¸.·´¯`·»Rhythm of the Heart«·´¯`·.¸
The flame roared around like the hands of the devil reaching out for him. They wanted to claim him, to take him to their fiery deaths. Never allow the little boy to see the blue sky again. He ran as fast as he could a tiny teddy clutched to his chest. His mother screamed behind him smoke rising from her layered skirts.
"No mommy!" the little boy's voice echoed in through the marble hallway, the licking flames. He rushed at her and beat the flames down with his teddy bear, before putting his little hand into hers. She smiled down at her with her thin lips. They ran together along the corridor smoke filling to boy's lungs.
Suddenly the mother and her son skidded to a stop before a woman standing in the middle of the hallway. Her purple gown shimmered in the firelight, her would be beautiful face ruined by a cruel smile. "Why?" the boy's mother asked her voice so sad. "You should have kept your hands off my property" the woman in purple said. "I hate you!" the boy screamed suddenly running at the strange woman.
His heart was breaking through the whole ceremony, each one of her words putting in another dent. Each touch of their hands a knife cut. The kiss was the final blow, the final jab to destroy his faith in love forever.
With wounds no one could see he rushed from the chapel, clutching his chest. He could almost feel the warm blood run between his fingertips. She would be the death of him, love was never supposed to hurt this much.
"I love you!" she said softly shaking her head. She was so beautiful.
"I had to do it, my father would disown me if I didn't"
"You had to marry that wench" She spat angrily with accusing blue eyes.
"No better then you, marrying my rival" he said full of rage.
"Why must this hurt so much?" she asked staring at him hand clutched at her breast.
"Life hurts, my heart" he whispered pulling her into an embrace. They kissed lips meeting beneath his black helm.
"She is my wife!" the man in red explained. He looked across the battlefield at him and rolled his eyes.
"She does not love you" he said.
"You will die for those words, Almasy" the man in red growled leaping at him sword drawn. Their swords met in a clash of metal, ringing out over the field.
"You can never love her like I can" he said forcing his rival back a few paces.
"You will never love her again" They clashed again blood drawn from his own shoulder. He took a few steps back looking at his long time rival. The one who had married the woman he loved.
"Never forget me" he whispered harshly bringing his sward down at an angled slash. Blood erupted from the man in red's eye, rendering him forever half blind.
His wife was laughing at him from across the room. His wife? His rival and his only love were chained on the wall across from him. Quistis? His wife started casting her purple lacquered fingers working arcane symbols into the air. Why would he possibly marry a woman he did not love? The woman that he did love was screaming in pain. Her face seemed to be melting, distorting. Her body quivered as it started to change shape.
And he awoke with a scream.
Someone was pounding on his door, hysterical sobbing from the other side. He rushed to it and threw it open. Quistis stood there red faced, tears leaving trails on her cheek.
"So much pain" she muttered falling forward into his arms. He drew her close holding her tight. The smell of her overwhelmed him, her soft hair brushing his cheek.
"You felt her pain?" he asked closing the door behind her.
"Every second of it" she whispered her voice shaking. He led her over to the couch and set her down. He stood up and got her a glass of water from the bathroom. Seifer placed it in her shaking hands, and she took a long drink.
"What the hell was she doing to me" Quistis asked.
"I don't know" Seifer responded staring at the floor.
"It was Medarra, the woman casting the spell" Quistis said suddenly. Seifer's head snapped up at the recognition.
"You're right!" he exclaimed. His wife, Medarra. Or who's ever wife his dreams were about.
"But what does it mean?" Quistis asked knowing that full well he didn't have the answer. An idea dawned upon him then and he jumped up.
"That means it must be the past, and who's the one person who can help us find out about the past" Seifer said.
"Ellone!" Quistis exclaimed jumping up next to him. They hugged each other impulsively, laughing in each other's arms. It was all starting to fall together for them. Then on an impulse, he cupped his hands around her face whipping away the remaining tears.
"I won't let her do the same thing to you, that she did to that woman" he whispered fiercely. He stared down into those blue eyes, the ones that were so much like the woman's in the dream. Then he leaned down and placed his lips to hers.
Emotion rolled through him. Love, Worry, Sadness, and Pain. She tasted sweet, and salty from her tears. She touched his face lightly, not shying away from the kiss.
"Life hurts, my heart" he whispered pulling her into an embrace. They kissed lips meeting beneath his black helm.
Black helm.
"Let me add another scar for ya" his voice echoed through out the helmet but he wasn't speaking. Ringing right down to the core of his soul. It was time he unleashed the power of the great sword in his hand. Riding faster now he saw himself right in front of his horse. Looking angry in his ragged trench coat. The image of himself held up the Hyperion, and suddenly he felt himself being torn in two. A great voice ringed in his ears.
Black Helm. Horns. Black Armor. White Horse.
The image of himself held up the Hyperion, and suddenly he felt himself being torn in two.
It hit him like a lightening bolt. Lunatic Pandora, was when he had said those words. Right before he had sliced the great GF Odin in half.
"Odin" he whispered out loud pulling away from her. She looked up at him with quizzical eyes.
"In the dreams, I am Odin" he said the words, and knew it to be true.
"How come I never realized it before!" Quistis exclaimed shaking her head. Their kiss was forgotten for the moment.
"Tomorrow we MUST find Ellone. We need an explanation" Seifer said solidly. Quistis nodded firmly and eyed the door out of the room.
"You can sleep in my bed, I'll take the couch" he said with a soft smile. She nodded and placed her hand on his shoulder. He stared into her eyes, watching the swirling blue. Then their lips met again for the second time that night.
Life could be so very strange.
The emotion was so strong, he didn't understand it. He didn't know how to react to the new feelings.
Here was in a moonlit hotel room kissing Quistis Trepe. A woman that a few years ago he hated. That he would have given anything to remove from his life completely. But now, he would give anything to keep her in it.