Chapter Five: Clarity
A/N: This chapter is the only chapter I'll openly accept flames from since it makes sense to hate me, especially Laguna-lovers, but if you do you have to promise to read the rest of the story until the end and to review again. If you don't, I 'll just use you're flames to make smores. By the way, I love Laguna to pieces (and he doesn't die, so don't worry about that) and that he is really hot when he's young.
14 year-old Squall ran through the fields and tall grasses, his hair a brown patch in a meadow of green. Fortunately, the grasses would come to a hill and on the otherside would be a plain of flowers and trees every-so-often bearing fruits and flowers. Usually, he would walk through the plains, lost in thought, but his feet and the stinging on his back made him move faster, much faster, than usual.
He almost slipped down the hill before he regained his step. Sighing in relief, he raced down the hill as fast as his legs could carry him.
"Ellone!" he said, running toward the girl by the apple tree on her tiptoes, her shoes next to her. She had discarded her sunhat on the ground and already her skin was darker than what it had been two hours ago. What had also been stripped off her body was her dress. The pale green sundress was neatly folded into a large, wicker, picnic basket. In fact, all she wore was a thin, comfortable slip that landed at her calf muscles in a small ruffle.
She grinned as she saw her little brother, but her grin faded as her brother came closer.
"Omigod." she whispered, touching his sweaty face with a cool hand. "What happened?"
He opened his mouth to speak, but then closed it again as he wordlessly fell into her arms.
She felt him shudder under her grasp. The back of his shirt had been ripped open by force and his back was tender and raw. She carefully wrapped her arms around her little brother's waist. She didn't have to ask who did this, though he now mumbled it in her ear.
"Him... he... I hate him, Elle."
Tears coursed down her cheeks at his condition. "I know you do, Squall." she slowly lowered him down into a sitting position under the shade of the tree. "What happened?"
He coughed before speaking and when he did, his voice was raspy. "We... we were in the parlor because he wanted to talk to me about something."
"What?"
"I don't know." he looked down. "We didn't get that far." he coughed again. "Well, he began talking about the family and mother." his voice began to waver. "He started saying really stupid stuff about how mom thought of Selphie, Zell and Irvine as family and how they really weren't."
"You didn't go off on him because of that, did you?"
He shook his head. "No, I kept my mouth closed then. But not when he started talking about you."
Ellone looked horrified. "What about me?"
"Really horrible stuff. Like that you could die just like... she did."
"And then, he got defensive." she whispered it as a statement, not as a question.
He smiled, ruefully. "That's a good way to put it."
"Lie down on your stomach and take off that ripped shirt. A lot of good that'll do you."
He did what he was told without question. "Do you have any magics on you?"
"No, but I do have some ingredients for an out of battle potion. I'll have to make it from scratch." she opened the picnic basket and took out a few bottles and a small wooden bowl. "Now, don't be surprised, 'kay?" she said, as she mixed a few of the ingredient until they made a red paste. "This is grandma's out of battle potion spell."
"Which means though it's full of magic, but it's gonna sting anyway." he groaned.
She smiled. "Exactly." she dipped her fingers into the bowl and spread it over the mark on Squall's back. One solid red line of a bruise was forming across his back from his left shoulder to the right side of his hip. He winced as her fingers fluttered the stinging red paste on the bruise.
"You're lucky, you know." she mumbled, adding more to his back. "The skin didn't break and the potion should heal it up by tomorrow morning." she stopped rubbing in the potion and wiped her hands on a towel that was in the basket. "What did he hit you with anyway? This doesn't look like a physical hit."
"It shouldn't." Squall mumbled. "Since it's a burn mark."
"Burn..." Ellone's eyes widened. "He didn't...?"
Squall nodded. "When I said that he shouldn't talk about you dying like that, he got mad and grabbed me by the back of my shirt. I managed to pull away but my shirt ripped. When I reached the door, a hot wave... hit my back. I flung open the door and ran out the castle and realized that... he hit me with a Firaga spell. I'm just lucky that the guards didn't chase after me."
She shook her head. "Maybe he didn't mean it. Maybe... maybe he didn't want to hit you."
"Stop being so naive, Ellone!" he pushed himself up to a sitting position, a scowl on his face. "Don't underestimate him, he wanted to hit me."
She whimpered like a puppy, tears coursing down her cheeks again.
"Oh Elle, I'm sorry." he said, wrapping his arms around her.
"You just..." her words were muffled into his shoulder. "You sounded just like him."
Squall's heart almost stopped beating. "I did, didn't I?" he drew her in closer. "That's not gonna happen again, I promise." he swallowed.
"That's okay." she said into his shoulder. "I believe you but maybe we should forgive him, too. You know he gets sensitive when it comes to mother.
"Never, Ellone." he whispered. "Because you and I shouldn't have to suffer anything when it comes to our father."
A bell started ringing. The main bell meant that the bellringer would shout out who ever the King wished to speak with. Yes, the bellringer was a very important position indeed, as everyone respected them with praise.
And so, the bellringer lifted his head to the skies, getting ready to shout.
"...!" Ward yelled as loud as he could.
