Authors Note: This is for all the people who are disappointed with the lack
of action between Rinoa and Squall; therefore, I tried to include more
fluff! I am writing this in my bed late at night because I can't sleep, so
it should be an interesting read. Oh and a bit more of the supernatural
for those people as well. I hope you all like it. I aim to please.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Not even anything from Final Fantasy VIII. That belongs to Squaresoft or SquareEnix. I don't know any more.
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Rinoa peeked her eyes open and looked around the brightly lit room, taking in her surroundings. Judging from the amount of light that was coming through the curtains, Rinoa guessed it was late morning and she had slept in very late. She had seen magnificent places before but the grandeur and the elegance that radiated from her surroundings took her breath away. Rinoa was lying on a large four-poster bed, with gold and red silk sheets with matching drapes. Snuggling into the soft covers Rinoa contemplated the events that had occurred the nights before. Squall had phoned ahead so that they were expected at the presidential palace and they got a warm welcome, much to Squall's dislike, when they eventually got there. Introductions were made and she met Laguna (Rinoa blushed slightly when he had told her just to call him that) and Squall's half sister Ellone who also lived at the palace. Because of the predicament they were in Rinoa introduced herself under the name of Heartilly so that Laguna's suspicion, would not be aroused. Yet for some reason when she mentioned the name a look of sadness crossed his face and he appeared to be trying to recall some lost memory.
Rinoa sighed, thinking how lucky she was that she was away from everything, even it did mean she was on the run. To her it was just another adventure and she was finding it fun. She only wished she could be there to see the look on her fathers face when he found out that she was running away with a bunch of fugitives.
Deciding that she could do with a warm shower after spending three days in a car with five other people Rinoa reluctantly got out of the warm covers and headed to the bathroom. She turned the shower on to full heat and spent a long time just relaxing in the luxuriously warm water. After one of the best showers of her life she got out and wrapped herself in a towel and went to look for a change of clothes. They had all been invited to dinner that evening and it was supposed to be fancy affair with a bit of dancing, so she went for the new dress that she had bought in Trabia. Rinoa placed it on the bed, for later and rummaged through to find something more practical for the afternoon.
Just as she was just pulling out some clothes from her bag and putting them on the bed, she heard a light knock and before she could answer Squall walked into the room.
Squall casually walked into the room expecting Rinoa to be asleep, but stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Rinoa standing there only wearing a towel. His jaw dropped and his gaze was just focused on Rinoa, and he could tear his eyes away.
"I...m....I'm...Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt....I just came to wake you...up, but I can see....that...." He voice just trailed off into nothing.
Rinoa glanced down at the towel wrapped around her body. She frantically attempted to push her wet hair behind her ears, trying to make it look neater and then remembered the towel again, and brought her arms back around her body trying to cover herself up as much as possible. She looked at Squall and saw his mesmerized expression as he examined her sleek, wet body. Although feeling very self-conscious, Rinoa couldn't help but smile, as it was obvious that Squall was impressed with what he saw.
Squall couldn't pull his eyes away from her, and was just frozen to the spot. At last he just let his heart dictate his mind and took a few steps closer to Rinoa, so that now he was right in front of her looking down into her warm hazel eyes. He lifted up his hand and slowly stroked her upper arm, never taking his eyes away from hers. Underneath his touch, Squall could feel Rinoa shiver and lowered his head slowly so finally their lips met in a warm embrace. Squall was very cautious at first and only timidly kissed her sweet mouth. The kiss deepened as their tongues met. Squall was savoring the taste of her mouth and had become completely lost in it. Nothing around him mattered but Rinoa. Somehow they had made there way to the bed and Rinoa put her arms around Squalls neck and pulled him down with her onto the soft bed. They lay together on the silk sheets, Squalls hand running up and down Rinoa's thigh. They were brought back to reality when they heard a knock at the door.
Rinoa began to panic and she tried to push Squall of her, but Squall just kept her there. "Ignore them," he muttered into her hair. Again their lips met and Squall was doing a good job of convincing Rinoa to stay with him on the bed.
"Come on Rin, stop being a sleepy head." Came Selphie's exuberant voice, form the other side of the door. Because she heard no answer, Selphie opened the door and barged into the room. Once inside she stopped dead in her tracks.
"Ahh, my eyes, my eyes!" She yelled dramatically as she quickly turned around and ran out of the room.
