This is a regular disclaimer, I don't own any of the characters 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. 8 In The Care of The Enemy
The white stone of the church's steeple gleamed in the evening sun light like a beacon to travelers leading them home. The church was built out of beautiful alabaster granite with marble columns guarding the entrance. Walking up the stairs to the cathedral one was greeted by a large circular stain glass window and on either side of the stairs was a square bell tower that reached as high as the roof itself. Once within the cathedral the entrance opened up into a grand hall way with stained glass murals, telling of the life of Christ, placed into the walls of the hall way.
The grand hallway was lit by three large chandeliers at night and by the sun beaming in through the massive stained glass window during the day. At the end of the grand hallway the cathedral opened up horizontally creating an east and west wings several floors high. The west wing was where the church kept its massive library that was used by the members of the clergy and the literate public. Classes for the public were also held within the west wing, under the guidance of Queen Catherine the public was given the opportunity to learn to read and write by the clergy. The queen's ideas now live on through her daughter. She wanted everyone to have the opportunity to learn and advance. The east wing was where the rooms for the members of the clergy and the care takers of the cathedral are located. Each wing ended with a smaller chapel and steeple that didn't reach the same height as the main chapel or the two bell towers.
Continuing forward into the main chapel, the cathedral was constructed with high arching ceilings. The ceilings had been painted with the mural of the holy trinity and the seven archangels that stand before the throne of the God. A balcony wrapped its way around the chapel until they reach the alter area. Rows of padded pews lined both side of a center isle, tapestries on the walls as you enter and stain glass windows along the walls. The Alter was set off to the right with a large cross window with a wooden cross in the center on the wall behind the alter. The church had been named St. Raphael's after the archangel that aids and guards travelers, the archangel was chosen because of the fact that Timber sits on a major trade route and many travelers pass through the cities walls every day.
Rinoa walked through the large oak entrance doors that she remembered so well. "I remember these doors being harder to open the last time I was here. I guess that is only normal since I haven't been here since I buried my mother in the cemetery next to the church." Rinoa thought as she walked down the grand hallway.
As Rinoa stopped in the hallway that lead her toward the two wings of the cathedral an image of her past appeared. She watched as three young carefree girls ran down the hallway toward the library for their studies. It was a fond memory of a time that seemed so far away, but she could almost hear Selphie yelling that she was going to beat her and Quistis. Rinoa smiled at the thought and turned her attention down the other direction of the hall. She could she see her and Selphie running from clergyman "bring those robes back right now you two, they aren't for playing dress up" she could hear him yell as the two young images ran away in white robes.
Laughing Rinoa crossed the hall into the main chapel; she had forgotten how beautiful the interior of the chapel was with its painted ceiling, tapestries, and stained glass windows. Walking to the front pew taking in everything in chapel, she sat down. Looking left she saw the three young girls with bright red faces trying their best not to laugh. The image quickly changed as the girls were now dress in black and tears filled their eyes especially the raven haired child. "Why mother? Why did you have to leave me? What am I supposed to do now?" she could here the younger image of herself say.
Rinoa looked toward the alter and remembered the last time she had set eyes on it. Her mother's body had been placed within a stone casket by order of Queen Catherine and she had been laid to rest in the royal cemetery.
Tears started to well up in Rinoa's eyes as she remembered the occasion, when a voice broke her from the grim remembrance. "Rinny, isn't it beautiful in here? Is it just the way you remember it?" Selphie asked as she and Quistis walked down the center isle. "It is, nothing has changed, it's just the way I remember it" Rinoa said pushing her tears back.
"Well, there is one new item to the church that I would like to show you Rinny" Selphie said when she reached the end of the pews. "What is it?" Rinoa asked looking at her friend curiously. "It's a surprise, just follow me and you'll see" Selphie told her.
Rinoa looked to Quistis but got no answer from her. "Very well Selphie it looks as if you've peeked my curiosity" Rinoa said standing up. Selphie smiled "don't worry you'll like it".
The three women walked out of the main chapel and headed toward the west wing of the cathedral. In the library on marble pedestals sat the busts of several members of the royal family, mainly the ones that had commissioned the building of the cathedral and those that had aided in moving forward the church. King Alexander's bust was displayed and above it was a plaque that read "King Alexander the defender of the Timberian way of life and leader of reform" next to his bust was Queen Catherine's. Hers read "Queen Catherine the leader of education for all, with her guidance all can receive knowledge".
