Chapter 4

Meeting in Secret


(Tifa)

I awoke that morning at sunrise and prepared for my departure from Uriel while I waited for Aeris. I watched the clock as I brushed my hair, anxious to tell her about the conversation I had with my father and Vincent's surprise visit. Seeing him for a second time still didn't seem real somehow, but I was happy it hadn't been just a dream. I hadn't felt so giddy in my entire life, even when I went through my crush phase with Cloud.

I stopped and stared at my reflection, a deep frown creasing my brow. Ever since I met Vincent I had been comparing him to Cloud an awful lot and that definitely had to stop. I couldn't keep doing that, especially if by some miracle that Vincent and I's relationship was allowed to go public. It wasn't fair to him.

The comparisons end here.

I heard the sharp click of high heels striding down the hall toward my room and I was hoping it was Aeris and not my mother. I didn't want to have any more confrontations with my parents. For the first time since last night, I was beginning to look at my punishment of living in Midgar as a blessing in disguise. The separation would give them a chance to settle down and allow me to explore my new relationship with Vincent.

I sighed in relief when I recognized Aeris' soft knock a few moments later. "Enter!" I called, smiling warmly at her when she walked in.

"I see you've started without me," she said, promptly stationing herself behind me to style my hair while I finished my makeup. "Are you okay after what happened last night?"

I met her gaze in the mirror and almost wished she hadn't brought it up. My shoulders sagged and I averted my eyes away from her, staring at my lap instead. "I am. I would be better if I wasn't being forced to live in Midgar."

Aeris' fingers went rigid in my hair and I instantly felt bad for not calling her back in as soon as my father left. "Just for dancing with the Desdemonian prince?"

I nodded, looking up once more. "I think this engagement means more to them than I do," I mumbled. "That's all they seem to care about anymore."

Sadness filtered into her eyes as she shook her head. "I don't think it does. They just have very high expectations. You are the heir to the throne, after all."

"I know, but I don't want any part of all those expectations. They've never asked me what I want or what I think of this betrothal. Ever since I was a little girl I've been doing what they think I should do and it's begun to take a toll on me," I said, sighing as I put my face into my cupped hands. "It feels like I'm living a lie."

"Heavy is the head that wears the crown," Aeris replied, combing her fingers gingerly through my hair.

I smiled weakly at her, knowing she was only trying to encourage me, and straightened. "So," I began, chewing on the inside of my cheek to prevent myself from grinning, "something rather interesting happened last night while I was trying to go to sleep."

"Oh? What went on?" she asked, pulling the top layer of my hair out of the way and clipping it up so she could curl the bottom layer with hairspray.

I chuckled. "I'm not sure if you'll believe me." If it hadn't happened to me I wasn't so sure I would believe it myself.

Aeris shot me a cynical look and laughed lightly. "You would have to tell me a pretty outrageous story for me to do that."

"So be it." I paused and took a deep breath, hoping her reaction would be somewhat calm, but knew she probably wasn't going to take it very well. "Prince Vincent paid me a personal visit last night."

Aeris gasped and her hands disappeared from my hair, going to cover her mouth in shock instead. "What? He was really here?" she asked, frantically looking about the room like he was suddenly going to materialize before her. "Did he try anything? Tifa, we'll have to tell the guards!"

"No!" I urged, whirling around and latching onto her wrists before she could run out. "Please, Aeris, you can't tell anyone! He only wanted to see me again, nothing more. He was a perfect gentleman. Plus, he didn't come alone."

Her eyes grew even wider, if that was at all possible, and I was scared they would pop out of her skull. "What do you mean? Were there two Desdemonians here?"

"No, no, of course not," I quickly reassured her. "He brought a Gryphon with him."

"Oh, sweet Gaia." Aeris moved a hand to her forehead and went to sit on the edge of my bed, her face appearing slightly pale. I folded my hands in my lap and gave her a few moments to collect herself. "Alright, I'm ready now," she said, taking a deep breath. "Tell me everything and I'll try not to faint."

