Hi...I think this is virtually my first ff7 fic, so be gentle I'm not so great with ff7 chars, but this is a bit of a cheat in that sense anyway because i've warped the universe, and it's not set within the game time or nothing like that. Most things will be the same such as the clothes and the persons themselves, but it's a short fic, so there's not much to elaborate on.

All copyright of the story idea is mine, but the characters and name and stuff belong to Squaresoft.

Oh and the pic is a fanart and all copyright of that fanart are for the person who made the fanart.

Warning: this is not set inside the game, it's an alternate universe fic where I've used the characters but in a different world/setting/universe. It resembles fairy tales.

Enjoy.
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http://www.geocities.com/sania15uk/septower.txt
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In Sephiroth�s Tower
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Wisps of sunlight filtered in from a wide gap between almost giant grey bricks. Faint blowing sounds echoed in the otherwise silent, circular room, as gusts of refreshing wind flew in from that gap, the open window.

The window was a blessing for her. She longed to be part of the glorious view from all the way up there, but circumstances wouldn�t permit.

Or�a certain person wouldn�t permit would be more true.

Just as the thought hit her, a vision of him came to her as she closed her vivid green eyes.

It had only been a few days that the silvery-white haired tormentor had shown his pale features, icy cold blue eyes, with piercing black pupils which seemed to bore into hers every time they met.

She remembered distinctly how his long hair swayed in the wind of her window as he stood tall in the ledge, the tips of his hair ending in sharp points.

It had been as if he enchanted her, and the cursed residence she was in. She was helpless; might had escaped her, courage forsaken her, and the will to seek freedom had perished.

The once young and brave white mage had experienced many a fierce battle with fiends and the like, yet never had she left a fighting zone without victory marking her staff.

Wit had been her most close companion and she used it to defy foes, escape trials and evade every threat.

So what happened to the young ancient?

She gazed at her outspread hands before her; the lines on her palms ran deep, meandering across her slender fingers, a good sign for those who practiced magic.

Yet ignoring the symbol of the future good, she wondered about her present distress, how she could let something so drastic happen. It was almost as if she had turned all her senses numb and given herself freely to her enemy.

She glanced at the cage of a room she had at the pinnacle of a round tower, with cracks lining the giant cold grey bricks from which it was built many thousand years ago.

Behind the brown-haired beauty there was a single bed, it stretched long enough for her length, and wide enough only to accommodate her petite size, as if someone had built it just for her.

Four wooden poles cornered the bed and reached high up to the ceiling where drapes like curtains flowed down heavenly as if it were intended for royalty.

The white drapes often fluttered with the wind, which was most likely the only movement the young victim saw in the loneliness of the room.

The silence was many a day and night louder than one could bear, yet the gentle song of the wind calmed her spirit. She longed to escape, but she was helpless.
She knew it had been at least five years since she held her beloved staff.

On That Day�Five Years Ago�she had not expected the shadowy figure behind herself to be Sephiroth.

But surely, it was Sephiroth.

The legendary Sephiroth had finally captured her, and held her as his prisoner.

Locked in a tower with nothing but a window as an escape route leading down many unknown feet to her doom, she had no choice but to wait for a lucky coincidence.

Maybe a handsome prince? She already had one.

She wasn�t hoping for much, but the glory of the view, the enchanting sunset kept her heart and soul entertained�

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The evening eased the darker shades onto the light, and ushered the sun to set in a rich orange glow into the horizon, and Aeris knew her time had come.

She stood at her massive window, which was wide open and glanced over the lush valleys and greenery that were spread across the land before her. Blue rivers flowed peacefully amongst fields of green silence, with no sign of animals or people around.

The whole scene was like a beautiful graveyard of quietness; the absence of people were the symbols of tombs, while the non-existence of wildlife signified death. There was a bizarre beauty about it, as if the landscape was living and breathing.

Her time had come� She watched silently for the sign of silver hair and his distinct leathery blackness�

�Still haven�t learnt?� he teased, suddenly materializing behind his prisoner. She swung around cautiously, gazing at him with fearful eyes.

�When will you let me go?� Aeris demanded, her fists clenched by her hips.