"Um..." Kiros blinked. "He means that Squall and Ellone should report to the King immediately!" (I thought we all deserved a comic relief)
The two looked at each other, then began running toward the castle. It wasn't that the wanted to see the King, no far from it. They just knew that if they were even a second late, they would be punished.
It wasn't until they were in front of the castle doors when the guards gave the a funny look that they realized that they weren't exactly in the best wares. Ellone had not only forgotten her basket, but didn't even have a dress on, much less shoes and Squall was shirtless.
"Okay, here's what we do." Squall said, walking up the stairs, holding her hand. "We'll run to our rooms and put on proper clothing, and meet by the parlor doors, okay?"
"Okay." she said, as the guards opened the doors...
and they stood, face to face, with the King.
* * *
Squall and Ellone found themselves being taken to the parlor anyway, only this time they were taken by their ears by their father.
(We are sooo dead...) Squall groaned. (D-E-A-D, dead)
The brother and sister were thrown into the room followed by an enraged King.
"Please, explain yourselves." Laguna said, arms crossed. "Because there has to be some ... some logical reason for why Squall, you have no shirt, and Ellone, you have no shoes or a dress. And where is your sunhat?"
The two siblings looked at each other and said nothing.
"So, you aren't going to answer me. I expected more from you two since you are royal and you are my children."
"That doesn't make us any better than the children in the town or those in Galbadia, father, or even in Trabia or Winhill!" Squall yelled, then covered his mouth.
"How dare you speak that way!" he raised his hand to hit him, when Ellone stepped forward and he ended up slapping her instead.
She dropped to her knees. Squall picked her up and held her close, surprised at the fact that she wasn't crying. Her face was red where he hit her and the mark where the Firaga burn was held was visibly red on Squall's back.
Laguna's eyes widened. (What have I done?)
"Laguna!" Kiros and Ward ran into the room, all smiles. All tension broke for a moment as Squall loosened his grip on his sister.
Kiros raised an eyebrow. "Something wrong? What's with the lack of clothes?"
The three Loire/Leonharts exchanged glances. Usually when someone entered the room, Laguna gave the three a warning glance, but this time, he didn't. No, this time he wouldn't because Kiros had come. He never gave them a warning glance when Kiros was around.
Never.
"N- no. Nothing." Laguna swallowed. "Just... playing teens."
"Sure?" Kiros shrugged the funny feeling off. "Whatever, did you tell them?"
"No, not yet." he glanced at his half-clothed children. "They don't know about it."
"..."
"He's right." Kiros nodded. "We came to see."
"What... what is it?" Squall asked.
"Castle..." Ellone mumbled. "Castle... royalty... honor..."
"What?" Squall pulled her in close so she could talk into his ear. "Speak, Ellone."
"Tell Daddy.... I heard him."
Squall made a face. Ellone and he never called their father 'Daddy'. It was an unwritten rule. In fact, he couldn't remember the last time they actually did. He looked up to Laguna. "She said, she heard you."
"I heard everything." Ellone said, louder. "I heard that you were leaving."
Laguna's eyes widened. "How?"
"I walked by grandmother's room one day." Ellone explained. "You are leaving for Esthar for good, aren't you?"
Kiros and Ward exchanged glances. They looked at Laguna.
"Yes, Ellone. I'm leaving."
(Good.) Squall thought, bitterly. (Go there and never come back.)
"I don't want it, father."
Laguna blinked. "Are you sure?"
(What don't you want?) Squall wondered.
"I would... I would rather come with you."
Now, Squall didn't know what she was comparing, but he did know that she now wanted to go to Esthar with their father and something didn't bode well with that.
"Why, Ellone?" Laguna asked.
"Because... because I don't need it. Not yet, anyway."
Squall was starting to resent not knowing what she didn't need. "What are you talking about?"
Laguna cleared his throat. "The... the rights of the throne and crown."
"Wait... what?"
Laguna's hand slid into his pocket and pulled out a chain with a lion's symbol and a blade. "This..." he said, slowly. "Is the Griever. It is the symbol of the flag and the royal emblem, as you know."
"She... she doesn't want it?"
"I don't want the crown nor the throne." Ellone whispered. "The decision isn't finalized."
"Fine." Laguna mumbled. "Then the crown falls to Squall, for the time being at least." He motioned for Squall to bend his head as he placed the chain around his neck.
(I'm going to end up pitching this thing at a portrait of his head.)
Kiros and Ward clapped as did Laguna. Ellone snuggled into his closer.
"Initiation will commence tomorrow at 1200 hours." Laguna said, following his friends out the door."
(Don't forget, Daddy.) Ellone thought to herself with a smile. (I'm never leaving your side.)
* * *
"Why do you want to go with him?" Squall asked. The two of them had retreated to Ellone's room of aqua marine. She seemed fascinated with the ocean as her chambers looked like an aquarium. Ellone sat in front of the vanity, while Squall sprawled out on her bed.
"Give me the Griever." she said.
"Why?" Squall smirked. "Regretting that you gave it up for 'the time being?'" he said, mocking his father's voice.
"No," she made a face. "I just wanna see it." she watched Squall through the looking glass as he took off the neck chain and underhanded it to her.
"I just don't get why you would want to leave the castle if he's going to as well." Squall mumbled.
There was a knock on the door.