"Damn it, Selphie come back here." Demanded Rinoa, pushing Squall of her, and rearranging the towel so that it was back on properly.
Selphie spun on he heels and with a huge grin on her face came back into the room. "Sorry you guys didn't mean to interrupt anything. But you know it isn't all my fault. Have you ever heard of locks?"
Squall had sobered up and decided that perhaps he should leave the two of them alone. As he walked out of the room, Selphie started screaming after him. "Remember that next time Squall, LOCKES." Squall just carried on walking, and Rinoa thought that she could just make out the word whatever get uttered from his mouth.
As soon as he was out of ear shot, Selphie began jumping around the room and leaped on the bed. "Pretty cool pace isn't it?"
Rinoa grinned picking up the clothes that she had looked out earlier and headed to the bathroom to get changed.
"It's amazing" called Rinoa from the bathroom. "This place is huge. And I thought my dad was rich."
"Yep, you got that right."
"So what did you come in here for?" Asked Rinoa.
"I thought it was time you got your lazy butt out of bed. It is already 12, that means we have only 5 hours until the party tonight."
Rinoa who was pulling up her hair into a knot sighed. "That is more than enough time Selphie. What are you worried about?"
"Nothing!" Exclaimed Selphie. "But we have to look our best don't we?"
Rinoa walked out of the bathroom towards Selphie. "Look I refuse to get ready until one hour before hand."
Selphie looked unsure. "But..." she began.
"But nothing. Come on, let's go and explore this place."
************************************************************************
Several hours later Rinoa, Quistis and Selphie were walking into the grand hall at the presidential palace. Rinoa had given in, and started getting ready two hours ago, so had been sitting around her room for a while as Selphie fussed about her, trying on dress after dress until she found what she believed to be the perfect one.
Rinoa took a few steps into the hall and looked around her. This was a small gathering of people? She thought. Rinoa thought that there must have been nearly a hundred people in the room. Walking arm in arm with Selphie and Quistis the three of them made there way right into the room, causing many jaws to drop. Rinoa in her pale yellow, almost golden dress, Quistis in a deep red, strapless, which flowed around her ankles, and Selphie taking a change from her usual yellow and sporting a green, dress with a small floral pattern along the neckline looked amazing.
"Girls, you look wonderful" came a gushing Laguna giving them all a big bear hug. Everyone was surprised how friendly he was. The complete opposite of Squall "Come, come let me introduce you to everyone." Before they knew what was happening, Laguna was dragging them across the room. Rinoa glanced over her shoulder to see Squall standing in the corner giving her a sympathetic look. She couldn't help but think how sexy he looked in his traditional tux. It suited him so well.
"Rinoa, this is General Caraway. Caraway this is Rinoa Heartilly." Rinoa who had been starting at Squall jerked round when she heard her father name. What was her father doing here? Then it dawned on her. He had told her he was planning a trip to Esthar just before she was leaving. It was why he had missed her graduation. Rinoa cursed herself inwardly for forgetting something as important as that.
"Pleasure to meet you." He said very formally taking her hand, and shaking it slightly. He showed no recognition or her. Rinoa looked at his eyes and thought that she could see a look of hurt in them. Following his lead, Rinoa also pretended that nothing was out of the ordinary and said her polite hellos just like she had been brought up to do.
"So Caraway weren't you telling me that you had a daughter. She must be around the same age as these girls here. What was her name again?" Laguna was desperately trying to start a conversation of some sort as the girls and the general didn't seem to be very active in conversation. Unfortunately it had the reverse effect and the three girls and Caraway just stood there in awkward silence.
Caraway looked at Laguna and finally replied. "Yes, I have a daughter. I wish that I could be with her now; it pains me to be away from her for so long. But you know how it is, they grow up and most of the time you do not even know where they are." As he said this he looked directly at Rinoa. "Now if you excuse me" he said "I think I will go and get myself a drink."
Rinoa smiled sympathetically at Laguna and walked over to Squall who had been watching the conversation with interest. "So, are you going to dance with me?" She asked, pulling at his hand.
Squall shifted his eyes nervously and ran his fingers through his hair. "I don't dance." He replied.
Rinoa just pulled at his hand harder. "Come on. Everyone dances."
Squall just stared at her intently. "Let me rephrase that. I can't dance."
Rinoa just started giggling and pulled him away from the wall he was leaning against. "I will just have to teach you then." Rinoa successfully peeled Squall away from the wall, and was taking him towards the dance floor. As they were walking away Rinoa glanced over her shoulder to look at Squall and grinned at him reassuringly. "I don't bite" she teased.
