This is a regular disclaimer, I don't own any of the character from Final Fantasy, and the characters are the property of Square Enix. The only characters that are mine are the ones I create to go into this story. So please don't sue me that would be unlucky.
Chapter2. Flames of The Past
The grass swayed in the arms of the warm spring breeze that blew over the land, warming everything that it touched. The breeze combed Squall's unruly brown hair with it's fingers. As the sun beamed down on Squall's face he stood in the grass fields that covered the rolling hills of the terrain. It had been only two weeks since he had left and yet it seemed as if he had been gone much longer. He took in his surroundings and the smell of the ocean air mixed with scent of the wild flowers from the field. Traveler was nearby eating his fill of grass until his owner was ready to start moving again. The journey back had been a long one but was now almost over. Squall had dismounted to survey the landscape and give Traveler some time to rest, but the day was moving on and they needed to move on as well.
Traveler lowered his head to take another bite of grass then raised his head up looking at Squall. Squall put his hand on the horse's long neck and pets the smooth grey coat of the stallion. "Let's getting going we need to be back before night fall" Squall said to Traveler as if he expected the horse to respond. Traveler huffed in response
Squall pulled himself back onto his saddle once again taking the reigns in hand Squall gave Traveler a slight nudge with the heel of his boot. The pair headed west, not in any hurry to get back wanting to take in their surroundings a bit longer. That would quickly change though, as events beyond Squall's control or understanding were set into motion.
Feeling pretty good Squall gazed up into the blue sky over head. Everything seemed to be going well, his friends were doing well and he had returned safely. Questions had begun to enter his mind about his trip and the suddenness of it. Before he could even verbalize the questions something on the horizon caught his eye.
Rising up into the sky in front of him were billows of ominous black smoke clouds coming from behind the hills in front of them. Squall's eyes grew large and without even pulling on the reigns the horse stopped in its tracks almost as if it sensed its master's fears.
Squall's small questions about his journey evaporated like mist as he saw the dark smoke rise up streaking the sky like dark vines climbing up a wall. Squall froze for a moment. Then one thought raced into his mind filling him with panic, "my family is there ...we have to get back. I have to find them before something happens and I mean now."
Traveler responded immediately when he heard Squall yell his name "Traveler" in a voice filled with anxiety and fear. No spurring was required to get Traveler moving this time as the grey and white mustang became like a galloping ghost tearing through the grass fields and farm land that surrounded the small town of Winhill.
Questions raced through Squall's mind faster then he capable of answering them or even fully grasping them all. "Who would do this …. What do they want…. There is nothing strategic about Winhill it's on the outskirt of the continent, why here…. We don't have an army …. There is no money here, we are all just fishermen, farmers, and merchants…. we don't even have that many men that can fight except….." All of sudden his mind screamed for him to hurry before it was too late.
As Traveler cleared the top of the last hill on the out skirt of the town, Squall got his first glimpse of the horror that was laid out before him.
The Inn and shops located on the out skirts were engulfed in flames, the fire reached out of the windows as it were trying to pull everything into its killer grasp. The doors were open as if the people had tried to escape their fiery graves, but as Traveler's hoofs took their first step on the dirt road the vision worsened. The town's people lucky enough to flee their burning homes and shops were cut down in the roads, the fields of their farms, or the yards of their homes. Traveler tore by burning buildings, but all Squall saw were dead bodies lining the road. Bodies with expressions of terror frozen on their faces for all eternity stared back at him with their own blood seeping out to pool around them.
Squall turned away from the sight hoping against all odds that this fate didn't befall everyone in the town.
Traveler slowed down as he reached the central plaza of the town, even before Traveler could stop Squall dismounted. As soon as his boots hit solid ground he charged toward the pub that his family owned in the town plaza, the pub was set ablaze just like every other building in the town.
