Note: Hi all! Last chapter was very heartbreaking. So, here's a summary to those who are just tuning in.........
Last time on Chapter 7:
First, news has been heard that the Estharian soldiers have moved forward and are on their way towards Balbadia. Zell tells the King about the Duke being enchanted by a woman in a 'red mane' and that is why he is acting so strange. The King thinks it is a trick, a way to say that Zell is making a fool out of him so that he will think Squall is innocent and imprisons Zell. Meanwhile, Irvine gets ready to suit up for battle, but Seifer notices the Queen is upset about him going into battle soon. So, he does the most honorable decision of his life. He decides that he should take orders of his soldiers to drive off the Estharian soldiers and let the King stay with the Queen, knowing he will never return to the castle again. Quistis finds this a terrible news and that night, she comes to him, declaring her undying love for the knight, which leads to something more. However, they are not the only ones having their 'last good byes.' Two people converse in the cell. Zell and Selphie feel warmth with each other. Zell explains that if he returns to Esthar, he will be executed for 'betraying' the Duke. Selphie suggests that he stay and become a Balbadian, but Zell refuses and says he was born as an Estharian, not as a Balbadian, who do 'bad deeds.' This comment leads to Selphie's anger, thinking that Zell is blaming Balbadia, which includes her for starting the war. She encounters by saying that it is Esthar who started the war. They start a fight and leads to Selphie leaving the cell angry.
Chapter 8 - The Parable Of The Lovers
The sun greeted her with a touch of rays upon her brows. Light beamed throughout her quarters, making a unique form of bouncing gold around the walls. She opened her eyes ever so slowly, afraid that if she turns her head, he would not be there. However, despite her fears, she glanced to her right and found no one lying down beside her. She jerked her head to the window, which was half opened by her Knight before he left, preferably because of the hot, humid air last night. A horse whinnied in the background and that noise led her to believe that it was the sound of Onex, Sir Knight Seifer's strong and beautiful black Stallion. On her feet, she walked to the window and looked down below to find her Knight guiding Onex towards the front gate. She watched from above as a messenger, dressed in a royal red tunic adorned with jewelry approach the blond knight.
"Sir, the King is waiting for you at the front gates," the young man spoke.
Seifer nodded. "Thank you, Braun," he replied. The brown haired young man bowed his head before leaving the presence of the tall Knight and left to bring the news back to the King. He glanced up through the window and found his Lady staring at him with her ocean blue eyes. With his heart fluttering with joy, he smiled wide and raised a hand for a farewell.
Her Highness smiled back, her tears streaking down her porcelain face. She raised a hand and pressed it against the glass-stained window and murmured, "I will miss you," through her lips. With her mind set on him, she was startled to see someone running towards the occupied Knight. She watched closely, realizing that the figure was her handmaiden, Selphie. She furrowed her eyebrows curiously.
"Sir Seifer," she called. Seifer took his eyes off of the window and glanced to his right to see Selphie running to him.
"Selphie? What is it?" He held on tightly to Onex's reigns.
Selphie took a deep breath, unsure whether her words were to be remain true. She looked down and took a few more breaths.
"What is it, Selphie?" he repeated, his voice seemingly annoyed.
The brunette looked up. "May I ask what will become of the prisoner?"
Seifer stared at her curiously. "The prisoner? The prisoner from Esthar?"
Selphie nodded to his question.
"Do you not know? He is to be executed for trespassing and attempting to murder the King, of course. Why? What is your relation to him?" Seifer pressed forward towards the front gates, with Selphie close behind.
"Because that man in the cell right now is my true love," she replied. Drops of tears formed in her eyes and they gathered there until it fell down.
Seifer paused, turning his head towards her to see if she was telling the truth. Yet, as he gazed into her emerald eyes, he knew that her lies were never there. "Your true love?"
Selphie nodded. Although it was forbidden to do so, she placed a hand on his shoulder to make him see the truth in her words and gazed closely into his eyes. "Please sir, you are the only one who can make him understand. I know he is our enemy, but I love him so and I cannot bear to see him die. I know I have betrayed my King and my country, but my heart still aches of love for him." Tears streaked down her pale cheeks and she wiped them away with so much sadness in her actions.
The blond Knight looked down in shame. "Yes, I know what you mean." He took a deep breath, took one quick glance back to the window and looked up at the handmaiden. "I will speak with him before I leave."
