Chapter two is up!
Moonlit Shadows
The Past Lingers
A stream of light burst through the window, suddenly illuminating the shady room, and finally dashing across to hit her sharply in the face. Her brows furrowed as the dark curtains were pulled back and another beam of light attacked her again. She gave a frustrated groan and rolled over on her side, taking her richly coloured duvet along and wrapping it tightly over herself. It couldn't be morning already…
"Princess, it is morning!" sang her chambermaid as she bustled around the large bedroom to open up all the windows. "Get up, get up!" Tifa faintly heard her cheery voice from where she lay in her soft bed. It seemed like she was miles away…
But then an extra weight pressed down onto the mattress, and then, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" A loud and excited voice suddenly screeched in her ear, causing her to squeeze her eyes shut and cover her ears in utter pain. A row of delighted giggles erupted and the weight on the bed was lifted. There could only be one person Tifa Lockhart knew who looked upon the morning with the brightest of attitudes. Yuffie Kisaragi. Her beloved, wild, noisy, loud-mouthed, and an extreme fanatic of a cousin. A strangled yelp escaped from her cousin as she tumbled over a small table, bringing it down with her. Tifa cringed at the sound of shattering glass. Not to mention clumsy. Extremely clumsy.
"Princess Yuffie!" scolded the maid.
"Whoops!" she said as she pushed herself off the floor and brushed the debris off of her shoulders. "I guess I got a little excited." She giggled. A little. She reached down to pick the pieces of broken glass with her hands when the chambermaid immediately slapped them away.
"Princess Yuffie! You do not handle broken glass with bare hands!" she sighed. "When will this girl learn?"she shook her head and knelt down to carefully pick the pieces with her gloved ones.
Breaking into a grin, Yuffie rested her elbows onto the maid's shoulders. "Mary, Mary, Mary, after I break things a hundred times and watch you clean it up, that's when I will learn!" she said.
"I'm afraid you've done that a thousand times already, dear." Mary muttered.
"Eh?" her eyes widened and her finger touched the tip of her chin. "I have?"
"…"
"Yeeahh I guess I maybe did." She said grinning again. "Ah well!"
While Yuffie continued her useless chatter, Tifa finally cracked an eye open. Her voice was too much to bear sometimes, it was worse than her alarm clock. Atleast she could hit it to a stop, but Yuffie…she didn't even have a 'stop' button. At last, heaving herself off of her pillows, Tifa stretched her arms and let out a tired yawn. Eye's still drooping, she turned her head towards Yuffie. She was still talking, only now she was discussing the plans of Tifa's birthday that were to take place this evening.
That's right…It's my birthday today…thought Tifa as she brought a hand to her tangled hair. I almost forgot…letting out a sigh she let her gaze follow the rays of sunlight that shone from the window. What was that…dream? I saw him again…but…why? It had been eleven years. Eleven long years and she still had not seen one of her dearest friends. Anger bubbled inside her as she averted her thoughts away from her dream. She had promised herself she won't linger in the past. She had promised not to think of him again…
"Hey! Birthday girl! Where'd ya lose yourself?"
Tifa looked up to see Yuffie standing by her bedside, looking down at her. Narrowing her eyes, Tifa sneakily grabbed her pillow and chucked it at her before launching herself onto the smaller woman. "You creep! Can't even let a princess sleep on her own birthday!" she yelled as she smacked Yuffie on her head.
Yuffie screamed as she managed to get away and broke into a run around the room with Tifa hot on her heels. "Get away!" she laughed as she nearly missed a flying pillow. As she turned her head to look back she collided with the bed and stumbled onto it. Tifa snickered before jumping onto her bed and attacked her with a number of blows causing Yuffie to dissolve into helpless screams and giggles.
Unfortunately, Mary had re-entered the bedroom only to stop in her tracks, horrified at the scene before her. Feathers were slowly descending from the air above and the carpet floor was covered in white debris. Her wide eyes final stopped at the core of the action.
"Great Lord!" she gasped as she quickly made her way to them and grabbed the pillows from their grasps. Or what was left of the pillows. "Behave yourselves! Yuffie!" Mary glared at her.
