The Tale of the Princess

Disclaimer: As much as I love being praised for my original ideas, this one however is not mine- it came from a quote in the Astronaut's Wife. All I'm doing is making the short paragraph it was spoken as longer and more detailed with my own little twists and turns. I do not own Final Fantasy Eight or any of its names which are all copyrighted and I don't own The Astronaut's Wife. I also do not own some events which are courtesy of North and South, the book based on the American Civil War.

Warnings: Rape, death and violence. Not intended for under 16's.

Do you know the story of the princess whose beloved prince dies in battle? The enemy prince after overrunning the castle finds the princess and forces himself upon her. Months later the princess is with child... but whose? It's either the child of her enemy, the man that killed her husband, the man that raped her... in which case she will kill herself and her child. Or it's the child of her prince. The only thing she has left of him, a part of him still alive within her, kept safe inside her, in which case... But how would she know until it was too late? How will she know until the child is born and she can see its eyes?

Last Chapter…

The door unlocked and three female servants entered with a dressing gown. They helped her to her feet and wrapped the gown round her. Rinoa could barely stand straight and cast a fleeting look at the floor to see blood staining it. Seifer pushed past her and smiled at the blood.

"Looks like I wasn't too late after all." He smirked. "You were a virgin. My plan is working perfectly." And with that he left. Rinoa couldn't stand it any more and vomited onto the floor before passing out.

Part Three

Rinoa's eyes opened slowly and she jumped up with a start. Her eyes wandered around the room she was now in. There didn't seem to be any curtains and the room was pitch black. She curled herself into a ball and wept quietly. Her whole body was wracked with pain and she was hungry.

Footsteps were heard outside her door. She held her breath as the lock was undone and someone entered, closing the door behind them. Only when it was locked once more did the person speak to her.

"M'lady? My name is Rebecca and I have come to serve you under the instructions of King Seifer."

Rinoa looked at her in the darkness. She stayed silent. Rebecca lit a match and wandered over to some candles on a solitary table in the shadows. She lit the largest one first and then all of the others until light filled the room. Rinoa looked around the room. It was small and dirty. One of the old torture chambers or prison rooms perhaps. Rebecca was very young, no more than fifteen. She had waist-length silvery-blonde hair and friendly hazel eyes. Rinoa kept her mouth shut, and just watched this stranger laying out plates on the table.

"Rinoa there's no need to worry," she told her. "Your room is only temporary until your old one is to Seifer's liking." She spat his name out as if it were poisonous.

Rinoa gasped in shock. Rebecca smiled at her and laid out a jug full of water.

"If the guards hear me saying that, I could be in the same boat as you? That's what you're thinking, isn't it?"

Rinoa nodded, not knowing where this conversation was going.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but Seifer is used to it. After all, we are siblings. But I must let you know, he treats me no better than his servants." She knocked on the door and another maid entered with covered silver plates. They were placed onto the table and she left Rinoa and Rebecca alone once more. Rebecca took Rinoa's hand kindly and led her to the table.

"Please sit down Rinoa. Surely you must be hungry. I had to sneak this up here for you. My brother sent you dry bread to eat. I think what I have brought would be much better for you."

Rinoa sat down slowly and watched Rebecca carefully. This could be some sort of trick Seifer had set up. Rebecca sensed this ominous thought and spoke to her again.

"You think this is a trick, don't you? I may be Seifer's sister, but I assure you I am nothing like him!" she cried out. Rinoa stood from her seat and knelt before Rebecca.

"Forgive me." She whispered. "Please? I… I don't know what to believe anymore. I'm scared of what Seifer will do with me next. Like what he did to Squall…" she broke off into fresh tears. Rebecca wrapped her arms around Rinoa's shoulders.

"What my brother did may seem like the only terrible thing he's done, but there's more to it…"

"What is it? Please tell me!" Rinoa begged.

"Sit and eat first. I shall tell you, once you have eaten. You shouldn't be starved like this. You were unconscious for three days."

Rinoa obliged and resumed her seat opposite Rebecca. The silver lids were lifted and a glorious smell filled Rinoa's nose. Baked chicken cutlets, fresh roasted vegetables and soft mashed potatoes were piled onto the plate beneath them. Rinoa's stomach growled loudly. Rebecca giggled in response. She had a cute giggle, like what you hear from young schoolgirls. "Sounds like you're really hungry. It's a good thing I made this much."

