Author's Notes: Yes... I know this was very slow in coming. But did you ever
know that summer time makes me write slower? Um... This chapter is sad and
shocking and all around plot filled, hinting at some things that won't
happen until the sequel! This chapter took more time because I used 7
points of view, each to be specified who it is by the name in the brackets.
Enjoy. And the points of view are of who will be the major players in this
story, Reyn, Drew, Rhiale, Corin, Nida, Suijin, and Rella. This is THEIR
story, not just Reyn and Drew's. And this chapter nearly doubles what I've
written to date. Hopefully that satisfies you.
Firefly-Dreams: huggled and laughs Dark One is Darus who is Squall, the one who Drew controlled, which will be better explained in this chapter. I realized after you posted this that I made a little joke on myself.... I wanted Rella cause it was like a name I made up earlier, Raelle.... I changed it and accidentally it's a blending of Rinoa and Zell.... Shesh.
Silver-nex: How come Rella became evil? Well, that is a secret for now.... Who said her parents were not evil? You'll see Nida's suspicions and Reyn's soon enough... Oh yeah... get out your tissues... death this chapter.
Chapter 4: Who I Am: Part II
{Reyn}
"Don't... I want the scar," I growled at the teen working, at her mother Xu's direction, to heal the scar that crossed my forehead.
Fiera backed away at the growl, looking to her mother for guidance. When doc shook her head the girl frowned and backed away. Glad that I finally passed Aunt Xu's inspection, I hopped off the exam table, though carefully. While Xu spewed out the normal advice of eating right, getting more sleep and training less until I healed, I just smiled. It was the same thing every time I was injured. Luckily she knew I never listened, and would send her other daughter, Ishuna, up with a healthy lunch for me later. With a smile she sends me away to my office. First times first, I had to review all the data from the mission. Then I had to call the other gardens with the information. After that it was my job to break the news to Selphie about Drew, and Zell about his daughter. Rinoa would already know and be in hiding. Many would blame this on her, though maybe not wrongly.
I had my suspicions as to why the sweet daughter of Zell and Rinoa came to be this. Not only would she have dormant powers from her mother, purely from genetics, but Edea Kramer had died a bit ago, probably leaving all that left her magical powers to Rella. None of that made sense though, seeing as she was NOT evil, no matter how dangerous her powers were. Yet even though a sorceress was dangerous, they needed a knight to access all their power. Drew came to my mind. The man had been a brother to me for the past few years was gone. He'd always been a better fighter than me, so I had no clue how he could be stopped. If only mom and dad were still around.
The elevator ride up to my office is dreadful. All of this thinking is a pain. And the chatty girls that were in the elevator with me were so annoying. But at last I reached the safety and comfort of my office. Once, more than 20 years ago, it had been dad's, as well as the room adjoining it, but that was before my time. Good thing too, Nida and the rest of my extended family had told me a great deal about my parents. Apparently my parents often dueled out in the wastelands near Esthar and when they returned no one would be able to find them for a few hours. When Seifer was next seen, he'd be smiling and in a smug mood. Mom, on the other hand, was known to be highly aggravated and tense after such encounters, till they were married. Only time that hadn't happened was when my parents discovered their curse. That day Seifer's been scowling and Squall grinning.
With a sigh I pull a locker from around my neck. It's a hololocket I've had since I was born. Even with hundreds of pictures in it, it was still barely half full. Already I knew what I was going for. The picture was very simple, just mom and dad with me in dad's lap. The picture was taken when I was five. That was the day they told me about who I was. They told me how seven years before they'd decided to have a child. Together they said that very little of my blood was Squall's own. Most of me was Seifer's son. Another thing I remember is asking them why I was only five then. Never did they answer that. After looking at the picture, I put the locket back on and went to read the latest reports. Damn.... Life was not going my way.
Two hours later found me swearing, cursing all of life and my position at my age. Surely Squall never had to do such paperwork at my age. Hyne how I wish either mom or dad were here. I could have used them right now. Instead I sense another presence, Valen. He has always been by my side. Now he stands across from me frowning. His look tells me all I need to know. He's never been this silent with me.... Darus MEANT something to him that we cannot understand, just as Drew means something odd to me, how I'm drawn to him irrevocably. Maybe it was attraction, for I had to admit how beautiful he was, but what I felt for him was not like what I felt for Corin, or the growing love for Rhiale in my heart. So I could not explain it. Now what am I supposed to do.
{Drew}
"So the blood in me is..."
"Yes," the sorceress Rella said, stroking my hair and running a finger over my healing cut.
"But..." I started, "So Selphie really is my mother?"
"Only because she gave birth to you. She was a surrogate as my own mother was for Reyn. But your heritage does explain your ability to control the dark Darus well. He is like you father," the younger female chuckled.
"So I am a Loire? A Leonheart-Loire?"
"Yes, you are the son of a sorceress knight, possibly the strongest sorceress knight ever, though his abilities were sadly misused by my mother. What a shame," she sighed.
"Why did they abandon me?"
"They were truly evil people. But they are gone now, and you will succeed where they failed. Together you and I will rule the world, now and forever."
"Yes my lady."
"Now... I need to consult someone, I'm sure you can tend to yourself," she whispered with a smile.
"Yes milady."
Rella Dincht walked off, smiling to herself. All at once it was hard to see her go, and a relief. Held of the time I knew I was thinking clearly, and the rest I was enchanted by her, wanting to please her. The problem was that I had no love for her, as much as she wanted it. She reminded me of Uncle Squall's, no... my father's, stories about Rinoa when I was young. At one point she'd tried to put a spell on him to make him love her. Sadly I wondered if the gentle sorceress's girl would do the same to me... And I wondered if all her actions were her own ideas.
Sure, she was lovely, breath taking even, but I was never one for females. Hell, when I was in Galbidia, I'd spend the night out with Jason and Suijin, who'd take a train from Balamb, and even considered trying to steal Suijin from the only Kinneas that ever felt like my family. Rella was sensual, and probably trying to make her knight her pet, but as long as I had some free will, I'd ignore her scantly clad body and pathetic attempts. Speaking of scantly clad bodies, she now slinked over with cat-like grace and sat in my lap. Now there was actually nothing on her but a very thin robe. I could sense her weaving an enchantment upon me as she forced me to lie back on the bed upon which we say. At times like this I wished someone had the guts to interrupt her.
"DREW!" the voice of Darus came booming from above where the sorceress had pinned me to the bed.
"Darus?" I questioned, pushing the young female off of me, and being rewarded with a quiet mumble of protest, "Are you all right? I thought Valen hurt you."
