Renegade Seraph

-Equidor

Disclaimer: I do not own the lyrics I am using, they belong to Lara Fabian. The song is called 'The dream within' I have left out some of the words of the song to make it fit in more to my story. But however I change it I still don't own it, but I am going to steal it for a while. Heehee.

Free the dream within

The stars are crying

A tear

A sigh

Escapes from heaven

            Rinoa stepped in front of the mirror.

            "There Miss Heartilly what do you think?" The lady asked. To spare the feelings of the dressmaker Rinoa smiled.

            "It is lovely, thank you," Rinoa said, giving Madam Hue a fake smile. Proud that Rinoa approved of her work Madam Hue started talking about finishing touches. Rinoa let the woman use her as a puppet as the she talked to her mother about what changes that should be made. Rinoa stared lazily out of the window only slightly aware of the things being said in the room. She was doing it again, ever since she had seen that picture she couldn't get him out of her thoughts.

The dream within

And mystifying

Which tremble and spin

Suspended within

Look beyond

Where hearts can't see

Dream in peace

Trust love, believe.

            She had imagined so many situations in which he could appear. Her favourite was to imagine herself just about to be married when he would charge in sword drawn and ready to fight. He would rescue her from her life of pain and suppression to tell her how much he loved her. Then he would take her back to his homeland and she would finally be married, only this time to someone who loved her.   

Free the dream within

Where voices calling

A song

A prayer

From deep inside you

To guide you

            A smile played on her lips and a misty look appeared in her eyes. The glazed over expression gave her mother cause to worry.

            "Rinoa dear, are you alright?" She asked squeezing her daughter's hand. Rinoa snapped back to reality her fantasy shattered.

            "Yes Mother, maybe it is too hot in here, I should go outside" Rinoa said pealing the dress of off her body careful not to break any seams, she stepped into her usual blue dress and headed for the door. Her Mother still looked worried as she took the wedding dress from Rinoa. "I'll be fine, I promise" Rinoa said opening the door and proceeding out of it. "A little fresh air is all I need" She called back. Taking her bag from the back of the door, she shut the surprised stares behind the piece of wood.

            Once out side of the shop Rinoa headed for the little hill that stood on the edge of the town.

Leave the dream within

The light is shining

I fly on the wind

Salvation begins

            Taking out the book she had acquired on the ball night, she flipped straight to the picture of Squall.

            "It is strange to think that I know of you, but you know nothing of me" Rinoa said to the picture, "If only you would save me, Squall I need you to help me. Even if we never meet, at least this picture can bring me some comfort."

Look beyond where hearts cant see

Dream in peace

Trust love

Believe

            "I dream that one day we shall meet. But when we do it will already be too late, I shall be gone. Rinoa Heartilly will be gone, only Lady Almasy shall remain. A unhappy and lonely girl inside my heart"

Which tremble and spin

Suspended within

            "Rinoa! What are you doing on the floor?"

            "Mother! I'm sorry I lost track of time and" Rinoa tried to explain, closing the book as fast as she could but it wasn't fast enough.

            "What is that?"

            "This? Just a book" Rinoa said putting it into her bag. Her mother frowned and mentioned for Rinoa to get up.

            "It's time to meet Lord Almasy for the rehearsal of the wedding"

            "Oh I had forgotten!" Rinoa said panicking "Are we late?"

            "No not yet but we will be if we do not hurry!"

Rinoa raced into the church, to her surprise there was nobody there. Puzzled she gazed around, where was everyone? A man in white robes walked over to her.

            "Lord Almasy sends his apologies that he cannot attend, but urgent business has come up" Bowing he left her on her own. Rinoa stamped he foot on the ground. How dare he! He couldn't even be bothered to show up.

            Rinoa turned on her heals and walked back towards the exit.

            "Wait My Lady you cannot leave, you must now go to the Tower"

Rinoa looked at him in terror.

            "What did you say?" She questioned, not quite believing this, first his Lordship doesn't turn up then he imprisons her.

            "The Tower, it is tradition" Guards surrounded Rinoa; staring dumbfounded she was led outside into a carriage.

Two hours later, they finally reached the Tower. Rinoa was taken up some steps to a dark room she was told to wait until someone collected her. The room smelt damp, she prayed that her room wouldn't be quite so bad.

