A/N: Well, here's the next chapter! I got a few more suggestions and I kinda know what I'm gonna do but I'll do a little more thinking on it before I actually get there. So anyways, I hope all of you faithful readers enjoy this chapter! Sorry it took me so long to get it up! Huggles to all! XD

Chapter 4:

The Proposal

"Hey, Teef? I gotta go home and check in with my dad. He's probably worried about me."

"Okay, Yuffie. I'll see you later."

Yuffie swam off and I went to the palace, hoping my father wouldn't suspect anything. I swam into the throne room and was surprised to see him sitting there with a wide smile on his face. He saw me then signaled for me to come closer.

"Morning, Daddy," I said, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"Tifa, I have wonderful news," he said, taking my hand.

"What's that?"

He looked over to his right and signaled for someone to come in. A young, handsome merman swam in and did a graceful bow.

"Daughter, I'd like to introduce you to Prince Cloud Strife of the Northern Sea. He's come to ask your hand in marriage."

He swam towards me and took one of my hands in his. "It's a pleasure, Princess."

I bit my lip as he brought the back of my hand up to his lips and kissed it gently. "Oh no, the pleasure's all mine," I said, putting on a fake smile. I turned to my father and sighed. "Daddy, I thought you promised not to do this anymore."

"I didn't ask him to come, dear," he said, matter of factly. "He arrived early this morning. He's been itching to see you all morning."

I looked back at him and inspected him slowly. True, he was very good-looking. He had sparkling blue eyes that seemed to glow, crazy blonde spikes with a blue tail to match his eyes. I looked behind me and sighed in relief as I saw Yuffie swimming towards me. I looked back at my father. "Daddy can I go talk to Yuffie?"

"Aren't you going to spend some time with Prince Cloud?" He asked, incredulously.

"If he wants," I said, looking back at him.

He bowed his head. "Of course, Princess."

"Okay, come on." I swam toward Yuffie and grabbed her by the hand.

"Whoa, hold there's something-"

"Later, Yuffie. I really need to talk to you right now," I said, leading her to my room. I stopped in front of the door and looked at Cloud. "Oh, Yuffie, I'd like you to meet Cloud. He's the Prince of the Northern Sea."

"Pleased to meet you, Your Highness," Yuffie said, bowing her head.

Cloud took one of her hands and kissed it. "Please to meet you as well."

Yuffie smiled at him then turned back to look at me.

"Would you mind waiting out here for a few minutes? I have a few things I need to talk with Yuffie about."

"Of course. Take all the time you wish."

"Thank you," I said, opening my door and entering my room. I quickly shut the door then swam over to my bed. I laid back stared at the top of the large canopy. "What am I gonna do, Yuf?"

"About what?" She asked, laying beside me.

"Cloud asked me to marry him!"

"Oh," Yuffie said, her eyes growing wide. "What about you and that human prince guy?"

"Vincent?"

"Well, yeah," she said, propping herself up on her elbows. "Who else would I be talking about?"

"Well, he's a human. He doesn't even know my name, just what I look like," I said, sighing, putting my hands behind my head.

"Maybe you should marry Cloud, you know. At least he's the same species."

"Yeah, but I don't love Cloud," I said, sitting up and looking back at Yuffie. "I want to marry the one I love."

"But sometimes marriage doesn't require love, you know," she said, sitting up also. "We've haven't been on good terms with the merpeople in the Northern Sea, right?"

"Well, yeah."

"Maybe what Cloud was thinking is if he married you then the fighting would stop between us and the Northern merpeople."

"I don't know," I said, getting up and beginning to circle to room. "Well, we better go. I don't want to keep Cloud waiting too long."

Yuffie and I left my room but Cloud was nowhere in sight. I looked around confused. "Huh, where'd he go?"

"Maybe he got bored?" Yuffie said, putting her hands behind her head.

"Yeah, maybe," I said, shrugging my shoulders. "Well, anyways, what did you want to show me earlier?"

"Oh, yeah! Come on! Follow me!" She said, excitedly, taking my hand an pulling me out of the castle.

Yuffie and I swam towards my grotto. Yuffie pushed aside the large boulder but before I could get inside she stopped me.

"Hold on. Close your eyes."

"Okay," I said, closing my eyes.

I felt Yuffie grab both my hands and lead me inside. She stopped me and let go of my hands. "Can I open them?"

"Go ahead."

I slowly opened my eyes and gasped at the object that Yuffie wanted to show me. "Oh my Gosh, Yuffie! It's the statue!"

I swam towards the statue that Tseng had made Vincent for his birthday present. I wrapped my arms around the neck and gazed into the stone eyes. "What was that, Vincent?" I said, acting as the statue was speaking to me. "Run away with you? Gosh, I don't know what to say!"

I turned around to thank Yuffie again but gasped and jumped. "Daddy!"