Disclaimer: I don't own SquareEnix...here's a hint, can you easily pronounce my name? Yes...? then I can't own it!Now skedattle and read my fic.
AN: Sorry I took so long to update this! i don't know what came over me! Bright side: I've already finished is on paper, so it can't take too long to keep updating, right? down side: Oh yess it can...
Kim: Thanks..
A reader: Yup. But this one isn't so happy...
Forgotten Bliss
Chapter 2: Dancing Darkness
"Aeris! Aeris!" Sephiroth called from outside her room, laughing. "Come out of there right now!"
"No!" She cried stubbornly, "I'm not letting you see me in it! It's bad luck!"
"Oh, come on, Aeris! Don't make me come in there!"
"You touch the door and I'll scream!"
"And when has that stopped me, dearest darling?" He replied, knocking on the door once more.
"Seph! Stop it!" She cried, trying to mask her amusement with hysteria.
"I need to see you before the ceremony! Let me in already!" he insisted, "Please, Aeris?"
She sighed after a moment, "Alright...but only a minute!"
"Finally!"
Without even a preemptive knock, he burst in, an antagonized grin on his face. His long silvery hair swung slightly, as he entered, and his black silk shimmered fantly in the dim light, mirroring the beautiful blade belted at his waist. His eyes widened, and a small blush replaced his smile as his eyes ran along her very exposed curves.
She covered herself weakly with her hands, trying to add somewhat to the feeble protection offered by her audacious cerimonial dress, made purely of semi-translucent beads tied together with flimsy ribbons of gold silk, reaching up only barely enough to cup her breasts, and extending down barely enough to reach her hips.
"I did not let you come in here so you could ogle me!"
He smiled and leaned in to kiss her.
"You know I will Pick you today."
She smile at him, "I know. You promised."
"I never break a promise."
"Why did you need to see me so much?"
His smile faded slightly, as he brushed a strand of her chestnut brown hair out of her face.
"There is a man attending..." he said quietly, "A foreigner...a Human..he is rich, and I do not trust him."
"I don't need to worry about that. You are the one for me."
"You realize...he is very well-to-do..I don't know if.."
"You promised you would give anything..." She reminded, tapping him on the nose softly.
"Yes...and I wll...I would give my very soul if I had to.." he nodded, hugging her close to him. "I love you, Aeris."
"I love you, too."
OOOOOOO0000ooooo
"Aeris. It's time." he mother smiled, "Go out there and make an impression for our guest...it is his first Dance."
"No." She replied, shaking her head firmly. "I Dance only for Sephiroth!"
Her mother smiled reassuringly, giving her a squeeze. "You knock his socks off!"
She nodded, and walked onto the gilded stage, steadying herself her the moves she had beentraining herself all of her life. WithSephiroth...always with Sephiroth...
The lifestream barrier encircling the stage in ablazingdance of nature yet screened her movements to the viewers and hopeful suitors.
"Only for you..."
In an instant, the lifestream barrier was ripped away, and the music began.
At first it was slow,but the music and rythm quickly sped up,tambourines and myosians keeping the beat hyper. Aeris did not think of her moves as shedanced, the kicks, leaps, twirls, and undulations came as if they were born in her, waving gracefully in chime with the numorous ribbins and streamers trailing behind her.
Her eyes easily picked out her beloved's face, he had a silly grin plastered on his face,and his eyes were entranced, absorbing her every move, memorizing it, making it apart of him.
She kepther eyes locked on his at all times, trying desperately to ignore the icychill rending through her, coming from the coldeyes of the stranger in the front.
Don't look at him...Don't look andhe'll leave you alone... She only barely kept adespairing frown offherface, Oh, Seph! You have to choose me!
OOOOOOO0000ooooo
Her every move enthralled him, he could not have looked away for a moment, even if he wished to. She moved as if she were born for this one Dance, perfectly in sync with the music, complementing it, even making it seem as if the music could not exist without her.
He kept his eyes on her lovely emerald ones, cheering her on, allowing her to draw strength from him. The Dance sapped all of her strength, as she contiued on and on through the hour she seemed to grow more and more desperate, beads of sweat forming all across her body...but she did not even once falter in her step.
Finally, with the suddenness that had brought the music, there was silence, and Aeris collapsed into a graceful heap. The sweat that beaded all across her skin and shimmered in the light of the lifestream only served to exemplify her beauty.
"Tell me, now...who is destined to love this woman?" The father asked
"I am." Sephiroth said instantly.
To his chagrin, the foreigner said the same thing, standing at the same instant as Sephiroth had.
"And what shall you offer for love?" The man asked, "Who shall open the Claim?"
"Ten Thousand gil." the man said.
OOOOOOO0000ooooo
Aeris shivered as she glanced up from hre position on the floor, only two men had dared to try to claim her. Sephiroth and the stranger...all others feared what Sephiroth might do if they were to fight him for his love. Sephiroth indeed offered everything of himself, his material goods soon depleted.
All the stranger seemed able to offer was an overabundance of monay and 'power'--as if the Head of the villiage needed such things!
Monetary offerings rarely held as much sway as offers from your soul--this was no slave market, after all--a Suitor could sell himself into slavery, or even offer up his life as a sacrifice in exchange for eternal bliss with his beloved. Of course, such offers were often pardoned after the deal was made--though occassionally they were not.
She could not wipe the dreamy smile off her face, as she watched Sephiroth battling for her. He had studied this ceremony all of his life, preparing himself for this moment...he looked absolutely brilliant!
"Enough!"
Aeris almost jumped in spite of herself from the suddenness of her father's proclamation...usually a truly heated debate such as this would last much longer.
"I need not hear one more word." Her father said assuredly, "It is quite obvious to me who is destined to love my daughter here."
Swallowing the butterflies in her stomach, she looked down at the floor again nerviously. ..This is the moment we've lived for...Father knows how much it means to us...I have spoken of it so often to him...yet this all seems so surreal...so fantastical...
Her mind called up pictures of what would come next...a smile...falling into his arms...he would be showering her withkisses...awedding sobeautiful...children...yes...many children running and playing in the village...They'll look just like him...
"Thus the deal has beenseal,in word and in soul, the hand and heart of my daughter shall forever more rest withher most beloved...maythey eternally find bliss.."He father nodded slightly, before continuing, "May your souls find joy together, Mr. Shinahara."
What?
CH end
AN: Again I warn you...this is a very graphically violent book, and there is some vulgar sexual content in it, as well. So, what do you think? Predictable, eh?
Check out Fate: My longest running fic! Aer/Seph semi-A/U happy(kinda) stuff! Epic!
-Yusagi Sombermoon