After nearly an hour and dozens of questions on Aeris' part, I was finally able to pack for my stay in Midgar. My father had yet to tell me how long I would be away so I estimated no more than a week. If it was any longer than that I ran the risk of either coming back for more clothes or choosing from my Human clothes, which I absolutely did not want to resort to. Aeris stayed in my room to make sure my suitcases were in order before sending me to the dining room for breakfast while she went to pack her own clothes. I was tempted to just go into the kitchens and get some food straight from the cook so I wouldn't have to see my parents, but I knew that would be a futile endeavor. I couldn't run from them forever.

My mother and father were already seated at the table eating when I arrived. Their faces were set in stone as they stared down at their plates, refusing to look up at me. I reluctantly sat down next to my mother, wincing as the chair's legs scraped sharply against the marble floor. A kitchen worker appeared moments later and promptly deposited a plate in front of me before disappearing. The uncomfortable silence that followed only made me wish I could have succeeded in avoiding them. I knew another argument was bound to happen before I left, since my mother had yet to say anything to me.

I tried eating as quickly as I could without forgetting my manners and, right as I was preparing to excuse myself, my father set his silverware down and leveled me with an intense stare. I groaned inwardly and folded my hands in my lap, prepared for another lecture. My mother followed suit a moment later and my shoulders deflated. Hoping to avoid a confrontation had been wishful thinking.

"Tifa, we're only doing this because we want to protect you," my mother said, placing her hand on top of mine. "We love you so much, darling."

I closed my eyes and fought the temptation to roll them. I had heard that excuse from them practically my whole life, especially whenever I asked to attend the ball. Keeping me away from prying eyes had only been the tip of the iceberg. I understood that they loved me, but they couldn't keep me under a glass jar forever.

"Is it really that much of a problem that I danced with Vincent?" I asked, looking back and forth between them.

They were silent for a moment, exchanging guarded glances. "I just thought it was very insulting to us as well as the Shinra family for you to do such a thing when we allow you to attend for the first time in years," my father said, bunching his hands into tight fists. "I knew it was a bad idea from the start."

I ground my teeth together, his anger only succeeding in further irritating me. "What's the point of having a treaty between our two cities if we can't even see eye to eye? I think we could learn a lot from each other."

My mother gasped and whipped her head around, an expression like I had just slandered everything they had ever taught me on her face. "He must have told you some pretty convincing lies to poison your mind so quickly. The sole purpose of the treaty is to prevent war, nothing else. All that Desdemonian wants to do is destroy what you have with Cloud."

I let out an exasperated sigh. "What exactly do I have with Cloud, Mother? I don't even know! He only thinks of me as a piece of property and gloats about someday becoming king. Our people will never accept him as their ruler."

"That may be, but they'll have you," my father emphasized, pointing a finger at me. "Our fair, future Queen."

"That won't be enough, Father. In order for a society to prosper, it needs to fully trust both rulers, not just one," I replied. When my parents fell silent I took that as my cue to leave. "If you don't mind, I have a carriage bound for Midgar to catch."

I rose and quickly walked out of the dining room, not giving them a chance to say anything else. A relieved smile curled the corners of my mouth up when I saw Aeris descending the stairs, glad that she had appeared on time. Two male servants were trailing behind her with our luggage and, once they reached the foyer, she instructed them to load everything into the carriage. I reached her side without being noticed, giggling under my breath softly when she finally saw me and gasped in fright.

"Oh, good, there you are!" she said, resting her hand on her chest and breathing in deeply. "Are you ready to go?"

I glanced over my shoulder one more time, wishing my parents would have followed me out to say goodbye, but knew my father's pride wouldn't allow it. "Yes, I'm ready," I answered, shifting my gaze back to Aeris. "Let's go."

I spent the entirety of the short ride to Midgar staring out the window of the carriage in silence, replaying the brief conversation with my parents over in my head. It was appalling to discover that they expected me to rule the whole city on my own. I hadn't been exaggerating when I said our people wouldn't follow him even though I was going to be married to him. In fact, a small group of Urielians believed the Humans had some ulterior motive behind our betrothal. They shared my mindset that they have more in mind than just bringing our cities together. They probably wouldn't be very accepting of Vincent either, but that was beside the point right now.

