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.
Ch. 5 Hard Truths
Within the grand throne room of Castle Straum called The Room of the North Star; a four course meal had been prepared. The people had started calling the royal family the North Star of the Kingdom because the family gave guidance to the people and the nation. Now the title of North Star fell onto Selphie's petite shoulders, but she had been taught and brought up for the day that she would take over the title. It just wasn't supposed to be so soon.
"So Rinny, are you going to tell me what happened?" Selphie asked. "Well it didn't take her long to get back to this" Rinoa thought. "It really isn't that important Selphie. I mean I'm fine see; nothing happened" Rinoa said." Well that's not the way your personal guard made it sound" Quistis said backing up her Queen. "Quistis' right he made it sound as if you came within a heart beat of death. Rinny, that doesn't sound like nothing to me. So tell me what happened" Selphie pleaded with her friend. "If not for your Queen then for your best friends, Rinny we have always looked out for each other like sisters ever since you came to live at the castle don't leave me out now" Selphie implored. Rinoa knew she couldn't argue with Selphie, she was right. "Alright, I'll tell you but you have to listen to me until the end, no cutting in until I'm done understood" Rinoa said. "Understood" replied both women.
"Alright, last night we stopped to camp near the Margoon Plateau, everything had gone fine on the trip back until this point. Seifer set up the camp in a defensive position, putting my tent to the rear of the camp near the cliff side of the plateau, just to be on the safe side" Rinoa told them. "I was asleep when my world changed. I heard my tent tear but I will be honest with you Selphie I didn't think anything of it and shrugged it off. I know that if you had been there Quistis you would have made sure that everything was alright but I didn't" she continued lowering her head for a moment.
"Rinny, don't punish yourself over it. There was no way you could have known what would happen. It's not your fault." Quistis told her. "I know. I just feel that I should have known better than to ignore anything suspicious" Rinoa answered.
"Any way, that tear turned out to be the blade of the assassin making his way into my tent. He entered silently, so I didn't even sense him within the tent until he was almost to me and I heard his breathing. At first it was very smooth and low I could barely hear it, but as he stood there it became heavy and very easy to hear." Rinoa told them.
"Why did he just stand there, did you do something to him?" Selphie asked. "Well so much for letting me finish Rinoa thought to herself. "I don't know why he just stood there. I didn't do anything to him I was too scared to cast a spell on him or even think of the proper one to use" she answered.
Quistis sat silently as she had promised she would, but as she eyed Rinoa there were questions crossing her mind that would eventually need answering. "Maybe he became scared, maybe he was interrupted, maybe he saw something he wanted to steal first, or maybe he heard someone?" she thought to herself.
"Can I continue now Selphie?" Rinoa asked. "Oh, sorry please continue" Selphie said with a sheepish grin on her face.
"Well he just stood there above me for at least ten minutes for no reason at all. I know his hesitation gave me plenty of time to cast a spell but I couldn't move or think; I was parallelized with fear. Then, Thomas came into the tent to check on me like they do every so often. When Thomas saw the assassin he first called out to warn the others and then made the mistake of attacking this assassin without waiting for the others." Rinoa explained.
"Did he kill Thomas?" Selphie asked completely forgetting her promise once again to wait till the end. "Why did I even bother to ask her to wait until I was finished I mean I should have known that she couldn't make it that long? Well I guess it's my fault for expecting too much" Rinoa sighed.
"No Selphie, he didn't kill Thomas he didn't even use his sword to down Thomas and after Thomas was down he never even moved to kill him." Rinoa told them. Quistis watched Rinoa as she explained about the encounter "she almost sounds as if she is more impressed by the man than his abilities" she thought.
"After he dealt with Thomas, he watched me for a moment saying nothing at all and then my other guards showed up in the tent. They all charged him at once. He simply stepped back to the tent's rigging rope and cut it instead of fighting or harming anyone." Rinoa continued.
"When the tent fell on everyone he made his escape. After that Seifer formed a search party of fifty men and went out after him. But, I don't think that he'll find him." she finished.
Selphie looked closely at Rinoa as she finished the part about Seifer not finding the assassin "I get the feeling that she doesn't want Seifer to be the one to find him, I think that she would rather be the one to do that" she thought.
"Rinny, would you say that the man was very skilled?" Quistis asked, "yes, he seemed to be very well trained and a veteran of battle" Rinoa answered. "What makes you say he was a veteran?" Quistis wondered. "The look in his eyes, not once did fear ever enter them" Rinoa explained.
"Rinny, I have one more question" Quistis started knowing that now that she had Rinoa thinking about the man she could catch her being more honest about what she felt and thought than before. "Which impressed you more the abilities or the man?" she continued, .Rinoa didn't even think about it "the man" she answered bringing a smile to Quistis' lips.
