A/N: Sorry this is quite a bit shorter, and Seifer seems a little OOC to me. but reviews appreciated, as always.
She could remember every instant, but now memories floated by, bits and pieces, without rhyme or reason, of that summer.
***Rinoa had always loved the beach. She could lie for hours in the sand, letting the waves run over her feet and ankles. She had wandered up and down the coast for hours the summer she was sixteen.
That had been how she had met Seifer Almasy.
"So, what's a girl like you doing in a place like this?" he said, clear as a bell in her memory.
She blushed. "Well, I'm here with my father. General Caraway." She waited for his reaction.
He lifted an eyebrow. "You're General Caraway's daughter?"
She nodded. Well, she'd gotten worse reactions in her time.
"Do you live around here?" she asked lightly.
He shook his head. "No. Garden sent me here."
Now it was her turn to be surprised. "You're a SeeD?" she managed at last.
Seifer smirked. "Not yet."
She smiled back.
"I know a great ice cream place back that way...." he said, pointing.***
They'd hit off immediately, of course, she reflected sourly. Been inseparable for the next two and a half months, sworn their undying love to each other, and promised to write and get together for the holidays. Maybe they'd both even intended to keep their promises. Within a few months they'd been torn apart.
He had confided his grand ambition, once, when she'd asked. She could remember that too.
**"Sorceress' Knight?" Rinoa repeated, an eyebrow raised. "What's that?"
"See, the Sorceress' Knight protects the sorceress, is always by her side," Seifer explained.
"The Sorceress' Knight," she repeated again. "Why?"
Seifer shrugged, a slight smile on his lips. "Dunno." Then he continued, "Then I'd be someone, really be someone, and everyone would know it."
Rinoa smiled back. "Well, if I were a sorceress, I'd let you be my knight."**
Well, he got his wish, she thought bitterly, back in the present. She stood, meaning to go find him.
She could remember every instant, but now memories floated by, bits and pieces, without rhyme or reason, of that summer.
***Rinoa had always loved the beach. She could lie for hours in the sand, letting the waves run over her feet and ankles. She had wandered up and down the coast for hours the summer she was sixteen.
That had been how she had met Seifer Almasy.
"So, what's a girl like you doing in a place like this?" he said, clear as a bell in her memory.
She blushed. "Well, I'm here with my father. General Caraway." She waited for his reaction.
He lifted an eyebrow. "You're General Caraway's daughter?"
She nodded. Well, she'd gotten worse reactions in her time.
"Do you live around here?" she asked lightly.
He shook his head. "No. Garden sent me here."
Now it was her turn to be surprised. "You're a SeeD?" she managed at last.
Seifer smirked. "Not yet."
She smiled back.
"I know a great ice cream place back that way...." he said, pointing.***
They'd hit off immediately, of course, she reflected sourly. Been inseparable for the next two and a half months, sworn their undying love to each other, and promised to write and get together for the holidays. Maybe they'd both even intended to keep their promises. Within a few months they'd been torn apart.
He had confided his grand ambition, once, when she'd asked. She could remember that too.
**"Sorceress' Knight?" Rinoa repeated, an eyebrow raised. "What's that?"
"See, the Sorceress' Knight protects the sorceress, is always by her side," Seifer explained.
"The Sorceress' Knight," she repeated again. "Why?"
Seifer shrugged, a slight smile on his lips. "Dunno." Then he continued, "Then I'd be someone, really be someone, and everyone would know it."
Rinoa smiled back. "Well, if I were a sorceress, I'd let you be my knight."**
Well, he got his wish, she thought bitterly, back in the present. She stood, meaning to go find him.