Disclaimer: I don't own SOTET, it belongs to Square-Enix/Tri-Ace.

A/N: Hahaha, it's cliff hanger. If you don't like AlbelxSophia, it's when the become "official." And I skip the wedding because I didn't care for it much. I don't even know their traditions anyways. And if you people like the normal pairings, just review a lot and I'll put up the fifteenth chapter because I've already written it and uploaded it, just not posted it. (:

PART 14

And with the ringing of the wedding bells within the Aquois church, everyone seated, calmly.

Fayt sat stiffly next to Maria, his arm wound around her shoulder as she leaned into him, watching Lias at the stand just in front of the King of Airyglyph and Queen of Aquaria.

Mirage had her hands full trying to keep an overexcited Peppita still and quiet.

Nel stood behind the bride, "Clair, you look so beautiful. Tynave and Farleen are already outside, waiting to see if you were ready yet."

"Oh yes Nel. I'm just so nervous and anxious, I can't breathe," She spoke softly, the smile naturally drawn upon her face.

The cue of the flute had told Clair that it was time to go, "It's time, just remember why you're doing this."

Clair nodded, walking next to Nel until they reached the door wait Adray was waiting.

He took the arm of his daughter behind Tynave, Farleen, and Nel who would precede Clair.

He gruffly walked down the path, keeping the dark face of maliciousness. He glanced to either side, seeing the face of the two men he disliked the most, Cliff and Fayt, each wearing similar outfits in black. Maria leaned against Fayt like a smug cat, wearing an outfit that even for his customs, he knew was too revealing for this occasion.

He inwardly cringed when he saw a struggling Peppita, trying to get out of Mirage's grasp. The girl's hyperactivity was not one he wanted to be the object of. Roger looked quite calm himself to his surprise but started to smile mischievously at Peppita and he wasn't surprised any longer.

'This is truly idiotc, this ceremony. Cliff, hah he's unhappy, the stupid fool. Fayt and that stupid piece of scum Maria; they truly deserve a slow painful death. They are worth nothing and waste of the time so they should not be able to live because they only create more annoyance.

Fayt, you seem to think you are so noble and valiant since you had saved the universe but what of you when you can't even save yourself, nor even choose between women.

Maria, you, I can see when there is a darkness because that is what I truly am. And you, you have something planned and it may not be obvious to everyone else but it is quite obvious to me. Just wait and I'll take that as a reason to kill you even if Fayt would pester me.

Hm…where is the wench? She's not here, weak woman. She can't even handle the sight of the pair, it's sickening, she and the other two. I'll make sure she knows when I find her, she needs someone to beat strength into her.'

Sophia wept, outside beneath the bridge on the outskirts of Aquois. She had dressed, intending to go on inside but when she saw Fayt and Maria enter the chapel together; she turned and ran.

"The bells have rung, that means the ceremony has begun. I'll have to go in and apologize to Clair later; I hope she'll understand." Sophia mumbled.

She stared at the water and at her reflection. The water rippled when her tears fell beneath the depths.

Her chestnut locks had been twisted up into a bun with elegant pieces of hair falling beside her face and down her back.

For an immeasurable amount of time she stared until she clasped her hand around a rock and threw it at her face in the water, breaking it into several waves of refraction. She whispered, "This isn't fair."

"Fairness is for the weak," a voice growled behind her. The shadow circled her body, standing over her but she did not dare look up.

She stared into the water, watching the reflection of the figure.

'There's a dark indigo cape, knight's armor with a powerful blade at his side. The face is blurred…Maybe I'm imagining my prince and the voice is just my mind. If I put a face atop the body, Fayt's? Who cares?'

"Stand up wench," the voice said to her again. "Stop your crying, it's paining me to watch such outright lack of strength."

Sophia squeezed her eyes shut, not caring anymore. She flung herself and around, throwing herself at the person and hold him tight. The tears had blurred her vision, just desiring comfort in some way though it did not seem this person was even offering.

She had done this to prove to herself it was just a dream, that this figure was a person made up by her imagination dressed up in a fairytale prince's attire.

She had latched on to someone warm, surprising her slightly but this only caused her to think that her mind was more vivid then she thought. Though this did offer a sense of dream reality as much as she knew when she opened her eyes, she would still be dreaming but she didn't want to. She just wanted this moment, this little bit of sanity to calm her.

Albel had left after the finished ceremony, intending to leave and not come back. He had not expected to hear anyone since most had left to go to the ceremony within the castle's chapel. A rock had landed in the water and he made his way toward the sound, finding none other then Sophia beneath the bridge, staring and crying into the water.

He smirked, finding this the perfect time to mock her of Maria and Fayt until she was strong enough to stand up for herself.

But now he found himself tightly gripped by her. He fell back against the wall by the surprise of the force. His arms were in the air while he looked down at her, muttering, "Wench, what the hell are you doing?"

