Chapter 16

Disclaimer:: I don't own anything, and sorry for the long wait for the update..heh..

"Wake me up inside

Wake me up inside

Call my name

And save me from the dark

Get my blood to run

Before I become undone

Save me from the nothing

I've become.."

Squall just stared at Seifer's dead body lying on the floor next to him, his lifeless eyes staring pointless upward. In that moment contained an eternity. Neither Squall nor Quistis moved, no one even seemed to breathe. Finally a loud thud that announced the gun had fallen from Quistis hands, and she slowly pressed herself against a nearby wall. Squall didn't see her do any of this, his eyes were fixed on Seifer's lifeless body. Quistis wrapped her arms around herself, and slid down the wall, trying to control herself. Squall glanced at her, then looked back at Seifer, he needed to say something, but the words seemed to be caught up in his throat. Quistis covered her mouth with one of her hands and started to cry, her entire body was shaking with the effort of controlling her sobs, but it was a meaningless effort, she was losing. Squall snapped out of his lifeless state, and moved toward Quistis. Slowly he put his arms around her and dragged her into him. She sobbed into her shoulder, freely now, unable to control her feelings anymore.

" He deserved it.." Squall whispered softly trying to give her some peace. Quistis shook her head as she cried.

" We do not have the power to announce who deserves death, my lord.." Quistis whined as she cried. Squall sighed softly, he didn't know what to say, but he wasn't sure that Quistis wished to hear words. So he decided to remain silent, till an action presented itself. Squall and Quistis sat there for countless moments, just clinging to each other, till footsteps were heard coming down the hallway parallel to theirs. Squall and Quistis didn't bother to look up when they heard Irivine's voice ring out.

" ..Seifer..." Irivine muttered, removing his hat and looking down at the fallen man. Zell on the other hand moved around Squall and Quistis and bent down placing a hand on Seifer's neck. After a few moments Zell removed his fingers from Seifer's neck and stood up quickly, looking at Irivine and Rinoa.

" He is indeed dead then?" Rinoa asked softly, looking at Squall, who's head snapped up and nodded slowly.

"..Who?" Zell muttered looking down at Seifer. No one said anything Rinoa, Irivine, and Zell stared at Squall and Quistis on the floor. Squall looked at Quistis, but her expression seemed dimmed and a thousand miles away. Squall slowly helped her to her feet, as he looked at the other three.

" I shot the bullet that ended Seifer's terror.." He said firmly, looking at Rinoa and nodding. Rinoa's face fell, she knew Squall and Seifer did not get along, but she never thought, she never assumed he would remove his life.

" You .. My lord?" Zell asked softly, looking at Irivine, then toward Rinoa. Rinoa slowly turned her back to them, placing a hand over her mouth. She couldn't believe it, how could he...

" You .. Understand the consciences of your actions my lord?" Irivine asked looking at Squall, then at Quistis. Quistis looked at Squall.

" My lord.." She started looking determined, but Squall grabbed her arm looking meaningfully at her.

" I took Seifer's spirit from his body, Quistis. You did nothing-wrong here.." He stated firmly, she nodded quickly tears leaking from her eyes. Irivine walked forward and took Quistis forearm, and gently tugged on it.

"Come Zell, and Quistis we have business we must attend to." Irivine looked at Squall and nodded as the three of them left the room. Zell paused and looked down at Seifer's body then excused himself. Squall took at step forward toward Rinoa, who turned slowly.

" You..." She whispered looking down at Seifer. Squall took another step forward and placed his arms around her, pulling her into him. Rinoa placed her head into his shoulder as tears leaked out of her eyes.

" He is dead?" Rinoa asked looking up at Squall's face, he merely nodded.

" And you... shot.." Rinoa finished softly closing her eyes tightly.

"I did not fire at Seifer." Squall said tilting her chin looking down into her face. Rinoa looked puzzled.

"You did not fire? Then why.." She said, but the answer dawned on her face. Squall nodded.

"Quistis fired.." Squall said simply.

" But she will.." Rinoa started, then stopped as she covered her mouth. Squall grimly nodded.

"She will be punished, namely killed. I can not allow her to take a fault, for him.." Squall added looking down at Seifer. Rinoa looked down at Seifer, then back at Squall.

"What.." She started but stopped.

"For a man with my titles, I will have my title and land removed." Squall sighed slightly looking at Rinoa. Rinoa nodded slightly, placing a hand on his chest. He in turn placed his hand over hers, and squeezed it slightly.

