Alma hurried down the steps of the servant’s quarters to the palace, accepting Cloud’s help up onto the chocobo before they headed out of town.
"Well? What’d you find out?"
"Services are going to be at the palace chapel this evening."
"What? You’re kidding!" Cloud gave a shake of his head. "Man, they’re not wasting any time, are they?"
"And it’s to be a private service." Alma pulled her chocobo to a stop and focused her eyes on Cloud. "What am I going to do?"
Cloud rubbed at his scalp. "Give me a second…"
"Do you think we could get there early and hide until it begins? They wouldn’t search the chapel would they?"
"Depends n how private they want it to be." Cloud looked over at Alma. "Are you sure you have to be there?"
"I-I want to say good-bye, Cloud." Alma lowered her eyes. "Haven’t you ever had to do something like this?"
Cloud pressed his lips together. "Yeah. Okay. So, we find a way in. How much money you got?"
"Money?" Alma raised her eyes. "Why?"
"I haven’t met someone yet who won’t look the other way for the right glint of gold."
"Oh." She opened a small bag at her waist. "I have a little."
Cloud gave a nod and dismounted. He unbridled and unsaddled his chocobo and set it off outside the city. Then he took her chocobo’s reins and made his way back toward the palace. "Let’s hope this works."
(still in the works… hoping to pick it up again)