Our Eternal Love

A one-part story by
Angelwing


Authors Note: This story stands on its own and is completely unrelated to any I have 
written before and will have no bearing on what happens in future stories.

Her fresh smile came to him as each new morning tenderly lightened the darkness 
that had come before. Just as the dawn broke into rays of warmth and sunshine, so too did 
Rinoa’s smile cast a brilliantly glowing flush of heat on Squalls once cold heart. He 
remembered that fire and enthusiasm she had once been in possession of when she was 
fighting as a resistance movement in Timber. Her devotion in doing good and fighting 
oppression had been the first aspect of her endearing nature that Squall had been reluctantly 
drawn to. Now here they stood, the altar was before them; crowds of well-wishers supported 
them from behind. Fate had brought them to this point, their destinies were eternally 
intertwined and despite the great challenge of time compression and the animosity they had 
continually faced, they stood here today before everyone to declare their love and be eternally 
joined in the sacred bond of matrimony. 
	There had been a time when Squall had doubted his intense emotions for her and 
contemplated bringing about the end of this perfect arrangement. When his troubled thoughts 
wandered to ideas of being without her all he had to do was close his eyes and dream. He 
would always dream….

	
There she was. Across the crowded dance floor she spotted him and lightly wandered 
over…into his heart. She’s beautiful… He held his breath as she roughly tugged him to the 
centre of the floor and placed his shaking hand on her slim waist. Dancing came naturally to 
him all of a sudden, he felt he could do anything with her by his side, smiling. A strange 
feeling began to grow within him…he wanted to trust her…he wanted to tell her his 
dreams…he was falling in love with her. They pulled each other close and as if on cue, bright 
and beautiful fireworks exploded above them. Perfect. Squall was sure he heard those 
fireworks explode in his heart first as it jerked inside of him. Unable to speak, he could 
merely gaze after her as she carelessly flounced away from him, taking the shattered ribbons 
of his heart with her.


	“Squall, give me a hug,” her arms were outstretched and yet he still couldn’t bring 
himself to go to her. Her face was pale and cold yet her smile created an aura of love and 
affection around her. She was weak from her terrifying ordeal and she’d almost had the last 
breath of life sapped from her, floating in space, yet she could always smile and express her 
everlasting devotion. Despite the whiteness of her beautifully rounded face, her bright eyes 
shone with a radiance surpassing all beauty. All he could do was fold his arms and look away, 
concealing his longings for her and his escalating love. To see her alive before him gave him 
the greatest joy in the world, he thought he’d lost her, believing the infinite expanse of space 
had consumed her very life. Oh how he longed to accept her offer and fall into that warm 
embrace but then he realised that she’d be taken away from him, just like the rest of 
them…I’m better off on my own.


	She lay on the Infirmary bed, her natural warmth and spirit had gone from her and 
what was left was cold and lifeless. I want to hear your voice… Still she didn’t move, her 
dormant physique failed to be roused by the one she loved resulting in the anguished cries of 
a distraught Squall. You were once so full of energy, so full of life…what happened, my love? 
He held her soft, white hand tightly. Why don’t you answer? Please, come back to me… He 
sank to his knees in pain. He’d never experienced such agony, even Seifer’s infliction of that 
mortal wound was a mere trifle in comparison to the pain felt when a loved one was slowly 
slipping away, beyond reach. Oh how he wanted to hold her delicate frame firmly in his arms, 
to kiss her soft lips and let her know that everything would be alright. The disquieting and 
tormented fears were rising inside of him. He’d tried not to get attached and yet…He knew 
everyone would leave him eventually, even Rinoa did it. She’d left him on his own again, 
how would he cope with the trials of life without someone there to be his strength, his reason 
for existing in this tired world. The world around him had grown stale and dull. Rinoa’s light-
hearted entrance into his existence had been like a dazzling rainbow of colour and variety in 
what had been the greying realm of his own inner darkness. The monsters of his own psyche 
had been devouring his soul, slowly but surely destroying his trust in others and…his sanity. I 
must fight them…


	Squall looked around the crowded chapel. Family and friends had turned out in force 
to send their love and best wishes to the happy couple. Everyone was there. Zell stood beside 
Squall, gleaning with pride and displaying evidence of a developing tear in the corner of his 
eye, but quickly wiping it away before anyone saw. Irvine also stood there, dressed in the 
same style suit as Zell and exhibiting evidence of a similar joy at this most blessed union. An 
excited Selphie clutched her little poesy of flowers, fidgeting with her feet under her lilac 
satin dress. Quistis sat still, gazing contentedly at the ceremony. She straightened the hem of 
her bridesmaid dress and sat back once again, silently wishing the couple every possible 
happiness in the world.


