This one is for Kitake Neru and her 'tavern benches'. Oh, and I made up the crappy song. I won't be offended if you think it sucks!
The desert heat was a sharp change from the breezy port of Balfonheim. The party was currently en route to Giruvegan, and they shuffled into the Nalbina aerodrome. They were only halfway to their next destination, but taking an airship from the pirate city was a welcome respite from days of walking. They would have to make the remainder of their journey to the ancient city on foot, but any break from blisters and combat was welcome to Princess Ashe.
The party emerged from the busy aerodrome, and despite the sun's near departure from the sky, the Estersand would not grow cold for another hour at most. Vaan and Penelo were excited to be out of the confining private craft and out in the square. Busy workers shuffled to and fro, carrying lumber and stone to the many build sites throughout the city. The children eagerly watched the crews race about, putting the fortress back into proper use. Ashe, however, was not excited about what proper use would entail if Archadia warred with Rozarria.
"I don't know about you all, but I could use a proper supper and a clean bed for the night," Balthier mused, rolling up his sleeves in the heat.
"I suppose we have enough spare gil for such luxuries," Basch agreed. "Do you know of an inn off the beaten path? My last accommodations in Nalbina were rather sparse, so I am willing to pay for decent lodgings."
Soldiers marched the streets in greater number than the party had encountered before. Perhaps word of their exploits at the Draklor Laboratory had made it through the Empire, and they were stepping up their forces in all their conquered towns.
Fran surveyed the busy square and gestured towards the bazaar. "Off the beaten path, to be sure. Perhaps we will find something to our liking there?"
The party left the open square and entered the more confining paths of the bazaar. The smell of exotic spices filled the air, and the loud cacophony of merchants peddling their wares surrounded the group. They turned down another street, and they appeared to be entering the main hospitality area of Nalbina. Elaborately painted wooden signs hung haphazardly over doorways announcing pubs and inns.
Ashe inspected each sign with wonder, withholding laughter at some of the more creative names for taverns. The raucous cheers and songs of the town's residents could be heard from the street, many enjoying the end of their days of hard labor rebuilding the mighty fortress. The Princess was admiring a sign for The Pointy Cactuar when a heavily intoxicated man was thrown out into the street, kicking up a cloud of dust.
"Can we go in this one?" Vaan inquired eagerly, and Penelo shook her head in disgust.
"I would say this is a few rungs below the Sandsea," Fran replied as the party continued their search.
Ashe was drawn to a friendly sign and a cheerful storefront. The windows were scrubbed as clean as could be, and the scent of roasting meat was emerging into the passageway. "How about this one?" she inquired, "The Desert Blossom Inn?"
Basch and Penelo were about to open the door when Balthier cleared his throat loudly. "How about we keep looking? It seems dreadfully boring. Look in there. Just old folks. We'd stick out like sore thumbs in a place like that." It was true. Everyone inside was hunched over and wrinkled, but the smell of the supper being served was still quite tempting.
Ashe frowned at his dismissal. "It seems a safer place than the Pointy Cactuar. Or would you prefer we stay in some seedy pirate tavern tonight?" Balthier turned to her with an amused expression and was ready to contest her accusation.
"We will return to the Desert Blossom if we cannot decide on a more suitable choice," Fran replied diplomatically. The group continued on. Balthier proceeded to dismiss The Seventh Heaven ("dismal food"), The Rose and Crown ("too sympathetic to the Resistance movement"), and The Garuda ("banned for life"). The party was almost ready to abandon the sky pirate when he came upon the last pub in the row.
A fat fluffy bird was painted on its sign, announcing it as The Golden Chocobo. The building was built of worn but solid stone, and Ashe could hear clapping and cheering inside. "We've come at just the right time!" Balthier announced, shoving Vaan playfully towards the entrance.
Basch regarded a sign tacked to the door. "Music and dancing tonight. Nalbina's own Malar Tymel and his band play all your favorites," the knight read. Vaan and Penelo had already wandered inside, and the Princess proceeded after them. An older man at the door asked them to turn over their weapons, and they reluctantly obliged.
