Part 3: Punishment
A while later, Zell and Irvine were sitting on the shore of Dollet, looking at the waves. But sometimes, Irvine was nervously looking around.
"Come on, Zell, let's get outta here!" he said. "Some of Caraway were seen around here. If they find us, we won't escape a fight. We're so bored we'll want to fight!"
"You remind me of people long ago, damn soldiers in the first Sorceress War... They shot at everything except enemies hoping to scare them off and avoid a fight."
"Me? Comparing me to those?"
"Just kidding... besides, I'd gladly someone from the Caraway..."
He laid down on the sand, stretching up.
"It feels cool being here but it's not the same without Squall... where could he be?"
"Beats me," Irvine answered shrugging. "Aren't you his best friend? You of all people should know."
"Ha! What a best friend I am he never tells me anything!"
"Yeah... Guess you shouldn't be afraid of the Caraway: after all your family is friends with them isn't it?"
"Uh huh so I shouldn't fight them either... *sigh*"
People came down the stairs to the beach behind them. It was Raijin and some young soldiers off duty. But all had their weapons with them. Sheated or placed on their back, depending on the weapon.
"That'd be all!" Irvine exclaimed. "The Caraway!"
"Man, I don't care anymore," Zell said placing his hands under his head.
Raijin walked towards the duo, looking at the soldiers.
"Stay close to me, ya know."
He stopped just behind Irvine and Zell who both got up.
"I must have a word with one of you, ya know."
"Just a word?" Zell said. "Associate it with something at least. A word and your staff."
"Don't push me, ya know! Or I might just do it, ya know!"
"Oh, because you need to be pushed now?"
"Zell? Are you with Squall?" Raijin asked almost in disbelief.
Zell looked around and Irvine chuckled.
"No. Do you see him anywhere around?"
"Hum, don't mean to intrude," Irvine stated. "But this is a public place. Stop this or go elsewhere, everyone's looking at us."
"Like hell, I care!" Zell said folding his arms. "I'm not moving!"
Up the stairs, a black figure came out of the street, catching the group's attention. It was Squall. He came down the stairs and smiled when he saw the group.
"Calm down, man," Raijin told Zell. "Here's the one I want, ya know."
Zell looked up and saw Squall.
"What the hell do you want with him?"
Not answering, Raijin pointed a finger at Squall.
"Squall, the hate I feel for you ask for this term: you're a villain, ya know!"
Squall blinked with some kind of sorrow.
"Raijin, the reason I have not to hate you gives you forgiveness. I'm not a villain. Good bye, then, you don't even know me."
He turned back to leave.
"Man, I'm insulted ya know! Turn around and fight like a man!"
"I swear I never insulted you. I have reasons to like you that you will be aware of the day you'll find out why. Dear Caraway, be satisfied with this."
"What's that?" Zell asked. "Allow me to fix your honor! Raijin, face me!"
"What do you want from me?"
"Nothin, just your life for insulting my friend!"
Raijin took his staff out and made it spin over his head then brought it down.
"I'm all yours, ya know!"
Squall looked at them and raised his hands in a call for peace.
"Zell, stop that!"
But Zell wasn't listnening. He wanted a fight and would get it.
"Come on, man! Give me your best shot!"
Raijin dashed Zell with his staff and Zell blocked crossing his fists. Then he counter-attacked with fierce punches. Alerted by the noises, some people were watching.
"Come on, Irvine!" Squall exclaimed with concern. "We have to stop them! Please guys!"
He took out his gunblade and placed it between the fighters. Raijin took out a dagger from his belt and extended his arm right under Squall's to reach Zell. Zell stiffened and Raijin quickly ran away with the soldiers. Squall dropped his gunblade as his face filled with horror.
"Dammit!" Zell said. "He got me.... Curse your families!"
He staggered back a few steps holding his side. Pain was on his face and he seemed to have trouble standing, but he was trying to hide it with a fake smile and hiding the blood flowing out of the wound. Irvine came to hold him.
"What's wrong? Are you hurt?"
"It's just a scratch," Zell assured pressing on his side.
He dropped on his knees, gritting his teeth with pain.
"Hold on, my friend!" Squall plead. "It can't be that serious!"
"No, it's nothing, really..."
But he collapsed.
"Zell!" Squall exclaimed.
Zell looked at Squall through blurry eyes.