"Please, don't go away." She whispered which he took for obvious hallucination.

He placed his hand on her head, "Get off of me wench, I am not Fayt."

She shook her head, burying her face farther into his chest, "I don't want Fayt, please don't leave me alone."

His hand started to stroke her hair; automatic instinct had caused the movement of comfort that he surprised even himself. He wrapped his clawed arm around her waist; whispering into her, "Stop tensing, now."

On command Sophia had relaxed and he was able to set her down while he leaned against the wall.

'What the hell am I doing? What am I saying?'

There was an aching in his chest as if his heart were starting to pain him the more he thought.

'I don't want her, I should just throw her into the river right now.'

And still these thoughts had caused him to inwardly lurch at the warmth flooding through to his fingertips.

A voice that was not his own, spoke to him, "Denial only hurts more when you continue to do so."

'I'm not denying anything. Or am I? What's this stupid feeling spreading throughout me? Is this that stupid thing everyone calls happiness? Hope? Or…Love? Please don't tell me it is, that is quite aggravating but quite refreshing. This strength…it's…disgusting, but I desire it, I lust for it, I want it.

Why am I denying myself this strength and what I want? I've never forced myself away from power I've wanted but I desire it more then before. This is the strongest I've ever felt, I need it and this is mine and mine alone. No one shall ever take this away from me. She belongs to me and no one else.'
(A/N: I know it sounds bad, but when Albel is describing strength and power, he means love. Since love is true power/strength. It just sounds like he's using her in my attempt of Albel language that took me for ever to attempt to phrase. This is one of this just so you know types of things.)

Albel's claw wrapped around waist tighter, bringing her closer toward him. His hair fell upon the top of her head as he mumbled. "You are mine now. And I do not care if you have any arguments to that."

Her voice was soft, her crying slowed, whispering, "Please, don't make me face him anymore."

He lifted her chin to face him so that he could watch her expression, cocking an eyebrow at her.

She looked into the face of Albel, surprised. She could see his entire face now, now that she was close enough to brush his hair away. She softly voiced, "Albel?"

She held a familiar feeling within her, staring into his crimson eyes that seemed more calm and less discomforting.

"Hm?" He asked, his face neither frowning any longer but not smiling to any extent.

She smiled gratefully at him, hugging him tightly, a tear straying from her eye, "Thank you… for not leaving me alone, I don't think I want you to ever."

Fayt watched around the reception room, not able to spot Sophia but he put this in the back of his mind for now, walking near Clair and Lias.

"Clair, congratulations!" He said, Maria following closely behind with the tail of her blue gray dress trailing behind.

"Yes, we are so happy for you." She said sweetly.

Clair bowed to them and Lias wrapped his arms around Clair's waist, rocking her slightly to the classical music playing, whispering into her ear.

Adray could only grin, "Ah, plans for tonight I see."

"Father! How could you say that?"

"I'm just stating the obvious," he said crossing his arms.

Peppita was dancing around the room with large footsteps and symbologically enhanced effects.

"Cliff? What are we going to do after the wedding? Leave in a couple days?" Mirage asked.

He looked at her, "Not sure, all depends, I guess."

"On what?"

"On what happens tonight." He said mysteriously, walking away from her, trying to hide his secret.

He walked in the direction of Nel who was wearing a golden dress that brought out the best of her amethyst eyes. The thin straps almost invisible upon her skin, matching in his opinion, radiating glow.

Nel would not look at Cliff as he came closer to her for the dinner was about to start. She turned away receding to her seat at the banquet table.

She sat on the other side of Adray just one seat over from Clair. She looked down at the table, seeing that Albel's seat just over Lias's side was empty.

Cliff sat down next to her, "Hey are you still mad at me?"

"What would give you that impression," she said, glaring daggers at him.

"What did I do in the first place?" He said, placing his hand atop hers in a poor attempt to sway her back to him.

She paused, staring directly into his face, "You didn't tell me where you'd be going and I was quite concerned. You do not have the decency to tell me what you were hiding from me of which I have my suspicions for."

"I…I can explain. Just wait in a few moments."

Sophia had convinced them to go back, her hand clasping his. They had entered a place with many columns and she wasn't sure where to sit or even if she was still invited but she still felt a duty to apologize to Clair.

Someone had just rung a light bell and everyone became quite, staring at the middle of the table.

Cliff had stood up, "This is a very joyous occasion, I know, I can feel the excitement."

He took Nel's hand, guiding her out to the middle of the room so that everyone could see her and she could see everyone else.

His hand went to his pocket, pulling out a black velvet box.

He got down on one knee, "Nel, will you marry me?"

A/N: In the next one they'll have FaytxSophia, NelxAlbel, MiragexCliff, more then CliffxNel, AlbelxSophia, FaytxMaria. I promise. There's a fight scene in the next one but it's badly written... > So...just saying that ahead of time.

Please review. Thanks for reading.