Chapter Four
Needed elsewhereTo remind us of the shortness of our time
Tears laid for them
Tears of love, tears of fear
Bury my dreams, dig up my sorrows
Nightwish – Angels Fall FirstFor a long while she stood in silence. Alone. Being away from everyone for long enough, it almost made it seem like she could actually fool herself into thinking that there were no big issues at hand. Perhaps if she sat there long enough, she would believe it completely. She thought back to the days of her childhood where life was so much simpler. When she was a child, she was aware that there was something wrong, although she was never old enough to understand fully. Her world had always been sheltered, having others pulling a veil over her face whenever she would get close to finding out the truth. But she always knew there was something there. Something that wasn't quite right. It was strange how the bad things always seemed to lurk within the shadows, waiting until the day when they would finally jump out.
Her head was propped into her hands as she looked down at the ground far below her, a nervous feeling growing inside her. Only a few moments earlier she had seen the small group of men entering inside her home. If she listened hard enough, she could faintly hear the deep rumble of their voices from within the building. A small voice inside her was telling her to go and face the men. It was inevitable that she had to; she just felt that if she could stay out here a little longer, then maybe it would make it easier facing them. Facing him.
She always knew he had cared, although he didn't show it very often. A big part of her had grown to resent him, wanting to run away from this place knowing that if it weren't for who she was, then he wouldn't follow after her. It was that part of him that she resented. That maybe if things were different, then he would have grown to accept her. Treat her like the he used to. Like they were a family.
She swallowed hard, feeling the lump that had begun to form in her throat as she turned from the stone balcony and entered inside her small bedroom. Picking up a brush from her dresser, she ran the brush through her hair as she heard the door open behind her. She didn't have to look at him to know who it was, she could tell by the way he didn't even bother to knock. The small uncaring things he did were sometimes what upset her the most.
"Welcome back, Father," she said colourlessly, still with her back turned to him. Sometimes it was difficult to speak the word, she had to force herself to say it every time she was with him. Father. "Did you have a nice trip?"
There was a long silence that followed her statement, not that she really cared for an answer. Just hearing his silence, if she hadn't heard his heavy breathing she would have thought that he was no longer with her at all. Turning on her heels she faced him for the first time. His usually blank face now looking slightly pasty. "It was not a nice trip," he said barely audible. "Dollet has been attacked."
Putting down her brush, Rinoa stared at her father and for a moment she too joined his silence. "How?" she asked suddenly, seeing his traumatized reaction.
"The place was burnt to a crisp by the time we got there," he started, thinking back on the nauseating sights he had seen. "Those Galbadian Soldiers killed everyone... there's nobody left."
"And Juan?" She didn't know why she asked, she could tell by the sorrow now visible on his face what the answer was. Her father's elderly friend. Juan had taught him everything that he knew now, he was supposed to come back today with him. That was the reason her father had travelled to Dollet, but now... he was dead. Rinoa's gaze lowered to the floor, as the silence answered louder than any voice could. "I'm sorry," she whispered.
"I hear the injured soldier finally woke up?" he asked, looking down at his daughter, a stern look flashing in his eyes as the previous sadness in the air seemed to fade slightly as he changed the subject. "Tell me, is he one of those Galbadian soldiers?"
Rinoa studied her father suspiciously for a moment, not really sure what he was thinking at this moment in time. "I don't know," she said truthfully. She had spent her whole life in Balamb, sheltered away from any contact with another country. The thought angered her slightly as she gazed back at her father. In a situation such as this, she felt so naïve at not even being able to tell whether the soldier was Galbadian or not. Sheltered, she thought. The word echoing around her head as it enraged her even more. Balling her fists behind her back she saw her father nod his head silently.
"I'll go ask Seifer," he said turning on his heels and began to leave. He stopped abruptly at the doorway and looked back at his daughter. "You know that we're going to have to find someone else to help you since Juan is no longer with us."
Rinoa nodded her head, "Maybe Seifer...?"