"He could never hurt me, nor I him," Darus sighed.
"Can you keep that creature in check?!" Rella hissed, trying to keep the panic from her voice. She was obviously afraid of the powerful GF.
Now I saw he was my only hope to keep control of myself, "Sorry, he is a very independent one. My powers over him are limited. Were he a normal Guardian Force..."
The female shrieked in anger of my using the hated term. Where is not for the presence of the highly protective Darus, she probably would have killed me. Instead the female wrapped her rope tighter around herself, glaring at the dark angel. In what could only be described as a bit of taunting, and maybe instigation, Darus's gunblade appeared in hand, and the image of Griever surrounded by a cross burned upon his blade. Disappointingly, I could not help but laugh as Rella fled the room. While returning the gunblade to its rightful place by his side, I swore Darus grinned.
"The best way to fight her power is to realize your parents did love you, and that she, and her mother, have used them both." my stoic guardian told me quietly.
"How do you know?"
"I bet there is another pulling her strings, as Ultimecia did once... And I've experienced the schemes of her kind before..."
{Rhiale}
"He's fine," Corin assured her, smiling.
"Still, I'd like to speak with him," mom insisted.
"I'd think you'd rather see your daughter," Corin's mother chuckled.
"Rhiale, take us to the headmaster," my father said, placing a hand on my shoulder.
"Yes sir. This way," I directed the Headmasters and SeeD Commanders of the other Gardens toward an elevator disk.
"I'll never get used to these," Zell commented, trying to keep his balance once we started moving.
"SIT!"
The sharp command came from the slender Fujin, who sat on a bench between her husband and son. Behind them Quistus, Corin and Rinoa were talking about a neutral subject, the weather. Zell and Selphie were pacing toward the edge with Irvine trying his hardest to stop them before they fell off. On the elevator disk below us would be Cid Kramer and my siblings, along with Xu and the twins. With a sorceress alive and well, everyone was tense, especially since her knight was the best fighter known to the world since Squall and Seifer. Both Rella and Drew were the children of heroes, making this even harder. We'd all been trained since birth, and were too close. Fighting out own would be horrible. Rella'd been the closest thing to a sister to me over the years, and now she was the enemy. And Drew was my brother, though now he was an enemy too. How could any of us stand it?
Slowly we came to a stop and everyone filed out and into Nida's office. Well, everyone but me, Corin and Suijin. We'd wait while everyone but us spoke of our future. Today was not a good day. The fact that Cid and Rinoa's left the orphanage in the hands of the son and daughter of Ellone and Watts, a teen called Stelah and his sister Mayun, was scary. Not since the last reunion, ten years ago, had everyone together like this. So I can't help but shake as I lean against a wall for a moment's thought. Suijin comes over and places a hand on my shoulder and smiles softly. He's big like his father, but less kind hearted, so this action was rather sweet.
"Hey, everything is gonna be fine, we've got some great minds together on this, and everyone is gonna help. We'll get Drew back, and without hurting him. And don't forget about Reyn, we've got him."
"Yes, we have Reyn, a great boy," the gray haired Cid Kramer said as he walked by, leaning on his cane.
Now that the adults had gathered, I had to guide the others here and not in the meeting to a room where we'd wait. Just how I wanted to spend and afternoon, listening to my brothers... At least the twins wouldn't make too many jokes with the headmaster's girls around. Plus Corin and Suijin were here so I had people to talk to and my oldest brother would keep all the others in line. Reyn would not be with us, for he could tell them about the incident and he was SeeD Commander here. Yet he'd been having really bad headaches lately, which was not a good sign. What id he got hurt worse while fighting Drew? What if he died?
"How is whatshisname?" Lance asked.
"You mean Cornelius?" I hated it when my brothers teased me about my boyfriend.
"Yeah, how is he?" Kyle questioned.
Cornelius... He was... Well, I didn't know.
"He's okay I guess, haven't had time to talk to him since I got here."
The boys all laughed at this, even Corin.
"What's funny about it?" Fiera asked.
"She's to busy with Reyn to remember she has a boyfriend," Ishuna told her sister.
Saddest thing was the fact that they were right.
{Corin}
Ten minutes of teasing Rhiale was quickly becoming boring. Ten minutes of the Headmaster's twins flirting with Ward was irritating. Ten minutes of Jason and Suijin fidgeting because they didn't want everyone else to know of their relationship, but they wanted to cuddle, was driving me insane. Ten minutes of not knowing what was going on was killing me. Ten painful minutes of realization that Reyn and Rhiale would probably become a couple was breaking me. Another ten minutes like this and there would be no part left of me to salvage.
"Yo Corin," Kyle cut into my thoughts; "I think Ishuna is looking at you."
"Great," I sighed, confusing him.
"Man, what's wrong with you? A cute girl is checking you out and you're bummed about it. Way I see it is you're far too distracted, you've lost it, or..."
"Or I'm like Jason?" I cut him off.
"Yeah."
"I'm stressed about this. Rella is like a sister to us all, me more than all of you because I grew up with her! Drew I trusted. Girls don't matter right now!"
Everyone in the room looked at me, frowning. So I'd shouted too much. So maybe my hand was on my gun. So maybe I glared a bit too much at Rhiale and Ishuna, those two who were trying to take who I was away from me, and take MY Reyn. Still, I had my reasons right? My life was falling apart and I couldn't do anything about it. Mine isn't the only one though, all of our lives are about to be thrown into a blender with no clue if we're going to live through it or not. There is no guarantee any of us will live, and right now they're thinking about dates. Is it just me or is there something wrong with this picture?
It's not really all the stress that is getting to me, it was the fact that Reyn had come to me last night and said we needed to talk... alone... He was going to leave me for Rhiale, I knew it. And I wasn't ready to lose him just yet. I wasn't ready to try anything with any female, just in case he wasn't going to say what I feared so much. How can anyone bear to love someone with all their heart and lose them? I fear that I will have to know. So in response I retreat from the room. I can't stand being in there anymore, I can't stand them, and I can't stand the looks. I want to be free from it all! Quickly I run to the balcony that EVERYONE knows Reyn loves so much. Do they know that during holidays, and the summer, when things were being remodeled and only the headmaster and his family, and a few instructors that don't like the balcony are the only people staying here, I took a few days off of going home and stayed with Reyn? Did they know that I'd had my first time with him right here? I didn't want to lose that, and I didn't want to lose our friendship, but I guess I had no choice in this manner, did I?
{Nida}
"We all know why we are here..." Reyn said, sitting behind my desk.
"I just can't believe it!" Zell burst out, "Rella's never done anything like this! She's a good girl!"
