This one's REALLY, REALLY long. I apologize.
Fairyland Found: a Fantasy Story
Nagia
Four
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1
Squall paced his study.
Back…forth…back…forth…on and on. After all, pacing helped him to think. He flopped down in a chair and began to brood. His mind cast about and landed on his problem about the succession of the throne. The law said that the most capable prince was to be king, but he wasn't sure if he was the most capable prince.
"Father is for me and mother is against me but for me in the war. Both sets of grandparents are for me and Zell is for me. The SeeDs are mostly for me, I'm for me, naturally."
"Seifer hates me, but when hasn't he? Balamb is for me, Rinoa is for me. Quistis is for me, Caraway (of course) isn't sure, Trabia absolutely loves me…except for Laguna, but he's going to lose the throne soon enough."
"Selphie's birthday is three days away. Quistis will act as regent because the Trabians love Quistis. But then, who doesn't? To make things somewhat better, I have six months to fight a war that will come out with me on top anyway." He mused aloud. On Zell's eighteenth birthday, which was five months away, all three sons would be at least eighteen and they would stand before the Council of Nations to be judged. Selphie and Quistis would be influential in the Council, but the Centrans would probably do something stupid.
Zell walked in (a very rare thing that did not escape Squall). He sat in an overstuffed chair (*one of Squall's idiosyncrasies) and spoke in a quiet voice, "We've six months to fight a war. SIX MONTHS, dammit. We'll tie, I know it. Squall, what if we lose?"
Squall couldn't help but grit his teeth at the thought, "We can't. We've got every single Trabian soldier, every Trabian soldier that tried to save their family, two-thirds of the Balamb forces, and two-thirds of the extremely large Galbadian forces. Every single soldier is trained like a SeeD, and indeed, we have about two thousand SeeDs at our command. You're telling me we're going to lose?"
Zell smiled. "Thanks, Squall. But what if…"
"The Centrans try something stupid? They won't, Zell. They side with Mother and she's siding with us. Seifer was wrong in what he did to the Trabians. Every single person knows it and damned if they're gonna go against their beliefs. Not to mention that soon we'll have Centra's forces. They've always been big champions for the underdog and if Trabia isn't the underdog in this, well, frankly, I don't know what they are."
Zell smiled more brightly, "Thanks, Squall."
Squall smiled back and put his hands behind his head, "Anytime, Zell. Any more what-ifs I can topple for you?"
Zell shook his head. "No, but I've a question…"
Squall gave him a knowing look, "Selphie is nice, isn't she?"
"How'd you know?" he asked, jaw dropping.
"I've seen love at first sight, Zell. You've just heard Siren's voice and if I were you, I'd hope to hell that Siren's been kind."
Zell smiled slyly, " Just like you and Rinoa?"
"No, that was love at first infraction."
"Huh? Tell me about it." Zell said.
"Well, I met her like this…" Squall became lost in memory lane…
* *
I left the ship. A brown-haired young woman wearing a gold dress with cream brocade on the sleeves and waist stood beside a blonde woman wearing a silvery blue dress with a high neck and brocade at the waist. An aging man stood behind them. They were Princess Rinoa (the brunette), Queen Quistis (the blonde), and King Caraway. Princess Rinoa rushed forward and caught me in a hug, as though she's known me all my life. I nearly jump out of my clothes at her touch…'t had been so long since anyone had actually touched me. Queen Quistis pulled her back and apologized. I frowned at the formality. "I've just been 'the passenger' to the sailors, thank goodness. 'Tis too bad Queen Quistis has protocol on the brain." I thought.
I smiled and said 'twas nothing. "Women seem to wish to suffocate me." I thought, this time with humor. Laugh, Zell, laugh. That's a good boy!
Queen Quistis gave Princess Rinoa a motherly scolding, even though they couldn't possibly be related.
"Why are you here?" King Caraway asked gruffly. His slightly accented voice spoke of past troubles I couldn't imagine and I hesitated to say that I'd come to steal his daughter. I shrugged and sad, "Father wanted me out of his hair, so he sent me here. I guess he got tired of my constant bickering with my older brother."
Princess Rinoa turned back to me and asked eagerly, "You're Squall, right?"
I smiled and nodded at her innocence.
"Prince Squall, Rinoa. Honestly! Did your mother teach your no manners before she passed on…?" Queen Quistis said.
I smiled again, "Really, Queen Quistis, 'tis alright. I've been either 'the passenger' or 'the Prince' for three days now. Having a name suits me so well, pray don't deny it."
She blushed. Yes, Zell, queens blush…just not often.
