The rest of the ceremony seemed to move like some horrible dream. Aerith moved numbly where people put her, told her to go. When the engagement was announced the King had grabbed her hand and placed it in that of the General's. She had looked up into the General's face and was some what relived to see that he seemed to be as startled as her at the whole thing. His hand had felt clammy and loose around hers, as if he would rather be doing anything then hold her hand. Admittedly she would have given anything for this ceremony never to have happened.

After listening to the crowd roar its approval for a few minutes the King had motioned for them to leave the balcony so he could give a private message to his subjects. As she turned to leave she desperately sought out Zack's eyes; he stood motionless at the back of the balcony staring forward. His face was pale, ill looking. Her eyes caught slight movement and briefly glanced at the assassin at Zack's side. He looked just as startled as Zack.

None of them had been told. Of course they hadn't, if they had Zack wouldn't have asked to marry her. Her father grabbed her hand and lead her off the balcony and to a near by sitting room. Once she was seated he left and returned on to the balcony.

She sat still for a moment, gathering her thoughts. This could not be happening. He couldn't. She was going to marry Zack. She heard rapid foot steps. Pass her door. She stood up and walked to the door, cracking it open to peak out.

Sephiroth appeared to have just left the balcony. He brushed past well wishers, pushing some out of his way forcefully. He quickly disappeared down the steps leading out to the main courtyard. A few seconds latter Vincent and Zack appeared following behind their General at a slower pace. Zack froze mid step. He raised his eyes, somehow finding hers with one glance. The sorrow she saw there broke her heart.

"Zack." She whispered.

She pushed open the door and made to run to him when a hand caught her arm. Zack seemed to have broken from his trance and quickly made his way down the stairs.

Aerith turned to see who had stopped her, her eyes quickly meeting bright blue orbs. The boy looked to be no older then herself, bright blond hair sticking out unruly in every direction. He gave her a small sympathetic smile. He lessened his hold on her arm but did not let her go completely. He gently pulled her back into the sitting room, gently pushing her into a chair, finally relinquishing her arm to go and shut the door behind them.

"Why did you stop me?" She asked numbly.

The young man moved to kneel before her, his eyes holding hers.

"If you had run to him it would have cost his life."

Aerith felt her head begin to spin.

"No."

"You belong to the General now. To be seen in the arms of another man would be treason." The boy continued.

Aerith felt the tears roll down her face, her body beginning to shake.

"But I don't want to marry him."

The boy grasped her hand in both of his, holding it gently in his own.

"I know." He said sympathetically. "But I'm afraid at the moment what you want does not matter to the king."

Aerith let out a sob, her shoulders beginning to quake.

The boy gripped her hand tighter.

"But I promised him." She gasped out. "I promised him! I'm supposed to marry him!"

The boy seemed to know what she was speaking of with out ever hearing the man in question's name. He moved one of his hands to her face, moving a few lose strands of hair from her eyes.

"This can't be happening!" She cried desperately.

She felt all of her sorrow, all her anger build up inside of her. She let out a piercing scream and collapsed onto the floor, sobbing uncontrollably.

Cloud gently pulled the weeping girl into his arms, rocking her as she released her pain in tears. He only hoped some one was there to take care of Zack.

Zack felt like he was dead. In a way he was. Nothing seemed to matter anymore. The woman he loved was going to marry the man he came to regard as his father. Life was a cruel irony. He saw her look at him, saw his own pain and confusion mirrored in her own eyes. She had tried to run to him. Some one had stopped her. He had not seen who but was grateful all the same. He would not have been able to hold himself together if she had reached him, touched him.

He had quickly escaped down the stairs and out into the gardens. He knew he was supposed to follow the General but could not bring himself to be in his presence just yet. He slowly wandered into the green house. He could not feel anything. He walked over to a bench and sat down. The day had been perfect. Only hours ago he was engaged to the woman of his dreams, holding her in his arms. His heart gave a painful thud in his chest. Now she was going to be in the General's arms.

He let out a gasp, releasing the breath he had not known he was holding. At the moment his only consolation was that the General seemed to be as surprised by the engagement as Aerith. Actually the General had appeared angered, physically moving people from his path as he escaped the balcony.

Zack pictured Aerith's face when the king had spoken. First disbelief, then betrayal, then nothing, as if she had fallen numb, just like him. Zack felt tears begin to burn behind his eyes. He lowered his head into his hands. She had called his name.

His shoulders shook as tears began dripping down his face.

Sephiroth stormed into his office throwing the door open with such force that it shattered. How could the king do this? Not even give the girl notice at least? He picked up the pitcher that sat at the corner of his desk and flung it at the wall, hearing it shatter into a thousand pieces. He was a pawn, after all these years, after all of his faithful service he was just a pawn. He grabbed the edge of his desk and threw it over, letting out a tremendous howl.

He felt eyes on him and quickly turned to glance down the hall. The hall appeared empty now but Sephiroth knew that a second before it had been occupied. He stared for a moment at the empty hall, willing the individual to return. He slowly dropped to the floor sitting where his desk had once stood.

He would find a way out of this; he had to.