Confessions of Truth

Cloud quietly returned to his room and jumped back when he found Tifa standing by the window with her arms folded. His blue eyes scanned the room nervously.

"Where were you?" She asked with a hint of sadness in her voice. Cloud lowered his eyes and tried to avoid the question.

"What are you doing up?"

"I woke up and you weren't there," She answered, standing and walking towards him.

"I couldn't get to sleep without you so I waited." Her eyes drifted to where his hands disappeared behind his back. Slowly she frowned up at him.

"What are you hiding?"

"Nothing!" He replied a little to quickly. Her raised brow showed how much she believed him.

"Show me," She commanded. With a defeated sigh, Cloud moved his hands and revealed Aerith's belt. Tifa frowned and looked between her husband and the object.

"Why do you have a woman's belt?" She questioned suspiciously.

"It's not how it looks!" Cloud began but Tifa turned her head away and gave a bitter laugh.

"We've only been married one day!" She screamed. Cloud winced slightly before putting the belt down.

"Tifa I swear I still remain your true and faithful husband." He whispered.

"Rufus needed me to do it."

"What did my brother need you to do?"

"He needed help," Cloud replied, not wanting to give away too much.

"What kind of help did he need that would take you from your bed at this hour?" She answered angrily.

"And what kind of help requires you to remove a woman's belt?"

"If I told you," Cloud sighed. "I would be breaking a vow of the utmost secrecy!" Tifa folded her arms and raised a brow.

"Break it!"

The guards glanced at each other as Tifa and her maids made their way to the steps of the Church. Tifa smiled cheerfully at them before frowning slightly when the doors did not open.

"Open the doors for us please." She ordered. One of the guards took a nervous breath before answering.

"We cannot Lady Tifa."

"Cannot?" Tifa repeated. "Why not?"

"We have orders from Queen Aerith not to let anyone pass until she has finished. At that moment, Tifa turned to see Aerith and her maids walking up the stairs. She glared slightly at the Queen before stepping in her path.

"Aerith how dare you order the doors of the Church closed to me? I am the King's sister."

"And I am his wife," Aerith replied coldly. "It's only right that I enter before lesser royals."

"How dare you refer to my husband as a lesser royal?" Tifa snarled. Aerith rolled her eyes and she walked past.

"He even introduced himself on the Northern Continent as Rufus' servant." She answered simply.

"Well he proved he was better when he defeated you last night!" Tifa called with a smirk. Aerith stopped at the doors before turning back to the Princess who was standing there smugly.

"What?" The Queen asked.

"Cloud defeated you last night when he took your belt." Tifa answered.

"You insult the Queen with these lies?" Aerith hissed.

"Oh so first I am a servant's wife and now I am a liar?" Tifa laughed before opening her cloak.

"Do you recognise this?" She asked in amusement. Aerith's eyes widened as she saw her belt sitting on Tifa's hips.

"Who gave you that?" She whispered in shock.

"My husband." Tifa replied in a simple tone. "Do you believe me now?"

Aerith blinked, unable to process the information. Tifa walked up the steps so that she was right in front of her. Beside her, Yuffie glanced at Aerith before looking to the ground, feeling guilty for knowing this already.

"And it was also my husband who defeated you on the Northern Continent." She added out of spite. Aerith looked to the ground, her breathing quickening as she tried to think of a comeback.

"It surprises me how you couldn't tell," The Princess hissed before walking into the Church with her maids close behind.

Sephiroth looked at Rufus who was sitting with his face shielded by his hand. The news of Tifa's outburst had spread quickly and Rufus was trying to think of a way to explain everything. Slowly, the silver-haired man slipped into the seat beside the King and took a deep breath.

"My King," He began slowly, making sure he got the King's attention.

"Cloud helped to kill the dragon, it's true but what other use has he made of it?" Rufus frowned at the man before him. He really didn't have time to try and understand Sephiroth.

"You've heard the people praise him more than you," Sephiroth continued.

"Now he has your sister's hand in marriage he has a legitimate claim to the throne. What is he planning next? Your downfall?" Rufus scowled.

"You told me that protecting the materia would bring nothing but good!" He snarled. Sephiroth rolled his eyes.

"Even if Aerith gets a child by you my lord," Sephiroth explained coolly.

"The villagers will spread the news that it is really Cloud's bastard." Rufus sighed and pushed his hair back, trying to think of someway to clear the mess.

"After the hunt, I'll order him to Nibelheim. He can live the rest of his life there."

"It's not enough!" Came a harsh voice. The men looked up to see Aerith standing by the door with her eyes narrowed and arms folded.

"My Queen," Rufus greeted as he and Sephiroth stood in respect. Aerith glanced at them before walking forwards.

"You may not care if people brand you a coward and weak. But what about me?" She snarled.

