This story is a bit of an experiment. It will mirror Anastasia, yes, but I'm already thinking up an epic twist or two that maybe you'll pick up on now, maybe not. But comment and tell me whether or not I should continue this. I'll know if it's worth while continuing, even when I have stuff I need to update in other areas too ^w^u
Hope you like it. Cute, fluffy...etc...I know at least two people who have or are doing a version of this already. No matter how good your ideas, I'll try not to sound like a copycat. I've wanted to do this one for a while... :)
It has only ever snowed once in Twilight Town; I remember that day well from when I was a little girl. It was wonderful then...But now it falls again, and fills me with dread.
I am sure it is the dawning of a new era for our land; a time of blood and famine. War looms over the horizon, very close now. It was unavoidable, I suppose; the stench is everywhere, no matter where we go, but we who lived in the mansion never thought it could reach us. We never cared to see it, but soon, I fear, it will be at our very gates.
The people are hungry and violent, begging for bread more every day. My husband does all he can for them, but he cannot give everything. I fear the vizier may be encouraging them; he is wiser than my husband, and his heart seems easily swayed by darkness. I encourage him to dispose of that man, but he will not do it. Ansem has been with our family many years and my husband claims him to be loyal, but I fear it is not so. No...I know him. I know it is not so.
Tonight is the royal ball in honor of Cloud's journey to the Destiny Islands. I would decline attending, if I could, but I must keep face for my beloved husband and our country. I will go and see off my eldest son, but I fear that this tentative, peaceful air will not last long. In truth, I fear for my husband. I fear for the country. But most of all, I fear for the children...
Whatever the cost, I must protect them from the truth...
~ Queen Aerith Strife
Last recorded journal entry, December the 13th, 1917
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The mansion was packed with people that night, all of them pouring into the grand ballroom. The mood was gay, the air filled with the sounds of clanking glasses, hearty chuckles, and grand music. Nobles and others of high estate gathered around in circles and chatted frivolously, and those who were not pouring the wine made their way out onto the dance floor, joining the sea of twirling skirts.
One small group in particular seemed especially light-hearted. King Zack was not seated high on his throne, above the gaiety. He was out among his people, smiling widely as he danced with his daughter, Kairi. She laughed and twirled about in her stunning white ball gown, pausing only to clap when the music ended.
Right near by them stood the princes Roxas and Sora, the two youngest boys in the family. The royal family was large and had many children, but these two boys were nearest in age, and Prince Roxas was the youngest of all. A boy just shy of eight, he was celebrating his birthday a few days early, in order for Cloud to attend before his big trip.
The boys were quietly mocking their sister, who for all her wonderful qualities, couldn't dance to save her life. Kairi fumed a deep red at their taunting and stormed over to them, beginning to bicker with Sora. Zack watched his children fondly, chuckling with good humor. He then snuck over to them as well, but more softly, as the next song picked up at full tempo.
Roxas gasped as his father lifted him into the air, spinning him around in a circle. The little blond giggled and spread his arms freely, flapping them like a bird.
Cloud, the oldest boy, watched from his seat at the head of the room, beside the queen. A small ghost of a smile was on his lips, as he watched the children dancing, breaking the elegant flow of motion as the dancers waltzed. He could not bring himself to dance with them, no matter how much he wanted to, for the thought of leaving them was sad enough.
Aerith rolled her eyes as Sora and Roxas made silly faces at them, Zack joining them in seconds.
"Why don't you go and join them, dear? Go dance with Kairi, or find some pretty young woman to dance with. I hear young Mistress Tifa has kept her eye on you for some time."
"Mother!" The blonde gave her a shocked look, and she smiled sadly.
"Enjoy yourself, dear. You won't be back here for a while."
The blond sighed, looking back out over the crowd, where he caught the briefest glance from Tifa. He blushed and returned his attention to his family.
"I know. It's just...I want to take everything in." That was partially a lie. He didn't nearly have enough courage to ask Tifa Lockheart for a dance. She was very pretty and sweet, but she just seemed so unapproachable. But he could never tell his mother that. No, she'd shove him right over there and embarrass him in front of the entire Imperial Court!
