Foreword: FF8 is not mine to claim but this fic is. Enjoy! It's a different
style of writing, very much different from the one I was used to, and
hopefully Rinoa's character is not too badly portrayed!!
Sorceress's trap.
I did not know what had happened. One moment, I was one of the heroes who had saved the world, the next I was a fugitive running away from Garden. Perhaps it was my status as a sorceress that had brought all this down on me, or perhaps, it was fear. Yes the fear that I incite in others, fear and jealousy. There was no doubt that I was the most powerful sorceress ever to appear in the last 2 centuries.
Wicked rumors about me started circulating harmlessly in the upper classes of Deling city. From there, it fed on people's imagination and their fear, preying on their lack of trust of a sorceress. The rumors began to grow and evolve and spread to the people of Esthar. The normally peaceful Estharians hated sorceress with a passion after the Lunar Cry very nearly destroyed their city. It did not matter to them at all that I, Sorceress Rinoa had helped prevent a catastrophe, ironic isn't it?
The government in Deling, the new government who had promised to bring peace to their war-torn nation used these rumors to further their credibility without any thought of their repercussions. With the backing of a powerful government, the rumors grew into something more sinister and frightening. As the powerhouse to the West, Deling had the ability to influence the other lesser nations and so thus, the rumors spread like wildfire. From the Dukedom of Dollet and Winhill, it had even managed to turn the people of Timber against me.
At first, my friends and Squall told me to ignore them, certain that these rumors will die out. Alas, the prediction was wrong. Even within the Garden, where I already was feeling less and less at home as days turned to months, I began to receive weird stares. People started talking behind my back when they thought that I did not know. But they were wrong; I heard every singled word they whispered behind my back, words that cut and hurt. And yet for Squall, I endured. For his sake, I tried so hard not to be bothered by those malicious rumors but there were times when I felt like hiding in some corner and cry my heart out. But I had to be strong, for Squall, I had to.
But in the end, I crumbled. Lately Squall was getting worried; I could see that in his eyes. He was worried about me losing more and more weight and getting temperamental. Hell, I was becoming a shrew to be true. My nerves were frayed by the constant rumors that circulated persistently even within the Garden and even Squall was starting to feel weary of it. We decided to take a few days off in Balamb, hoping to spend more time with each other than on work. Besides, the Garden had been airborne for more than 2 months already; it was time to feel the ground beneath your feet once more.
With joyful hearts, we strolled into Balamb with Angelo by side and armed; it was always good to be cautious. Then it happened: the last straw that broke the camel's back. Peering at a shop's window, looking at the beautiful wedding gown inside, I was wondering when that day will arrive for me; Squall and I had been going out for almost 3 years. "Isn't it beautiful, Squall?" I asked in a hushed whisper. Almost tenderly, he took my hand in his gloved one. Suddenly, a sharp stone flew past me, grazed my arm and hit the window only to bounce back harmlessly. I gasped more out of shock then pain. In a fluid motion, Squall immediately brought out his gunblade and stepped right in front of me, ready to defend my life.
I turned around, trying to find my dangerous assailant but I saw only a middle aged woman with a haggard looking face. Her face was twisted into a grotesque mask of hatred, her eyes full of venom. I took a step back and leaned against the cool glass, shaken by the strong emotions displayed in those fiery orbs.
"Sorceress." She hissed. That one word alone carried the full weight of her animosity towards me. No, to be more accurate, I would say hostility, and a hatred born out of fear. "Sorceress." She spat out once more.
Seeing that it was only a woman, Squall relaxed a bit and gave the woman a chilly stare. Lowering his gunblade, he stared at the woman and spat out only two words, "Go away." Still with his gunblade unsheathed and ready, he came to my side wanting to comfort me. I was paralyzed at the sheer malice oozing out of her. Sensing my hurt feelings, Squall took his eyes off the woman and turned his head to face me, wanting to tell me that it was all right.
That was a big mistake.
The woman, instead of taking the hint, picked up another stone and threw it at me while running closer to the both of us. Angelo barked in warning. Swiftly Squall pulled me into his arms and right behind him, the window crashed into pieces. Snatching the both of us out of harm's way, Squall fell flat onto the ground with his body on top of mine, shielding me from the shards of flying glass. The stray pieces of glass bounced off his back and we were safe. However, the woman was not so lucky, pieces of glass cut her and she screamed in pain. Her scream drew the attention of others and before we know it, a crowd had gathered. Somehow, the conclusion that I was the main cause of the woman's injury took form and before we know it, the crowd was chanting, "Sorceress! Sorceress!" Yes, their chants were full of hatred and fear just like that woman. Pulling up to my feet, Squall immediately started looking for an escape route; the situation looked bad.