I smiled at her discomfort and asked whether they'd be willing to 'put up with me for a summer, as my ship left and father would be displeased with only six days of silence. Well, near silence, as Zell is never silent.' Isn't that right, you little chatterbox?
* *
"And that's how we met." Squall said.
Zell smiled. "How'd you fall in love?"
"I literally fell in love, Zell. Actually, I jumped."
"Come now, TELL me!"
"Very well, 'twas like this…" Again, Squall lost himself in the memory, narrating it aloud…
* *
I stood with my back to the door, trying to judge the distance. "Ach, 'tis twelve feet to ground, and the pool's eight by eight…makes that twelve and eight, which is twenty, and there's no way in hell I can make that. Well, maybe if I cast a few dozen Protect spells…" I said.
Rinoa smiled. "What, Squall, you can't do it?"
"I can land, it just depends on the angle I jump and how much shock my body can take. You do understand that I'm going to break a bone, don't you? That means no jumping anymore."
"Squall, I've seen you jump from balconies to the ground."
"With grass, *Rhine o' mine, with grass."
"What's grass to do with it?"
"Something soft to land on. You're talking about me jumping into an empty pool. Unless you're going to fill it for me, I'll hit the bottom and shatter a leg for sure."
Rinoa pouted and cast a spell. "*TORRENT!"
The pool was filled in a matter of moments. I stripped my shirt off, ripped off my pants (leaving my small clothes on, Zell), launched onto the balcony rail, and looked down. I made sure I would land in the water and braced myself for impact. I dived off the rail, right past Caraway's window (it Quistis looking out at the moment, actually, but she and Shiva probably had a good laugh), and into freezing cold water. I came up cursing.
"Damn, that's cold. Not to mention damned HARD Rinoa! I could have broken a damned bone on that water. What kind of Sorceress are you if you can't cast proper water!"
Caraway must have heard only my second sentence, because I found a potted plant launching towards my face. Zell, if you laugh, I won't finish. I swear, Zell, I won't finish…
* *
Zell was laughing. When he could speak, the first thing he said was, "He threw a POTTED PLANT at you? Did you dodge it? Hyne knows every damn time I throw something at you, you dodge it and then throw something back!"
Squall smiled ruefully, "You'll just have to listen, Zell. Shall I begin?"
Zell nodded emphatically.
"All right, listen up. As I said, he launched a potted plant at my face…" Squall slipped back into his memory, continuing his story…
* *
I ducked and swam backwards, which is not a physical impossibility. The potted plant crashed into the water in what would have been 'in front of me', but I had my back turned. I came up, ignored the paperweight that crashed into the water beside me, and shouted, "King Caraway, I was talking about the WATER! Princess Rinoa conjured it and it's so hard I could have broken a bone!" Nothing else crashed into the water, aside from Rinoa. That means she jumped in after me, Zell. I won't tell you the rest, Zell, I'm trying to remain implicit on sex. No, Zell, not in the pool, we had sex after we got OUT of the pool. Don't even ask, Zell. Do NOT ask. Should you ask, I'll cuff you from here to Trabia…
* *
Zell was laughing his head off over the way Squall had told the story. It had been almost as though Squall had known what he was going to say before he said it. "How'd you know what I was going to ask?" he wondered.
Squall laughed, "I know you, Zell. Come now, we've a war to fight."
*
Zell followed Squall into the army's headquarters. People were talking, laughing, playing cards…they were all leading almost normal lives. " Squall, how are we going to tell them we've only six months?"
"We don't need to. They already know." Squall said.
"Commander Squall!" one man said, snapping to attention. The rest of his company all turned, saw Squall, and stood at attention as well.
Squall stood still, returned the salute, and continued walking to the podium. Once there, he spoke in a voice that would carry. Even Zell had to admit that Squall had a talent for public speaking.
"We go into battle on the morrow. Some of us have been into battle before, some of us haven't. All of us will do our best. We will fight against Prince Seifer and we will fight to win, fight for glory. We will not fight for politics. 'Tis not our way and we shall not make it so. We fight for what we believe in. We fight to prove Seifer wrong, to make him see error. We *talk parley with him in three days. Should he refuse, he will have challenged us. What are we trying to prove wrong?"
"Seifer's actions!" thousands of voices roared.
"And what were they?" Squall asked.
"He killed innocents!" the thousands of voices roared.
"So you know." Squall said softly. "This day is December Fifth. Tell me, how long do we have?"
"Five months three days upon the morrow." a single voice said.
"Five months to defeat Seifer. In that time, will the Centrans join us?" this time, Squall asked the Centran ambassador.
"Yes. Troops are on their way," he said.
Squall nodded curtly. "Good."
2 ***December 8th***
Selphia helped Rinoa lace the ankle-length dress.
