Behind Black Curtains
An AU, Sephiroth and Tifa fanfiction
-by Amaranthos-
Chapter 3: Shackled
Tiredly, a young woman turns and twists in a dimly lit room filled with sweet smelling jasmine and white sheets to fit her every curve. Gentle silks and satins touched her skin and with little to cover her, she twisted opening herself for an unwanted stranger to gaze and ignite some tempting fires.
But the room was hot. And not a good hot, but a humidity that seem to make her skin sweat profusely. Tiny drops of sweat idly fell from her arched neck into her chest. Uncomfortably, she tossed becoming agitated at the heat and tangle of sheets around her legs and body.
Partially awake she presses her eyes tightly closed faintly hearing what seems to be, the sound of a piano.
'Huh?' She turned into her soft pillows, burying her face, 'Why do I feel so hot? Why doesn't Isadora place on the fan, or even open my window. Aghhh!'
Again the soft crescendo of a piano returns a little louder, but why so early? Where is this sound coming from, thought Tifa. She had played on her mother's piano for years in the grand hall, but she knew it would never reverberate this loud in her room. Slowly, eyes of burgundy open to a sight that is like none other.
Quietly, yet stunned, she jerks her head up, only to remember the familiar tragedy of being captured by the enemy. Swallowing the thick lump, Tifa looked around the majestic room she now slept in. With 20 foot ceilings, recessed with a beautifully painted mural, Tifa became completely overwhelmed.
Looking around the room, Tifa could see mirrors all around, with dimly lit sconces on the wall. The strangest thing about this room, that really made Tifa concerned about the type of sleeping chamber, was the single bed that stood in the middle of the room. Flinging the sheets off, Tifa was amazed to find her clothes had been changed.
"What the—"she trailed off.
Pulling at her tiny skimpy nightgown in a sear white color, it looked like the type of clothes you could rip apart. Holding herself, she prayed they didn't touch her.
She began to shudder at the thought of Rufus Shinra taking advantage of her, like he had in the great hall; it made her sick just thinking about it. The revolting acid that now came up throat felt like it needed to come out. Frightened by her derogatory sleeping apparel and the room of course, Tifa darted off the bed, only to step her foot into what seemed to be…
"Water?" looking down on the floor, Tifa was amazed to discover the entire floor was covered in about 2 inches of water. The thin film of water additionally had small white petals floating to the top.
'Okay, this is completely freaking me out'
Alarmed and confused by the strange cultures of Black Crescents, she ran to the window, picking at the metal lever. Consistently she pulled at the lever, trying every which way she could to turn and bend it. Pulling back exasperated, Tifa began quietly sobbing. This place had been a nightmare. Cultures unknown to her, initiation of every kind, Tifa was poorly educated about this enemy known as Black Crescents. And as if her horror had not been enough, she looked through the window to be blown away by the sight of war machines, guns, artillery, soldiers, sharp uniforms, Generals, Commanders…everything that her poor eyes had been covered never see, she saw it. The world below her was filled of great mystery and secrets and now, before her they one by one all manifested themselves as real.
'And that is the sick reality of it all' she thought bitterly.
Biting her lips, Tifa sobbed some more. How could her father ever rescue her now with an army of astronomical size as that? She slid down the window, knowing there was no way her father could help her. She was doomed.
And as if doom could not be shown and spelt in any other way. Something rustled in the room. Tifa's ears are curt to hear the sound of flapping of fabric. Flipping around, Tifa slowly walks forward, checking to see if anyone was in the room with her.
"H-Hello…who's there?" Tifa's voice was shaky.
No answer.
Tifa narrows her eyes, trying as hard as she could to see and differentiate the shape or silhouette of a person.
"Hah! You look like a scared kitten my dear"
That voice. Horror is painted on Tifa's face. She's knows that face. It was the psycho pervert himself.
Taking a deep breath, Tifa began slowly backing up, "What do you want with me, Mr. Shinra?" Tifa's voice was rasped. She couldn't tell if the place was so humid she was beginning to get dazed.
"As I've mentioned, my dear..." he pauses to allow himself to come from the dark of the room into the light for her eyes. He smirks absolutely sinisterly, leaving her doubt at his next move. She could never read Rufus Shinra, and the more she tried to build and ascertain his character, the more he grew to be different. One thing was certain though; he was demented.
If he had been the one responsible for killing 500 hundred of her father's soldiers, then he had to be the devil. But as her capturing goes, she learnt that everyone here wear's a different kind of skin, one good men can not wear.
"...I'm fascinated Tifa. To know more about, not just my good old friend Arthur..." He walks closer to her, and with every step he took, Tifa backed up some more, "...but I also I'm very..." he stressed on the very, "...fascinated by his beautiful daughter. Forgive me…" he looked down, almost as if he were thinking about his words.