"She isn't there!" Zell's voice yelled on the other side. "And neither is Squall."
"That's such a mega, super bummer!" Selphie, obviously, said.
Ellone smiled. "Come in!"
The two raced into the room and ran towards the siblings, sitting crosslegged on the floor.
"Are you really the next in line, Ellone." Selphie asked.
She smiled. "Technically, yes, but I have to think about it, as does Squall."
"So, does that mean Squally is the next one?" she pointed to the shirtless guy on the bed.
Zell nearly fainted at the realization. Though Ellone opted to change, Squall was too mad to care.
"Yes." Ellone was staring hard at the chain's emblem.
"But, do you know why she's not taking the crown, yet?" Squall said, glaring at her reflection (which wasn't paying attention, anyway, so that was a waste of a good glare)
"Because she and father are leaving the castle."
"Oh no!" the two of the chorused and ran to Ellone, enveloping her into a group hug.
"Why would you leave us, Sis?" Zell asked. Squall leaned up, interested.
She pondered for a moment before answering. "Think about it, okay? What if both Squall and I wanted the crown, but only I got the training. Hardly fair, do you agree?"
The three others nodded.
"And if I leave with father, I'll get the training naturally, since I'm with the King. So will Squall, because he has the Griever, get it?
The two on the floor nodded, but this didn't bode well for Squall. He knew his Sis for far too long to know that she was at least partially lying. Or maybe not telling all of the information.
"I'm gonna wind up throttling that thing to hell." he said, falling back into the pillows.
"I don't think you should, Squall." Ellone said. "Don't you see what this means?: she pointed to the Griever.
"Oh, ooh, pick me!" Zell said, raising his hand. "Squall gets the training to the throne and your plan works."
"Because you can beat the system." Selphie nodded.
"Yeah, but more than that." Ellone said. "Squall what's your last name?"
"Loire-Leonheart."
"And what was mom's favorite animal?"
"A lion."
"And what is the Griever?"
"A lion. Ellone, what are you getting at?"
Ellone made a face. "Let's try again. How long has it been since mom's passing?"
"A year."
"How old were you?"
"Fourteen. My birthday hasn't passed."
"Okay, and when did father move to Esthar?"
"After mom died."
"And how long has this-" she thrust her finger at the Griever. "been on the flags."
"A year or so." he shrugged. He never really cared.
Zell and Selphie's eyes followed as though it was a tennis match.
"You really don't get it, do you?" Ellone sighed. "Why would father suddenly have the Griever as the family heirloom and the Kingdom's national symbol?
"Because... I dunno."
"Because, mister simple minded, he loved her." she said, smiling a little. "And do you know who this belonged to?"
"Who?"
Ellone turned it over to show an engravement in the lion's mane.
It said, R. Leonhart.
Ellone smirked. "Obviously, it was mom's."
*End Flashback*
It had been 12 years since that happened and the hatred still bubbled in his heart. The only thing that Squall could describe his father as was a person with an emotional problem that couldn't face the facts. To him, Laguna was a runaway that ran away from his problems instead of solving them. Then again, Squall had never tried to help him.
Squall sighed, staring off into the kingdom. At this very moment, somewhere inside of this very castle was his father and sister. He didn't know why, nor did he care to be truthful, but he did know that he wasn't going to be able to see his sister until he saw him. They were suppose to be meeting in the parlor and Squall was making sure that he was absolutely as late as tolerable.
Finally, after about five minutes of waiting, he turned on his heel and headed toward the parlor.
But as he approached the doors, pale and smooth, he hesitated. Did he really want to see the man that had left a faded scar on his back? Was it really that important?
(I'm doing this for Ellone. I'm not doing this for him.)
He thought for a minute and wondered if that was at all truthful. But before he could ponder some more, the doors to the parlor flung open and a smiling face greeted him.
"Squall!" Ellone's happy face could have brightened the darkest skies. Her dark brown hair was a little longer, and she had flipped out one side of it, as well. Her dress was a pale green and resembled somewhat the same dress she had discarded on the ground by the trees only two years ago.
She drank him in, the small boy that had grown up to be taller than he was last time they met. While he was 5'9'', she ended up growing only 5'3'', so he was like a tree to her. His hair was slightly longer, falling into his face more and his eyes looked more blue than usual.
She touched his face and then his neck, trying to make a memory. "You have changed a lot, yet you have changed very little. How is that possible?"
He smiled a little. "Well, I've changed my attitude, I guess."
"What do you mean?"
"I grew up."
She shook her head. "You have a lot more growing to do, little brother." she gasped as her fingers touched something cool and cold around his neck. Could it be that he didn't pitch it into the river, as he had threatened to do? She pressed on his shirt to feel for hiding the Sleeping Lionheart, the Griever.
"Then again, maybe you've changed more than I thought."
"Hello, Squall." Behind Ellone, sitting in the chair around the table was a man with long, brown hair. The last time he had seen him, there was less gray and fewer wrinkles but no matter, it was still him. The facial structure, the body structure, it was all the same. This was the man he had nightmare's about that involved fire and flames licking his back.
"Good day, father." Squall said, his voice clear. He raised his head up a little higher. He would be damned if he would let this man know his fear of him.