"Whaaat?!" whined Yuffie.
"Out."
"Why?! Why is it always me?" she pouted and crossed her arms.
"Princess Yuffie." Mary warned.
Yuffie grumbled and and threw a nasty glare at Tifa. "Just because it's your birthday! I'll get back at you some other day." Tifa stuck her tongue out and blew it at her. Yuffie clumsily pushed herself off the bed and stalked out of the room with Tifa sniggering at her retreating back. Only to hear another collision behind the door.
"I'm alright!" a voice giggled.
Shaking her head in annoyance, Mary then turned her attention to Tifa and she immediately wiped the smirk off her face. "I may as well address the same thing to you, Princess," she said sternly. "You are twenty two now! Dear Lord, you two act like a couple of immature teenagers sometimes!" she pulled onto Tifa's arm and helped her off the bed and began to adjust her sheets. "Now, your bath is ready. Do you need my assistance?"
"No that's fine, I'd like to be alone for a while before all the fuss begins," sighed Tifa as she ran her fingers lightly through her dark tresses. "You may go, Mary."
"May you have a wonderful birthday, dear." she smiled as she held Tifa's hand in hers.
"Thank you, Mary." she squeezed her hand tightly.
--
Tifa sat on her chair in the main hall. It was small, but it was perfect for her size. It was nicely cushioned and sewn with red fabric, and the handles were of gold and had ancient carvings of silver. But what she loved best was that on top of her chair was her name engraved in the most beautiful carvings. Today, she was grinning ear to ear, for it was her birthday! And after waiting for so long, she was finally eight years old! She sat there with her back arched and her hands in her lap, waiting excitedly for her birthday presents.
She gasped in surprise as she saw Mary carrying a cushion with a glimmering tiara of diamonds. As she slowly approached her, Tifa's mother had appeared by her side. Her eyes shifted from the tiara to her little daughter, who grinned with anticipation. She responded with her own kind smile. She looked just like her, same darkly rich brown hair, same rosy lips, and those very same gorgeous ruby eyes. She reached her arms across and carefully handled the tiara between her fingers as she turned to Tifa. Tifa immediately bowed her head down and allowed her mother to place it gracefully on top of her. Her mother then brought her hands and placed them on each of her cheeks, gently bringing her daughter's eyes to look into hers.
"Happy birthday, Tifa darling." Queen Lockhart smiled with twinkling eyes before pressing her warm lips to her forehead. Tifa smiled contentedly and closed her own eyes.
Her eyes snapped open as a knock came on her door.
"Princess Tifa, it is almost time. His Majesty has called for your presence." It was one of the maids. "Are you decent?" she asked.
"No, I'm not ready yet," she lied. "I'll only be a few minutes, let Papa know."
"Yes, of course your Highness."
Tifa sighed and looked herself in the mirror. Her dark hair was left open in loose curls as they softly spilled down her back. Her lips were filled with a luscious shade of cherry, to match her long dress of fine silk. Tifa leaned closer to the mirror, gazinng into her eyes. She could see every dark speck scattered across her ruby orbs. Her long, thick eyelashes curled up near the ends, and every time she blinked her makeup sparkled like diamonds. Her finger traced the side of her face and down to the tip of her chin, her skin was flawlessly smooth. She was beautiful, she knew. Having received compliments ever since her childhood was enough to prove it. Tifa continued to stare at herself, lost in her own thoughts. But something caught her attention and her eyes widened. She never realized, never thought of it. That face, it was not only hers…
It was her Mama's.
--
Giggling with her friends, she sat on the bench in the garden. Her friends took turns to hold the tiara and ogle at in awe. It had been a week since her birthday, but she carried her tiara with her everywhere.
"It's so pretty, Tifa!" squealed Leila.
"I know," Tifa smiled. "It's from my mother! Isn't it the most wonderful gift a girl could get?"
