+ final fantasy viii: a promise unfulfilled
"Figures dancing gracefully, across my memory" Quistis sang softly to the child in her arms. Many sleepless nights had passed singing to the baby, her baby. Glancing down at the small form in her arms, she whispered softly yet again. "If only you were here with me, Seifer".
Seifer Almasy was assumed dead. Squall and Rinoa.... They had fought, separated, and then married, which was not surprising to those who knew the pair. In the following months, Squall inherited the position of President from his father, Laguna, and Rinoa had been made Lady of Esthar. Irvine...he had been deployed as a SeeD when a war that pitted Esthar against Galbadia erupted, and had gone missing in action. Selphie had gone missing in action. Zell had been killed in a car crash.... Only Quistis and Ellone had survived. Fujin and Raijin had disappeared months after Seifer's supposed death, preferring to disappear, than to live a life not knowing who their enemies and their allies were.
"Seifer, if you could only see our baby now...She's so beautiful," Quistis said to nobody in particular.
"Quistis, you mourn for Seifer, don't you?" Ellone came up behind the younger woman and smiled at the two figures.
"After all these months...After almost dying so I could have my baby..." A tear slipped down the perfect features of Quistis as she placed the baby back in the cradle.
The baby had almost cost Quistis her life. After undergoing a hysterectomy immediately after the baby was born, Quistis called her daughter Guinevere.
The younger woman smiled as she wiped away the tear that had escaped unbidden. She could not afford to cry, SeeDs did not cry. Neither did Instructors, for that matter either.
After the end of Time Compression, the SeeDs had decided to build a Garden in Esthar, and also one in Centra. Many people applied for the position of Headmaster of Esthar, but in the end, Ellone Loire, the President Loire's daughter by adoption was awarded the post.
It was during this time that Seifer found Quistis. He came to her as a friend, and in the end, the two of them had married. Not long after their marriage, Seifer went missing in a training mission. And thus begins the tale of how one determined woman fought for the release of her husband.
"Still, I hope he's still alive...I hope he's watching me, and Guinevere" Quistis choked out.
Ellone nodded as she placed an arm around her friend for support. Time had matured both women greatly since the Time Compression ended.
Months had gone by since Seifer's regiment had gone missing in Centra on a training expedition authorised by Loire himself.
"He's alive, Quisty. I know he is. Hyne herself would not be that cruel." Ellone murmured to her friend as she left the room.
Sighing, Quistis picked up a portrait of Seifer and her on the day of their wedding. "I wish..." Quistis's voice trailed off as she put the portrait down. 'How young and happy I look, she' thought, 'unlike now...Now, I've lost my figure at age twenty-two, I'm married, and my husband's missing.'
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Months had passed since Seifer had seen his wife. The image of her waving goodbye, her hair blowing about her face in the wind haunted his mind. The mission had failed, and he was stuck in Hyne-forsaken barren land of Centra, with no way to escape. True, he had once been in command of the entire Galbadian Army, but after the Second Sorceress War, he had been disposed of duties. Months after Time-Compression ended, he had rejoined Balamb Garden, as it was the only place that would have him back. His only refuge.
He had not seen his baby girl, only pictures reached him too late. He moved quickly, his regiment moved quickly, scouting the terrain for signs of hostilities.
It was the regiment's assigned duty. To put an end to the growing hostilities between Galbadia and Winhill against Esthar and Balamb.
To put it mildly, things failed miserably. Seifer was caught in the rift between the two warring factions. Unable to take sides in the matter because he was SeeD, and also because of his promise to Quistis.
'Love me and leave me not...I will not leave you, Quistis. Never, until death or Hyne do us parting.' Seifer thought as he smiled wearily at the soldiers that gathered around waiting to hear what their leader had to say.
"Alright, listen up," a young man with a shaved head said at the back of the cavern. "We need to git outta here, and fast"
"But how?" Another asked, "we've got no resources, and our Captain is too worried about SeeD Quistis,"
"Hey boys, in case ya don't remember, Quistis is my wife," Seifer said from his position at the back of the cave. "Show her some respect."
"Yeah, yeah." A soldier grumbled, "show respect to a woman? First time I've heard of it."
"Don't you know anything?" Another spoke up, "it's the basic code that both SeeD and knights adhere to."
"That's correct," Seifer gave a wry smile as he caught the conversation. "I was a knight to Ultimecia."
"Don't we all know that" the one who had grumbled said, "Captain, you've got to stop dwelling on your wife,"
"She's had a baby, and I haven't had a chance to see her and the baby yet" Seifer growled, "so shut up."
Past Tears Point was where Seifer's regiment had winded up. The regiment and Seifer were supposed to be searching for Hyne's Bracelet, a proof item to show Odine. That was their job. Of course, until the war broke out.
Recent study of Centra gave new clues to the ever-increasing in number of monsters from the Lunar Cry. It was where Hyne had lived, and died. That was also where the Lunar Cry had landed many aeons before.
Julia Heartilly's song slipped into Seifer's mind long before he realised it. Eyes on Me. A beautiful song, but not one Seifer would like to hear while fighting a slew of Galbadian Soldiers.
A/N: Well, I've finished the first chapter...I'll be updating this soon...(I've got other fanfic to work on, including three unfinished pieces) Please review.... Oh, Thanks go to Alonia Everclear, Sakura-Princess and Da3hix1chic, Bejita (Mischa), Torama, Mayonaka, Kinkae Hitashi and Hyperactive Anjo for being the first ones to review my stuff! Thanx Alonia for reviewing A Midsummer Night's Dream with a difference. It means a lot to a struggling wannabe author...