Rinoa caught on to what she just said and tried to cover it up "I mean the abilities of the man, not the man himself I mean he was there to kill me for God's sake" she stammered to say.
While Rinoa was off guard Selphie jumped in on Quistis' idea "so what did his eyes look like when he looked at you?" Selphie asked with a grin. "Stormy blue" Rinoa answered as she remembered how powerful his stare was, it brought a slight blush to her cheeks.
"Rin, your blushing" Selphie snickered; Rinoa caught what she said and turned away so that they couldn't see her face. "Rin, you're attracted to him aren't you" Selphie continued, "of course not he's a murder" Rinoa countered.
"Who did he murder, it wasn't you because your right here blushing" Selphie teased. "But he" Rinoa began, "but he what? He changed his mind and spared your life and your guards lives" Selphie interrupted. "Rinny, Selphie has you now and he didn't do a thing when he entered your tent but stir up Seifer and your guards did he?" Quistis said stepping in.
"Well no, but…." Rinoa started but couldn't think of anything to counter with. She knew they had her. "What am I doing, he tried to kill me… but he didn't go through with it and I want to know why. On top of that I hope the reason why is me. I know I can't hide it from them, they're like sisters to me and I shouldn't try to hide it from them. I just need to tell them." she reasoned with herself.
"Well what Rinny" Quistis asked with the tone of the big sister coating every word "we're waiting" she continued. "Rin, its okay you can tell us" Selphie added.
Rinoa looked at her two friends knowing full well that she had to tell, if just to be able to talk to someone about it. "He was around Quisty's age and he still had the air, ability and eyes of a veteran. I want to know what made him disobey his orders to kill me; I'm sure he'll get punished for his failure and yet still he chose not to kill me. I want to know why" she told them.
"Is that all" Selphie asked knowingly, "no, I know its wrong but I want that reason to be me, I want the reason why he couldn't do it to be me" Rinoa said almost begging the last part to be true.
Quistis trying to get Rinoa to spell it out not just for them but for herself, "why would you want to see that man again, his job was to kill you remember? You're a sorceress not an average teenager with a normal life and family; I mean your own father wanted you dead why would you want to give this man a second chance at trying?" Quistis asked. Selphie not getting what Quistis was doing just stared at her lost; Rinoa looked at Quistis a little hurt by what she said, it attacked her dream of gaining a normal life.
"Why the hell does she always have to know everything? Why does she think that she knows everything? I wish she would just drop it and leave me alone." Rinoa thought as anger entered her mind.
Rinoa eyed Quistis with a mixture of hurt and anger "I don't know okay, I just want a chance to talk to him and find out the truth from him as to why he didn't kill me, that's all I want, a chance to ask my own questions. A chance to get the answers to the questions I have been asking myself" After Rinoa said the words and heard them come from her mouth she understood what Quistis was trying to do, she was trying to get Rinoa to face the desire of her heart and stop hiding it.
Rinoa's eyes went wide "did I really say that, do I mean it? He tried to kill me. Would he really give me the chance to talk to him, is he trying to protect me, can this really be how I feel? I don't know or am just saying that" her mind wrestled with the thought until Quistis walked over.
"Rinny, we are always behind any decision you make you know that, so don't worry" Quistis told her putting her hands on Rinoa's shoulders. Rinoa looked up to Quistis to see her smiling at her and Selphie bouncing up down saying "Rinny's got a crush, Rinny's got a crush." Rinoa smiled at them "I have missed you both so much, I've been gone for far too long. I'm not sure if that is truly how I feel but there is something about that man that I need to learn more about" she admitted.
"Well, I think that I'm going to head off to bed I'll see you in the morning" Rinoa announced trying to escape before they tried to pry any more. "Well, goodnight Rinny" Quistis said with a smile, "Rin, I will have Margaret show you to your room, have a good night's rest you deserve it" Selphie said.
"Oh Rinny, we have arranged to have a ball in your honor in four days so be ready you might meet someone there" Selphie added with a giddy laugh. Rinoa gave a weak smile and left behind Margaret who Selphie had signaled with a wave of her hand.
"Miss Rinoa here is your room, if you need anything you can ask any of the servants. Queen Selphie has said that you are to be made as comfortable as possible." Margaret told her. "Thank you, I'll be fine" Rinoa said with a smile, "very well miss" Margaret responded and left Rinoa alone.
"Rinoa what are you doing, you told them that you wanted to talk to him. Why? What would possess you to say that? They already worry about you and now you put this on their shoulders." Rinoa thought as she walked over to her bed and sat down.
