Ch. 1 New Beginnings

Rin Heartilly stepped out of the orphanage that served as her home for the past 15 years. She waved goodbye to all the other orphans that she considered her brothers and sisters.

Outside the old house was bitterly cold. Stumbling through the snow Rin was roughly pushed to the entrance gate by her nursery mother.

With finally becoming of the adult age of 18 she was forced to leave the orphanage and start her own life. Alone.

"Now child I have gotten you job at old fish factory in Balamb. You are to go there immediately." Her cranky old nursery mother told her. Her Trabian accent couldn't be denied.

"I know mother Edea," Rin told the woman who had taken care of her for the past 15 years. The woman was often grouchy and for the most part unbearable to live with, but Rin somehow still cared for her and would always be grateful towards her.

"Don't patronize me child," mother Edea scrutinized. "You've been nothing but trouble for me since the day you came."

On the other hand Rin was very relieved to be leaving.

"Just leave this orphanage, go to fish factory and don't get into any trouble in between."

She sighed. Working at a fish factory for the rest of her life didn't seem at all appealing. She rubbed the ring that she wore on a silver chain around her neck between her fingers. The ring was the only thing that Rin owned that linked her to her past. Deep in her heart she knew that whoever had given her that ring must have loved her at some time.

As if reading her thoughts she heard mother Edea yell "Don't get any ideas about finding whoever gave you that ring." The nursery mother opened the steel gate and pushed Rin through it. The old woman's goodbye was nothing more then words of vindication.

"Find factory, work, eat, sleep and be grateful that you get to."

Her nursery mother slammed the gate shut behind her without a glance to the now alone young woman and went back to her orphanage.

Rin strolled down the newly laid snow. She felt each footstep sink into the white fluff.

She had her whole life in front of her, but it seemed like her life was already planned. Rin whole heartily believed in fate, but she couldn't believe that her destiny was to be a fish packager.

The snowy road stopped and two roads bridged from it. A sign was planted in the middle of the roads. It had two arrows on it, one pointed to the left road and the other to the right.

The left arrow had Balamb printed underneath it and underneath the right read Timber. Rin looked long and hard at the sign. To her right was a life of possibilities, a future that she wasn't sure of, but to the left she knew what the future held. She be Rin Heartilly, the orphan fish packager.

Rin flopped down in the snow. The cold winter breeze rush against her and she felt her nose go cold. She knew she couldn't sit here forever she needed to decide.

At that moment Rin realized she was choosing her own life. Her choose may be pre-ordained, but at least for that moment she was choosing what road to walk on, what life she wanted.

Rin knew that there really wasn't a choice at all. She knew what she wanted. Without another moment of hesitation she got up from the freezing ground and wiped off the snow that stuck to her old pale blue jacket.

With her heart a little lighter and the adventure of the unknown in front of her she began her journey to Timber.

* * * * *

Seifer Almansy grew tired of the girls who where flaunting themselves in front of him. He'd seen over a thousand girls and not one came close to resembling the missing princess Rinoa Caraway.

The young man threw an annoyed glance at his two friends Raijin and Fujin. Raijin had a stupid smile across his face as woman after woman kept prancing before him. Fujin, however seemed to be growing tired of the whole ordeal. He didn't blame her.

The day was done and the threesome trudged to their favorite local bar, Loires.

As the three of them walked Raijin said to him defeated "Seifer, there ain't that many girls to look at anymore, ya know."

"Raijin, my man the right woman is out there we just have to keep looking."

"AGREED," Fujin said. She usually never spoke more then one syllable.

They walked into the bar where they were immediately greeted by the usual bartender.

"Laguna, the usual if you would." Seifer told the long dark haired git.

"Gotcha," the bartender replied and quickly retrieved three beers and handed one to each of them.

Waiting for him to take the first sip of his beer Laguna asked Seifer in a whispered voice "Any luck?"

Laguna had his share in Seifer's search. He was the one who gathered the dim-witted females for him.

"Nope," Seifer answered. He had a long day and didn't want to rekindle the waste of time that had been spent.

"Ah, I wouldn't worry about it. The right girl will come walking through that door any day now." He smiled at him "Until then though if you come by any good waitresses let me know. I've had my help wanted sing up for a week now with no bites."