"Good enough to kill us all?" Xu questioned.
"My little Rella would never do that!" Rinoa shouted.
"Silence!" I growled, "The facts can't be denied, Rella is a sorceress, she's taken Drew Leonheart-Kinneas as her knight and half of the Angelus GF. She fights in Ultimecia's name and has an advantage over us. She's not afraid to hurt friends and family."
"Drew..." Reyn started only to be cut off.
"We can't kill her!" Rinoa shouted again.
"We must take action," Irvine cut in, "I'll even break out my own weapons. I don't care who it is, NO sorceress will take over the world I fought so hard to protect."
The others, all but Rinoa and Zell, nodded in agreement.
"FIGHT!" Fujin assured everyone in the room.
Raijin nodded in agreement, "we need to rain the place. I can give you ten capable SeeDs, including Ward, Jason, and a few other strong young kids whose parents fought in the last war."
"Twenty of Balamb's best," Quistus offered, making Zell frown, "Even Suijin... Though we've had discipline problems with him disappearing to Deling a few times."
"Fifteen from Trabia," Selphie said as Quistus, Fujin and Raijin discussed Suijin's discipline problem. "We'll even use Kyle and Rhiale. Hell, Irvine and me too!"
"How many can we spare?" I asked Reyn, who was still trying to ask us something about Drew.
"Um... Twenty-three I believe sir."
"Then we should start to plan this," Zell finally gave in.
"You all may go home. We'll plan this long distance for the best comfort of our students. We have to act like life is normal," I said.
"Hold on," Cid cut in, "Rella might not be in control of herself."
"What do you mean," Rinoa said, seeming slightly too defensive for my liking; one could not forget she was a powerful sorceress, possessing the power of Adel, and a portion of what was Ultimecia's.
"Edea told me... a bit before she died... That someone was trying to tap into what remained of her powers... A mind she recognized as Ultimecia's, but younger, less experienced."
"We killed her!" Rinoa protested.
"I think Cid is right," Xu said very confidently, looking pointedly at Rinoa.
Now Reyn spoke, his voice so quiet after the loud arguments and discussion, that it echoed through the room, "And now I want a question answered... Why did you call Drew what you did? Why did you give him Squall's last name?"
"Oh Reyn...." Selphie started sadly, "We were not supposed to tell you two. You weren't supposed to be friends! Reyn, he's your older brother."
Reyn's face fell, and he silently stood and left the room. Everyone was silent as Xu stood and ran after him. With nothing left to say, everyone else dispersed to gather their students or children and leave. Rinoa took off after Reyn and Xu. Frowning I watched her go. Hopefully Xu would take Reyn to our apartment so we could tell him quietly the whole truth. So, left to help Cid Kramer, the man who influenced us all so deeply, I smiled and stood. While we walked to the elevator we spoke happily of the days before the last war, and the simpler lives of the students of Garden.
After the thirty minute walk to Cid's transport, where Rinoa was silently waiting, I finally headed home. Today was not a good day. How could I tell Reyn that we've lied to him all these years or about why Drew didn't even know? It took me ten minutes to punch in the code to my apartment, because I was shaking so badly. I didn't want to have to deal with the look of betrayal in the eyes of the boy that was like a son to me?
Everything was dark in the main room of the headmaster's suite, and I could see no other lights. That meant that the twins were not around, and that Xu was not here. Maybe she was with Reyn in his favorite place, a balcony that looked out over the city. So I had no problem flipping on the lights, but I had not expected to see what was waiting there on the floor... Xu and Reyn, both bleeding so badly that I thought I was going to be sick. I pounded my fist on the emergency button before I even examined either of them, which would summon doctors from the city. In an instant I was by my wife's side, cradling her in my arms. There was no chance for my beautiful Xu, for her throat had been slit and a dagger was plunged in her heart. Unable to bear looking at Reyn, I screamed, screamed for mercy, for a quick end, for the persons that did this to die, and for help...
{Suijin}
I was the first to reach the room, the only actually, other than the paramedics. When I burst in Nida was there, holding the body of his wife. He'd seemed to have passed out after that final scream. The only thing that saved him from the heart attack, or kept Reyn alive was the fact he'd been able to hit the emergency button. Knowing it was too late for Xu, I rushed to the side of Reyn. He'd been cut in many places, stabbed many many times. Whoever did this did this out of hatred or fear or him. Even three full- cure spells could not help him, so I just kept pouring elixirs over the wounds and in his mouth until the paramedics showed up. Now I waited in the hospital for word from the doctors. My mother and father were the only adults in here right now, the others all getting food or drink. My comfort right now came from holding my Jason, and the fact that no one here was looking as if they blamed me. I was glad, for they hadn't seen what I saw...
'Death to those who oppose the sorceress's will!'
That phrase had been painted on the wall in the blood of Xu and Reyn. The very sight of it had made even me feel sick. I shivered and closed my eyes, wrapping my arms tighter around my lover's waist. Already everyone had figured out who had sent this deadly message to us, and the teenaged daughters of Xu and Nida were somewhere safe as were most of the children of the former heroes and heroines. The only ones here were Corin, Jason, Rhiale and I. The other two looked upon me with pity, knowing how hard it would be to have walked in to see the horrible deed done by the female behind Rella's power. Yet no one was exactly sure how Rinoa was capable of such a deed.
"So... how long have you been together?" Rhiale asked, trying to distract me with friendly talk.
"Remember when I told everyone I was gay?" Jason asked his little sister.
"How could we not?" Corin asked, "You announced it at the reunion 5 years ago."
"I have been with Suijin since then, though it suffers being long distance."
With a gentle smiled he turned and kissed me. I knew that all of them were only trying to take my mind off of it all. Already everyone had congratulated me, for surely Reyn would already be dead if I hadn't done so much for him... They said nothing of Nida. Could I help that I was afraid I didn't do enough? Jason kissed me again, and then leaned close to me, taking away a bit of my pain. Hyne I was glad that he was always there to help me through things, because though I was strong physically, emotionally I am very weak. Over the years he's helped me through a lot of things, even the time when mom and dad almost broke up.... But don't say I approached him. No, this was a bit of mothers getting together and deciding we both had to few friends. Though now I am glad they did, because I'm never gonna leave Jason.
"I just can't believe Rinoa," Rhiale said hesitant to broach the subject.
"I can," Corin shot back; he seemed far tenser than Rhiale was. Both were worried about Reyn and Nida, but both loved him in one way or another.
"Yes... We can't forget she is a sorceress, and with age comes stronger power," my lover added.
"I don't think she's just in league with Rella..." I said, finally putting my two cents in.
