A/N: Hey guys! I want to thank everyone who is reading and reviewing my story. I know the beginning is kind of blahh but I promise that once I get past all this introduction crap, it will get very interesting. Again I want to thank all of my reviewers for your awesome reviews. You guys are so cool. I was so excited when I read your reviews. It makes me want to write more, even though I know you are all lying because Kerri somehow put you all up to this. But I am still very happy. I would love to thank you all individually but I am really pressed for time. I promise that you will all get personal thank us next update! I hope you enjoy this chapter:)

Disclaimer: I do not own anything that has to do with Final Fantasy in this story.

888

"Wha..What did you..how did you?" stammered the handsome stranger.

"I don't know. I've never done that before," Rin answered with sincerity.

"Whatever it was, I thank you for it. What is your name?"

"Corinthia, Corinthia Vledin, but everyone calls me Rin."

"Well thank you Rin, and thank you for finding me. I didn't think anyone would be able to while I was so cleverly disguised as a tree."

"Haha," she laughed nervously and looked away from him. "I'm, uh, sorry about that."

"Don't be, it wasn't anyone's fault. It was fate. Something like this could not have happened coincidentally. We were destined to meet each other here."

"And why do you think fate has brought us together like this?"

"I could think of a few possibilities," he replied.

They stared at each other for a few moments. Rin, uncomfortable with the silence broke in with the first thing that popped into her mind.

"It's..uhh..nice weather we are having."

"Yes, very. I enjoy having no feeling in any of my extremities."

"Oh, I'm so sorry would you like to come inside. My house is right down.." She paused for a moment realizing what would happen if she were to bring him into Mr. Broswell's home.

As though he could read her mind, he quickly responded. "Oh no please, that won't be necessary. You've done enough for me already. I have to get going anyway."

"No don't leave!"

He looked at her with a smirk.

"I mean, it's so cold and you should rest a little and warm up. It's just this woman that I work with is not the nicest person in the world, and she doesn't much like me bringing in strangers. But you could stay in the barn for a little while. It's not luxurious, but it's warm. Please, I insist you stay for a little while at least."

"That's very kind. Are you sure it won't be too much trouble?"

"I'm sure. On one condition, you have to tell me your name"

"I haven't introduced myself yet have I? I apologize, my name is Dresdon Holloway."

"And where are you from Mr. Holloway."

"Please, call me Dresdon. I'm from Sharskin."

"Oh, I've never heard of Sharskin. Where is it.?"

"It's actually a community that used to be part of Bevelle. Years ago, the district broke off during the Cactuar Wars and became its own small country."

"Ooh, and what do you do in Sharskin?"

"Well, I sort of, rule..it."

"You mean..like..wait..are you a king? Oh my gosh should I have bowed or something."

"No, no and I'm not king. I'm a prince. Though, I will be king soon. My father, and mother, died a few months ago."

"Oh, I'm so sorry. My parents sent me away when I was very young. I don't remember them. I don't even know if they are alive."

"Wow, that's rough."

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to get all overly dramatic, or be all like 'my life is more depressing than yours.'" It's no big deal really. I'm doing fine on my own. I guess because I've never known them, I've had nothing to miss. Your situation must be a lot harder to deal with."

"It's all right. I mean I do miss them, but I try very hard to believe that everything happens for a reason."

"That's a good way to think of things. I try to think like that, but I am too vindictive to always be optimistic."

"It's really not a matter of being optimistic; it's seeing life as it is and doing your best to deal with what happens. And I don't know how good it is, I think I am acting quite cowardly to be honest. I'm not strong enough to accept that maybe not all of us are destined for great things. I need something to believe in that will help me to understand why bad things happen, even if they are all but false hopes."

"They are not false hopes. I know for a fact that despite all the bad things, there are good things out there for all of us. The good things are a little harder to find, that's all. But that's a good thing, for they wouldn't be as good as they were if we could easily obtain them.

"You have a young mind."

"Is that a fancy way of saying that you think I'm immature?"

"No, just that you are very hopeful."

"Is that a bad thing?" she retorted with a hint of anger in her voice.

"Umm, how about we go inside?" he said.

"You're lucky I can't feel my hands anymore."

He followed her out of the thick forest and towards the side of the Broswell residence where the barn was. She opened the door and the two went inside.

"I'll get you some blankets and food, you must be hungry," Rin said.

"You don't have to get it right away, defrost first."

"Ok, if you insist," she complied. "So tell me more about yourself. What are you doing around these parts anyway?"

"It's a long story; I would rather not get into it right now."