Seifer started to drown out Laguna's useless babble. His eyes where now focused on the stage that was set in the middle of the bar with great anticipation. The beautiful Victoria was about to take stage.

* * * * *

Rin stepped one foot into the city of Timber. It wasn't an incredibly huge city at least compared to Balamb, but she got a good feeling from it.

She ventured further into the city. It was filled with small buildings and shops on one side of town and the other side was taken up by a train-station, in-between where homes.

Rin didn't know where to start. She was in a city that she had never been in before and was about to start a knew life.the only problem was she didn't how to start it.

She aimlessly wondered around the city looking from building to building. She didn't even notice the stranger until she bumped right into him.

"Sorry," she said apologizing. The stranger continued to walk without word to her. She was only able to catch the back of him. His shaggy light brown hair gently swayed with the movements of his steps.

Forgetting the stranger she stopped at a local bar. The noise of happy people seemed to come from inside. Noticing a sign that read "Help wanted" she quickly grabbed it and stepped inside.

A beautiful voice entered her ears and she moved her eyes to the stage in front of her. A gorgeous woman stood in the middle of the stage, all eyes in the room where on the woman. She had long beautiful wavy blond hair and glowing ocean blue eyes that stood out even from a distance. Her petite voluptuous body had captured the attention of every man in the room.

Rin moved her way through the adoring crowd in an attempt to reach the counter where she saw a bartender who, like everyone else in the bar, had is eyes glued to the woman on the stage.

Rin envied the woman on stage. Not for her ability to attract every man's attention, although she did feel a tinge of envy for that too. Rin loved to sing. Her mind was often filled with the words of a woman singing. The mysterious woman's voice had often settled her to sleep on long cold nights back at the orphanage.

{Maybe yes, maybe no} Rin shook the familiar song from her mind as she passed a young, very good looking guy who also had his eyes on the woman singer. She made her way to the bartender.

"Excuse me," she said to the man behind the counter. His eyes didn't flinch as she tried to address him.

"Excuse me, sir." She said louder smacking the man lightly upside the head. Her action finally grabbed the man's attention.

The bartender did a double take. He looked at the young Rin then back to the woman onstage and then back to Rin. His eyes lit up at second glance.

"What.what can I do for you?" the bartender stuttered.

Rin held up the help wanted sign. "I was wondering if the job was still available."

"Sure.sure," the man told her "Just hold on." He smacked the young guy that she had passed a moment ago. "Seifer!" he addressed the guy again. The young man turned around irritably.

"What!?" he shouted at the bartender a scowl covered up what would have been a handsome face. The bartender nodded his head in Rin's direction. Instantly the guy's dark brown eyes lit up, the same way the bartenders had earlier. He was an incredibly good looking guy. He had wavy blond hair and a body of a muscle builder. On his face was a scar that extended from his forehead to the bridge of his nose. Rin found the scar sexy, but quickly took her focus away from the mans features as he spoke to her.

"So your only looking for the waitress job?" she found his question odd, but she answered anyway.

"Well if that is all the job entails then yes. Why does it require more?"

"Maybe, that depends." Seifer's face was nothing, but smug. He had a confidence in his tone that Rin found herself mildly attracted to.

"Are you familiar with King Caraway's missing daughter.ah?"

He seemed to suddenly realize that he didn't know her name. Rin filled in the blank for him. "Rin Heartily," she told him.

"Ren," he falsely addressed her.

"It's Rin," she corrected him.

"Yes, of course it is," it wasn't an apology, but Rin didn't have time to get offended as the guy rambled on.

"So have you?" he asked.

"Have I what?" She felt stupid as he looked at her annoyed, but he quickly changed his expression and continued to ask.

"Have you heard of King Caraway's daughter, the missing Rinoa Caraway?"

Now she was really confused. Why was he asking her this? What did it have to do with the waitress job?

"You mean the one that died?"

"Yeah that's the one or so we all thought."

"Huh?"

Seifer looked her over quickly. "Excuse me," he told her getting up from his seat.

The bartender, Seifer and another man and woman all went to the corner that was farthest away from her. Rin sat there and watched the four of them argue as the woman on stages voice covered up whatever they where saying.

