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A Prince For Sale	By : FaTaLfURy Category: Final Fantasy VII > Het - Male/Female > Cloud/Tifa Views: 4010 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII or the characters in it. Nor do I make any profit from writing this story. Everything else is the product of my over-active imagination.

Chapter List
- 4
- 5
A Prince For Sale
FaTaLfURy
Chapter V - All Hell Breaks Loose
'Busy' was too mild a word to describe Prince Cloud's morning after he announced his engagement.
First, it looked like every newspaper and magazine that currently existed worked well into the night to be the first to deliver the juiciest story of the century.
They were already calling the affair 'the most prestigious (and most controversial) betrothal in history'.
In the front page was the picture of him kissing Tifa in the middle of the hundreds of invited guests to their engagement party. The caption varies,
but most went with the theme 'For love or money?'
News travelled fast, and before Cloud knew it the sovereign Queen of Costa del Sol was demanding an audience. Set up in the exclusive office of the
private rooms his future in-laws graciously lent to him, he talked to his mother thru a video conference.
"Hello, Mother. I trust you slept well?"
His blase greeting almost sent his mother to the edge.
"How can you be so calm about this? My God, Cloud, do you realize what you're doing? Are you out of your mind?"
Cloud winced inwardly at the near-hysteria in his mother's voice. He knew she was fighting hard for her composure and was losing miserably.
"I'm perfectly sane. In fact, I--"
"This is exactly why I've been itching to accompany you on your so-called 'business trip'!
And why you've been so adamant for me not to! If I was there with you, this whole engagement to a commoner would never take place. How dare they--"
"Enough,"
Cloud interrupted his mother's tirade in a soft, chilling tone of voice. It effectively shut her up. He loved his mother, God knows he does, but sometimes
she can be such a snob.
"Do not blame the Lockhearts for this. Everything is entirely my idea. I was the one who proposed to their daughter,"
"But Cloud honey, dangling their fortune in front of you to make their daughter a princess is just so low. Couldn't they just invest in Costa del Sol for business' sake?
Why do you have to marry their commoner daughter too? They're obviously using your weakness to their advantage. If your father--"
"If Father hadn't gambled and whored the kingdom's fortune away, I wouldn't be in this predicament would I?"
Cloud growled at his mother testily. She had nothing to say when faced with the truth but only stared at him in dismay.
"Besides, Father's dead. I'm the only chance for Costa del Sol's survival. Our survival. Or would you like to live a commoner's life too?"
His mother shivered visibly at his words.
"You know me best, darling. I know you're only doing this for the sake of our country. I just... well, I thought that if you would get married you would get
well and truly married to a princess. Ooh, take Princess Yuffie of Wutai for example!"
His mother was already rubbing her hands in anticipation.
"Don't even go there. I will never marry Yuffie or any other princess for that matter. I want the Lockheart heiress to be my wife,"
His tone was tinged with finality. His mother could do nothing but sigh in resignation.
"I hope this isn't about you punishing yourself for not marrying Princess Aerith,"
His mother said quietly. He started at the sound of Aerith's name.
"No it isn't, Mother. I'm just doing what I want. And I want to marry Tifa,"
"Very well then. When are we going to expect you and your bride-to-be?"
"Soon, I hope. I'll talk to her and ask if she can re-arrange her schedule in order to accompany me back home. I don't want this to be a long engagement,"
His mother looked at him speculatively.
"This Lockheart girl... is she really that special, Cloud?"
Cloud grinned at his mother.
"She is. Wait until you meet her and you'll see how well-suited we are for each other. And no snobbish comments about commoners when we get there, Mother,"
Cloud lightly admonished his mother. She gave him a grumpy look in return.
"You know it hurts me when you call me a snob, darling. I'm not a snob, I was just born into royalty you know?"
Cloud laughed heartily at his mother's denial. She joined in the laughter in no time.
"All right, I'll behave myself for your special girl. Besides, she has my gratitude in advance for Costa del Sol's future. Go home soon, Cloud. I love you,"
She blew him a kiss from across the screen. God, but his mother could be real affectionate sometimes. But that's what he loved about her, although he'll never tell.
"See you soon, Mother. Love you too,"
He said before pressing the 'end call' button. He sighed into the silent room. Talking to his mother could be real tiring at times.
Suddenly there was a faint knock at the door. Vincent poked his head inside.
"Are you done talking to Her Majesty?"
Cloud nodded and gestured for Vincent to enter.
"I am. She was asking about you, I should've called you in,"
Vincent didn't try to hide his relief.
"No, that was a favor you've done for me. I've no wish to be within her line-of-fire when she's in a fit,"
Cloud laughed at that.
"Anyway, your in-laws are pretty much good in handling the paparazzi on your behalf.
I would've thought they'd be crawling in here just to get a statement out of you. But this place is pretty well-guarded,"
Vincent said in a somewhat impressed voice.
"That's big, coming from you. But well, they've got the resources to turn anywhere into an impenetrable fortress. Is the car ready?"
"It is, Your Highness,"
"Let's go then. It's time to pick up my bride,"