" I thought I had a chance against him... He hit me under your arm.... Squall why did you interfere?"
"I... I thought it was the right thiong to do..."
"I know you had good intentions... Curse your two families and their stupid fight... I'm sorry, Squall..."
He lifted a hand that Squall took and held.
"Please, hold on, Zell!"
"I can't ..."
"Oh, Hyne, please let him live! Zell forgive me..."
"It's alright... I forgive... you..."
And his hand turned limp in Squall's. He saw with horror Zell's eyes closened as the life was leaving his body. Tears appeared in Squall's eyes for he was powerless.
"No... Zell, no!!"
Relative of the president, Zell, Squall's best friend fought for Squall's honor and was killed by Raijin, cousin to Squall for only an hour. Oh, Rinoa, he thought. Your beauty made me unable to fight for myself...
Squall hugged Zell's body as he felt some kind of ball pressing in his chest. Sobs came to him that he was unable to hold. Each more painful than the first. Pain wasn't leaving with each sob, only getting worse, slowly turning into something else.
"Man, Squall... Zell is... dead..." Irvine said as if he was unable to believe it, to accept it.
"This... I'll never be able to live in peace now... not until someone pays!"
"Squall?"
Squall gently rested Zell on the sand and got up with a frown of rage. The sand was stained with Zell's blood under the dead man. There was pain standing still on his face like dying didn't ease it. But he seemed peaceful despite that.
After one last look at his departed friend, Squall went back to take his gunblade without a single word, boiling on the inside.
"RAIJIN!!" he yelled at the top of his lungs withdrawing his head backward and spreading his arms.
Suddenly, he ran up the stairs and into town at incredible speed. With desperate energy. He went so fast, Irvine widened his eyes with horror.
"He's insane! If he kills Raijin.... that's gonna be very bad!"
Irvine looked at Zell with sorrow and took him up in his arms. The least he could do was to take him back to his family.
Squall found Raijin in the central square by a statue. Rage was boiling in his veins.
"Raijin! You're alive and victorious... Zell is dead! I'm returning the insult: you're a villain! Zell's soul's not far yet and waiting for yours! Yours or mine or both will join him!"
"Fool! You were his friend so you will join him, ya know!"
Squall pointed his gunblade at Raijin.
"I'll kill you, Raijin!"
They started fighting. Squall was blinded by rage but it also gave him more strength than usual. He moved so swiftly, Raijin could barely follow him. He was nearly out of battle already, allowing him to perform his special technique.
"Raijin Special!"
He dashed Squall with high speed spinning his staff around but Squall frowned, feeling invincible, as if Zell was fighting with him.
"This won't hurt me!"
Squall swiftly moved aside and pierced Raijin with his gunblade. Raijin stiffened and reach for his chest where the gunblade had struck. Squall stared at him like a cold blooded murderer, emotionless. His eyes were blank as he didn't care at all and his face would bring a chill up anyone's spine. (I hope you get the picture, I really tried hard to tell how I picture him)
"Damn..." Raijin whispered as he fell.
Irvine came from the street, carrying Zell in his arms. Squall was just standing there, staring at Raijin he just killed without a single word or move.
"Run, Squall!" Irvine exclaimed as he quickly looked around with concern. "Go! The townspeople are coming! With Raijin dead... Don't just stand there! The President will sentence you to death if you're caught! Leave! GO! Run, hurry!"
"Irvine, I..." Squall trailed off.
"What are you waiting for?" Irvine asked frowning at him. "Fool!!"
Squall gave him a sorry look and took a last glance of Zell's face. Blood was rolling down his gunblade he still had in hands. Grabbing it, he ran away.
A noisy bunch of townspeople holding all kinds of weapons entered the central square. One looked at Irvine still holding Zell's body.
"Where is he? That Raijin who killed Zell?" he asked.
"He's right there," Irvine answered with tilting his head towards Raijin.
The man walked towards him, not seeing the lethal wound that killed him.
"Get up and come with me to the President!"
The President suddenly showed up with soldiers. Maybe some witness of the early fight had him warned. But he was not alone. General Caraway was following along with his wife. From another street arrived Laguna, Raine a a few Esthar soldiers. They had come looking for Squall since he didn't go back home the precedent night and heard rumors of a fight so they came.
"Where are the ones responsible of this fight?" the President asked.
Irvine stepped forward and started talking, sadness in his voice for his friend's loss but also sympathy for Deling: Zell was of his family.