The Golden Chocobo was better than she had expected. A weathered wooden bar stood to one side with numerous tables and chairs clustered all about. Opposite the bar was a small stage where the band was arranged. A jolly, rotund Seeq was beating a large drum while two other men played a flute and a mandolin respectively. Another man, Malar Tymel himself Ashe figured, was singing a lively song and had a fiddle of his own. There was plenty of empty space in front of the band where at least a dozen people were engaged in a rowdy dance.
The party found a large table with a clear view of the band, and Fran, Balthier and Basch went to order a meal and drinks for the party. Ashe found herself drawn to the music, letting it fill her ears. She couldn't help clapping along with the rest of the crowd. She could tell that Vaan and Penelo were itching to join in the dancing, but their meal would come first.
Basch and Fran returned with a large pot of stew fresh from the kitchen, a small loaf of bread and bowls. Vaan eagerly began eating so he could join in the dancing. Balthier returned with a tray full of beverages and handed them out.
"A good hearty stout for the Captain and me, mead for the ladies, and a nice ale for young Master Vaan," the pirate announced as he distributed their drinks.
Vaan wrinkled his nose at his drink. "How come I can't drink a stout?"
Basch ladled some stew into his bowl. "It's a meal in a pint glass. Too heavy for you, I wager."
Vaan shook his head. "No way! I can drink it," the young man argued. He picked up his ale and wandered over to the bar in hopes of swapping his drink while the rest of the party enjoyed the piping hot stew. The companions discussed their route for the coming day, having to shout a bit at one another over the noisy band and crowd.
Glass of dark stout in hand, Vaan returned to the table triumphantly. He sat down and gave Balthier and Basch a firm look before raising the glass to his lips and guzzling a large sip. The young man looked slightly queasy at the taste and looked down into his bowl of stew to avoid the laughter of the rest of the table.
Ashe turned her attention to Vaan and pushed her glass of mead towards him. "I will switch with you. So nothing goes to waste."
Vaan traded happily and the rest of the table's companions raised their eyebrows in surprise at the Princess' suggestion. "Are you sure you can handle that, Princess?" Balthier inquired, raising his own glass in challenge.
Ever since their conversation at the Phon Coast, Ashe felt drawn to the sky pirate in some way. She couldn't put her finger on it, but something had shifted when he had revealed his past to her. It was like some door being opened, but Ashe was very unsure if she wanted to walk through it. Where before he had merely teased her like he teased Vaan or the others, every glance he now afforded her went on a moment too long, and she always looked away first. This time she would not let him unsettle her.
Ashe met his eyes and did not look away as she took a large gulp of the heavy beer. Successful, the Princess returned her attention to her dinner as Balthier offered a small round of applause.
The supper continued until everyone was full of food. "I should not have eaten so much," Ashe mused aloud, "I don't think I'll be able to do much dancing."
"Well, I know I'm ready!" Penelo announced excitedly. She grabbed Vaan's hand and pulled him onto the floor. They mingled effortlessly with the rest of the crowd, and the rest of the party admired their carefree attitude.
A barmaid cleared the table, and the group enjoyed the music. A tune very familiar to Ashe began playing, and it brought tears to her eyes.
"What troubles you?" Fran inquired, placing a hand over hers.
Ashe shook her head and smiled. "I am just surprised that they would play this. It's the traditional wedding dance in Nabradia. I've not heard this song since my wedding day."
"They had a dance just for weddings?" Vaan inquired as he and Penelo returned to the table, flushed and happy.
The Princess nodded. "It wasn't proper for me to practice with Lord Rasler before we were wed. But I had to practice every day before the wedding. I will not mention who I practiced with, but he is sitting at this table right now."
Balthier's eyes widened in surprise as Basch began eagerly examining words some old patron had carved into the wooden table.
Penelo giggled. "Basch can dance?" she asked excitedly.