Before the crowd could turn into a mob, Squall grabbed my hand and both of us ran off with Angelo trailing behind. Using the flat of his blade, Squall managed to open up a path for the three of us but the mob chased and rained stones on us. By reflex, I cast Haste on the three of us so that we might run faster. But that was another BIG mistake. Seeing me using magic infuriated them even more. Seeking the sanctuary of Garden, Squall and I thought that we had lost them. But we were wrong.
An hour later, Selphie reported that a huge group of people of about 300 was marching up to the Garden.
They were armed and angry.
By then the story was so distorted that there was no way we could have cleared up the misunderstanding. Deep-seated fear and hatred was amplified a hundred more times by the vicious rumors and the 2nd Sorceress War, so much so that I had become the scapegoat, the one who would suffer the brunt of their anger. From afar, they were heard chanting "Kill the sorceress! Kill the sorceress!"
Not surprisingly, Squall immediately ordered the take-off of Balamb Garden and we flew off into the late afternoon sun. The Garden set a course for Trabia, near the Chocobo forest east of the Trabia Garden. For the next few days, we hid there waiting for the storm to pass. Some of the instructors took the opportunity to lead some of the students into the wintry landscape to learn more about the different types of monsters that exist in Trabia. Irvine and Quistis took the time to pass word to all the other SeeDs scattered all over the world, asking them to be extra cautious. Within the garden, Zell and Selphie were trying to persuade the SeeDs and cadets that I was innocent, some bought it, and some did not. All the while, I hid in my room refusing to see anyone, even Squall. I was afraid and my first instinct was to hide away from the world, away from prying eyes. Needless to say, after two days, Squall took the door apart, apologized for it and firmly deposited me in his room and in his arms.
I lay in his embrace for hours, savoring his scent and warmth, wishing that things could be somewhat different. Squall did not say anything, he never had to. He just cradled me tenderly, stroking my hair, reassuring me with his presence, all the while I clung onto him. He was my saviour, my love and when he was around, I feel safe and secure and loved. I did not want the moment to ever end. But sometimes things never go our way.
Sorceress's trap.
I did not know what had happened. One moment, I was one of the heroes who had saved the world, the next I was a fugitive running away from Garden. Perhaps it was my status as a sorceress that had brought all this down on me, or perhaps, it was fear. Yes the fear that I incite in others, fear and jealousy. There was no doubt that I was the most powerful sorceress ever to appear in the last 2 centuries.
Wicked rumors about me started circulating harmlessly in the upper classes of Deling city. From there, it fed on people's imagination and their fear, preying on their lack of trust of a sorceress. The rumors began to grow and evolve and spread to the people of Esthar. The normally peaceful Estharians hated sorceress with a passion after the Lunar Cry very nearly destroyed their city. It did not matter to them at all that I, Sorceress Rinoa had helped prevent a catastrophe, ironic isn't it?
The government in Deling, the new government who had promised to bring peace to their war-torn nation used these rumors to further their credibility without any thought of their repercussions. With the backing of a powerful government, the rumors grew into something more sinister and frightening. As the powerhouse to the West, Deling had the ability to influence the other lesser nations and so thus, the rumors spread like wildfire. From the Dukedom of Dollet and Winhill, it had even managed to turn the people of Timber against me.
At first, my friends and Squall told me to ignore them, certain that these rumors will die out. Alas, the prediction was wrong. Even within the Garden, where I already was feeling less and less at home as days turned to months, I began to receive weird stares. People started talking behind my back when they thought that I did not know. But they were wrong; I heard every singled word they whispered behind my back, words that cut and hurt. And yet for Squall, I endured. For his sake, I tried so hard not to be bothered by those malicious rumors but there were times when I felt like hiding in some corner and cry my heart out. But I had to be strong, for Squall, I had to.
But in the end, I crumbled. Lately Squall was getting worried; I could see that in his eyes. He was worried about me losing more and more weight and getting temperamental. Hell, I was becoming a shrew to be true. My nerves were frayed by the constant rumors that circulated persistently even within the Garden and even Squall was starting to feel weary of it. We decided to take a few days off in Balamb, hoping to spend more time with each other than on work. Besides, the Garden had been airborne for more than 2 months already; it was time to feel the ground beneath your feet once more.