Squall threw the door open, as he did so smoke poured out of the pub filling his lungs with a burning sensation. Without thinking he ran in to find everything ablaze. Squall screamed out at the top of his lungs "hello, is anyone in here …. Mother, Ellone, Father are you here". Then he fell silent praying for an answer to his call. All around him he heard the fire roaring and the crackle of splintering wood. Out the roaring blaze he heard a muffled voice call out from the direction of the store room located behind the bar.
Ellone had spent the last twenty minutes locked in the store room pounding on the door. She had continue to beat on the door until her hands were so bruised that she couldn't even ball them into fists any longer. When the smoke started to come into the room from underneath the door, and the flames began to move in through the wall, she believed that this would be her time. "Why has this happened, what have we done to deserve this" Ellone thought to herself with the bitterness of fear eating away at her. The only thing that reconciled her fate was one hopeful thought "Thank God Squall has escaped this fate and will survive." She had spent the past five minutes on the floor with her apron up to her face to filter out the smoke as best as possible. All of sudden she heard a voice calling out from inside of the pub. "I'm in here, please help me" she yelled as best as she could then she started to cough from the smoke she was breathing in.
Squall started to move toward the store room where he believed the muffled voice had come from. Unfortunately the store room was on the other side of the bar and the bar was engulfed in flames already.
All fear and caution were stripped from Squall when he heard that distant voice; he would do anything to get them out. "I will not let you die" Squall said, more for himself than for the person trapped within the store room, as he pushed himself forward. Running up to the bar Squall put his gloved hand onto the burning bar and propelled himself over the bar and through the extended fingers of the flames.
A chair had been propped against the door condemning all inside to death in this fire. Kicking the chair out of the way Squall pulled the door open and was engulfed by a wall of black smoke that poured out of the room. Through blurry eyes Squall surveyed the room and found a figure lying on the floor. As he got closer he was able to see it was Ellone.
When Ellone yelled out to the person she heard in the pub she took in a lot of smoke and began to get light headed. "I can't let myself pass out, if I do I'll die" she tried to plead with her mind, but her body was already losing the war with the smoke. Her eyes became heavy and her lungs started to hurt as she took in every breath with a struggle. Then her eyes shut and she started to collapse "is this it … Am I going to die here burned to death …. Alone, please no" her mind pleaded slowly as the smoke started to affect her. Then she felt strong arms lift her up off the floor "who is it, I wish I knew" her mind asked.
Taking Ellone into his arms he supported her body against his chest. Looking down at her face, he could that it was blackened from the smoke and she wasn't moving. Moving quickly he ran around the bar towards the door. "Don't you worry Elle I'll get you out of here" he said and she stirred in response.
Ellone knew she had been pulled from the fire's rapid decent, but by whom she did not know. "Who has me? I have to know" she thought. As she forced her eyes open she saw unruly brown hair and stormy blue eyes, "Squall?" she questioned quietly.
Squall looked down at Ellone's blackened face and dirty short brown hair when he heard her call his name. "Ya Sis, it's me I'm going to get you out of here, you'll be fine….just stay with me. You got that" Squall answered in a strong but gentle voice trying to reassure her as much as possible. Ellone nodded her head slightly in response as Squall cautiously moved around the remnants of the burning furniture.
Ellone's eyes were slightly open and blurry from all the smoke. She couldn't make out much of anything except blurs of color, but the strong arms of her brother she recognized. She didn't need to be able to see clearly to know who had saved her. As they neared the door to the pub the sun broke through the smoke and came down on Ellone's face almost as if it was teasing her with its warm rays on her skin while her heart was cold with sorrow.
Squall ran out of the door to the pub holding Ellone protectively to his chest, using his body to shield her from the flames that they had to pass through as they exited the pub. Once they reached the safe distance where Squall had left Traveler, Squall lowered Ellone to the coble stone ground that made up the town's main plaza. Reaching over to Traveler, Squall took his water skin from his saddle. "Here Elle drink some water, it will cool your throat and help you to breathe better."