"That should do it, Selphie. Thanks. Seifer's going to pitch a fit as soon as he sees me at Squall's side!" Rinoa said when Selphie had it tight enough.
Selphie smiled and pulled some of Rinoa's hair back. "Quistis is going to go with Irvine, her favorite General. Either him or your father. Are you going with Squall?"
She nodded, "Yes, I am. Thank you for the help. What are you going to wear?"
Selphie pulled out a cream-colored ball gown. "I brought this just in case. Goodness, I hope 'tis not too low cut…"
"'Tis not," Rinoa assured her.
Selphie stripped off the sundress and pulled the cream dress on. She laced it up the front and slipped into her heels. They walked out the door and toward the Ballroom.
"I can't believe how you fell in love. So you really did know him and you're not trying to make me feel foolish?" Selphie said.
"Yes, I knew him when you wrote. I'd known him in more ways than one. Before that, I'd seen him at Council balls. He never danced, as I recall. I don't think Zell danced, either. Seifer, of course, tried to dance with every unmarried woman in the room."
Selphie giggled. "I remember that! He was so tall and confident. Father used to point at him and say he'd turn out badly. 'Tis too bad Father was right."
They arrived at the entrance to the Ballroom. Selphie walked over to be with Zell. Rinoa took a deep breath, walked over to Squall, and put her hand in his. He looked at her, smiled, and asked, "Shall we?"
She nodded mutely.
*
They were standing behind the chairs at the center table in the bottom of the Council Room, most of them doing their best to ignore the murmuring of the Council members in the rows that made the room seem like a stadium. Squall had not yet arrived. Rinoa hoped that Seifer would listen, but she knew he probably wouldn't. Selphie looked away from her inspection of Zell's face and gave her a smile.
"Squall will be here soon, I promise," Zell said. It was obvious that Selphie's bright green eyes were disconcerting for him.
"Never been looked at that closely by a girl, Chickenwuss?" Seifer jeered.
Zell said nothing.
Rinoa blessed him silently.
"Or is it you'd rather someone else looking at you?"
Zell gave him a bored look.
Rinoa blessed him silently (again).
"Ah, Seifer, glad you could join us." a cold voice said.
Seifer looked into Squall's eyes and backed down. In them burned a rare (and fiery) anger that must have scared even Seifer.
"Please, Seifer, have a seat." Squall said, gesturing to a chair.
Squall took the head chair for himself. Rinoa sat at his side.
"Does everyone know why we're here?" Squall asked.
No one said a word.
"I shall take that as a yes. We begin now." Squall said coldly.
No one spoke.
"Seifer, what were your actions in Trabia?"
Seifer jumped in his seat. The sharpness of Squall's question seemed to have startled him.
"I laid siege to a town and a village of monsters," Seifer said haughtily.
"They weren't monsters, they were Moombas!" Selphie said sharply.
"And what else?" Squall asked, almost lazily.
Seifer made no answer.
"And what other orders did you give, Seifer?" Squall said again, more sharply.
"I ordered some hangings. You've done it yourself."
"I ordered the hangings of people in my kingdom, Seifer. The kingdom wasn't yours. You ordered hangings of women and children, Seifer, didn't you?"
Seifer looked up defiantly. "And if I did?"
Zell slammed a fist on the table. "Innocents, Seifer. You ordered the deaths of innocents!"
Squall looked up at the Council that had assembled. "Do you deny that you are guilty of killing innocents, Seifer?"
"Ultimecia ne'er said they were innocent."
"And who is that?" Rinoa demanded.
"A Sorceress."
"Ah, so you think you are a Sorceress' Knight now?" Quistis said in her coldest voice.
"Don' think. Am."
A Council member stood. "'Tis in the Code, Seifer. No Sorceress or Sorceress' Knight may order the deaths of villagers unless the Sorceress or her Knight rules that kingdom. There's no Sorceress named Ultimecia. She would be registered."
Squall gave the Council member an impatient look and said, "Prince Seifer of the Leonhart line, born in Almasy, first successor to the throne of Balamb, do you deny that you are guilty of ordering the deaths of innocents?"
"I do not."
"Do you repent of your actions?" Quistis asked.
"I do not."
"Will you give up your right to the throne?" Queen Edea asked from her seat at the opposite end of the table.
"I will think on it."
"You will not think Seifer, you will do." King Caraway said dangerously from his seat as Head of Galbadia.
"I will not."
"Are you certain?" King Cid asked from his seat opposite Squall.
"I am not."
"Too many nots, Seifer." Queen Rhiannon of Centra said.
"Will you give the throne to your younger brothers?" Quistis asked.
"I will give the throne to Zell."
