority at the moment was ensuring that Garnet's Eidolons, powerful summoned entities that could level entire cities, didn't fall into the greedy clutches of Queen Brahne, preventing the war from getting out of hand and thus saving countless lives.

Seeing Baku and the others line up on stage, preparing for the final bow, Andrew made his way down to await them in the prop staging area and dressing room. To his surprise, Zidane and Blank were there waiting for him, the former asking, "How'd it go?" with a confident grin.

"No problems," replied Andrew, causing Blank to snort while Zidane burst out laughing, saying, "See, Blank!? What did I tell you? Andrew might be a novice when it comes to pulling off heists, but he's got a damn good head on his shoulders!"

Shaking his head, Andrew argued, "I just got lucky. The Princess already had an escape plan prepared. Once she understood we were on her side, I just had to follow along and ensure we weren't discovered."

"You need to learn to accept compliments, man," said Zidane, supportively clapping Andrew's shoulder. The latter was nearly as fast as he was, and his strength was the best in the troupe, second only to their leader, Baku. Zidane didn't know why Andrew did his best not to stand out, but so long as they traveled and worked together, he was determined to help his only kin build his confidence.

Immediately following Zidane's words, Baku, Marcus, Cinna, and the other performers began filing into the room, ending their discussion. Kidnapping a Princess was, unsurprisingly, a capital offense, so only those with active roles in the heist knew what had transpired. Thus, Baku didn't approach to ask if everything had gone as planned. Instead, he glanced at Zidane, the latter giving an approving nod and smiling as he elbowed Andrew, making it clear he had played a major role.

Shifting his gaze to Andrew, Baku nodded approvingly before making his way over to his vanity station to change out of his King Leo costume and into his Tantalus getup. The Prima Vista was prepared to take off, but they would likely be shot down or impeded by chained ballistae if they tried to leave before their departure window. Thus, unless their hand was forced, it was best to act as if everything was normal...

...

..

.

Though the Prima Vista was ultimately searched, the Knights could not locate Princess Garnet, even with the assistance of a leopard-like fiend known as a Pursuit Hound. The specialized bodysuit, gloves, and shoes Garnet wore were designed to prevent dead skin cells from flaking off, and her hood was enchanted to muffle her movements and erase what remained of her scent. Thus, even when the Pursuit Hound was brought directly into the storage room, it failed to detect her, leaving the Knights no other option but to conclude she wasn't on board.

Fortunately for Garnet and everyone aboard the Theater Ship, the Prima Vista had visited Alexandra Castle at least once a year for a decade. Baku had even been friends with Brahne's husband, the King, so after a lengthy search, she had her General, Beatrix, apologize for the inconvenience and permit them to go on their way. Andrew expected them to try and tear the ship apart, but as warmongering as Brahne was, she was sentimental and loved the arts. Baku's friendship with her late husband and the fact he was the leader of her favorite theater troupe helped them considerably in that regard...

...

..

.

A few hours after the Prima Vista's departure, Andrew was called up the bridge and directed to enter the Captain's quarters located up a flight of curving stairs. There, he found Baku sitting among clutter at a large table with a map. More importantly, Princess Garnet was also present, bereft of the white, red-trimmed robe she had been wearing to mask her scent and identity.

Seeing the Princess in her escape ensemble, consisting of a white, bell-sleeved blouse under a skin-tight, sleeveless orange jumpsuit, Andrew's eyes widened as he fell into a temporary stupor. Her physique was more slender and athletic than mature and voluptuous, but she was, without a doubt, a remarkably beautiful girl.

Adopting a faint smile, Garnet led the discussion by stating, "I wanted to thank you again for your help in ensuring my safe escape from the castle. If the coming conflict can be mitigated, even a little, you will have done a great service to all the people of the Mist Continent."

Piggybacking off of the Princess's words, Baku appended, "She's right. You did a great job, Andrew. Once we reach Lindblum, expect a sizeable reward."

Shaking his head, Andrew argued, "I earn enough money hunting fiends. Tantalus did me a big favor by taking me in, so take my reward and use it to fix up the hideout. I'd rather not have to worry about falling through the floor every time I wake up needing to use the bathroom..."

"Bwahahahaha~" laughed Baku, throwing his head back with his hands on his round belly. He had a decent understanding of Andrew's character at this point, so he wasn't too surprised by him turning down the reward. The Princess, however, had only known him for a few hours, causing a smile to develop across her face as she muttered, "Charitable as well..."

"More like conscientious," countered Andrew. "Tantalus took me in when I had nothing. It's only natural I repay them. Besides, all I did this time was follow your lead, Princess. That's not deserving of a bonus."

"It is not the size of an act but its ramifications that determine whether a person deserves a reward," contended Garnet. "Your actions today might seem small to you, but they stand to save thousands, if not considerably more. Take pride in that."