"Your Highness, we've arrived." One of the guard's voices pulled me away from my thoughts and I sighed in resignation as the Pegasus drawn carriage pulled up to the Presidential Palace. I immediately spotted Cloud with his father and brother standing near the front doors and I had to catch myself from groaning out loud.

Father must have sent a messenger to inform them, I thought, inwardly grimacing. Spectacular.

I suddenly felt tempted to hide in the carriage and refuse to come out. "So we have."

Aeris squeezed my hand reassuringly. "Everything will be all right."

I tried smiling at her, but my attempt fell flat. I was not thrilled about having to see Cloud again so soon after the ball and I was sure he had witnessed the dance. I could only guess how he was feeling and, by now, the news of my rebelliousness had probably spread beyond the individuals in attendance. My stay in Midgar would not be a pleasant one.

After the carriage came to a halt, the pair of guards preceded us out and stationed themselves on either side of the doorway. The guard on the right extended his hand and helped Aeris out then turned to me. I took a deep, calming breath before accepting his assistance and stepping out, trying to avoid looking in Cloud's direction for as long as possible.

Aeris fell in step beside me and I didn't even realize she was there until she spoke. "Breathe, Tifa."

I jumped involuntarily, releasing the breath I hadn't realized I was holding. "I'm sorry," I whispered back. "I know I'm being childish."

I gathered my skirts up in one hand to ensure I wouldn't trip over them and set my eyes straight ahead, holding my chin high. I had done absolutely nothing wrong and acting like I was guilty wouldn't accomplish anything. Of course Cloud and his father would be angry, but they had been upset with me in the past multiple times. Why should now be any different?

When I was close enough to see their expressions, predicting what had transpired this morning wasn't hard to guess. The smirk painted across Rufus' arrogant face said it all. Both Cloud and his father looked like they had swallowed sour milk and my relief over having Aeris with me sky rocketed. Facing all three of them by myself would have been a nightmare.

Cloud refused to meet my gaze as I approached and Rufus, noticing his brother's complacence, stepped forward to greet me and I groaned under my breath. Aeris noticed my reaction and immediately stepped in front of me, partially extending her wing to create a barrier.

"You are not the princess' intended," Aeris said, shooting a steely-eyed glare at him. "Please step aside."

Rufus was so stunned by her sudden interjection that he gaped like a fish at her for a few moments before regaining his bearings. "Of course, my apologies," he stammered, glancing back at his younger brother. "Um, Cloud? Your fiancé has arrived."

Cloud sighed and reluctantly walked forward, extending his arm for me to take. Aeris stepped out of the way, but continued to keep an eye on Rufus in case he felt the need to step out of line again. I gingerly placed my hand in the crook of his arm, shooting a nervous, sideways glance at him and for the first time began to realize the magnitude of the damage I had caused by dancing with Vincent. The blonde didn't even look in my direction as he led me inside, the tension in the air palpable in the small space between us.

Our footsteps echoed dully through the hall as he led me toward my room and inwardly I was grateful for his silence. He was either too upset by my rebelliousness to speak or thought I would offer my own explanation and apologize. I might have done just that if I knew I was in the wrong and I was firmly sticking to the belief that even if I were given a second chance to relive that evening, I wouldn't change a single thing. Even though I had certainly been aiming to be a little daring, I never intended to purposefully hurt Cloud and it seemed like I had achieved that without even trying.

When we came to a halt in front of my room, Cloud swiftly pulled his arm away like he couldn't stand being in contact with me any longer and stuffed his hands into the pockets of his trousers. In turn, I stepped inside without saying a word, shutting the door behind me none too gently. If he was going to give me the silent treatment then I would do the same to him. I could hear Cloud and Aeris exchanging words outside and that gave me another reason to be thankful for her presence. I hadn't wanted to come here in the first place, so both Cloud and I being miserable was completely fine with me.