There were only a few people dancing and this made Squall feel even more self-conscious than he was already feeling. He felt as if all eyes were on him waiting for him to make a mistake. He gently placed one of his hands into Rinoa's and then placed the other on her hip. Slowly they started moving lightly around the floor. It took Squall a while to get used to the feel of having someone so closed to him, but after a few badly placed steps, he soon got used to the rhythm and was pleased with his dancing. He wasn't doing too badly, he thought. Just as he finally thought he had got it down, Rinoa interrupted his careful counting and started talking. For a second he messed causing them both to stumble and knock another couple. Fortunately Rinoa managed to gracefully pick up the rhythm and guide them both around.
Squall looked down to the floor. "Sorry about." He said. "I told you I couldn't dance."
Rinoa glanced at him and giggled. "Its my fault I shouldn't have disturbed your concentration."
Squall brought his head up and looked more confident with the dancing now. "I think I have it." He said proudly. "What were you saying early before I embarrassed the two of us?"
"What did you tell your father about what happened? I feel nervous about you just being out in public like this." Said Rinoa
"Well, I told him a brief account of what happened and he seemed to understand. He hadn't heard about what went on in Trabia, so it looks as if they are trying to keep it as low key as possible. No one knows who I am, so I have decided to lay low here for a while. See what happens and then decide on a course of action. I have been trying to get in touch with Cid at the garden, but according to his assistant he went on a vacation with his wife Edea, leaving Xu in charge."
Rinoa just nodded, Squall had seemed to forget that Rinoa didn't know any of those people, and had no idea what he was talking about.
"Laguna says that the man you were talking to is General Caraway. How did he take you reaction here?"
"To be honest he looked hurt and just pretended that nothing was out of the ordinary. I am going to be in so much trouble when he finally talks to me. I am afraid he will take me home to Deling." She said with tears almost appearing in her eyes.
"Don't worry, I won't let him." Squall whispered pulling her closer.
"Speak of the devil." Said Rinoa pointing to the man who was walking up to them.
The general came up behind Squall and tapped him on the shoulder. "May I cut in" he asked.
Squall just shrugged his shoulders and released Rinoa from his grip, giving her hand a quick squeeze as he left her to her father.
Rinoa reluctantly took her fathers hand and let him pull her around the dance floor.
"I was surprised to see you here Rinoa." Caraway said.
"Oh, yes you thought that I was in Trabia didn't you?" Said Rinoa bitterly. "You sent Seifer after me! How long has he been your little lap dog?"
"Now Rinoa, it is not like that. Seifer was worried about you when it turned out that you had disappeared without a trace. He contacted Selphie's parents and they told him about the planned trip to Trabia."
Rinoa gritted her teeth trying to hold back words of anger. She knew that everything coming out of his mouth was a lie. Selphie's parents would never tell Seifer where they had gone, as they had never liked him. Hell, they had promised that they wouldn't tell her father where the three of them had gone. Rinoa spent so much time round at Selphie's house that she had almost become part of the family, and they all resented the way that Rinoa was treated by her father. They took the same approach she did. She was eighteen and could do as she pleased. If her father wasn't going to be around to check up on his daughter then why should he have the right to know what she was doing?
"Rinoa, why did you lie to me? I would have let you gone if you had just asked. And to be traveling the globe with...with him." Caraway nodded in Squall's direction. "What was his name again?"
"None of your business." Snapped Rinoa, who was getting really angry with her father now. This was the longest conversation they had had in months and it was all based on lies and deceit, she felt bitterness towards her father surface.
"Have it your way. I assume that you will be returning with me, when I leave for Deling tomorrow?"
Rinoa stared at him levelly. "No." Was her simple answer.
Her answer was met with Carways' grip tightening on he wrist. "I don't want to have to make you." He growled.
Rinoa looked kept her gaze steady and stared him down. "I am staying here and there is nothing you can do about it.'
Caraway shook his head. "I dread to think of what your mother would say if she could see you now. She would be disgraced."
"Leave her out of this." Rinoa shouted forgetting that she was in a room full of people. Their dancing came to an abrupt halt as they felt all eyes in the room on them. Rinoa took this as her chance to leave her fathers arms and ran out of the room pushing past people roughly. Rinoa ran down the hall into the first door that she found, and when she was sure no one was around she just sank to the floor, and began crying. She didn't stop and let the tears just roll down her cheeks.
