Crossed Fates
Chapter Seven :- Naming of a lion.
Authors note. The 19 year old Squall and Clouds words/thoughts/actions will be enclosed by < >.
<'It's something in the air. It's not a smell as such just...'>
<'I know what you mean Squall. I know what it is as well.'>
<'Yeah. It's death. It'll always be with men like us.'>
They carried on up the stairs and through the open door. The room was the same as it had always been. A young woman as lying on the sofa. Her breathing was laboured and her eyes were half closed.
<'I don't think I want to see this.'>
<'Who is it?'>
<'Raine Loire. My mother.'>
The old woman who owned the flower shop down the road entered the room, holding a small bundle. "Raine. I've washed him and wrapped him up warm."
Raine pushed herself up and held her arms out. A moment later she was holding her son. "You are so beautiful."
"Yes, he is. What will you name him?"
"Does it matter? I won't live to see him grow up."
"He deserves a name at least."
She looked out of the window at the passing rain. "The squall is almost over. A passing fall of rain? My son is the passing of myself. His name will be Squall."
The woman held her opinions on this inside. "And will he take Laguna's name or yours?"
"He has such lovely eyes.... They're the eyes of a Leonhart."
"Squall Leonhart?"
"Squall Leonhart. My son." She put the necklace of the symbol of the Leonharts, Griever in a bag and tucked it inside the blanket he was wrapped in.
Before their eyes, Raine grew weaker and weaker. The moon watched too, in silence. It's pale light shone onto Raine's face and washed all colour from the room. The baby in her arms was as silent as the moon and he reached out to touch her cheek. She smiled. "I'll love you always, my son."
He gurgled in response. Her strength was spent. She closed her eyes, to never open them again.
Although the child knew he was alone in the world he did not cry. His mother was dead but he did not cry. He was a strong one, even then.
He always would be.
Their surroundings darkened even more and Cloud wondered out loud: "What next?"
"The Orphanage I guess. I don't know what could be there though."
Authors notes. I wanted to give something back to the character of Squall because I'm taking so much out at the moment. Forgive any intrusions on the other stories that you may have written but I wrote this back in August when I had no access to a computer and I was bored stiff.