Aerith finds herself being shaken awaken in the darkness of early morning. "Time to go." A gruff familiar voice. "They found you."
Again. The flare of a candle being lit, illuminates Barret's face, he's already turning away to grab a leather bag and her staff. Always be prepared to move, drilled into her for ten years now, she leaps out of bed, grabbing the cloak he tosses to her and shrugging it on. She pulls the hood over her face and takes the bag and staff he shoves at her. "They'll be here in an hour maybe less, with an army. We've lost contact with the sentries. We have to assume they're already dead." Barret's voice is cold but Aerith knows him, Cosmo is a small community and everyone is family, but grief comes later. She follows him out of the room, jogging to keep up with his brisk pace.
"Marlene? Nanaki? Bugenhagen?" She asks as they move down one passageway and another.
She sees the residents of Cosmo Canyon, her home and family for the last two years, rushing past, holding weapons, others children. "Nanaki is with the warriors, Bugenhagen is preparing a spell. Maybe some can be saved. Marlene will be taken to safety with the other children." Barret replies and Aerith stops walking.
"He's a teenager! Barret they're going to be massacred!" Barret turns and comes back towards her. "We have to move!" He snaps, grabbing her arm. "No!" She stands resolute. "Damn it Aerith! Saving you is everything!" Barret glowers at her. "I will throw you over my shoulder I swear to the goddess."
"I am going to give myself up, I'm not letting all these people die for me. There are children here!" She yanks her arm free and stands firm, gripping her staff tightly. Barret sighs and closes his eyes for a moment. Then he looks at her. "Aerith, without you, the resistance has nothing. You are the sole survivor Cetra, the lone heir to the throne. Our only hope to overthrow Rufus. Please. People will die here tonight but many more if we lose you." She hates his words with a passion, but what can she do? They are true. "Barret…I…" She says hopelessly. "What can I do? I have no army, no power, just a dead legacy. That's no hope."
"Then find one. You have the resistance, men and women willing to die for you. Don't make their sacrifice mean nothing. Now come, this way." She follows him now, into the deepest reaches of the caverns. His words echo in her head, maybe there is a way but what? How?
They come to a large hole with a rope ladder, a secret way out only a few know. "Go. Take the path down, a chocobo waits for you." He pushes her firmly but gently in front of him. "You're not coming?" She stares at him and he shakes his head.
"I will fight." He pats the crossbow that takes the place of his right hand. "Barret no!" He touches her shoulder. "I won't die today, we will see each other again. I promise." She hugs him briefly but hard. "You better keep that promise." She struggles to keep the tears out of her voice.
"You bet Princess. Now go, head for Nibelheim. There's a tavern there, called Seventh Heaven, in the slum part of town. Ask for Tifa, she'll help you. Now hurry!"
Barret watches as she climbs down the ladder, bag and staff strapped to her back then turns his back. "Stay safe princess." He whispers then heads back the way they came, wondering if he truly will survive another day.
King Rufus stands on a cliff face watching the chaos in Cosmo Canyon below him. His soldiers easily outnumber their enemy and soon he shall have the Cetra girl in hand. A soldier from the battle field rides up. "Your Majesty." He goes to one knee. "Yes, yes." Rufus waves his hand impatiently. "What of the girl? You have her yes?"
The soldier hesitated and Rufus scowled. "Don't tell me she got away again?" His voice is cold and deadly. "There are many tunnels to search, she could be hiding in any one of them." The man says quickly. Rufus cuts him off with a glare. "Burn it, burn them all. They will be a lesson to the next fools who dare to hide her from me." He orders.
"But there are child-"
"I don't care. I want everything they own to be ash, if it doesn't burn, bury it. That's an order from your king? Understood?"
"Yes, my lord." The soldier says quietly and leaves. Rufus glares around him furiously. "That mercenary, the one I requested, bring him to me. A servant flees at once. He returns with a young blond man with a large sword and cool blue eyes. "You asked for me?"
"Yes, you. Strife was it? Find the Cetra, bring her to me, alive."
"You agree to my terms?" Cloud asked.
"Done and I'll even overlook your disrespect in not addressing me properly."
"Very well. I'm here to do a job not massage your ego. Shall I curtsey to salve your wounded pride or can I go?"
Rufus wanted to kill the man for the insolent stare that accompanied those words. "Get out of here. Bring me the girl." He said instead, waving his hand dismissively.
Cloud headed out of Rufus' camp to where he had his chocobo tethered. The black bird kwehed quietly in greeting. "Hey Fenrir buddy." Cloud patted his beak. "We've got a job to do, let's go." He swung himself onto the bird's back. "We got ourselves a lost princess to find."