Royal pain

Chapter 2



Sephiroth was surprised to seeing his commander sprawled out on the lounge in his sitting room. He just wasn't used to seeing him drunk and sprawled out over his lounge.

"Zack?" Cloud went over to check on him.

"Hey Spike 'I've got great news it's a girl!" He crowed and took another drink from the flask in his hand.

"So Rin finally had the kid?"Cloud asked sitting next to Zack Sephiroth took his other side. Swiping the flask from him.

"Yeah great looking little thing pretty as her mother. Hope Aerith and I can have one that cute."

"I'm sure you will." Sephiroth shook his head. "If you ever get the nerve to stop courting her and ask for her hand."

"I will," he tried to get up and fell back down. " Tomorrow."

"Get some sleep." Seph moved his hand slightly and Zack true to form fell asleep.

"You Sleeped him."

"He needed it and we need to get ready for dinner."

"Dinner?"

"With the court."

"How much longer?"

"Until Ansem returns home."

"And tonight they'll probably make you sit with her."

"Most likely, i have avoided the high table as long as I could."

'And Zack won't be there to buffer."

'I doubt Squall or Rinoa will be attending either." he stood. "You don't have to be there Cloud."

"No I'll be there."



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~





Dinner was a huge affair among the court. Everyone went who wanted to be noticed though it was alot quieter than court it was still a contest. Normally Sephiroth sat with his soldiers, preferring to sit as far from the high table as possible. His grandfather of course wanted him up there, beside him. This time however the seat next to the one Seph had been made to use there was another pair of empty seats. As he took his seat a man arrived with two young women in tow. He recognized the man as a minor lord who had made his way as a tutor he'd even tutored the prince for a short time. No one could forget the utter disaster that had been, needless to say the prince now chose to learn what he wanted and no one would say otherwise. His two daughters were lovely young women but as far as Sephiroth knew both were at least being courted if not already in a serious relationships. Both were also well trained members of the royal guard. They sat so the younger was beside him. They knew each other in passing as she was one of Tseng's comrades her name was Elena and she was sleeping with Reno one of her teammates.

"Sephiroth you've met Lord Marshal and his daughter Elena have you not?" His grandfather asked.

"Yes." He noticed Reno glaring at him form the guard's table.

"Good." ansem nodded. "Since the two of you will be married within the year."

"No." Sephiroth said simply. "I refuse to marry a woman who prefers another man."

"Neither of you have a choice in this matter." Lord Marshal said simply.



As they spoke the king arrived with his son and their bodyguards in tow. Everyone stood and sat after the man had taken his seat. There was no more talk of the wedding for a few courses though both Sephiroth and Elena made it a point to ignore one another. Finally around the salad the king stood and tapped his glass.

"Everyone I am pleases to announce the wedding of my son to his betrothed the daughter of lord and lady Trepe." As he spoke a young blonde woman was pushed to stand by the older couple beside her. She was escorted to the high table.

"Betrothed, Father?" Rufus tried not to glare at the man.

"Yes, it is high time you married, I had married my first wife by your age."

Rufus said nothing but watched the young woman that was being brought up to the table. Her shoulder length blonde hair was pulled up into a bun and the bangs hung down to her shoulders. she wore a pink skirt and top which had an inch of space between them showing off her navel. She looked stern but was a lovely woman.

"Quistis Trepe."

"Your highness, Thank you,"she curtsied low and proper,before continuing. "but I have no desire to marry the prince."

"I don't want to marry her either."

"Neither of you have a choice. The wedding will be in one month. It is final."

"Yes, you highness." she returned to her seat and spoke no more.

"Yes, Father." he ground out before stabbing his roughage into submission. Already plotting how best to escape his new torment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Preparations for the weddings kept everyone busy for weeks. Foreign chefs had even been brought in to help with the feasts.

Quistis had to work on the dress she'd been stuck working on for a year. it had to be restitched again for the hundredth time. she sighed after pricking her finger again. her ladies in waiting were helping her and a brunette in a long blue dress smiled and took the needle from her.