"I hope you're wrong," Raijin said, returning with an arm around mom's waist and a cup of coffee in the other hand.
"Hyne save us," mom added, for the first time I knew in my life, my mother had used her real voice.
"Excuse me," a doctor said as he walked over to us, "Who here is next of kin for Miss Xu?"
"That would be Nida," Raijin supplied.
"And he would be?"
"In the OR," Zell said as he came over, looking like he probably felt right now, shit.
"And other than that?" the doctor insisted.
"You listen here," Selphie said as she walked over with a very purposeful stride, "Those girls are 18 years old and their father is in surgery. Their lives are at risk and so is the whole damn world. They know their mother is dead and they could have died too if they had went straight back to the apartment they lived in with their family, and right now they are regretting that they didn't, thinking they could have saved their mother. So you shut up and leave the girls out of this, all the questions you want answered can be done by those here..."
"No..." The doctor said, though rather quietly, for it seemed he now feared the wrath of Selphie, "Actually ma'am, we have good news. It seems that Miss Xu was pregnant.... About six months. I'm guessing that she knew but was keeping it from all of you."
"Dear Hyne!" Fujin gasped, "How is that good news."
"We've saved the child... It's amazing really... For a while it will have to remain here, so it can grow properly and be cared for, but I think she'll make it," the doctor said with a smile.
"Oh my..." Rhiale said in shock, "I thought she was just getting a little fat...."
"She kept it hidden well," I admitted.
"I was wondering who would name the girl," the doctor said.
"Call her Xu...." Corin said, seeming very wise in saying so.
We all nodded in agreement. The doctor smiled and walked away, soon followed by Selphie turning to Raijin and Fujin and informing them that she was going back to Garden to help watch over everyone. My parents nodded and frowned, taking a seat near Jason and me, and cuddling up. After about fifteen minutes the doctor came out and said Reyn was stable and awake, and that two people could visit him at this time, but then he'd have to be given time to rest. Rhiale and Corin went. Though I don't know what happened, I can guess easily. See, when the two returned twenty minutes later, Corin was smiling happily to himself, though seeming a bit down. Rhiale on the other hand, seemed perfectly chipper, and completely happy. My guess, which is as good as anyone else's, is that Reyn had kissed Corin when he showed up, told him he loved him, but wanted Rhiale... Reyn was always good with gentle break-ups. Though all of us have seen this coming since the first time Rhiale had introduced one of her boyfriends to Reyn and he'd beaten the guy up. Odd how some things can seem so right when life is so wrong, like the gentle touch of your lover, or the embrace of a parent, or even a sweet break-up. Anything just to make life feel like it wasn't spinning out of control, anything that was part of normal life would do.
For a moment I cursed the bloody scene in my head.... 'Death to those who oppose the sorceress's will.'
{Rella}
"MOTHER! How could you do such a thing!? Now they'll know for sure!" I yelled. My day just kept getting worse.
"Hold your tongue!" Rinoa growled, sending a blast of fire a me that I barely avoided.
"She is right," Drew backed me up, his tone level, "We could have had an insider while they planned, but you just HAD to kill Xu and try to kill Reyn, didn't you?"
"I know I killed him!" Rinoa shouted, sending another burst of fire at Drew.
Angered with the way she was treating MY knight, I raised a barrier around Drew, and sent a bolt of lightning at her. I had NOT chosen him so that she could kill him. Also, I had not picked him, the man that I had always loved, to have her destroy him when he pointed out her stupidity. Not like I was going to waste years of training to let her wreck it all.
"Mother... You need to chill. You can sit back and plan where you are safe, and let ME deal with them. It's obvious your powers have diminished with age," which was probably the wrong thing to say to her.
She who was Rinoa right now flicked her wrist and I flew back against a wall, hard. The action knocked the wind from me, and caused Drew to put his hand on his gunblade, ready to slay Rinoa. But she was too strong for him. She was the sorceress that needed no knight now; she'd developed her magic upon her own. Chains of ice bound me to the wall, and a large icicle pressed against my neck. One could not forget who she really was. Her eyes burned golden as she walked to me and placed her hand upon the icicle. When Drew leapt forward and chopped the ice in half, causing it to crash to the floor, she pressed her hand against his chest and a burst of energy threw him back.
"Listen here girl, I am the one in charge, and you will always remember that. My power is not fading, it is growing, and I will outlive everyone. I will rule all. They may defeat me in the future, but I still have now to have my revenge and set myself up to rule until they come. Never forget it."
"No my lady..." I choked out.
"Say my name daughter, or I will kill you here and now."
Drew looked up furiously, seems like he was fond of me, even when my spells were not upon him. That mean that someday he would be mine, and I could wait. Sometimes I believed that it was not my desires that made me pursue him, but mother's attempts to relive her past, and get Squall as her own. And if she could not have him, her daughter would. How I hated to admit that I was but a puppet in such a greater scheme. Then all I could feel was the bindings tightening, threatening to end me here and now. Why should I say her name? Why did I have to admit it? Yet, did I have a choice? For I did want to live, even if it was under her command.
"My ladies, I am sorry to interrupt, but we've received notice of the statuses of the victims," my mother's right hand man said. He doubled as her sorceress knight, only in the fact that he was the one that could answer the homing spell.
You see, another reason a sorceress needs a knight is the homing spell. Sorceresses can create portals for teleportation, but there are two kinds. One can only be made if the enchantments have been placed at both spots already. One like that could be placed on a safe place in the sorceress's H.Q., and she could use the spell anywhere to return home safely. The other brought them to the side of their knight, which increased the strength of their magic and resistance to the magic of the GFs. It made me uncomfortable that he was here, seeing as my mother had cheated on father so many years with this man.
"Well?"
"The female died, but the boy survived so far. He's in the presidential hospital, along with the woman's husband... Seems he had a heart attack when he found them."
"Oh how wonderful! Come... Let us talk about our next plan!" Rinoa said in a chipper way, following him out as my bindings melted.
When I fell to my knees, Drew was there beside me, arms around me in a protective manner. There was genuine worry in his eyes. Seems his week with me has been fruitful. Carefully he lifted me up and carried me to our chamber. With great care he placed me on my bed and sat on his own cot which was near that. Darus was hovering nearby, but I ignored the GF, just another one of my pawns against my mother. Eventually I'd find a way to be rid of him, for he came between me and Drew far too often. But now he looked at me in pity and shook his head. The GF even spoke his first kind words to me since we encountered each other.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes, but my mother will stop at nothing for her ambitions,"
"But neither will you," Drew pointed out.
"No... But I don't want to let her have what should be mine!" I growled.
