Meeting Love, Finding Despair
By Quis and Malice
Chapter Seven
All's Fair in Love and War
Disclaimer: The usual. Final Fantasy and its respective trademarks are Copyright Square Europe, 2003.
Seifer stayed constantly by Shira's side, only leaving to eat and go to the bathroom. In a way, this was his contribution to courting Quistis.
Quistis felt grateful to Seifer for taking such good care of a child that wasn't even his by blood. She loved Seifer more than what she had in the past, possibly because they were no longer sixteen year old students in Garden. There was a deep bond between them that not even the space of ten years could break.
"Seifer?" Quistis said, coming into her daughter's room to see Seifer reading a book to Shira. Seifer looked up.
"Yes, Quisty?" he asked, using his pet name for her, a name that was often forgotten by everyone else in their day-to-day communication with her.
She laughed. "Nobody has called me Quisty in a long time," she said, as she placed a gentle kiss on Shira's head.
They had rapidly fallen into their old accustomed roles. She was still the woman he called "Instructor" as a joke, and he was still her "favourite student". She laughed softly as she recognised the complete irony of the situation.
"You remember when we were students?" she asked Seifer, as they kept a bedside vigil for Shira.
Seifer chuckled. "I do," he said softly, "I remember that one time, I drew all over a test paper that you'd given us. I think I'd drawn something offensive, because you got really mad at me."
Quistis laughed, "Yes, you did draw a naked woman in the top of your paper. I've kept all those old exams, if you want to look at them."
She hardly expected it when Seifer lent forwards and brushed his lips over hers before smiling. "I haven't forgotten it, my dear." He said as he ended the sweet kiss.
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Seluna fidgeted nervously as she waited to see Kiros. She had to tell him something important, something that would change her life and his forever.
She looked down the hall, spying Kiros's tall form. It was now or never. If she didn't tell Kiros, she'd go back to Timber, pregnant and Kiros would be inevitably hurt and worried.
Kiros walked up to her and placed an arm around her waist, drawing her close.
"Kiros," Seluna said softly, as Kiros hugged her. "I have something I need to tell you."
Kiros braced himself for the worst; his arms still looped around her waist was a comforting sign for Seluna.
"Tell me, Luna," he said, "I'll still love you."
"I'm pregnant."
Truth be told, Kiros was somewhat relieved. He hadn't married, waiting for the right woman, his soul mate. Glancing down at Seluna, he knew it was worth the wait.
It seemed like an eternity to Seluna before Kiros spoke. Thoughts and dreams flashed through her mind, dreams of a family with three children, her and Kiros together for eternity.
"My dear," Kiros said softly. "I was hoping to persuade you to leave Timber, but now I shall leave with you instead."
He lent down and kissed her, trying to convey the love he felt for her.
"I am hoping that you will do me the honour of being my wife."
Seluna trembled in his grasp before speaking the two words that since time immemorial had been sacred. "I will."
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Quistis left her daughter's room, and headed towards parliament, where she was expected in ten minutes to decide on the deployment of troops to fight against Galbadia. Galbadia was eagre for another war, one that would inevitably involve the nearby countries of Balamb, Timber, Winhill and a few other cities. Esthar would go to war against Galbadia if such an occurrence did happen.
"What are we to say if Galbadia attacks Timber? How are we going to react to such a situation?" She asked the elderly men who were so anxious to go in to aid Timber.
"I may only be twenty eight, but I have seen more war than most people younger than I. I was a SeeD one of the six who defeated Ultimecia; I was one of the best there was. So listen when I say it is unwise to send the troops in unless they call us for aid."
The men around the table nodded sagely. They had learnt to respect Quistis Trepe from day one. That was one of the things that made Quistis a wise choice as Head of Defence Ops.
An old man with hair white as snow spoke up. "You're right, Ms. Trepe. I've seen too much fighting," he said, "There's too much fighting now."
Quistis nodded. "Exactly, Mr Harrison," she said, "Which is why we must avoid this war at all costs."
He stood then, walking around to where Quistis stood, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I don't want this war any more than you do," he said.
She nodded. "I need to go to see my daughter. She's recovering from a broken jaw…" she whispered, "Take care of things here, I'll be back as soon as I can."
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Seifer fed Shira a bowl of pumpkin soup as he told her a story. It wouldn't be the last time he would tell her a story to beguile the nights when she was in pain.
