Chapter Three

The next morning, it showed that Lady hadn't slept easily that night, after her conversation with Squall. Despite trying not to show it, after fighting off all the monsters in Winhill, she instantly fell asleep, collapsing into Squall's arms.

"How very convenient Squall was standing behind her..." Rinoa muttered as they made their way up to the mansion, so they could have a rest.

"What was that Rinoa?" Zell asked appearing at her left.

"Nothing... I was just thinking that it's a bit... funny that Squall was standing there, almost as if she'd planned to faint when he was near her... it's just a little suspicious, if you ask me." Rinoa answered, sulking as Squall adjusted Lady gently, so he was more comfortable.

"What have you got against her?" Zell scoffed.

"What makes you think I have anything against that little slut?!" Rinoa gasped.

Zell smiled. "Oh... I get it.... you're jealous of her."

"What? My father is the most powerful man in Galabadia! I have nothing to be jealous of!" Rinoa snapped and stormed off.

"Yeah... well.... you're father doesn't have a relationship with you're ex-fiancée." Zell muttered to himself as they entered the mansion.

"Urrgh.... I feel awful.... I don't remember anything... where am I..." Lady said as she woke up, in one of the spacious mansion rooms. Looking around, she saw Squall next to her, laying on his chest asleep. She smiled and stood up shakily. "Oh, my head.... I think I better have a walk round, to find out where I am." She declared walking out the door in to the hallway. Going further along, she came to a window and looked out into the small town outside. "Huh... looks familiar....." She sighed thoughtfully and ran a hand through her hair as she carried on down the corridor and down the stairs. In the main hall, she firstly examined an old suit of armour, which collapsed when she touched it, mainly because a Chicobo was inside. Going out side, she looked around and went into the local pub, to have a look.

Inside, something was odd, there was no-one in side, not down stairs or up stairs. But it was upstairs that she heard a strange noise.

"Mew." The call was distant and was coming from down stairs, Lady, thinking someone might have come in, went down.

"Hello? I-is anyone here? Hello...." Lady called looking around and seeing no one. "Oh bummer.... I guess I better go back to the house, before Squall finds that I'm gone." She told herself heading for the door. Just as she was reaching for the door handle, she heard the mewing again, and turned around, this time, she saw something, a faint image of a small cat going across a table.

"Freaky, ain't it?" A voice said behind her, making her jump. Lady turned around and saw a middle aged man looking her up and down.

"Er... yeah... I guess. You couldn't tell me why there's no one here?" She asked, as the man approached.

"Course, it's haunted." He said simply, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Haunted? Sorry, but I don't believe in all that crap." Lady scoffed, folding her arms.

"Ya should. No one's been in this pub for.... oo.... I'd take a guess at fourteen years. Not since it's original owner died in a fire, when the place was burnt to the ground, the rest of the town, apart from the mansion with it." The man coughed. "I was only a teen when it happened mind you."

"Oh... what was the original owners name?" Lady asked.

"Her name? Raine... ah, she was the most beautiful creature in the world. She would've gone far, if she'd never gotten involved with the stranger." The man replied.

"Stranger?"

"Yeah, queer lad. Came from... the outside, when he wouldn't go back to work for the army, they sent the army here, but he'd long gone, Raine stupidly defended his name. The army got their revenge though." The man told her, and looked at the floor.

".....Forgive me for asking, but could you tell me anything more about her?" Lady asked.

"Ain't really much to tell. She had two or three kids. Strange bunch, one, the youngest, she had hair, much the same as yours, and the same eyes as you. The second oldest was a boy, blonde hair, and really blue eyes, really active too, the eldest I don't know anything about. Anything else you wanna know, my sweet?" The man grinned slyly and started moving his hand down from Lady's shoulder.

"Excuse me! But what the Hell do you think you're doing?!" Lady snapped pushing him away.

"This is exactly what a nosy kid like you needs!" The man cackled, grabbing her wrist roughly, and twisting her arm behind her back.

"What the Hell are you talking about?! Get off me!" Lady yelled struggling. *Great time for me to forget my stupid crossbow!* She thought, wanting to kick herself.

"Ah-ah-ah..." The man slurred as he tightened his grip.

"Ow! You're hurting me!" Lady screamed loudly.

"Best thing for ya, if you ask me!" The man laughed.

"I believe she said to let go!" A friendly voice, to Lady anyway, said coldly. The man turned and saw Squall, giving him an icy glare.

"Oh, Prince Charming... how nice you've got a sweet heart... sweet heart!" The man said, this time grabbing on to Lady's hair, and pulling her head back roughly.

"OW! DON'T TOUCH MY BLOODY HAIR!" Lady screamed.

"Your hair's the least of your worries Princess!" The man cackled as he let go of her hair and brought out a knife, and held it to her throat, since she didn't seemed to be able to move her neck. .::Author's note: Took me a while to come up with that, and I realise it's crap, but say he's got her in a... paralysis spell or something! Use your imaginations people!::.

"Squall.... help me..." Lady whimpered as he brought the knife back. The next thing happened in a flash.

The man was quick but Squall was quicker, as the man was about to bring the knife back over Lady's neck, Squall drew out his gunblade and brought it down on the man's shoulder, through the flesh, muscle and bone and away from his body, as the man's arm lay on the floor, and the man holding the joint where his arm had been both bleeding and the man writhing in agony. He looked at Squall, fury blazing.

"You'll pay for this kid!" He snap pushing Lady roughly away and running out of the town entrance.

Squall looked at his bloody gunblade, then at Lady, who was quivering like a scared rabbit. He tossed his gunblade aside and walked up to her, and held onto her waist, just as she was about to fall. She grabbed on to his collar, and managed to whimper out;

"You saved me, you came for me, you weren't going to let me die...."

"I would die for you!" Squall said, kissing her.

"Humph!" Rinoa said, shutting the drapes across the windows so she couldn't see Squall and Lady. "I don't understand it! What the Hell has Lady got that I don't have!" She snapped to herself. "It's so unfair!" She sulked, falling onto her bed.