As Ellone began to take the water skin from Squall they heard a piercing shrill scream coming out of the pub. Squall looked up to the second level window. "Mother, she's still upstairs" Squall spoke in shock "I am going to get her out" he spoke in heart wrenching terror. Ellone let the water skin drop to the ground spilling its contents onto the coble stone; she lunged out for Squall's leg. Wrapping her arms around his leg Ellone wouldn't let him go, "don't go Squall …. it's too late" she pleaded.
Squall was stopped in his tracks by Ellone who was hanging onto his leg with all her strength. "Sis let me go . I have to go" Squall yelled panicking "its not to late, didn't you hear he cry out …… let go of me now" he said with is voice rising with anger. "Squall if you go in there you will die with her; you know she wouldn't want you to do that ….. She would want you to live….. I know it's hard, I lover her too but you have honor her wishes for you to live" Ellone said with sorrow in her voice.
Squall squatted down to his sister "I will honor her wish" he said with a gentle calmness in his voice as he loosened her grip on his leg. He turned running toward the pub once again this time not being stopped by Ellone.
When Ellone heard his foot steps move away and saw his blurred image move toward the door new tears brimmed in her eyes, not from the smoke but from the fear of losing her brother along with everyone else. "Squall" she whimpered quietly as the tears ran down her soot stained face creating streaks of white skin within the black.
Squall jump through the flames that were now blocking the door way, "I am coming mother, just hold on just a little longer. It will be ok I promise" he tried to yell above the roar of the flames and crackling timbers. Sprinting up the stairs two steps at a time he reached the door to the second floor apartment where his family lived in. Squall quickly glanced at the burning door with out a moment's hesitation his leg swung back and then flew forward with brutal force devastating the burning door.
For the very first time since Irvine and Zell had know Squall they manager to awake before him. It usually took several rounds of rousing to get Zell up from his slumber. Tonight though was different, something was bothering Zell; he just couldn't let it go and he needed to talk about it with someone. "Irvine are you awake" Zell asked quietly not wanting to wake him if he was asleep. "Ya, I'm awake what do you need Zell" Irvine asked in a low tired voice.
"Irvine something is bothering me about Squall" Zell stated a little uneasily "you know how he said he couldn't kill the sorceress." "Even though he said he would find out the truth about her and make his own decision whether to kill her or not….. Something just seems wrong" Zell said. "What do you mean Zell" Irvine asked. "Well what will happen if he chooses not to kill her" Zell asked while staring up at the pale blue of the early morning sky. "Two things could possible happen" Irvine started coolly. "We will have to make our choice based on the one he chooses" Irvine continued. "And what are those two choices?" Zell questioned "he will either choose to kill her or he will choose to protect her" Irvine answered. "If he chooses to kill her nothing will change, except for the fact that it took him a little longer to carry out his assignment" Irvine continued. "What if he chooses to protect her?" Zell asked rolling over to look at Irvine.
"Then he will either bring her with us or he will leave us to be with her. If she comes with us then we will have to decide if we are going to stay with him. I know Squall well enough to know that if he trusts her then I can trust her and I will stay with him" Irvine explained. "And if he leaves?" Zell urged "then we different decision to make. We can to either go with him or to stay with the army. If we return to the army then we would have to help hunt him down to the ends of the earth" Irvine said in a low voice turning over to look at Zell. Neither wanted to think about having to hunt down their comrade, their friend, the three of them had been through too much together.
Suddenly Squall shot up from underneath his blanket. He sat straight up with sweat rolling down his face, looking as if he were in pain. Not physical but emotional pain, the terror still etched across his face.
As Squall bolted upright the nightmarish torture was replaying in his mind. The door quickly burst open to the deep blackness within, before he could peer into the darkness the door slammed shut. He never saw what was on the other side of the door, it always shut before he could find out. Just the thought of it brought a cold sweat to his worn body . A good night's sleep was a luxury that he rarely enjoyed, the demons of his past tortured him at night with his own fragmented memories.