Squall who had been watching everything that had been going on in the room, walked up to Caraway and, his fist curled up in a ball. He pulled back his arm and let it go right into Carways cheek sending him to the floor. Barely giving him a glance Squall walked away in the same direction Rinoa had gone. When he came across her she was huddled up in a ball, without sure quite what to say Squall simply sat behind her and put his circled his arms around her waist so that she was now pulled right into his embrace. He lent forward and kissed her cheek lightly. "It will be alright." He whispered. "Whatever your father says, it is not true. Your mother could never be ashamed of you. You are the most wonderful person that I have ever met."
Rinoa sniffed and turned her head to Squall. "Thank you." She said appreciatively.
"Do you want me to take you back to your room? No one would mind if you left to get some rest."
"I'm alright. I'm not going to let him get to me. That is what he wants. If I show weakness then he would have won. I have already shown too much. I need to face him"
"Alright then." Said Squall taking her hands and pulling her to her feet. "Lets go back in. We will do this together."
Rinoa leaned her head against Squall's shoulder and followed him out of the room. Just as they turned a corner Rinoa saw a young boy in the far distance. Before Rinoa could see who it was, he ran into a room further down the hall. "Did you just see that?" She asked pulling on Squall's arm.
"See what?" He said.
"I...don't know. It was a small child, which looked oddly familiar."
"I wouldn't worry about it. Probably one of the guests children." Squall pulled her hand, trying to take her in the direction of the hall.
Rinoa shook her head in frustration. "It isn't that. I have this...feeling. It is something different. The child look distressed he needed help."
Squall crossed his arms. "Are you sure you don't need to rest?"
"I'm fine! Please Squall can we just see if the child is alright?"
Squall sighed. "If you want."
Rinoa led Squall down the hall and reached the door that the boy had entered. Rinoa knocked on the door.
"Hello." She called. "Do you need help?" There was no answer, but both Squall and Rinoa could hear someone crying through the door. "Um...we're coming in." Rinoa hesitantly opened the door, and stepped into the room. Rinoa was shocked, as instead of walking into a room she had stepped into a barren field, which was larger than the whole of the palace combined. She turned around to see Squall also entering the room and he had an equally stunned look on his face. Behind him the door swung closed and disappeared leaving the two of them stranded.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Not even anything from Final Fantasy VIII. That belongs to Squaresoft or SquareEnix. I don't know any more.
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Rinoa peeked her eyes open and looked around the brightly lit room, taking in her surroundings. Judging from the amount of light that was coming through the curtains, Rinoa guessed it was late morning and she had slept in very late. She had seen magnificent places before but the grandeur and the elegance that radiated from her surroundings took her breath away. Rinoa was lying on a large four-poster bed, with gold and red silk sheets with matching drapes. Snuggling into the soft covers Rinoa contemplated the events that had occurred the nights before. Squall had phoned ahead so that they were expected at the presidential palace and they got a warm welcome, much to Squall's dislike, when they eventually got there. Introductions were made and she met Laguna (Rinoa blushed slightly when he had told her just to call him that) and Squall's half sister Ellone who also lived at the palace. Because of the predicament they were in Rinoa introduced herself under the name of Heartilly so that Laguna's suspicion, would not be aroused. Yet for some reason when she mentioned the name a look of sadness crossed his face and he appeared to be trying to recall some lost memory.
Rinoa sighed, thinking how lucky she was that she was away from everything, even it did mean she was on the run. To her it was just another adventure and she was finding it fun. She only wished she could be there to see the look on her fathers face when he found out that she was running away with a bunch of fugitives.
Deciding that she could do with a warm shower after spending three days in a car with five other people Rinoa reluctantly got out of the warm covers and headed to the bathroom. She turned the shower on to full heat and spent a long time just relaxing in the luxuriously warm water. After one of the best showers of her life she got out and wrapped herself in a towel and went to look for a change of clothes. They had all been invited to dinner that evening and it was supposed to be fancy affair with a bit of dancing, so she went for the new dress that she had bought in Trabia. Rinoa placed it on the bed, for later and rummaged through to find something more practical for the afternoon.
Just as she was just pulling out some clothes from her bag and putting them on the bed, she heard a light knock and before she could answer Squall walked into the room.