"And what's with this ball, I don't need them to try to set me up which is exactly why Selphie is doing this. I don't need some shallow noble that only cares about some trophy to show off. Look at my wife isn't she a beautiful and a powerful sorceress? If I tell her to she'll destroy you so you better hand over you land. Ya, that's all I need in my life what I really need is someone that power and wealth really aren't what drives them. It's not like it matters any way, I wont live long enough to find what I'm looking for even if I knew exactly who or what it was I'm looking for." Rinoa thought with a sigh as she got undressed for bed.
"Quistis, was it just me or was something weighing heavily on Rinny's mind?" Selphie asked the slightly older woman. "I think your right Selphie, I think the near death experience has made Rin think that her time is growing short" Quistis answered.
"Rinny is still looking for something isn't she Quisty?" Selphie asked. Quistis looked at Selphie knowingly "she is looking for the thing that will give her a peaceful life and keep her safe from the dangers that have always been hunting her. But I get the feeling that she is giving up on her search because she doesn't believe that she will live much longer. She might even think that if she does find what she is looking for the fact that she's a sorceress will kill it before she has a chance to act on it" Quistis told her taking a long look at the door that moments ago Rinoa had just left through.
"Quisty we can't allow that to happen to her no matter what" Selphie said, "your right Selphie, but we need to do more than just keep her safe" Quistis added. "What do you mean?" Selphie asked. "We need to help find the thing that she's looking for, to give her that reason to keep fighting" Quistis explained.
"Well Quistis, what do you suggest we do to give her that reason for fighting" Selphie asked with her full attention on Quistis. Quistis gave Selphie a mischievous look "what better reason than to have someone by your side, you know what I mean" Quistis said with a wink.
"I get what you're saying, we need to find her a man" Selphie said with a wide smile beaming across her face. Quistis' smile spread as she nodded her head "Selphie you read my mind."
"But how do we go about finding her a man?" Selphie asked. "Easy, we just talk to her and get her reveal the qualities and characteristics she looks for in men" Quistis responded. "You must remember though not to just come out and ask her or you might give away our plan" Quistis told her.
"I understand you don't have to worry about me" Selphie said as she tapped her fingers together like she some great secret locked away in her mind. "We'll see how long she can last without giving away our plan, but I'm not going to hold my breath" Quistis thought knowingly.
"We'll call this the Operation Man Search" Selphie said throwing her hand into the air and hopping up and down. "If she gets any more excited about this she just might run straight to Rin's room and ask her about her dream man, there's just no controlling her hyper activity" Quistis' mind laughed watching her Queen hop up and down.
"Selphie it's getting late we should call it a night as well, we will put our plan into action tomorrow" Quistis told her. "Your right and just think at the ball there will hundreds of men for her to pick from" Selphie added beaming a large smile. "That's if she wants a stuck up noble, just doesn't sound like Rin to me. Oh well once Selphie gets an idea there's no stopping her" Quistis thought as she followed Selphie out of the throne room.
Back in the General's camp a heated discussion rages on. "Who does he think he is to disobey my order, how dare that insignificant son of bitch disobey me" Ultimecia shouted out raged. "I knew it was too much for him, and now look what's happened she's made it to Straum Castle. Now I have to send another group to deal with that Satan's bitch of an offspring." The General added.
"Maybe I am looking at this from the wrong point of view; I can still use Leonheart to my advantage. As long as he draws breathe he is my pawn to move; into position to die because who needs a pawn that refuses to be moved." Ultimecia thought calming down. She looked at the General who was still furious about Leonheart's report. "Don't worry too much, we still have the insider within Rinoa's camp correct?" she asked. The General looked at Ultimecia who had completely calmed down as her cunning mind start to go over her new plan. "Yes, we still have a man on the inside" he answered her.
Ultimecia walked behind the General and put her hands on his shoulders "then we can deal with Rinoa fairly easy and besides Leonheart will still be of use to us, at least for a little while longer." she told him curving a wicked smile across her lips that he never saw. "Your right, I have already sent for Drake. He will complete the mission that Leonheart failed to do, I know he will; for the right price Drake would kill anyone even his own mother. And we can use Leonheart's skills and abilities until we no longer need him." the General said smiling himself.
"Sir you sent for me" Drake said entering the tent, "yes, I have mission for you and your mercenaries" the General explained. Drake looked hard at the General "and how much will this job pay?" Drake asked questioningly.
"Name your price, but there will be one condition" Ultimecia said cutting into the conversation. "What's that?" Drake questioned. "That you don't get paid till the job is completed" Ultimecia told him. "What kind of job is this that they are willing to pay whatever I ask as long as I complete the job before I get paid?" Drake's mind pondered. "Fine, if that's it consider it done. So what's the mission?" Drake finally asked.