* * * * *

She was perfect and Seifer knew it. Right body frame, right hair and eye color, right age and best of all she seemed to not even have a clue. Laguna, however, had an uneasy feeling about it.

"Seifer, you should tell her about the gil," he protested.

"Why? 10 million gil split 4 ways is better then 5. Anyways it's not like she's going to miss it."

"My s.Squall and his friends aren't going to be happy about this," Laguna nag.

"Screw Squall and those dumb-ass 'law protecting' friends of his were not doing anything illegal."

Squall Lionheart, the one person on this earth that he truly hated. Him and his mercenary friends did nothing, but get in his way, the only person that stopped him from fulfilling any of the dreams that he might have had.

The two had been good friends at one time. He had been a mercenary along side him. Then one day on a mission a decision had to be made, Seifer made his and Squall had made his own. The result was the end of a long friendship and the matching scars that they both owned.

Squall was Laguna's son even though he didn't display it. Laguna had done something that made Squall resent his very being. He even went as far as to change his last name to his mother's maiden name.

That part of their past didn't matter to him. As long as Squall and his cronies stayed out of the way of the biggest con in history he didn't care.

It wasn't going to be easy, but as always Seifer was confident that he was going to pull it off.

Once he got everyone to agree he went back to the dark haired brunette.

"Looks like it's your lucky day sweetheart," he told her "You got the job."



* * * * *

Squall Lionheart sat in his hotel room in Timber. They had just completed a mission and his friends where out celebrating at Loires bar.

Squall would have normally gone with, but the name of the bar restrained him. He hated missions in Timber there was only one place for any social activity and that place just happened to be owned by his father.

He really didn't use the word father when regarding Laguna. Laguna was his only family, but only by blood, Quistis, Zell, Selphie and Irvine they where his real family. The bond that was between them was stronger then most families could dream about. That's why Squall hated sitting around in his room all alone.

Squall still had to stay in the town for the next few days and with little to do Squall wasn't looking forward to it to say the least.

Picking up his leather jacket he mumbled the words "screw it." Leaving his hotel room he started for Loires.

* * * * *

Rin started her first day as a waitress today making her whole body run with a tingle of excitement. The feeling not only came because it was her first day on the job, but after her shift Seifer promised to take her out for dinner.

She arrived at Loires a little early. Laguna, the bartender and owner happily greeted her.

"You ready?"

"Yes," she said smiling.

"Alright then," Laguna said handing her a pencil and notepad. "Go take care of that table over there," He pointed to a table of four. "There all mercenaries so I be careful," he said to giving her a playful wink.

"Really?" she asked "They can't be much older then me," but by now Laguna was already attending to someone ordering from the bar.

With a shrug Rin walked up to the 'dangerous' group of four. They appeared completely harmless except for the weapons that were on each of their sides.

The table occupied two men and woman. One of the men in a cowboy hat noticed her and with a bright smile waved for her to come over.

"Hi there miss you look new here."

"It's my first day here," she told them smiling. "I'm Rin, what can I get you guys?"

"You could get me that hottie singer on that stage if you don't mind." The cowboy teased.

"I second that," the other man with them said. He had spiky blond hair and a black tattoo on the side of his face.

The two men where hit by spunky haired, small woman who was sitting next to the cowboy.

"Irvine, Zell!" She wailed. Her voice seemed to be mingled with annoyance and amusement.

"Hey Selphie I'm just kidding around," the one she called Irvine said. Then looking back at me he whispered "I'm not."

"Huh.well Victoria will be out in a bit."

She was told that it was important to know the singers name. Now seeing the look that her name brought to the young men's eyes she knew why. "Until then can I get you anything?" she offered.

They were about to order when the blond woman who had been quiet so far spoke up.

"Look guys, Squall decided to show," the mercenaries and Rin all look at the man who just stepped into the bar.

He was extremely good looking. She put him up with the likes of Seifer in the looks department, but this man slightly took the edge. He had shaggy light brown hair and mysterious grayish blue eyes. He was built much like Seifer. She found it odd that he had the same scar as Seifer, even though it was directed on the other side of his face she found it as equally adorable.