"Hi, Squall!" Kiros said next to his father and Ward gave a hearty wave. Squall gave his head a small, slightly friendly nod to them both. At least it was friendlier than the stone cold "Good day." he had given to his father.
Ellone took Squall's hand and dragged him over to the table, where she practically forced him to sit next to Laguna, herself on the other side of him. He gave her a mental glare.
Laguna cleared his throat. "So, how have you been?"
"Fine." he said, shortly (as if you care)
"Good, good..." Laguna trailed off. There was an awkward silence that followed.
Ellone smiled brightly, though Squall could see it was paper thin. "Um, Daddy. Perhaps you can tell Squall why you are here."
(She did it again. She's calling him Daddy.)
"Oh, I.. right." Laguna nodded a thank you to Ellone before continuing. "I wanted to talk to you about the crown."
"What about it?" (It's here, it's there. You put it on at parades... whatever.)
"Well," he began. "It's tradition for those who, um, have t-the crown to have a betrothed."
Squall made a face. He opened his mouth to speak, but Laguna continued.
"You see, the problem is that, well, neither of you are properly named King or Queen... so, Ellone thought... that, well... um... we could have a double betrothing, you know. Where both of you have a betrothed?"
He wondered why his father ended his sentence as a question, since it definitely wasn't. It took Squall ten seconds to realize that Laguna was nervous. He would have laughed had he not hated him so.
"So, you see... I've come into contact with your betroths soon after the Ceremony of the Griever. Squall, your's is coming exactly two weeks from today. If you fail to marry your betrothed on your birthday, one month from now, you will lose the crown to Ellone."
"But here's the deal," Kiros took over. Laguna had started to speed up his sentences. "If you, Squall, refuse to marry, Ellone must marry hers, because by then both of you will be over the age limit of 18."
Ellone nodded. Squall frowned. "Can't you just up the age limit to 25?"
"We would, but this is an unexpected turn of events." Kiros explained. "You see, usually the crown automatically goes to the oldest without question. And usually the crown goes to the oldest boy, skipping any daughters. Because your father is such a softie, he not only let Ellone have a chance at the crown, but gave her and you both options."
Laguna looked down at the table. Squall looked at him. (Did he really do that for us?)
Ellone smiled. "So, you see. Everything will turn out right in the end."
Squall couldn't help but wonder if Ellone was either naive, wise or both. "I hope so."
* * *
Fujin swallowed as she watched the night fall and the stars rise. After dinner, she began her nightly ritual of walking to her room and looking up at the sky until she felt sleepy enough to go to bed. If it seemed like a particularly good night, then the two men she shared a household with would come to her room and ask if she wanted to do something that night, such as take a walk, or go somewhere.
A knock on her door alerted her senses. "COME."
Raijin's head poked through the crack between the door and the frame. "Hey, we were wondering if you wanted to go to the pub with us, ya know?"
"Yeah!" Seifer called in the background. "We were kinda bored and we thought, why not ask the most fun person in the house to go for a drink. So, we took a vote and thought, wow! Fujin's so outrageous!" he said, sarcastically. "She'll have us up all night long drinking until we puke!"
Fujin chuckled. "NEGATIVE." she yawned. "TIRED."
"Well, just jump the next train if you're interested." Raijin said.
"Yeah, but it won't be fun without our wild and crazy one!" Seifer called out.
"THANKS." she watched them close the door and waited until she could see their forms in the impending darkness. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief. Only then would she start the first stage in her plan.
She went to her bed, then fell to her hands and knees, pulling out a pair of black slacks that were a bit baggy and black combat boots. Then, she fished out the white shirt she had nicked from Seifer's room. Well, it wasn't that bad. He never really wore it.
Laying out all the articles of clothing, she bit her lip, gathering courage to what she was about to do. Step one of the plan was to dress up out of character. Dressing up as a boy was the only thing she could think of at the moment, and she really didn't have a better idea, presently. Besides, if she dressed up in any of her clothes, she would surely be spotted by Seifer and Raijin, and that's not what she wanted to happen.
(Why don't I let them help me? Why can't I just have them go with me? Wouldn't they be happier that way?) She thought to herself. And perhaps that was just it. The insecurity of them not knowing where she was or where she was going made it all the better. It made her feel as though she was finally doing something on her own. It made her feel responsible for her own actions by becoming a vagabond, a wanderer, which made her realize why she wanted to go alone so much.
(I'm like my mother.)
Hurriedly, she threw on the clothes and looked in the mirror. Her small figure obviously sent girl vibes, but in pants and a man's shirt, she looked different. She looked like a young boy, no more than 12 or 13. Petite. Albino. Young. Even Cute.
She messed with her hair a little more to add even more of an effect. She really did look boyish, but definitely not a boy at her age.
(No one will know who I am.)
Smiling a little, she grabbed a backpack containing food, water and some extra clothing, and walked out the door, setting off for town.
~Chapter Owari~
A/N: Hoe!!! I'm soo sorry about the Laguna thing, but bear with me, it gets better!!! Also, Fujin's looking for Vincent, right! I thought that was kinda cool.
Chapter 6 Tease: What you've been waiting for! Squall and Fujin meet, Irvine is realized and, um... Seifer and Raijin realize that Fujin isn't home.