Aerith sighed heavily. "Very well. But at least go out there and tell your father that supper will be ready soon. And tell those boys to settle down while your at it." She pointed at Roxas and Sora, who were now laughing and running from a angry Kairi. Zack was laughing himself silly watching them, and was making no move to intervene. He was such a big child.
Cloud couldn't help but smile. "Yes, ma'am." With that, he stepped back onto the dance floor. He would kind of miss the parties and the gaiety, and his family's warm smiles...
But most of all, he would miss his youngest brother. It was fair to say that, with so many children for Aerith and her over-worked nurse maids to look after, Cloud had been the one to primarily raise Roxas. The boy was so reckless sometimes, but that was because he was young and curious, and he needed a man to help teach him the way to act and keep him out of trouble. It was hard when his father was normally so busy, but neither brother resented him for it. Cloud adored his baby brother, over the years, they had grown as close as could be. So it wasn't hard for him to see that his leaving to help settle the developing colonies on the Destiny Islands would be hard on the boy.
When he finally reached them, Roxas perked up at the sight of him. Disregarding Kairi and her rampage, he ran to Cloud's side and hugged him, smiling brightly. Cloud reached down and gently tousled his hair. Then, without warning, he scooped the boy up over one shoulder and prepared to walk back to the throne area. He called to Zack, "Mother says it's almost time to eat."
The man smiled and nodded, turning to his other children to motion them back before he addressed the crowd.
Roxas, meanwhile, was squealing happily, practically bouncing on his shoulder.
"Yay! Food!" He laughed as Cloud began to tickle his side, and the older boy tightened his grip so that his brother wouldn't fall off. Aerith raised an eyebrow when he returned, a frown spreading over her face.
"Cloud, that's highly improper. Put him down, please."
The older boy shrugged and set his brother back on his feet. Roxas pouted slightly.
"Aww, Mama, you're no fun!"
The Queen smiled and pinched his cheek, motioning towards the grand staircase.
"Why don't you two go talk? Cloud has a special surprise for you, don't you honey?"
Roxas's eyes lit of with excitement, and Cloud couldn't help but chuckle at his eagerness. Bouncing with excitement, Roxas followed his brother off to the side of the grand staircase, unaware of a curious pair of green eyes following him. A lone kitchen boy was watching him from the door nearby, smiling as he watched the younger boy talking to his brother. Prince Roxas never noticed him, and he was far too shy to try to speak to the blonde himself, but whenever he saw him, Axel couldn't help but watch and admire him.
The boy continued to watch until he was pulled back inside the kitchens by one of the cooks, but even as he was pulled away, his eyes still lingered.
Roxas stood in front of Cloud expectantly, his blue eyes shining with curiosity. The taller blond laughed and pulled out a small black and white tiled bracelet, holding it out for his brother to see. It was made of a thick material, like a cuff; not very easily bent. It almost looked too large for Roxas's wrist, but Cloud knew it would bend just a little, and that was all he needed. It could easily be readjusted like that until he grew. His mother had told him that it would. She had seemed particularly certain that Roxas would love it.
The younger boy cocked his head slightly.
"I thought you said that boys don't wear jewelry."
Cloud smiled, ruffling his hair lightly. "Mostly they don't, but it's okay in this case. You're a Strife after all, and you'll soon be grown up. You can do whatever you want."
Roxas nodded firmly, smiling brightly. "Yeah! I'm a man!"
The older boy laughed again, before taking Roxas's hand and gently slipping the bracelet onto his wrist. The light-hearted air slowly began to dissipate then, and Cloud felt his smile wavering as he looked at his little brother fondly. Would he be alright without him for a while? Roxas could be a bit of a scaredy-cat, clinging to him frequently when it happened. What would he do if he had a nightmare, or if one of the older children started picking on him again? Sora could only support him so much...
Cloud sighed to himself, noticing faintly as Roxas cocked his head curiously at the sound. It was time for the boy to start fighting his own battles, but at least he could leave a little part of himself behind so that Roxas knew he would always be there for him...
"Do you really have to go?"
He looked down to see sad blue eyes watching him. They were so expressive and beautiful; Cloud couldn't help but think his brother would be very striking one day. Surely any lady at court would fall for those beautiful eyes.
He knelt down and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "I have to. The colonies need help getting settled. They need someone to lead them."
"But," and Roxas's bottom lip began to quiver pathetically, "But I'll miss you!"