"No," he said sharply. In all honesty he trusted Seifer to follow simple orders, but to do something as loyal as this...? Seifer was too young, he needed someone who he knew wouldn't back out of such a responsibility. Traditionally someone who wasn't a part of Balamb. Someone who was pure, who didn't carry the burden the people of Balamb were cursed with. "We'll find someone," he said, before making his way out of the bedroom.
Trapped. Sat on the edge of his bed, Squall gazed down at the food, which had recently been brought to him. A woman had placed it by his bed while he was asleep. He faintly remembered seeing the middle-aged woman's plump body exiting the room as he awoke. The sound of the door closing and then a click, shaking him out of his slumber. The sound of being locked inside this room. Making sure he didn't escape. Upon his earlier investigation he had found that the window had been locked shut as well. Everything locked, so he couldn't escape. The thought had come to him that perhaps he could break down the door, but what was the use? He would still be trapped within the loneliness of this town. It was a feeling he had felt ever since he had woken up in this strange place. Loneliness. Like something wasn't quite right. If he escaped he knew he would find himself once more staring out to the endless waves of the sea, looking for an answer.
His eyes gazed at the food, placed on a silver tray beside his bed. He couldn't remember the last time he had eaten something, but his thoughts weren't on food at this point in time.
A small click withdrew him from his earlier thoughts as he turned to see the door slowly open. A blonde man stood in the doorway with a smug look on his face. "Leonhart," he boomed, looking down at the solider. "The Mayor of this town has come back from his travels today."
Squall looked towards Seifer, he couldn't help noticing a strange look in his eye as he began to speak once more. "He wants to meet with you," the blonde said. "Now," he ordered sounding more firm.
Standing stiffly from his position from the bed, Squall followed Seifer down the staircase and out through the glass panelled doors. He shivered slightly as the cold wind blew in his direction, and then almost stopped in his tracks as he saw a crowd of people stood outside watching him. Squall turned to Seifer who seemed to look more arrogant than he had before, if it were possible. "Move it," he said giving Squall a hard push until he came face to face with a dark haired man.
The crowd of town's people gathered together, watching eagerly as the soldier and man starred at each other for a moment. "You must be the soldier found a week ago. I must say you're a lot younger than I expected," he said coolly before holding out his hand. "You're a Galbadian Soldier?"
Squall accepted the gesture, giving the man his hand and nodded his head silently as they shook. He saw the mans face stiffen for a brief moment, before a small smile grew on his features. A smile that seemed to contrast with his serious features, making it seem almost horrifying to look at.
"Was you aware that Dollet had been attacked?" the man asked. It was a simple question, but hearing the words made Squall's blood run cold. "The place was burnt down," the man continued as his gaze was still locked on Squall's. "I had a close friend who lived there, he did a lot for Balamb and we owe him a lot, but he died because of those soldiers who killed all those innocent people."
Sometimes actions spoke louder than words, the man observed. Stood out in the cold, among the many towns people gathered around a simple action may as well have screamed out the answer he was looking for. The soldier's once stone cold eyes, which were locked onto his own gaze, slowly fell down to the ground. He knew it. Never had he wanted revenge so much in his life. His life long friend along with all of the other innocent people in the town had been killed by a group of soldiers. And stood right in front of him, one of the people who was responsible. Oh how he wanted revenge. He could feel it building up inside of him, pumping around his body in loud hard thumps.
"The name's Fury Caraway," he said through gritted teeth as he looked down at the soldier in front of him, his hands balled tightly together as an attempt to try and control the anger that was rising within his body. "I'm the Mayor of this town."
Squall nodded his head slowly, unsure of what to say. He could see the man's deadly stare, glaring at him. The anger visibly flashing in his eyes, as he introduced himself. How could he not be angry? War was a vicious thing. It lingered in the air, taking over peoples minds until they wanted nothing more than that one thing ringing through their minds. Power. The nine other soldiers with him had been taken back by the order they were given. Go to Dollet and kill everyone. There were only a handful of people in Dollet who could actually fight when they got there. The majority were women and children. Most of the men had been sent off to war, just like in Timber. The civil war had been getting more intense over the last few months, all because of what? The Galbadian Army wanting to rule over other countries on the same continent. The opposing side wanting their freedom. What right did they have to destroy a whole town? Of course people would be angry with him.
