Disclaimer: I do not own FF7
AN: 'Ey! I'm here! Time..for violence...wooo..LOTS of violence, and some implied rape. You've been warned.
Forgotten Bliss
Chapter 4: Night of Terror
"Please, stop crying...you're ruining your makeup." Her mother pleaded softly.
"I don't care."
"Aeris...think about this, you have done nothing but look forward to this moment all your life! Every girl does!"
"I wanted to be with Sephiroth!"
"Not everything turns out the way we wanted." She whispered, hugging Aeris. "But that doesn't mean we can just run away from everything we don't like. Sometimes we have to stand up to our problems and face them head on."
"How?"
"For the sake of those around us, sometimes we have to accept things we don't necessarily agree with. Like this marriage...this isa foreigner, what will he think if you back out and prove your father's word meaningless?"
Aeris stared silently at the floor, knowing her mother's words were true.
"Also, what would it say of our people, the Cetra?" Her mother pressed. "That we are hypocrits that scoff at our own tradition and cerimony whenit suits us?"
"I...I'm sorry, Mother."
"Honey, I didn't want to marry your father,either." She said in a confiding whisper. "But now I love him more than anything. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have you!"
"I...it's not going to be that way for me..." Aeris whispered. "I'll never stop loving Sephiroth."
"Maybe..." Her mother conceded. "But if Sephiroth is really the person you think he is, he'll understand this...he won't blame you, Aeris."
"I..."
"Go on now, everyone's waiting for you."
Aeris sighed, and bowed her head in defeat.
This is what has to be
---
She looked glorious in her wedding dress, shockingly golden with many complex layers. It was perfect, her hair was done up in impossible braids, and a beautifulveil barely hid her face.
The man who had won her stood at the end of the path, an insufferable smirk on his face.
Sephiroth, where are you?
All too soon, she made it to the man, and the ceremony began.
---
She was beautiful. She stood regal next to the slime that had bought her, she was going to accept this marraige now...for her family she had sacrificed her own personal interests. She was so noble...but was it all for naught? In the end, was this really for the best?
Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, but she was not the only one in pain today...
He turned away silently as the cerimony ended. This was the end.
Now I can be no more.
"Sephiroth!"
He could not heed her cries this time, for her safety he needed to leave. This time there would be no turning back.
---
When the cerimony finally ended, Aeris saw Sephiroth's retreating form in the corner of her eye.
Seph!
Heedless of those around her, she bolted afterhim, calling out frantically. He acted as if he did not hear her, only retreating faster.
"Wait! Please!"
He turned a corner, and she hurried after him, hoping to catch him at a dead end. When she got there, he was nowhere to be found.
"Seph..."
He left...we...we're over...
Suddenly weak, she fell to her knees, tears running freely down her cheeks.
"Daughter..." Her mother whispered, kneeling next to her and enfolding her in a hug.
"He's gone...he's gone..."
"Aeris...you know he had to go...the longer he was here, the longer you both would hurt."
"I want him with me!"
"Shh..I know that, Baby, but we can'talways get whatwe want." Her mother replied, hugging her tightly. "At least you had him for a little while..."
"M-mom..."
----
The man gave her a level look as he locked the door. "Alright, girl, I've read up on your cerimonies, so don't think you can con me out of what I bought you for."
"N-no...you didn't buy me..." She said nervously. "Please...just...give me some time."
"Why should I?"
"Our Night doesn't have to be the first one...not if the bride is too nervous." Aeris insisted. "The man should love the woman enough to understand..."
"Don't give me that!" The man snapped. "There is only one reason I bought you--and yes,I did buy you. I made an offer and money was exchanged; you are nowmy property--had nothing to do with 'love', girl!"
"N-no! Please, don't!"
"Silence!" He barked, walking toward her.
"No! Don't do this!"
"Those guards I 'gave' your father can easily kill him." The man threatened, continuing his approach. "If you fight me, I will order them to 'eliminate' your precious family!"
"N-No! No! I beg you!" She sobbed, backng into the corner.
"I swear, one more noise outta you, and I will personally gut everyone in this villiage!"
Hot tears stung her eyes as he pressed her roughly against the wall and leaned down toward her to kiss her. At the last instant he bit her lip instead, drawing blood. Unable to stop herself, she cried out in pain and fear.
The man grabbed her shoulders painfully and slammed her against the wall multiple times. "Shut up, wench!" He hissed angrilly. "I won't warn you again!"
Choking back sobs, she closed her eyes in fear as he undid her dress. The man grabbed her face without warning, and slammed the back of her head against the wall once more.
"Did I say you could close your eyes, whore!" The man yelled, fingers digging into the soft flesh of her cheeks.
Trembling, she opened her eyes and looked into his deranged smile, despite her best efforts, a terrorized sob escaped her throat. The man's face darkened, and he grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked her toward him so that she was oless than an inch away from his face.