"I'll miss you too." He pulled Roxas into a warm hug, feeling the boy tremble lightly in his arms. He raised one hand to pet the soft golden hair that was so like his own. Blonde seemed to be a rare gene in this family; he and Roxas were the only two that had it."But it's not forever, remember? I'll be back soon."
Roxas sniffled into his shirt. "Y-Yeah, but I don't w-want you to leave..."
Cloud was at a loss for what to do. He hated seeing Roxas so upset, but there was no excuse he could make about this trip. He was needed to go; he was happy to, in fact. He was proud that his father trusted him with this assignment. He always felt like a little bit of an outsider, even in his own family.
Aerith was looking back from her seat on the throne with a look of worry, and as the rest of the family left the dance floor, Cloud could see more and more of them looking curiously at the brothers. Sora, ever the oblivious one, could be seen asking what was going on. Zack patted his shoulder before giving Cloud a reassuring smile, and at just that moment, the older boy got an idea.
It wasn't much, but it would help. He held Roxas's away at arm's length, wiping the tears from his eyes before taking the boy's left hand and pulling the bracelet off. He turned it so that the inside was facing up and put his arm around the still sniffling little boy. "Read what it says."
Roxas held the bracelet closer to his eyes and squinted. He then read the words aloud, slowly.
"Deep within the blackest night, in worlds unknown, you'll be my light. On foreign shores, I'll be with you, as long as your stout heart keeps true. No distance is too great for me; we'll meet again in Destiny." There was a little scribble beside it that had the letter "C," Cloud's little signature whenever he wrote letters to Roxas.
Roxas looked up at his brother with wide eyes, blinking away the still running tears, and Cloud laughed, ruffling his hair again.
"You're so cute...You'll always be my baby brother, Roxas, no matter where we go. And someday soon, I promise I'll take you to Destiny Islands with me."
Eyes widened further. "Really? That's what it means?" When Cloud nodded, Roxas pitched himself forward into his arms, almost knocking the older boy off his feet. "Oh, Cloud! That sounds so fun!"
Cloud smiled and nodded, kissing the boy's forehead softly. "See? It'll all work out. We can go together when you're older. We'll see the new opera house they're building and everything. Anything you'd like." He pointed to the checkered pattern on the bracelet. "You see how the two colors go together? That's like the two of us. You're the white and I'm the black. Nothing will keep us apart forever. You just need to be patient and wait for me."
Roxas nodded, then wiped his watery eyes. "Thank you so much, Cloud!" The boy snuggled closer to him, his arms wound tightly for one so small. "I love you."
The older prince smiled down at him warmly.
"I love you too, kiddo, and I always will."
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Quiet murmurs echoed around the room as Ansem the Wise strode forward purposely toward the throne. He was a tall man, large and intimidating, and his eyes had a dangerous flash to them. His hair was a light blond, slicked back slightly against his head, and he was dressed in elegant, dark robes, symbolizing his allegiance to the the royal family. Though tonight, from the look in his eyes, many had never seen more hatred and contempt for them before.
"Ansem, why are you here?" the King demanded sternly, striding forward to meet him. "There is work that needs to be done."
The old man scoffed, looking at him with firm defiance. "While you and your family enjoy the ball? Preposterous! Why was I not invited?"
"This party does not concern you. I'm merely wishing my son a safe journey."
"Doesn't concern me? Am I so underserving of being included in these festivities as well? Such ill use..."
Zack narrowed his eyes. "How dare you speak to me this way!"
The old man shrugged and turned away. "Someone should have long before this." He gestured around the grand ballroom with his hand. "All of this show of finery and power...all of it for nothing. These people know your time is coming to an end. The second the axe falls, they will flock to the next man who claims the power. You will be completely forgotten."
The entire room gasped. The royal advisor, normally a calm, even-tempered man, had the audacity to insult the king. To question his power and status. Ansem did not seem fazed by any of it, though, and he even looked back at the rest of the royal family, his eyes filled with cold, barely hidden loathing. His eyes met Aerith's for only a moment, but the Queen was left shuddering when he finally looked away. Sora shrank back in his seat slightly, and Roxas moved to cower behind his big brother's leg, looking particularly nervous when the vizier's eyes fell on him.