Leila squealed in agreement. Her little circle of friends continued their excited chatter . They spent most of their time admiring the tiara on top of the princess's head, and then they picked up of a game of tag. Tifa laughingly ran to one of the windows and stopped to catch her breath. Sophie was it, and she was extremely good, but Tifa was faster. Right as Sophie made a move towards Tifa, she darted to another window a few feet away. She could see people inside, it was crowded with them . Tifa stopped and peered closer through the glass. People were crying. Mary was crying. Why was she crying?! Tifa's heart beat faster. She placed a hesitant hand on the window, and tapped it. All eyes flashed towards her, and Mary broke down again.
Her legs were suddenly taking her inside the palace. Her mind was spinning. What could possibly have happened? Before she knew it she was in the room with Mary. She was holding her tightly and sobbing.
"Princess Tifa-" she was trying to control herself.
Her eyes met with Tifa's. The princess did not understand the sorrow in her maid's eyes. "What's wrong, Mary?" she asked softly.
It took Mary a couple attempts to find her voice again. It was still shaky, she was still crying, but Tifa needed to know.
"The Queen" she took a deep breath and wiped her eyes. "She's…she's dying-" was all she could say before the tears took over again.
Tifa stood there. Still. Had her heart stopped beating? Had time stopped ticking? No, it couldn't be. It couldn't. Her eyes were wide, but there were no tears. Her mouth fell open, but there was no cry. All she could do was run. Tripping over many flights of stairs, she ran down the hall. Her heart was beating faster than ever now; it felt like it'll come right out.
"Mama!" she banged on the door. "Mama please open the door!"
There was no reply.
"Mama! I have to tell you something!" she clutched the tiara tightly. "All my friends want a tiara, too! But they can't right? I don't want them to!" she banged on the door again. "Please open the door, please tell me my friends can't have a tiara as well! Please tell me you won't give anyone else a tiara!"
Please tell me you'll be okay
The door finally opened. She looked up to see King Lockhart's eyes on her. There was sorrow in them too. She gripped her father's arm tightly.
"Papa! Where is Mama?" her voice was shaking, her eyes were blinking away the tears that threatened to spill. "I need to talk to her!"
His hand reached up to rub his forehead, while the other rested on her shoulder. He moved away, revealing Queen Lockhart lying limp on her bed. The white sheets were drawn up to her chest, with her arms folded and resting on top. Her droopy eyes lifted to meet with her daughter's wide one and a tight smile stretched her lips.
"…Come here" her voice was hoarse. "Tifa…darling."
Tifa took tentative steps closer to where her mother lay. She could hear her mother's shallow breathing. What was happening to her? She looked so weak. Tifa opened her mouth, but she was unable to say anything. She didn't know what to say, what's happened to you, Mama? Why is everyone crying? Are you going to leave us?
Are you going to leave me?
An eight year old child would not know how to deal with such a situation like this. Neither did Tifa. She knew what was going to happen, she knew why everyone was crying, but she couldn't accept it. Never in her entire life had she ever thought of losing someone so dear to her. Never in her life had she ever thought of losing her mother.
Tifa's train of thoughts were broken by her mother's hand, she was grasping something tightly, and she was holding it out to her.
"Take it…it's yours…now." She breathed.
A sharp intake of breath awoke her from her daze. Tifa squeezed her eyes tight, her lips trembled slightly, and her fingers found the golden locket hanging down her neck. Even after so many years, those heart breaking moments still managed to rush back and shatter her all over again. And even now, Tifa would do anything to feel those warm lips on her forehead again. To feel another diamond tiara placed upon her head again. To see that kind smile. To see that twinkle in her eye…
Tifa sighed, shaking the thoughts out of her head. She turned to the mirror one last time, staring at it once again. Slowly, her lips curved into a smile. She knew, deep inside, no matter how far her mother was, she wasn't unreachable. She was right there. Right next to her. Ready to catch her when she falls. Because that was what mothers do.
Because that was what angels do
Tifa left her room, smiling. Tonight wasn't going to be all that bad. No, it would be just fine.
A/N: Hope you liked it! I know it's going pretty slow right now, but it's only chapter 2! Please, please review! I'd like to know what you guys think...and if there are any suggestions in ways I can improve, I'd be even more happy!
GossipGirl