"It's ok, I understand. You must be dying to get home; you seem to have had a string of bad luck while you've been here."

"Yes I have, that is until about 20 minutes ago."

The awkward silence fell upon them yet again.

"Well you're hot. I..I mean I'm hot! I mean I'm warmed up now from being outside in the cold.

He smiled at her.

"I get you blankets."

Rin turned around and smacked herself in the head. She left the barn and ran into the house to get the blankets and food. While inside she heard a familiar voice call out her name.

"Rin! Guess whose here. It's you favoritest person in the whole world."

"OMG, Dan the pizza guy is here?"

"No, silly, it's me, Kat."

Rin's best friend Katrina walked into the kitchen where Rin was getting food for Dresdon. Katrina stood to be about 5'4" and had long golden brown hair. She was far more attractive than Rin, which was attributed mostly to her being more kept up and refined. Katrina was Mr. Broswell's niece, and her family was also very wealthy allowing her to have the most fashionable clothes and a very stylish overall appearance. She had these amazing turquoise eyes that made her stand out from all the other teenage girls. She outweighed Rin in a number of ways, but it didn't bother Rin much, for she was fascinated and impressed by her constant flawless appearance and her alluring mannerisms.

"So what's shakin' bacon?" Katrina asked in a singsong voice.

"Oh. Nothing much," she said unconvincingly.

"Oh, something is definitely going on. I can tell."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, please this could go on for hours. Just save the two of us a lot of time and tell me now!" she pleaded as she started to jump up and down with impatience.

"Ok, ok, can you keep a secret?"

"Maybe"

"That's not good enough, now I can't tell you."

"Fine, don't tell me. Whatever."

"Ugh, I have to tell someone. It's big."

"Ok, then tell me."

"Ok, well..Oh never mind. I can't say."

"All righty, forget it. If you don't want to tell me, don't."

"No I have to tell you, I have to tell somebody. Ahh, but I can't," Rin cried out as she brought her hands to her face.

"For Pete's sake, will you make up your mind and tell me what the hell is going on, or else I will be forced to kill you!" screamed Kat in a rage of frustration.

"All right, fine. I'll tell you. Well, actually I'll show you."

Rin walked back outside with the blankets and food while Kat followed closely behind.

"Wait, what are you doing with those things?" questioned Kat.

"You'll see," Rin replied.

They walked around the house to the barn, and Rin climbed up on the ledge and pulled the latch to open the barn door. As the light from outside slowly creeped into the dark barn, the two girls saw the figure of Dresdon emerge. He was sitting on a haystack petting one of the horses. He looked up, smiled at Rin, and quickly got to his feet .

Kat turned around quickly and whispered to her friend, "How long have you been hiding him up here, but most importantly why haven't I met him?"

"I only met him today, I found him in the woods," Rin whispered back.

She noticed that he noticed them whispering to each other, so she went over to him and gave him the blankets and food.

"Here you go," she said as she handed him the things she brought from inside.

"I don't know how I'm ever going to repay you for your kindness. I feel bad just taking all of this from you. Please know that I am not in the habit of accepting charity from strangers."

"Oh, but we're not strangers, and I really don't mind.."

"But I do believe that we have been strangers for far too long," Kat butted in. "My name is Katrina and it is a pleasure to meet you," she said in a rather seductive voice as she bent down to shake his hand, while making it a point to have her open chest level with his face.

He shook her hand and replied while running his free hand through his hair. "It's,uhh..very nice to meet you too Katrina. My name is Dresdon."

Rin watched the two of them with a look of contempt on her face.

"I'm going to have to go hunting in the woods with Katrina from now on, I never thought you could catch anything this good around here," Kat sarcastically remarked with a smirk on her face. She seemed very pleased with the way that Dresdon was eyeing her. "I hope that you'll be staying long?"

"No actually, I must make my way home first thing in the morning. I cannot impose upon you good people any longer," Dresdon replied.

"Oh, but you must stay," pleaded Kat. "We've only just met and I would really like to get to know you better."

"Yes, please stay for at least another day. You've been through quite an ordeal, and it's really no trouble," Rin insisted.

"Well I.." Dresdon started.

"This barn is so damp and dirty, why don't you come and stay at my house. I only live a few miles down," Kat offered with an intention far from generosity.

"No, no the barn is fine. But, maybe I should stay for at least another day. But, I promise not to bother you anymore," he said.

Kat seemed a little disappointed, but content with his deciding to stay. Rin's face lit up at the sound of the news, but at the same time she understood that he would eventually have to go. However, his reasons for leaving will not be what she is expecting.

A/N: Finis!