Ashe turned to the loyal man with a grin. "You would be surprised. He was very graceful. Even Lord Rasler stepped on my feet, but Basch never did."
"You exaggerate my prowess, your Majesty," Basch muttered. He was avoiding the rest of the party's gaze, turning his focus instead on the band.
Fran took a sip of her mead. "We must judge for ourselves," she said, looking pointedly at the knight.
Basch continued to shift uncomfortably in his seat. Balthier stood then, offering his hand to the Princess. "If you won't show us, then I'll just have to dance with her," he teased.
Ashe blushed at the attention, and Basch finally rose from his chair. "I don't remember all the steps," he said, "Forgive me."
The Princess danced merrily with the knight, and she was overjoyed at his willingness to have a little fun. She was surprised at her own ability to relax, but she gave the heavy beer a great deal of credit for that. Balthier applauded mightily, clearly surprised by how light Basch could be on his feet.
Penelo and Vaan danced beside them, imitating the steps. The girl was far more successful than her partner, and she groaned every time Vaan stepped on her feet. Finally, she asked Balthier to join her instead.
The Nabradian song ended, and a tune Ashe didn't know began. Basch found an excuse to take his leave, and he sat back at the table. As the Princess walked back to their table, Balthier called over his shoulder to her. "You'll like this one," he said with a mischievous wink.
Ashe sat down and watched the sky pirate dance with Penelo. The girl seemed pleased with her partner, who was much more graceful than Vaan. The fiddle and flute music rose to an enthusiastic pitch, and Ashe sipped more of her drink as she listened to Malar Tymel's rich voice.
"Gather round ye knaves and sing
Of Dentras Fair, the pirate king
Who robbed and stole and fought and thieved
And never let his heart be grieved"
The Princess smiled. Of course Balthier would adore a song about the joys of pirating. Basch and Fran settled into a conversation about battle tactics while Vaan drank himself silly beside them. Ashe watched the pub patrons merrily clap along to the tune.
"The many maidens boasted oft
When in his ship they sailed aloft
And scurvy dogs, they jealous all
Longed to see the pirate's hall"
Balthier sang along with the band as Penelo twirled around him. Ashe joined in the clapping and laughed at Balthier's boisterous singing. The Seeq pounded the drum noisily, and the music filled the room.
Suddenly, the song slowed, and Malar sang the next verse in a much more tender tone. Ashe saw Balthier's eyes dart over at her as Penelo kept dancing, oblivious to the shift in the air. He mouthed the words and continued staring at her.
"But once arose such haughty treasure
A princess met while on his leisure
Stole from him his heart of stone
With one look from her eyes that shone"
The Princess turned away from the dancing, reaching for her glass and downing the remaining contents. Vaan looked at her in surprise, but she would not say anything. The music picked up again, the song returning to its lively character.
"And Dentras Fair, he left the skies
To lie betwixt the maiden's thighs
He gave up throne and sky and hall
To heed his courtly lover's call"
Ashe could feel a blush creeping into her cheeks at the bawdy lyrics and went to the bar to order something else. She heard footsteps behind her, and a few coins were dropped onto the bar.
"I'll pay for the lady's next. And one for yourself as well," Balthier remarked cheerfully. The barman nodded and went to pour Ashe another glass.
The Princess would not turn to face him. "And why pray tell would I like that lewd song?" She tapped her fingers on the bar while she waited. Ashe was very unwilling to consider the lyrics any further than she already was, and she felt very anxious to get away from the sky pirate.
Balthier leaned forward to glance at her. His tone was nonchalant, but his eyes were sparkling with some joke at Ashe's expense. "Is something wrong? The Ballad of Dentras Fair is a wonderful tale of love, adventure, and most importantly, treasure."
The barman arrived with her drink, and they stood together watching the dancers as the song continued. Balthier was about to speak again when the door to the pub opened, and three Archadian soldiers in full armor stumbled in, drunken and rowdy. Ashe moved to return to the table, but Balthier grabbed her wrist and held her still.