"Why did Rinoa wish you to say her name?" Darus said softly
"Because her reputation for power precedes her name."
"Hardly... I've never connected Rinoa with evil sorceresses until now," Drew said, his voice equally soft.
"My mother is not just Rinoa Caraway-Dincht... My mother is Ultimecia."
Firefly-Dreams: huggled and laughs Dark One is Darus who is Squall, the one who Drew controlled, which will be better explained in this chapter. I realized after you posted this that I made a little joke on myself.... I wanted Rella cause it was like a name I made up earlier, Raelle.... I changed it and accidentally it's a blending of Rinoa and Zell.... Shesh.
Silver-nex: How come Rella became evil? Well, that is a secret for now.... Who said her parents were not evil? You'll see Nida's suspicions and Reyn's soon enough... Oh yeah... get out your tissues... death this chapter.
Chapter 4: Who I Am: Part II
{Reyn}
"Don't... I want the scar," I growled at the teen working, at her mother Xu's direction, to heal the scar that crossed my forehead.
Fiera backed away at the growl, looking to her mother for guidance. When doc shook her head the girl frowned and backed away. Glad that I finally passed Aunt Xu's inspection, I hopped off the exam table, though carefully. While Xu spewed out the normal advice of eating right, getting more sleep and training less until I healed, I just smiled. It was the same thing every time I was injured. Luckily she knew I never listened, and would send her other daughter, Ishuna, up with a healthy lunch for me later. With a smile she sends me away to my office. First times first, I had to review all the data from the mission. Then I had to call the other gardens with the information. After that it was my job to break the news to Selphie about Drew, and Zell about his daughter. Rinoa would already know and be in hiding. Many would blame this on her, though maybe not wrongly.
I had my suspicions as to why the sweet daughter of Zell and Rinoa came to be this. Not only would she have dormant powers from her mother, purely from genetics, but Edea Kramer had died a bit ago, probably leaving all that left her magical powers to Rella. None of that made sense though, seeing as she was NOT evil, no matter how dangerous her powers were. Yet even though a sorceress was dangerous, they needed a knight to access all their power. Drew came to my mind. The man had been a brother to me for the past few years was gone. He'd always been a better fighter than me, so I had no clue how he could be stopped. If only mom and dad were still around.
The elevator ride up to my office is dreadful. All of this thinking is a pain. And the chatty girls that were in the elevator with me were so annoying. But at last I reached the safety and comfort of my office. Once, more than 20 years ago, it had been dad's, as well as the room adjoining it, but that was before my time. Good thing too, Nida and the rest of my extended family had told me a great deal about my parents. Apparently my parents often dueled out in the wastelands near Esthar and when they returned no one would be able to find them for a few hours. When Seifer was next seen, he'd be smiling and in a smug mood. Mom, on the other hand, was known to be highly aggravated and tense after such encounters, till they were married. Only time that hadn't happened was when my parents discovered their curse. That day Seifer's been scowling and Squall grinning.
With a sigh I pull a locker from around my neck. It's a hololocket I've had since I was born. Even with hundreds of pictures in it, it was still barely half full. Already I knew what I was going for. The picture was very simple, just mom and dad with me in dad's lap. The picture was taken when I was five. That was the day they told me about who I was. They told me how seven years before they'd decided to have a child. Together they said that very little of my blood was Squall's own. Most of me was Seifer's son. Another thing I remember is asking them why I was only five then. Never did they answer that. After looking at the picture, I put the locket back on and went to read the latest reports. Damn.... Life was not going my way.
Two hours later found me swearing, cursing all of life and my position at my age. Surely Squall never had to do such paperwork at my age. Hyne how I wish either mom or dad were here. I could have used them right now. Instead I sense another presence, Valen. He has always been by my side. Now he stands across from me frowning. His look tells me all I need to know. He's never been this silent with me.... Darus MEANT something to him that we cannot understand, just as Drew means something odd to me, how I'm drawn to him irrevocably. Maybe it was attraction, for I had to admit how beautiful he was, but what I felt for him was not like what I felt for Corin, or the growing love for Rhiale in my heart. So I could not explain it. Now what am I supposed to do.
{Drew}
"So the blood in me is..."
"Yes," the sorceress Rella said, stroking my hair and running a finger over my healing cut.
"But..." I started, "So Selphie really is my mother?"
"Only because she gave birth to you. She was a surrogate as my own mother was for Reyn. But your heritage does explain your ability to control the dark Darus well. He is like you father," the younger female chuckled.
"So I am a Loire? A Leonheart-Loire?"
"Yes, you are the son of a sorceress knight, possibly the strongest sorceress knight ever, though his abilities were sadly misused by my mother. What a shame," she sighed.
"Why did they abandon me?"
"They were truly evil people. But they are gone now, and you will succeed where they failed. Together you and I will rule the world, now and forever."
"Yes my lady."
"Now... I need to consult someone, I'm sure you can tend to yourself," she whispered with a smile.
"Yes milady."
Rella Dincht walked off, smiling to herself. All at once it was hard to see her go, and a relief. Held of the time I knew I was thinking clearly, and the rest I was enchanted by her, wanting to please her. The problem was that I had no love for her, as much as she wanted it. She reminded me of Uncle Squall's, no... my father's, stories about Rinoa when I was young. At one point she'd tried to put a spell on him to make him love her. Sadly I wondered if the gentle sorceress's girl would do the same to me... And I wondered if all her actions were her own ideas.
Sure, she was lovely, breath taking even, but I was never one for females. Hell, when I was in Galbidia, I'd spend the night out with Jason and Suijin, who'd take a train from Balamb, and even considered trying to steal Suijin from the only Kinneas that ever felt like my family. Rella was sensual, and probably trying to make her knight her pet, but as long as I had some free will, I'd ignore her scantly clad body and pathetic attempts. Speaking of scantly clad bodies, she now slinked over with cat-like grace and sat in my lap. Now there was actually nothing on her but a very thin robe. I could sense her weaving an enchantment upon me as she forced me to lie back on the bed upon which we say. At times like this I wished someone had the guts to interrupt her.
"DREW!" the voice of Darus came booming from above where the sorceress had pinned me to the bed.
"Darus?" I questioned, pushing the young female off of me, and being rewarded with a quiet mumble of protest, "Are you all right? I thought Valen hurt you."
"He could never hurt me, nor I him," Darus sighed.
"Can you keep that creature in check?!" Rella hissed, trying to keep the panic from her voice. She was obviously afraid of the powerful GF.
Now I saw he was my only hope to keep control of myself, "Sorry, he is a very independent one. My powers over him are limited. Were he a normal Guardian Force..."
