Chapter 10 (Secrets)
Rinoa and the others reached the presidential palace and headed off to the president's
room. Rinoa knocked and a guard opened the door. The guard moved out of the way as
the president walked towards them. "Rinoa! Quistis! Zell! And you too Selphie! How've
you guys been?" Laguna greeted them cheerfully. "We're fine Sir Laguna, just doing the
usual things we do!" Selphie answered happy to see him. "Why don't we all sit down and
you guys can tell me the purpose of your visit," Laguna told them gesturing them to a
couch. They all sat down and Rinoa started to explain. "Laguna, we're here to defeat the
Sorceress Adel. We want to do it as soon as possible," said Rinoa getting right to the
point. "Oh…well, we were able to contain her, but she is slowly breaking the barriers we
have set up with her powers. In a matter of days, she would've broken all the barriers,"
Laguna answered looking at the floor. "We'll do it. We'll defeat her. That's why we're
here." Rinoa told him encouragingly. Laguna looked at all of the remarkable young
SeeDs before him and smiled. "Thank you everybody. This really helps Esthar. And me,"
Laguna told them, "but, first of all, I want all of you to worry about your well beings first.
Please put your health above everything when you do battle." Laguna told them firmly.
"Don't worry Laguna, we'll do it!" Irvine said smirking. "Yeah, we're SeeDs!" yelled out
Zell. Quistis nodded at them smiling at her comrades. "Alright! It's settled then! You
guys will be assassinating the sorceress tomorrow! Don't worry you guys, I believe in
you!" Laguna told them, "You guys should rest up before tomorrow and get ready. There
are chambers you can take for yourself in the presidential palace." "All right Laguna,
thanks," said Quistis going out of the door followed by the others. Rinoa stayed though,
she wanted to ask Laguna a question. Laguna saw that Rinoa hadn't left yet and came
over to her. "Is something wrong Rinoa? Shouldn't you join everybody?" Laguna asked
worriedly. "Um…I just have a question," Rinoa answered, "Squall left and didn't tell us
a reason. Is he by any chance…here?" "Oh…no…I'm sorry," lied Laguna. I can't let her
know that Squall's here. I promised him… Suddenly Rinoa started crying again and tears
flowed from her amber eyes. "I thought…I was sure. I thought I'd really see Squall here.
I felt his presence, I was sure it was him!" said Rinoa trying to stop her tears. "Don't cry
Rinoa, I'm sure Squall's okay wherever he is," said Laguna reassuringly, "He is your
leader, and he has mastered the gun blade. He's also very strong." Laguna looked at her
again and could tell that he wasn't helping on cheering her up. "I'm sorry," said Rinoa
wiping her tears, "I was just sure that he was here. Sure." Rinoa sat down and took deep
breaths trying to calm down. "And he might not be okay…he left his gun blade and his
necklace with me…" said Rinoa calmly this time. "Rinoa… he'll be okay. I'm sure of it.
Squall must have liked you a lot to give you his gun blade and his Griever necklace."
Laguna told her, trying to cheer her up. Rinoa suddenly bolted up her seat and looked at
Laguna with wide eyes. "Laguna, how did you know that Squall called his necklace
Griever? He never told anyone," asked Rinoa impatiently waiting for a reply. Laguna
looked at her with sad eyes and looked at the floor. "Looks like I have to be honest with
you," said Laguna softly still staring at the floor, "I know the lion's name is Griever
because that necklace and his ring once belonged to me…" By that time Rinoa had
already stopped crying and was staring at Laguna in shock. "Ho…how?" asked Rinoa her
voice trembling. "I'm Squall's father, and I gave them to him…actually not me, but
Raine," Laguna answered honestly, "I've told you before that Raine died. But I never told
you she had a baby. She died as Squall was born, and I was…gone. So she gave him my
necklace and ring hoping maybe someday I'd find him and recognize him as my son."
Laguna was trying not to meet Rinoa's eyes now and stared at the floor. "You… were his
father…" Rinoa said dumbfounded. "Yes, I was gone. I had to rescue Elle. By the time I
got back, Squall was gone. I've only heard that he has been taken somewhere safe, and
he's being cared for," Laguna whispered, "I've only seen Squall and known when we had
first met." Rinoa stood up rigid. "You…you went to search for Ellone, to rescue her, but
you let Squall be…you didn't even try to find him," whispered Rinoa, "And because of
you, Ellone left the orphanage, left Squall." Rinoa paused for a moment, silent. "Don't
you know that for all of his life, Squall wanted Ellone?" said Rinoa shouting now, "that
he became cold and separated and isolated himself from others because Ellone left! All
he was doing for years was waiting for her, and he lost all hope after about 10 years! And
it's all because of you! What kind of father are you! You leave him and not even care on
where he is and take Ellone from him too! What kind of person are you!" Rinoa
shouted again enraged at Laguna's news. "That's why he isolated himself, that's why
he's so cold, so self centered! He thought he could manage without somebody to love…"
"Rinoa…I…I…" Laguna said, then stopped and once again stared at the floor, thinking."
"I always thought that Squall was so selfish in the beginning," whispered Rinoa, "That's
why…he didn't have anyone to be with, to love…only himself. That's why he thought he
could handle being…all alone…" Rinoa ran to the door and opened it, but before she did
she looked at Laguna one more time. "It's all your fault! You took everything away from
him! Including love, which is the most important thing in life!" screamed Rinoa as she
exited the door and ran in the hallway. Rinoa quickly looked for a room away from
where her comrades had chose theirs, so she would be alone. She picked a room and sank
on the bed sobbing. "Oh Squall…if only I knew…" Rinoa whispered to herself, "I
thought you were the one that was mean when we first met, and I told you that also. I
acted so spoiled!" Rinoa sobbed more, and fell asleep in tears.
Well, that's all about it for chap 10, hope you liked it. Please review. I'll do Chapter11 tomorrow. Oh by the way, thanks for the new reviewz everyone!
Ceres81