A/N: This chapter is the only chapter I'll openly accept flames from since it makes sense to hate me, especially Laguna-lovers, but if you do you have to promise to read the rest of the story until the end and to review again. If you don't, I 'll just use you're flames to make smores. By the way, I love Laguna to pieces (and he doesn't die, so don't worry about that) and that he is really hot when he's young.
14 year-old Squall ran through the fields and tall grasses, his hair a brown patch in a meadow of green. Fortunately, the grasses would come to a hill and on the otherside would be a plain of flowers and trees every-so-often bearing fruits and flowers. Usually, he would walk through the plains, lost in thought, but his feet and the stinging on his back made him move faster, much faster, than usual.
He almost slipped down the hill before he regained his step. Sighing in relief, he raced down the hill as fast as his legs could carry him.
"Ellone!" he said, running toward the girl by the apple tree on her tiptoes, her shoes next to her. She had discarded her sunhat on the ground and already her skin was darker than what it had been two hours ago. What had also been stripped off her body was her dress. The pale green sundress was neatly folded into a large, wicker, picnic basket. In fact, all she wore was a thin, comfortable slip that landed at her calf muscles in a small ruffle.
She grinned as she saw her little brother, but her grin faded as her brother came closer.
"Omigod." she whispered, touching his sweaty face with a cool hand. "What happened?"
He opened his mouth to speak, but then closed it again as he wordlessly fell into her arms.
She felt him shudder under her grasp. The back of his shirt had been ripped open by force and his back was tender and raw. She carefully wrapped her arms around her little brother's waist. She didn't have to ask who did this, though he now mumbled it in her ear.
"Him... he... I hate him, Elle."
Tears coursed down her cheeks at his condition. "I know you do, Squall." she slowly lowered him down into a sitting position under the shade of the tree. "What happened?"
He coughed before speaking and when he did, his voice was raspy. "We... we were in the parlor because he wanted to talk to me about something."
"What?"
"I don't know." he looked down. "We didn't get that far." he coughed again. "Well, he began talking about the family and mother." his voice began to waver. "He started saying really stupid stuff about how mom thought of Selphie, Zell and Irvine as family and how they really weren't."
"You didn't go off on him because of that, did you?"
He shook his head. "No, I kept my mouth closed then. But not when he started talking about you."
Ellone looked horrified. "What about me?"
"Really horrible stuff. Like that you could die just like... she did."
"And then, he got defensive." she whispered it as a statement, not as a question.
He smiled, ruefully. "That's a good way to put it."
"Lie down on your stomach and take off that ripped shirt. A lot of good that'll do you."
He did what he was told without question. "Do you have any magics on you?"
"No, but I do have some ingredients for an out of battle potion. I'll have to make it from scratch." she opened the picnic basket and took out a few bottles and a small wooden bowl. "Now, don't be surprised, 'kay?" she said, as she mixed a few of the ingredient until they made a red paste. "This is grandma's out of battle potion spell."
"Which means though it's full of magic, but it's gonna sting anyway." he groaned.
She smiled. "Exactly." she dipped her fingers into the bowl and spread it over the mark on Squall's back. One solid red line of a bruise was forming across his back from his left shoulder to the right side of his hip. He winced as her fingers fluttered the stinging red paste on the bruise.
"You're lucky, you know." she mumbled, adding more to his back. "The skin didn't break and the potion should heal it up by tomorrow morning." she stopped rubbing in the potion and wiped her hands on a towel that was in the basket. "What did he hit you with anyway? This doesn't look like a physical hit."
"It shouldn't." Squall mumbled. "Since it's a burn mark."
"Burn..." Ellone's eyes widened. "He didn't...?"
Squall nodded. "When I said that he shouldn't talk about you dying like that, he got mad and grabbed me by the back of my shirt. I managed to pull away but my shirt ripped. When I reached the door, a hot wave... hit my back. I flung open the door and ran out the castle and realized that... he hit me with a Firaga spell. I'm just lucky that the guards didn't chase after me."
She shook her head. "Maybe he didn't mean it. Maybe... maybe he didn't want to hit you."
"Stop being so naive, Ellone!" he pushed himself up to a sitting position, a scowl on his face. "Don't underestimate him, he wanted to hit me."
She whimpered like a puppy, tears coursing down her cheeks again.
"Oh Elle, I'm sorry." he said, wrapping his arms around her.
"You just..." her words were muffled into his shoulder. "You sounded just like him."
Squall's heart almost stopped beating. "I did, didn't I?" he drew her in closer. "That's not gonna happen again, I promise." he swallowed.
"That's okay." she said into his shoulder. "I believe you but maybe we should forgive him, too. You know he gets sensitive when it comes to mother.
"Never, Ellone." he whispered. "Because you and I shouldn't have to suffer anything when it comes to our father."
A bell started ringing. The main bell meant that the bellringer would shout out who ever the King wished to speak with. Yes, the bellringer was a very important position indeed, as everyone respected them with praise.
And so, the bellringer lifted his head to the skies, getting ready to shout.
"...!" Ward yelled as loud as he could.