"Mister President, I'll tell you everything that has happened."
He turned towards Raijin's body.
"Here's the one that was killed by Squall after he killed Zell."
Julia kneeled beside Raijin. She had tears rolling down her face as she placed her arms on him.
"Raijin!" she exclaimed. "My nephew, the son of my brother! Oh, Escalus! The blood of our family was spilled! If you're fair, you'll ask for the blood of the Loire to flow as well to avenge ours! Oh, Raijin!"
But the President didn't pay attention to her complaints.
"Irvine, who started this fight?"
"Raijin, killed by Squall," he said. "Squall tried to ignore the insults he gave him to avoid a fight. He was calm and said that it would cause trouble. But Raijin was in a fury and didn't listen. He took his staff and pointed it at Zell who wanted to wash the insults made on Squall's family with a fight. Squall tried to stand between them, telling them to stop. When he stood between them, Raijin pointed a dagger at Zell under Squall's arm, giving the fatal blow. Then Raijin ran away. In a stated of rage, Squall went after him with only revenge in his mind. Carrying Zell's body, I didn't have time to do anything. Squall had his weapon in hand and he killed him really quickly, only moved by his rage at the loss of his best friend. Seeing Raijin fall, Squall ran away. Let me die if I'm lying!!"
Julia got up, frowning with tears of fury and pain in her eyes. She pointed a finger at Irvine, accusing him.
"He's of the Loire family; his feelings are making him lie, he's not telling the truth! There must have been twenty of them together to lead this fight and kill him! I'm asking for justice, mister President! Squall killed Raijin; Squall must not live!"
The president turned to her and frowned.
"Squall killed Raijin, but Raijin killed Zell. Who will pay for the loss of my blood?"
"It mustn't be Squall!" Laguna interfered. "He was a friend of Zell. His crime only ended what the law would have decided: Raijin's life."
"And for that, he's exiled right away. I'm a victim of your hatred, my blood is flowing because of your stupid quarrels. You'll both be amended for this and I won't listen to any pleas so keep them for yourself. Squall better hide fast. The second he's found here would be his last. Take this body and give him to his family. Mercy only kills forgiving those who kill."
He asked two soldiers to take Zell from Irvine which they did. Some took Raijin and the Caraway left the town, the General putting an arm around his wife's sghoulders to calm her cries of sorrow. Irvine turned a sorry and sad face towards the Loire. Raine placed her hands together on her face as she thought of what would happen if Squall would ever show up.
"My son's exiled... we'll never see him again..."
She pressed herself against Laguna who tried to comfort her.
"At least he's still alive..."
Irvine took off his hat and lowered his head in front of the couple. It was but an excuse to hide the guilt and tears on his face for Zell's death crushed him too.
"I'm sorry. If only I'd have stopped them..."
"I'm not taking you responsible, Irvine," Raine said. "Zell was also your friend..."
Not adding anything else, Laguna lead Raine out of the town. Irvine followed, still holding his hat and keeping his head down. He lost a friend and his cousin in the same time. The soldiers followed their president out of town. Except for a stain of blood on the ground, nothing reamined of the fight.
Rinoa as walking in her room, sometimes stopping her pace in front of the balcony to look at the setting sun.
"Go away, stupid sun! How long will you stay in the sky to keep my love away? Come night, come! And bring my lover into my arms!!"
She had her arms opened like she wanted to embrace the sky.
"Come, Squall," she whispered. "Come with the darkness and let us officially be joined forever..."
She caught a sudden glimpse of someone coming outside so she ran outside on the balcony. Her face lightened up seeing it was Edea.
Then she went back in her room to wait at the door. Impatiently, she clenched her hands together. Edea entered at last, a ladder made of rope under her arm.
"Finally, I'll have some news! Is this the ladder Squall told you to bring?"
"Yes, yes..."
She dropped it with a desperate look on her face. Rinoa started worrying as she saw Edea clenching her hands together.
"What's wrong? Why the grave face?"
Edea looked up at Rinoa then back at her hands.
"Dear Hyne... he's dead, he's dead! What a sad day, he's killed... we must be cursed..."
Rinoa widened her eyes in horror as she feared the truth.
"Could heaven be so cruel?"
"Squall could if heaven couldn't... Oh, Squall! Who would have thought? Squall!"
