The Swan Princess
Summary: Prince Cloud and Princess Aeris have been betrothed since they were young. Neither are happy about it. However, as they grow up, they start to discover their true feelings for each other, but evil lurks around the corner.
Prologue
Once upon a time, in the Kingdom of the Cetra, a kind, caring King called Gast ruled over the lands. His wife, Queen Ilfana, was down the corridor in the hospital wing of the castle. The King sighed as he held his head in his hand, thinking over the situation.
He had been married to Ilfana for almost five years but they had not yet had a child and he was worried as he was growing old and needed an heir soon.
"Your Majesty?"
He looked up at the sound of a soft voice, smiling a little as the nurse walked towards him. She managed a small upturn of her lips before she handed him a small bundle wrapped in a pink cloth.
"You have a daughter," She said. Gast looked down at the baby, smiling at his baby girl.
"Your Majesty, your wife, the Queen…" She began before stopping, hating the fact she had to deliver ill news.
"She was bleeding heavily, we couldn't save her."
The King closed his eyes, willing the tears not to fall as his brain processed the news. He unconsciously clutched his daughter closer to him, looking down at her once more.
"I shall name her Aeris. That's the name Ilfana wanted if we had a girl." He stated. The nurse nodded, taking the hint that she was dismissed.
Now only the King and his daughter stood in the silent corridors.
Two months later, Gast held a baby shower for his daughter, allowing everyone to welcome the new Princess. Among the guests, were the Queen of Nibelheim and her son, Cloud.
As he watched the little blond Prince walk up the carpet towards Aeris' cradle, an idea hit him. He made his way over to Molly Strife, who greeted him with a friendly smile.
"She is a very pretty girl." The Nibelheim Queen complemented. "She has her mother's eyes."
"Yes, she is beautiful." Gast smiled before he cleared his throat. "Molly, I have an idea which I hope you will agree to."
"What kind of idea?" She asked.
"Aeris has got to marry someday in order to have an heir to the Kingdom and I thought maybe she could…"
"Marry Cloud and unite our Kingdoms?" Molly finished with a warm smile. Gast nodded.
"Of course. I think it's a great idea!" She cried. Gast grinned.
So it was decided that, starting on the year of her forth birthday, Aeris and Cloud would meet every summer in the hopes that they would fall in love and unite their Kingdoms.
The door to the basement slammed shut as a greasy-haired man stomped in. In his anger, he smashed the glasses on the wooden table in front of him. No sooner had the glasses smashed against the door then the door smashed open, revealing a dozen guards.
"Hojo! You are under arrest for treason and plotting against the King!" The leader cried. The man sneered at them at first but realised that he couldn't win, even with his magic skills. He watched helplessly as the guards who weren't holding him, smashed all of his things.
The things he needed to take Gast's kingdom for his own!
Gast exiled the man from the Kingdom, instead of killing him. Hojo snarled as he pushed the two guards out of his way.
"This isn't the end Gast!" He warned. "One day, everything you own, everything you love, will be mine!"
Gast paid no attention to the words and pointed a stern finger in the direction behind the scientist. Hojo glared but eventually turned away.
Many had thought that the King had been too kind but as the years passed, the threat was forgotten. The whole Kingdom now looked to that not to distant summer, when Aeris and Cloud would meet.