Chapter 17
Author's note: I am going to start college in a few days, so sorry for not posting.
What's wrong?
Sephiroth paced outside of his room, the silence from inside making him nervous. Cloud had started to feel sharp pains in his stomach over the past few days. Everybody was instantly worried.
With Cloud's delicate condition he could have very well miscarried. At four months pregnant, his mother said it could still be possible. Sephiroth didn't think he would be able to handle it if he lost his child. Not after figuring out what they had learned the week before.
Reno had come forth.
Reno's father had been the one to kidnap Cloud. Reno himself was no older than Cloud at the time, so his involvement had been ruled out. But no one expected his father had been the kidnapper. Suspiciously, two days before they could get him to come in for confession, he was murdered.
No one knew who had done it, saying Reno's father was a man loved by everybody. Sephiroth knew what it was like to live a double life. He lived a life as a General, and as a soon to be husband. With the wedding postponed due to Cloud's sudden pains, Sephiroth himself was becoming frustrated.
His only lead was a letter. Written the same day of the kidnapping to Cloud's slave owner by an unnamed man. Cloud's slave owner was his next lead in this ongoing investigation.
Sephiroth looked up when the door opened, the midwife closing it softly behind herself. Sephiroth stood straighter, waiting for what he would be told. The midwife gave him a smile, but it didn't shed away Sephiroth's worries.
"He is carrying twins."
Sephiroth was confused for a split second. He had been expecting something terrible. He always prepared for the worst, it made things easier to accept.
But this?
Twins?
Sephiroth's smirk was slow, but it started to grow. The midwife smiled herself, wiping her hands on her dress.
"This may complicate the pregnancy, sadly. He will need to rest, it is best if he does not deal with any stress. Of any sorts." Sephiroth nodded, becoming more serious now as he waited for any other news.
"He is experiencing the normal pains of pregnancy, but his body was not made for this. I hope you understand that, General." Sephiroth nodded, looking to the door when he heard a loud yawn.
"Let him sleep for at least ten hours every day. No excessive exercise and plenty of food. He is feeding for three." Sephiroth nodded again, the midwife touching his arm. Sephiroth looked back to the midwife, but his mind was far from her. Her eyes though were warning him, telling him that this was of a serious situation.
"No stress."
Sephiroth nodded, the midwife bowing before leaving his side. Sephiroth entered into Cloud's room, the Queen sitting in a chair close by Cloud's bedside. Cloud himself seemed already half asleep, but when he saw Sephiroth he smiled. Sephiroth smiled back, the Queen running a hand through Cloud's hair as she looked to Sephiroth with a serious frown.
"May I speak with you, privately?" She asked, Sephiroth almost freezing in place before nodding. The Queen stood and walked over to him, pulling to the second room connected to Cloud's. Sephiroth was instantly worried she would tell him he had to leave, bracing himself for any harsh words.
The Queen looked him in the eye, her blue eyes full of concern.
"Tell him no more about the case." Sephiroth almost frowned at that, but he nodded once, the Queen sighing softly as she looked away.
"Cloud is delicate, no matter how physically strong he is. I don't want him to stress over this case, not when he is like this." Sephiroth nodded in understanding, but he thought she should have given Cloud more credit. He was strong, in every aspect of his mind and body. But with raging hormones and mood swings, Sephiroth guessed Cloud's strength was a tad weakened.
"I understand, my Queen."
The Queen cringed, the first almost human expression Sephiroth had ever seen on her face.
"Please, do call me Madame Strife. Or mother if you would like." Sephiroth smiled softly, the thought of his own mother flashing in his mind. She was barely alive now, abandoned in her small cottage to die. Sephiroth almost, almost thought of going to see her.
But it would have been a waste of time.
"Madame Strife is just fine," Sephiroth replied, the Queen smiling brightly. They entered back into Cloud's room, his eyes closed as he breathed softly with the waves of sleep.
"He is so beautiful," the Queen whispered, going back over to her chair by his bedside. Sephiroth walked to the other side, pushing a few strands of hair out of his face. Cloud was beautiful. His skin was glowing now, his hair seeming even more feather light. His stomach was visible even though he laid on his side, his chest rising and falling slowly.
"When you find my sons kidnapper…" Sephiroth looked to the Queen as her words trailed off, her eyes never leaving Cloud's face.
"I want you to make him pay."
Sephiroth bowed to her, his mind already thinking of the many ways he could hurt the man that harmed Cloud. He looked down to Cloud's stomach, touching a hand to the risen flesh. Cloud shifted just slightly, but he stayed beneath the waves of slumber. Sephiroth's smile slowly fell.
When he found that man, not even the God's will be able to save him.
:::+:::
"Thank you for doing this, Angeal." Angeal smiled, patting Sephiroth's shoulder. Sephiroth had asked him to take over for him as Second in Command, Sephiroth needing to stay home and finish the case. Angeal understood, as did the rest of his men. Cloud's kidnapper was still out there, and they had to find him.
The thought of Sephiroth's children kidnappings was very real.