"I'll try..." replied Andrew, smiling awkwardly as he rubbed the back of his head. He was fairly weak to praise, but the impact was even greater when it came from a cute girl.

Eager to extricate himself from the situation, Andrew looked to Baku and asked, "Did you have anything else for me, Boss? If not, I'm going to head back to the cabin..."

"I did," revealed Baku, gesturing to the Princess as he added, "You'll be the Princess's personal guard and escort from now on. Once Alexandria declares war, Lindblum is technically enemy territory. You'll keep her safe and, if necessary, buy time if she needs to escape."

Before Andrew could refuse, Garnet piled on the pressure, adding, "It was I who requested to have you attend me. You are free to refuse, of course, but someone with your character should not be a Thief. If you are willing, I would have you become my Knight."

Though he felt dizzy, like someone had poured alcohol directly onto his overheated brain, Andrew did his best not to fall over in response to the Princess's words. He knew from the start that his actions would have far-reaching consequences, but he never anticipated a development like this would occur.

Liberating Andrew from his slack-jawed stupor, Baku said, "Accept her offer, boy. You may have the blood and spirit of a Tantalus, but you ain't no Thief. If you're worried about Zidane, don't be. It's not like the two of you won't be able to see each other again. Rather, if you refuse an offer like this, I imagine he'll be next in line to smack you across the head once I'm done with you."

Having tasted Baku's fist several times, Andrew instinctively touched the top of his head, smiling awkwardly. Then, as it would be foolish of him to refuse, he met the Princess's serious, unwavering gaze and answered, "It would be my honor..."

Nodding in approval, Garnet turned to Baku and asked, "Sir Baku, may I borrow your sword?"

"Certainly," replied Baku, unsheathing his oversized, falchion-like blade. It was far larger and heavier than the average broadsword, but Garnet didn't struggle too much when wielding it.

"Please take a knee," instructed Garnet, holding Baku's sword with both hands as she stood before Andrew. When he inevitably complied with her order, bowing his head and closing his eyes, she carefully touched the flat of the blade to both of his shoulders, stating, "I, Garnet Til Alexandros the 17th, with this blade, vest thee, Andrew Ashford, the rank and status of a Royal Knight of Alexandria. Furthermore, I designate you to the position of Princessguard. May you wield your sword as an example for all to follow..."

Retracting Baku's sword, Garnet instructed, "Arise, my Knight..." in a faint, solemn tone. Andrew shook, feeling a mixture of cringe and goosebumps, but he did his best not to grimace as he rose to his feet, towering over the 162cm tall Princess due to his 185cm height.

"I'm not sure how to behave like a Knight, but I'll do my best to protect you..." asserted Andrew.

Shaking her head, Garnet smiled as she assured, "You just need to act as you have. Based on what I've glimpsed of your character, that should be more than adequate. The rest is just following orders."

"Then I await your orders..." replied Andrew, smiling awkwardly as he felt like he had just been appointed the position of Chief Simp. He would have done his best to protect Garnet, regardless, but being at the mercy of her orders just felt...he wasn't entirely sure how to describe it. It wasn't a bad feeling, per se, but it was difficult to say he was happy...

Nodding in approval, Garnet took a moment to return Baku's sword before turning back to Andrew and stating, "Then, my first order is for you to see me safely to Lindblum. I do not believe the people of Tantalus are wicked, but I would be remiss to trust them wholeheartedly, given their status as Thieves."

"So, what do you want me to do?" asked Andrew, adopting an incredulous look as he guessed, "Stand guard outside your room?"

"That would be preferred, yes," replied Garnet. "However, as you no doubt need rest, you only need to guard my room at night. I would not be averse to you accompanying me throughout the day, but I trust Sir Baku and the members of Tantalus enough not to try anything in broad daylight. Please be sure to get some rest during that time."

"Right..." replied Andrew, rubbing the back of his head. He was sure he would get used to it, but being told what to do by someone he just met felt a little discomfiting. However, as he had already agreed to become the Princess's Knight, he intended to give her his best.

"Then I'll head to my cabin, take a short nap, and return within 2-3 hours," added Andrew. "I'm a pretty light sleeper, so that should be enough to get me through the night and most of the morning."

"Then I shall see you in 2-3 hours," said Garnet, surprising Andrew by reaching out, touching his shoulder, and adding, "Rest well, Sir Ashford. And thank you for agreeing to become my Knight..."

"I'll do my best..." replied Andrew, a wide array of emotions striking him all at once. He seriously doubted that the Princess had fallen for him, but the way she was treating him wasn't normal. At the very least, he didn't think it was. It very well might have been, but his muddleheaded state made it impossible to ascertain if he was experiencing reality or delusional. The one thing he was certain of was that his introduction to the world of Final Fantasy 9 had irreversibly altered the flow of events...

...

..

.