"You are to go to Castle Straum and kill Rinoa Heartilly" Caraway explained. "Now let me get this straight you want me and my men to go to Straum Castle break into the fortress surrounding it and kill the sorceress?" Drake asked with doubt in his voice. "Yes" Ultimecia answered without hesitation. "There's no way, we wont even be able to get into the fortress around the city little lone the castle itself" Drake scoffed.
"We have a way to get you in without being detected by anyone" Caraway said with a smirk on face. "How is that?" Drake questioned disbelievingly. "We have a man within Heartilly's camp, he will get you into the castle" Ultimecia explained. Drake thought for a minute rubbing his chin with his hand "and how do we meet with this inside man to find out how he is going to get us in" Drake questioned not believing they had a man on the inside.
"If the first attempt failed his is to meet our back up team, which is you, on the Harvest Road in two days at noon" the General said. "How will I know who he is?" Drake wondered aloud, "you wont, you are to take this flag with you and have it draped over the mane of your horse" Caraway said holding up a flag.
Drake eyed the flag for a minute "so do you accept the mission or do we need to find someone else" Ultimecia asked folding her arms over her chest. "No, we'll do it. We'll leave tomorrow morning to reach the meeting point on time and he had better be there and you better have my money when I get back" Drake informed them. "Good, you're dismissed" Caraway said waving Drake out of the tent.
"If it goes as they say, she'll be dead in two days and I'll by rich" Drake thought as he left the tent with a content look on his face.
After Drake left the tent Caraway turned to Ultimecia "we should have Leonheart watched. I don't know his reason's for disobeying the order but I don't want to take the chance he'll do it again" he said. "You're right. I will have someone watch him, don't you worry about that" she replied turning in thought.
In the same camp a woman wanders around looking for her missing boyfriend. "Where the hell did he go? All I wanted was some water but now I can't find him anywhere" Shauna thought annoyed at the missing man. "I swear if I don't find him soon I'll kill him. This is just fucking stupid" she continued her rant as she pasted another tent. Something said within the tent stopped her in her tracks. "That voice… whose is it? I know it from someplace but from where?" Shauna thought for a moment longer when she heard her name being called.
Turning back toward her tent she saw the person she had been searching for standing there confused to why she was missing. "Shauna, Shauna where are you?" he called out. "Right here Dart. What took you so long? I thought that you got lost on your way back" Shauna scolded. "Someone broke the bucket so I had to look for a new one, that's what took so long" Dart explained.
"Well, I was getting worried. You know I don't trust any of the men around here except for Squall, Zell, and Irvine so I was worried something had happened to you" Shauna explained. "I'm sorry that I made you worry, but I'm okay and I have the water so let's call it a night" Dart said tentatively aware that she was still a little mad at him for making her worry. "Your right it is late but, remember that I'm still upset with you" Shauna informed walking into their tent. Dart just shrugged "what can I do, I love her and yet for some reason I also fear her. I mean she can get pretty scary when she gets mad especially if she has her bow with her. I can't really fault her; even though I don't come out and say it like she does I worry about her just as much as she worries about me." Dart thought with a smile as he followed Shauna into the tent.
The next morning back in Straum Castle Rinoa was woken out of a peaceful slumber. The sun broke through the white drapes that covered her window putting a small sliver of light onto her delicate face. The warm sensation on her face started to rouse her from her sleep, but she wasn't ready to abandon her dream yet so she turned over. The sun had other plans for Rinoa that day because as it rose higher the small sliver of light grew and now covered her eyes. The bright light in her eyes forced her to wake up, "I bet Quistis planned this out to give me the room facing the morning sun so that I can't sleep in. Leave it to Quistis to kill all hopes of sleeping in and of ruining a perfectly good dream. Oh, and it was so good. He was there again just like my dream when my power awoke. I wish he was real; he's always there for me protecting me, caring for me, and maybe even more. Who am I kidding though he's only real in my dreams?" Rinoa thought sadly on the fact that her dream will never come true.
"Good morning Quistis, your up early as always I see" Selphie said in a chipper mood. "I have to get up before you My Lady, that what a guard does" Quistis answered with a smirk. Selphie just nodded her head as she went into another room to get dressed. "Oh my gosh Quistis" Selphie squealed, Quistis left her spot by the door throwing open the door to the next room. "What's wrong, is someone in here?" Quistis asked reaching for her whips. "Today is the day we start Operation Man Search for Rinny aren't you excited. Why are you holding your whips, is something wrong" Selphie asked. Quistis just shook here head and smiled as she let herself out of the room.