Irvine and Zell both looked at Squall when he sat up but they didn't say anything to him. "His past is working on him again, when will he be able to accept what happened." Irvine thought solemnly. Zell just watched, knowing that there was little that he or Irvine could do to calm the flames that always seemed to be slowly burning away at Squall.
Squall touched his left forearm, which was covered by a black bracer with metal plating sown on one side. "Is this permanent reminder not enough? Must I revisit the nightmare every time I close my eyes as well?" Squall asked silently.
"Hey Squall, you ok over there" Zell asked lightly trying to pull attention away from whatever Squall was thinking on. "I'm fine" Squall responded after shaking the thoughts out his mind. "Well let's eat before we head back to base camp, I'm sure we have enough time" Zell said as his stomach began to growl. Squall looked at Zell "I swear he eats or thinks about eating more than anyone else I know" he thought, "alright Zell, what do we have to eat anyway?" he asked. "Whatever is left of the deer that Irvine caught yesterday. I'll get the fire started and we'll cook some up" Zell said while licking his lips.
Squall shook his head in slight disbelief at his friends' constant hunger, but agreed that they had time for food. Irvine retrieved the deer meat and Zell brought the fire back to life by putting new wood into the smoldering cinders. The fire came back to life after a couple of blows spread the flames to the fresh wood. Irvine put the meat on a pike and started to cook their early morning meal.
"What do you think the general will say when he finds out?" Zell asked between bites. "Finds out about what?" Irvine questioned. "That Squall didn't kill the sorceress like he was ordered" Zell bluntly stated. "I don't know, but this is a first for Squall and that has to count for something" Irvine tried to reassure. "It doesn't matter" Squall said flatly, both men looked at him "I am the one who failed to carry out this assignment, but I did what I thought I needed to do" he continued. "Something was wrong, I didn't like the way it felt so I will find out the truth for myself and complete the assignment as I see fit not how someone else tells me to, understood?" Squall said with determination in his voice as he looked at his two friends. "One way or another" he added quietly almost inaudible, but Irvine heard it and watched as Squall eyes moved to watch the dancing flames of the fire. "I will follow you to the end no matter what" Irvine's mind responded unspoken.
After they had finished their meal…or better yet once Zell and his bottomless pit had finished eating, the three rolled up their blankets tying them to their saddles. "We should make the General's base camp by dusk" Squall offered, "why so late" Zell asked. "I was counting for the times that you will need to stop and eat on the way" Squall countered in a light voice. "I don't have to eat that much…..I just like to take the time to enjoy my meal is all" Zell explained.
Irvine and Squall both laughed "yes, we know Zell" Irvine said smiling. "Well let's get started, the farther we get before lunch the better" Squall said with a smile looking over to Zell. "Fine I just won't eat till we get back" Zell said in a huff. This caused Irvine to start laughing and brought a small smile to the face of the usually solemn Squall.
"That's new for Squall" Irvine thought "smiling and doing it in front of us. I guess maybe something has changed but what?" he continued in his thoughts as he watched his two friends saddle their horses.
Squall gave Traveler a small nudge "let's get moving. I am sure the General will want me to explain myself, if I can" Squall said not really looking forward to the up coming inquiry. The three spurred their horses on as they headed north back toward the base camp through the Forest of the Moon.
While Rinoa's soldiers scurried around the camp preparing for their unexpected early departure, she stood patiently beside her fallen tent. Yuri had volunteered to retrieve Rinoa's belongs. As he released the remainder of the tent's rigging Rinoa watched. It seemed as if she were just waiting to help gather her belongs, but her only thoughts were on the events of the night before. "He got into my tent so easily. It is obvious that he was well trained and I know that last night was not his first job of this kind….so why did he stop? Why did he not complete his mission?" she asked herself. "There was nothing to stop him. No one knew he was there except for me and I am of no threat to him…so what was it? And God…those eyes. I feel as if I could loose myself with in the penetrating gaze of those icy blue eyes."
