Chapter Four: Lady in Pink
"Meet...?" Cloud frowned in confusion; "I don't..."
"Yes," Prince Rufus grinned in a smarmy manner, "meet." He raised his hand and snapped his fingers, summoning a servant waiting outside the door into the room.
"Your highness?" the girl was doe-eyed beneath her cropped brown hair and seemed to be perpetually petrified.
Rufus grinned at the other blond across the room, "Fetch Mr. Strife his uniform- the official one my royal father insists on- we want him looking presentable for the lady's arrival."
"Your highness." The servant repeated with a bow, quickly fleeing the room. Cloud watched her leave, wondering absently if there were any other words in her dictionary besides the title.
"Allow me to explain," Rufus announced uncompromisingly.
Cloud gave the prince his unwavering attention.
Rufus was unshaken, "Your 'assignment' is really a person- a lady of some importance- my fiancée, actually." He paused significantly, "You see, Strife, I am hopelessly sentenced to an arranged marriage sometimes this year. You will be several things to mine betrothed..."
"Assuming I accept." Cloud interjected, more to annoy Rufus than anything else. He had every intention of accepting, thus far, in fact, he was fairly interested by the whole affair.
Rufus studiously ignored him, "First, you will be 'seen' with her in public among the common people."
"Why would you want to bother with that?" Cloud more than realized there was usually some sinister motive driving everything the royal family did.
Rufus smiled, "Never miss a beat, eh? I wish to...endear myself to the people so they will support my crowning when the time comes. Well, my fiancée is a naturally endearing person from what I have heard and a royal romance? What could be closer to a fairy tale? They will eat it up, Strife, they'll push for my coronation! Once I am on the throne...."
Cloud waved his hand dismissively, as if he'd heard enough, "All right," he said almost reluctantly, his face a mask, "So you want me to... 'date' her."
"Court would be a better word- and pretend to is more like it, but essentially, yes. Go to dinner, plays, functions, just be seen. You may kiss her if you feel so inclined, it could only help and I hear she is a very beautiful woman, feel free to take advantage. None of it makes any never mind to me." The prince seemed to be in a strange temper all of a sudden. "Anyway, second, you shall be her personal bodyguard. You will obey her orders as long as they don't conflict with mine. Run errands for her, protect her, taste her food, the like... whatever. Thirdly- "
The servant's stepping into the room interrupted Rufus' briefing, in her arms Cloud's new attire was neatly folded.
"The uniform, you highness." She said meekly.
Cloud noted the addition of two new words to her vocabulary.
"Well," Rufus demanded irritably, frustrated with the girl's shyness, "Give it to him!"
The servant bowed and crossed the room to Cloud, looking very much as if she were walking her to own execution, her steps small and her short legs carrying her in a scurry. Cloud struggled not to laugh at her antics as he took the clothes and she darted away from him- he hadn't realized he was quite that frightening.
Rufus sneered at the girl's back as she hurried out the door into the relative safety of the corridor.
"Old concubine, highness?" Cloud commented, grinning to himself.
Rufus' eyes shot back to his new mercenary with a venomous stare.
"And thirdly...?" Cloud prompted in a business-like manner, gesturing for the prince to continue and finish his orders. He acted for all the world as if it had been Rufus' personal blunder that had steered them off course in the first place.
"Thirdly... watch her." Rufus said, almost distractedly.
Cloud's thin eyebrows knit together. "Watch her?" he regarded Rufus questioningly, "Wouldn't that tie in with being her bodyguard?"
"No." The prince muttered sharply, "In this case it wouldn't."
"Why not?" Cloud was getting swiftly irritated with this game of cat and mouse.
"I don't mean that sort of watching." Before Cloud could say anything in response, Rufus went to the door and shooed away the servants lurking outside, then closing it on the empty hallway.
"What sort of watching do you mean, then?" Cloud asked when the white-clad boy rejoined him.
"...Just... observe her." The prince instructed quietly, "Look for... eccentricities... differences, exceptionalities... queer happenings."
"What is this about? Is she... of Spellshaper?"
Rufus shushed Cloud in one hell of a hurry.
"How do you even know about that?" he whispered, lowering his voice as much as possible. "No one's talked about it since the scare..."
"I do." Cloud shrugged. "That's all you need to know."
"Well... I don't know if she is. This is an arranged marriage- my father's never taken an interest in my future bride before, why now? Everything he does is to his own benefit- something about her is worth going after- but what? I want to know what he gains and I want you to find out for me. I wouldn't tell you this, but I rather think it's common knowledge. Remember Strife, there is no honour amongst thieves- and that's what this family is."
Cloud shook his head, "This whole thing is like a massive game of chess."
"Your job doesn't involve your opinion. Now put that uniform on- the lady should be ready to meet us in the west wing soon."
Cloud crossed his arms, "You gonna watch?"
Rufus wasn't amused. "I will inform you of the protocol in the corridor."
* * *
"...You will address her as 'my lady', she is twenty-two years old, her proper title is the lady Aeris Gainsborough of the East, but she isn't really from the east. My spies tell me she lived in the slums of sector seven for years, my father just wanted to make her sound more like a princess."
