The first rays of light shined through the window of a room in a crystal city. The City of Ancients, to be exact. The rays landed on the soft bedding of a young girl. She was still sleeping, her hair flowing around her head like a halo. As the light hit her pillow, the sleeping girl slowly awoke. She sat up, looking out of the window. She picked up a hairbrush from the side of her bed and absently ran it through her long, honey brown hair. She braided it, being sure to tie it with her pink ribbon. She picked up a small, white piece of Materia and placed it securely in her ribbon. It wouldn't do to lose that, not with the Planet being as unstable as it was now. She rose from the bed and dressed, fastening the buttons on her pink, floor length dress. She pulled a small, red jacket over her shoulders and exited the room. Walking through the vast halls of the palace, she stopped to talk to her father's advisor. Strangers to the mystical city would be surprised at her father's choice. But she was used to the sleek, lion creature now.

"Good morning Nanaki," she greeted, smiling. The lion looked up at her and bowed the best he could.

"Greetings, Princess Aeris." Aeris continued on her way, stopping by the weapons room to pick up her staff, the Princess Guard. She walked down to the end of the hall and entered a room on the right, smiling at the people inside.

"Aeris," a young man greeted, standing up. "Welcome, my love." He walked over to her, taking her hand and kissing it gently. She blushed a little, still not used to the attention from her husband-to-be.

"Hello Zack," she said, smiling at him before turning to her father. "Good morning Father." Her father smiled.

"Aeris, Zack and I have decided upon a date for your wedding." Zack turned to the man before them.

"Sir Reeve, if Aeris does not wish to be married so soon?"

"Silence," Reeve said. "She will be happy. If she is happy with you, then she shall be happy with the date set." He turned to his daughter. "A week tomorrow. Your mother and your bodyguard shall be taking you out to decide on a dress upon their arrival." As if on cue, the aforementioned entered the room.

"Good morning, Sir Reeve," Reno said, taking his place by Aeris's side, as her bodyguard. Her mother stepped forward.

"Good Morning, Reno." He smiled at his wife. "Elena, my dear. Our daughter is ready to decide upon her dress."

"Then shall we go?" Elena said to her daughter. Aeris smiled. She hated the way everyone made her decisions for her, but she never complained.

"Of course, Mother." With that, she walked gracefully to the exit, watched intently by Zack. Elena and Reno followed, the latter bowing to Reeve on his departure.

*******************

"Do you like this one?" Elena asked Aeris, holding up a long white dress. It was rather plain, and Aeris shook her head slightly. She continued to look through the rack of dresses herself. Everything her mother had picked was either too plain, too fancy or the wrong color. Her mother had got married in a lavender dress, and wanted her daughter to follow suite. But Aeris wanted white, as she always had. She pulled out one that she liked and held it up against herself. Turning to a mirror, she gasped. It looked perfect, and she wasn't even wearing it.

"Mother, I like this one," she declared. Elena looked at the dress and smiled.

"If it's to your liking, then you may have it." Aeris smiled and looked at the price tag. She gasped.

"Mother, it's a little expensive..."

"You know money has no role in this wedding," Elena chided gently.

"But it's 15, 000 gil!"

"If you desire it Aeris, it is yours," her mother repeated. "Go and try it on." Aeris looked down at the dress again. The more she looked at it, the more she liked it. She entered a changing room and swiftly put it on. She admired herself in the mirror and stepped out. Elena smiled.

"It looks wonderful," Reno told her from the chair he was sitting in. He looked a little bored with the whole affair, but tried to put some effort into showing enjoyment. Elena eyed her daughter, clasping her hands to her chest.

"Aeris, Zack is a very lucky man." She turned to the shopkeeper. "We'll take this one." Aeris admired herself once more. The white, silken material of the dress flowed around her and down to her feet. The fabric pooled on the floor, like a small lagoon. There was a ribbon around the waist, secured into a bow that fell down half the length of the lower dress. The upper part was covered with sequins and white, round beads. She span round, watching the material flow around her. Elena smiled at her, showing her a veil.

