Chapter 12

Cloud woke up to someone calling his name. He groaned softly, his head aching from his sudden onslaught of morning sickness. Cloud rolled over, facing away from whoever called his name. Verbal became physical and a hand gently shook him, Cloud opening his red bloodshot eyes.

He needed sleep.

And he would kill to get it.

Cloud sat up slowly, the hand that shook him leaving his shoulder. Cloud looked to who had woke him, Tifa standing there with an urgent look on her face. Cloud didn't care about what she had to say.

"Go away," Cloud nearly growled, Tifa not so easily persuaded. She didn't leave, and the urgent look in her eyes didn't shift.

"Cloud, I must ready you. Sephiroth asks that you attend a meeting." Cloud would have told her to bug off, but if Sephiroth had arranged it, it must have been something important. Cloud got out of bed, noting Sephiroth's absence. He wouldn't be back till nearly two.

If that was the truth, then what was this meeting for?

Sephiroth told Cloud he couldn't go out by himself, not with the Don still on his tail.

Cloud shrugged it off, deciding to ask Cid to come with him. Cloud didn't want to be at the hands of the Don anymore than he wanted to wear a dress.

"Arrange for Cid to come with me," Cloud told her with a yawn, Tifa pouring warm water into the bath.

"I will go with you. Cid has been transferred to the Queen's castle to help with the food. She will be throwing a ball in honor of Sephiroth's engagement to you." Cloud nodded in understanding, but he wanted someone stronger to protect him. Cloud got out of bed and bathed, Tifa placing out an outfit she had specially ordered from the tailor.

"Do I have to be presentable?" Cloud asked with a sigh, feeling nauseous despite his best efforts to try and hold it in. Tifa moved a bucket closer to him, Cloud vomiting.

"Yes. It is best if you are presentable at all times," Tifa told him with a stern tone, Cloud sighing in annoyance after vomiting. He moved the bucket away, cleaning himself before getting out of the bath. He took the cup of water Tifa gave him, rinsing out his mouth.

He looked down to the outfit, already very disinterested. He would look like a butterfly in the ridiculous outfit. His butler outfit was more modest than that. Cloud hesitantly let Tifa dress him in the navy blue suit, a black coat placed over it.

It was a little big, but he guessed it looked better when it was worn.

"How does it feel?" Tifa asked, Cloud looking at himself in the mirror with a frown.

"It's... acceptable."

Tifa led him out to the carriage that was waiting, Cloud getting in first. He always believed it was ladies first, but that didn't seem to be accurate with higher class people.

Cloud already didn't like how his day had begun.

"Who will I be greeting?" Cloud asked tiredly, feeling a little bit nauseous again. Tifa cleared her throat, seeming a tad nervous. Cloud didn't know why she was acting that way, but he was starting to get a very bad feeling.

They were heading into town. The one place Sephiroth told him to avoid.

"Forgive me Cloud, but you must wait to see." Cloud knew for a fact now that Sephiroth had not arranged this meeting.

"Tifa, what's going on?" Cloud asked sternly, narrowing his eyes with a frown of displeasure. Tifa parted her lips, but they quickly closed. Cloud was growing frustrated, his nerves rather fragile at this moment. He leaned closer, forcing her to meet his eyes.

"What are you doing, Tifa?"

The carriage stopped. Cloud looked to the door when it was opened, having Tifa get out first. When Cloud got out, he immediately scanned the area. Tifa seemed nervous, looking around at all angles.

"I don't get it, she said she would be here," Tifa whispered, Cloud looking to her with a frown of confusion and rising anger. He turned her to face him, his eyes demanding an answer.

"Who are you talking about?"

Tifa parted her lips.

"It's good to see you, Cloud." Cloud released Tifa, turning around. The woman that looked like Sephiroth stood a few feet away, a snake like smile on her face. Cloud took a step back when the Don came to stand next to her, two large bodyguards standing behind him. Cloud looked to Tifa with a growl, Tifa gasping softly in fear. Tifa walked between him and the lady, her body shaking slightly.

