Disclaimer: He promised someday it would be mine. That day...has not yet come. sobs

Rain.

It's always rained in Wutai. But this time, she was thankful for it. It disguised the tears that were running from her eyes as she recalled the last time she was in the rain.

Why is this so hard? she thought. I knew what I was doing when it started. I knew this would happen. I just didn't...think that THIS would happen.

She climbed the steps to the pagoda and set her bags on the ground, the floor quickly becoming a puddle beneath her. Shake entered from the other side of the room and smiled at her.

"Princess," he said, bowing slightly. "You are home early."

"Yes," she answered. "Where is Lord Godo?"

"In the fifth level, Princess," he answered. "Go and I will bring some tea."

"Thank you."

Yuffie climbed the five story building to the top and found her father sitting on a mat in the middle of the room, meditating. Rather than disturb him, she quietly went to him and knelt beside him, bowing her head in prayer.

"Home so soon, Daughter?" Godo asked gently.

Yuffie's eyes flew opened and she turned to face her father who's eyes remained closed, a thoughtful smile on his lips.

"Yes," she answered simply.

"Your wedding day is in three days."

She bowed her head again, willing her eyes to stop their incessant leaking. "Yes."

Godo sighed and opened his eyes, turning to face his daughter. "Yuffie..."

"I know, Father, and I'm sorry," she said, bursting into tears. "I know what I must do for Wutai and for the Kisaragi name. I promise I will do it. I will be strong."

Godo chuckled and kissed his daughter's bowed head. "I'm sure that is exactly what your mother said to her father before she was to wed her betrothed," he mused.

"Mother was fortunate to have been in love with the man she married."

Godo smiled a secret smile. "You mother was the Kisaragi, Yuffie, not me," he told her. "She is your tie to the lineage of Wutai. She was betrothed to another. Not to me."

Yuffie's eyes shot up at that. "What?"

"Your mother was the Princess of Wutai and I," he laughed fondly at the memory. "I was her protector. I was assigned to keep her safe. I was a warrior in the Wutaian army...and we fell in love."

Yuffie blinked again. "How can that be...tradition states..."

"She broke tradition, Yuffie," Godo told her. "She followed her heart and chose me, running out of her wedding ceremony under the curses of her father."

"Then how did she become the Lady of Wutai?"

"Her father died and she was his only heir."

"Like me," she murmured. "But, Father, you have promised me to Chian..."

Godo laughed. "No I haven't," he said. "The photograph I sent you is a picture of one of my old friends from my war days. I sent that to you to encourage you."

Yuffie jumped to her feet. "How could you do this to me?" she cried. "You tricked me into thinking..."

"I prompted you to mature, Yuffie!" he exclaimed. "You were too busy playing a child and running around the world hunting materia. It was a reality check. And look at you. It worked. You were willing to sacrifice your freedom for Wutai."

"Which I don't have to do," she growled.

"Oh, you still have to marry, Yuffie," he told her, standing and brushing her cheek with his hand. "But not who I say. Who you love. And you do love someone. I could feel it when you walked in the room."

"When do I have to marry?" she asked.

"In three days," he told her. "Before the end of the day of your twentieth birthday."

A/N: Mean! Mean, mean Godo!!! Bad, evil, mean, wicked Godo!!!! What's a Yuffie to do? Review...to find out! Muah ha ha ha!!!