"I have been betrayed by the dragon slayer and by you. I am the Queen of the Northern Continent and Midgar. I will not be dishonoured."

"What will you have me do?" Rufus asked softly.

"It's simple," She replied in her cold tone. "Cloud must die." Rufus paled at the words.

"What?"

"You heard me." She said.

"But he's my friend…my blood brother! I can't just have him killed!"

Aerith blinked to show her disinterest before locking eyes with the King.

"Either you kill him," She warned. "Or I kill myself."

With that, she turned and walked out of the room. Sephiroth glanced at Rufus who was staring at the door where the Queen had disappeared.

"Perhaps Cloud's fate could come accidentally at the hunt tomorrow?" He suggested. Rufus rubbed his forehead and gave a bitter laugh.

"You know as well as I that Cloud is invincible!" he answered in annoyance. Sephiroth smirked and made his eyes level with the King.

"And you know as well as I that he is not."

"I just don't understand how you could reveal my most intimate secret!" Cloud cried. "And your brothers!" He turned to where Tifa was sitting on the bed, her head bowed and body shaking with tears.

"I know. I'm sorry." She whispered. "I have this terrible feeling that something awful is going to happen and we will be parted." She explained. Cloud frowned and sat next to her.

"Soon all this will be over." He cooed. "I'll put orders for the materia to be put on the ship for our journey to Nibelheim and we'll sail out tomorrow."

"Can't it be done any sooner?" She begged. Cloud smiled.

"We can't go letting your brother think we bear him ill will." He argued gently. Tifa sighed and leaned against him as the sun began to set.

Tifa smiled as Cloud mounted his chocobo and lifted her hand to give a farewell. She watched him return it as if in slow motion and she frowned as she felt that horrible feeling creep back into her body. The men departed and the gates closed after them.

With a sigh, she turned to go back in the castle when her eyes fell upon Aerith's window. She lowered her eyes as she entered the castle and went to Aerith's door.

"Aerith? Are you there?" She asked softly but there was no reply.

"Please, Queen Aerith, this bitterness between us has to stop." She pleaded before looking down at her hands where she held the belt she had undone.

"I have something of yours which I must return."

As she said the words, she heard footsteps approaching and the door opened to reveal Elmyra. The woman moved her head to signal that the Princess may enter, which Tifa did without hesitation. Aerith emerged from behind a curtain and her gaze fell to the belt in Tifa's hand.

"Indeed you have something that is rightfully mine," She snapped, glaring at Tifa.

"But it is far too late for you to return it." She snatched the object from the brunette before her, startling Tifa.

"Christians think much of forgiveness." Aerith sighed. "Do not look for such in me."

"I don't." Tifa replied quickly and honestly.

"But I want to say how sorry I am for how I acted towards you outside the Church. I was jealous…and when I thought of what seemed to be happening I couldn't bare it." She explained, lowering her gaze in shame.

Aerith watched her and felt slightly sorry for her. She turned her gaze to the window before walking towards it.

"Once I loved a man who I thought the Gods themselves had sent to me," She said.

Tifa looked up, frowning in confusion of the change in subject but listened as Aerith continued.

"I loved the whole world, because he was in it. Long we were parted but…I could bare it. Because I knew he would return one day." She continued, her voice started to break with emotion.

"But when we met again, it was as if his heart had been wiped clean,"

Tifa's eyes widened as she caught the words that were breaking through the Queen's tears.

"I loved him as I had. But he did not love me. We were strangers. Where as before, we were…lovers." Tifa gasped.

"Cloud?" She asked, though dreading the answer. Aerith turned to her, tears slowly rolling down her cheeks.

"Cloud," She replied softly before returning her gaze to the window and harshly wiping her tears away.

"Aerith, I've done you a terrible wrong!" Tifa cried. Aerith rolled her eyes and walked away.

"Let us speak no more about the Church." She sighed.

"I do not speak about the Church I speak about something far worse!" Aerith stopped and turned to her.

"What are you talking about? You have done me no other great harm."

Tifa licked her lips, keeping her gaze upon the floor for a second before meeting Aerith's.

"Once I loved a man, who did not love me." She began, watching as Aerith's eyes widened.

"And I could not bare it for all the world was dark without him. So when Sephiroth came to me with an unholy thing, that would vanish all previous loves and put me there instead," She explained, her own tears falling.

"I blinded myself to what was right and gave that man the potion to drink!" Aerith's mouth opened to say something, but no words came out.

"It was Sephiroth's magic." Tifa sobbed uncontrolably, deliberatly avoiding Aerith's gaze.

"Cloud didn't know and even if he did he could do nothing against it. That is my great sin against you. And him. And I will pay for it for the rest of my life!"

Aerith didn't wait to hear anymore, instead running out of the room, hoping to catch the men who went on the hunt before something happened to Cloud.