Sorry 'tis so long!

Fairyland Found: a Fantasy Story

Nagia

Three

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1

Princess *Selphia 'Selphie' Tilmett-Loire of Trabia paced her study in a foul humor.

That damned Prince Seifer had struck again.

"Sefy!" A Moomba chirped, "Help? Squall! Help! Sefy!"

Selphie smiled. "Will Squall help me?"

The Moomba nodded. "Squall! HATE! Seifer! Squall! Curse! Seifer!"

Selphie swept out of the room, her skirts swishing behind her.

* * *

"Father, please!" Selphie begged.

"NO! I cannot let you go to the home of that…that…BEAST!" King Laguna said.

Pandemona gave him an odd look. Are you certain that she will be in danger? Perhaps the Moomba is right.

King Laguna managed to look even more flustered, a feat Selphie hadn't known he could accomplish.. "I…I…I didn't say he wasn't right! I trust the Moombas, I just don't trust Balamb!"

Laguna began to mutter a rant against someone called Queen Edea.

Selphie decided to use her only weapon: Raine, her mother. "Father, please! Mother would hate it if I didn't use my only chance to save our people!"

King Laguna heaved a mighty sigh and said, "Fine, but only because that's what Raine would want!"

Princess Selphia 'Selphie' Tilmett-Loire of Trabia smiled. "Thank you, Father."

* * *One day later***

She smiled at the blonde man, "My name is Princess Selphia Tilmett-Loire of—"

"Ah, the lovely Princess Selphia," The newly arrived Prince Seifer said, pushing the young blonde out of the way.

She gave him a disgusted look. Oh! How much she hated him! "Prince Seifer!"

"Pardon me, dear brother," Prince Seifer said.

Selphie turned to the blonde man. "Which son are you?"

Seifer kissed her hand, keeping his eyes on a young brunette man walking towards them.

Selphie jerked her hand away. "Prince Seifer, if you EVER touch me again…let's just say my Moombas will remember you VERY well!"

The brunette arrived. He gave Prince Seifer a triumphant smirk.

"Please, don't feed her contempt, she hates me enough!" Prince Seifer said, ignoring the younger blonde (who was cursing the eldest prince under his breath).

The brunette smiled. "I see Seifer's run afoul of someone." he muttered something along the lines of 'took him long enough, the son of a bitch!'

"Which prince are you?" Selphie asked.

The brunette smiled (something she would eventually find to be rare).

"He's cute! Hyne help me, he's adorable!" Selphie thought.

"I'm Prince Squall. And this,'' he pointed to the young blonde, " is the youngest son, Prince Zell."

Selphie couldn't help it. She smiled brightly.

"I've been looking for you!'' she squealed.

Prince Squall gave her a startled look.

"He looks like a deer caught in lantern light!" she thought.

"Do I know you?" he asked.

She smiled again. "Not yet, but you will! I am Princess Selphia Tilmett-Loire of Trabia. But I prefer to be called Selphie."

Prince Squall nodded, "Well then, Princess Selphie, how may I help you?"

She smiled. Smiling a lot was part of her disguise as an innocent. "I'm here to conduct some business on behalf of my father, King Laguna."

He nodded. "There's a place in town that's wonderful for conducting business. Why don't Zell and I take you there?"

Prince Seifer huffed and said, "What, no me?"

Prince Squall gave him a sharp look. "Seifer, you're no good at business."

Prince Seifer huffed again and walked toward Balamb Palace (called a Garden).

2

They were sitting in the window seat of Ma Dincht's Café.

Princess Selphie filled them in on Trabia's situation.

"WHAT!" Zell cried.

Squall put his head in his hands. "Sorry, Princess Selphie. I brought Zell along to keep an eye on him."

Princess Selphie smiled. "Don't worry about it. That was my reaction. But he has *laid siege to my largest town and the Moomba village!"

"Seifer told me he'd conquered Trabia…but I thought it was in truly honorable battle: with two real damned armies actually FACING each other. Zell'd said he'd taken all the troops. I'd not guessed what he'd use them for." Squall replied.

Zell looked up from his seeming reverie and added bitterly, "He left me with the townsfolk. They be damn good soldiers, but, well, dammit, I want my own damn men back!"

Squall looked at Zell reproachfully. "Zell. Don't curse in front of a lady. But I agree. Seifer took soldiers that were loyal to me and only me. I hope they gave him trouble. Anyway, I'd never dreamed that he would have used what he called 'dishonorable tactics'. His words, not mine.

"I hope my troops gave him some serious trouble." Squall muttered.

A young soldier walked in. He saluted Squall (who returned it) and said, "Pardon me, miss, but I need to speak to the Commander."

Princess Selphie smiled and said, "I'm here as a representative of Trabia. What you need to say, you can say in front of me."

He nodded and saluted Squall again. "Commander, Prince Seifer gave some mighty…bad orders. If the Trabians'd had a bigger army, they could have had us coming home screaming for mother in absolutely no time at all. Except, well, Seifer started layin' siege and most of the Trabians joined him so their families would live."

" 'Twas the saddest thing I ever seen, Commander. I want to give Seifer some shit for those absolutely dishonorable orders."

The soldier shuddered. "Commander, he had us hang *wimmen and chillins so as to 'give an example' of what would happen t' them who weren't going t' join."

Squall gave Zell a look.

Zell ignored it, stood, and shouted, "HE DID WHAT! THAT ABSOLUTE BASTARD! SQUALL IF YE DON'T INCLUDE ME IN THIS, I'LL KILL YE, I SWEAR!"

Zell stormed off to find his troops.

Princess Selphie smiled. "That was the reaction I was going to have, Prince Squall. I'll contact my friend, Queen Quistis, and request some troops from home and from her. Quisty's really nice, Prince Squall."