============================================================================================================================

Meanwhile, the soon-to-be bride was inside a known coffee shop, ordering her first cup of coffee. She's gone incognito, what with a beret hiding her glorious mane
and aviator sunglasses that hid most of her face to the public.
"Welcome! What can I get started for you today?"
The barista beamed at her, totally oblivious to who she was.
"Good morning. I'll have a caramel macchiato and a signature hot chocolate please,"
"Is that for here or to go, ma'am?"
"Oh, for here please,"
After placing her orders, she moved to a corner table to wait for her coffee and her best friend.
Both weren't long in coming.
Just as she was taking her of her caramel macchiato, the door to the coffee shop flew open and there stood the princess of Wutai seemingly out of breath
and grasping a copy of a magazine. Stomping over to where Tifa was, she slammed the magazine on the table and arched an eyebrow at her friend.
"Well? Care to explain yourself?"
Yuffie said in a voice loud enough to wake the dead. Now most eyes of the people inside the coffee shop were staring at them curiously.
Tifa sighed a long-suffering sigh. Yuffie's a dear, but she can be such a royal pain in the butt sometimes.
"And good morning to you too. Here's your cocoa; I didn't forget. And will you please lower your voice? People are staring at us,"
Tifa chided her friend calmly and went back to drinking her coffee.
"Staring? Staring!? Of all the--"
Sputtering, the princess of Wutai's eyes were almost bulging out of their sockets. In rage or disbelief... well, maybe a little bit of both.
To calm her temper, she downed the contents of her hot cocoa all at once. That managed to get an impressed expression out of Tifa.
"That was really hot, you know,"
"The hell it was. Sandra knows exactly how hot I want my cocoa so I could drink it right away. Sandra!"
Yuffie called out to the barista at the counter, signaling to have another cup of hot cocoa brought to her. The barista beamed and gave a
thumbs-up gesture to the princess. Now she rounded on Tifa, eyes fierce and fists on her waist.
"Stop pretending like we're inside an ordinary coffee shop, you dummy! This whole place is sitting in your backyard,
and everyone's totally under your thumb. Geez,"
Everyone smiled at the tiny princess berating their goddess-like employer. Tifa saw this and sighed once more. So much for the pretense.
"All right, everyone who's on break right now enjoy it as you can and go straight back to work at once. And stop spoiling the little princess here, will you?"
"Stop calling me little, Tifa!"
Tifa's staff watched their exchange fondly, what with a disgruntled Yuffie pouting as she took her seat. Sandra came back with her cocoa
and another cup of caramel macchiato for Tifa. In less than two minutes the coffee shop was rendered vacant,
with the exception of her, Yuffie and Sandra's presence.
Yes, there was something really good to be said about having a coffee shop in your own backyard.
"Stop killing me with the suspense already! Spit it out, Tifa. Just what the hell's going on between you and Cloud?
I could swear you were never actually acquainted, yet you allowed him to kiss you senseless and now you're engaged?! I mean come on!"
Tifa looked at the magazine Yuffie's brought with her. The cover was of Cloud kissing her in the middle of the party.
The caption was: 'Greatest Cinderella Love Story of the Century! The Lockheart heiress to marry the Crown Prince of Costa del Sol. Is this a match made in heaven...
or in the boardroom? Engaged for love or money?'
"Well, they're good, I'll give them that. And not that far off the mark either,"
Tifa said this under her breath. She turned to Yuffie and smiled brighly.
"Yes, Yuffie honey, the prince and I-- I mean, Cloud and I are really engaged,"
At that, Yuffie gave an ear-splitting scream that made Tifa wince painfully.
"Dammit, Yuffie! What the hell's wrong with--"
Yuffie hugged Tifa so hard the breath was knocked out of her body. She's quite strong for such a tiny lady.
"I knew it! I knew it! Imagine, you the wife of Cloud! Oh this is precious,"
Yuffie turned her sparkling eyes to her friend. Tifa was staring at her somberly.
"What?"
"Are you seriously happy about this, Yuffie? No hard feelings? I mean, I know just how big of a crush you had on the prince back then..."
Yuffie gave her a finger flick indignantly.
"It was just a crush, okay? I'm totally over my puberty stage now, thank you very much! Anyway, this is such an opportunity, Tifa! You get to live my dream for me,"
Tifa eyed her wryly.
"Just a crush, huh?"
Yuffie ignored her side-comment.
"Anyway, you have to tell me all about it. Why were you so mum about the whole thing? And ooh, the kiss! How was it?"
"Really, it's such a shame that you're already a princess, Yuffie. You could've given the paparazzi a run for their money. Anyway--"
Before she could finish her sentence though, the door of the coffee shop swung open once again. Surprised, they both turned to see who it was who came in.
There stood a very angry Reno on the doorway.