The door opened and the room was flooded with light, shielding her eyes she stepped out of the room. A lady asked her to follow her up some more stairs. Rinoa counted 300 steps until they reached her room. The woman unlocked the door and ushered Rinoa inside slamming the door behind her. Rinoa looked around, her life had just taken an unpleasant turn to say the least. Setting herself on the bed she stared at the ceiling wondering how long she would have to be here.

Free the dream within

The stars are crying

A tear, a sigh

Escapes from heaven

*******************************************************************************

"Squall my feet hurt!" Zell moaned as they walked though the busy street.

"We have spent two days riding, I would have thought you'd be glad to walk" Squall said fending off the people trying to sell him things. Zell thought about this.

"Hadn't thought about it like that!" He said finally. This seamed to stop their whingeing for a while until Selphie spotted a hat.

"Oooh Squall can I have that hat, can I, can I, pleeeeease?" She asked jumping around. Squall rolled his eyes, how could she be so energetic after two days of practically no sleep.

"Ask Zell would you!" Squall said yawning. Zell looked surprised as Selphie hung off of his arm.

"Zell please will you buy it for meee!" She asked smiling and fluttering her eyelashes. Zell gave in and bought the hat. Selphie gave him a kiss on the cheek in return. Zell blushed but thankfully for Zell nobody noticed.

"We will find some where to rest tonight, and tomorrow we will seek the help of 'Heartilly' all agreed?" Squall said, unaware of his commanding voice. Nobody disagreed; rest was all sounding good to them.

   Squall and his miniature and unruly army finally found an inn in which to stay the night, after careful searching of the town it seemed like the only one here anyway. Walking into the main welcoming room, they could see this place wasn't very well cared for.

"Eeeww!" Selphie cried. "I think I just saw a mouse!" Irvine walked over to Selphie carrying with him their belongings in a bag.

"Don't worry Selphie sweetie, there's no mice here" Irvine said putting his arm around her, Selphie looked relieved. "Because the rats have eaten them all!" Selphie smacked him around the head playfully.

"Shut up Irvine!" She said laughing at the way she had believed him at first. Squall left them to their games to find the owner of this tumbledown old place.   

  "Seventy gil each?" Squall shouted. Selphie, Irvine and Zell stopped their games and joined Squall. "What do you mean seventy gil? That price is ridiculous!"

"Sorry Sir but that is the standard price, now excuse me I have things to do!" the owner said pushing them out of the door.

"Well I say how rude!" Selphie exclaimed. Zell straightened his jacket and looked at Squall.

"Now what do we do?" Zell asked. Squall thought for a while.

"I don't know maybe we can ask one of the villagers," Squall said thoughtfully. Zell looked at him in disgust.

"Nope, no way am I sleeping in someone else's house" Zell said pouting. Selphie giggled.

"Well we would have had rooms in the hotel by now if you hadn't had bought that stupid hat!" Squall shouted. Selphie's smile disappeared. "Sorry Selphie I didn't mean it like that!" Squall said, apologizing after seeing how guilty he'd made her feel.

"Well I wouldn't exactly call it a hotel Squall, looked more like a pigsty to me!" Irvine said smiling. Everyone just laughed; Irvine's jokes were always funny when he told them.

***********************************************************************

As the sun went down over the trees and the sky turned from blue to purple and pink, until finally choosing to become black. Slowly the stars started to appear in the darkness.

"Welcome to Equidor everybody" Zell said, "We spend our first night under a tree, good job I changed out of my fairy costume before we came!" Squall laughed, Zell could be so funny sometimes. Squall smiled at the fact Zell was so serious about it.

"No Zell, I think we should have kept out costumes on," Squall said trying to keep a straight face. Zell just looked at Squall believing Squall was being serious. Selphie was laughing so hard that Irvine had to shake her to make her stop.

"What's so funny?" Zell asked annoyed. It seemed to be a pick on Zell day today.

"I just thought, I didn't pay much attention to it before, but yeah you were dressed as a…" Selphie dissolved in another fit of giggles. "FAIRY!" Zell crossed his arms and refused to talk to them for the rest of the night.

 Ok the pairing that won was Selphie x Zell, so who ever voted for that, there you go. Sorry for anyone who wanted it to be something else.

Next Chapter: Squall FINALLY meets Rinoa, so if anybody has been waiting for that I hope you haven't lost interest on the way.

Thank you to: Rinoa-heartilly73 (my lil' pal), the-angle-of-the-lion, Silver Shadow, REM, Phoenix Blade