The band continued playing, but the crowd grew quiet as the soldiers entered and moved to a table near the rest of the party. "We need to leave," Ashe muttered.
"Already being taken care of," Balthier replied, making some sort of signal for Fran with his hand. The Viera nodded and turned to speak with Basch.
"They might recognize Basch. We have to get him out of here," Ashe complained, moving to set her glass back on the bar.
He slightly tightened his grip on her. "Keep drinking and smiling. You're just a patron, enjoying the music. Too suspicious to leave all at once. Fran will take care of things from here." As Balthier spoke, Ashe saw Basch rise from the table and find Penelo on the dance floor. He took her arm gracefully and led her out the door. The soldiers did not even notice, and Fran followed suit, escorting Vaan out a different entrance moments later.
"Now we leave," Balthier said, removing his hand from her wrist and placing it at the small of her back, guiding her away from the bar. Their escape was short-lived, however, as one of the soldiers stood and worked his way over to the bar.
The soldier ordered drinks for his companions as another of the Archadians approached the band. He shouted over the music. "Oi! The sign outside says you play our favorites. We want to hear the Uplands Waltz!"
The third man pounded a hand on the table joyfully in agreement, and the band consented to play it next. The remainder of the pub's patrons looked fearful at the intrusion of the drunken soldiers, whispering amongst themselves quietly.
The soldier at the bar looked at the Princess lustily, letting his eyes drift up and down her body. Ashe felt Balthier's arm snake around her back, letting his hand rest on her hip possessively. The Princess breathed in sharply at the contact, but it did not deter the Archadian soldier one bit.
"Captain! I've found you a dance partner!" the man shouted, taking the drinks from the barman without offering payment.
The soldier who had ordered the band around marched up to the bar and took his turn eyeing Ashe. The Princess felt anger in every fiber of her being, but Balthier's insistent hand on her hip kept her from shouting back at the soldiers. Ashe could see all of the other pub patrons looking anxiously at them, knowing that any lack of cooperation on their part could get everyone in trouble.
"Surely a beautiful girl like you knows the Uplands Waltz," he slurred, reaching a hand to tug on a strand of her hair. The Princess knew the Uplands Waltz was a most scandalous dance, and from the look in his eyes, Ashe could tell that Balthier knew that too.
Balthier reached up and grabbed the man's hand, guiding it away from Ashe's face. "Come now, gentlemen. The lady is a terrible dancer. Find someone else," he said in a very casual tone, but the hand on Ashe's hip was clamped there. Ashe did not like to be treated like a maid in distress, but she was grateful for his attempts to protect her.
The soldier laughed at Balthier's distraction. "Why don't we let the lady answer?"
Ashe looked up into the soldier's face with as much restraint as she could muster. They could not cause a scene, or they would be arrested and thrown to the Nalbina Dungeons. "I'm sorry, sir. I have already promised this gentleman the next dance," she said, gesturing to Balthier.
The soldier and his companion moved their hands casually to their waists, resting their hands at the hilts of their swords in challenge. The captain dared to grasp Ashe's arm and pulled her close to him. "I'm sure he won't mind. Nalbina belongs to the Empire now, and so do her citizens…"
The band played the opening strains of the waltz as the soldier grabbed Ashe roughly and pulled her towards the dance floor. Ashe turned to look back at Balthier, and he nodded for her to cooperate. His face was calm, but his eyes were furious.
The man's fellow soldiers sat at the table and watched their superior escort Ashe to the dance floor. They hooted and hollered rudely, downing pints of some foul brew. Several other patrons arranged themselves to participate so they would not anger the soldiers. The Seeq began drumming in rhythm, and the captain pulled Ashe against him, placing his hand dangerously low on her back.
The Princess felt like she would be sick, but she had no choice but to go along with this pathetic display. He leaned forward to whisper in her ear, his breath harsh and befouled with drink. "Do your part for the Empire, love," he muttered, squeezing the fingers of her hand as he led her around.
