A/N: Final Fantasy VIII and its characters belong to Square

A Sorceress's Cry

'Have you ever thought about what names you'll be giving your children?' Rinoa asked casually.

Squall's terrified blue eyes met her playful chocolate ones.

'Wh...what? What are you talking about? What do you mean?? he stuttered. 'Are you...trying to tell me that you..that you...?'

Rinoa giggled, she knew he'd have this kind of response.

'O, no reason. Just curious you know?' she replied.

'But...but are you sure you're not...?'

Groaning, Rinoa punched him lightly on his arm. 'Just answer the question will you? I swear on the lives of my cactus plants back home that I'm not.'

'That's not very convincing you know; as your plants are already rotting away on the windowsill.' he teased her, finally convinced that he would not need to change diapers soon.

'Hey! You meanie!'

'Well if it isn't the pot calling the kettle black. You started being mean first.' he pointed out

She rolled her eyes, 'Whatever...'

Squall laughed and pulled her into him. 'Aw, don't be mad. Forgive me?' he said kissing her on her cheek

Rinoa smiled, 'All right, but only if you answer my question.'

She screamed as another wave of sharp pain tore through her exhausted body. The contractions were getting closer and closer in their intervals, a sure sign that the birth was not far. She felt the cool damp earth on which her back was resting on and breathed in huge quantity of air.

The sweet scent of cedar and pine soothed her and helped eased the pain of labour. The spot was absolutely perfect, for the nearest sign of civilization, a little town called Winhill was a good 30 miles away. Way too far for anyone to hear her cries and screams.

The wilderness had been her home for the last few months. Ever since that incident Rinoa had grown to hate people, or anything relating to them, which was why she chose to live in the natural environment.

People had always been suspicious of her sorceress powers, so when a mission went very wrong, she was blamed for it. Rinoa was after all, the only survivor. The other five and many more SeeD cadets were all killed.

The fact that the mission wasn't particularly dangerous raised many questions as to why no one else survived. She tried countless times to explain the only reason for her survival was because she wasn't at the spot where everyone died.

'How could you not be??!! You were part of the crew! How could you not be there when the mission took place?!' yelled an angry attorney pointing an accusing finger at her.

'Are you listening to me??!' Rinoa yelled back, 'I was ill, so I was told to stay behind.'

'Liar! I've been around to all the hospitals and clinics near the incident spot and none of them have any record of you checking in as a patient'

'I was ILL! I wasn't on the brink of death so I didn't go to a hospital!'

'Ah-ha! You said you weren't tethering on the edge of life and death, and you are a SeeD correct? According to Garden protocols, when SeeDs are on a mission, they are not allowed to separate from the group unless a matter of urgency surfaces. I would imagine a mild cold, or a slightly upset stomach isn't to be considered as life-threatening thus definitely not a matter of urgency.'

'You don't understand. I was commanded to stay behind.'

'That's bullshit! Commander Leonhart was known to all as a very strict leader. Despite of your personal relationship with him, I don't believe he bent the rules for you.'

'Well he did. And the sooner you accept that, the better.'

'Listen you witch. The way I see it, the sooner you admit to killing those SeeDs the better. You are a sorceress; I think the odds are tipped in my favor, even if I am wrong. Which I'm 100 positive I'm not.'

'It was messed up timing dammit!! You can't treat me like this. It's injustice! Just because I'm a sorceress doesn't make me a blood thirsty monster!' Rinoa sunk into the wooden chair and sobbed.

'Miss Heartilly! Control yourself.' demanded the judge.

'See your honour? Look at her pathetic state. There is no way her words can be trusted.' the attorney smirked coldly, knowing that he had just won the case.

The wise looking judge gave a sigh; he still had to deal with five more cases today

'Ladies and gentlemen, by the high law court of Esthar, I pronounce Miss Rinoa Heartilly to be guilty and responsible for the death of twenty SeeD cadets during a Garden mission.

Rinoa struggled to sit up. Her beautiful face was a mess of tears and dirt. She wished the pain would just stop; the inside of her abdomen felt like it was on fire. Leaning her back against the rough surface of a deep brown tree trunk, Rinoa drew her knees up and spread her legs apart.

