A/N: Well, here is another update! Again sorry for the delay, but hopefully I'm getting better with that! I hope you will enjoy this chapter, we really are moving to the conclusion right now. There are 4-5 chapters left after this, all concentrating on the big ending really :D Many many thanks to all my reviewers, I luv ya all :D enjoy the chapter and please leave me some feedback!

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Rinoa instantly grabbed Squall's arm and clung to him the moment her father spoke "What do you mean?" She asked, tearfully.

"I will be requesting a public hanging for what you have done."

"No , you cant do that !" Rinoa cried

"I am the King, I can do whatever I wish."

"What about Irvine, he was right! Are you going to admit to the world what happened?"

"Of course not. For the good of the Kingdom, I will keep your sordid affair under wraps."

"Then, how?? How will you justify taking his life?"

"Oh I will find my ways, my dear daughter. Have no doubt about that. " Caraway laughed to himself "I'll give you a few moments to deal with the news." His smile was sadistic.

"What are we going to do?" Rinoa sobbed as Caraway left the room.

"There's nothing we can do." Squall said so calmly that it scared Rinoa

"What do you mean, there is nothing we can do? Are you just going to give up?"

"I don't see another way. Your father will get what he wants."

Rinoa stood up and stared at Squall through her tears "Are you just going to sit there, resign yourself to accepting such an unfair fate?"

"Do you think I want to die? Do you think I want your father to win? No, of course I don't. But there is nothing we can do now! Trying to fight it will only make it hurt more. Just…give up Rinoa"

"No! I refuse! You may be giving up on us, but I won't!"

"You're wasting your time."

"Maybe I am, but at least I'm trying."

Rinoa and Squall didn't get to say anything more; Caraway strolled in to the room, announcing "Time is up. What a shame."

"I hate you." Rinoa told him, whipping round to stare at him, narrowing her eyes through her tears.

"I know you do." Caraway said coolly, and unconcerned. "I'm only looking out for your interests, you'll understand when you're older."

"I'll understand when I'm older? I am old enough to know that you are evil at heart and you will never change. You do not deserve the respect you get, you do not deserve to be a king or a father." Ordinarily Rinoa would be afraid to scream at her father the way she was, but somehow, she just could not care anymore.

But as she expected, her father became incredibly angry. "Do not think that you can act towards me in whatever way you want Rinoa, you may not have been punished for this little charade but carry on your attitude and you will regret it."

"Do your worst. Nothing you will do will hurt me as much as killing Squall. Whatever you do to me after that… I couldn't care. I will regret nothing that I say to a black-hearted man like you. The only thing I regret is being born into this family, born to such a horrifically selfish and terrible father!"

It seemed Caraway had had enough of what he perceived as Rinoa's poor attitude and decided to put an end to it. Making no effort to handle it rationally he simply hit Rinoa across the face, so hard that she fell to the floor.

Squall immediately went to her side and pulled her towards him, he looked up at Caraway, a burning hatred in his eyes "If you want rid of me, fine, let this whole thing end with my death. But do not harm Rinoa."

"Honourable" Caraway sniggered to himself "I haven't quite decided what to do with her yet. Perhaps I'll decide once I've dealt with you. Of course that way, you may never know. What a shame." Caraway then clicked his fingers, and several of his soldiers came through the door.

"Please escort the Princess to her room. And don't let her leave."

The soldiers immediately followed the order and grabbed Rinoa, but she desperately tried to struggle against them "No" she cried hysterically "let me go! Squall!!"

"Rinoa… I love you." Squall said

"I love you too." Rinoa whispered. It was loud enough for him to hear, but it sounded so broken. She was broken. Her heart was broken. She would never see him again. Never feel what it was like to be held in his arms again. Never have that feeling of safety and comfort that she felt with him. Her life was pointless from this day forward.

Eventually she gave in, and just let the soldiers drag her away, and lock her in her room.

And she just sat there for hours, on the floor, staring at the walls, with tears falling permanently from her eyes.

Her distressing solitude was interrupted though, by a visit from Seifer, the last person she wanted to see.

"Get out." She said as soon as he entered the room.

"Your father has sent me to give you a message."

"I do not want to hear anything you or my father has to say."