I spotted a small glass jewelry case that Cloud bought me a couple years ago and snatched it off my vanity, nearly hurling it into the wall in my frustration, but stopped short just as I had cranked my arm back to chuck it at the wall. Getting angry and breaking things wasn't the answer. I would only be stooping to my wonderful fiancé's level if I resorted to smashing things like an out of control child.

"I don't even know why he feels so insulted," I muttered to myself, roughly placing the jewelry case back on my vanity and stomping out onto the balcony in a huff. "I'm sure he's done much worse with other Human females when I'm not around." Of course, those accusations were mere speculation. I had never found evidence to back all of it up, but I was sure I would someday.

I heard the door softly click behind me, but I knew it was Aeris. She wouldn't have let Cloud in unless I told her to. I continued to stare down at the city with my back turned, relaxing slightly when she joined my side and looped her arm through mine. Even though I didn't think my current attitude was deserving of her company, I was glad she hadn't retreated to her own room after Cloud left. Sometimes I felt like I didn't deserve a friend as pure as her.

She leaned her head against my shoulder and we sat in silence for a few moments. "So Cloud wanted to make sure you know that you may summon a servant at any time to tend to you. He also invited you to dine with him later, of all things."

I frowned, sincerely surprised to hear that last piece of news. "He actually wants me to eat with him?"

"I was surprised as well. I think he was extending the invitation more as a formality than anything."

"I'm fairly certain the President told him to say that," I told her, resting my cheek on her head. "I have a feeling my actions are going to be monitored even closer here than they would be in Uriel." And that was something I wasn't very happy about. It would make sneaking out to see Vincent that much harder.

"What makes you say that?" Aeris asked, lifting her head off my shoulder.

I shook my head and looked at her for the first time since she came into my room. "It's only a feeling. The President didn't say anything to me when we arrived. He's probably more upset with me than Cloud is, if that's even possible."

She smiled reassuringly, resting her hand on my upper arm for emphasis. "Well, one of the reasons why I came with you is to help deflect some of their frustration. If you wish, I can inform him that you don't feel well enough to join him for dinner."

"Thank you. I truly am grateful for that, but I need to face them. I can't run from it," I replied, sighing heavily. Her offer had been very tempting. "As much as I'd like to."

The rest of the day passed by in an aggravatingly slow fashion. It hadn't taken me very long to unpack all my clothes, so I decided to do a little reorganizing. After emptying the closet of all the Human articles, I color coded all my dresses and lined all my shoes up neatly. When I was finished I smiled at the condition of my closet, glad that I thought of removing all those hideous clothes. All they did was give me an eye sore whenever I looked at them. Aeris happily took them away; she didn't think much of them either.

When it was finally time for me to get ready for dinner I suddenly began having second thoughts and had to stop myself nearly half a dozen times from telling Aeris to inform Cloud that I wouldn't be attending. Even though I had a fairly good idea how the evening was going to progress I still had to follow through. Making excuses would only make my stay more unpleasant.

When someone knocked on my door, I couldn't stop myself from cringing. My hair and makeup were done and I was dressed, but I still wasn't ready. I'd be facing Cloud, his father, and possibly his older brother by myself and I was not looking forward to that. As Aeris went to answer the door the temptation to stay in my room sprang up once again and I sighed, resting my chin in my hand.

"Oh, good evening, Cloud! What a pleasant surprise," Aeris greeted, opening the door wider so he could come inside. "The princess and I thought a servant would be coming to fetch her."

My eyebrows flew up into my hairline when I saw him and noticed how improved his mood seemed to be. The fact that he was here in person was enough to make me think the rest of the evening wasn't going to be as bad as I initially thought. I rose from my vanity when he entered and went toward him, hoping that our dinner would pass by quickly. Seeing Vincent later was the only thing I had been looking forward to all day.

I extended my left hand out in front of me for him to take. "Hello again, Cloud."

He accepted it and lightly kissed the back of my hand. "Your Highness."

I kept my outside reaction to his lips touching my skin to a minimum. That was the only downside to having Aeris with me. As long as one of my escorts were present he was allowed to show me a certain amount of affection. Now whether or not he actually held any kind of real affection toward me was yet to be determined.