The dancers began moving in time to the music, and Ashe followed the steps dutifully from memory. She knew the most scandalous part of the dance was coming, and she could see Balthier clenching his fists from across the room. The captain wrapped his hands around Ashe's waist, and she obligingly placed her hands on his shoulders. The man hoisted her up for a turn and set her back down roughly, moving his lecherous hands to cup her backside. Ashe longed for her sword so she could teach the uncouth man how she would do her part for the Empire, disappointed that their weapons had been confiscated at the door earlier.
The dance continued for a mercilessly long time, the soldier's hands groping and grabbing at her. His friends cheered him on the entire time, encouraging his manhandling. She looked across the room for Balthier, and she could see the sky pirate furiously arguing with the barman, shoving a pouch of coins into his hands. What was he doing?, Ashe thought.
The soldier spun her around again, lifting her up into the air. But while the other couples were moving on to the next part of the dance, the man kept her off the ground, hugging her to him and twirling around in circles. His metal armor scraped against the bare skin near her waist, and she longed to escape this indignity. Ashe bit her tongue and willed herself to endure the remainder of the dance, but the metal cutting into her skin was becoming unbearable.
She heard Balthier's voice from behind them. "Come now, that's not the proper way to do this waltz. Let me show the lady how to do that part," he cautioned. The soldier stopped spinning her around and let her drop from his arms onto the floor.
Ashe hit the ground hard, and Balthier lunged forward to punch the man, but the soldier drew his sword. The band stopped their music, and all eyes in the Golden Chocobo were upon the scene on the dance floor. The other soldiers left their seats and pulled Ashe up again. The captain aimed his weapon at Balthier's neck, but he directed his words to the Princess.
"We're all friends here, aren't we?" the man said jovially. He turned to the band and waved to them. "You will play that waltz again. My men want their turn with this lovely young woman."
Ashe raised herself up to her full height, and she tried to ignore the growing ache in her legs from being dropped to the ground like a rag doll. "It is getting late. I really think I should go," she said, trying to sound as cooperative as possible.
The soldier smiled at her and sheathed his sword. He smirked at Balthier. "One more dance, sweetheart. I'm sure your boyfriend won't mind…"
The Princess opened her mouth to protest that she was not in any way, shape or form a girlfriend to the sky pirate, but the two soldiers holding her up began tugging her around. "Can I have a go first, darling?" the one to her left asked, squeezing her arm hard enough to leave marks on her flesh.
His friend tugged Ashe in the other direction. "Seniority, Bellis. I get mine next."
Ashe could see Balthier visibly shaking in fury in front of her. She felt exactly the same, but what could they do? The Princess nodded her assent, and the soldier on the left wrapped his arm around her waist and began tugging her about the floor.
The captain clapped a hand on Balthier's shoulder roughly, gripping tightly. "So what can we expect back at the barracks tonight?" the man inquired.
"I beg your pardon?" Balthier asked incredulously. He seemed to be picking up on something Ashe didn't readily understand. But as she felt the drunken soldier's arms roughly grasping at her body, it suddenly dawned on her just how much trouble she was in.
The captain slapped Balthier on the back. "We promise to bring her back in the morning. Though she might need your help to walk..."
Ashe couldn't take any further disgusting behavior, and she brought her knee up to attack the soldier she was dancing with, and Balthier punched the captain in the face. Suddenly there was a loud crashing noise at the bar as an entire shelf full of bottles fell to the ground.
This distracted the stumbling soldiers enough for Balthier to grab Ashe's hand and pull her towards the exit. The clamoring noise of metal signaled that the men were going to try following them. The patrons began screaming as Balthier upturned several tables and chairs to slow their pursuers. They reached the door as several people were walking in off the street to see what all the fuss was about. Ashe felt horrible for doing it, but she grabbed a man who was entering and shoved him in the direction of the soldiers.
The sky pirate pulled her out into the dark street and the cold desert night air hit Ashe like a slap in the face. "This way," Balthier remarked and tugged her down the narrow passage, dodging drunken revelers. Ashe still felt sore from being dropped, but she was not going to let go of his hand.