Squall's eyes observed the Mayor for a brief moment; he could almost feel the anger coming from inside him. Suffocating him. It was that point when he realised that he probably wasn't going to get the same care from the town. Why should they help him? Perhaps maybe now they would allow him to leave this town, but he very much doubted it from the look in the Mayor's eyes. Just do it... His dark brown eyes narrowing into slits as he stood looking rigid. Trying to hold himself back. Finish it. Squall knew that he would be killed.
It was then he saw the middle-aged mans eyes swiftly move away from him. Looking at something behind him. Squall looked over his shoulder to see Seifer walking closer to him. Two swords in his hands. Looking at the metallic weapons closely, he realised that one of them was his gunblade. The once shiny blade now looking a darker colour. Stained with crimson.
"It must take a lot of courage to do what you did," the Mayor said while turning his eyes back to the young solider. "I'd like to see how skilled a fighter you are."
He watched as Seifer held out Squall's blade, waiting for him to accept his offer. Slowly he held out his hand, and took the blade from his grasp, feeling that somehow the blade felt a lot heavier than he remembered. Seifer took a step back, adjusting into a stance Squall knew only too well. A fight?
"I trust you know Seifer? He's the best fighter we have here in Balamb," Caraway said peering at Squall through his tiny eyes. "I propose that we see just how good you really are, only a friendly fight of course."
The Mayor nodded to his blonde companion, and watched silently as he made his way slowly towards Squall who was adjusting into his fighting stance. A friendly fight. The words echoed through his mind, as Seifer retrieved his own gunblade and swung it in Squall's direction. What about Dollet? He quickly dodged out of the path of the gunblade, and struck his own blade out preventing another attack. The sound of the metal clanging together, almost shrieking at the clashing of weapons once more. All the innocent people... dead.
Squall took the opportunity, and brought his gunblade in Seifer's direction with haste, only to be greeted with that same sound of metal meeting metal. Again, his blade seemed to shriek. His eyes lifted to see Seifer's arrogant grin as he slashed his sword. Bringing it towards Squall again, again, again. A whole town destroyed. Defending one blow after another, Squall felt the gunblade seeming to get heavier in his hands after each minute. His footing becoming clumsy until he landed hard against the ground.
Seifer stood above the fallen soldier. Enjoying watching him looking physically exhausted, too weak to fight. Give up, he thought, as he edged the tip of his gunblade to Squall's neck. You can't defeat me; his mind spoke, watching the soldiers cold eyes lock onto his before falling down to the ground in exhaustion. Seifer laughed as he looked down at the fallen man before him, pressing the tip of the blade harder against the skin. It was then he saw the flash of fire in his eyes, as he grabbed his gunblade and slashed the opposing weapon away from him.
Stepping back to his feet, Squall held the blade tightly in his grip as he slashed down hard against Seifer. A shriek. Still smiling, Seifer took another blow once again knocking Squall to the ground. This time he didn't waste any time tormenting him, he realised Squall wouldn't give in that easily. He got to his feet, stumbling as he edged towards the blonde man, his vision going slightly blurry as he walked and blindly took a blow in the direction of Seifer. Once again a repeated number of blows were brought in his direction until he fell back down to the ground. A foot pushed against his chest making his back press against the stony ground.
Squall heard the sounds of footsteps approaching as he lay unable to get up from Seifer's weight pressed down hard on his chest. "You don't give up easily do you?" a voice said, which he recognised to be the Mayors. "Enough Seifer," he ordered, and the weight was lifted from Squall's chest.
The Mayor watched down as the now pale solider tried to get back up on his feet, even though it was clearly visible that he wasn't yet ready to fight. He was still suffering from his injuries, the Mayor guessed that his anger from earlier had clouded his judgement on how well the soldier would be able to fight. Yet at the same time, he watched as he struggled to keep himself in even a seating position. His eyelids continuously opening and closing and he fought with himself to keep conscious.