"Thank you, Sir," she spoke softly, wiping away more tears that fell down her chin. She removed her hand from his shoulder and smiled greatly.
Seifer nodded, moving forward more with his horse on his heels. He glanced behind him towards Selphie, her tears quickly fading away.
Soon, he arrived at the front gate. The King, along with his royal servants greeted him with a smile. Seifer approached the King with confidence in his heart and greeted the King with a warm 'hello' before stopping himself and his horse in front of them.
"Seifer, I see you are prepared," the King spoke.
The blond shook his head. "Not quite, Your Highness."
Irvine stared at him curiously. "Not quite? What do you mean?"
Sir Seifer took a deep breath, telling himself to be calm. He knew the King very well and Selphie was right, there is no reason for him to be afraid to offend his best friend. "About the prisoner, what will become of him?"
The King stared at him. "He will be put to death, of course. No enemy of Balbadia comes out alive. He will mean more trouble to us."
"He has not done wrong, your Highness. Would it be humanly to release him? He has done no bad deeds since he arrived," Seifer countered.
Irvine furrowed his eyebrows. "The bad deeds he has accomplished are the killings of my men, Seifer. Releasing him will not answer any justice."
"And death will?" Seifer stared at him.
For a moment, all was silent. The two friends spent staring at each other for a second, seeing if one would falter against the other. At last, the King blinked first, taking a long deep breath to emphasize his loss.
"Very well, I will give him choices." The King glanced at two large men dressed in the royal armor with the King's royal emblem painted at the front of the chest. "Bring me the prisoner," he ordered. He glanced at his friend. "You are delaying your mission," he said.
Seifer smiled. "Yes, I have noticed. But this I am doing for a friend."
Irvine looked behind Seifer and found Selphie standing there, her face widening into a smile, but soon faded when the King noticed her. "I see," he said.
A few minutes later, the same two soldiers arrived at the front gate with the prisoner walking ahead, his hands bound behind him. When they were close enough, the King stepped forward and stared at the blond man dressed in the same clothes he wore when he was taken in prison. The man introduced himself as Zell Dincht and it was surprising how he just appeared in front of the throne, telling him lies.
"Zell Dincht, I have proposed a choice, instead of giving you a sentence on death," Irvine spoke. Selphie watched on, as she stood beside the blond Knight with anticipation and with curiosity to the King's plans.
Zell looked up.
The King took a deep breath; unsure whether this was something he was willing to do. "These choices will be made prior two days of your death. I have given you another chance for freedom only if you choose to join my army. If not, then your sentence will continue."
The moment he turned his eyes towards the King, the Queen made her first appearance towards the event that was beginning to unfold. She placed herself beside her Handmaiden, closer to her Knight and watched on in interest. With clenched fists, the blond soldier stood up with tired legs and dared not look into the eyes of the King, his enemy.
"Joining you to save my own life if very tempting, Your majesty, however, I can not." He shook his head, to the disbelief of Selphie and even to himself. "My heart still lingers for my Duke, my master. I have served him for many years and...." He paused and looked up into the eyes of the King for the very first time. "I would rather die than serve you!" he hissed, turning his face away.
"NOOO!" a woman screamed. All faces turned their attention towards the handmaiden, who ran to her lover's side, her tears stricken with grief and terror. The King's men attempted to take her away, but the King waved his hand and shook his head. Selphie collapsed in his arms, gazing into Zell's eyes while tears fell down her porcelain face. "Are you being foolish?! Why do you wish to die?! Do you not wish to be near me anymore?!"
Zell turned his eyes away from her. "You are not the reason for my choice, Selphie. And yes I am being foolish, but at least I still have my honour for the Duke."
With a slight pause to her cries, Selphie took a deep breath. She took a step back, her eyes widening in shock. "Why-" She could not speak. Her words were cut off by more cries from her throat and for that one brief moment, all was silent from her lips. She glanced at everyone present around her, her cheeks flushing in frustration.
"Selphie...." The Queen called towards her old friend.
The younger girl did not seem to hear Quistis for her mind was set on her lover. She took one last look towards Zell before darting off back inside the castle.