============================================================================================================================

On the way to Tifa's estate, Cloud couldn't help but notice the sundry of reporters camped outside the gates.
"This is crazy. They're literally crawling all over the place,"
"Shit. Good thing the car's tinted,"
Declining the offer of a limousine and a chauffeur to go with it, it was just Vincent and him inside an Audi A8-- the armored version. He was at the backseat while Vincent's doing all the driving.
"I hope your princess cleared us for entry,"
Cloud's frown deepened as he watched the media in a frenzy. It seems like something was going on inside the villa.
"Something's wrong. Could somebody have come before us?"
Vincent snorted.
"Probably Princess Yuffie. They're apparently the best of friends,"
They were at the gate now and amidst the clamoring of the media, Tifa's guards remained calm as they asked for identification.
"Vincent Valentine. And the Prince of Costa del Sol,"
The man in the suit didn't even blink at the sound of a prince calling on their mistress. Tifa must've cleared them as the gates swung open for them in no time at all.
Curiously, even though the paparazzi was quite desperate for a story, they didn't crowd the car or attempted to follow as the car drove inside the villa.
"Aah,"
Cloud suddenly knew why and he approved. Looking up, he could see what looked like turrets and guards armed
and ready to shoot at anyone who tried to trespass their territory. It was a clear message to the press: you can do as you like outside the walls
but step one foot inside with no invitation and you're free game.
"It looks like your princess knows her stuff,"
Cloud couldn't help the arrogant smile that graced his lips at Vincent's words of praise for Tifa. Already he was proud of her.
"Where did they say Tifa was?"
Vincent was now scratching his head in confusion.
"I might've heard wrong, Your Highness, but they said she was in the coffee shop,"
Cloud stared at Vincent in disbelief.
"She had a coffee shop installed in her estate? Who would do something as frivolous as that? Yeah, I think you probably heard wrong--"
He wasn't able to finish what he was going to say for as they went around the bend, lo and behold, there really was a famous coffee shop inside the premises.
"I take it back. Only my bride could do something as outrageous as this,"
Cloud said in resignation as Vincent tried to control his laughter. He climbed down from the car first and instantly knew that Tifa was in danger.
Raised voices could be heard even outside the coffee shop, and one of them belonged to a man. Lips set in a grim line and eyes glowing with chilling intensity,
he went for the door.
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A Prince For Sale