At least he isn't permitted to kiss me directly until our wedding day. I sighed inwardly with relief when he finally released my hand.

Cloud cleared his throat, folding his hands behind his back. "I hope you don't mind that my father and brother will be joining us."

I nearly laughed, but that was, once again, something I needed to keep to myself. "Of course I don't mind. Shall we go?" I asked, really wanting to get this over with as painlessly as possible.

He nodded and held his arm out, looking over at Aeris. "I'll have her back in a couple of hours."

She nodded and opened the door for us. "And I will be waiting," she replied. Right as Cloud and I were walking past, she laid her hand on my forearm and leaned toward me. "Please try to have a good time."

I smiled, grateful for her encouragement. I certainly needed it. "I'll try." Aeris shut the door softly behind us and the realization that I had nowhere to run settled heavily on my shoulders.


(Vincent)

The constant echo of my footsteps across the floor was quickly becoming just as maddening as listening to the clock slowly tick the seconds away. I was sure I would be insane when it was finally time for me to meet Tifa. Besides Iron Claw practice, I had been spending most of the day pacing around my room. That had been the only span of time all day that had actually passed swiftly and now it was back to crawling along at a snail's pace. Three hours might as well have been three days.

Skan looked up at me from his place on my bed and shifted his weight. "Your Highness, you're making me grind my beak."

I stopped and sighed heavily, tenderly rubbing my temples. "I'm sorry, old friend. I'm letting my anxiety get the best of me."

"You don't need to apologize, Prince. I understand why. Tifa is an exceptionally lovely young woman."

The ghost of a smile pulled one corner of my mouth up as images of the angel princess filled my thoughts. "Yes, she is." I was so preoccupied thinking about her, in fact, that I didn't realize Skan had been speaking until he amplified his mind voice to get my attention.

"Daydreaming now, are we?" he inquired, grinning at me.

My smiled widened as I went to sit beside him. "I can't seem to help it. Ever since last night, I haven't been able to get her out of my head."

Skan's bright eyes sparkled knowingly. "Have you any idea how long I've been waiting to see you like this again?"

I nodded, knowing he was referring to Lucrecia. "Yes. Yes, I do. To be honest, before last night the hope that I would find a woman like Tifa had nearly been extinguished. The anguish I've been carrying around for so long is finally beginning to dissipate."

"That's a relief to hear." He paused to scratch his neck with his front talon. "Anyways, what I was trying to ask earlier while you were frolicking through your memories, would I be allowed to accompany you when you go to see Tifa?"

"I'm glad you brought that up," I answered, snickering. "Since I'm courting her now, a third party needs to be present at all of our meetings. Even if you didn't want to come, you'd have no choice."

"Well, thank you for informing me," Skan replied sarcastically. His eyes suddenly shifted toward the door, narrowing slightly in the corners. "Someone's heading this way."

"Oh? Can you tell who it is?" I asked, lowering my voice slightly. Even though he couldn't pick up on their thoughts he was able to recognize footsteps, which had worked to my advantage many times.

His eyes narrowed even further and he shook his head. "Not sure. It might just be a servant."

My question was answered seconds later when I got up to open the door, catching a female servant as she was getting ready to knock. The sudden opening of the door startled her, making her gasp and jump back in fright. I immediately regretted scaring her and quickly apologized before she regained her bearings.

"It's fine, Your Highness," she replied, bowing her head. "I came to deliver a message from the Emperor. He would like you to meet him in the audience chamber."

I frowned, slightly confused. Nothing about this request made any sense after our disagreement last night. The fact that he hadn't said a word to me all day was a big red flag. "Thank you. I'll go now," I told her. She nodded and quickly scurried away. I turned back to Skan. "I'll return shortly."

"I'll be waiting here," he replied, lying his head down on his talons.

After pulling my door shut I paused in the hallway, staring down at my feet. The more I thought about what my father wanted to speak to me about, the more apprehensive I became. The only thing I knew for sure and certain is the sense of foreboding I was feeling was an indicator that whatever it was, I wouldn't like it. Sighing heavily, I set off toward the audience chamber like I was going to my death.