"Squall, I'm glad that you decided to come this cutie right here," Irvine points to Rin "told us that the singer woman, you know with the long blond hair, is going to be out any minute."

Irvine was slapped again by Selphie, but Rin hardly noticed. Her eyes were on the man who just seated himself with the odd foursome. She noticed him glance once in her direction, but then quickly turned to his friends.

It was odd, but Rin felt as if she had met this mysterious figure before. Shifting her thoughts she asked the now five mercenaries.

"Now what can I get you?"

"I'll have"- Squall began to take his order, but got no further.

"Shhh.she's coming," the tattoo man hushed them.

"I'll come back at a more convenient time," she told them, but the two young men seemed to hardly notice that she was even speaking. Selphie seemed occupied with getting the attention of Irvine and the other woman's attention seemed to be taken by something else.

Rin went back behind the bar to talk to Laguna, but like every other man in the room his attention was taken.

Rin slumped against the counter. Victoria was swooning the audience with her every word, everyone except one.

Squall had left his friends table and seated himself at the bar. With no one else around or even paying attention to anyone but the beautiful Victoria Rin walked up next to the somber Squall.

"Do you want anything?" She asked him.

"A beer," he said quietly, but Rin caught on. She grabbed his order then returned to him handing over the beer.

"Thanks," he said taking the it.

Intrigued by his unnatural silence and seemingly no interest in Victoria she asked him. "So why aren't you gawking over the lovely Victoria?"

He shrugged "not my type."

Rin's first thought to Squall's reply was that maybe he was.gay, but there was a look in his eyes. Not necessarily towards her, but she knew right there and then that he defiantly wasn't gay.

"So Laguna over there tells me you guys are all mercenaries, is there any truth behind that claim or is he just yanking my chain?"

Squall looks over at Laguna with a bit more resentment them she would have expected.

"I would never take what Laguna says all that seriously," Squall told her "but between lies something's are true."

"So you are a mercenary?" Rin was growing more fascinated by this man by the minute.

"Try to be."

Rin never had a good opinion of mercenaries, but then again she never actual met one before. She new most were bad, but some had to be good. From one look at Squall and his friends she could tell that they were good.

"Miss.miss," noticing that Squall was calling her she snapped out of her train of thought.

"Sorry," she said quickly.

"It's okay I just want another beer."

"Coming right up," Rin said cheerfully and got him another beer. As she handed him the beer she asked another question.

"So do you live in Timber or are you just here?"

"We're here on a mission that just got over. We'll be leaving in a few days."

"Oh," Rin said a little disappointed, but she didn't know what she expected. Mercenaries weren't known for staying in one place. The fact was she was a little jealous of him. To travel around the world with your friends it was a dream that she knew would never come true for her.

"Squall, Squall," Victoria's show was over and his friends where calling him back to sit down.

"I should go back how much do I owe you?" Before she could answer Laguna came over to the two of them.

"Those drinks are on the house."

Squall didn't even look at the man and his kind offer he only repeated his previous statement.

"How much do I owe you?"

Laguna frowned "That will be 5.50," he told him.

Squall handed Rin a ten "Keep the change," he said then went back to join his friends.

When Squall left there was a sad yearning look in Laguna's eyes. Hesitantly she asked him.

"What's the deal between you two?"

Laguna looks at her "Unfortunately nothing." With that said he walks away to another customer.

Rin spent the remaining time in her shift waiting tables while keeping a curious eye on Squall and his friends.

They were a funny bunch. They seemed to be always joking and laughing even the demure Squall got in a few jokes. Rin yearned to be part of their laughter, but that was another dream for another day.

Eventually the five of them got up to leave. Rin was carrying too many trays when she bumped right into Squall.

"That's two times," he said catching one of my fallen trays before it crashed to the floor along with the food that it carried.

"Thanks," she said considering his comment it then dawned on her.

"Were you the guy that I ran into the other day?" she outburst.

.Squall smile it was the first time she seen him smile. It made her knees weak and she almost dropped her trays again.

Instead of answering the question he took another tray off her hands. "Here let me help you with that," he said. Grateful for his help she directed him to the table that the trays belong to.