"You don't learn fast, do you, witch?" He hissed, then withdrew a knife from his shirt. "Now, perhaps you'll cooperate?"
Aeris could not hold it any longer, and broke down into tortured sobs. "Sephiroth! Please! Where are you!"
The man's eyes blazed a moment, then her cheek exploded in pain and she was falling to the floor.
----
Sephiroth sighed as he looked out across the lake. So peaceful...the lake reflected the starry sky perfectly. No star could shine so brilliantly as Aeris' smile, no lake could be as peaceful as he felt looking into her eyes...he fought away the tears threatening to escape him, and shook his head violently.
He had to see her one last time.
----
She stared up in silence at the dark, her numerous wounds stung her, and her tears ran patterns in the dirt and blood on her face. He had not cut her initially as she had thought he would...no...he left that for his fun.
She shuddered and fought down a sob.
The man snored rudely beside where she lay, his prized knife hidden away.
"I don't want you killing yourself yet..." He sneered. "In a week or so when I tire of you, maybe..."
He thought it was so funny he laughed a long while afterward, then leapt up and clubbed her across the head with his fist, because she had not laughed as well.
What did I do to deserve this? She thought miserably, coughing down a sob.
"Shut up!" The man hissed from beside her, elbowing her hard. She barely suppressed a whimper at his action--he had hit a place bruised from earlier that night.
The thought of earlier that night brought an onrush of unpleasant memories to surface...his disgusting grunts, painful pinching...his sick sense of humor. She did not even realize she was crying until the man's hand closed about her throat.
She looked up in horror at the man's dangerously glittering eyes, he looked utterly psychotic.
"Shut up! You wanna cry? Do it in the bathroom!" The man screamed, flinging her off of the bed onto the hard floor.
She barely suppressed a groan as she landed, and crawled pitifully toward the bathroom, trying vainly to ignore the man's mocking laughter.
As she made it to the bathroom, she pulled herseld up to a semi-crouch with great difficultly, ans shut the door. Lighting the candle, she gazed at her reflection in the mirror. Her face was crusted in dry blood, and covered in nasty bruises--barely even recognizable anymore. The sight caused her to break down into tears.
It was some time beore she was able to look up at the mirror again, and the sight was still sickening.
What have I become? She thought miserably. I can't do this! I can't go through this one more night--let alone the rest of my life! Sephiroth...where are you?
A sob escaped her lips and she was forced to look away from the mirror once more.
Something caught her eyes.
The ceramic wash basin that had been on the counter was knocked to the floor when she had pulled herself up the first time, and had shattered into several pieces. She stared at it a moment, then slowly knelt to pick up a chunk the size of her hand. The piece was surprisingly sharp, and it cut into her hand as she grasped it tightly.
With this...I wouldn't have to last another night...I could end it now...
Memories of his wheezing laugh came fresh to her, and she shuddered in disgust.
No...that's not enough...I won't let him get away with this...not ever...
She could hear him snoring again in the bedroom. She stared at the piece a moment, contemplating it, then slowly rose to her feet, and shakily walked into the bedroom. Before she realized it, she was standing before him, next to the bed. The man snored loudly in his sleep.
Simply his sight brought horrible memories to the surface, and her pain quickly melted into hatred as she raised her arms above her head, trying futilely to keep her breathing steady as her whitehot anger intensified.
She let loose a scream as she plunged the makeshift weapon into his chest. The man's eyes flew open an instant before the ceramic blade shredded his heart. For a moment the man struggled with her as she stabbed him over and over, revelling in the blood that splattered everywhere, then his eyes slowly glazed from anger and fear into an empty stare.
Aeris stabbed him several more times afterward, screaming in rage, before finally backing away from him. Blood bubbled up out of his mouth and nose, and spurted out of his numerous gashes, soaking the bed utterly, and splattering the walls, floor, and even ceiling.
Aeris panted desperately, as she wrapped a white robe around herself. The cloth was immediately soaked with the blood that slicked her entire body.
"What...What have I done?" She gasped, stumbling backward. "Sephiroth!"
Panicked, she raced out onto the balcony. Cold wind blew on her face feircely, whipping her hair about wildly.
"They'll believe me, won't they, Sephiroth?" She asked quietly, tears running down her cheeks. "I had no choice..."
But a chosen wife never has the right...never...I'll be killed...it's law...nothing can stop it...noone would want to anyway...
A sob wracked her body as she looked up at the full moon.
"I only wanted to be with Sephiroth! That's all! Why, Planet, why?"
No answer came.
"I'm sorry, Sephiroth."
CH end
AN:So...cliffhanger...what do you think will happen? Do you still like how things are headed now, Lamica? >.
Interestingly, as I was looking for the papers to this fic...I found another interesting one...something to do with Cloud switching bodies wit Seph to save Aeris...might start writing that again...what do you think?
-Yusagi Sombermoon