"You told me you just wanted to see him, Miss Jenova. Why are these men with you?" Tifa inquired, Jenova taking a step forward. Tifa gasped when she slapped her, Cloud's eyes widening in shock. Tifa fell to the ground with a thud, Jenova smiling maniacally.

"Did you actually think I cared about Cloud?" Jenova looked to Cloud, Cloud narrowing his eyes at her. She walked closer, towering over Cloud with her height. Cloud didn't move from his spot, his eyes challenging her.

If she was the reason he wasn't allowed to sleep, he would kill her himself.

"You taint my grandson, vile boy. I will show you what happens to workers who think they are worthy for my son." Cloud caught her wrist when she tried to slap him, in no mood to play I don't like you.

Cloud pushed her back, the butler getting down from his seat and stepping between the Don and Cloud. Cloud was glad for his assistance, the butler taking out his sword.

"Run, Master."

Jenova smirked when Cloud looked to her, Cloud in no mood to run. Cloud looked to Tifa, helping her to her feet. Cloud looked to the Don, taking a step back when he licked his lips.

"Go!" The butler ordered, Cloud turning away. He grabbed Tifa and started to run, looking everywhere to figure out where to go. Cloud heard a scream, some women and men scurrying away from where Cloud could hear metal clashing.

He had to get away from the Don.

Cloud stopped at a park, looking around to see where he could go. Cloud gasped when he was grabbed, a large hand covering his mouth.

"The Don will enjoy you." Cloud tried to pull away when the man behind him licked his neck, disgust rolling in his gut.

"Maybe he'll let us all have a taste," the man chuckled. Cloud using his main attack. He lifted his foot, kicking the man in the crotch.

He was released, Cloud wiping off his neck. He looked around, the two bodyguards surrounding him. The Don walked between them, Cloud growling in anger. The Don smirked.

"I will enjoy breaking your pride. Do tell me, am I too late for my cock to be the first to breach your womanhood?" Cloud's eyes widened in disbelief, looking to Tifa who was held against one of the bodyguards.

"It won't matter, I'll make you scream either way." Cloud froze when the Don reached for him, closing his eyes when he was grabbed from behind.

"How about we start now?"

Cloud sent up a prayer.

Sephiroth. Help me.

Cloud gasped when he was suddenly released, falling to the ground. He heard a strangled scream, opening his eyes when he heard a gun's safety click.

The Don was on the ground bleeding, his two bodyguards held at gunpoint. Cloud looked around him, his breath stopping in his throat.

They were the Royal guards.

"Cloud?"

Cloud got to his shaking legs, turning around to face who had called his name. The Queen stood there, her eyes filled with hope and tears. Cloud was confused.

"How do you know my name?" Cloud asked softly, the Queen slowly walking up to him. Cloud didn't move when she reached for him, touching a hand to his cheek.

"Oh my gaia," she whispered, Cloud more confused than anything. He frowned, looking into eyes almost identical to his own. He didn't know how she knew his name, or why she was acting this way but he felt like he knew her.

Was she the woman in his dreams?

The woman he called mom?

"Mom?" He whispered as he ventured to see how she would react. The Queen's eyes filled with tears, Cloud gasping when he was pulled into an embrace. He didn't know what to do, looking to Tifa who was standing by a guard with wide eyes of disbelief.

"You're the lost Prince?" Cloud pulled away from the embrace to look to Jenova who stood by a bleeding Don with a look of disbelief. Cloud frowned, everything finally clicking.

How could he possibly be the lost Prince?

Himself?

A former slave?

Cloud looked back to the Queen, his eyes showing his confusion. Jenova wasn't as quiet.

"That's absurd! He's nothing but a common worker!"

He looked back to Jenova, his hands clenching into a fist. Lost Prince or not, he still had one thing to do. Cloud walked up to Jenova, stopping in front of her.

He slapped her as hard as he could, the Queen looking to one of her guards with a wide eyes of disbelief. Jenova touched a hand to her cheek, looking to him with a glare. Cloud had a lot to say, but half the things he wanted to say were put away.