	“Rinoa, wait!” Rinoa giggled as she gracefully and nimbly ran through the fields of 
yellow, the white, fluffy seeds of dandelions floating in the air around them. Squall ran 
through the haze in pursuit of her, the joy-giving sun providing the mood of perfect 
contentment. Rinoa stopped running and innocently turned around to check on the 
whereabouts of her persistent pursuer. Squall came running towards her and before she could 
escape he grabbed her and they rolled down the lush green banks of a slight hill. When they 
reached the bottom, they were shrouded in daisy petals and sunlight. If I were to die right 
now…I’d be happy. He gazed down at her fun-loving features, as she lay helpless beside him. 
Smiling he placed his hand on her face, I love you. There they lay, a mass of feathers floating 
down around them, softly caressing their skin in delicate brushes of affection. The grass 
beneath them was full and green and the sky above them shone a radiant blue; summer was 
here and the summer of their love had begun. Winter had passed in Squalls heart giving way 
to the beauteous array of reds and yellows that the summer would bring. The sun beat down 
creating a haze in the garden where all the greens, yellows, reds and blues all blended 
together in one divine vision of tranquillity. This is where I’m meant to be, I’m home. Lying 
there in the arms of the one he loved settled his racing mind and succeeded in quelling his 
innermost fears of loneliness and rejection.


	“Who gives this woman…” The ceremony was proceeding smoothly with the 
members involved becoming more and more tearful as it progressed. Headmaster Cid stood 
beaming near the bridal party, watching his prized students grow into adults had been the 
most fulfilling event in his life. He remembered when they’d first arrived at Balamb, all of 
them, and now here they all are, Squall and Rinoa affirming their love for one another in an 
outward symbol of their love and devotion.


	“RINOA! Where are you…” Squall dragged his weary legs through the mud and 
cold. The rain soaked his clothes but he didn’t heed the cold or the pain, he’d made a promise 
and he was going to keep it. A dense, grey fog had descended on his heart and his fears of 
loneliness now seemed to have been justified…he was alone. I’ll be there…I promise… NO! 
He couldn’t give up, he’d made a promise to Rinoa, and he couldn’t let her down. He couldn’t 
leave her running through the deserts and plains to find him; he would be in the garden behind 
the orphanage. She’d have to search no more. The heavy grey sky pressed down on him and 
his lonely tears were lost in the downpour of rain soaking his tortured body. The horizon was 
dull and unappealing; there seemed no break in the endless grey atmosphere. Argh… Squall’s 
near-lifeless body made a slight thud as it hit the ground, unable to support his will anymore. 
This is it. Squall’s eyes shut peacefully. I’m sorry Rinoa…I failed you.


	“Do you Rinoa Heartilly…” Squall shut his eyes momentarily as all his more happy 
memories took control of his soul. Those happy, carefree days when the sun was always 
shining and the sky was always blue. He remembered looking at the horizon on the sea, with 
Rinoa at his side, and thinking of the endless possibilities that lay ahead. With Rinoa at his 
side, he felt he could take on the world and win. There was so much to experience…endless 
possibilities lay ahead. Who knows what lay around the corner? Marriage to Rinoa would in 
no way hinder him, it would just make life that much more bearable. He would always have 
someone to turn to when things went wrong or life got too hard to deal with. After all, he 
could never love another, he’d known that from the start…she was his angel. So Squall 
outwardly declared his eternal love and devotion to Rinoa in two short words. He opened his 
eyes and smiled. “I do,” he whispered.


And so it was that the Angel and the Lion were finally yoked together forever. Aeons 
of possibilities and adventure lay ahead of them and they put the dark history of pain behind 
them. Their everlasting, unshakeable love brought them to this public declaration with the 
promise that they would be together until the day they died.


*****THE END*****

rinoa@angelic.com