Squall casually walked into the room expecting Rinoa to be asleep, but stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Rinoa standing there only wearing a towel. His jaw dropped and his gaze was just focused on Rinoa, and he could tear his eyes away.
"I...m....I'm...Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt....I just came to wake you...up, but I can see....that...." He voice just trailed off into nothing.
Rinoa glanced down at the towel wrapped around her body. She frantically attempted to push her wet hair behind her ears, trying to make it look neater and then remembered the towel again, and brought her arms back around her body trying to cover herself up as much as possible. She looked at Squall and saw his mesmerized expression as he examined her sleek, wet body. Although feeling very self-conscious, Rinoa couldn't help but smile, as it was obvious that Squall was impressed with what he saw.
Squall couldn't pull his eyes away from her, and was just frozen to the spot. At last he just let his heart dictate his mind and took a few steps closer to Rinoa, so that now he was right in front of her looking down into her warm hazel eyes. He lifted up his hand and slowly stroked her upper arm, never taking his eyes away from hers. Underneath his touch, Squall could feel Rinoa shiver and lowered his head slowly so finally their lips met in a warm embrace. Squall was very cautious at first and only timidly kissed her sweet mouth. The kiss deepened as their tongues met. Squall was savoring the taste of her mouth and had become completely lost in it. Nothing around him mattered but Rinoa. Somehow they had made there way to the bed and Rinoa put her arms around Squalls neck and pulled him down with her onto the soft bed. They lay together on the silk sheets, Squalls hand running up and down Rinoa's thigh. They were brought back to reality when they heard a knock at the door.
Rinoa began to panic and she tried to push Squall of her, but Squall just kept her there. "Ignore them," he muttered into her hair. Again their lips met and Squall was doing a good job of convincing Rinoa to stay with him on the bed.
"Come on Rin, stop being a sleepy head." Came Selphie's exuberant voice, form the other side of the door. Because she heard no answer, Selphie opened the door and barged into the room. Once inside she stopped dead in her tracks.
"Ahh, my eyes, my eyes!" She yelled dramatically as she quickly turned around and ran out of the room.
"Damn it, Selphie come back here." Demanded Rinoa, pushing Squall of her, and rearranging the towel so that it was back on properly.
Selphie spun on he heels and with a huge grin on her face came back into the room. "Sorry you guys didn't mean to interrupt anything. But you know it isn't all my fault. Have you ever heard of locks?"
Squall had sobered up and decided that perhaps he should leave the two of them alone. As he walked out of the room, Selphie started screaming after him. "Remember that next time Squall, LOCKES." Squall just carried on walking, and Rinoa thought that she could just make out the word whatever get uttered from his mouth.
As soon as he was out of ear shot, Selphie began jumping around the room and leaped on the bed. "Pretty cool pace isn't it?"
Rinoa grinned picking up the clothes that she had looked out earlier and headed to the bathroom to get changed.
"It's amazing" called Rinoa from the bathroom. "This place is huge. And I thought my dad was rich."
"Yep, you got that right."
"So what did you come in here for?" Asked Rinoa.
"I thought it was time you got your lazy butt out of bed. It is already 12, that means we have only 5 hours until the party tonight."
Rinoa who was pulling up her hair into a knot sighed. "That is more than enough time Selphie. What are you worried about?"
"Nothing!" Exclaimed Selphie. "But we have to look our best don't we?"
Rinoa walked out of the bathroom towards Selphie. "Look I refuse to get ready until one hour before hand."
Selphie looked unsure. "But..." she began.
"But nothing. Come on, let's go and explore this place."
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Several hours later Rinoa, Quistis and Selphie were walking into the grand hall at the presidential palace. Rinoa had given in, and started getting ready two hours ago, so had been sitting around her room for a while as Selphie fussed about her, trying on dress after dress until she found what she believed to be the perfect one.
Rinoa took a few steps into the hall and looked around her. This was a small gathering of people? She thought. Rinoa thought that there must have been nearly a hundred people in the room. Walking arm in arm with Selphie and Quistis the three of them made there way right into the room, causing many jaws to drop. Rinoa in her pale yellow, almost golden dress, Quistis in a deep red, strapless, which flowed around her ankles, and Selphie taking a change from her usual yellow and sporting a green, dress with a small floral pattern along the neckline looked amazing.