King Cid, Queen Edea, King Caraway, Queen Quistis and Queen Rhiannon stood. "We," they began, "as the representatives of humans, ask if you," they turned to face Zell, "Prince Zell of the Leonhart line, born in the largest city on Balamb Island, third successor to Balamb's throne, will accept the throne."
Ifrit, Quezacotl, Shiva, Siren, Carbuncle, Leviathan, Pandemona, Diablos and a few more GFs materialized.
"We," they said as one, "as the representatives of those who are not human," they turned to face Zell, "ask if you, Prince Zell of Balamb, will accept its throne."
Zell stood and said, "I refuse to give my judgment on this matter for exactly five months. Until we meet again."
With that, Zell left the room.
The GFs disappeared and everyone filed out of the room.
"You were unusually quiet, Rhine o' mine," a familiar voice whispered in her ear.
"Squall, I just didn't have much to say. We pretty much had it handled."
"Rhine o' mine, that's not what I'm talking about." a blade seemed to materialize at her throat.
"Seifer?" she asked, trembling.
"How right…" he said.
"RINOA!" Squall cried. He was running towards them…
"Rinoa, what are you…" his voice trailed off as he saw the blade.
"Seifer, put down the weapon." he said.
Seifer cast the blade aside, giving Rinoa a chance to cast…"Triple! TORRENT!"
Rain began to fall. The place was within three feet of water immediately.
"Rinoa! No! Call it off!" Squall said.
It was almost too late…
"*Deletrio!" Rinoa called.
The rain stopped. Seifer was unconscious in a chair.
Squall gave her a long-suffering look and said, "I should take you to the beach. You could drown a fish."
She laughed.
3
They were back in the Council Room.
Squall watched Seifer and Zell walk in. He still possessed the head chair. He wouldn't give it up unless Zell decided he wanted the throne. The *Head of Moombas chirped, "Today be August Eighth, five months after the last session."
King Caraway motioned that all but the three brothers and their parents sit. "I am King Caraway, Head of Galbadia. Do you, Prince Seifer of Balamb, accept the throne?"
"I do not." Seifer said.
"Do you will the throne to Prince Squall?" Ifrit asked.
"I do not."
"Do you will the throne to Prince Zell?" Shiva asked.
"I do."
They all turned to Zell.
"I am King Caraway, Head of Galbadia. Do you, Prince Zell of Balamb, accept the throne?"
"I do and yet I do not." Zell said.
"Explain yourself!" Squall hissed. He wanted a yes or no answer.
"I accept the throne only if it is not available to Prince Squall. Should it be available to Prince Squall, I deny it."
"The throne is available if you say so, Zell." Quistis said.
"Do you will the throne to Prince Squall?" Caraway asked.
"I do."
They all turned to face Squall. He looked Caraway in the eyes and squared his shoulders as he had always done.
"I am King Caraway, Head of Galbadia. Do you, Prince Squall of Balamb, accept the throne?"
Squall waited to answer so that his tone would remain even. "I do."
Caraway turned and bellowed, "All bow to the new King of Balamb!"
Only Seifer remained standing.
Squall didn't care. Selphie, Zell, Quistis, and Rinoa were smiling happily. He fought to keep himself from smiling back.
4
He stood behind Rinoa as she watched the waves crash to shore.
"A squall is coming." she said.
"The storm I was named after," he replied.
"Yes, it is, isn't it? You said I could drown a fish, but I think I'd rather drown in you." she said.
"Would you? Where do you want to drown?"
She smiled slyly, "How about our wedding present from Father?"
He smiled back. "Sounds good to me."
"Oh, trust me, it will be," she said. She leaned forward and crushed her lips onto his.
He broke the kiss and carried her to the little cabin by the sea, closing the door behind them…
The End
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Thank you for your support! I want ten reviews at the end of this. Is that so much to ask for? Here are the definitions of the little stars:
…One of Squall's idiosyncrasies: Squall has a number of them. His liking sparse furniture but loving overstuffed chairs is just one.
…Rhine o' mine: nickname. Y'see, I go by the official pronunciations, so Rinoa is pronounced 'Rye-Noah'. Rhine is, obviously, short for that. "Rhine o' mine" is just a cute lil' thing Squall and I made up.
Torrent: not a real spell. I made it up.
Talk parley: can mean many things, but when used in reference to war, it means 'peace negotiations'.
Deletrio: A spell I stole from Harry Potter. Used to delete the effects of Priori Incatatum, but I made it delete the effects/delete all spells.
Head of Moombas chirped: YES, I know they don't talk, they squeak and say "Laguna," but WHO'S THE AUTHOR OF THIS FIC? Me. Therefore, I make the rules. And I say they talk!