"You will want to hear this. It's the arrangements for tomorrow, when this tragic little fairytale of yours will come to an end. Sunset… such a fitting time."

Was he talking about Squall's death?

"Tomorrow?" Rinoa said weakly. It was sooner than she had even expected "Why is it happening so quickly?"

Ordinarily the arrangements for this type of thing would take at least a few days. No doubt her father had pulled a lot of strings.

"Well..." Seifer said casually "Assaulting a Princess is quite a serious crime."

"What are you talking about?" Rinoa demanded, trying not to let her confusion show.

"Well, its killing two birds with one stone, isn't it. We have your little lover who needs hanging but for a crime we can not really name and a Princess with a horrifically bad bruise." Rinoa touched the side of her face where the deep purple bruise was forming from where her father had hit her. "It's just good sense really."

Rinoa had to get it all sorted in her head. They were going to lie about Squall committing a crime against her, to get him hung for being in love with her. Her father was more twisted than she could ever imagine.

"Do you think you will get away with this? Liars are always caught out"

"In a perfect world. But I'm sure you know by now how far from perfect this world is."

"Mostly because of people like you." Rinoa snapped angrily "Now get out."

Seifer shrugged and left the room, locking the door behind him.

For the rest of the night, Rinoa did not sleep. And for the rest of the following day she just sat there, staring out of the window, wondering how long it was until sunset, when the horrible event would happen.

It was only as late afternoon approached, that her father came to her room.

"Why Rinoa, are you not dressed? We must be going to the jail soon. It's almost sunset."

"I am not going." Rinoa said. That was the response she knew Caraway had expected. She knew he would make her go anyway. That was part of her plan. He didn't know she had a plan. But it had occurred to her through the hours that had ticked slowly by. She would simply, protest against the claims being made. How could they claim he harmed her if she denied it. It was so simple, but it had to work. It was the evidence of the supposed victim, that the supposed crime never happened.

"Of course you are. You should ready yourself, we must leave soon."

"Fine."

Once Caraway had left, Rinoa did as he had said and got ready. She put on the most formal dress she had, she didn't know why, she just did. It was only a few moments after she was ready that her father called for her, and they left, beginning the journey to the jail.

Rinoa could not believe her father had not thought she would think of this plan. He had obviously underestimated her, thought she would just go along with everything.

However when they arrived there, things began to feel strange. Her father did not lead her to the large public gallery as she had expected, but towards the cells. What was going on?

Was this were Squall was being kept? Was he allowing her to see him one last time? Obviously not.

He led Rinoa to an empty cell, surrounded by guards. On his command they grabbed her, forced her into the cell, and locked the door behind her!

"What are you doing?" Rinoa cried!

"Did you think I would not know, that you would try and hatch some stupid little plan. Stand up ad deny the claims or something equally pathetic. I wouldn't risk your presence there."

"Let me out of here!" Rinoa demanded

"You shall be released when it is all over." Caraway said, turning and leaving.

When it was over… when Squall was dead. What was the point… They might as well just let her die in this cell. She could not believe any of this was happening.

He was to be hung at sunset. And it was almost sunset.

The sinking sun was casting an uneasy orange glow through the bars across the window of the tiny dank cell. The young raven haired girl sat huddled in the corner against the wall, tears stinging at her eyes and her sobs echoing against the empty stone walls. She wiped at her tears with the velvet sleeves as she rocked back and forwards, teardrops splashing on the cold, hard floor.

"Why?" she whispered to herself "why did it turn out this way? It is not fair. Squall… why can't I be with you?"

Rinoa didn't belong in that cell and she knew it. And Squall didn't deserve to be hung, he had done nothing wrong. Love wasn't a crime, and yet he was being punished like it was the most criminal of all offences on earth. Love was something that could not be restrained, could not be held back and could not be controlled. Neither of them had planned to fall in love. But like so many things, the changing of the seasons and the night passing into day, it had just happened… And now it was all going to end.

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Dun dun dun! Well, anyone who has been reading from the very beginning of the story, or who remembers the first chapter, will recognise that link :D As I said, moving towards the final few chapters now so I hope you will stick with this story :D let me know what you think, and I will be updating soon :D:D