Zack looked lost and unsure for a moment, before he seemed to decide that action was called for. He seemed to be struggling with the desire to keep face and the desire to put down anyone who would embarrass him so openly before his court. He had always thought of Ansem as a friend, but apparently, the other man didn't find the feeling mutual.
Carefully, Zack lowered his voice, seeing that the man was close enough that he would hear and no one else.
"Ansem...in all your years of service, I have never heard this hostility you now show towards me. But this is neither the time nor the place. Can we at least discuss this civilly once the party is over?"
"There is no need to hide your anger, Your Highness," Ansem spat venomously. "All these years I have wasted, attending to your beck and call, when you do not even have the courage or vision to rule. This country starves because you are weak. You and your foolish family. It deserves one better than you."
Zack's voice rose a little this time. "That's enough, Ansem! You forget your place!"
"My place is yours, unfortunately. It's where I should be, for I am more deserving of that crown than you could ever be."
"Enough!" Guards rushed forward from the sides of the room, past the murmuring, fearful crowds so that they could subdue the royal advisor. This would surely bring a scandal down on their heads; the vizier questioning his master's rule, as well as vying for the throne right in front of him! It was unheard of! Zack looked around at his people, hearing their murmurs and feeling their stares eating into him. Ansem couldn't be right. No matter his wisdom, here he just couldn't be right.
"Take him away," he commanded, pointing to the door. "Get him out of my sight. I will deal with this later."
Ansem didn't struggle with his holders, but he leveled a dark glare at the king.
"This isn't over." He looked from Aerith to Cloud, who was consoling a scared looking Roxas hiding behind his leg. "Your family will pay for this. I assure you."
And that was the last of it, for now. Zack turned and strode back to his throne, rubbing one hand against his forehead in frustration. He motioned for the music to pick up and the dancing to resume, but everyone did so stiffly, watching their troubled ruler from the corner of their eyes. He could feel their stares, hear the dying murmurs...
Aerith reached a hand out to touch his shoulder comfotingly, but he slapped it away.
The words could not be unsaid. He was sure that this night would continue to haunt him yet.
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Little did they know, Ansem was not going to wait for them to finish twiddling their thumbs. Even confined to his own room, he could still bring about their demise so easily. The old man strode over to his books, finding a heavy, dark red leather volume and dropping it on the table before him with a loud thump. A silver head that had been resting on the bed nearby lifted slightly.
"Master? What's going on?"
Without looking up at him, Ansem began flipping through the pages.
"The time has come, Riku. I will take his throne by force." He stopped on one page in particular and began chanting hushed words to himself. Riku's eyes widened at that, and he sat up fully, coming to his master's side.
"Do you really think it's wise, Master? Selling your soul just so you can rule a tiny little country, whose people are so fickle anyway?"
"He already has my soul," the man replied calmly. "And He will get it in full when my revenge is complete. My powers will be more than enough to keep those peasants in line."
Riku didn't say anything more. He did as he was told, gathering items for Ansem when he ordered them, trying not to think about the situation and what was in store. In theory, he shouldn't care, because once Ansem got what he wanted, he would be free of their contract and could do whatever the hell he wanted with his life. And what happened to the man's soul was really none of his business. With that in mind, he watched as Ansem cast the spell, thinking only of the freedom he would soon be granted, whether the old man liked it or not.
It was a simple spell, by all accounts, and the discontent among the people made it all the easier to apply. Slowly, it festered itself within the hearts of men, those who were without work, home, or food, or others desperate in these times, and called out to them to fight. Revolt, the impulse commanded them. Revolt against the man who rules you, who lives in the lap of luxury while you starve out in the streets. The man who's very name is Strife.
Kill him and his family, it bade, leave nothing left of their legacy. Then the country would be their's to rule, with the wise master Ansem's help. Together, they could make a better place for all...
This spell slipped in and out of the minds of the townsfolk, whispered in their ears as they grabbed whatever they could find. Swords, pitchforks, torches, anything that was available. Together, men and women marched to the gates of the mansion, jostling and rallying as they fought with the heavy chains that kept the riffraff out. They were broken so easily, and any guard that tried to stop them beyond the metal gates was bludgeoned and stabbed and trampled in the snow. As they marched on the mansion, intent on slaughtering everyone inside, a single chant rose on the air through their midst.
"Praise Ansem!"