Rinoa turned to Selphie "those are new. I've never seen any of these busts before. Who had them done?" she asked. "The church did, shortly after the death of my mother but they weren't put in here until they were all done, so I guess they've been here about a year" Selphie explained. "But that's not the surprise Rin, look past my mother" Selphie said pointing.
Rinoa turned back to the bust of the Queen and saw one more in the line. As she walked up to the bust she felt her breath catch in her throat. It was a bust of her mother, looking above it she carefully read the inscription. "Julia Heartilly the mother and guiding light to a blessed soul that has come to shine on this nation", Rinoa finished reading the inscription and turned to her friends this time unable to hold back the tears that welled up in her eyes. "Thank you so much, you have no idea what this means to me" she said between choked breathes.
"Rin, we weren't the ones that asked for this bust to be made" Quistis told her as she put an arm around her friend's shoulders. Rinoa looked up at her but before she could even ask the question Quistis answered her "the people of the city asked the church to include her bust and the church didn't have any problems with it."
"Who wrote that about my mother?" she asked. "Margaret" Selphie told her. "I just have one more question then" Rinoa said more composed now. "So Selphie, what are you going to do to get your bust in here?" Rinoa asked with a playful tone to her voice. "What does that mean, are you trying to say that I can't do anything worth getting in here, is that what you're trying to say?" Selphie asked slightly defensive. "I didn't say that. But gosh, you seem awfully worried about it" Rinoa said with a smile.
"Hah Hah, very funny" Selphie countered, Quistis couldn't help the smile that crossed her face at the comment. "Ye too Quistis, your on Rinoa side on this" Selphie said disbelievingly "I didn't say a thing" Quistis defended as she turned to leave.
"Come on you guys, that's not fair I've only been the Queen for a couple years give me a chance" Selphie pleaded as the other two women started to laugh. "We will" came their reply in unison.
"Good Rinoa seems to be in higher spirits, I was beginning to worry about her. Even when she feigned being fine, I know that something was eating away at her. I could see it in the way she acted. She just wasn't herself. Now she seems back to her old self for at least a little while, maybe that will be enough for now." Quistis thought as she walked beside her friend out of the cathedral.
"That damned arrogant Seifer, coming in here and ordering us to watch the sorceress at all times. Thanks to his orders and Yuri's division of the duties, I have to revise my plans" thought a Soldiers of Light as he walked the grounds of the castle.
"Let's see the night guards rotate on a third shift cycle while we have been put on a four shift cycle, which means that my shift will start before the changing of the guard and my opportunity to sneak in Caraway's men. So I will have to be late to my shift tomorrow night, now how will I pull that off without raising suspicions." he thought as he rounded the corner.
"Well Thomas has the shift before me and he is young so he would probably take my word for it no matter what I tell him. But the question is what can I tell him that he wont mention to Yuri to change shifts with me so that I can do it." he questioned as he made his way to the front of the castle.
He was so preoccupied that he didn't hear his name being called off to his left. "Brent….hey Brent" the voice yelled as it got closer pulling Brent out of his thoughts. "Oh Thomas I'm sorry, is there something I can help you with?" Brent asked. "Is everything okay Brent you seemed pretty consumed in your thoughts?" Thomas asked.
"I'm fine I was thinking on some personal matters, what can I do for you Thomas?" Brent asked after assuring Thomas that everything was fine. "Nothing I just want you to meet Vanessa" Thomas said as he guided Vanessa forward with a hand on her back.
Brent looked at the young woman and smiled "it's an honor to meet you miss, I hope that Thomas isn't being a bother to you" he added just to toy with Thomas. "The pleasure is all mine sir knight, and Thomas has been nothing but a gentleman" Vanessa said blushing slightly. This answer brought a "shows you for questioning me" grin to Thomas' face.
"I'm glad to hear that, well if you two will excuse me, I have some business that I need to take care before my shift tonight" Brent said excusing himself from the two. "Very well, I will see you tonight then" Thomas answered with a smile as he started to lead Vanessa around the castle.
"That's it. I will tell Thomas that I'm going to meet a woman tomorrow night, but once again how do I keep him from asking Francis or Yuri to trade shifts with me trying to help me out?" Brent thought as he continued to walk toward the castle gates.
All of sudden he stopped just before he passed through the gates into the town, "I've got it, I know how to do it" he yelled as the thought hit him, earning him a couple sideways glares from the guards.