Rinoa walked down the long corridor that connected the west wing of the castle to the main structure "we haven't had any word from Seifer, I wonder if he found any tracks or if he found the assassin himself" she thought as she opened the door to the main structure. "Oh Miss Rinoa, her majesty is in the dinning room waiting for you. She sent me to tell you that breakfast is ready" Margaret said with a smile. "Thank you, I will head there right away I know better than to make Selphie wait to eat" Rinoa joked bring a chuckle to Margaret's lips.
"Selphie just remember be subtle when you ask her, we don't want to upset her" Quistis reminded. "I know, I know I won't make her upset and I'll be sneaky about it she won't even know what I'm up to." Selphie reassured Quistis. Both sat in the dinning hall waiting for Rinoa to come down for breakfast, and then the doors at the end of the room opened as Rinoa entered.
"No telling what these two have been talking about while they wait, I'll bet anything it has to do with me" Rinoa thought as she made her way to the end of the table the two were sitting at. "How did you sleep Rinny" Quistis asked with a smile, "I bet the bed was more comfortable than the cots you use in your tent" she added. "Yes, the bed was wonderful and I had my first good nights rest in quite some time, thank you" Rinoa told her smiling back.
"Think nothing of it Rin your like a sister; did you think about the ball that we're having for you, it's not that far off. It's going to be so much fun. I know you'll love it. Who knows you might even meet someone nice there" Selphie said barely slow enough for the other two women to hear her correctly. "Oh yes very subtle Selphie, I just hope Rin doesn't pick up on it yet. She might get a little upset with us meddling" Quistis sighed mentally listening to Selphie carry on.
"Not really Selph I was real tired last night so just went on to bed" Rinoa told her. "It was pretty much true… I was tired. I just won't tell her yet that I'm not looking to get hooked up with a noble snob, she's having to much fun" Rinoa told herself.
"Selphie how about we let Rin eat her breakfast, we can all catch up later" Quistis said trying to spare Rinoa from a nonstop barrage of questions while she tried to eat. "Your right Quisty we have plenty of time to talk" Selphie agreed.
Rinoa gave Quistis a quick look and smile, "thank you" Rinoa thought but the thought was heard loud and clear by Quistis. The rest of breakfast was spent with quiet small talk, as much as Selphie wanted to continue her operation she stopped as Quistis had suggested.
Later on in the day Rinoa was sitting in the back courtyard garden thinking about what she should do about this ball. "I know Selphie is excited about the ball, and is just trying to do something nice for me but I really don't have any desire to go. Those events just remind me of my mother and the future I'll never have" Rinoa thought with a heavy sigh.
"Rin, I didn't know you were out here" Quistis said entering the center of the garden. Quistis saw the look on Rinoa face "something's bothering her, I wonder what it is? Maybe it is the fact that someone tried to kill her?" Quistis wondered. "Oh, hello Quisty. I used to come out her to think or get away from all the royal goings on in the castle" Rinoa explained.
Of all people, Quistis understood best and gave a knowing smile to her friend "I know exactly how you feel, I do the same thing especially now with Selphie planning this ball." Quistis laughed. Rinoa couldn't help herself but laugh as well as an image of Selphie running all over the castle barking out orders to the wrong people entered her mind.
"So Rin, what's going on with you that brought you out here" Quistis asked curiously. "Nothing just thinking about my trip, that's all" Rinoa said quickly. "Well that was a fast answer, a little too fast to be true" Quistis deducted. "Rin, it's me you don't have to lie to me. What's bothering you and you might as well know that I'll find out one way or another" she added.
"Can't sneak anything by her, at least that hasn't changed" Rinoa thought. "Is it about what happened on your trip back?" Quistis questioned. Rinoa looked up at her "that is only part of it, but yes it has been on my mind" Rinoa confessed. "Do you want to talk about it?" Quistis asked as she sat down next to Rinoa.
Rinoa wasn't sure if she wanted to tell everything. "Do I really want to tell her how I feel about the idea of a ball for me or about the assassin and my mixed up thoughts about him? What about the dream that has just now returned to me. She's my friend; hell since I got here she's looked out for me so what am I so worried about. The fact that if I tell her it might change the way she acts around me. Would that really happen, would she change towards me? NO, she wouldn't. I know I can trust her." her mental battle raged until the victor broke through believing in her friend.
"Quisty there are so many things running through my head that I don't know where to begin" Rinoa started. "Just start where you feel comfortable. There's no rush we have plenty of time to talk okay" Quistis said squeezing Rinoa's hand.