Rinoa was so deep in thought that she didn't notice Thomas as he walked up and stood beside her.. She didn't even feel his presences until he spoke; "I am sorry Rinoa for what happened" Thomas stated, breaking Rinoa from her thoughts. Rinoa, who had been staring absently at Yuri moving beneath her tent's fabric, looked up at Thomas. "What for Thomas?" she asked, confused as to why he was apologizing.
"For not being able to protect you, my actions left you unprotected. Not only could he have killed me but he could have killed you and I ….." he started to explain, but Rinoa cut him off; she wanted him to understand that he was not to blame. "Thomas no one was hurt, and it was you that warned everyone of the intruder in the first place, besides…" she paused to make sure he was listening. Thomas remained silent telling her he was.
Yuri had been under this stupid tent for the past half hour. At first he tried to untie the tent's rigging but in the end he decided to cut it. "We have to replace the center rope anyway. We can just as easily replace the rest of it too" he thought to himself as he cut the remaining intact lines with his knife. After the ropes had been cut he began to feel his way through the darkness of the tent's canopy until he saw a sliver of light at the tent's edge. As he crawled out from underneath the tent the first thing he heard was "Besides...
"He entered my tent unknown to anyone. At first I didn't know what was going on. He just stood there…" she paused again to make sure he was listening and his nod told her to continue. "I laid there hoping he would leave but instead I heard him pull his sword from its sheath. He stood there with sword in hand long enough to have killed me ten times over but he didn't" she said with the intruder's image fresh in her mind. "Thomas, You didn't do anything wrong except let your anger get the better of you. So don't apologize for that. Just keep it from happening again because my life will depend on you and the others" she told him.
Thomas listened to Rinoa intently. He was amazed to learn that the intruder had enough time to have finished the job and get out even before he had arrived on the scene. Piecing thing together in his mind…"It was obvious that he was well trained. Why would he just do nothing? I mean he easily took me down with one move and he didn't even seem like he was trying" his mind wondered "and once again he didn't kill me even though he could have. Why send an assassin that can't kill? That doesn't make any sense". After hearing the missing details Thomas was even more confused and his mind began to question what had really happened.
Yuri listened and even though he was thinking thoughts very similar to Thomas's he kept silent. "Just from how calm he stayed, when Brent, Francis and I showed up, it was obvious that he was perfectly able to kill" he thought trying to weigh the information. "He just couldn't kill her. Maybe she put a spell on him, no wait if she had done that then how did he fight off Thomas and how was he able to escape…. No, he wasn't under a spell at least not from her" logic told him.
"Rinoa do you think that he was unable to kill anyone, that maybe he got there and got scared" Thomas asked hoping it to be the truth because it would mean the intruder was really nothing to worry about at all. Before Rinoa could answer some else spoke up "No, he could have killed her and you whenever he had felt like it" Yuri said rising up from his knees to stand in front of the two. "What do you mean Yuri, he didn't even use his sword when he fought me" Thomas counted. "And still he defeated you with ease Thomas, just because he didn't use his sword doesn't mean he wouldn't ……. did you see the look in his eyes Thomas?" Yuri asked with a hint of annoyance. "Fighting was nothing new to him, he has probably seen things that even your young nightmares can't touch…. he didn't even panic when I showed up with Brent and Francis and we out numbered him" he went on.
Rinoa stood there listening to Yuri talk about what he had seen in just that brief moment he had seen the intruder. As she listened her mind remembered his piercing eyes. "They were cold and unmoving at first but they changed when he looked at me. I am sure they changed, I know they did. The dim light within his crystalline eyes grew softer almost hurting with an unknown inner anguish."
Yuri looked at Thomas "don't you believe for a second that he can't kill because the next time you see him it will either be you or him and if you think he can't kill it will be you."