"Ah, there you are, son!" my father announced as I approached him. He was sitting at a small table in the corner of the room that he reserved for private meetings. That made another red flag go up in mind. A tea tray was sitting in the center of the table and I knew we were going to be here for longer than I anticipated. "I'm glad you're here, Vincent. Come sit with me."

He poured some tea into one of the onyx cups as I sat down across from him and handed it to me before pouring his own. We sat in silence while we both added sugar to our cups then made the customary amount of small talk concerning the tea. It really was an exceptional brew; a skill my father had become proficient at. After our cups were empty, I placed mine back in its saucer and waited for my father to tell me exactly why he had summoned me at such a late hour. I didn't have to wait for long.

"Well, Vincent, I'm sure you've been wondering why I brought you down here," he began, a soft clink emanating from the saucer when he set down his cup. "I've realized that in order for our lives to carry on in the manner they have been for years I'll need to help you forget about that Urielian in the only way I know how."

He snapped his fingers and I had to hold myself back from groaning out loud when a group of young Desdemonian women came through the door. They lined up side by side in front of us, flashing their bright smiles directly at me. I looked at each of them in turn, but detected absolutely no sincerity from any of them. They were only after the social status they would gain from marrying me. Seeing all these women only made my heart yearn for Tifa even more. She too knew what it was like to be wanted by someone that was only interested in what they could gain. Finally finding a kindred spirit had brought me a sense of peace that I had never experienced before.

I will make Tifa my Queen, I thought, coming to that conclusion without even hearing any of the women's names.

I had the mind to stop the charade before it got out of hand, but doing that would displease my father. If I just went along with it for now I would be able to meet with Tifa on time. Getting into an argument with him over his latest group of eligible bachelorettes would not be a wise decision.

I was once again forced to be patient.

Finally after nearly two hours I was able to leave the audience chamber, extremely relieved that I hadn't been required to make a choice right away. My father knew better than to force me into a decision even though he preferred to be the one in charge. I knew it wouldn't be long until his desperation drove him to that point, so I needed to come up with a solution to our species' social shortcomings and fast. Of course, both of our cities had never been on friendly terms, so what made me thing I could do the impossible?

Because the only woman I've felt any kind of romantic feelings toward is a Urielian and I'm not about to let that stand in my way.

Skan was on his back with his talons in the air, stretched across my bed like a lounging dog when I returned to my room. I couldn't help the chuckle that escaped my mouth, alerting him to my presence. He opened his eyes and grinned in my direction before rolling off the bed in one fluid motion.

"Enjoying yourself?" I asked, walking into my closet to change my shirt.

"You try sleeping on hay every night and see how you like it."

"Would you like me to pull some strings for you?"

"No, you don't have to," he replied, coming to sit in the doorway. "I just enjoy making you listen to me complain."

"I've noticed," I said, finishing buttoning my shirt as I walked out of the closet. "Are you ready?"

"I am." He paused for a moment as he followed me to the balcony. "Oh, what did your father summon you for?"

"It was another eligible bachelorette line up," I answered, climbing onto his back. "A two hour waste of time."

"Your father means well though," he replied, glancing back at me. "He only wants you to be happy."

"With a girl of his choosing," I said, patting his side to let him know I was prepared for him to take off.

"He does love to be in control,"Skan remarked, jumping off the balcony and taking to the sky.

"And that's exactly what worries me."

I breathed a sigh of relief when Skan landed in Tifa's clearing. Even though the angel princess had yet to arrive, just being in this place helped calm me. Standing in the silence of the night with the stars twinkling softly above made me feel close to her somehow. I was beginning to understand why she referred to this place as her sanctuary.

After half an hour of patiently watching the sky around Midgar Tower, I spotted her glorious white feathered wings darting through the air as they headed toward me. My heart involuntarily lurched in my chest as I watched her spiral through the sky on her way to the ground. She was so beautiful. There were no words in existence that could properly describe what I felt for her in that moment. The color that she had brought into my life just by breathing left me thunderstruck. I hadn't thought it was possible for me to feel so strongly for someone else.