Rinoa nodded "well I told you that I was targeted by an assassin on our way back to the castle right?" she asked looking to Quistis. "Yes I remember, did something else happen?" Quistis asked. "I don't know. Seifer went off with about fifty men or so to find the assassin, which I know was what he should have done and part of me wants him to find him" Rinoa suddenly stopped. "And the other part of you Rin, what does it want?" Quistis softly asked so not to scare Rinoa. Rinoa looked at Quistis but then looked away as if she were ashamed. "The other part of me doesn't want Seifer to find him. I know if Seifer finds him he will kill him. I want him found so I can ask him why, not to kill him" she explained. "Why what Rinny?" Quistis prodded. "Why he didn't kill me, that's what everyone wants right. They all want my blood so why not kill me, why leave me alive" Rinoa told her.
Quistis knew well enough that the idea that everyone who found out she was a sorceress became fearful of her or wanted to kill her tore at Rinoa's heart. "Rin, there are people in the world who don't want to kill you, they want to protect you" Quistis told her. Rinoa turned toward her "like who, who is there that wants to protect me?" Rinoa said letting a harsh edge creep into her words. "Me for one, Selphie, Seifer, Fujin, and what about Yuri and others; they don't want you dead. We all try to protect you as best as we can. Yuri and your other guards do it with their lives just like I would if I needed to" Quistis told her completely ignoring the harshness of Rinoa's words.
Rinoa looked down, "I know I didn't mean it like that, I know that you and the others wouldn't hurt me. It would just be nice not to be hunted all the time for no reason" she tried to explain. "Rin I can understand. You just want to be able to live a normal life, but you are special so it's hard for you to have that kind of life" Quistis said. "I didn't want this, I didn't want to be special I just want to be like everyone else. I want to be able to live in a town and not fear that someone is going to try to kill me, I would like to be able to meet someone on my own and pray that they don't find out about my powers I didn't think that was so much to ask for" Rinoa said in a horse voice.
"Rin, it's not. You just have to keep looking for that place and that person. Maybe the place is here in Timber but finding the person is solely up to you" Quistis said with smile. Rinoa smiled at that comment "sounds good and thanks Quistis, I do feel better" she said. "Any time, and if you ever need to talk again you know where to find me" Quistis said getting up and leaving Rinoa to her thoughts.
"If only I was going to live long enough to find that place and person, but I feel like my time on this Earth is fading away, Mother I'll see you soon" Rinoa thought as she watched Quistis leave.
The sunrise that morning was breathtaking as the orange color of the new day washed over General Caraway's camp. There was only one person awake to see the magnificent site as it painted the sky with it's oranges and reds.
Squall stood outside his tent watching as the night was swept away by the hand of the sun. It was nothing new for Squall to be up at this hour but it was the first time that he really noticed the sunrise. "How many mornings have I seen this same sight, but yet I didn't see it" Squall thought as he watched.
Taking his sword he walked out of the camp to a clearing just past the edge of camp. He walked over to boulder where he laid a towel and removed his shirt. Taking a deep breathe he assumed a ready combat stance and fixed his eyes straight ahead. His early morning routine began as he swung his sword down making several quick controlled slashes with the blade.
Dart's eyes shot open all of sudden, turning to Shauna he saw she was still sleeping peacefully "wonder what woke me up" he thought for a minute. Closing his eyes he was about to return to his peaceful slumber when his eyes caught sight of light coming in through the flaps of his tent. "Oh shit" Dart shot up out of his bed, glanced to make sure he hadn't woken up Shauna. "Good job, your supposed to be training with Squall right now" Dart scolded himself as he ran out of the tent with his sword in hand.
When Dart approached Squall's tent he wasn't outside, but as he got closer he saw Squall out in the clearing practicing. Dart stopped for a minute and watched as Squall trained "he moves without even thinking, it's fluid and effortless to him like he was born to hold that sword. Like God gave him a purpose with his sword, but I don't think that purpose is here. Here his sword is only used for killing. I don't know why but I think his sword is meant to protect something; something great" Dart thought.
Squall took a step forward as he swung the sword down and then immediately bringing it back up with a diagonal swipe. He had been going for about an hour now and had just now started to sweat, lowering his blade he walked over to a boulder were a towel was laying. Taking the towel he wiped his face off and then his chest, "Squall, man I'm sorry I'm late. I over slept" a voice that he recognized to be Dart's said. Squall turned around and look at the blonde young man "it's alright, I've just be practicing for a while it's no big deal" Squall told him. "So get ready and we'll start" Squall said as he walked past Dart as Dart removed his shirt and throw down a towel as well.
"Have you been training while I was gone" Squall asked the younger man, "yes I have you'll see I'll get you today" Dart said raising his blade. "We'll see about that" Squall responded bringing his blade up.