"Quisti let us handle this just sit here and look pretty."

"But Rin." She began

"Don't but Rin me, your sewing is horrible even Lulu could do better and she's a week old." She smiled her dark eyes glinting.

"And she wouldn't prick herself." Another brunette this one lighter with an odd up bob on the ends chimed in.

"I'm glad you are my friends." She sighed as they and the other two ladies in the room giggled.

"But how much work should you be doing?" a third brunette entered the room carrying a cloth bundle in her arms. her green eyes glowed softly as she handed the baby to Rinoa. her dress was pink matching the bow which held her long hair back.

"I can still sew Aerith even while feeding her." Rin said sitting to feed the dark haired child. red eyes looked up at her from a round pale face.

They returned to work Aerith joining in to help with the simple task. she and Rinoa were also members of the Sorceress' entourage and working on simple things was much easier than the magic of their world.

"So has Zack asked you to marry him yet." Selphie asked Aerith.

"no but the latest round of sputtering and running off was longer than the last so he must be close."

"Oh good how long had he been courting you now?"

"three years. Seph and Tseng have both offered to prompt him."

"With sharp objects no doubt."

"Hence your not letting them."

"Of course."

"At least you two have men do you realize how hard it is to find a good one ther are times i wish i had parents to arrange one for me." Selphie sighed.

"What about that new sniper?"

"Cute but flirts with anything that moves."

"So what there's only one way to catch that type act like you don't' care. he'll fall believe me that's how i finally landed Squall."

"Really I thought you had Angelo trip him and dragged him away."

"That could have worked."She said looking thoughtful and mischievous.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Rufus was also busy with all of the wedding preparations having to look over various lists and such, but he also had help in the form of his half brothers. both were more than willing ot help their little brother as long as it meant causing trouble for their father. one of their ways of helping also meant taking him out for a drink or five to celebrate, this time they were accompanied by a few more guards as well as Tseng who was less than happy about this.



in a couple of hours they were meandering among the bars of the city. Zell was barely able to walk and leaned heavily on a fellow soldier a tall blonde with a scar matching Squall's. he didn't seem to mind the shorter blond's leaning though once in a while whispering something to the boy. Cloud on the other hand was a hyper drunk bouncing around like a five year old keeping the other guards busy with his antics leaving Rufus to be carried by Tseng singing some drinking song he had heard at one of the bars. Finally they headed back up to the palace, Zell and his guard vanished toward Zell's rooms. .Cloud went to find and pounce on Sephiroth. Rufus on the other hand wanted Tseng to help him get ready for bed.

"undress me." the boy demanded.

"Your highness i should call a servant for that."

"No ." He pouted and crossed his arms looking very ravishable.

tseng tried to ignore the voice in his head telling him to give in and let the boy seduce him as he had been trying to do since he had arrived.

Rufus pulled him closer and kissed him as soon as he was closer Tseng tried to pull away.

"your highness."

"Stop calling me that it's rufus."

"What are you doing?"

"Seducing you of course."

"Oh." He let the boy undid his clothes and did the same to him. finally they fell onto the bed.





~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



The day of the wedding dawned bright and clear to the dismay of the bride and the groom. the two of course had not even spoken since the dinner when their wedding date had been announced. not that either of them cared neither had an opinion of the other as they had never really met.

Everyone was in their finest for the wedding soldiers and personal guards were in formal attire and Cloud and Zell were forced ot wear white formal clothes in honor of their family. They followed their brother up to the high summoner who stood in front of the altar in the temple in his red and white robes of state his long silver hair tied in two tassels on wither side of his face under a tall white hat. behind the altar a large chunk of magicite glowed softly as a song filled the air.

As they stood there Quistis approached with Rinoa and Aerith following her. they left the two at the alter and fell back to the side. The man spoke the vows and each repeated the min turn then they kissed it was a simple peck on the lips.



As the reception after ward went the two stood by the throne in the great hall, accepting congratulations Tseng stood behind them along with Selphie. Rinoa had gone off to find her husband to make him dance and Aerith had also gone off after seeing her favorite suitor by the doors.

