Got A Secret, Can You Keep It?(Ff/kh)

Chapter 38

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You didn't return, you should have been back to the Castle about a week ago and you had not returned. King Rufus finally realized why when Owen and Raul returned with a message. Both men looked absolutely furious, but mentioned nothing as they delivered the message.

His eyes scanned the written letter, the further he read, the more a frown settled upon his face. You hit King Mateus, you hit him? It sounded comical but it was far from it. It was a lot more serious, your actions-no matter what he had done- could have caused him the alliance.

But you knew what you had done, and from what King Mateus wrote, you sacrificed your life in exchange of excluding King Rufus and the Kingdom from taking the blame.

Losing a First Class Soldier wasn't ideal, even more so when it was the first woman to have entered the rank. But your life meant nothing compared to the lives that could have been lost if King Mateus had declared war because of your actions.

However, he would have to investigate what King Mateus meant with your sacrifice. Was he going to have you executed? Execution was to be expected according to the agreement his father had along with the rest of Kings.

Either way, your well being would have to wait he was other pressing matters at hand. "Is something the matter?" Sephiroth questioned him as he noticed the stress pile even more on Rufus' face.

Said Kingdom leaned back and rubbed his face in frustration. He motioned for him to take the letter and read it, "it's very likely that he will execute her. King Mateus is not known for his kindness."

Nodding, Sephiroth lowered the letter and frowned. "From the contents of this letter it appears that is not what he intends on doing that.  What action will you take if he keeps her as a prisoner?"

"That will have to wait, she isn't my priority." And Rufus dismissed the matter as he proceeded to read other documents.

Without excusing himself, Sephiroth allowed him to work alone. Zack...and Cloud were rather impulsive when it came to someone they knew so it was going to be expected once they found out about your fate. Both men were currently sparing, so it was better to let them know now.

They stopped when they spotted him approaching, Sephiroth took a moment to study both of them. "We received news about [Name]," he noticed the relief wash over their bodies. "She attacked King Mateus, because of her actions she will most likely be executed."

Their faces twisted in surprise and anger, "th-"

"Her actions caused her fate, I suggest that the two of you think carefully before you act. Your actions, just like hers affect our Kingdom. Be glad King Mateus accepted her life in exchange of forgiveness, otherwise we might as well be facing King Mateus' wrath."

"But sh-" Zack tried to speak, to make sense of what he heard. Cloud looked to the side, his hands curled in what he guessed was anger. "How can you ask us to not do something? She's...She's not simply our comrade,but she is out friend."

"Friend, sister,it does not matter. We cannot do anything about her, specially now that we are at war. We cannot afford having another Kingdom, Palencia, against us." The male snapped, "go and clean yourselves. We're departing soon."

But the two friends did not move, the war, nothing could compare to the thought of knowing that you would.be executed. That your death was definite and yet, as much as they wanted to do something about it...They couldn't. It was not that they didn't care, their hearts were being shredded to think that their childhood friend would die.

Zack opened his mouth to speak, but his mouth felt so dry that no words left his lips. Cloud wasn't doing any better, he looked just like him but the blonde male managed to speak. "This isn't definite," he spoke, "her execution isn't definite. King Mateus has not decided what to do with her..."

Just a fraction of Zack's worry was erased from his face, but it returned right after when he remembered the part of the history of when First Class Soldiers were created and the agreement among Royals. His shoulders slumped, feeling his throat close and it felt as if he could breathe. His chest started to feel right as his heartbeat increased. Then, slowly he felt the tears roll down his cheeks.

He could have stayed, if he had, he would have seen Cloud with a similar reaction. Zack didn't know where he was going, but what mattered was for him to be away from everyone else. Was he alone? He didn't know and he didn't care as he stopped walking and allowed himself to cry. The tears flowed like water down his cheeks. His hand clawed as his chest, it felt as if something was being torn out of his chest.

Zack couldn't remember when it was the last time he cried like this,  and probably never considering that this was the first time he had felt in such a way. When they left you back at the village, your death didn't cross their minds that was why they didn't feel so destroyed.

Now, now they knew your fate was at the hands of King Mateus. That man did not know what mercy was, and he would definitely order your execution. They could do something to free you, they could try but they would only cause unnecessary problems to ShinRa and its people.

What Zack didn't know...was that he had walked to the abandoned church that Aerith had made her own home. Said woman had been tending to her garden when she heard the faint cries of a male. In panic she followed the cries only to find Zack on his knees and crying with so much pain that it tore her heart.

She wanted to reach out to him, but something stopped her. Something told her not to bother him, that he needed to be alone and heal whatever wounds that caused him this pain. He needed to deal with it alone, once he recovered and if he needed to talk with her...Then she would welcome him with open arms.
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