Fairyland Found

Part one

Nagia

The wind played in the man's chocolate hair. He sighed heavily, as if he had a great burden on his mind. He sighed again and turned so that his middle back was leaning against the balcony. "Ifrit," He muttered. The demon GF appeared, his usual scent of sulfur trailing behind. The demon cooled himself, and held the young man with ice blue eyes close to him. He sighed. The heat of the Fire Elemental's body was comforting.

"How may I serve?" The Guardian asked.

"Rinoa. What am I to do about her?" the youth asked.

"I do not understand my Master, Squall. How may I serve him?" Ifrit only spoke as though Squall wasn't there when he was very confused ('he' referring to Ifrit).

"I seek advice," Squall sighed.

"Advice?" The demon rumbled, "seek Shiva, or perhaps Siren, in matters of love," Ifrit said warningly.

"Neither of them are junctioned to me. How am I to ask them?" Squall replied.

Ifrit nodded, "So you want my opinion."

Squall nodded back.

"Fair enough," The Fire Elemental GF said. Squall gave him a look that said, 'just get on with it!'. Ifrit rumbled softly, "Which woman is the one you get a feeling of 'rightness' around more often?"

"You're not helping…" Squall said in a warning tone.

"Just think about it," Ifrit growled. Squall sighed and allowed himself to go back…

They were walking along Balamb Pier. Rinoa's hand found its way into his. She looked at him and smiled, and somehow, everything felt right. They talked for hours that night…

Squall shook himself back to the present.

"And Selphie?" The demon rumbled smugly.

"She's like a sister to me…" Squall replied.

"Well, there it is! The answer is Rinoa!" Ifrit roared.

Squall allowed a smirk where the Demon couldn't see it, "Are there other reasons for you wanting me to chase after a girl who obviously couldn't care less about me?" The GF's jaw dropped.

His telepathic roar was reduced to a whimper, Are you talking about ulterior motives?!

Squall smirked, "Maybe." He turned away.

The GF's roar was back; even my old Master never accused me of having exterior motives!

The GF ended his rant: he could smell someone… Squall made a small gesture.

Rinoa… He thought towards Ifrit. Ifrit began to Resonate a stupid phrase like a mantra. Passionate though I may be, I am still wise. Wise though I may be, I am still passionate. On and on. Catching a scent of something, Squall's eyes widened. Ifrit, help me!

Ifrit rolled his eyes. Rinoa emerged in relatively skimpy dress. The top she wore was designed to make any human male unable to think. She wore a sleeveless shirt with no shoulders that had slits down its sides, a long ankle length skirt that also had slits down the sides (we're talking from the thigh down, here.), and delicate sandals. The top and skirt were held together by small red stones, which were at the tops of the slits. She smiled at him, "Is everything aright?" Squall nodded mutely. She put a hand to his cheek, "Then why is Ifrit here?"

Squall sensed Siren hunting around for Quezacotl, who was actually Zell's. "Siren?" He asked, puzzled.

When Rinoa forced Siren to show herself, Squall breathed a sigh of relief. Ifrit wasn't losing his cool just yet. Squall could almost hear Ifrit's mantra. Unfortunately, Siren was now reminding him just how little cool he had left. Passionate though I may be, I am still wise. Wise though I may be, I am still passionate.

"Damn it Ifrit, will you stop?" Squall asked under his breath. The GF nodded. The sent of sulfur hung lightly in the air, only to be blotted out by the scent of something familiar emanating from Siren. "What's that smell?" Squall thought.

"Something bothering you?" Rinoa asked, her voice a purr. Squall shook his head. The young Sorceress curved her lips into a wicked smile. She moved in closer, her lips parting slightly. Squall chanced a quick look around, then brushed his lips over hers. He pulled back, put a finger on her lips, then whispered in her ears. Rinoa smiled and nodded, obviously holding back laughter. Squall hid a smile. He leapt over the balcony with his usual leonine grace. Rinoa held out an arm to catch him, but there was no need. She held herself upright with the balcony rail, and looked down. The wind blew her hair in a wild halo about her face, but she didn't care. Squall had landed safely. He looked up signaled that he would be back, and leapt into a tree. ~ That male and heights! ~ Siren chided playfully, ~ What dost thou do, scream out, 'I love scare-seekers!'?! ~

"She-demon!" Rinoa pouted.

"Shall I follow him, Lady?" Siren asked. Rinoa merely nodded.

"Best do something about the state of thy face: it looks positively gleeful," Siren pointed out. Rinoa nodded again and put on her best 'wistful' expression. "Better," Siren said.

Rinoa nodded, and clung to the rail.

* * * *

"Rinoa," His voice was scathing, "Time and again I have asked you to give up these ways, and then I discover that you take a lover! And not only is this lover your second, HE IS FROM THE WORLD'S LEAST IMPORTANT KINGDOM!"

Rinoa bowed her head to hide a smile. Carbuncle was dancing around her father's throne again. "This is a very large kingdom, Rinoa. It must not fall into the hands of a small one. Your Prince will be unable to govern Galbadia. He would be terribly overworked, terribly stressed. He would change, as I did. He wouldn't be the man you seem to have fallen in love with, but a different one." Rinoa bit her tongue. Her father had no idea who he was talking about. Squall hated governing, true, but if he loved her, he would stay. "Get out of my sight, young lady. And should your lover," His voice took on a bitter irony, "come a calling, he shall die a very horrible death." Rinoa raised her head defiantly. Upon seeing the cruel glitter in her father's eyes, she fled the room in tears. He looked to the GF Shiva, who was there in Quistis' place. Shiva, who had been sitting in the throne to King Caraway's far left, turned a cold stare upon the man. "You have upset her, O king. Did you ever stop and consider the minute possibility that you could be wrong? You didn't, O king, and in your infinite wisdom, you might have gained a kingdom, but you have certainly lost a daughter."

Caraway said nothing. Shiva continued her rant. Her rant continued long into the night, and she forced Caraway to listen.

* * * *

Rinoa lifted her head at the song of a nightingale. She rushed onto her balcony. "Squall! Get away from here!" She hissed. She heard a mourning dove coo, but she repeated herself, "Squall! If you don't flee, you'll die!" An owl hooted in the distance, its calls fading gradually. Rinoa nodded grimly. Squall understood.

* * * *

Queen Quistis, the second wife of King Caraway, listened patiently to her stepdaughter's concern. She nodded to herself. Shiva and Leviathan agreed with her in this. "Rinoa, I know your father sounds like he believes what he says, but he doesn't. Do as your heart tells you. Consider yourself lucky that you have a heart. Hyne knows your father doesn't."

Rinoa smiled. She scratched Carbuncle behind the ear. "I know, I just…my heart is sending me so many messages…" Shiva appeared.

I may have convinced your father of the truth. However, I am not certain. He is a hard-hearted man, Rinoa.
Shiva was a Royal Junction, a GF given only to the Queen of Galbadia. She had been Queen Julia's GF before.

His loss has much to do with this, I am certain.

Shiva had seen Caraway when Julia was alive. She insisted that Caraway had been different before. Rinoa couldn't remember.

Rinoa, you -must- do as your heart tells you!

Rinoa felt tears of frustration spring to her eyes. "But I can't hear my heart talking!" She wept. Shiva pursed her lips. Quistis pulled Rinoa close to her, stroking her hair and murmuring comfort. Rinoa buried her face in Quistis' shoulder and wept bitter tears.