"I'll tell him that I'll bring her back with me so he can meet her, he wouldn't pass up a change to meet a beautiful woman. Now all I have to do is find a woman mercenary that will help me. I bet I can find one in that seedy bar the Last Chance back in the corner of the Eastern wall." Brent thought as he started to walk through the city.
"I can't believe she beat me. A woman beat me. That's not supposed to happen" Yuri stammered on as he sat in the barracks with Fujin and Seifer. "How long is he going to go on about Quistis beating him, shit he acts like a woman could never beat him. If Seifer wouldn't get upset I would show Yuri that there are other women that can beat him as well." Fujin thought as she watched Yuri with a tired eye. Seifer saw the expression on Fujin's face and knew that she was getting to the point that she wasn't going to quietly listen to Yuri carry on much longer without going off herself. "I don't know how well Yuri would take it if two women beat him in the same day; I better put an end to his complaining" Seifer thought.
"Yuri, Quistis has been trained since she was young to be the personal guard to the royal family, don't feel too bad about it. She is very good at what she does take my word for it" Seifer told him hoping that it would soothe him for now. "How would you know, have you ever fought her?" Yuri asked defensively.
"Of course not, I try not to make enemies out of my allies. Not to mention the fact that Rinoa wouldn't let me challenge her. I'm not sure if she was stopping me for my sake or Quistis' sake though, I guess I'll never know." Seifer thought.
"Yes, I have fought her before" Seifer lied receiving a strange look from Fujin who knew better. "You did? What happened when you fought her?" Yuri asked perking up for the first time as he looked for comfort. "If Seifer, the strongest fighter in the order of the Soldiers of Light, lost to her as well that means that I'm not as poor a fight as I think" Yuri rationalized.
"Well, it was a hard fight but in the end" Seifer said pausing just to draw out Yuri pained anticipation, "I lost just like you, so don't feel so bad."
"Why don't you go out in the training yard and get in a good work out before dinner, the harder you train the more prepared you'll be for the next round between you two" Seifer told him. "That's a good idea, I'll see you two at dinner" Yuri said grabbing his sword and running out the door. "That's right the next time I won't under estimate her and it'll be a different out come" Yuri thought as he left.
"Why did you tell him that, you've never fought Quistis in your life, Rinoa wouldn't allow it. Besides he could train all day every day and never be able to match Quistis' speed with those whips" Fujin said looking straight at Seifer.
"If I didn't tell him, then he would have been in here all day complaining about losing to her and I could see how irritating it was to you. So I told him a little white lie, shit it's not like he doesn't need to be training anyway , so no harm done" Seifer said giving Fujin an arrogant smirk. Despite herself Fujin smiled, "thank you" was all she said.
Walking down the narrow back allies of the city Brent made his way to the seedier side of the city. This area mainly contained pubs, inns, and brothels; this was where black market trading and mercenaries could be hired for a fine price.
The dingy wooden sign for the Last Chance pub hung from the Eastern wall of the city, the Last Chance pub was the only building that been built into the wall of the city right behind a corner guard tower. Brent walked into the pub and immediately received several glances from the patrons, as he glanced around he couldn't help but notice the glances. "What seems to be their problem, and why do they keep starring at me?" he wondered as he made his way to the bar.
"What will you have?" came a gruff voice from behind the bar. Brent looked up to be greeted by a large man with sandy hair. "I'll have an ale" Brent replied, the bartender filled a mug with dark brown liquid from a barrel.
Placing a couple copper coins on the bar Brent picked the mug up and took a quick sip from it. Lowering the mug he motioned for the bartender to come over "I need some information" he told the bartender. "That will cost you" the bartender replied as he continued to wipe out a mug. "How much?" Brent inquired. "Well, that depends on the kind of information you want and how reliable you want it to be" the bartender told him.
Reaching into the coin purse strapped on his belt Brent produced a handful of silver coins "what will this get me" he asked. The bartender smiled as he put the mug he had been wiping down to sweep the coins into his hand "anything you want to know" he told Brent.
"Good, I'm looking for a woman" Brent told him. "That's easy try the brothel across the street they have all kinds of women, I'm sure you'll be able to find one you like" he told him.
"No, I'm not looking for a whore I'm looking for a female mercenary" Brent told him a little annoyed at his answer. The bartender eyed Brent curiously "what for?" the bartender asked, "that's between me and the mercenary, now do you know of one or not" Brent said a little short.