"Fascinating." Cloud pulled at his new clothes as they walked. He wore a silky black collar shirt and white dress slacks (Shinra royals generally favoured dress clothes as uniforms): he'd never been so uncomfortable and before he had thought Rufus' outfit was bad... That's nothing compared to this... he grumbled mentally. He had even had to take out his earring- not that Rufus of Shinra couldn't bet his spoiled ass it'll be back in first chance I get.
Huge intricately carved doors that had to be twenty man-heights high stood towering over Cloud and Rufus in the curved main hall of the western wing of the palace. Cloud chewed his lip, secretly nervous about his new mission... he'd never been good around girls. He went all to mush.... He swore that if he blushed in front of Rufus he'd quit then and there.
The doors were opening.
"Her ladyship Aeris Gainsborough of the East!" the crier's voice boomed in the silent room as the great doors swung open on their enormous hinges.
Cloud, with a marked amount of dismay, felt his cheeks warm as the most beautiful girl he had ever seen stepped daintily into the room, almost as if she were floating. Granted, Cloud hadn't seen many women not covered in fourteen layers of sludge- but it didn't matter.
Aeris had a lovely, soft, heart-shaped face with open, welcoming features that flowed with ineffable smoothness. Her eyes were round and brilliant emerald green, with that same strange depth that Cloud's had. Her small mouth was composed of full, pink lips that turned up in a manner that begged they be kissed.
Speaking of which... Cloud was suddenly, rudely reminded that Rufus had given him permission to kiss his fiancée. In fact, he had all but made it a condition. Cloud wished desperately that he was as cold as he pretended to be... people without feelings didn't get embarrassed or stutter with shyness... or any of the other horrible things he underwent every time he was in the company of a beautiful girl.
The lady's hair cascaded over her shoulders in milk-chocolate ringlets from a double braid that circled her head like a crown. Another thin braid fell across her forehead and hugged the curve of her chin. The shoulders graced by her hair were bare, but for the thin straps of her gown, which was a simple flower pink affair that slid smoothly over her body to her hips where it flowed away in a long train that brushed the floor and kept her feet completely hidden.
Cloud couldn't help but stare.
"My lady," prince Rufus took her small, gloved hand and kissed it politely.
She nodded her head in greeting and her long gold earrings jangled softly with the motion of her head; like tiny brass bells.
"Your highness." Her voice was incredibly soft, but it commanded a certain air of power... allure, something else that could not described, nor even completely recognized. "Who else comes to greet me, my darling prince?"
Rufus seemed to stiffen a little at her attempt to appear affectionate.
"This is the man for whom you ought to save your 'darlings', my lady. May I present your personal bodyguard and general 'Jack of all Trades'; Cloud Strife." Rufus swung his hand in Cloud's direction, who bowed, legitimately this time.
"Ah yes," the future queen of Midgar said pensively, "The one who will remain at my disposal and accompany me to all places imaginable. I received your letter, your highness, but you did not include a name."
"There was no name when the letter was written, my lady."
Aeris smiled at Cloud almost apologetically as Rufus spoke. He was puzzled as to why....
"Well," she said as if something had been decided, "We are to be friends, then." She put her hand out to Cloud for him to kiss.
Cloud chewed the inside of his cheek as he did so, trying to use violence to keep his cheeks from going red. He wasn't having much success, and he found that he already missed having his shot of wild blonde hair around his face to hide his expression.
"Quite." Rufus commentated dryly. "Strife, escort the lady Aeris and her entourage to her new apartments. XI001 will show you the way."
In the hallways the guard in black, XI001 (also known as Tifa) walked ahead to guide the way through the winding corridors of the palace, Cloud walked several spans behind with Aeris' arm resting on his formally, behind them Aeris' formal guard of six men practically marched.
"I'm sorry..." Rufus' fiancée was saying gently, her cheeks gaining a little more pink than usual.
"What.." Cloud swallowed, giving himself a mental lecture about how cold and emotionless he was, "What for?" he cursed internally, "Uh... my lady."
"Call me Aeris, I'm much more used to it... and... for talking about you like you were a thing not a person. I'm sorry."
Cloud was struck utterly dumb. By a number of things, that she even cared at all how she addressed the hired help and that she felt the need to apologize about something that barely existed. She'd hardly said a thing to anyone and what she did say was a far cry from offensive. All that and she seemed to be talking an awful lot more like a normal citizen than a princess all of a sudden...
"You didn't, my la- Aeris... You don't have to apologize to me for anything, anyway."
"I just... I felt badly about it, even if it was only silly." She seemed thoughtful for a moment, "Is the prince... well, is he always like that?"
Like what? An ass? Oh, yeah. "Don't really know him that well." Cloud shrugged.
"As far as you can tell?" she pushed.
"Yeah." Cloud stumbled, "I mean yes."
Aeris giggled softly, surprising her escort. "You don't need to be all uptight around me, I'm not really a princess. Actually... I'm really far away from being a princess."
"But- "
"Relax, we'll have more fun that way." She smiled at him, "Which we may as well have, we will be spending a lot of time together. I don't think the prince'll be very entertaining..."