"Girls, you look wonderful" came a gushing Laguna giving them all a big bear hug. Everyone was surprised how friendly he was. The complete opposite of Squall "Come, come let me introduce you to everyone." Before they knew what was happening, Laguna was dragging them across the room. Rinoa glanced over her shoulder to see Squall standing in the corner giving her a sympathetic look. She couldn't help but think how sexy he looked in his traditional tux. It suited him so well.
"Rinoa, this is General Caraway. Caraway this is Rinoa Heartilly." Rinoa who had been starting at Squall jerked round when she heard her father name. What was her father doing here? Then it dawned on her. He had told her he was planning a trip to Esthar just before she was leaving. It was why he had missed her graduation. Rinoa cursed herself inwardly for forgetting something as important as that.
"Pleasure to meet you." He said very formally taking her hand, and shaking it slightly. He showed no recognition or her. Rinoa looked at his eyes and thought that she could see a look of hurt in them. Following his lead, Rinoa also pretended that nothing was out of the ordinary and said her polite hellos just like she had been brought up to do.
"So Caraway weren't you telling me that you had a daughter. She must be around the same age as these girls here. What was her name again?" Laguna was desperately trying to start a conversation of some sort as the girls and the general didn't seem to be very active in conversation. Unfortunately it had the reverse effect and the three girls and Caraway just stood there in awkward silence.
Caraway looked at Laguna and finally replied. "Yes, I have a daughter. I wish that I could be with her now; it pains me to be away from her for so long. But you know how it is, they grow up and most of the time you do not even know where they are." As he said this he looked directly at Rinoa. "Now if you excuse me" he said "I think I will go and get myself a drink."
Rinoa smiled sympathetically at Laguna and walked over to Squall who had been watching the conversation with interest. "So, are you going to dance with me?" She asked, pulling at his hand.
Squall shifted his eyes nervously and ran his fingers through his hair. "I don't dance." He replied.
Rinoa just pulled at his hand harder. "Come on. Everyone dances."
Squall just stared at her intently. "Let me rephrase that. I can't dance."
Rinoa just started giggling and pulled him away from the wall he was leaning against. "I will just have to teach you then." Rinoa successfully peeled Squall away from the wall, and was taking him towards the dance floor. As they were walking away Rinoa glanced over her shoulder to look at Squall and grinned at him reassuringly. "I don't bite" she teased.
There were only a few people dancing and this made Squall feel even more self-conscious than he was already feeling. He felt as if all eyes were on him waiting for him to make a mistake. He gently placed one of his hands into Rinoa's and then placed the other on her hip. Slowly they started moving lightly around the floor. It took Squall a while to get used to the feel of having someone so closed to him, but after a few badly placed steps, he soon got used to the rhythm and was pleased with his dancing. He wasn't doing too badly, he thought. Just as he finally thought he had got it down, Rinoa interrupted his careful counting and started talking. For a second he messed causing them both to stumble and knock another couple. Fortunately Rinoa managed to gracefully pick up the rhythm and guide them both around.
Squall looked down to the floor. "Sorry about." He said. "I told you I couldn't dance."
Rinoa glanced at him and giggled. "Its my fault I shouldn't have disturbed your concentration."
Squall brought his head up and looked more confident with the dancing now. "I think I have it." He said proudly. "What were you saying early before I embarrassed the two of us?"
"What did you tell your father about what happened? I feel nervous about you just being out in public like this." Said Rinoa
"Well, I told him a brief account of what happened and he seemed to understand. He hadn't heard about what went on in Trabia, so it looks as if they are trying to keep it as low key as possible. No one knows who I am, so I have decided to lay low here for a while. See what happens and then decide on a course of action. I have been trying to get in touch with Cid at the garden, but according to his assistant he went on a vacation with his wife Edea, leaving Xu in charge."
Rinoa just nodded, Squall had seemed to forget that Rinoa didn't know any of those people, and had no idea what he was talking about.
"Laguna says that the man you were talking to is General Caraway. How did he take you reaction here?"
"To be honest he looked hurt and just pretended that nothing was out of the ordinary. I am going to be in so much trouble when he finally talks to me. I am afraid he will take me home to Deling." She said with tears almost appearing in her eyes.
"Don't worry, I won't let him." Squall whispered pulling her closer.
"Speak of the devil." Said Rinoa pointing to the man who was walking up to them.
The general came up behind Squall and tapped him on the shoulder. "May I cut in" he asked.
Squall just shrugged his shoulders and released Rinoa from his grip, giving her hand a quick squeeze as he left her to her father.