The bartender took a moment just watching Brent, "what does a Soldier of Light want with a mercenary especially a female one I'm not sure about this, but I'll help him out" the bartender thought. Breaking from his thoughts he motioned toward the end of the bar with his head. Brent followed his motion with his eyes and saw a red head sitting there quietly.
"Thank you" Brent said getting up from his seat with his mug in hand, the bartender just nodded as he turned around dumping the coins in the mug into a pouch.
As he started to reach the end of the bar Brent finally got a good look at the woman sitting there. She had fiery red hair that covers one side of her face but was pulled behind her shoulder on the other side. She was wearing tight fitting black pants with black heeled boots. Her top was a dark purple with plunging neckline cut out in the front that would tempt any man she would happen to encounter. The long sleeves of her top were open with crisscrossing pattern from her shoulder to her wrist. She was absolutely breathtaking which was what confused Brent "how can a woman like this be a mercenary? It can't be possible" he thought to himself but proceeded all the same.
"I understand that you might be interested in a job" Brent said as he sat on the stool next to the red headed woman. "That depends" she said. "On what," Brent asked.
"The job and how much it pays" she told him. Brent wasn't about to talk about the job within the bar so he put his mug down "if your interested in the job follow me".
He stood up headed out of the bar. The red headed woman watched him for a moment "what does a Soldier of Light need with a mercenary? But then I'm interested in finding out what the job is. What the hell I'll give him a chance to explain it to me" she thought as she stood up to follow.
Once outside she saw Brent standing at the entrance of a warehouse, when he caught sight of her he walked inside. She walked down to the warehouse and entered the building searching for the man she had followed in with her hand on the hilt of her sword not completely trusting him. "If this is a trap I'll kill him first then make any others regret that they followed his orders" she thought as she walked down the warehouse.
"Good, you came and I see you're a little untrusting of me" Brent said. "Well, its not every day that a Soldier of Light tries to hire a mercenary" she told him questioningly. "How did you know I was of the Order of Light?" he asked a little off guard. "Your kidding right?" she asked amazed by his own stupidity, but his silence told her he wasn't joking "your wearing the uniform of a Soldier of Light" she told him pointing at the crest on his chest.
Brent looked down "that would explain why people were starring at me in the pub" he thought as his gazed moved up from his uniform to her.
"Alright, but that means nothing. I need a mercenary to help me tomorrow night and that is the truth" he told her. "What's happening tomorrow night that you need a hire a merc, why don't you just get some of your soldier buddies to help you?" she asked.
"I can't ask them because I'm going to aid a group that's against them" he told her. Now her curiosity was peaked "okay, so what's the job?" she asked. Smiling, Brent turned to make sure no one was around "how do you feel about sorcery?" he asked her.
She didn't want to let him know how much detested that group of woman "if he knows how much I hate them it might drop the price of the job because he'll think that I'll do it for less" she thought. "Well, I've had my problems with them so their not my favorite people, why?" she asked.
"Because I'm going to aid a group in assassinating the Sorceress Rinoa" he told her. "I know that there are many people that dislike the sorceress but isn't it your job to protect this one, why would you go against your oath to her?" she asked.
"Because I have no love or hate for her, I have watched men die trying to kill her and to save her. So I decided that I wasn't going to just hand my life over to her so easily to be a pawn in this game. That was when I met General Caraway and he offered to make me a wealthy man if I aided him in his cause. So I chose to be rich and alive rather than poor and dead, so he is sending a group of men that I'm to help to get into the castle and kill the Sorceress Rinoa tomorrow night" he explained to her.
"Then what do you need me for?" she asked. "The changing of the castle guard is an hour after I'm supposed to relieve the guard at her room" he started until she cut him off. "Wait, castle guard… you mean in Straum Castle? Going in there is suicide" she screamed.
"It's not suicide if you help me. I have a plan to get the group in and out without being detected but I have to have your help" Brent told her. "You don't have to fight the guards. Hell, if it all works as I have planned you won't even have to pull your sword at all" he explained.
"Then what do you need me for?" she asked. "I need you to act as if you're my date for the night. That way the younger guard, that I will be relieving wont ask someone to change shifts with me" he explained.
"You just want me to act like your date to distract the guard so that you can kill him without him sounding the alarm?" she said. Brent nodded "exactly" he said. "And how much will this job pay for me following you into Straum Castle and acting like your date" she asked.
"I'll pay you twenty pieces of gold and thirty pieces of silver for your part and for the danger you'll be under within the castle" he told her. She eyed him for a minute "that is a lot of money to take part in this job even if it's a small part, but its within the castle that's not exactly the kinda place I want to be found at night during an alarm" she thought for moment.