"Yeah..."
"Aren't you excited? I'm hurt, Cloud." She was only teasing, but Cloud was easily flustered when it came to the fair sex.
"No, my lady, of course I am- uh, I mean, I'm not too excited, but I- "
Aeris outright laughed.
And Cloud was blushing helplessly, "My lady?"
"I'll have to look into getting you assigned a sense of humour, Mr. Strife." Her bright green eyes sparkled in amusement.
Cloud was silent. Ahead of them Tifa's shadowed eyes were wide with shock. The unshakable, stone-faced, cold warrior who wasn't troubled by feelings that she had accompanied to the hearing seemed to have vanished! Replace, by a blushing boy! He might as well have shed ten years from his age, and a whole lot of boldness and contrariness with them.
"Cloud?" Aeris wasn't prepared to let her days pass in silence while she did have someone to talk to, it was clear that being married to Rufus would bring no relief from the last two years of misery...
He regarded her silently, letting her know he was listening.
"Where do you come from? Rufus didn't say your title..." she was hoping she would find something in him to latch on to, he seemed a harmless enough friend... he certainly wasn't enamoured of the royal family.
"I have no title." Cloud answer guardedly. He wasn't sure whether or not he ought to tell her he came from the slums. If Rufus' 'spies' were to be believed it would be common ground for them, but yet...
"Oh?" she turned inquisitive eyes on him, "Why not?"
Perhaps she was ignorant of Midgarian hierarchy. There were few reasons why someone would be without a title, perhaps they were a bastard who had shamed their family with their birth. Or they came from the slums, as Cloud did, and had renounced their heritage because of its undesirable nature. Or they were someone of great importance- someone important enough not to need a name; someone important enough to keep their name from you if they so chose.
"I would rather not say..." Cloud muttered unnaturally. He couldn't bring himself to say it, to confess.... I sleep in the streets...
"I see, a man of mystery." Aeris smiled, amused and hoping that this could become somewhat of a game between them. If he were to always deflect questions seriously she would be frightfully bored. She was already relishing in the companionship of another normal human being and she wanted desperately to keep that.
"Some." Cloud replied with a slight hint of warmth and a ghost of a smile pulling at his full lower lip.
Tifa was more flabbergasted all the time.
"Well at least your interesting then. And here I thought you would be only another pretty face." Aeris wondered if that was going too far for someone who seemed so reserved too quickly.
"Of course not," Cloud was feeling adventurous all of a sudden- likely because he was genuinely enjoying himself for the first time in years, "For that I'd have to be pretty."
Oh but you are! Aeris mind protested immediately against her will, she found herself blushing lightly at the unexpected thought... all though it was true... Fortunately for her dignity, her mouth thought into the issue more deeply and merely slid into a smile.
A few paces ahead, Tifa's thoughts mirrored the lady Aeris'.
Cloud remained blissfully oblivious.
Tifa stopped in front of a heavy wooden door, intricately carved with scenes of a battlefield, and stepped aside to let the small party pass her. Cloud hesitated at the door, uncertain about what he was supposed to do. Aeris lay a hand on his arm,
"You are to occupy the rooms adjoining mine... you are my bodyguard." She said softly.
"Oh."
"Cloud... I'd like us to be friends," she looked down with curious melancholy, "I have no one else here, you see."
"My lady," not knowing what to say, Cloud bowed and turned to Tifa, waiting to be shown to his quarters.
Tifa smiled to herself as she unlocked his door, "So what do you think of her?"
Cloud glanced at the woman in black and then stepped into his room without a word.
"Talkative aren't you..." Tifa muttered as she left.
"Sir?"
Cloud nearly jumped out of his skin, he wasn't used to being surprised by anything. Usually he had a sort of sixth sense that warned him of uninvited company.
"I have brought your things, sir." The servant flicked his wrist towards a dresser. "You will find clothes of your own in there and for... your assignments there, in the wardrobe."
"Thank-you." Cloud nodded uncertainly.
"I will bring you your evening meal."
He nodded again, not knowing what else he could do.
When the servant had gone Cloud investigated the dresser, his old rags and several copies of the so-called 'uniform' he now wore occupied his first drawer. Below, the second drawer was full of royal guard uniforms: sleeveless black turtle necks and thick black pants. Cloud had swiftly lost interest by the time he found nightclothes in the third drawer.
"Sir, your supper." He set the trey of steaming food on the squat table in the center of the room.
"Hey..." Cloud started, trying to stall without knowing what to call the servant, "Uh... you don't know what I'm supposed to be doing tomorrow- do you?"
"No, sir."
"Know when I'll find out?"
"No, sir."
"Ah." Cloud said, "Thanks."
"Think nothing of it, sir."
Oh I do.
"Will that be all?"
Cloud nodded. When he was alone he sighed heavily, wondering how long he'd be a false crown prince's beck and call boy... false... He'd better refrain from thinking it or he might let it slip aloud. If he let it slip aloud he would need to explain himself... then he'd be running again. Always running from something he could never escape.
"I should not have come back." He buried his head in his hands.