With joyful hearts, we strolled into Balamb with Angelo by side and armed; it was always good to be cautious. Then it happened: the last straw that broke the camel's back. Peering at a shop's window, looking at the beautiful wedding gown inside, I was wondering when that day will arrive for me; Squall and I had been going out for almost 3 years. "Isn't it beautiful, Squall?" I asked in a hushed whisper. Almost tenderly, he took my hand in his gloved one. Suddenly, a sharp stone flew past me, grazed my arm and hit the window only to bounce back harmlessly. I gasped more out of shock then pain. In a fluid motion, Squall immediately brought out his gunblade and stepped right in front of me, ready to defend my life.
I turned around, trying to find my dangerous assailant but I saw only a middle aged woman with a haggard looking face. Her face was twisted into a grotesque mask of hatred, her eyes full of venom. I took a step back and leaned against the cool glass, shaken by the strong emotions displayed in those fiery orbs.
"Sorceress." She hissed. That one word alone carried the full weight of her animosity towards me. No, to be more accurate, I would say hostility, and a hatred born out of fear. "Sorceress." She spat out once more.
Seeing that it was only a woman, Squall relaxed a bit and gave the woman a chilly stare. Lowering his gunblade, he stared at the woman and spat out only two words, "Go away." Still with his gunblade unsheathed and ready, he came to my side wanting to comfort me. I was paralyzed at the sheer malice oozing out of her. Sensing my hurt feelings, Squall took his eyes off the woman and turned his head to face me, wanting to tell me that it was all right.
That was a big mistake.
The woman, instead of taking the hint, picked up another stone and threw it at me while running closer to the both of us. Angelo barked in warning. Swiftly Squall pulled me into his arms and right behind him, the window crashed into pieces. Snatching the both of us out of harm's way, Squall fell flat onto the ground with his body on top of mine, shielding me from the shards of flying glass. The stray pieces of glass bounced off his back and we were safe. However, the woman was not so lucky, pieces of glass cut her and she screamed in pain. Her scream drew the attention of others and before we know it, a crowd had gathered. Somehow, the conclusion that I was the main cause of the woman's injury took form and before we know it, the crowd was chanting, "Sorceress! Sorceress!" Yes, their chants were full of hatred and fear just like that woman. Pulling up to my feet, Squall immediately started looking for an escape route; the situation looked bad.
Before the crowd could turn into a mob, Squall grabbed my hand and both of us ran off with Angelo trailing behind. Using the flat of his blade, Squall managed to open up a path for the three of us but the mob chased and rained stones on us. By reflex, I cast Haste on the three of us so that we might run faster. But that was another BIG mistake. Seeing me using magic infuriated them even more. Seeking the sanctuary of Garden, Squall and I thought that we had lost them. But we were wrong.
An hour later, Selphie reported that a huge group of people of about 300 was marching up to the Garden.
They were armed and angry.
By then the story was so distorted that there was no way we could have cleared up the misunderstanding. Deep-seated fear and hatred was amplified a hundred more times by the vicious rumors and the 2nd Sorceress War, so much so that I had become the scapegoat, the one who would suffer the brunt of their anger. From afar, they were heard chanting "Kill the sorceress! Kill the sorceress!"
Not surprisingly, Squall immediately ordered the take-off of Balamb Garden and we flew off into the late afternoon sun. The Garden set a course for Trabia, near the Chocobo forest east of the Trabia Garden. For the next few days, we hid there waiting for the storm to pass. Some of the instructors took the opportunity to lead some of the students into the wintry landscape to learn more about the different types of monsters that exist in Trabia. Irvine and Quistis took the time to pass word to all the other SeeDs scattered all over the world, asking them to be extra cautious. Within the garden, Zell and Selphie were trying to persuade the SeeDs and cadets that I was innocent, some bought it, and some did not. All the while, I hid in my room refusing to see anyone, even Squall. I was afraid and my first instinct was to hide away from the world, away from prying eyes. Needless to say, after two days, Squall took the door apart, apologized for it and firmly deposited me in his room and in his arms.
I lay in his embrace for hours, savoring his scent and warmth, wishing that things could be somewhat different. Squall did not say anything, he never had to. He just cradled me tenderly, stroking my hair, reassuring me with his presence, all the while I clung onto him. He was my saviour, my love and when he was around, I feel safe and secure and loved. I did not want the moment to ever end. But sometimes things never go our way.