"What kind of demon are you to torture me like this?" Rinoa asked dropping on her knees in front of Edea, unable to sustain the pressure. "Is Squall dead? I only need one word as an answer. Say yes and it will poison me faster than a malboro's breath. I'll be no more if I ever hear yes. Could you answer please? Is he dead? Say yes or no and this single word will decide my fate..."
Edea closed her eyes and shook her head.
"I saw the wound with my own eyes... on his male chest... A sad corpse, a bloody sad corpse, pale, pale as ashes covered with blood, dried blood... At this sight, I fainted."
"Oh, my heart breaks! Break at once! My eyes are jailed! Close to do light! Evil Earth fall with Squall in the same coffin."
Edea then looked at Rinoa.
"Oh, Raijin, Raijin a good friend I had! Honest gentleman! I had to live and see you die!"
Rinoa widened her eyes again at those words.
"What do you mean? Was Squall killed and Raijin is dead? My dear cousin and my husband even dearest? Let Alexander's light blast the rest of the world! Who's alive if those two aren't?"
"Raijin is no more and Squall is exiled!" Edea said taking her head in her hands in shock. "Squall who killed him is exiled."
Rinoa brought a hand to her mouth.
"Oh, my Hyne! Did Squall's hand spill Raijin's blood?"
"Yes, alas, yes!"
Rinoa got up and faced her back on Edea, her hands clenched on her chest.
"Who would have thought such an evil being could hide under such beauty? Why did it have to be this way?"
"You can't judge men on their appearances," Edea said. "They're all traitors, good for nothing. I need a drink after all these events. Shame on Squall!"
Rinoa spun around to face Edea and pointeda threatening finger at her.
"May your tongue be ripped off for wishing such a thing!" she exclaimed. "He's not born for shame! Shame would be ashamed to stand in his face where honor should be. Oh, what a monster I am for bad mouthing him!"
"Can you say any good of the man that killed your cousin?"
"Can I say bad of the man who's my husband? Who would be faithful to him if I, his wife for three hours is not? But why did you kill my cousin? It must be because he woulod have been killed by my cousin otherwise!"
She rubbed her eyes with annoyance.
"Go away, stupid tears! My husband, whom my cousin wanted to kill is alive and Raijin who wanted to kill my husband is dead. It's a happy day, why cry? There's one more painful word to my heard than Raijin's death: Raijin is dead and Squall is... exiled. Exiled! That single word has killed 10 000 Raijin. That Raijin died is already a woe but why isn't it enough? Squall is exiled there's no reason to let go this pain."
She turned to Edea.
"Where are my mother and father?"
"They're crying and sobbing on the corpse. Do you want to join them? I'll take you there."
"They're cleaning the wounds with their tears! I'll save mine when they have no more fo rSquall's exile. Pick up these ropes... Poor ladder, you would have showed him the way to my bed. Still a virgin, I'll die a virgin widow. Death instead of Squall will take my virginity."
"Go to your room!" Edea said getting up. "I'll find Squall to console you. I know where he is. He will be here tonight, I'll go to him. He's at Kiros'."
Rinoa took the ring off the chain around her neck.
"Find him, please! Give him this ring and tell him to come give me his last farewells!"
Kiros was walking in his place. Squall behind him. He looked devastated. Outside, the sun was getting down, the night was closing in.
"Come here, Squall, fearful guy. You must be under a curse."
"You're not telling me anything new... What's the president's decision? What else can make my life worse than it already is?"
Kiros walked to him and placed his hands on his shoulders.
"That's what I'm here to tell you."
Squall slowly nodded with his eyes closed.
"What sentence could be less than death sentence?"
"He did not judge that hard but it still is hard to say: he didn't want you dead but exiled."
Squall shown a desperate look as he broke free of Kiros and turned around. He took his head in his hands.
"Exiled! I beg you, tell me it's death! Exile sounds worst than death itself. Not exiled!"
"You're exiled form Galbadia and you can't find refuge on Balamb Island for it is now under Galbadia."
"And going to Esthar would endanger my family..."
"I'm afraid so but there is the Centra continent and Trabia..."
"Out of Galbadia, there's nothing. Only hell and torture. Exiled from here is being exiled from the world and this exile is death. Being exiled means death with another name!"
"According to the law, you should be dead! How ingrate! The President took your side and changed death into exile. You don't even see your luck?"