Dart started in Squall's direction as soon as his sword was half way up, not catching Squall off guard at all the two blades met with a resounding clang shattering the stillness of the morning.
"What was that" Zell asked as his head popped up, "its nothing don't worry about it, it's just Squall and Dart training outside" Irvine answered. "Oh, why can't they do that farther away from the tent" he asked Irvine, "because it didn't used to be Squall and Dart it used to be just Squall so there was no reason for him to go any farther" Irvine explained with a yawn. "Then that kid and his girlfriend joined the camp and ever since he's been training with Squall" he continued. "Ya, I wonder how he got Squall to agree to train him" Zell pondered, "something about being able to protect Shauna, he wanted to be strong enough to protect her and you know how Squall gets sometimes" Irvine told him.
"So do you think we should get up or just try to ignore the ruckus outside" Irvine asked. He got no response from Zell, sitting up to look at Zell he saw him with a pillow over his head. "I guess that answers that question" Irvine thought.
Dart and Squall's blades met with each one pushing on their blade trying to force the other back. "He's getting better; he's really making a fight out of this. He's come a long way; I used to be able to defeat him with little effort. Good job kid, you'll be able to protect her from now on" Squall thought.
They pushed away from each other "you ready to give up Dart" Squall asked taking in deep breathes. "No way, I almost have you" Dart responded between heavy breathes, Squall just smiled "kid's got guts, I like that about him".
Dart charged once again, "if I don't put an end to this soon I'm going to be too tired to finish this" he thought. Squall watched Dart closely and saw that fatigue was starting to get to him. Dart raise his sword over his shoulder and was about to bring it down when he felt a powerful blow to his chest. Squall lowered his shoulder and stepped forward closing the distance between the two not allowing Dart to attack. When his shoulder hit Dart's chest he heard the wind leave Dart's body as he fell to the ground gasping for air.
Looking up Dart saw the tip of Squall's blade pointing at him, "I wonder for how many this has been their last sight" he thought as he looked at the sword. Squall smiled and lifted his sword away "you're doing much better, you just need more stamina. Your swordsmanship and technique are good you just started to get tired that's all" Squall told him. "Thanks" was all Dart could get out between gasps of air.
"Let's call it a day and get something to eat as soon as you can get up" Squall said as he walked back over dropping a towel on Dart's head. Dart just nodded his consent with the towel still on his head.
"Zell wake up" Irvine yelled as he kicked him, "what, what's going on" Zell asked as he hurriedly jumped out of bed falling on the ground. "Are we being attacked, what's going on?" Zell said as he got up. "Nope, no one is attacking I just thought that maybe you would like to get something to eat or would you rather be left behind?" Irvine asked knowing full well what the answer would be with Zell's stomach.
"Do you even need to ask me that?" Zell asked immediately, "So you did want me to wake you for breakfast?" Irvine countered. "Is the Pope Catholic?" Zell respond getting a smile out of Irvine as he walked pasted him. Then Irvine's smile turn into a question "I don't know is he?" he asked. "Oh this is awkward" Zell said rubbing his neck, "why's that?" Irvine asked. "Well I don't even know who or what a Pope is so I don't know if he's Catholic" Zell told him. "Then why did you say it?" Irvine questioned, "I really didn't think that you would ask" he responded with a sheepish smile. Irvine just shuck head and walked out the tent followed by Zell. "But you have to admit it was pretty good, right?" Zell asked and received no reply.
Outside the tent Zell and Irvine started a fire and prepared to start cooking. Zell looked around "hey Zell how much do you think we should cook?" Irvine asked in all honesty. "Are you really asking me" Zell questioned looking at Irvine, "good point" Irvine replied.
"I would fix enough for everyone" Squall's voice said from behind the two men catching them off guard. "Damn it Squall I hate it when you do that" Irvine yelled as he turned to look at Squall. Squall was holding Zell's fist in his hand, when he walked up on the two of them and startled them Zell's first reaction was to punch the intruder "sorry about that Squall, force of habit" Zell told him, "it's fine besides it's not like you hit me" Squall said with a smile.
"Well you're just lucky that I didn't put in power behind it or you would be on your ass" Zell said fuming with his clinched fist in front of him. "Your right Zell, I would hate to be on the receiving side of that" Squall told him looking toward Irvine. Zell smiled "tell me about it, I would hate to be on the receiving side of it too" he said.
Shauna woke to find she was alone in the tent, "no surprise" she thought with a small smile crossing his lips. "He's out training with Squall again, he really has taken a liking to him which is good, Dart usually just brushed others off. I wonder what it was about Squall that changed Dart, their very similar men I think both loners for some reason. Whatever the reason is I'm happy with the change in Dart" she thought. "Well it's time for breakfast, if I don't hurry Zell will eat it all" she said putting her boots on and heading out.