"Your grandson isn't your toy. He will love who he decides to love, and you have no say. Your grandson loves me, and if I'm a worker or this lost Prince, you have no say in it."

Jenova parted her lips to speak as she took a step forward, but a guard put a sword to her throat.

"I hope they hang you," Cloud hissed, Jenova swallowing thickly as she glanced to the Queen. Cloud looked down to the Don, a sword wound on his leg.

Cloud had nothing to say to that man.

"Cloud." Cloud looked to the Queen, her lips pulled into a grateful smile. Cloud gasped when he was pulled into another hug, feeling wetness on his neck.

:::+:::

"He was hit pretty hard on the side of his head." Cloud sighed softly as he sat in the Queen's castle, sitting on a bed that could put Sephiroth's to shame. A doctor was inspecting Cloud's head, finding a scar Cloud always had but never knew how it happened.

"It seems like it caused him to have amnesia," the doctor said, Cloud looking down to his hands and nowhere else. He felt like a stranger here, not a part of it.

"Do you remember anything before being a slave?" The doctor asked, Cloud looking up to the Queen who seemed hopeful.

"Just shady images," he replied softly, the doctor humming softly.

"Let him see a few things from his time here. It might help."

Cloud looked to the Queen, taking her hand when she offered it. The doctor left them alone, the Queen leading Cloud down a long hallway. They stopped in front of a door, the Queen touching the fine wood.

"This had been your room." She opened the door, Cloud letting go of her hand and walking inside. He looked around, his eyes stopping on the blood stained pillow.

"I left everything how it was. I couldn't bare to move it." Cloud stopped walking when he stepped on something, a small stuffed dragon beneath his boot. Cloud took a step back, picking up the small dragon. He wiped off some dust, smiling softly at the eye that was missing.

"Ricky," Cloud whispered, looking up.

A younger version of himself was standing by the window, watching his mother as she talked to a gardner. His younger version waved when his mother realized she was being watched, her face breaking out with a large smile.

"Ricky says hi!" He had yelled, waving his stuffed dragon. His mother waved back, Cloud blinking. He stood by the window, Ricky held in his grasp. Cloud looked over his shoulder to the Queen, his eyes finally seeming open.

All this time, he had thought he had been abandoned. All this time he thought his dreams of her had just been pitiful hopes. All this time of thinking he was alone...

"I was told my parents sold me for a loaf of bread," Cloud whispered, the Que- no his mom walking up to him. She touched a hand to his cheek, feeling his skin as if she was trying to convince herself that this was real.

That he was real.

"I would have sold everything just to get you back. I missed you so much," his mother whispered, Cloud feeling tears burn in his eyes.

He waited so long to hear those words.

Cloud hugged her, needing to know this was real. He wanted to believe this was real, more than anything. He didn't want this to be another dream, he didn't want to wake up and find out that he was still nothing but a slave.

"I missed you so much," his mother sobbed, Cloud holding onto her tighter. Cloud pulled away, wiping his eyes with a smile.

"I have so much to tell you," Cloud told her, his mom wiping her eyes.

"Tell me everything."

Cloud told her everything that had happened to him. Told her about how he had to hide that he was a hermaphrodite or he would have been sold to a whore house. Told her about when he first met Sephiroth, how he took him in and treated him like he was special. How Cloud thought Sephiroth didn't love him back.

Cloud touched his stomach as he told her about the engagement and about all the people he had met along the way.

"Sephiroth sounds like a very nice man," his mother replied, Cloud smiling wider.

"He is. We are going to be a family soon." His mother seemed confused for a second, Cloud rubbing his stomach. His mother gasped in shock, hugging Cloud with a laugh of happiness. Cloud couldn't help but laugh himself, his mother pulling away to clear away her tears.

"My little boy is all grown up," she whispered, Cloud thinking about it.

He had grown up.

A lot.

"I will send someone to inform Sephiroth of what happened. I will make sure that nothing bad happens to you or the baby ever again," his mother told him as she stood, Cloud taking her hand when she offered it.

"Welcome home, Cloud."