"Mother..." Aeris began. The veil was lacy, and had flowers decorating the rim. Other than that, it was a little too plain. Her mother's preference, but unfortunately not her own. She wasn't too certain whether she liked it.

"It goes perfectly," Elena said, turning Aeris round. She placed it on her daughter's head, who turned and looked in the mirror again. She smiled. Elena was right; it did go well. Not wanting to ruin the dress, she admired it one last time before she hurried away to get changed again. When she re-emerged, her mother had paid for the dress and was looking at bridesmaid dresses. Aeris joined her.

"Mother, I'm a little tired. Can we decide on those tomorrow?" She asked. Elena looked disappointed, but smiled.

"Of course, dear," she said, and began to walk to the exit. "We'll come back again tomorrow." Aeris sighed in relief. She hadn't expected her mother to agree. Reno followed her as she left the shop. Her mother waited for her to catch up, and they began their walk back to the palace.

As they neared the gates, Aeris noticed something from the corner of her eye. A person, one she had never seen before. She stopped, curious. He had strange, blond hair that was spiked. He wore dark purple garments, and had a large sword strapped to his back. Even from a distance, she could see two pieces of green Materia, glowing from the two slots in the blade. He turned to look at her, feeling her gaze, and she noticed he had amazing blue eyes that glinted from the sun's rays. But they weren't glinting with radiance. It was with something Aeris knew well, and hated. Mako. She almost turned away as the man began to walk in the opposite direction, but she soon noticed fresh blood on his clothing.

Help him.

She willed the voice of the Planet in her head away, and turned to Elena. The Planet wanted her to help the stranger.

"Mother, that man is hurt," she said. "I want to help him." Before Elena could protest, Aeris was striding over to the man, Reno immediately behind her.

"Aeris, that man has a sword," he warned her. "Are you sure this is wise?" Aeris stopped and looked at him.

"He is hurt," she repeated. She didn't mention the Planet's words. Her parents and Reno got worried if she told them the Planet was talking to her. There was a pause, and she continued her stride. She reached the man's side and grabbed his arm before he could attempt to leave. "Are you all right?" She asked. "You're hurt." She fell to her knees before him. Reno eyed the man suspiciously.

"You're a stranger to this city, aren't you?" He said. The man nodded.

"I'm here with a friend." Aeris stood up and looked him in the eye.

"I can't tell the severity of the wound without removing your shirt. Come back with me, and tell me what happened. I can then tend to you."

"But my friend..." the man began. Aeris cut him off.

"Where is your friend?"

"I don't know," the man answered, shaking his head.

"We'll send a message out to him to come to the palace. What is his name?"

"Cid Highwind." Aeris turned to Reno, who nodded.

"I'll get right on it when we get back," he told her.

"What did you mean by palace?" The man asked as Aeris led him back to Elena. "Who are you?"

"Aeris, Princess and heir to King Reeve. This is the City of Ancients."

"The Ancients? I've heard about them. You protect the Planet."

"That's right," Aeris told him as they continued their walk. "My parents and myself are the last Ancients left." She paused. "I was surprised to see you. Warriors don't normally come here."

"We weren't here to fight. We were just passing through. My friend and I."

"What were you doing here?"

"Our aeroplane, the Tiny Bronco, crashed and we came to get help. The people of a nearby village-Bone Village, I think-told us of an instrument called the Lunar Harp. We dug it up and passed through the Sleeping Forest. We found this place here, and hoped we could get some help. This is a new continent to us, and we can't get back to where we live without help."

"What's your name?" Aeris asked as they reached the palace gates.

"Cloud," the blond haired man replied. "Cloud Strife."

It's an awesome fic, but we already have a thread containing all the chapters for A Princess's Strife over here. So I'll close this one.