"Very well, I'll aid you in your group's raid into Straum" she finally agreed. "When do you want me?" "Excellent," said Brent "I'll meet you tomorrow morning at the gates leading out of the city on Harvest Road to meet the group being sent in".
"Agreed" she said as she turned to leave but stopped suddenly "by the way what's your name?" Brent asked. "Oh, my name is Trinity Lorraine" she told him. "Trinity Lorraine, I've heard that name before but where. Oh my God that's the name of the assassin called the Moon's Tear" he thought as he watched her leave.
As Trinity left she looked toward the sky "I'll keep my pledge to avenge you mother, father, by beloved… I won't quit until every last damned sorceress is dead and buried" her mind swore as she walked away.
The wind picked up as if it was responding to her promise blowing her hair away from the side of her face. As her hair swept away from her face a mark of a cross beside her eye was revealed to no one but the early evening sky.
Brent just watched as the mysterious mercenary left the warehouse as he tried to remember the stories that he had heard about her. "If I remember correctly she received the name Moon's Tear because her whole family was killed during a sorceress' night raid on her village. After the raid she shed one tear for each of the loved ones she lost and has never shed a tear since" he recalled.
"Outstanding I've just recruited one of the most deadly female assassin's as my trump card in case something goes wrong" Brent said quietly to himself. Turning like Trinity he made his way out of the warehouse, to return to the others before they became suspicious of his absence.
A cloud of dust spread across the plains towards Timber as a group of assassins rode as hard as they could toward their target. Drake looked back at his men as they spurred their horses on "this is the second time I've been sent to Timber on a job" he thought to himself.
The man next to Drake looked over, "sir, many of the men are new but this is the second time that we've been to Timber" he said to Drake. Drake looked over at him and nodded "your right and both times we have received help from someone on the inside. Fallan, it's just too bad that we've lost so many men since the first. They should be here when we finally get to end this and kill that little bitch for the General" Drake told him.
Fallan nodded "your right Sir, they should have had a chance to see us put an end to her life just like we did her mother's" he said to Drake. They snapped the reigns of their horses and lead the group in a hurried gallop toward their set destiny even though they where unaware of the true destiny set out for them.
"Squall, there is no way that we'll catch them. How are we going to stop Drake?" Zell asked following closely behind Squall. "If I have learned anything about Drake it's the way that he likes to work. He would much rather attack at the least expected time or when a person would have the fewest guards around them" Squall started.
"Okay, but remember that he has help from a member of her guards. He could get Drake and his men in at any time" Irvine told them. "That's true but I get the feeling that their insider doesn't want to blow his cover. I think that he'll try to carry this out at night when there are fewer people and guards to possibly see him and Drake" Zell responded.
"Zell has a valid point. This traitor will not risk his own life for them. He's doing this for money, not for their ideas or cause, so I think that he will want to bring Drake in at night that's how we'll gain ground on them" Squall explained.
"What do you mean, gain ground on them?" Irvine asked. "He has a point Squall she has a traitor watching over her at all times, at best this is a wager" Zell said.
"True, but this is a wager I'm willing to make because it's the only one that I have to make at this point" Squall told them. "And why are you making such a risky wager with not only her life but yours as well. I mean we might not even have a chance to get there in time to stop this and we have already turned Ultimecia against us when we left camp" Irvine asked even though he already had a good idea of the answer.
Squall thought for a minute on what Irvine had just asked him. "Why am I throwing away my old alliances for one I don't even have yet?" he asked himself. But as he thought an image of her large brown eyes appeared in his mind "they were like warm chocolate orbs and so pure even when they were filled with fear for her life she showed no ill will or hatred. How could anyone like that cause others harm? So how can I be the one that is destined to bring her harm? " he thought to himself.
"Because its not my destiny to be the one to cause or allow her to be harmed. I will choose my own part in this chess game. No one will dictate to me what piece to be or what part I will take, if that means leaving behind the army I have been with for two years for a sorceress that I really don't know anything about so be it. Before the curtain falls on this play I will find the truth" Squall told them.
Irvine just smiled as he and Zell looked at each other "he has found what he has been looking for ever since he left Winhill. A reason to fight and carry on other than revenge" Irvine told Zell without even saying a word. Zell just smiled back and nodded as the three pushed forward toward Timber and their new roles in this game.