She touched down right outside the tree line and I had to exert all of my will power to keep myself from running to her and gathering her into my arms, refusing to let her go. Skan nudged me with his shoulder, his special way of telling me he didn't appreciate the flux of emotions I was sending through our link. I took a deep breath, hoping to calm my racing heart, but only succeeded in making it beat even faster.

"Vincent?" she whispered, tip-toeing into the dark clearing.

"I'm here," I whispered back, immediately going to her and capturing one of her hands in my own.

She sighed as she squeezed my fingers, a soft smile decorating her face. "It's nice to see you again."

I grinned as I tucked her hand into the crook of my arm. "I'm glad you were able to escape."

"It wasn't without difficulty," she replied as we strolled back to where Skan was sitting. "I had to employ the help of my lady-in-waiting to keep Cloud at bay. She's the main reason why I'm standing here now."

Her words made me stop mid-step, dread causing my stomach to twist into half a dozen indiscernible knots. "What do you mean? Have you told her about us?"

"Yes, but Aeris would never betray me," she answered, staring up at me with sincerity and reassurance shining in her eyes. "I trust her as much as I trust Skan."

I clenched my jaw, unable to push the skepticism I felt away. More than just our relationship was on the line if this Aeris couldn't keep our secret. Besides the chance that Uriel and Desdemona could be thrown into war, there was the possibility of Midgar retaliating against one, the other, or both. I intended to someday formally request Tifa's hand from her father, but I needed time to plan and I wouldn't get that time if we were discovered prematurely.

Tifa suddenly stepped in front of me, her eyebrows creased with worry. "I can see the doubt in your eyes. I swear that our secret is safe with her."

I breathed in deeply through my nose and clasped her hands, pulling her close to me. "I trust you," I said, never breaking eye contact with her to convey the seriousness of my statement. "I am only concerned about your safety. The more people that know, the bigger the chance that our parents will find out."

She nodded. "I understand. There's no one else that needs to know."

I smiled as I lifted one of her hands and softly kissed her knuckles, continuing to keep eye contact with her. "I can rest easy then. Would you care to walk with me?"

She giggled and moved back to my side. "If our escort approves?" she asked Skan, looking in his direction.

"Of course," he replied, grinning at her. "I will remain here to give the both of you some privacy."

"Why, thank you," I told him, beginning to lead her away. "I promise not to keep her for long."

After stepping out of the clearing and into the trees Tifa tightened her grip on my arm and rested her head against my shoulder, sighing in contentment. I drew my arm closer to my body, feeling my heart swell in my chest at her proximity. Having to watch her leave later would be extremely difficult.

"So," I began, breaking the peaceful silence between us. "I'd be interested to hear how your day progressed."

"It was uneventful to say the least," she answered, lifting her head off my shoulder. "Having to leave Uriel to live in Midgar for who knows how long was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. Then having dinner with Cloud, his brother, and the President was terribly awkward. President Shinra hardly said anything to me." She paused to inhale deeply. "I'm just so glad to be here. I hope your day was better than mine."

"Unfortunately, it wasn't," I responded, glancing over at her. "Skan and I had Iron Claw practice earlier this afternoon, then just this evening my father brought a group of eligible bachelorettes to the castle to meet me." I had yet to tell Tifa about how my father was trying to marry me off, so I braced myself for her reaction.

She turned her head toward me and I hesitantly met her gaze, but her expression wasn't upset or shocked at all. She actually looked mildly intrigued. "And how did that go?"

I was prepared for her to be affronted, so it took me a few moments to collect my thoughts. "I thought about you the entire time."

Her smile widened and she squeezed my arm. "I'm happy I was on your mind." She paused and I had the feeling that telling her about my father's latest matchmaking session was bothering her more than she was letting on. "None of those girls caught your eye, did they?" she asked, her voice a mere whisper.

"Of course not," I replied, curling the fingers of my free hand around hers. "There isn't room for anyone besides you in my heart, Tifa."