Squall nodded and gave the soldier orders to gather his troops.

He walked out, leaving Princess Selphie tracing designs on the table.

3

Rinoa walked into the message room to find Quistis laughing. "Really nice. Honestly, Sefy dear, Squall knows me!"

Rinoa raised an eyebrow. "Sefy?"

Quistis looked up. "Oh! She's the daughter of an old friend…Her name is really Selphia, but those who know her call her Selphie…though I get to call her Sefy because I love her like a daughter."

Quistis' face softened. She reached out to stroke Rinoa's face. "Just like I love you."

"Why did she write?" Rinoa asked, reaching for the letter.

"She needs me to come with some troops. She also wants you to come out and bring yours. What do you think, Rhine, should we go?"

Rinoa nodded. "Definitely. It'll give me a chance to see Squall, piss of Seifer, and meet Zell in the same go."

"You'll be fighting Seifer's troops, dear."

"Even better."

Quistis scribbled something on the back of the parchment and sent the Fastistocolon F off.

* * *

Rinoa stood on the prow of the Royal Phoenix (affectionately known as the Super Mega Frickin' BIG).

Squall was waiting for her on the dock. On his left side stood a young blonde (whom she assumed to be Zell) and on his right side stood a young woman in a yellow sundress (this one she assumed to be Selphie). When the ship was docked, Quistis (who had been fidgeting) surged forward, crying, "SEFY!"

The girl in the sundress ran forward, shouting, "QUISTY!"

Squall fidgeted and remained where he was.

Rinoa pouted, "What, no hello kiss for me?"

Squall dutifully kissed her on the cheek and asked about the troops.

"They're here with us. Now give me a real kiss," Rinoa laughed.

Squall crushed his lips to hers, drowned her in his eyes. She could taste his sweetness. His fingers ran through her hair, tangling it, and yet giving an odd sense of pleasure.

4

As usual, her mouth was sweeter than anything he could think of. His fingers ran through her hair…he deepened the kiss. He pulled away so as not to drown in her mouth.

''Have I ever told you how much I love you?'' he wondered breathlessly.

Rinoa smiled at him. "I love you too, Squall."

He pulled her close. Something about her just made him want to hold her close forever. "You have no idea how glad I am to hear that."

"Hey! SQUALL! We've a war to fight!" Zell called.

He turned around to see Zell standing waiting.

"Shut UP Zell! 'Tis been a while since I've…" Squall's voice trailed off. Seifer was standing behind Zell, raising his sword…

"ZELL! TURN AROUND, DAMN YOU!" He roared. Zell turned in time to knock Seifer back. Seifer returned the blow, this time with a blade. Squall felt sick.

"Zell…why?" he whispered. "Dammit Seifer, WHY!" he roared, sobbing and drawing his gunblade.

He watched in mute horror as Seifer's blade began to descend…he leapt, but a blur of yellow got there first.
"You BASTARD! He's your BROTHER!" the defiant (and definitely feminine) blur of yellow cried, knocking Seifer to the ground with a flying kick. She pulled out a pair of nunchuku and twirled them expertly. "AURA! Triple…WATER!"

Seifer (who was sopping wet, by the way) growled, ''We're NOT finished, Selphia!"

Princess Selphie smirked and shooed him off. She pulled Zell to his feet and asked, "Hey, y' alright?"

Zell nodded and looked at Squall, "Thanks for tryin' to warn me, Squall."

"Princess Selphie, thank you for beating the shit out of my older brother." Squall said (though not without some stiffness).

"I could have handled this myself! Wait…no I couldn't have. I wonder if I should apologize." he thought.

"Sorry. Just call me Selphie.'' she said in a rather chastised tone.

He smiled to calm her nerves and said, ''Don't be. I meant what I said.''

She smiled back and wandered off to organize her troops.

Zell walked over. ''Squall, I'm serious about this. We have to fight him! I don't want to be king, Squall. And we all know you hate governing, but should Seifer be king…" Zell shuddered, '' I don' wanna think about it."

He seemed to brighten. "Well! I'm off to organize my troops. Try not to *make the beast with two backs in public, hmm?"

Squall sighed and said, "Well, Rhine o' mine, let's see your troops, no?"

"Yessir!" Rinoa said playfully and gave him a mock salute.

He walked onto the ship with Rinoa in tow.

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All right, peoples! I need reviews! Anyway, these are the single-stars in front of words:

Selphia: This name is a play on Sofia, except…well…Selphie's not as mean. And yes, by my definition, Sofia's trying to overthrow Peter the Great like that WAS mean.

…laid siege: for all those who don't know the proper definition of 'laying siege' ::looks pointedly, yet almost lovingly, at a certain VS author whose stories she loves very much:: I shall tell you. To lay siege is to prevent a castle or village from getting supplies. It is often, however, said of setting a castle on fire. I use the original meaning in this text.

…wimmen and chillins: a Southern US pronunciation of women and children. I decided to have the soldier lapse into that for a bit because of the memory. ::laughs maniacally::

…make the beast with two backs: a Shakespearean way of saying 'have sex'. Back then, 'make love' meant 'flirt'. Flirting in public is allowed, having sex is not. And if you kiddies don't know what sex is…ask your mother.

NOTE: for those of you who are Irvine fans, sorry, but he will play a VERY minor role. He might get a cameo as one of Quistis' generals if I can figure out how not to be flamed. OOH! Nah. I don't believe in adultery. Well, ta-ta!

Also! Squall asked what he was going to do about Selphie in the first chapter, but that was a different Selphie. That Selphie was from Timber. I've been running out of GFs, so…please name a GF I haven't already in your reviews! I might just make a secret race out GFs (as in, make each GF an entire race and the ones I name are merely those lucky {or unlucky} enough to work with human rulers).