"I have a proposition for you," he said studying the soldier. "I think after all the battles you have been through it should be quite a simple task to do."
"What do I have to do?" Squall whispered, feeling like the world was spinning around him.
"You'll find out soon, once you're fully recovered I'll explain everything," he knew that the last part of his sentence had fallen on deaf ears, for the young soldier had already passed out.
The smoke fumes clouded the scenery as the group of men made their way through the town. Another building caught fire as it grew bigger, burning everything within its path. Among the smoke, and the crackling of the fire embers the sounds of screaming could be heard. The screaming of horrified women and children trapped inside this hell. It was a sound that ran throughout the town, sending a sick feeling in the pit of the stomach to anyone who witnessed it. A group of soldiers scolding, stabbing, mutilating the horrified people and those watching waiting for their turn to go. The once calm and tranquil town now a crimson picture of blood and corpses. What right did they have? What right did anyone have to do such a thing?
Opening his eyes to avoid the gruesome pictures beginning to form in his mind again. He could still hear the screaming, smell the scent of burning flesh as they made their way out of Dollet. Another mission finished. Maybe he should have stayed out on that field, or been the one who died instead of Leo. Why the hell should he be the one who was saved? A small knock was heard from the door, but he chose to ignore it, for he knew whoever it was would come in anyway. Turning his head to face the wall, he felt he couldn't face anyone in this town anymore. He had killed someone they looked up to, and he defiantly knew that now everyone in the town would know what he did to Dollet. Why didn't they kill him?
"Squall?"
Letting out a sigh, Squall turned his head to face the owner of the female voice. Rinoa, was she here to see if it was true? To tell him what an evil bastard he was? He knew that she would probably be angry with him, yet turning to face her; he only saw that same serenity on her face. No grudge, or even any visible sign of hate.
"Are you alright?" she spoke softly, "I heard about what my father did today, it was irresponsible of him, and I'm sorry."
Looking at her features he saw sadness present within her. Why should she be apologising? He deserved it. "Don't worry about it," he said lifting himself up from his lying position, trying to ignore the throbbing he felt in his head. "I can handle it."
He heard Rinoa laugh quietly, as she sat down on the floor beside his bed. "I guess you can," she said smoothing imaginary creases in her long skirt. "Do you get to travel a lot... being a soldier?"
Squall nodded his head, "Sometimes." Like going to Dollet, he silently reminded himself. Trying to erase the thoughts he turned his gaze down to Rinoa who was smiling slightly, looking deep in thought.
"It must be nice to see lots of places you've never been to before," she said finally, "but I guess you only travel to fight." There was a silence that followed, as both of them seemed to get lost in their own thoughts. Rinoa looked up at Squall's serious expression, "Do you always have to follow orders if you're a soldier?" she asked slowly, feeling a little stupid. "Can't you turn something down if you don't want to fight in a certain place?"
Squall's seemed quite bewildered by her sudden question. If only it were that simple. Looking down at her now he couldn't help noticing her naivety in the subject she was bringing up. "No," he responded to her hopeful face, "when you're a soldier you have to prepare yourself to do something, even if you don't want to do it."
"Like in Dollet," she spoke, barely audible, but it was enough to make the sharp pang of guilt run through Squall's veins. "My father was quite angry when he knew that you were one of the soldiers there," she began, suddenly feeling that maybe she shouldn't have brought up the subject. "But I think he realised that he was once a soldier, and put in the same situation, he would probably have done it as well."
Rinoa stayed silent for a moment, before looking back at Squall. She knew her father had chosen the man in front of her, and she didn't know why, but she felt a little bit safer knowing that Squall was the one who could free her from this place.
Authors note: Sorry for the taking so long to update. I try to write at least a little bit each day, and I do enjoy writing when I get the chance. Oh and don't worry if it's a little confusing at the moment. It's just me... I love to confuse my readers at first. Hehe. Things should be starting to make sense soon, just bear with me. Thank You!