"Ah Aeris," Reeve said as she entered the throne room. "Back so soon?"

"Father, please ask Mother to tell you about our trip." Reeve looked behind her, a little startled by the stranger with her.

"Aeris, who is that man?" He asked sharply.

"Father, this is Cloud. He and a friend whom Reno is currently locating are in need of our assistance. He is hurt." She indicated Cloud's blood stained clothing. "I intend to help him." Zack, who had not noticed the blond haired man with his fiancée, looked up sharply. Aeris gave him a reassuring smile, and he shook his head and looked away. With that, Aeris led the injured young man away. She led him to her room, followed by Nanaki. Reeve had not been happy with Reno away from Aeris, and he certainly hadn't been pleased by the sight of the sword strapped to the stranger's back. So he had sent his advisor with them.

"This really is kind of you," Cloud told Aeris as she dressed the wound.

"You still haven't told me how you came to be injured," she said.

"It's a long story."

"Shorten it."

"I can't."

"Try." Cloud stared at the young Princess.

"You really are persistent."

"You really are stubborn."

"All right!" Cloud relented, frustrated. "I got stabbed."

"That much I had perceived." Cloud glared at her.

"Please, continue," Aeris said sweetly. Before Cloud could do so, they heard the door open and Reno walked in. He was being followed by someone Aeris thought to be Cid Highwind.

"Well, where'd you disappear to?" He asked Cloud, sitting down on Aeris's bed. He pulled a pack of cigarettes from his flight goggles and lit one. Aeris looked at him, amazed. She wasn't used to the attitude she was getting from the two men. Normally people bowed to her, and spoke in tones that she considered too posh for her liking. But Cid had come in, messed up her bed, lit up a cigarette in her father's strictly non-smoking palace…as for Cloud, she didn't know what to make of him.

"Well, after that...thing you call a plane crashed..."

"Hey! I worked hard on the Tiny Bronco!"

"I'd like to see you find her now! Unless you fancy diving underwater and retrieving her many parts."

"%&!$ you!" Reno glared at Cid.

"Please, refrain from using language like that around royalty!" Cid stared at Reno.

"You're royalty?!" He asked Reno, amazed. "Royalty my ass!"

"No, I'm Princess Aeris," Aeris introduced herself. Cid started at her as well.

"Well, I can understand a pretty girl like you."

"Reno's my bodyguard," she explained. She indicated Nanaki. "And this is Nanaki, my father's advisor."

"He's a fuzzy ball of fur!"

"Please, don't refer to me like that," Nanaki stated. Both Cid and Cloud looked at him in shock.

"You...you talked!" Cloud said.

"I couldn't be Sir Reeve's advisor if I couldn't."

"Smartass," Cid snorted before turning back to Aeris. "So why'd you agree to help us?"

"Your friend was injured." Cid looked at Cloud.

"Did that bastard stab you?!"

"Yes."

"You told me he didn't!"

"I lied."

"Damn it Cloud, enough with the short answers already!"

"Who stabbed you?" Aeris asked, diffusing the situation before it could go any further.

"Someone named Sephiroth," Cloud told her. Aeris frowned.

"Sephiroth?"

"Someone I have a personal vendetta with. It's nothing." He stood up, motioning for Cid to do the same. "Thank you for helping us."

"Please, stay a little longer," Aeris said. For reasons she couldn't explain, she wanted the men to stay. No, she corrected her thoughts, she wanted Cloud to stay. "You need help to get back to the other continent, am I correct?" Cid looked at Cloud, and he nodded.

"Cloud already explained the situation?"

"He has. Anyway, I need to find someone who has an aircraft. That could take a day or two." She smiled. "So you're stuck here under the best protection possible, whether you like it or not." The door opened just then, and Zack walked in.

"Aeris, is everything all right?"

"Everything's fine Zack," Aeris reassured him.

"Are you all right?" He asked Cloud. Cloud nodded.

"I'm fine, thank you."

"Cloud and Cid will be staying for a couple of days," Aeris told him. "Until we can find someone with an aircraft willing to return them back to their continent." Zack nodded.

"I see." With that, he turned to leave. "I'll inform Sir Reeve." He exited the room. Aeris shook her head.

"You'll have to excuse Zack," she said. "He's my husband to be, and a little protective." She stood up. "Nanaki, show them to the guest quarters." She quickly left the room. She found herself strangely attracted to the blond haired man. She only hoped Zack wouldn't catch on. If he did, she had a feeling their scheduled wedding would be well and truly off.

He is right for you.

Aeris shook her head. She wasn't sure if the Planet was referring to Zack or the blond haired stranger.

The blond haired stranger.

"Get *out* of my head," she muttered quietly. "He's not my type."

Just because he's the opposite of your fiancée doesn't mean he's not your type.

"What?!" Aeris said, confused and a little annoyed. "Zack is everything I ever wanted. If Cloud's the opposite, surely we won't get along!"

He's different to what you think. You're a perfect match.

"I don't understand what you mean," Aeris said as she pulled the door open to the throne room.

You'll see.

"Ah, Aeris," Reeve said as she walked in. "How are our guests?"

"Cloud was stabbed, Father. I've given permission that he and his friend stay here, at least until we can find someone with an aircraft to take them home."

"Would you like me to make some enquiries?" Reno asked from behind her, where he had just entered. He bowed to Reeve, who waved a hand to dismiss it unnecessary.

"Start tomorrow," Aeris told him. "I think they should rest. They're both very tired, and Cloud will need to recover from his attack."

"That could take weeks," Zack stated from where he was sitting, to one side. "Our wedding is next week, Aeris." He stood up, resting his weight on his left foot and putting his hands on his hips. "Their presense could interfere."

His jealously bothers you, doesn't it?

Shut up, Aeris thought. The Planet made a strange sound, like laughter, and left her alone momentarily.

"I won't let either of them interfere with our wedding Zack," she told him, smiling. "We can't turn them away." She smiled at her father, and exited the room.

You couldn't live with that all your life. His jealously.

"Leave me alone," Aeris told the Planet as she headed to the guest room.

You're going to see him now, though. You can't stay away.

"I'm checking on our guest's wellbeing!" She muttered angrily.

Ask him what he's lost.

Aeris stopped abruptly. "And why would I want to do that? That's none of my business."

He's lost a lot. If you want to find out why he was stabbed, you'll need to know.

Aeris began walking again, ignoring the Planet. When it was in danger, it screamed, and she hated the sound. But when it was trying to guide her life...she hated that even more.