"Selphie!" Quistis called again. She neither took one last look nor gave a gaze towards the men as she ran after the frightened girl. The blond Queen paused for a moment gave one quick blow of silent kisses towards her Knight while the King was still occupied with the soldier and his punishment and quickly followed after the brunette handmaiden.
Zell watched Selphie go. There were so many things he wanted to tell her, but all was rather too late. 'I love you, Selphie,' he whispered in his head. He fell to his knees, tears forcing it to fall, but Zell was strong enough to hold them back. He clenched his fists and allowed the King's guards to tie his hands behind him and take him back to the cell where he deserved to be put.
******************
The walls closed around her and the path towards her dreams looped to make it more difficult for her to walk on. Her heart felt broken and untouched by the one man who hurt her most. She buried her face in her palms and wept, tears soaking the collar of her silk shirt.
She watched in the distance, away from plain view and away from being seen by her friend as she laid her head down on her bed. She moved a strand of blond hair from her eyes and watched on while Selphie's tears were filled of sadness. Her only friend, her only Handmaiden, despite all the smiles she held on her face was suffering drastically. She left the girl to cry on her own, as she turned and walked away from the powers that was forcing her to weep along with her friend, yet, the Queen held it all inside of her.
******************
"Do you now know how she cares for you so?" she asked, stepping forward towards the barred cell. The moonlight peeked through the window, casting a small shadow of her figure taking another step closer towards the bewildered man. He seemed surprised at her sight, yet she could not tell whether he felt saddened by his lover who wept alone in her quarters. He lifted his head up towards her, his face expressionless. She could not understand this man, whether he felt the pain or whether he was just trying to hide his feelings from the stranger who stood before him. "Why do you wish to die so?"
His eyes slid away from her and down on the floor, feeling ashamed of wanting to answer the question. He did not wish to die, but he would rather hang than serve his enemy. "I already told you the answer to that Your Highness," he spoke, with her name mentioned with a certain mockery in his voice.
The blond Queen grasped tightly on the bars and stared down at the lonely figure sitting on the bed. It was close to daybreak and she recognized her shadow moving away from her as the sun began to hide behind the high hills. She shook her head in disbelief, noting the surroundings around the prisoner. The condition of the cell was much worst than the bathrooms of peasants that lived among the poor side of the cities of Balamb. Rats scattered along windowsill, each sniffing the air for any signs of food. One large rat approached the blond man cautiously and when it had a good sniff, knowing there was nothing the man could give him, it fled through the window and disappeared. More rats scowered against the walls, hoping to find any scraps of food left by the previous prisoners before the blond man. She took her time watching the rats flourish, when the blond man's voice cut through her thoughts.
"She does care for me?" he asked, the hope in his voice clearly present in his throat. He watched her, green eyes meeting blue and their gaze turned into friendship than strangers talking amongst each other.
She shook her head. "She doesn't care for you," she answered. When she noticed his hurt, yet confused expression, she cleared her throat to speak further, just to verify that she did not mean those words. "She loves you," she added.
The blond sighed a breath of relief. Questions ran through his mind and none of them were ever answered. He was not certain whether death was his right choice. He understood that Selphie loved him so and he loved her as well. Yet, try as he might to rid of the doubts in his mind, the Queen, nor he alone, could change his mind. "Tell her I understand her pain, but I have chosen and I can not change my answer any longer."
Quistis watched in concern. Why is it that death is the only answer to proving love or honour? At that thought, she saw her Knight's face. He chose to be in the King's position in battle, knowing he would die. Why do men hurt the ones they love the most by dying? It proves nothing! "You can change your answer," she spoke softly. She wanted to scream at the man for making a horrible mistake by choosing out of honour than love. Or royalty and friendship than love. With all the wishes of wanting to strangle the blond Estharian in her mind, she did not risk it. Her heart was in the right place, despite the heartbreak. "Love is worth everything, Sir Zell. Selphie is my dearest friend and she loves you so. She risked her reputation tonight by revealing her love for you and if not for her being my friend, the King would have taken her away from me. You must understand the value of loving someone." With that spoken, she turned and left the confinement of the cell.
Zell watched the Queen go. Dressed in her fancy dress, she lifted the front of her skirt and climbed up the steps back to the main hall. When she had gone from his sight, Zell leaned forward and leaned his chin against his curled wrist on his lap. Even more questions and doubts wheeled freely in his mind. His thoughts were later tangled together in a web, enabling him to really see through them.