"I understand. This war will rage if one of us doesn't step up." Sephiroth nodded, turning away from Angeal. He picked up a bonora apple, looking at its shining surface. Sephiroth didn't want to stay home, he lived for the war and bloodshed.
But leaving Cloud's side, not finding his kidnapper, would only cause Cloud to stress. Stress meant possible loss of his children.
Sephiroth couldn't have that.
"I know this is a hard decision for you, my friend, but do not worry. We will be victorious." Sephiroth nodded once, turning back towards Angeal. He tossed the apple to him, Angeal catching it while it sailed in the air.
"Even though the marrow is barren of promises, nothing shall forestall my return."
"Careful silver, you're starting to sound like me." Sephiroth looked over his shoulder to Genesis, a smirk touching his lips.
"How can I not, when you drill it into my head?" Genesis chuckled, coming to stand next to Angeal. Angeal handed Genesis the apple and Genesis was the first to take a bite of it.
"We will return home with pride, whether we lose or win," Angeal told him, Sephiroth smirking as he nodded once. He knew they would all return home safely, Angeal was a mother hen with one big temper when it came to his flock. Genesis would help balance him out though, giving that sort of recklessness that would lead them with energy.
And Zack will be Zack.
"Do not worry for us, because we don't worry for you," Genesis told him, telling him in his own weird way that he would be missed on the battlefield. Sephiroth looked to the side when the door opened, his eyes widening when he saw Cloud standing in the doorway. A crown his mother ordered he wear sat on his head, his body clad in white robes.
He looked every inch the prince he was.
Genesis and Angeal bowed to him, Cloud taking a step back when he became shy. Sephiroth waved for him to come forward, Cloud taking in a deep breath before walking to his lover's side.
"You do not have to bow to me," Cloud whispered, Genesis and Angeal straightening up. Cloud held onto Sephiroth's arm, his eyes regarding the other two men curiously but cautiously.
"Cloud, these are my friends, and my comrades in battle. Angeal is my second in command, and Genesis is my army's finest." Cloud gave them both a small smile, moving to come beside Sephiroth instead of hiding behind him.
"It is nice to meet you both. I am sure you watch over Sephiroth well." Angeal bowed on instinct while Genesis smiled.
"We try our best," Angeal replied, Cloud feeling more out of place than he felt he should.
"Why are you up? Your midwife wished for you to rest," Sephiroth inquired, Cloud looking up to him with a frown.
"I'm tired of lying down all day. While my mother slept, I thought I might as well explore the castle." Sephiroth couldn't help but smile, Cloud still very much far from the perfect prince his mother wanted him to be. Sephiroth liked this Cloud though, loved his need to explore.
"We were actually about to go into the garden, your majesty. Would you care to join us?" Cloud looked to Genesis, his face becoming bright with happiness. Sephiroth would have said no, merely for Cloud's health, but he knew the blonde would not listen.
"I would enjoy that very much," Cloud replied, Sephiroth looking to the clock.
"I suggest we don't stay out there long," he told Cloud, whose bright smile fell slightly. Sephiroth never wanted to see that happen again.
"Twenty minutes," Cloud bargained, Sephiroth feeling that in itself was too long. He took in a deep breath, thinking it over.
"Until you feel tired. No longer." Cloud smiled, leaning up and kissing Sephiroth's lips. He pulled away just as quickly, heading with Genesis outside into the Garden. Sephiroth followed behind, thinking of all the reasons why this was a bad idea.
But if Cloud wanted to get out of bed, Sephiroth thought he might as well let him. He couldn't keep him locked up in that room forever.
"Do you fancy poetry?" Genesis asked as he walked with Cloud, Angeal walking next to Sephiroth. Cloud told him how he had taught himself to read while a slave, having to hide his books unless he would be wiped for every page he read. He had been caught once, and seeing those scars on Cloud's body made Sephiroth angry.
Cloud didn't deserve any of the things he had been dealt as a slave.
"I do not really fancy poetry as much as I should, in my mother's opinion. I more prefer the long stories about the many myths and fairytales of our ancestors." Genesis nodded, fully enjoying talking to Cloud even though they hardly spoke of poetry. That was a first, and Sephiroth had a feeling he was just trying to get into Cloud's good graces.
Sephiroth could not blame him for his actions, but he would make sure he kept an eye on him when he was around Cloud.
"The boy seems perfect for you." Sephiroth raised an eyebrow, looking to Angeal with slight confusion. Sephiroth knew he loved Cloud, but he had never believed they had been perfect for each other.
"Hm, how so?" Sephiroth asked, Angeal's eyes never leaving Cloud who talked enthusiastically with Genesis.
"Where you are cold, he is warm. Where you are stiff, he is nimble. He is the complete opposite of you, yet when I see you two interact, I could see nothing more perfect." Sephiroth frowned slightly, looking away from Angeal as he thought over his words carefully.
He never believed Cloud was any different from him.
But then he never really thought of how he was different, it never mattered to him. But when he looked at Cloud, the raw emotion he harbored in his little body, Sephiroth could see it. Cloud, through all of his mishaps and bad fortune, managed to stay pure. While Sephiroth…
He could never be more tainted.