"Squall what do you think will happen with the mission since we didn't complete it" Irvine asked. "What you didn't complete the mission" Dart asked almost choking on his food out of shock from what he just heard. "Ya, I know how you feel Dart it's a shocker but I'm sure Squall has a good reason why so don't worry" Zell told him as he put more food into his mouth. "How much food can he fit in his mouth at one time? that's not important right now …why didn't they complete the mission ? Squall's never failed to finish a mission since I've known him and from what I've heard around camp he's the best so what happened?" Dart thought trying to catch his breath after almost choking.
"Things just didn't add up for me, so I decided I would find out the truth before I chose the sorceress' fate" Squall explained. "So you are going to complete the mission at another time, is that what you saying" Dart asked. "Something like that" he told Dart.
"I told the General that I would choose the sorceress' fate" Squall said, "true but I don't think that that lady and the General seem like the waiting type" Zell said licking his fingers. "Zell's right Squall, I would wager that they have already assigned the clean up mission to someone else" Irvine told him. "It doesn't need to be cleaned up I just want the facts first that's all, I'll take care of it" Squall said getting a little annoyed.
"Irvine if they did give the assignment to someone else who do you think they would choose" Dart asked. "I'm not real sure but if I had to pick one I would say Drake, if you pay him enough he would kill his own men and even his mother" Irvine said. "Really, is he really that cut throat" Dart asked, "the man has no loyalty or honor" Squall said.
"Well, I don't know if this means anything but last night Shauna" Dart started until he was cut off, "oh yes Shauna, how is that little vixen?" Irvine asked. Dart turned to Irvine not pleased at all with the comment "she's fine, thank you for asking" he said between a forced smile. "Man I told you to stay away from her" Zell whispered in Irvine's ear, "I know I just like to get a rise out of him" he explained. Zell just rolled his eyes and put another helping into his mouth.
"Go on Dart" Squall said eyeing Irvine telling him to watch it with Dart. "Well last night I went to get water for Shauna" he explained looking at Irvine with a watchful eye, "and I over heard Mulholland telling Drake to report to Caraway's tent and not to let anyone know" he told them.
"What about Drake and Zell there had better be food left" Shauna said as she walked up and sat next to Dart. "Good morning Shauna, aren't you looking lovely today" Irvine said as he watched Dart's jaw tighten. "Thank you Irvine at least someone around here is enough of a gentleman to say so" she said making Dart's anger rise. "This could end badly, I better do something" Zell thought turning to Dart "don't you agree with Irvine Dart, I mean you were just telling he how beautiful she looked sleeping before you left" he said. Dart's anger decreased as Shauna turned to him "did you really say that Dart, that's so sweet" she said smiling brightly at him. Dart just gave a slight blush and rubbed the back of neck, Shauna leaned over and kissed his cheek.
Irvine gave Zell a perturbed look "why did you do that, I almost had him going" Irvine scolded under his breathe. "Because I didn't want him to kill you, sorry next time I'll let him use the sword that Squall has been training him to use more effectively on you" Zell said matter-of-factly. "Okay, you have a good point there maybe I should lay off the kid a bit" Irvine admitted looking at the young couple.
"What were you guys saying about Drake" Shauna asked, "I was telling them that while I was getting water last night I heard Drake get called to Caraway's tent" Dart explained. "Oh, because I heard him get orders to go to Straum Castle" Shauna said as a side note. "When did you hear this, what was said" Squall asked a little more anxious than he wanted to show.
"Well I was out looking for Dart and happened by the General's tent and heard him say that he was sending Drake and Drake's men as the back up team to Straum Castle. That they were to meet an inside member of the sorceress' party on the Harvest Road in like two days I think" she said. "Did you hear who the insider was, or when they were to kill her?" Squall asked in an irritated voice. "No, that's all I heard, Dart showed up around that time sorry' she said. "Its fine, I didn't mean to snap there I'm sorry" he said, Shauna just nodded her acceptance of his apology.
"Squall what do you want to do? If he sent Drake she's as good as dead" Zell told him. "Zell's right Squall, .now you saw something in her to keep you from killing her that night. Are you going to let that go and allow Drake to kill her or are you going to do something? I'm with you no matter what" Irvine said. "Me too Squall, I'm with you" Zell added, "same here" Dart and Shauna said in unison.
Squall sat silently as thoughts ran through his head, "what do I do? I haven't found out anything about her and my feeling that she hasn't done anything hasn't changed. But she is a sorceress and a sorceress condemned my family, but does it mean that she's a killer. What do I do, please mother tell me what I should do" he silently begged as he looked to the sky.