One
Two small shapes running and shouting with joy in a field of yellow flowers. These shapes were those of children, my children. An older man was running with them, his dark brown hair now tinted with faint wisps of grey. I did not run with them. Instead I placed myself comfortably on the ground that was still wet from the morning dew and inhaled the intoxicating aroma that the yellow flowers gave off. It was peaceful to sit here and watch the people that I loved most as they ran and played in this field of gold. It almost made me forget about everything that may happen to me, to them, in the future. Only almost though.
"Mama. Come look Mama. Come and see what I found" shouted a bright-eyed girl. Her face was flushed pink with excitement and her petite hands were holding something small and fragile-looking. She was walking slowly towards a woman with shoulder-length, dark brown hair. The woman looked young, just about twenty, and she was beautiful. Her face was so perfectly defined; like the face of an angel. When the bright-eyed girl reached the woman she called "Mama" she held out her hands to reveal what she had held so gently in her palms. It was an egg.
"Mama Mama I found it first. It is MY egg!" this voice came from a small boy who looked a few years younger than the bright-eyed girl. "Tell her off Mama. That egg is mine. Tell Julia off Mama." The boy was running towards the bright-eyed girl, his older sister, and desperately tried to snatch the egg from Julia's grasp. It fell on a patch of soil where no yellow flowers grew and there on that patch the egg broke.
At that moment I felt it. It was a strange burning sensation right underneath my rings. The rings that I kept dangling on a silver chain round my neck. I let out a small cry but my children did not hear. They were too busy fighting, shouting, pulling each others hair. My husband heard me though, and he saw the frightened look on my face. He came to me and placed his warm hands on my shoulders, massaging them softly. As he did this he whispered in my ear, "My angel, my love. I am here, forever." I turned and looked into his eyes; they were so dark yet so tender. I whispered in his ear; like he whispered in mine, "Never say forever because forever is a very long time."
Finally the two children had settled down. Julia carefully picked up the remnants of her egg looking scornfully at her brother every now and then. A man stood over the two children making sure that they stayed quiet. Next to him stood the young woman, too young for him. Wrinkles were beginning to appear round the man's dark eyes but none around the woman's. They were in love though. More than anything in the world they were in love. They had been since they were seventeen and they would be forever. Forever Squall and Rinoa. Forever Rinoa and Squall.
Everyone said that to me. They all said that to both of us. They said we were bonded by love. That we would be with one another forever. I told them to never say forever. I told them that forever is a whole lot longer for a Sorceress.