She smiled warmly and hummed in thought, putting her head back against my shoulder. "This is so strange," she said. "I feel as though I've known you for years. I know that sounds ridiculous."

A genuine smiled tugged on the corners of my lips, truly overjoyed to hear those words. "Absolutely not," I said, glancing down at her even though she couldn't see me. "We were meant to find each other, Princess. It's as simple as that."

I heard her sigh and the silence stretched comfortably between us as we meandered through the trees, listening to the sound of the night. When she finally drew breath to speak, my heart beat involuntarily accelerated, eager to hear her voice once more.

"So would you like to meet every night?" she asked, keeping a firm hold on my arm.

"I would," I answered, pausing and gathering her hands into mine. "Nothing would make me happier than seeing you regularly."

A shy grin decorated her angelic face as she looked down at her feet. "You certainly know how to turn a phrase, Prince." She paused and sighed heavily, her shoulders deflating slightly. "If only our parents were able to understand."

I gently pulled her toward me, wrapping my arms around her shoulders. "Do not fret. I'm not sure how long it's going to take, but I will find a way to make you my Queen."

Her body went rigid against me and her eyes were wide with shock and surprise when she met my gaze. I couldn't help the chuckle that escaped my mouth at her flabbergasted expression. "You're serious?" she asked in awe.

"I would never joke about something like this," I answered, gazing at her earnestly. "I don't throw such words around lightly."

She examined my face like she was trying to detect deceit and the fact that she had been lied to many times in the past made my blood boil. If I ever had the misfortune of meeting Cloud, holding my tongue would be a difficult challenge.

"You never have to worry about me ever hurting you," I whispered, hoping she could see the conviction in my eyes and hear the truth in my voice. "Your happiness and well-being will always be in the forefront of my mind."

"I don't deserve any of this," she muttered, once again looking down at the ground. "I don't deserve you."

I hooked a finger under her chin, lifting her head gently until her eyes met mine. "You're wrong. You've always deserved far more than you've been given."

She beamed at me, the light illuminating her face rivaling that of the moon, and she fell in step beside me as I continued to lead her through the trees. We eventually found our way back to the clearing where Skan was waiting.

He lifted his head and looked in our direction as we approached, an animalistic smile stretched across his face. "Ah, there you are. Was your walk enjoyable?" he asked, rising and unfurling his wings.

I nodded, smiled broadly. "Quite."

"And I trust the prince was a perfect gentleman?" Skan asked, directing his question to the angel princess at my side.

"Of course he was," she replied, stepping away from me and going to scratch Skan's ear tufts. "He was very charming."

"That's reassuring," he said, his chest rumbling in response to Tifa moving to scratch his neck. "He can be a scoundrel from time to time."

"Oh, really?" she responded, looking back at me with an amused smile painting her face.

I laughed at Skan's antics, not surprised that he would choose a time like this to embarrass me. "I knew it was a bad idea to bring you," I said, being overly sarcastic. "You can't keep secrets at all."

"Oh, yes, I can. I just choose not to," he said, winking at me. "Well, as much as I hate to say it, we should all consider returning home."

I nodded. "Yes, I agree," I replied, turning my attention back to Tifa as she came to stand beside me. My chest involuntarily constricted at having to once again say good bye to her. "I'll see you again tomorrow night?"

She smiled and tucked herself into my side, loosely encircling my waist with her arms. "Yes, I'll be counting the hours until then."

"As will I," I said, taking her hand as I got onto Skan's back. I lightly kissed her knuckles then reluctantly released her fingers. "Fly safely, Princess."

"I will," she said, backing a few steps away. "Good night."

I sighed heavily as I watched her fly away, tracking her with my eyes until I could no longer see her. After many long moments of sitting in the deafening silence, Skan shifted and looked over his shoulder at me.

"Your Highness?" he projected delicately.

"Yes, I apologize. Let's go."

Skan sprang off of the edge of the cliff and ascended toward Desdemona. I glanced over my shoulder at the rapidly fading city of Midgar and sighed once more, desperately looking forward to the day I could hold her in my arms whenever I wished.