The female shrieked in anger of my using the hated term. Where is not for the presence of the highly protective Darus, she probably would have killed me. Instead the female wrapped her rope tighter around herself, glaring at the dark angel. In what could only be described as a bit of taunting, and maybe instigation, Darus's gunblade appeared in hand, and the image of Griever surrounded by a cross burned upon his blade. Disappointingly, I could not help but laugh as Rella fled the room. While returning the gunblade to its rightful place by his side, I swore Darus grinned.
"The best way to fight her power is to realize your parents did love you, and that she, and her mother, have used them both." my stoic guardian told me quietly.
"How do you know?"
"I bet there is another pulling her strings, as Ultimecia did once... And I've experienced the schemes of her kind before..."
{Rhiale}
"He's fine," Corin assured her, smiling.
"Still, I'd like to speak with him," mom insisted.
"I'd think you'd rather see your daughter," Corin's mother chuckled.
"Rhiale, take us to the headmaster," my father said, placing a hand on my shoulder.
"Yes sir. This way," I directed the Headmasters and SeeD Commanders of the other Gardens toward an elevator disk.
"I'll never get used to these," Zell commented, trying to keep his balance once we started moving.
"SIT!"
The sharp command came from the slender Fujin, who sat on a bench between her husband and son. Behind them Quistus, Corin and Rinoa were talking about a neutral subject, the weather. Zell and Selphie were pacing toward the edge with Irvine trying his hardest to stop them before they fell off. On the elevator disk below us would be Cid Kramer and my siblings, along with Xu and the twins. With a sorceress alive and well, everyone was tense, especially since her knight was the best fighter known to the world since Squall and Seifer. Both Rella and Drew were the children of heroes, making this even harder. We'd all been trained since birth, and were too close. Fighting out own would be horrible. Rella'd been the closest thing to a sister to me over the years, and now she was the enemy. And Drew was my brother, though now he was an enemy too. How could any of us stand it?
Slowly we came to a stop and everyone filed out and into Nida's office. Well, everyone but me, Corin and Suijin. We'd wait while everyone but us spoke of our future. Today was not a good day. The fact that Cid and Rinoa's left the orphanage in the hands of the son and daughter of Ellone and Watts, a teen called Stelah and his sister Mayun, was scary. Not since the last reunion, ten years ago, had everyone together like this. So I can't help but shake as I lean against a wall for a moment's thought. Suijin comes over and places a hand on my shoulder and smiles softly. He's big like his father, but less kind hearted, so this action was rather sweet.
"Hey, everything is gonna be fine, we've got some great minds together on this, and everyone is gonna help. We'll get Drew back, and without hurting him. And don't forget about Reyn, we've got him."
"Yes, we have Reyn, a great boy," the gray haired Cid Kramer said as he walked by, leaning on his cane.
Now that the adults had gathered, I had to guide the others here and not in the meeting to a room where we'd wait. Just how I wanted to spend and afternoon, listening to my brothers... At least the twins wouldn't make too many jokes with the headmaster's girls around. Plus Corin and Suijin were here so I had people to talk to and my oldest brother would keep all the others in line. Reyn would not be with us, for he could tell them about the incident and he was SeeD Commander here. Yet he'd been having really bad headaches lately, which was not a good sign. What id he got hurt worse while fighting Drew? What if he died?
"How is whatshisname?" Lance asked.
"You mean Cornelius?" I hated it when my brothers teased me about my boyfriend.
"Yeah, how is he?" Kyle questioned.
Cornelius... He was... Well, I didn't know.
"He's okay I guess, haven't had time to talk to him since I got here."
The boys all laughed at this, even Corin.
"What's funny about it?" Fiera asked.
"She's to busy with Reyn to remember she has a boyfriend," Ishuna told her sister.
Saddest thing was the fact that they were right.
{Corin}
Ten minutes of teasing Rhiale was quickly becoming boring. Ten minutes of the Headmaster's twins flirting with Ward was irritating. Ten minutes of Jason and Suijin fidgeting because they didn't want everyone else to know of their relationship, but they wanted to cuddle, was driving me insane. Ten minutes of not knowing what was going on was killing me. Ten painful minutes of realization that Reyn and Rhiale would probably become a couple was breaking me. Another ten minutes like this and there would be no part left of me to salvage.
"Yo Corin," Kyle cut into my thoughts; "I think Ishuna is looking at you."
"Great," I sighed, confusing him.
"Man, what's wrong with you? A cute girl is checking you out and you're bummed about it. Way I see it is you're far too distracted, you've lost it, or..."
"Or I'm like Jason?" I cut him off.
"Yeah."
"I'm stressed about this. Rella is like a sister to us all, me more than all of you because I grew up with her! Drew I trusted. Girls don't matter right now!"
Everyone in the room looked at me, frowning. So I'd shouted too much. So maybe my hand was on my gun. So maybe I glared a bit too much at Rhiale and Ishuna, those two who were trying to take who I was away from me, and take MY Reyn. Still, I had my reasons right? My life was falling apart and I couldn't do anything about it. Mine isn't the only one though, all of our lives are about to be thrown into a blender with no clue if we're going to live through it or not. There is no guarantee any of us will live, and right now they're thinking about dates. Is it just me or is there something wrong with this picture?
It's not really all the stress that is getting to me, it was the fact that Reyn had come to me last night and said we needed to talk... alone... He was going to leave me for Rhiale, I knew it. And I wasn't ready to lose him just yet. I wasn't ready to try anything with any female, just in case he wasn't going to say what I feared so much. How can anyone bear to love someone with all their heart and lose them? I fear that I will have to know. So in response I retreat from the room. I can't stand being in there anymore, I can't stand them, and I can't stand the looks. I want to be free from it all! Quickly I run to the balcony that EVERYONE knows Reyn loves so much. Do they know that during holidays, and the summer, when things were being remodeled and only the headmaster and his family, and a few instructors that don't like the balcony are the only people staying here, I took a few days off of going home and stayed with Reyn? Did they know that I'd had my first time with him right here? I didn't want to lose that, and I didn't want to lose our friendship, but I guess I had no choice in this manner, did I?
{Nida}
"We all know why we are here..." Reyn said, sitting behind my desk.
"I just can't believe it!" Zell burst out, "Rella's never done anything like this! She's a good girl!"
"Good enough to kill us all?" Xu questioned.
"My little Rella would never do that!" Rinoa shouted.
"Silence!" I growled, "The facts can't be denied, Rella is a sorceress, she's taken Drew Leonheart-Kinneas as her knight and half of the Angelus GF. She fights in Ultimecia's name and has an advantage over us. She's not afraid to hurt friends and family."