"Um..." Kiros blinked. "He means that Squall and Ellone should report to the King immediately!" (I thought we all deserved a comic relief)
The two looked at each other, then began running toward the castle. It wasn't that the wanted to see the King, no far from it. They just knew that if they were even a second late, they would be punished.
It wasn't until they were in front of the castle doors when the guards gave the a funny look that they realized that they weren't exactly in the best wares. Ellone had not only forgotten her basket, but didn't even have a dress on, much less shoes and Squall was shirtless.
"Okay, here's what we do." Squall said, walking up the stairs, holding her hand. "We'll run to our rooms and put on proper clothing, and meet by the parlor doors, okay?"
"Okay." she said, as the guards opened the doors...
and they stood, face to face, with the King.
* * *
Squall and Ellone found themselves being taken to the parlor anyway, only this time they were taken by their ears by their father.
(We are sooo dead...) Squall groaned. (D-E-A-D, dead)
The brother and sister were thrown into the room followed by an enraged King.
"Please, explain yourselves." Laguna said, arms crossed. "Because there has to be some ... some logical reason for why Squall, you have no shirt, and Ellone, you have no shoes or a dress. And where is your sunhat?"
The two siblings looked at each other and said nothing.
"So, you aren't going to answer me. I expected more from you two since you are royal and you are my children."
"That doesn't make us any better than the children in the town or those in Galbadia, father, or even in Trabia or Winhill!" Squall yelled, then covered his mouth.
"How dare you speak that way!" he raised his hand to hit him, when Ellone stepped forward and he ended up slapping her instead.
She dropped to her knees. Squall picked her up and held her close, surprised at the fact that she wasn't crying. Her face was red where he hit her and the mark where the Firaga burn was held was visibly red on Squall's back.
Laguna's eyes widened. (What have I done?)
"Laguna!" Kiros and Ward ran into the room, all smiles. All tension broke for a moment as Squall loosened his grip on his sister.
Kiros raised an eyebrow. "Something wrong? What's with the lack of clothes?"
The three Loire/Leonharts exchanged glances. Usually when someone entered the room, Laguna gave the three a warning glance, but this time, he didn't. No, this time he wouldn't because Kiros had come. He never gave them a warning glance when Kiros was around.
Never.
"N- no. Nothing." Laguna swallowed. "Just... playing teens."
"Sure?" Kiros shrugged the funny feeling off. "Whatever, did you tell them?"
"No, not yet." he glanced at his half-clothed children. "They don't know about it."
"..."
"He's right." Kiros nodded. "We came to see."
"What... what is it?" Squall asked.
"Castle..." Ellone mumbled. "Castle... royalty... honor..."
"What?" Squall pulled her in close so she could talk into his ear. "Speak, Ellone."
"Tell Daddy.... I heard him."
Squall made a face. Ellone and he never called their father 'Daddy'. It was an unwritten rule. In fact, he couldn't remember the last time they actually did. He looked up to Laguna. "She said, she heard you."
"I heard everything." Ellone said, louder. "I heard that you were leaving."
Laguna's eyes widened. "How?"
"I walked by grandmother's room one day." Ellone explained. "You are leaving for Esthar for good, aren't you?"
Kiros and Ward exchanged glances. They looked at Laguna.
"Yes, Ellone. I'm leaving."
(Good.) Squall thought, bitterly. (Go there and never come back.)
"I don't want it, father."
Laguna blinked. "Are you sure?"
(What don't you want?) Squall wondered.
"I would... I would rather come with you."
Now, Squall didn't know what she was comparing, but he did know that she now wanted to go to Esthar with their father and something didn't bode well with that.
"Why, Ellone?" Laguna asked.
"Because... because I don't need it. Not yet, anyway."
Squall was starting to resent not knowing what she didn't need. "What are you talking about?"
Laguna cleared his throat. "The... the rights of the throne and crown."
"Wait... what?"
Laguna's hand slid into his pocket and pulled out a chain with a lion's symbol and a blade. "This..." he said, slowly. "Is the Griever. It is the symbol of the flag and the royal emblem, as you know."
"She... she doesn't want it?"
"I don't want the crown nor the throne." Ellone whispered. "The decision isn't finalized."
"Fine." Laguna mumbled. "Then the crown falls to Squall, for the time being at least." He motioned for Squall to bend his head as he placed the chain around his neck.
(I'm going to end up pitching this thing at a portrait of his head.)
Kiros and Ward clapped as did Laguna. Ellone snuggled into his closer.
"Initiation will commence tomorrow at 1200 hours." Laguna said, following his friends out the door."
(Don't forget, Daddy.) Ellone thought to herself with a smile. (I'm never leaving your side.)
* * *
"Why do you want to go with him?" Squall asked. The two of them had retreated to Ellone's room of aqua marine. She seemed fascinated with the ocean as her chambers looked like an aquarium. Ellone sat in front of the vanity, while Squall sprawled out on her bed.
"Give me the Griever." she said.
"Why?" Squall smirked. "Regretting that you gave it up for 'the time being?'" he said, mocking his father's voice.
"No," she made a face. "I just wanna see it." she watched Squall through the looking glass as he took off the neck chain and underhanded it to her.
"I just don't get why you would want to leave the castle if he's going to as well." Squall mumbled.
There was a knock on the door.