For months, the dread of giving birth had scared her beyond anything else. She was always asking herself questions. What if there's a complication? What if the baby's breached? What if I couldn't tell when I had reached full dilation? There were a million what ifs and the fact that she could not just waltz into a random news agency, book store or supermarket for a book on childbirth added to her fright and anxiety.

'So? What are they? Give me at least two names.'

'What do you mean at least two? I have enough trouble just thinking of one!'

Rinoa giggled. 'Squall, don't tell me that during your entire life you haven't come across one name that you like.'

'I like your name. So that's one.' He said in a hopeful tone.

'Nu-uh! No way am I naming our daughter after me. I mean Rinoa Junior Leonhart? How ugly does that sound?' she said shaking her brunette head. 'Nice try commander, but that doesn't count.'

Squall raised his eyebrows. 'Our daughter? Do you see yourself as the mother of my children?'

Rinoa turned beet red as she realized she had just confessed the future she'd always dreamed of and fantasized out loud.

'Um…uh…I mean…I meant to say my daughter…my children. Unless you…um…you maybe one day…Oh man, forget I asked the question.' She turned her face away in embarrassment.

Gently placing his hands on her slim waist, Squall wheeled her around and kissed her deeply. When he pulled away, he stroked her cherry red cheeks and gave her a rare smile.

'Sora for a boy and Sapphire for a girl.'

Rinoa opened her mouth and let out another ear piercing scream. She had begun to push and could feel the baby moving through the birth canal. Another contraction came and it brought more tears to her eyes. Digging her fingers into the damp earth, Rinoa clutched the two rings she wore around her neck as she gathered up her strength and prepared herself for the next contraction.

'Listen Squall, I'm sorry…for so carelessly blurting out that I picture myself…married to you in the future. I probably shouldn't have asked you the name question to begin with. I know how scared you are of commitment, and I'm sorry…I'm sorry if I…'

He silenced her by bringing his lips down to meet hers.

'Hush Rinoa. Don't apologize.'

'But Squall…'

'I also see you as the mother of my children.'

She was so exhausted that she had her head back against the tree since the muscles in her neck refused to fully support her head. She wasn't able to see what was happening but she could feel it. Her last push had brought the baby's head out. And within minutes the shoulders and upper body followed.

'You never told me what you think Rin.'

'Of what?' she asked.

'Our kids' names.' He answered blushing ever so slightly.

One more push, just one more push and it would be over. Breathing heavily, Rinoa spread her legs further apart and drew her knees up higher. She placed her hands in between her legs and as the contraction came, the young sorceress pushed with what little strength she had left in her body and screamed out a name; her knight's name.

'Sapphire and Sora Leonhart.' She said slowly. 'Hey, sounds a lot better than Squall Junior and Rinoa Junior.' She said with a teasing smile before wrapping her arms around his neck and snuggling into his chest. 'They're perfect Squall, just perfect.'

The newborn slipped into her waiting hands and Rinoa breathed a sigh of relief when it opened its tiny mouth began wailing. After noting of her baby's gender, Rinoa quickly took off her blue jumper cloak and wrapped the little infant tight in its warmth. The young mother brought the child close to her and slipped off one strap of her black tank top. It was while the baby nursed that Rinoa observed the little delicate features. Ten fingers and toes, a tiny button nose, two perfectly shaped ears, soft tufts of black hair; a small burp directed Rinoa's attention back to the newborn's face.

Intense stormy blue eyes met with her proud chocolate ones. Rinoa didn't even try to stop the tears as she kissed her baby and laid them both down to rest on the earth. She felt a gentle breeze blew over them as she wrapped her arm protectively around the infant's tiny body. Rinoa snuggled her child closer to offer both of them more warmth.

'Sapphire.' She whispered the name of her newborn. 'She's perfect Squall, just perfect.'

Rinoa finally gave in to exhaustion and closed her heavy lids.

Our little jewel

Please leave a review and tell me what you think. I originally planned this story to be longer but I got to this point and thought it has a pretty good ambigious ending. But if you'd like me to write more, plz tell me. I do have a rough plot in mind. Thanks!