"It's a curse, not a luck! Heaven is where Rinoa is; every living creature can see her but not me! Even an insignificant fly can touch her hand and see a smile on her face but not me: I'm exiled! And you tell me it's better than death! The second you said the word was the second I died! You wanted me dead but didn't have anything better than this word: exile?"
"You're blinded by love, let me say something," Kiros said walking towards Squall to reach him.
But Squall broke away.
"No, you will talk about exile again."
"I'll give you the armor to keep off that word. Philosophy will comfort you in your exile."
"Exile again!" Squall exclaimed placing his hands over his ears. "To hell with philosophy! If philosophy cannot make Rinoa move a city, make the President change his mind, it's good for nothin, don't say anymore!"
Kiros shrugged.
"I can see it. Mad men have no ears."
"How could they when wise men have no eyes?"
"Let me talk to you about your situation."
"You can't talk about things you don't know! If you were young like me and Rinoa would be your beloved, if married for an hour, you would have killed Raijin, if you would be completely lost and exiled just like me, then you could speak, you could tear your hair and fall on the floor just like me to measure and unmade grave!"
And he let himself fall on the
ground where he remained. That's when someone knocked at the door. Kiros turned
to him, nervous.
"Get up, someone's here...
Squall hide yourself."
"I won't; unless my painful sighs could create a mist to hide me from people's sight..."
Knocking again.
"In a minute, dear Hyne what madness!"
Kocking.
"I'm coming, I'm coming!" he said as he walked to the door. "Who's knocking so hard? Where do you come from? What do you want?"
"Let me in and you'll hear my message," Edea's voice came through the door. "I come on behalf of lady Rinoa."
"Welcome, then," Kiros said as he opened the door.
Edea came in and she looked at Kiros with an alarmed face.
"Dear messeger of Hyne, tell me where is my lady's lord, where is Squall?"
Kiros pointed Squall still laying on the ground.
"There, on the floor, drunken by his own tears."
"Just like my lady, just like her."
"Woeful sympathy, piteous situation," Kiros said shaking his head.
"That's how she lays, sobbing and crying, crying and sobbing," Edea said with sadness as she walked towards Squall.
She bent over him.
"Get up, get up. Get up if you're a man. For Rinoa's sake, for her sake rise and stand! Why fall into despair?"
Squall got up like he was startled.
"Edea!"
"Oh, sir... Death is at the end of everything."
"You mentionned Rinoa! How is she? Doesn't she look at me like a hardcore killer now that I spoiled the birth of our happiness with blood close to hers? Where is she and how is she? What does my dearest love says about our misery?"
Edea lowered her head and closed her eyes.
"Oh, she doesn't say anything young sir; but she cries. Then she throws herslef on her bed, then get up and calls Raijin. She screams your name then falls again."
Squall turned his head aside.
"It seems this name kills her like the curse hand that murdered her cousin!" Squall said looking at his hand. "Tell me, Kiros, tell me in which evil part of my skull my name's hiding! Tell me so I can force it out!"
He took a nice but deadly looking dagger from his belt. It was a family treasure with jewels on the handle. The blade was like fire coming out of the dragon handle.
He turned it to him like he wanted to stab himself.
"No!!" Edea screamed as she took it from him.
"Hold your desperate hand," Kiros said. "Are you a man? Your looks yells you are but your tears are of a woman and that salvage action says you're unreasonnably furious like a wild beast. I thought you were thougher than that! You killed Raijin adn now you want to kill yourself. You would kill the woman living only for you? Get up, young man! Your love is strong and your Rinoa's still alicve, Rinoa for whom you wantd to die earlier: aren't you happy? Raijin wanted to kill you but you killed him! Law wanted you dead but changed your sentence for an exile. You're blesse like no one else was before and you want to die? Fool!"
"Dear Hyne!" Edea exclaimed. "I could stay here all night and listen to your wise words."
She turned towards Squall.
"Young man, I'll tell my lady that you will come."
"Go," Squall said with a wave of his hand. "And tell my beloved to prepare herself to ground me."
"Here, sir. A ring she asked me to give you," she said handing him the ring. "Come quick now, because it's getting late."
With a warm smile of encouragement, Edea left.
"I feel comforted now," Squall said putting the ring on.
"Go then," Kiros said. "Good night but be careful your sake depends on it. Leave Galbadia before the night ends. Or disguise yourself when the next day begins. Go take refuge with the Shumi Tribe. They owe your father. I'll send a servant of your family there to keep you aware of the events here. Give me your hand..."