"Drew..." Reyn started only to be cut off.
"We can't kill her!" Rinoa shouted again.
"We must take action," Irvine cut in, "I'll even break out my own weapons. I don't care who it is, NO sorceress will take over the world I fought so hard to protect."
The others, all but Rinoa and Zell, nodded in agreement.
"FIGHT!" Fujin assured everyone in the room.
Raijin nodded in agreement, "we need to rain the place. I can give you ten capable SeeDs, including Ward, Jason, and a few other strong young kids whose parents fought in the last war."
"Twenty of Balamb's best," Quistus offered, making Zell frown, "Even Suijin... Though we've had discipline problems with him disappearing to Deling a few times."
"Fifteen from Trabia," Selphie said as Quistus, Fujin and Raijin discussed Suijin's discipline problem. "We'll even use Kyle and Rhiale. Hell, Irvine and me too!"
"How many can we spare?" I asked Reyn, who was still trying to ask us something about Drew.
"Um... Twenty-three I believe sir."
"Then we should start to plan this," Zell finally gave in.
"You all may go home. We'll plan this long distance for the best comfort of our students. We have to act like life is normal," I said.
"Hold on," Cid cut in, "Rella might not be in control of herself."
"What do you mean," Rinoa said, seeming slightly too defensive for my liking; one could not forget she was a powerful sorceress, possessing the power of Adel, and a portion of what was Ultimecia's.
"Edea told me... a bit before she died... That someone was trying to tap into what remained of her powers... A mind she recognized as Ultimecia's, but younger, less experienced."
"We killed her!" Rinoa protested.
"I think Cid is right," Xu said very confidently, looking pointedly at Rinoa.
Now Reyn spoke, his voice so quiet after the loud arguments and discussion, that it echoed through the room, "And now I want a question answered... Why did you call Drew what you did? Why did you give him Squall's last name?"
"Oh Reyn...." Selphie started sadly, "We were not supposed to tell you two. You weren't supposed to be friends! Reyn, he's your older brother."
Reyn's face fell, and he silently stood and left the room. Everyone was silent as Xu stood and ran after him. With nothing left to say, everyone else dispersed to gather their students or children and leave. Rinoa took off after Reyn and Xu. Frowning I watched her go. Hopefully Xu would take Reyn to our apartment so we could tell him quietly the whole truth. So, left to help Cid Kramer, the man who influenced us all so deeply, I smiled and stood. While we walked to the elevator we spoke happily of the days before the last war, and the simpler lives of the students of Garden.
After the thirty minute walk to Cid's transport, where Rinoa was silently waiting, I finally headed home. Today was not a good day. How could I tell Reyn that we've lied to him all these years or about why Drew didn't even know? It took me ten minutes to punch in the code to my apartment, because I was shaking so badly. I didn't want to have to deal with the look of betrayal in the eyes of the boy that was like a son to me?
Everything was dark in the main room of the headmaster's suite, and I could see no other lights. That meant that the twins were not around, and that Xu was not here. Maybe she was with Reyn in his favorite place, a balcony that looked out over the city. So I had no problem flipping on the lights, but I had not expected to see what was waiting there on the floor... Xu and Reyn, both bleeding so badly that I thought I was going to be sick. I pounded my fist on the emergency button before I even examined either of them, which would summon doctors from the city. In an instant I was by my wife's side, cradling her in my arms. There was no chance for my beautiful Xu, for her throat had been slit and a dagger was plunged in her heart. Unable to bear looking at Reyn, I screamed, screamed for mercy, for a quick end, for the persons that did this to die, and for help...
{Suijin}
I was the first to reach the room, the only actually, other than the paramedics. When I burst in Nida was there, holding the body of his wife. He'd seemed to have passed out after that final scream. The only thing that saved him from the heart attack, or kept Reyn alive was the fact he'd been able to hit the emergency button. Knowing it was too late for Xu, I rushed to the side of Reyn. He'd been cut in many places, stabbed many many times. Whoever did this did this out of hatred or fear or him. Even three full- cure spells could not help him, so I just kept pouring elixirs over the wounds and in his mouth until the paramedics showed up. Now I waited in the hospital for word from the doctors. My mother and father were the only adults in here right now, the others all getting food or drink. My comfort right now came from holding my Jason, and the fact that no one here was looking as if they blamed me. I was glad, for they hadn't seen what I saw...
'Death to those who oppose the sorceress's will!'
That phrase had been painted on the wall in the blood of Xu and Reyn. The very sight of it had made even me feel sick. I shivered and closed my eyes, wrapping my arms tighter around my lover's waist. Already everyone had figured out who had sent this deadly message to us, and the teenaged daughters of Xu and Nida were somewhere safe as were most of the children of the former heroes and heroines. The only ones here were Corin, Jason, Rhiale and I. The other two looked upon me with pity, knowing how hard it would be to have walked in to see the horrible deed done by the female behind Rella's power. Yet no one was exactly sure how Rinoa was capable of such a deed.
"So... how long have you been together?" Rhiale asked, trying to distract me with friendly talk.
"Remember when I told everyone I was gay?" Jason asked his little sister.
"How could we not?" Corin asked, "You announced it at the reunion 5 years ago."
"I have been with Suijin since then, though it suffers being long distance."
With a gentle smiled he turned and kissed me. I knew that all of them were only trying to take my mind off of it all. Already everyone had congratulated me, for surely Reyn would already be dead if I hadn't done so much for him... They said nothing of Nida. Could I help that I was afraid I didn't do enough? Jason kissed me again, and then leaned close to me, taking away a bit of my pain. Hyne I was glad that he was always there to help me through things, because though I was strong physically, emotionally I am very weak. Over the years he's helped me through a lot of things, even the time when mom and dad almost broke up.... But don't say I approached him. No, this was a bit of mothers getting together and deciding we both had to few friends. Though now I am glad they did, because I'm never gonna leave Jason.
"I just can't believe Rinoa," Rhiale said hesitant to broach the subject.
"I can," Corin shot back; he seemed far tenser than Rhiale was. Both were worried about Reyn and Nida, but both loved him in one way or another.
"Yes... We can't forget she is a sorceress, and with age comes stronger power," my lover added.
"I don't think she's just in league with Rella..." I said, finally putting my two cents in.
"I hope you're wrong," Raijin said, returning with an arm around mom's waist and a cup of coffee in the other hand.
"Hyne save us," mom added, for the first time I knew in my life, my mother had used her real voice.
"Excuse me," a doctor said as he walked over to us, "Who here is next of kin for Miss Xu?"