****************
***few hours pass***
The battle was at the top of the soldiers' minds. He stood proudly atop his horse and watched from a distance. The King's men and all of his own men were gathered together in a blockade to prevent the enemy from passing. At the signal of his cries and the release of his Hyperion from its sheath, all the men cried in response. The Knight's cries and the men's cries echoed across the plains, reaching the ears of the enemy's making their way up the hill.
Seifer placed his sword in front of him, pointing his sword ahead, his eyebrows creasing in a serious expression. "Let's go men!" he yelled. He tapped the sides of his Stallion and soon, he was heading towards the hiding place of the enemy, just behind the green hills of Balamb. Followed by devotion of the soldiers, the blond Knight was sent by his horse over the hill, charging towards the group of soldiers nestling behind some bushes. Seifer's men made it over the hill by the time the Estharian soldiers made their way towards him. One man gripped his sword tightly and was already right by his leader's side. He glanced up at Seifer and grinned, his brown eyes flashing with determination, then ran ahead, swiping his sword from side to side for a good fight. Seifer joined him later, using his Hyperion and attacking some of the men trying to kill the brown-eyed man. The blond slit his knife across a man's throat, blood pouring from his neck, where some redness spurted on his coat.
By now, a herd of men from each side ran towards each other, swords clashing in the distance, while screams were heard around them. Seifer slashed another man's throat, but before the man could fall to the ground, his sword made contact with the blond Knight's head, slashing him across the forehead and to the top of the nose. An Estharian soldier grabbed at Onex's tail, making the horse to squeal in surprise. It lifted both its hind legs, forcing Seifer to fall back first on the ground. He quickly got up to defend himself, despite the pain in his back and fought his away through the masses. More metals clashed and rang in his ears. Seifer ran through some more fight scenes and finally made it pass the conflict. He was ready to head back to fight with his men, when some force hit his head fairly hard, sending him unconscious on the ground.
GoodGurl: OH NO! another cliffhange! Heh heh! Sorry for the long wait, but I hope you enjoyed the read here. Awwwwww, poor Selphie. Has Zell really made his decision to die? What happened to Seifer? What's going to happen to him? Hm... why don't you see and find out soon?
Last time on Chapter 7:
First, news has been heard that the Estharian soldiers have moved forward and are on their way towards Balbadia. Zell tells the King about the Duke being enchanted by a woman in a 'red mane' and that is why he is acting so strange. The King thinks it is a trick, a way to say that Zell is making a fool out of him so that he will think Squall is innocent and imprisons Zell. Meanwhile, Irvine gets ready to suit up for battle, but Seifer notices the Queen is upset about him going into battle soon. So, he does the most honorable decision of his life. He decides that he should take orders of his soldiers to drive off the Estharian soldiers and let the King stay with the Queen, knowing he will never return to the castle again. Quistis finds this a terrible news and that night, she comes to him, declaring her undying love for the knight, which leads to something more. However, they are not the only ones having their 'last good byes.' Two people converse in the cell. Zell and Selphie feel warmth with each other. Zell explains that if he returns to Esthar, he will be executed for 'betraying' the Duke. Selphie suggests that he stay and become a Balbadian, but Zell refuses and says he was born as an Estharian, not as a Balbadian, who do 'bad deeds.' This comment leads to Selphie's anger, thinking that Zell is blaming Balbadia, which includes her for starting the war. She encounters by saying that it is Esthar who started the war. They start a fight and leads to Selphie leaving the cell angry.
Chapter 8 - The Parable Of The Lovers
The sun greeted her with a touch of rays upon her brows. Light beamed throughout her quarters, making a unique form of bouncing gold around the walls. She opened her eyes ever so slowly, afraid that if she turns her head, he would not be there. However, despite her fears, she glanced to her right and found no one lying down beside her. She jerked her head to the window, which was half opened by her Knight before he left, preferably because of the hot, humid air last night. A horse whinnied in the background and that noise led her to believe that it was the sound of Onex, Sir Knight Seifer's strong and beautiful black Stallion. On her feet, she walked to the window and looked down below to find her Knight guiding Onex towards the front gate. She watched from above as a messenger, dressed in a royal red tunic adorned with jewelry approach the blond knight.
"Sir, the King is waiting for you at the front gates," the young man spoke.