Rinoa reluctantly took her fathers hand and let him pull her around the dance floor.
"I was surprised to see you here Rinoa." Caraway said.
"Oh, yes you thought that I was in Trabia didn't you?" Said Rinoa bitterly. "You sent Seifer after me! How long has he been your little lap dog?"
"Now Rinoa, it is not like that. Seifer was worried about you when it turned out that you had disappeared without a trace. He contacted Selphie's parents and they told him about the planned trip to Trabia."
Rinoa gritted her teeth trying to hold back words of anger. She knew that everything coming out of his mouth was a lie. Selphie's parents would never tell Seifer where they had gone, as they had never liked him. Hell, they had promised that they wouldn't tell her father where the three of them had gone. Rinoa spent so much time round at Selphie's house that she had almost become part of the family, and they all resented the way that Rinoa was treated by her father. They took the same approach she did. She was eighteen and could do as she pleased. If her father wasn't going to be around to check up on his daughter then why should he have the right to know what she was doing?
"Rinoa, why did you lie to me? I would have let you gone if you had just asked. And to be traveling the globe with...with him." Caraway nodded in Squall's direction. "What was his name again?"
"None of your business." Snapped Rinoa, who was getting really angry with her father now. This was the longest conversation they had had in months and it was all based on lies and deceit, she felt bitterness towards her father surface.
"Have it your way. I assume that you will be returning with me, when I leave for Deling tomorrow?"
Rinoa stared at him levelly. "No." Was her simple answer.
Her answer was met with Carways' grip tightening on he wrist. "I don't want to have to make you." He growled.
Rinoa looked kept her gaze steady and stared him down. "I am staying here and there is nothing you can do about it.'
Caraway shook his head. "I dread to think of what your mother would say if she could see you now. She would be disgraced."
"Leave her out of this." Rinoa shouted forgetting that she was in a room full of people. Their dancing came to an abrupt halt as they felt all eyes in the room on them. Rinoa took this as her chance to leave her fathers arms and ran out of the room pushing past people roughly. Rinoa ran down the hall into the first door that she found, and when she was sure no one was around she just sank to the floor, and began crying. She didn't stop and let the tears just roll down her cheeks.
Squall who had been watching everything that had been going on in the room, walked up to Caraway and, his fist curled up in a ball. He pulled back his arm and let it go right into Carways cheek sending him to the floor. Barely giving him a glance Squall walked away in the same direction Rinoa had gone. When he came across her she was huddled up in a ball, without sure quite what to say Squall simply sat behind her and put his circled his arms around her waist so that she was now pulled right into his embrace. He lent forward and kissed her cheek lightly. "It will be alright." He whispered. "Whatever your father says, it is not true. Your mother could never be ashamed of you. You are the most wonderful person that I have ever met."
Rinoa sniffed and turned her head to Squall. "Thank you." She said appreciatively.
"Do you want me to take you back to your room? No one would mind if you left to get some rest."
"I'm alright. I'm not going to let him get to me. That is what he wants. If I show weakness then he would have won. I have already shown too much. I need to face him"
"Alright then." Said Squall taking her hands and pulling her to her feet. "Lets go back in. We will do this together."
Rinoa leaned her head against Squall's shoulder and followed him out of the room. Just as they turned a corner Rinoa saw a young boy in the far distance. Before Rinoa could see who it was, he ran into a room further down the hall. "Did you just see that?" She asked pulling on Squall's arm.
"See what?" He said.
"I...don't know. It was a small child, which looked oddly familiar."
"I wouldn't worry about it. Probably one of the guests children." Squall pulled her hand, trying to take her in the direction of the hall.
Rinoa shook her head in frustration. "It isn't that. I have this...feeling. It is something different. The child look distressed he needed help."
Squall crossed his arms. "Are you sure you don't need to rest?"
"I'm fine! Please Squall can we just see if the child is alright?"
Squall sighed. "If you want."
Rinoa led Squall down the hall and reached the door that the boy had entered. Rinoa knocked on the door.
"Hello." She called. "Do you need help?" There was no answer, but both Squall and Rinoa could hear someone crying through the door. "Um...we're coming in." Rinoa hesitantly opened the door, and stepped into the room. Rinoa was shocked, as instead of walking into a room she had stepped into a barren field, which was larger than the whole of the palace combined. She turned around to see Squall also entering the room and he had an equally stunned look on his face. Behind him the door swung closed and disappeared leaving the two of them stranded.