"She isn't there!" Zell's voice yelled on the other side. "And neither is Squall."
"That's such a mega, super bummer!" Selphie, obviously, said.
Ellone smiled. "Come in!"
The two raced into the room and ran towards the siblings, sitting crosslegged on the floor.
"Are you really the next in line, Ellone." Selphie asked.
She smiled. "Technically, yes, but I have to think about it, as does Squall."
"So, does that mean Squally is the next one?" she pointed to the shirtless guy on the bed.
Zell nearly fainted at the realization. Though Ellone opted to change, Squall was too mad to care.
"Yes." Ellone was staring hard at the chain's emblem.
"But, do you know why she's not taking the crown, yet?" Squall said, glaring at her reflection (which wasn't paying attention, anyway, so that was a waste of a good glare)
"Because she and father are leaving the castle."
"Oh no!" the two of the chorused and ran to Ellone, enveloping her into a group hug.
"Why would you leave us, Sis?" Zell asked. Squall leaned up, interested.
She pondered for a moment before answering. "Think about it, okay? What if both Squall and I wanted the crown, but only I got the training. Hardly fair, do you agree?"
The three others nodded.
"And if I leave with father, I'll get the training naturally, since I'm with the King. So will Squall, because he has the Griever, get it?
The two on the floor nodded, but this didn't bode well for Squall. He knew his Sis for far too long to know that she was at least partially lying. Or maybe not telling all of the information.
"I'm gonna wind up throttling that thing to hell." he said, falling back into the pillows.
"I don't think you should, Squall." Ellone said. "Don't you see what this means?: she pointed to the Griever.
"Oh, ooh, pick me!" Zell said, raising his hand. "Squall gets the training to the throne and your plan works."
"Because you can beat the system." Selphie nodded.
"Yeah, but more than that." Ellone said. "Squall what's your last name?"
"Loire-Leonheart."
"And what was mom's favorite animal?"
"A lion."
"And what is the Griever?"
"A lion. Ellone, what are you getting at?"
Ellone made a face. "Let's try again. How long has it been since mom's passing?"
"A year."
"How old were you?"
"Fourteen. My birthday hasn't passed."
"Okay, and when did father move to Esthar?"
"After mom died."
"And how long has this-" she thrust her finger at the Griever. "been on the flags."
"A year or so." he shrugged. He never really cared.
Zell and Selphie's eyes followed as though it was a tennis match.
"You really don't get it, do you?" Ellone sighed. "Why would father suddenly have the Griever as the family heirloom and the Kingdom's national symbol?
"Because... I dunno."
"Because, mister simple minded, he loved her." she said, smiling a little. "And do you know who this belonged to?"
"Who?"
Ellone turned it over to show an engravement in the lion's mane.
It said, R. Leonhart.
Ellone smirked. "Obviously, it was mom's."
*End Flashback*
It had been 12 years since that happened and the hatred still bubbled in his heart. The only thing that Squall could describe his father as was a person with an emotional problem that couldn't face the facts. To him, Laguna was a runaway that ran away from his problems instead of solving them. Then again, Squall had never tried to help him.
Squall sighed, staring off into the kingdom. At this very moment, somewhere inside of this very castle was his father and sister. He didn't know why, nor did he care to be truthful, but he did know that he wasn't going to be able to see his sister until he saw him. They were suppose to be meeting in the parlor and Squall was making sure that he was absolutely as late as tolerable.
Finally, after about five minutes of waiting, he turned on his heel and headed toward the parlor.
But as he approached the doors, pale and smooth, he hesitated. Did he really want to see the man that had left a faded scar on his back? Was it really that important?
(I'm doing this for Ellone. I'm not doing this for him.)
He thought for a minute and wondered if that was at all truthful. But before he could ponder some more, the doors to the parlor flung open and a smiling face greeted him.
"Squall!" Ellone's happy face could have brightened the darkest skies. Her dark brown hair was a little longer, and she had flipped out one side of it, as well. Her dress was a pale green and resembled somewhat the same dress she had discarded on the ground by the trees only two years ago.
She drank him in, the small boy that had grown up to be taller than he was last time they met. While he was 5'9'', she ended up growing only 5'3'', so he was like a tree to her. His hair was slightly longer, falling into his face more and his eyes looked more blue than usual.
She touched his face and then his neck, trying to make a memory. "You have changed a lot, yet you have changed very little. How is that possible?"
He smiled a little. "Well, I've changed my attitude, I guess."
"What do you mean?"
"I grew up."
She shook her head. "You have a lot more growing to do, little brother." she gasped as her fingers touched something cool and cold around his neck. Could it be that he didn't pitch it into the river, as he had threatened to do? She pressed on his shirt to feel for hiding the Sleeping Lionheart, the Griever.
"Then again, maybe you've changed more than I thought."
"Hello, Squall." Behind Ellone, sitting in the chair around the table was a man with long, brown hair. The last time he had seen him, there was less gray and fewer wrinkles but no matter, it was still him. The facial structure, the body structure, it was all the same. This was the man he had nightmare's about that involved fire and flames licking his back.
"Good day, father." Squall said, his voice clear. He raised his head up a little higher. He would be damned if he would let this man know his fear of him.