"I hope Laguna doesn't see you helping me."

"Don't worry he'll get over it. He's good at getting over things." Before she could ask him what he meant his friend Irvine called from the door impatiently.

"Stop flirting Squall and come on."

"Be there in a second," he called back then turns to Rin a slight blush washing over his cheeks.

"It was nice meeting you Rin," he told her. She smiles "How do you know my name? I believe I never told it to you."

His blush becomes a deeper red "I make it my business to find out a pretty girls name." he says to her a smile once again forming on his face "Do you have a last name?"

"Heartilly, to you have a last name Squall?" He smiled knowing that he never told her his last name either.

"Lionheart."

"Well maybe see you again?" She asked.

"Maybe," he replied keeping his mysterious mentality. They parted and she watched him join his friends who all gave him mischievous grins and pats on the back.

As they left Rin smiled to herself and went to clear off their table.

* * * * *

Seifer arrived a few minutes late to pick Rin up for dinner, but she didn't seem to care. He knew she wouldn't.

He didn't take her any place fancy just a simple little place for pizza. She didn't seem to mind that either in fact she seemed thrilled. Seifer was a little annoyed at how easy it was to please her. It provided no challenge, not that he was looking for a challenge with her anyway. Sure she was pretty, but not the knockout that he was looking for.

He allowed her to ramble on before he spoke up about the real reason why he brought her here.

"I just came from an orphanage and I was supposed to work at a fish factory, but then something inside of me told me to go to Timber."

"Really," Seifer said off handily not really listening to her.

"Well you know the rest," she continued "I went to the bar, got the waitress job.met you."

Seifer didn't say anything he was glad that he had met her, but not for the same reasons as she probably hoped.

"Oh and I met Squall Lionheart today. Do you know him?"

Seifer's head perked up at the name. She seemed to notice his sudden change in position and asked him.

"Do you know what the deal is between Laguna and him? They seemed to know each other, but"-

"Of course they know each other," he told her "There father and son."

Rin let out a gasp "Are they really?"

"I wouldn't say it if they weren't. Laguna's a decent man, but Squall will have no part of him." He noticed Rin's intense stare "He's a mercenary you know how they are."

She took every word he said to heart. Seifer arched an eyebrow and said.

"How did you meet Squall?" he tried to sound indifferently.

"I waited him and his friend's table today." She told him a slight hint of surprise was in her voice she was probably caught off guard by his sudden interest. He hoped she didn't think he was jealous or something. The last thing he wanted was for someone to think that he was jealous of Squall Lionheart.

Squall could be a problem he realized, but he never stayed in town very long it was nothing to worry about. Instead Seifer changed the subject to what he had been waiting to talk about.

"Rin, you ever think about yourself being a princess?" He bluntly asked.

She stared at him incredulously. He didn't think she was going to respond so he continued to talk.

"King Caraway is looking for his lost daughter, Rinoa Caraway. You know you look a lot like the princess."

Rin's incredulous stare didn't falter, but she finally did find her voice "Are you insinuating that I'm Princess Rinoa Caraway?"

"Look I'm just pointing out the facts. You really look like you could be. The majesty's daughter has been missing for 15 years and you said yourself that you've been an orphan for the past 15 years. Do you even remember what your parents look like Rin?"

The girl shook her head. "I'm pointing out the dots you're the one that has to connect them," he told her.

Rin continued to stare at him her expression was shocked to say the least, but he knew he had her where he wanted her.

"Have you ever thought of the possibility that you might actually be a princess?

Rin didn't stop staring at him she looked at him long and hard. "Is this the only reason you brought me here to ask me this? Tell me what's in it for you?"

The girl wasn't as big of a fool as he had thought, all the better when it came to convincing his royal excellence. He put on his best smile and took her hand. He could see her harden resolve melt away with the mere touch of his hand.

"Look you'll still go to work and afterwards I'll train you in the royal ways. The only thing I get out of it is the pleasure of your company."

It took her a bit, but eventually she smiled at me. He had her; with triumph he raises his glass of water.

"To you. Princess Rinoa Caraway."

With an embarrassed smile Rin clinked her glass with his. It was even easier then he thought it would be.