" I promise you milady this pressing matter will correct itself in the long run." Squall muttered looking past Rinoa, toward Seifer. Rinoa leaned her head into Squall's.

" You do not have to tell me fairy tales, Squall. You have no need to promise me things you in turn cannot give. I have looked over my fathers books of the law, I know you will not be punished so softly. What you are claiming to do, what you are going to through be not going to be easy. It risks your own life." Rinoa said pressing her face into Squall's chest. He sighed slightly and nodded.

" I understand the task I am about to undergo, I know what the risks are, I know the punishments that may fall upon me, but what I do not know and I beg you to tell me is, if you support me in this Rinoa?" Squall pushed her away, so he could stare into her eyes. He bent himself slightly so they were eyelevel. His eyes scanned hers, moving back and forth as if trying to read her mind through her eyes. She looked away, then back toward him almost instantly.

" Squall, I believe in your cause. I pray that for her actions we will not suffer." Rinoa nodded slightly then looked down. Squall nodded, it wasn't exactly what he wanted to hear, but it was close enough, he could deal with that now, but in the long run...

News of Seifer's death went through the town like wild fire, almost lighting up people's conversations with the opposing opinions of if he deserved it, or if it was on purpose, or the famous one if Squall and Seifer were dueling. Seifer wasn't the most well liked among the villages, he was rude, sarcastic, and cruel. Squall on the other hand, was and foremost the "Cad" of the village. The villages of course had to take in the hand that Squall was now married, and seemed faithfully to the women named Rinoa with raven colored hair, and deep brown eyes. So as the town bickered and toasted to death of Villages "Asshole" Seifer, Squall and Rinoa sat in complete silence, both worried and engulfed in his or her thoughts. A knock on the door interrupted both wary people, Squall stood and went toward the door of the study. He glanced back at Rinoa and opened the door slowly. Zell stood in the doorway with a tray, that was carrying two bowls of soup, and two rather large pieces of bread. He raised them slightly looking at Squall questioning.

" Sorry to disturb you my lord, the cook questioned if you and the lady of the house were hungry in this late hour?" Zell asked cautiously. Squall turned toward Rinoa.

" Rinoa?" He asked simply, Rinoa turned her head toward him and nodded slightly. Squall smiled at Zell and took the tray.

"Thank you Zell.." Squall said as he shut the door behind him. Being extremely carefully Squall moved the rather large and heavy tray toward Rinoa and the table. He placed it down with a slight ting as the metal of the tray hit the table. Squall pulled out a chair for Rinoa, and watched as she moved gracefully toward him. She smiled simply at him, and sat down in the chair. Squall pushed it in, leaning over it and smelling her hair. Knowing his action was obvious he quickly moved toward his chair, and sat down. Rinoa giggled and watched his clumsy and embarrassed movements. They ate in mostly silence, neither one of them knowing exactly what to say or what to do. Finally Squall unable to bare the complete silence looked at her.

"Do you want anything, Rinoa?" He asked fidgeting slightly in his seat. Rinoa placed her fork and spoon down on the table looking up at him.

"Some music may be nice.." She asked looking around. Squall nodded quickly and left the table. Almost faster than lighting Squall was back with a musician. Squall sat back down as the musician started a slow and beautiful tone. After a few more moments, Rinoa slowly stood and walked around the table toward Squall, who looked up at her confused and shocked. She curtsied and looked up at him.

"Would you do the honor of dancing with me?" She asked quietly, Squall merely blinked.

" I..." He started, but she had already grabbed his hand and pulled him clear out of his chair. Placing one hand entwined with hers, and the other on her hip they started dancing, more gracefully around the floor. Squall gulped slightly, looking down, then snapping his head back upward. She smiled at him as they turned.

" There is no need to be so anxious my lord.." Rinoa whispered in his head. Squall shivered, then nodded looking at her sideways.

"I am not nervous, my lady. You are the own that is setting my nerve alight.." He muttered quietly to her.

"Then I ..suppose we ought to go to sleep.." Rinoa whispered, turning a slight color of pink. Squall rose his eyebrows slightly then remembered that annoying fact that they haven't laid down with each other yet. Squall nodded and stopped dancing. Looking toward the musician he called.

"Thank you for your performance good sir, but the lady and I wish to retire.." Squall said this all very quickly as he leaned down and picked Rinoa up. He paused at that moment, looking at her, then slowly moving his head toward hers, he kissed her. Squall took Rinoa down the hallway, up the stairs and into their new room, and shut the door behind him.