A short laugh escaped the man�s lips as she shook his head silently, and then added: �Until I die��

She frowned at him, sighing hoplessly� �You�re immortal�� she whispered in despair, not even gazing at him as he laughed, and only paying attention to the shadow of the candlelight which seemed to dance on the floor.

The candlelight flickered threateningly in the wind of the windowsill, and Sephiroth drew nearer to her.

�Do you still remember my offer?� he voiced in a sweet tone, sickening and twisted.

�I�I told you it will never be�� she sighed, sincerely looking into his eyes.

She could see pain in those icy blue eyes, bitter displeasure and greed.
Those eyes had received everything they looked upon, everything they wished for, except her. They longed for her, to gaze at her beauty and call it their own.

But those icy cool blue eyes were always disappointed.

�Then your freedom will never be!� he yelled facing away from her as he disappeared through the wall.

Tears threatened to shed over her cheeks as she watched a tray of food and drink appear beside her on the window ledge.

Untouched by hunger, Aeris ambled over to her bed and let herself fall into the deep soft folds of her duvet, which seemed to shush her to sleep somehow.

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And as the days flew by, every night the handsome, immortal prince, Sephiroth proposed to her, and every night the beautiful warrior and white mage, Aeris rejected.

Rejection after rejection passed and Sephiroth�s patience was growing thin, but he kept his calm, and one night, didn�t appear.

That night, no food was served either. Nor was the candle lit. But it didn�t bother Aeris, as she still had hope that somehow she would find a way to rescue herself, or someone would aid her.

Time passed in the light of that hope, and Aeris held onto that string of hope with everything she had. Sephiroth reappeared a few nights and left again, and Aeris yearned to see him due to her hunger, as she would receive no food if he didn�t appear on a certain night.

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One bright morning, the truly familiar sound of some kind of chirping woke Aeris. Sitting up in bed, which faced the window, she blinked, frowning at a rising sun.

The beauty rubbed her eyes slowly and reopened to find a small yellow bird resting at her window ledge. Surprise filled her being and she was exhilarated to see another life form in her presence once again.

Rushing up from her bed, she was all to aware of it fluttering away into the distance, but something else caught her eye.

An equally yellow bird, but with a rider seemed to be trekking along the landscape. The rider had deep purple clothes, a strange black cape, and intense, golden yellow hair coming up in spikes.

He gazed at his surroundings without much interest and his expression gave away he wanted to get to his destination fast. But his Chocobo seemed tired, so he let it amble along slowly for as long as it could handle.

Almost leaning out with eagerness, Aeris gave a long whistle as she held two fingers to her lips. Immediately it caught Cloud�s ears and he glanced directly at her, and watched her wave to him frantically.

Frowning, wondering who this girl could be, waving at him so desperately, he decided to investigate. Steering his Chocobo towards the high tower, he continued.

Gasping with surprise, Aeris hugged herself with joy as she saw him head towards her.

I�m saved! She thought silently, fearing that Sephiroth would appear if she spoke.

A while passed, and all the time she zealously watched the space between them lessen and the hot noon sun scorch the earth.

Cloud�s Chocobo had taken many rests in between and was very refreshed by the rivers he had to cross and drink from.

As Cloud finally reached the tower, he gazed all the way up to her, and his neck grew stiff.

�Help! I�m trapped, can you help me?� she yelled down into his onlooking face. His eyes were an intense blue, and he seemed troubled by nature, but kind at heart.

Her long plait fell carelessly over her shoulder, which seemed to reach down halfway of the tower.

�If you cut your hair, I could climb up.� Cloud suggested, like many a Rapunzel Prince may have.

Toying with the idea, she hesitantely reached for the scissors.

When she was done, it only reached halfway down to her back, and she let the rest down after tying it to a pole of her bed.

She then rushed to the window to glance down and noticed how he kept slipping and falling due to the silky texture of her hair. Sighing, she wondered what else would work.

�Wait a minute�� Cloud whispered to himself and fed his feathered friend a Reagan Green.

A few minutes later, the Chocobo fluttered high in the air, almost hovering at the window ledge.

Cloud climbed the window sill and reached a hand out to her, as if to say, �come with me�.

Aeris, knowing this was her only chance to escape, glanced around the room one last time before giving her hand to him and departing with the handsome rescuer�

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hope you enjoyed and also noticed the "On that day...five years ago." which I just added randomly *giggle*