"Hi, Squall!" Kiros said next to his father and Ward gave a hearty wave. Squall gave his head a small, slightly friendly nod to them both. At least it was friendlier than the stone cold "Good day." he had given to his father.
Ellone took Squall's hand and dragged him over to the table, where she practically forced him to sit next to Laguna, herself on the other side of him. He gave her a mental glare.
Laguna cleared his throat. "So, how have you been?"
"Fine." he said, shortly (as if you care)
"Good, good..." Laguna trailed off. There was an awkward silence that followed.
Ellone smiled brightly, though Squall could see it was paper thin. "Um, Daddy. Perhaps you can tell Squall why you are here."
(She did it again. She's calling him Daddy.)
"Oh, I.. right." Laguna nodded a thank you to Ellone before continuing. "I wanted to talk to you about the crown."
"What about it?" (It's here, it's there. You put it on at parades... whatever.)
"Well," he began. "It's tradition for those who, um, have t-the crown to have a betrothed."
Squall made a face. He opened his mouth to speak, but Laguna continued.
"You see, the problem is that, well, neither of you are properly named King or Queen... so, Ellone thought... that, well... um... we could have a double betrothing, you know. Where both of you have a betrothed?"
He wondered why his father ended his sentence as a question, since it definitely wasn't. It took Squall ten seconds to realize that Laguna was nervous. He would have laughed had he not hated him so.
"So, you see... I've come into contact with your betroths soon after the Ceremony of the Griever. Squall, your's is coming exactly two weeks from today. If you fail to marry your betrothed on your birthday, one month from now, you will lose the crown to Ellone."
"But here's the deal," Kiros took over. Laguna had started to speed up his sentences. "If you, Squall, refuse to marry, Ellone must marry hers, because by then both of you will be over the age limit of 18."
Ellone nodded. Squall frowned. "Can't you just up the age limit to 25?"
"We would, but this is an unexpected turn of events." Kiros explained. "You see, usually the crown automatically goes to the oldest without question. And usually the crown goes to the oldest boy, skipping any daughters. Because your father is such a softie, he not only let Ellone have a chance at the crown, but gave her and you both options."
Laguna looked down at the table. Squall looked at him. (Did he really do that for us?)
Ellone smiled. "So, you see. Everything will turn out right in the end."
Squall couldn't help but wonder if Ellone was either naive, wise or both. "I hope so."
* * *
Fujin swallowed as she watched the night fall and the stars rise. After dinner, she began her nightly ritual of walking to her room and looking up at the sky until she felt sleepy enough to go to bed. If it seemed like a particularly good night, then the two men she shared a household with would come to her room and ask if she wanted to do something that night, such as take a walk, or go somewhere.
A knock on her door alerted her senses. "COME."
Raijin's head poked through the crack between the door and the frame. "Hey, we were wondering if you wanted to go to the pub with us, ya know?"
"Yeah!" Seifer called in the background. "We were kinda bored and we thought, why not ask the most fun person in the house to go for a drink. So, we took a vote and thought, wow! Fujin's so outrageous!" he said, sarcastically. "She'll have us up all night long drinking until we puke!"
Fujin chuckled. "NEGATIVE." she yawned. "TIRED."
"Well, just jump the next train if you're interested." Raijin said.
"Yeah, but it won't be fun without our wild and crazy one!" Seifer called out.
"THANKS." she watched them close the door and waited until she could see their forms in the impending darkness. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief. Only then would she start the first stage in her plan.
She went to her bed, then fell to her hands and knees, pulling out a pair of black slacks that were a bit baggy and black combat boots. Then, she fished out the white shirt she had nicked from Seifer's room. Well, it wasn't that bad. He never really wore it.
Laying out all the articles of clothing, she bit her lip, gathering courage to what she was about to do. Step one of the plan was to dress up out of character. Dressing up as a boy was the only thing she could think of at the moment, and she really didn't have a better idea, presently. Besides, if she dressed up in any of her clothes, she would surely be spotted by Seifer and Raijin, and that's not what she wanted to happen.
(Why don't I let them help me? Why can't I just have them go with me? Wouldn't they be happier that way?) She thought to herself. And perhaps that was just it. The insecurity of them not knowing where she was or where she was going made it all the better. It made her feel as though she was finally doing something on her own. It made her feel responsible for her own actions by becoming a vagabond, a wanderer, which made her realize why she wanted to go alone so much.
(I'm like my mother.)
Hurriedly, she threw on the clothes and looked in the mirror. Her small figure obviously sent girl vibes, but in pants and a man's shirt, she looked different. She looked like a young boy, no more than 12 or 13. Petite. Albino. Young. Even Cute.
She messed with her hair a little more to add even more of an effect. She really did look boyish, but definitely not a boy at her age.
(No one will know who I am.)
Smiling a little, she grabbed a backpack containing food, water and some extra clothing, and walked out the door, setting off for town.
~Chapter Owari~
A/N: Hoe!!! I'm soo sorry about the Laguna thing, but bear with me, it gets better!!! Also, Fujin's looking for Vincent, right! I thought that was kinda cool.
Chapter 6 Tease: What you've been waiting for! Squall and Fujin meet, Irvine is realized and, um... Seifer and Raijin realize that Fujin isn't home.