"I understand and I'll be ready next time to put him in his grave" Thomas said looking straight into Yuri's eyes. "I hope so Thomas."
"Thomas go and fetch the horse team for Rinoa carriage, then get Brent to ready the carriage and have Francis come here to help load her things" Yuri instructed of the younger man. "Yes sir" Thomas said and turned heading off toward the horses.
Yuri turned to Rinoa who seemed to have a worried look on her face "you don't have to worry I wont let him get to you." She looked at Yuri and nodded her head, but for some reason that was the problem she wanted to see him again. "I want to know why he didn't kill me . and why even though I know he was sent to kill me I don't fear him at all . …. the only way that is going to happen is if Yuri isn't there" her mind concluded albeit a little scared of its own reasoning.
As Thomas was on his way to find the others he passed a soldier that had been concealed behind a tent. The soldier had been listening in on the conversation between the three with disgust. "You were lucky this time sorceress. And you, Yuri, you think that you know what is going on but soon you too will find yourself at the end of a sword" he mentally scoffed at the two still standing there. "And Thomas will be the easiest to do away with, he is young and stupid not a good combination" he thought smiling. Then turned and left.
Thomas found the horses easy enough. Rinoa had the only white horses in the entire army; they had been assigned to her for her carriage. Thomas hadn't seen Francis or Brent, neither one seemed to be around. Thomas continued on his way to getting the horses ready. "Man, Yuri sure did give that guy a lot of credit it almost sounded as if you were envious of him." Thomas thought as grabbed a set of a reigns for one of the horses.
Completely lost in what he was doing Thomas never knew Brent come up behind him until he put his hand on Thomas' shoulder, startling Thomas out of his mind. "Take it easy Thomas it's just me" Brent said with a smile on his face after watching the younger man jump out of fear. "I knew that. You just caught me off guard is all" Thomas replied trying to regain his composure. "What are you doing" Brent asked, "we are supposed to get the team and carriage ready to load and move, Yuri wants us to be out of here as soon as possible" Thomas told him still trying to settle his nerves.
"Have you seen Francis, I am supposed to tell him to help Yuri get Rinoa's things ready to move" Thomas asked finally calmed down, "ya, he was with Yuri last time I saw him" Brent answered. "Good then I don't have to go find him then." Brent just eyed Thomas curiously and went to help get the reigns on the horses.
Rinoa looked through her large cedar trunk for a dress to change into; she hadn't even had a chance since the tent fell to change out of her night gown until now. She rummaged through the trunk going through clothes when she came across probably the most elegant gown she had. A cream gown that flowed to the ground, it had been given to her by her best friend the same friend that she was hurriedly traveling to see. Her dear friend would be able to protect her for a while within her castle. But Rinoa feared that there was no one that could actually keep her safe from the hatred that chased her everywhere she went and the people that feared her because of what she was not who she was. She felt the smooth fabric of the elegant gown with its satin and silk. Wishing that maybe one day she would get to wear the gown and dance to the soft music of a ball.
Rinoa put the gown aside and choose a short sleeved blue dress that came down to the ground. She then headed in the direction of the only other woman in the camp ., Fujin was an officer that had been with Seifer for longer than Rinoa even knew. She actually thought that the two of them made a good couple but Seifer wasn't a big fan of that kind of talk. It always seemed to make him nervous probably because he didn't want it out in the open so she kept her thoughts to herself. She found the silver haired woman standing by her horse fastening down her saddle, "Fujin are you busy" Rinoa asked, "no" was the simple answer she received from Fujin. "Would you mind helping me with my dress" Rinoa asked, "not at all" Fujin said quickly.
The dress barely touched the ground, with a square neck line and a pair of draw strings in the back to pull in the fabric in the center of the dress making it more form fitting. Rinoa walked into Fujin's tent followed closely by Fujin who rarely ever wore a dress. She was usually in same attire as the other soldiers except for a red cross that had been added to the arms of her uniform. Once Rinoa had changed into the dress she turned around to give Fujin access to the strings in the back. "Ok" Fujin said with a questioning tone. Rinoa had to think for a minute about what Fujin was talking about. Since Fujin didn't say more than a couple of words at a time Rinoa had gotten used to being careful about how she responded.