Sephiroth watched it all form near the door to the lesser hall which was used for less formal occasions by the king. he was dressed in his normal black leathers with sterling silver accents and shoulder pads even the sheath for his blade was silver. he looked up as Zack came over dragging poor cloud in his finery with his golden spikes almost tamed.

"Hey Seph congratulate me I finally asked her and she said yes."

"Congratulations how drunk dod you have to be?"

"Hey I didn't drink till after she said yes to celebrate."

"Good." he smiled at cloud. "how are you doing cloud?"

"Uncomfortable." the blond frowned.

"In another hour you can take it off." He whispered in his ear and cloud blushed.

"Seph!"

Zack laughed and downed more drink.



Ansem approached dragging Elena with him Sephiroth bowed slightly to his grand father.

"You should join the dancing Sephiroth."

"I don't dance sir I must keep an eye on things here."

"Ther are plenty of soldiers to do so the both of you must have at least one dance."

"Yes sir."

He offered his hand and Elena took it.

"I apologize for this Elena."

"It isn't your fault Sephiroth. It's our parents, Ever since Megumi accepted Diaski's suit father's been impossible At least Reno hasn't tried anything stupid yet."

"True and he is better suited to you, the two of you already have a son after all."

"Yes Axel, well at least you know I can bear sons." she gave him a wry smile.

"Yes."

"you know I love him."

"I love another myself."

"Cloud." she said quietly. At his look she smiled. "Everyone knows about it well everyone who knows him or you do."

"I see."



They approached where Reno was standing talking to Rude and Sephiroth handed her off top him smoothly.

"Reno."

"Sephiroth." the red head returned the greeting.



The general walked back ot his original position where Cloud had taken over watching over the crowd.

'Why can't i just slip out of this?' Sephiroth asked himself as cloud smiled reassuringly at him.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Rinoa dragged Squall out into the garden for a moment of air knowing he hated crowds. Even if they were people he had to deal with regularly. Once they were away form the doors they sat on one of the garden benches and she leaned against him.

Isn't it sweet Zack finally proposed."

"I guess."

"Come on Squall you should be happy for your big brother he's finally going to get married and your father will get off both of your backs. "

"Not until he has children too Rin."

"I'm sure that will happen soon enough."

"I see."





~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



finally the body guards escorted Rufus and Quistis to the prince's chambers for the deflowering and tseng was left to guard the door along with Darknation who had been made t stay outside. Everyone else fell into more boisterous celebrating as the nobles took to their chambers. Once they were gone the alcohol was poured and games of chance and daring were brought up. Sephiroth watched it content to keep an eye on the men and women under his command. Cloud sat at his side as usual with Zack coming and going between games. After awhile Aerith stole Zack and Rinoa dragged Squall off. Selphie had not been seen since she asked the sniper she was interesting in to show her some moves. Zell ahd vanished with his soldier friend. Everyone was slowly drifting off with their significant other if they had one or some one to simply lay for the night Sephiroth finally dragged Cloud off to their quarters. He had not seen his father that night either the man had lately been distracted by a visiting princess and had little time to interfere with his adult children. So it was surprising to see the black haired man standing before his chambers speaking to his younger brother.

"Father."

"Sephiroth I have something to tell you."

"Yes sir." he led the man inside his rooms and cloud slipped into the bedchamber.

"As you know i have been talking with the princess of Wutai ho has been visiting us her people were hoping she would find a suitor form Balamb so the fighting between us will end."

"I take it she found one."

"Yes she has asked me to accompany her back."

Sephiroth looked at his father. The man looked no older then himself with long black hair and odd red eyes. He didn't look as old as he had to be to have a twenty nine year old son, a normal trait in their family.

"It is your place to decide father we won't begrudge you what you want but could you wait until Ansem leaves?"

"Her is over bearing, though once you are married there is no reason why the two of you cannot stay with your lovers once there is a child."

"true."