Squall did and Kiros clenched it.
"It's late. Farewell and good night."
After one last look of his friend, Squall hurried outside and took a car to Deling. He carefully hid it away from the city to avoid being noticed. Dressed in black would make things but Deling was all lightened up. He managed to move out of people's sight to the back of the Caraway mansion. He found the ladder of rope and climbed it. Silently. Someone was waiting on the balcony. Rinoa quickly helped him up and pulled him inside her room where she wrapped her arms around his neck before kissing him.
Meanwhile in the main hall of the mansion, Caraway and his wife were talking to Seifer Almasy. With his blonde hair and his grey trench coat, he looked quite noble.
"Things have gotten bad, sir," Caraway said. "We didn't have time to move our daughter. You see, she really loved her cousin, just like me... Well, we're born to die. It's pretty late she won't come down tonight. I'll tell you that without your company, I would have been in bed for an hour."
"When death is around, there's no place for love," Seifer said turning to Julia. "Good night, miss. Give your daughter my regards."
"Yes, sir. And early tomorrow, I'll know her thoughts. Tonight she's locked in her pain."
"Sir Almasy, I can hardly offer you my daughter's love but I think she'll obey me for everything, and more... Julia, tomorrow, you'll tell her about Seifer's love and the next wednesday... Wait! What day is it?"
"Monday, sir General," Seifer answered.
"Monday? Hah! Ha! Then wednesday's too soon. It will be thursday... you'll tell her that thursday she'll be married to this noble young man. Will you be ready? This haste isn't too much? It will not be a big deal: a friend or two! You see, Raijin's murder is so fresh people could think we don't care if we have a big celebration. So we'll have half a dozen friends and that will be all. What do you say about thursday?"
"General, I wish thursday would be tomorrow."
"Good. You can leave now. It will be thursday then. Tomorrow Julia, you'll get Rinoa ready for the wedding day. Farewell, sir. Dear, there's light! It's so late that soon it will be early. Good night."
Seifer bowed and left while Caraway and his wife were climbing up the stairs to go to bed.
It was about dawn when Rinoa and Squall stood at the balcony. Rino was only wearing a gown but Squall was almost fully dressed. Only his jacket was missing. He had an arm around her waist and she was resting her head on his shoulder.
"Are you leaving?" she asked with a sigh. "It's not morning yet, it was the nightingale and not the lark you heard. He always sings during the night on that tree over there. Believe me, it was the nightingale."
"It was the lark, the morning's messenger. Look, my love," he said poiting the horizon. "Look at those lights on the edge of the clouds. Happy morning is coming. I must leave and live or stay and die."
"That light isn't the morning's light, I know it. It's a meteor the sun shows to guide your way towards Trabia. Stay, you don't have to leave yet."
"Let it be then!" Squall exclaimed hugging her. "Let them put me to death; I'm glad if that's what you want. This grey light is not the morning's eye, it's only the reflection of Siren's brow. And it was not the lark I heard. I wish more to stay than I have the will to leave. Let death come, it's welcomed! That's what Rinoa wants... How are you, my soul? Let's talk, it's not morning."
"It is, it is!" Rinoa exclaimed pushing him away from her. "Leave, hurry! Run! It's the lark singing. It is said that the lark makes sweet diversions, well she divides us and it,s not sweet. They say the lark and the toad exchanged their eyes. I wish they would have exchanged their voices as well since this voice hunts you away. Leave now! The day is getting clearer."
She was pushing Squall towards the balcony.
"Clearer?" Squall said. "The darker our woes!"
"Miss!" a voice called.
Rinoa spun around and saw Edea coming from the door.
"Edea!"
"Lady, your mother is coming to your room. The day comes, be careful."
And she left to buy them as much time as she could.
"Then, window, let the day in and my life out," Rinoa said.
Squall grabbed his jacket in haste.
"Farewell! One kiss and I'll leave."
She kissed him and he went down the balcony. Rinoa bent over it to look at him.
"So you're gone? Love, my lord, my friend! I'll need to hear from you every hours of the day. There are so many days in an hour! On this count, I'll be quite old when I see you again!"
"Farewell. I won't miss a chance to send you greetings, my love."
"Do you think we'll ever meet again?" she asked with despair.