She could hear loud shouting behind them. "Stop those two! They are dishonoring the Empire!" one of them called, and several people turned to stare at them as they ran past. Balthier gripped her hand even tighter and began pulling her back in the direction of the bazaar.
The shouting continued, and the sky pirate skidded to a halt. Ashe had so much momentum going that she crashed into him. "What are you doing?" she hissed at him, but suddenly he yanked her sideways and into a dark alley. There was a stench of garbage and waste, but it was pitch black, and Balthier tugged her behind an old discarded market stand.
Balthier dragged her against the wall behind the stand and knelt down, pulling her down with him. He kept an arm around her waist, holding her against his chest. Ashe opened her mouth to protest his closeness, but he could sense her complaint coming, and he clapped his hand over her mouth.
"You can slap me later," he whispered, tightening his grip around her middle. The Princess smirked at his remark and remained quiet. There was still a great deal of noise out in the street, and they stayed down for several tense moments.
She could hear Balthier struggling not to breathe too heavily behind her, and she did her best to do the same. Clanking metal signaled the soldiers' arrival just outside of the alley, and Ashe clenched her fists. She wanted nothing more than to emerge from her hiding spot and beat the men senseless, but she knew that she and Balthier were unarmed and outmatched.
"I thought they went this way…" one of the soldiers said, indicating the alleyway. Ashe felt her heartbeat quicken, and she felt Balthier's arm tug her closer against him.
"No way. They're probably running around the bazaar by now," another complained.
The booming voice of their captain silenced them. "That cocky bastard punched me. We're not going to…" he began, but there was a sudden movement in the alley only steps from where Ashe and Balthier were hiding.
The Princess heard three swords being drawn at the noise, and she closed her eyes, waiting to be discovered. She could feel Balthier tense up behind her. He removed his hand from her mouth and shifted. His other hand moved from around her waist to her shoulder, holding her down. Ashe knew that he was going to stand and give himself up, and she had to stop him.
They could hear the soldiers approaching, and Ashe felt the sky pirate inhale, preparing himself to stand. He only had to move a few more inches, and his head would be visible to their pursuers. Ashe had to think fast. She turned sideways and wrapped her arms around Balthier, pulling him back down to his utter surprise. She held him as tightly as she could, pressing her head against his chest. Let them both be caught if that was what the fates had decided, she thought.
The soldiers continued to advance, but a yowling animal hopped up onto the abandoned stand just in front of their hiding place. The captain laughed merrily. "It's just a cat, Bellis. Come on, we have to keep looking," he ordered. Ashe heard the swords return to their scabbards, and pounding metallic footfalls faded away, out of the alley and back into the street.
After a few moments, she realized that she still had some sort of death grip around Balthier, and she released him quickly, standing up and dusting herself off. He rose to his feet as well, letting out a sigh of relief. Neither said anything for a while as they tried to catch their breath after their escape. Ashe leaned back against the alley wall, exhausted. The sky pirate approached her and lifted her chin with his fingers, begging her to meet his eyes.
"Are you alright, Ashe?" he inquired. His eyes searched her face, and she was surprised at the raw emotion that was visible in the pirate's eyes. He had clearly been shaken by the evening's events as much as she. Ashe nodded, and he let his hand drop away from her.
The ensuing silence was palpable, and Ashe knew that they had just been in a very compromising position just moments earlier. The Princess tried to shake the idea of Balthier's hands on her body, both in The Golden Chocobo and out here while they were hiding.
She decided it was best to forget it had happened and changed the subject. "You paid the barkeep to drop all those bottles, didn't you?"
He took a bow. "The perfect distraction if I do say so myself, Princess. But let's just say I hope Fran had enough gil with her to snag us some rooms for the night."
Ashe grinned. "At the dreadfully boring Desert Blossom Inn I imagine?" Where she usually expected Balthier to laugh or at least make some joke, his face turned deadly serious, and he offered her his arm.
