Chapter 4



Rinoa sighed, staring up at the moon from her window.

"Why can't I stop thinking about him?"

"I don't want to lie to him anymore. I hate lying. It makes me think I'm taking after my father." She shook her head, trying to dispel that thought from her mind.

"I'll never be like him. I'll never share his ridiculous opinions about life. I'll never believe that you can automatically be better than someone else, just because of your name, or who your parents are."

"I didn't belong with father anymore, maybe I never did. Maybe I don't belong with any royalty at all. I mean, look at Seifer. He was just as bad as my father. He didn't care that I didn't want to marry him." Rinoa thought about all the times her father had given her the speech about what her life would mean.

"You're a princess. That means that you will marry a rich prince and your only duty will be to give him an heir. You must marry a prince, that is what princesses are for."

"That's what all rich people think and it's wrong. Why am I the only person to realise that?"

"Well, maybe not the only one."







Squall sat on his windowsill, staring at the stars in the night sky.

"I wonder who she really is?"

"I know that she was lying to me before, but what can I do about it?"

"There's something very different about her. She's not an orphan from some poor family, I can tell. The way she speaks, the way she walks and acts, the way she curtseys. There's something she's hiding."







"Miss Heartilly, would you care to join me for breakfast."

"I would be delighted, thank you." Squall led her down the stairs and into the large dining room, overlooking the gardens.

"You can enjoy some good food now. The servants prepared it."

"The food you prepared last night was exquisite."

"Don't tell me he's been trying to cook again," said a tall, blond woman, shaking her head. "It's a miracle you're still alive."

"May I introduce Quistis Trepe. She's the cook here." After Squall had formally introduced Quistis and Rinoa, he sat down at the head of the long dining table, which could easily seat thirty people. Rinoa took the seat next to him, and they began to eat. "I was just about to go for a ride. Do you want to join me? You can ride can't you?"

"Of course I can ride," she replied with disbelief, before remembering that Squall had no idea of her upbringing. "What I meant to say was that I would be delighted to accompany you."







"I thought you said you could ride," said Squall with a grin on his face, watching Rinoa try to saddle one of the horses.

"I can ride," she said indignantly. "It's not my fault I was never taught to do this." She made another attempt, but failed miserably. "Where are the stablehands when you need them," she thought.

"Here, I'll show you." Squall placed his hands on Rinoa's and she shivered slightly at his touch. "Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yes, yes. I'm fine," she said clearly embarrassed that being this close to him could have such an effect on her.

"Alright then. You just do this." Rinoa struggled to follow his movements as he effortlessly saddled the horse. "It's easy, see?"

"Yes," she lied. He had obviously had a lot of practice at this. He offered her his hand and helped her into the saddle. To his surprise, she rode side saddle, and quite skilfully too. Only women from well-off families were able to do this, and it once again set Squall wondering as to Rinoa's past.

"Who is she? Why is she here? Where did she come from? And why does she keep lying to me?"