"I have no doubts. All this pain will make our times together even sweeter."
"Oh, Hyne! I have a bad feeling. Now that you're down there, you look like a dead man in a thomb. My eyes fail me or you're pretty pale."
"Believe me, my love, you're pretty pale, too. Dry sorrow drinks our blood. Farewell! Farewell."
And he jumped the wall at the end of the yard, disapearing from Rinoa's sight. She turned her back to the yard and joined her hands in front of her face.
"Hyne, Hyne, all men call you fickle. If you are, what do you want from him? Hyne, be fickle then you won't keep him long, I hope, and send him back to me."
"Dear daughter, are you up?" a voice called from the other side of her room.
Rinoa startled.
"Who calls? My mother? Is she down so late or up so early? What strange cause brings her here?"
The door was opened and Julia came in. She was still in a gown and her hair were not combed properly yet. She just got up. She went straight for Rinoa and placed her hands on her shoulders. Rinoa had tears in her eyes which worried Julia.
"How are you, Rinoa?"
"I'm not well, mother."
"Still crying for your cousin's death?" Julia asked with concern. "Do you wish to wash him away with your tears? If you could, you could not revive him. Then stop. Some grief shows love, but too much shows a less of wisdom."
"Let me cry again for this loss."
"You will only feel the loss but not the friend for whom you cry."
"I feel it so much the loss of this friend, I can't help to cry forever."
"Do so, my girl. What makes you cry is not to know him dead but to know alive the villain that slaughtered him."
"What villain, mother?"
"Well, that villain, Squall!"
"There are miles separating a villain from him. May Hyne forgive him! I forgive him with all my heart but still no other man grieves my heart."
"That is because the murderer lives!"
"Yes, mother, from the reach of my hands. No one but I would avenge my cousin's death!"
"We will get revenge, don't worry. Don't cry anymore. I'll send someone to Trabia where now lives the exiled renegade. He will receive an unknown potion that will send him keep Raijin company, and then, I hope you'll satisfied."
"I will be satisfied when I see Squall... dead.... is my poor heart for the loss of my kinsman. Find a man to deliver the poison, I will prepare it. Upon receiving it, Squall will rest in peace. My heart suffers to hear his name, unable to go to him to wreak the love I had for Raijin upon the body of this murderer."
"Find the means, I'll give the man. But now I have joyful news," Julia said with a smile.
"Joy is welcome in such needful time. What are they?"
"Well, well, you have an excellent father. To get you out of your pain, he brought out a day of joy. One that you didn't expect, or hoped for."
"What will this joyful day be, mother?"
"Well, my child, thursday on the morning, the young gentleman Seifer Almasy will take you to the church and make you his joyful bride."
Rinoa widened her eyes in surprise mixed with bewilderment.
"What? He will not make me his joyful bride! I'm surprised with so much haste: order my wedding before the man to be my husband tried to approached me! Please, mother, tell my father I don't want to get married yet!" she plead as she held her mother's hands with desperate eyes, tears rolling down her cheeks. "If I ever get married, I swear, it would be to Squall whom you know I hate, rather than Seifer! Talk about news!"
Julia moved away from Rinoa, frowning and shocked by her daughter's tone.
"Your father's coming. Tell him yourself and we'll see how he takes it."
The door left opened after Julia
came in gave way to the General followed by Edea.
He looked at Rinoa. She was
sobbing. At this sight, he opened his arms to the light coming from the window,
as if he was embracing it.
"When the sun sets, the ground drizzle dew. But for the sunset of my brother's sun, it rains downright. Still in tears, my girl? How can it be that there are so much tears in one little body?"
He turned to Julia, not waiting for an answer.
"Well, my dear, have you told her of our plans?"
"Yes, but she refuses. She thanks you, the fool. I wish she'd be married to her grave!"
"Wait, wait, I don't get it," Caraway interrupted to figure out what she said. "What? She refuses?! She thanks us... Isn't she proud, doesn't she feel blessed, unworthy as she is is to have, thanks to us, such a worthy gentleaman for husband?"
Caraway was getting angry.
"I'm not proud," Rinoa said, "but thankful. I cannot be proud of what I hate, but thankful even for hate, that is meant love."
"Well, well, miss logic!" Caraway started getting angrier. "What is this?! I'm proud, I thank you, I thank you not, and not proud. Young lady, get your fine legs ready to take you to church next thursday with Seifer, or I'll drag you there! Ungrateful, spoiled brat!"