In a curt movement, he comes advancing towards her with nothing but an evil glint of gold twinkling in his eyes. His permanent dark smirk embossed on his features. Tifa turns around to the window at her back, pounding on it for her dear. Screaming to the top of her voice, she begged and pleaded with the heavens for her safety…
Immediately Shinra pins her against the window, pressing her tightly into the windowpane. Tifa grits her teeth, angry at him for constantly taking advantage of her. Again he presses his taunted body against her gently arched back, and whispers dirty things in her ear. Tears fall down Tifa's cheeks. She closes her eyes trying to wish herself away from this place.
"I hope you like your night gown, my dear." He grabbed her hands and gritted the words right in her ear. Tifa breathed heavily…
Pushing back into him, Tifa wiggled her way out of his grasp running toward the door. Rufus smirked.
'Women, always to the punch, aren't they...?'
Without a second to spare, he took into a mighty run, one that almost appear to be like a strange type of magic, especially when he grabbed her by the hair, and pulled her toward him.
"I do intend to enjoy this, do not make me angry Tifa."
Tifa would not hear it. Clutching onto his hand tightly, she spun around beneath his arm, slamming her knee straight into his gut. Rufus smirked. She had hoped to be more fortunate catching him off guard, but all efforts were futile. Cursing aloud, Rufus took the liberty of grabbing her by the shoulders and pinning her beneath him on the floor.
Her body touched water and immediately the cold water sent chills up her spine. Tifa gasped when Rufus intimately filled the spaced between them. Pinning her both arms above her head, Rufus was stunned at the beautiful woman beneath him.
She was nothing like he had ever seen. Her sight was breathtaking. With long black tendrils floating artistically around her body and face, Rufus felt she was the most immaculate creature made. With the dim light of the room, he could see small beads of sweat like fresh morning due on a flower glittered on her face in the dark. With her smooth skin rosy from their intimate tussle, he leaned in, only to have her scoff and turn her face from his. Rufus smirked.
'So, you enjoy taunting me...'
With a neckline arched like a swan, it invited him to whisper and tease her, senselessly. Little rivulets of sweat traveled down to her fully-grown bosom enticing Rufus into her attractive digits and assets.
The sight and fissure of her open cleavage made it hard for him to resist in the million evil things he wanted to do.
Placing his hand upon her thigh, Tifa felt bombs go off in her mind. It had been the rudest thing Rufus had done to her, and it would be the last.
Screaming to the top of her lungs, Tifa thrashed chaotically beneath him, doing everything in her will to waver her assailant.
Immediately doors are flung open, to the sight of six counselors, including Rufus' father – Velrog.
It was also the first introduction to Scarlett: Commander of his Delta B army. She looks back confused at her master. Scarlett, whose connection to Rufus was not fully understood or ascertained, had become the intimate friend and so-called girlfriend of Rufus, but now his actions seem to make everything in her mind questionable.
"Rufus darling...a word?" Scarlett's voice was soft, yet firm.
Rufus sighs. "We'll pick this up at another time"
He easily picks himself up. He whispered, "Duty calls". Tifa takes her leave to escape the room of officials.
"Follow her!" Velrog orders two young soldiers to contain her.
"Yes sir!"
Rufus, who was partially wet from the water, flicked it off lightly completely calm and somber.
"Scarlett, darling… didn't know you were back from Cruon." He said playfully.
The five other officials take their leave whispering something incoherently to Scarlett. She nods.
The council members took their leave, leaving an annoyed Scarlett. She folded her arms and looked uptight.
"What?" he asked confused.
"What were you doing?" she paused to ask, "Are you aware that she's Arthur Lockhart's daughter?" she asks concerned.
"Really?" He smiled dully looking back to her, "Is that who she is?"
"Really."
"I was…" he paused, "just trying to know the enemy a little better" he smiled, "besides..."
He walks to her and touches her cheek, "You know I'm fond of you" he closes the distance between them, quickly rewarding her with a kiss. Their lips savagely met and before Scarlett could drown in it, he pulls away, busy to do more work.
Scarlett touches her lips and frowns at the initial loss of contact. Sometimes she hoped to get more than the quick kisses and affection. Realizing she had forgotten to tell him the important information, she turned the corner quickly and shouted his name.
Rufus casually slows down and looks at her.
"Yes my dear?"
"I have some important information for you" she smirks knowing Rufus well
"Really?" his eyes held hers in a hold. Knowing that Scarlett as a professional in her field, he trusted what she had to say was good.
"Tell me everything" he responded.
"You there stop!" shouted a soldier across the long hall of grey and black marble. Tifa wouldn't look back, if she remembered correctly, this was the direction she came from the night before. Turning around the corner, Tifa could stairs dead ahead.
'Finally!'
Running as fast as her two legs could carry her, in nothing but a skimpy nightgown, Tifa blazed pass everyone to freedom. It was then one of the soldiers threw his spear at her, but lucky for Tifa, his aim was off and it ended up destroying one of plants at her side. Caught off guard, a second guard joins the first and blocks her path. With a guard either side of her, Tifa scowls that the game had changed discourse. Picking up the spear, Tifa wielded it as a weapon defensively to protect herself. She needed to work fast in order to escape and avoid attracting crowds and more unwanted attention.