Rinoa piled a massive portion onto her plate and began tucking in. The chicken was soft like butter, flavoured with thyme and rosemary and the vegetables complimented the palate wonderfully. Rinoa's plate was empty within minutes and she reached out for more.

"I take it my cooking is to your liking Rinoa?" Rebecca beamed. Rinoa smiled and swallowed.

"This is wonderful! I had no idea you could cook food this quality!" she exclaimed. Soon her plate was clear again and Rebecca looked solemnly at her.

"Would you like me to tell you now? It will shock you but you must know what my brother has done to many others and is almost done completing here."

"What do you mean 'many others'?" Rinoa asked worriedly, fearing for her life even more. Rebecca took a deep breath and began telling her.

"You were aware that before you were engaged to Squall your father was going to marry you off to my brother? When Squall asked for your hand, your father agreed and my brother wasn't informed. He found out about the engagement from a traveller. I can warn you now that he wasn't happy about the arrangement.

My brother has always sought greater power. Ever since he was a small boy he read about magic and junctioning Guardian Forces. Pretty soon he discovered sorcery and that started him off in his mission. First he murdered our father almost three years ago. It wasn't enough for him to be ruler of Galbadia, he needed more. His first target was Balamb. He killed its ruler King Zell and raped his queen. He murdered the council and many subjects who opposed his take-over, and then he married the queen. Queen Quistis has a two month old baby boy, my brother's heir. But he didn't stop at Balamb; he travelled to Centra and did the same to King Nida and his wife. Queen Xu is currently six months pregnant, with my brother's heir."

Rinoa gasped with shock and Rebecca continued.

"News of this had reached Galbadia only. Trabia was next on my brother's list of domination. King Irvine and his wife Selphie suffered the same fate as the others. As soon as my brother discovered Selphie was pregnant two months ago, he married her too and began plotting for his final take-over, here in Esthar."

"Why get all of the queens pregnant? What does that accomplish!" Rinoa exclaimed.

"It ensures that he is in charge. With an heir to the throne of each country, nothing stops him taking over. It is the law. As Esthar is such an influential country, if he had started here, his mission would have been over before it began. Esthar would have gathered soldiers from the neighbouring countries to help them and Seifer would have been defeated. All of the queens whose husbands my brother killed like you have no ways to stop him. Their loves have been killed, but there isn't a grave for them to mourn. In fact, all bodies vanished but a keepsake from each was shown to each of them, like the ring of your husband was shown to you."

"What does he plan to do once he has taken over Esthar?" Rinoa cried out. "What more could he possibly want after that?"

Rebecca looked at her gravely. "That, I don't know, but all I know is that my brother needs to be stopped. I'm secretly setting up an organisation against him. I could be executed for treason against my brother if he found out. These things need to be kept quiet until I get hold of all of the information. I may have to go away for a while to find out all the facts before my organisation strikes him down."

"But why are you telling me this?" Rinoa cried out. "You're Seifer's sister and you're confiding in me with all these things knowing you could get killed for it!"

Rebecca looked at her through the dim light in the room. "I'm doing this because I feel sorry for you. I've sat by and watched my little brother go on the path to ruin. I want to stop him from hurting any more people."

She stood up and knocked on the door again. The maids who had entered earlier cleared up the plates and walked out. Before she left, Rebecca turned to Rinoa.

"I have a theory, that he didn't kill the kings. I have a feeling your husband may still be alive. I shall let you know when I find out."

The door closed behind her, leaving Rinoa in the pit of darkness. Rinoa slumped to the floor, numb with shock. Squall could still be alive? Impossible!

She heard footsteps approaching her room and held her breath. She heard Seifer outside of the door and then everything went silent. The door unlocked and he entered in his undergarments. Rinoa stood from the table in a defiant stance. Seifer smirked at her and locked the door behind him.

"You won't resist me this time princess. You have nothing left now and I will make sure you belong to me if I have to force you to."

Rinoa relaxed her body and nodded at him. She couldn't believe Squall was alive now, not even after what Rebecca told her. She was all alone and there was nothing she could do but let Seifer win.

Seifer walked towards her and grabbed her by the shoulders. He leaned in and kissed her. Rinoa felt a wave of grief overwhelm her as this beast took her body savagely.

That's it for chapter three! It's gonna get better, I promise!