Seifer nodded. "Thank you, Braun," he replied. The brown haired young man bowed his head before leaving the presence of the tall Knight and left to bring the news back to the King. He glanced up through the window and found his Lady staring at him with her ocean blue eyes. With his heart fluttering with joy, he smiled wide and raised a hand for a farewell.
Her Highness smiled back, her tears streaking down her porcelain face. She raised a hand and pressed it against the glass-stained window and murmured, "I will miss you," through her lips. With her mind set on him, she was startled to see someone running towards the occupied Knight. She watched closely, realizing that the figure was her handmaiden, Selphie. She furrowed her eyebrows curiously.
"Sir Seifer," she called. Seifer took his eyes off of the window and glanced to his right to see Selphie running to him.
"Selphie? What is it?" He held on tightly to Onex's reigns.
Selphie took a deep breath, unsure whether her words were to be remain true. She looked down and took a few more breaths.
"What is it, Selphie?" he repeated, his voice seemingly annoyed.
The brunette looked up. "May I ask what will become of the prisoner?"
Seifer stared at her curiously. "The prisoner? The prisoner from Esthar?"
Selphie nodded to his question.
"Do you not know? He is to be executed for trespassing and attempting to murder the King, of course. Why? What is your relation to him?" Seifer pressed forward towards the front gates, with Selphie close behind.
"Because that man in the cell right now is my true love," she replied. Drops of tears formed in her eyes and they gathered there until it fell down.
Seifer paused, turning his head towards her to see if she was telling the truth. Yet, as he gazed into her emerald eyes, he knew that her lies were never there. "Your true love?"
Selphie nodded. Although it was forbidden to do so, she placed a hand on his shoulder to make him see the truth in her words and gazed closely into his eyes. "Please sir, you are the only one who can make him understand. I know he is our enemy, but I love him so and I cannot bear to see him die. I know I have betrayed my King and my country, but my heart still aches of love for him." Tears streaked down her pale cheeks and she wiped them away with so much sadness in her actions.
The blond Knight looked down in shame. "Yes, I know what you mean." He took a deep breath, took one quick glance back to the window and looked up at the handmaiden. "I will speak with him before I leave."
"Thank you, Sir," she spoke softly, wiping away more tears that fell down her chin. She removed her hand from his shoulder and smiled greatly.
Seifer nodded, moving forward more with his horse on his heels. He glanced behind him towards Selphie, her tears quickly fading away.
Soon, he arrived at the front gate. The King, along with his royal servants greeted him with a smile. Seifer approached the King with confidence in his heart and greeted the King with a warm 'hello' before stopping himself and his horse in front of them.
"Seifer, I see you are prepared," the King spoke.
The blond shook his head. "Not quite, Your Highness."
Irvine stared at him curiously. "Not quite? What do you mean?"
Sir Seifer took a deep breath, telling himself to be calm. He knew the King very well and Selphie was right, there is no reason for him to be afraid to offend his best friend. "About the prisoner, what will become of him?"
The King stared at him. "He will be put to death, of course. No enemy of Balbadia comes out alive. He will mean more trouble to us."
"He has not done wrong, your Highness. Would it be humanly to release him? He has done no bad deeds since he arrived," Seifer countered.
Irvine furrowed his eyebrows. "The bad deeds he has accomplished are the killings of my men, Seifer. Releasing him will not answer any justice."
"And death will?" Seifer stared at him.
For a moment, all was silent. The two friends spent staring at each other for a second, seeing if one would falter against the other. At last, the King blinked first, taking a long deep breath to emphasize his loss.
"Very well, I will give him choices." The King glanced at two large men dressed in the royal armor with the King's royal emblem painted at the front of the chest. "Bring me the prisoner," he ordered. He glanced at his friend. "You are delaying your mission," he said.
Seifer smiled. "Yes, I have noticed. But this I am doing for a friend."
Irvine looked behind Seifer and found Selphie standing there, her face widening into a smile, but soon faded when the King noticed her. "I see," he said.
A few minutes later, the same two soldiers arrived at the front gate with the prisoner walking ahead, his hands bound behind him. When they were close enough, the King stepped forward and stared at the blond man dressed in the same clothes he wore when he was taken in prison. The man introduced himself as Zell Dincht and it was surprising how he just appeared in front of the throne, telling him lies.