Julia turned to Caraway to try and calm him down a little.
"Calm down, dear. Are you mad?"
Rinoa fell on her knees in front of her father.
"Father, please! I beg you to listen to me!"
"Go to hell! Disobedient wretch! You heard me: go to church thursday or don't ever face me again! Don't speak, don't reply and don't answer me back! My fingers itch!"
He turned to Julia, anger burning in his eyes.
"Dear, we thought our union was poorly blessed, because Hyne granted us this only child," he said pointing at Rinoa still on her knees. Now I see that this child was already too much and we were cursed to have her! Get away from me, ingrate!"
Edea came behind Rinoa and placed her soft hands on her shoulders to comfort her from her father's wrath. Maybe to try and protect her from it.
'Hyne blesses her," she said. "You're wrong to talk to her like that."
"And why is that, Lady Wisdom? Hold your tongue, you're forgetting your place!"
"What I say is the truth!"
"Hyne, Good day!"
"Can't we speak?"
"Silence, mumbling fool! We don't need any words from you here!"
"You're too hot," Julia interfered.
"Hyne, it makes me mad! Day, night, every hour of the day, every minute being busy or not, alone or with company, my only concern was to get her married. Finally I found a gentleman of noble lineage, young with a fair education blessed with a lot of qualities, such a man as one can wish for offers his fortune, a crybaby fool answers: I don't wanna get married, I can't love, I'm too young, please forgive me! Ha! If you don't wed, I'll show you how I forgive you! Get lost whenever you want, you won't live here with me anymore. Be careful and think about it. Put your hand on your heart and think this through. If you're my daughter, I'll give you to my friend, if you're not, go to hell! Beg, starve and die in the streets, because I swear on my soul, I'll never acknowledge you and nothing of my possessions will be yours. Count on it, think, I'll keep my promise!"
He spun around and left the room still burning with so much rage, he was surrounded with a red aura only Edea could see.
"Is there no pity on the skies that sees into the bottom of my grief?"
She turned to Julia, tears rolling down her cheeks.
"Please, mother, don't reject me! Delay this wedding for a month, a week! Or else make the bridal bed in the dim monument where Raijin lies!"
Julia turned around, facing her back on her daughter.
"Don't talk to me, I've got nothing to say to you. Do what you want, I'm done with you."
She left after her husband.
"Oh, Hyne! Edea!" she exclaimed turning to whom she thought was her only ally, grabbing her skirt. "How can this be prevented? My husband is still on earth but my faith is in heaven. How can it come back down unless my husband sends it to me from heaven by leaving earth? Comfort me, give me advices like you always do! Is it possible that heaven plays such games to someone like me? Say something! Don't you have a word of comfort? Comfort me, Edea!"
Edea kneeled down in front of Rinoa.
"Well, listen to this: Squall is exiled. And I would bet the whole world to nothing that he won't come back to claim you. Or if he does, it will be under the cover of the night. In that case, I think you should marry sir Almasy. He's a lovely gemtleman! Squall is a dish cloth to him. An eagle doesn't have an eye so green and so quick as Seifer. Let my heart be cursed if you're not happy with this second marriage. It's better than your first. Your first is dead or it would be better if it were than living here and be of no use to you."
"Do you speak from your heart?"
"And from my soul. Or else let both of them be damned!"
"Amen!" Rinoa said getting up.
"What?" Edea said getting up as well.
"You comforted me much... Go and tell my mother that since I displeased ,y father, I'm gone to see priest Kiros to make a confession and be absolved."
"Yes," Edea said with a smile. "I'm going. This is a wise decision."
With a last smile at Rinoa, Edea left.
"Damnation, cursed fiend! Which is your worst sin, to wish me forsworn or dispraise my lord with the same mouth that praised him not so long ago thousands of times? Go away councellor. Between you and my heart, there's nothing anymore. I'll find the priest and ask for a remedy. If it fails, I have the power to die..."
She went out of the room then left the mansion to head for Dollet, a fatality look on her face.
Note: Done! Only two parts to go! Sorry it was long, the longest part so far! 20 pages to type until the end. Part IV shouldn't take to long to come. Thanks for reading! Don't give up reading, it's almost done! Review please! If you could alread find the time to read this long thing, you can take a little 2 minutes to tell me what you think!