"We should probably head back. They're probably wondering where we are by now," he replied. She took his arm and allowed him to escort her out of the alley and back in the direction of the Desert Blossom Inn.
Balthier said nothing for several moments, and all Ashe could hear was the cheers and singing of the crowds along the street. The event with the soldiers must have been an expected occurrence, and the Nalbina residents had resumed their activities as if nothing amiss had happened.
The Princess looked at the pirate from the corner of her eye, and she saw a very uncharacteristic frown crossing his features. He seemed to be more affected by the events in the pub than even she was.
She decided to broach the subject. "I just wanted to thank you for your quick thinking tonight. I would have gotten myself thrown into the dungeons if I had refused their disgusting dances."
He snorted and said nothing. Ashe looked away from him again, and they continued to walk in silence. What was wrong with him? She was almost beginning to miss his awful teasing, and she remembered the wicked grin on his face when she had heard the lyrics in that ridiculous pirate ballad.
A pair of soldiers emerged from a tavern across the way, and Ashe felt Balthier pull her closer to him as they walked. The Archadians paid them no attention as they finally reached the door of the Desert Blossom Inn. She couldn't take a silent Balthier any longer. She withdrew her arm from his grasp and turned to him in the doorway. "What is wrong with you? Surely you've been in worse situations than what happened back there."
He crossed his arms and leaned back against the door frame opposite her. "It was my idea to go to that pub. I couldn't just leave well enough alone," he complained, fixing her with a guilty stare. So that was it, she thought. He felt like it was his fault she had been accosted.
Ashe tried to reassure him. "We were having a good time before they intruded. You could not have known what was going to happen. And you got us out of there without bloodshed. We can continue our journey anew in the morning because of that," she said, reaching to place a hand on his arm.
The sky pirate looked into her face and sighed. Ashe did not know what to think of the look that clouded his eyes, but it made her heart race. "If something had happened to you…if something had gone wrong, I don't know what I would have done. Ashe, I…"
"What took you guys so long?" Vaan called as he opened the door of the inn. Ashe removed her hand from Balthier's arm as if she had been burned. They entered the Desert Blossom and saw the rest of the party seated at a table in back.
Ashe was about to explain their nasty encounter and narrow escape when Balthier interrupted her, his tone returned completely to its usual flippancy. Although his voice was full of his usual arrogance, his eyes said something else. "Ashe gave them the once over. You should have seen her. We had to lay low for a while, but other than that, no worries." She nodded in agreement, grateful that he left out the more awkward events that occurred in The Golden Chocobo and afterward.
The party agreed to rise early to get their weaponry back from the Golden Chocobo. Basch produced keys for rooms, and the party ascended the stairs to rest. Ashe longed for Balthier to finish whatever he had started to say. She tried to stay back and catch his attention, but he was the first to retire for the night. The Princess paused outside his door and raised her hand to knock.
She heard a small cough from behind her. The Viera walked up and gave her a knowing look. "I can tell that you both have withheld something. What else happened tonight?"
The Princess was a bit startled and wondered if she could hide anything from Fran's ruby eyes. She shook her head. "Nothing too extraordinary. Balthier merely attempted to defend my honor from those repugnant soldiers. I was grateful for his assistance."
Fran's expression remained neutral, but there was some sort of sparkle in her eyes. "I see. I would expect no less where it concerns you."
Ashe was confused. "What do you mean where it concerns me?" What was Fran getting at?
The Viera gave her a small smile. "Forget I said anything. Good night, your highness." Fran gave her shoulder a slight squeeze, and she continued down the hallway to her own room, leaving Ashe to ponder the meaning of her words.
Too many thoughts were now swirling about in her head, and Ashe was surprised to discover that many of them now involved the sky pirate. She could still feel the touch of his hand upon her hip, on her hand, and on her face. The time to ponder these things would have to wait. She moved on to her own room and turned the key in the lock. Ashe found herself humming the Ballad of Dentras Fair as she drifted off to sleep.