"Zell Dincht, I have proposed a choice, instead of giving you a sentence on death," Irvine spoke. Selphie watched on, as she stood beside the blond Knight with anticipation and with curiosity to the King's plans.
Zell looked up.
The King took a deep breath; unsure whether this was something he was willing to do. "These choices will be made prior two days of your death. I have given you another chance for freedom only if you choose to join my army. If not, then your sentence will continue."
The moment he turned his eyes towards the King, the Queen made her first appearance towards the event that was beginning to unfold. She placed herself beside her Handmaiden, closer to her Knight and watched on in interest. With clenched fists, the blond soldier stood up with tired legs and dared not look into the eyes of the King, his enemy.
"Joining you to save my own life if very tempting, Your majesty, however, I can not." He shook his head, to the disbelief of Selphie and even to himself. "My heart still lingers for my Duke, my master. I have served him for many years and...." He paused and looked up into the eyes of the King for the very first time. "I would rather die than serve you!" he hissed, turning his face away.
"NOOO!" a woman screamed. All faces turned their attention towards the handmaiden, who ran to her lover's side, her tears stricken with grief and terror. The King's men attempted to take her away, but the King waved his hand and shook his head. Selphie collapsed in his arms, gazing into Zell's eyes while tears fell down her porcelain face. "Are you being foolish?! Why do you wish to die?! Do you not wish to be near me anymore?!"
Zell turned his eyes away from her. "You are not the reason for my choice, Selphie. And yes I am being foolish, but at least I still have my honour for the Duke."
With a slight pause to her cries, Selphie took a deep breath. She took a step back, her eyes widening in shock. "Why-" She could not speak. Her words were cut off by more cries from her throat and for that one brief moment, all was silent from her lips. She glanced at everyone present around her, her cheeks flushing in frustration.
"Selphie...." The Queen called towards her old friend.
The younger girl did not seem to hear Quistis for her mind was set on her lover. She took one last look towards Zell before darting off back inside the castle.
"Selphie!" Quistis called again. She neither took one last look nor gave a gaze towards the men as she ran after the frightened girl. The blond Queen paused for a moment gave one quick blow of silent kisses towards her Knight while the King was still occupied with the soldier and his punishment and quickly followed after the brunette handmaiden.
Zell watched Selphie go. There were so many things he wanted to tell her, but all was rather too late. 'I love you, Selphie,' he whispered in his head. He fell to his knees, tears forcing it to fall, but Zell was strong enough to hold them back. He clenched his fists and allowed the King's guards to tie his hands behind him and take him back to the cell where he deserved to be put.
******************
The walls closed around her and the path towards her dreams looped to make it more difficult for her to walk on. Her heart felt broken and untouched by the one man who hurt her most. She buried her face in her palms and wept, tears soaking the collar of her silk shirt.
She watched in the distance, away from plain view and away from being seen by her friend as she laid her head down on her bed. She moved a strand of blond hair from her eyes and watched on while Selphie's tears were filled of sadness. Her only friend, her only Handmaiden, despite all the smiles she held on her face was suffering drastically. She left the girl to cry on her own, as she turned and walked away from the powers that was forcing her to weep along with her friend, yet, the Queen held it all inside of her.
******************
"Do you now know how she cares for you so?" she asked, stepping forward towards the barred cell. The moonlight peeked through the window, casting a small shadow of her figure taking another step closer towards the bewildered man. He seemed surprised at her sight, yet she could not tell whether he felt saddened by his lover who wept alone in her quarters. He lifted his head up towards her, his face expressionless. She could not understand this man, whether he felt the pain or whether he was just trying to hide his feelings from the stranger who stood before him. "Why do you wish to die so?"
His eyes slid away from her and down on the floor, feeling ashamed of wanting to answer the question. He did not wish to die, but he would rather hang than serve his enemy. "I already told you the answer to that Your Highness," he spoke, with her name mentioned with a certain mockery in his voice.
The blond Queen grasped tightly on the bars and stared down at the lonely figure sitting on the bed. It was close to daybreak and she recognized her shadow moving away from her as the sun began to hide behind the high hills. She shook her head in disbelief, noting the surroundings around the prisoner. The condition of the cell was much worst than the bathrooms of peasants that lived among the poor side of the cities of Balamb. Rats scattered along windowsill, each sniffing the air for any signs of food. One large rat approached the blond man cautiously and when it had a good sniff, knowing there was nothing the man could give him, it fled through the window and disappeared. More rats scowered against the walls, hoping to find any scraps of food left by the previous prisoners before the blond man. She took her time watching the rats flourish, when the blond man's voice cut through her thoughts.