"Seifer?" she asked, snuggling down under the covers, "Tell me a story."
Seifer laughed as she spoke with difficulty, knowing how much it hurt for her to speak. "Sure, princess…what story do you want?"
"A story about King Arthur," she whispered.
Seifer nodded. He searched his mind for a way to tell the story. It suddenly came to him in a flash of inspiration. Maybe I could tell her about his death…Quistis loved that poem, he thought.
"Alrighty," he said with a laugh, and began.
"So all day long the noise of battle rolled
Among the mountains by the winter sea
Until King Arthur's table, man by man
Had fallen in Lyonnesse about their lord,
King Arthur: then, because his wound was deep
The bold Sir Bedivere uplifted him
Sir Bedivere, the last of all his knights
And bore him to a chapel nigh the field
A broken chancel with a broken cross
That stood on an empty strait of barren land.
On one side lay the Ocean, and on one
Lay a great water, and the moon was full."
Here he stopped, as Shira's contented rise and fall of her chest assured him that the tiny girl was fast asleep. He quietly crept out of her room, heading towards the kitchen for a cup of strong coffee.
Quistis entered her apartment, hearing the sounds of the coffee pot bubbling away as she stood for a few minutes, observing the quiet that had settled.
She saw, for the first time, the peace that had become a luxury to her life. Her world had all-too-quickly become a whirlwind, one that left her no room to breathe.
A SeeD at fifteen, an Instructor at seventeen, a mother at twenty-two and now in love once more, at twenty-eight. She had lived a charmed life, but that would change soon. She had to tell him.
She smiled as the scent of coffee brought her back to the reality of her life. Quistis walked into the kitchen to see Seifer, a four days worth of beard growth on his chin. A smile found its way to her lips as she placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Hello," she said simply.
"Quistis," Seifer smiled as she encircled her arms around his neck playfully.
In that simple moment of eternity, Seifer Almasy knew that he would never want to part from the blonde woman or her daughter. He wanted to do the right thing by her and marry her, but part of him knew that she would not marry him now. They needed their strength to nurse Shira back to health; that was their main priority at the moment. A small cry from the bedroom alerted Quistis and Seifer to the fact that Shira was once again awake.
Quistis moved to go to her, but was held back by Seifer. "We'll walk in together, my dear," he said quietly, his arm moving to her waist, pulling her close to him.
As they entered Shira's room, the moon came out from behind the clouds, shining its silvery light upon the trio.
They were so happy, I remember, Shira would later write in her memoirs, a scene that has never erased itself from my memory.
Shira smiled at the happy couple, basking in the glory they felt for one another. She never dreamed that Quistis would be so happy with Seifer, the man she was beginning to call daddy in her mind.
"Shira," Quistis said as she walked over to the bed to sit next to her daughter. "I love you, honey…. Just get better soon, as Mummy has something she wants to talk to you about."
Shira could have burst out crying. She could have burst out laughing. But she didn't. She simply wrapped her thin arms around her mother's neck, hugging her tightly.
In that exquisitely small amount of time, Quistis regretted waiting to tell Seifer that she was sick. A frown appeared on her delicate features, a look of regret and sadness crossing her face.
Seifer noticed this. A small frown appeared, but he quickly masked it with a neutral expression. He smiled softly as Shira reached her thin arms out to him, as he made his way to the bedside.
He picked her up, holding her gently, as though she was a porcelain doll about to break with the slightest of slight movements. She loved Seifer as her daddy now, and nothing would ever change that.
Quistis noticed how Shira held tightly to Seifer, tears rapidly welling as she realized that it would be best for them both to marry, as to give Shira the framework of a happy, stable family.
They left the room, Seifer cradling Shira in his arms; Quistis following close behind. As they walked into the kitchen, Quistis began humming a tune under her breath.
Seifer put a soup-filled bowl on the table in front of Quistis. "Eat," he said gently, "You need to."
She shook her head, "I think you should, Seifer, you need it more than I do," she said.
He smiled. She was always thinking of others before herself, it was in her nature to be understanding, if not always compassionate.
Quistis was truly grateful for Seifer's presence. If anything, it meant a great deal to her that he would take time to look after a child that wasn't his.
Maybe I'll tell him my secret soon, she thought, if I don't, he will become bitter and hateful again.
A/N…Mucho thanks go to Dia for the help with every aspect of this fic! Where would I be without you, gal? And for the late night chats to beguile the insomnia!