I hated him.

'No, Father. I do not wish to marry.' I said, desperetly hoping it would be the last word. I was growing far past tired of this.

'You will marry, Yuffisca. This is your last chance. I do not care if you wish to or not. Kimico? Bring in the last suitor. Last chance.' He whispered fircely, throwing me a dreaded death glare. Kimico opened the door and sheperded in a reasonably handsome-- but never quite good enough-- man. I granted him a steady blank expression.

'Lord Kisaragi. Princess.'

UGH.

I hated suitors.

He inclined his head in an elegant sort of half-bow. I nodded toward him.

' You may rise.' Father said quietly, with a great bit of authority shoved into those three words. As he did as instructed, I caught a scent from his hair. An oddly familiar scent like a distant dream. A distant memory.

Gunpowder.

I closed my eyes to stop the threatening tears dead in their tracks. I stared to the steady brown floor,' Age?'

'Twenty four, Princess.'

'Profession?'

'Weaponry, Princess.'

'What sort?' I asked, the previous answer pricking the blood of my interest. He seemed different in some way...

'Short range. Shurikens and such. But I need not tell you of those, shall I? You know that lot of weaponry...' He trailed off. I started to ask his name after a moment of silence.

'Princess?'

I looked up, his voice catching my attention.

'Yes?'

'I was told you had children...?' He said, a half question.

'Mhm.' I said indifferently, fixing him in eye contact. Maybe he wasn't different. But I swear I saw him flinch.

'You are their mother?' Where was this going?

'Mhm.' I didn't like where this was going...

'Who is their... father?' He half asked, again, probably wondering if 'father' was the appropriate word. I paused before answering, letting this sink in. Coming to the realization that their father was dead.

'Vincent Valentine.' I said, voice as steady as I could possibly make it, swallowing the burning in my throat. I saw his face without looking. Don't show emotion.

'Name?' I asked, changing the subject before this went further than I could control.

'Itatchi Tuesti.' I knew he looked familiar! Tuesti was Reeve's... I looked at Father, who nodded encourangingly at me. I looked interestingly at Itatchi. I then noticed the colour of his eyes. They were blue.

Eletric blue.

Burning blue.

Mako blue.

I attampted a small smile, completely awar that that was all I could manage. I earned a smile back, assuming I was convincing.

'Arigato, Tuesti-san.' I said quietly, inclining my head ever so slightly.

I had no idea what I was doing.

'Yes, Kimico.' I mumbled, pulling a dress over my head. The dress. It was red-- I wouldn't have it any other way.

What was I doing?

'Are you sire you wish to do this, Princess?' she asked, beginning to slather makeup on my face all too soon. I insisted that Kimico was the only person to help me prepare for today. And Father knew that even agreeing to this was a fatal strech for me, so I was allowed anything I truely desired.

'Do I really have a choice?' I said, a bit sharply,' My kids can't go without a dad forever. Godo won't want to rule Wutai forever. I have to accept the inevitable eventually.'

'But Princess --'

'I know, Kimico. Even if I didn't want this, Father needs it. Wutai needs it. 'Sides, Itatchi is sweet. Father likes him. Suki and Noctis LOVE him. And he's the only one I liked. Even a little. I don't want this, Kimico. But there are things more important than what I want... My responsibilities are what I live for now.'

'Yes, Princess...'

I wanted so bad not to be a princess...