"She does care for me?" he asked, the hope in his voice clearly present in his throat. He watched her, green eyes meeting blue and their gaze turned into friendship than strangers talking amongst each other.
She shook her head. "She doesn't care for you," she answered. When she noticed his hurt, yet confused expression, she cleared her throat to speak further, just to verify that she did not mean those words. "She loves you," she added.
The blond sighed a breath of relief. Questions ran through his mind and none of them were ever answered. He was not certain whether death was his right choice. He understood that Selphie loved him so and he loved her as well. Yet, try as he might to rid of the doubts in his mind, the Queen, nor he alone, could change his mind. "Tell her I understand her pain, but I have chosen and I can not change my answer any longer."
Quistis watched in concern. Why is it that death is the only answer to proving love or honour? At that thought, she saw her Knight's face. He chose to be in the King's position in battle, knowing he would die. Why do men hurt the ones they love the most by dying? It proves nothing! "You can change your answer," she spoke softly. She wanted to scream at the man for making a horrible mistake by choosing out of honour than love. Or royalty and friendship than love. With all the wishes of wanting to strangle the blond Estharian in her mind, she did not risk it. Her heart was in the right place, despite the heartbreak. "Love is worth everything, Sir Zell. Selphie is my dearest friend and she loves you so. She risked her reputation tonight by revealing her love for you and if not for her being my friend, the King would have taken her away from me. You must understand the value of loving someone." With that spoken, she turned and left the confinement of the cell.
Zell watched the Queen go. Dressed in her fancy dress, she lifted the front of her skirt and climbed up the steps back to the main hall. When she had gone from his sight, Zell leaned forward and leaned his chin against his curled wrist on his lap. Even more questions and doubts wheeled freely in his mind. His thoughts were later tangled together in a web, enabling him to really see through them.
****************
***few hours pass***
The battle was at the top of the soldiers' minds. He stood proudly atop his horse and watched from a distance. The King's men and all of his own men were gathered together in a blockade to prevent the enemy from passing. At the signal of his cries and the release of his Hyperion from its sheath, all the men cried in response. The Knight's cries and the men's cries echoed across the plains, reaching the ears of the enemy's making their way up the hill.
Seifer placed his sword in front of him, pointing his sword ahead, his eyebrows creasing in a serious expression. "Let's go men!" he yelled. He tapped the sides of his Stallion and soon, he was heading towards the hiding place of the enemy, just behind the green hills of Balamb. Followed by devotion of the soldiers, the blond Knight was sent by his horse over the hill, charging towards the group of soldiers nestling behind some bushes. Seifer's men made it over the hill by the time the Estharian soldiers made their way towards him. One man gripped his sword tightly and was already right by his leader's side. He glanced up at Seifer and grinned, his brown eyes flashing with determination, then ran ahead, swiping his sword from side to side for a good fight. Seifer joined him later, using his Hyperion and attacking some of the men trying to kill the brown-eyed man. The blond slit his knife across a man's throat, blood pouring from his neck, where some redness spurted on his coat.
By now, a herd of men from each side ran towards each other, swords clashing in the distance, while screams were heard around them. Seifer slashed another man's throat, but before the man could fall to the ground, his sword made contact with the blond Knight's head, slashing him across the forehead and to the top of the nose. An Estharian soldier grabbed at Onex's tail, making the horse to squeal in surprise. It lifted both its hind legs, forcing Seifer to fall back first on the ground. He quickly got up to defend himself, despite the pain in his back and fought his away through the masses. More metals clashed and rang in his ears. Seifer ran through some more fight scenes and finally made it pass the conflict. He was ready to head back to fight with his men, when some force hit his head fairly hard, sending him unconscious on the ground.
GoodGurl: OH NO! another cliffhange! Heh heh! Sorry for the long wait, but I hope you enjoyed the read here. Awwwwww, poor Selphie. Has Zell really made his decision to die? What happened to Seifer? What's going to happen to him? Hm... why don't you see and find out soon?