The unarmed guard ran forward but Tifa slammed the back of her spear into his head, knocking him out cold. Turning to her left, the other soldier slowly approaches her with a somewhat different strategy. He sent his spear horizontally, where Tifa casually blocked, striking the spear away from her.
Standing in a strong stance, Tifa with defiance in her eyes and fire in her veins, welcomed the soldier to try his best.
"Not going to get beaten by a girl are you?" she playfully taunted, knowing he like so many men were driven by their masochistic gene of being narcissistic.
The man laughed approaching Tifa very confidently.
"Don't force me to hurt you little girl..." he menacingly laughs.
"You can try..." she feigned a smile.
Angered at her rebuttal, he threw his spear straight at her; she easily dodges it running forward and knocking him across his head.
Landing on the floor, Tifa saw the soldier drop to his knees and lying there, lifelessly. His wounds weren't life-threatening but what she did was still wrong.
"I'm sorry" she whispers just so tiny.
Picking up her spear, Tifa readies herself when she is stopped in her tracks by none other than him.
"You…" she swallowed…
A figure stands before her.
With a mighty trench coat, silver hair and haunting green eyes he stares back at her devoidly.
"Get out of my way!" She defensively places the spear in front of her.
He does not move, nor does he react. Instead he takes a single step forward, and with demanding eyes, he speaks, "I presume you forgot what I made clear a day ago."
He takes a second step toward her.
"You don't frighten me. I'll kill you if you come any closer!" she gritted her teeth, ordering him to back up.
"Red Hearts future heir wishes to kill me?" he suddenly unsheathes his incredulously long Masamune.
"If you want to die Lockhart, I assure you I come equipped to take life…anytime."
"Bastard! Get out of my way!" She runs into him, charging head on.
With a flash of light, he runs into her, the back of his sword knocking the wind right out of her. Tifa feels a pain surge through her stomach. Sephiroth whispers in her ear.
"Your antics are overbearing. Unlike Shinra, I will kill you."
Removing the hilt from her stomach, Tifa collapses, but Sephiroth easily picks her up placing her over his shoulder.
Through her pain, she still felt hate for this guy. This..This, Sephiroth.
"My father..." the pain in her stomach really was beginning to act up, "my father will deal with every one of you, especially you and that evil Rufus Shinra. You'll all suffer the same wrath, and die …"
Sephiroth ignores her petty ramblings.
Walking past many of the usual morning faces, a lot of them were confused and amazed at the sight of seeing the proud General, bracing the fiery prisoner over his shoulder.
Sephiroth took no heed of them. Right now it didn't matter, he needed her to be shackled.
"You'll all suffer! You hear that! My father will kill each of you!" She shouted at the people looking on.
"You sound just like Shinra." He whispers, "annoying"
Opening a large wooden door, Sephiroth spoke devoidly. "You might want to duck."
Tifa was confused. Turning around to question his statement, she knocked her head into the arch of the doorway.
"Owww!" she shouted aloud. "Who do you think you are?" she barked at him.
As usual he didn't respond or react which was most infuriating.
"Answer me Sephiroth, or should I quote, dog who is not admitted to the royal chamber."
It was low for her to get involved in the affairs and wry chemistry of Rufus and Sephiroth, but it was the only way she could think of to make Sephiroth react.
The statement seemed to anger Sephiroth, who in a fluid movement threw her on a couch, where he pinned her. With amazingly green eyes, and silver brows, Tifa could not deny her heart was beating as fast as a mouse, but with the same fear. Sephiroth who remained as cold as winter, did not spare a smile, or expression, he just stared with an intense expression.
"Well, this is close enough" he said deathly low.
Tifa's eyes shifted nervously.
Sephiroth looks down feeding his eyes on the slim proximity between them. He smirks…
"Enough to hear your heart beat..." he whispered.
Tifa, who was frozen did not comprehend he was pressing himself just so lightly. Almost deafly, her strap from her nightgown fell down her smooth shoulder.
"You'd do better than to insult me, little girl of Red Hearts or as I've promised you, I will not wait on this counsel to decide when you should die…" he came closer till their chests were touching.
"I will hurt you and then enjoy slowly…one by one, destroying and killing your every reason for life until I plunge my Masamune into your beating heart" he smirked seeing tears numbly fall down her cheek.
"Understood?"
She didn't respond. Sephiroth grabbed a fistful of her hair, thrusting her head back. He leans forward searching for an agreement.
"H-Hai (yes)…" she cried.
"Good girl"
He grabs by the shoulder and pushes her into the wall; gruffly he connects metal shackles to her wrists leaving her to stand there with emptiness.
He inspects her noting her spirit was broken and her will crushed.
Tifa was now the kind of sight he enjoyed.
Crumbled. Pathetic.
Walking out of the room, he shut the door taking in the final image of a crying woman.
He smirks.
To be continued…