"That would be Nida," Raijin supplied.
"And he would be?"
"In the OR," Zell said as he came over, looking like he probably felt right now, shit.
"And other than that?" the doctor insisted.
"You listen here," Selphie said as she walked over with a very purposeful stride, "Those girls are 18 years old and their father is in surgery. Their lives are at risk and so is the whole damn world. They know their mother is dead and they could have died too if they had went straight back to the apartment they lived in with their family, and right now they are regretting that they didn't, thinking they could have saved their mother. So you shut up and leave the girls out of this, all the questions you want answered can be done by those here..."
"No..." The doctor said, though rather quietly, for it seemed he now feared the wrath of Selphie, "Actually ma'am, we have good news. It seems that Miss Xu was pregnant.... About six months. I'm guessing that she knew but was keeping it from all of you."
"Dear Hyne!" Fujin gasped, "How is that good news."
"We've saved the child... It's amazing really... For a while it will have to remain here, so it can grow properly and be cared for, but I think she'll make it," the doctor said with a smile.
"Oh my..." Rhiale said in shock, "I thought she was just getting a little fat...."
"She kept it hidden well," I admitted.
"I was wondering who would name the girl," the doctor said.
"Call her Xu...." Corin said, seeming very wise in saying so.
We all nodded in agreement. The doctor smiled and walked away, soon followed by Selphie turning to Raijin and Fujin and informing them that she was going back to Garden to help watch over everyone. My parents nodded and frowned, taking a seat near Jason and me, and cuddling up. After about fifteen minutes the doctor came out and said Reyn was stable and awake, and that two people could visit him at this time, but then he'd have to be given time to rest. Rhiale and Corin went. Though I don't know what happened, I can guess easily. See, when the two returned twenty minutes later, Corin was smiling happily to himself, though seeming a bit down. Rhiale on the other hand, seemed perfectly chipper, and completely happy. My guess, which is as good as anyone else's, is that Reyn had kissed Corin when he showed up, told him he loved him, but wanted Rhiale... Reyn was always good with gentle break-ups. Though all of us have seen this coming since the first time Rhiale had introduced one of her boyfriends to Reyn and he'd beaten the guy up. Odd how some things can seem so right when life is so wrong, like the gentle touch of your lover, or the embrace of a parent, or even a sweet break-up. Anything just to make life feel like it wasn't spinning out of control, anything that was part of normal life would do.
For a moment I cursed the bloody scene in my head.... 'Death to those who oppose the sorceress's will.'
{Rella}
"MOTHER! How could you do such a thing!? Now they'll know for sure!" I yelled. My day just kept getting worse.
"Hold your tongue!" Rinoa growled, sending a blast of fire a me that I barely avoided.
"She is right," Drew backed me up, his tone level, "We could have had an insider while they planned, but you just HAD to kill Xu and try to kill Reyn, didn't you?"
"I know I killed him!" Rinoa shouted, sending another burst of fire at Drew.
Angered with the way she was treating MY knight, I raised a barrier around Drew, and sent a bolt of lightning at her. I had NOT chosen him so that she could kill him. Also, I had not picked him, the man that I had always loved, to have her destroy him when he pointed out her stupidity. Not like I was going to waste years of training to let her wreck it all.
"Mother... You need to chill. You can sit back and plan where you are safe, and let ME deal with them. It's obvious your powers have diminished with age," which was probably the wrong thing to say to her.
She who was Rinoa right now flicked her wrist and I flew back against a wall, hard. The action knocked the wind from me, and caused Drew to put his hand on his gunblade, ready to slay Rinoa. But she was too strong for him. She was the sorceress that needed no knight now; she'd developed her magic upon her own. Chains of ice bound me to the wall, and a large icicle pressed against my neck. One could not forget who she really was. Her eyes burned golden as she walked to me and placed her hand upon the icicle. When Drew leapt forward and chopped the ice in half, causing it to crash to the floor, she pressed her hand against his chest and a burst of energy threw him back.
"Listen here girl, I am the one in charge, and you will always remember that. My power is not fading, it is growing, and I will outlive everyone. I will rule all. They may defeat me in the future, but I still have now to have my revenge and set myself up to rule until they come. Never forget it."
"No my lady..." I choked out.
"Say my name daughter, or I will kill you here and now."
Drew looked up furiously, seems like he was fond of me, even when my spells were not upon him. That mean that someday he would be mine, and I could wait. Sometimes I believed that it was not my desires that made me pursue him, but mother's attempts to relive her past, and get Squall as her own. And if she could not have him, her daughter would. How I hated to admit that I was but a puppet in such a greater scheme. Then all I could feel was the bindings tightening, threatening to end me here and now. Why should I say her name? Why did I have to admit it? Yet, did I have a choice? For I did want to live, even if it was under her command.
"My ladies, I am sorry to interrupt, but we've received notice of the statuses of the victims," my mother's right hand man said. He doubled as her sorceress knight, only in the fact that he was the one that could answer the homing spell.
You see, another reason a sorceress needs a knight is the homing spell. Sorceresses can create portals for teleportation, but there are two kinds. One can only be made if the enchantments have been placed at both spots already. One like that could be placed on a safe place in the sorceress's H.Q., and she could use the spell anywhere to return home safely. The other brought them to the side of their knight, which increased the strength of their magic and resistance to the magic of the GFs. It made me uncomfortable that he was here, seeing as my mother had cheated on father so many years with this man.
"Well?"
"The female died, but the boy survived so far. He's in the presidential hospital, along with the woman's husband... Seems he had a heart attack when he found them."
"Oh how wonderful! Come... Let us talk about our next plan!" Rinoa said in a chipper way, following him out as my bindings melted.
When I fell to my knees, Drew was there beside me, arms around me in a protective manner. There was genuine worry in his eyes. Seems his week with me has been fruitful. Carefully he lifted me up and carried me to our chamber. With great care he placed me on my bed and sat on his own cot which was near that. Darus was hovering nearby, but I ignored the GF, just another one of my pawns against my mother. Eventually I'd find a way to be rid of him, for he came between me and Drew far too often. But now he looked at me in pity and shook his head. The GF even spoke his first kind words to me since we encountered each other.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes, but my mother will stop at nothing for her ambitions,"
"But neither will you," Drew pointed out.
"No... But I don't want to let her have what should be mine!" I growled.
"Why did Rinoa wish you to say her name?" Darus said softly
"Because her reputation for power precedes her name."
"Hardly... I've never connected Rinoa with evil sorceresses until now," Drew said, his voice equally soft.
"My mother is not just Rinoa Caraway-Dincht... My mother is Ultimecia."