"You mean last night" Rinoa asked, "affirmative" Fujin responded. "I am fine; the intruder didn't get a chance to do anything. The guards found him in my tent before he had a chance to act" Rinoa said trying not to give away all the details; she didn't want it to get back to Seifer. "Liar" Fujin said straight forward, Rinoa took a deep breath as Fujin pulled the stings tighter than they needed to be to prove her point. "Seifer's talked to you" Rinoa asked with shortness of breath. "Affirmative" came her response. "Fujin it wasn't that bad, the intruder just decided not to kill me. I guess I can't explain it" Rinoa said in a soft voice. "Scared?" Fujin asked. "No I really wasn't scared of him……well that seems to do it thank you for your help Fujin" Rinoa told her as she turned around to move past Fujin. Fujin just watched Rinoa walk by with her one good eye trying her best to study the young sorceress. Fujin had lost the use of her left eye, when she was wounded in a fight. The eye was now covered by a black patch to hide the scar. Fujin didn't see anything out of the ordinary about Rinoa, but she knew that something was different. What it was she just couldn't put her finger on.
Yuri was putting the last trunk onto the back of the carriage when he saw Rinoa walking in his direction. "Francis can you tie these down" Yuri asked with a quick glance toward Thomas, "sure thing, it will be no problem" Francis said pulling one of the straps tight over a trunk. Yuri headed toward Rinoa meeting her at the front of the carriage. "We are ready to go, Francis is tying down the trunks and that will do it" he said. "Good, what about the troops that are going with us are they ready to move yet?" Rinoa asked. "Yes, they are just waiting for the word, we have 150 of the 200 men with us .Seifer is taking 50 through the forest to see if he can find a trail that the intruder might have left behind" Yuri told her pointing over to forest on the far side of the camp.
"Very good then, we will leave as soon as Francis is ready" Rinoa said a little colder than she meant to. "Is something wrong" Yuri asked a little confused. "Yuri, do you think that Seifer will find anything out there?" she asked with all honesty. Yuri didn't even pause for a second to think before answering, "No, I don't believe he will be able to find anything out there especially the intruder himself" he said with a low voice.
"I see" Rinoa said with mixed emotions. She wanted him found because she wanted to see him again; she wanted to talk to him. On the other hand she didn't want Seifer to find him because she knew that more than likely Seifer would torture and kill him if he did. "Don't worry we will protect you" Yuri said thinking that she was worried about the intruder coming come back to finish his job. Rinoa just nodded her response to him and stepped up into the carriage.
Seifer rode over to the carriage on a black stallion "get moving I want you to get Rinoa to Castle Straum in Timber before dusk, it is less likely that anyone will attack in the daylight" he stated. Seifer looked up at Yuri and Thomas sitting on the carriage "you do understand that her life is all that matters. You are to give your life if needs be, understood" Seifer said coldly to the two personal guards. They nodded their response without a word. Seifer raised an arm up over his "lets move, the intruder is ours and we will see who has whose life in their hands" he said dropping his arm.
Rinoa watched as Seifer and his men rode by her carriage hoping that he wouldn't be able to find the intruder. Fujin stopped her horse for a minute and watched Rinoa; Rinoa hadn't meant to let it be known what she was thinking but Fujin could see it on her face. Rinoa looked at Fujin and she knew that Fujin knew something was wrong. Fujin spurred her horse on and was gone "don't tell him Fujin please" Rinoa inwardly pleaded.
"Move out" Yuri said in a booming voice, taking the reigns of the horse team snapping them down. The team started to move toward Castle Straum and an unknown future. This future had already been set into motion with all its main players taking up their roles.