Chapter Twenty-Three: Epilogues and possible prologues to greater things

'Balthier?'

Fran tapped her foot on the grating outside the closed door of the Captain's cabin.

' One moment.'

Balthier's voice was muffled as he called to her over the rush of hot water from his shower. Fran sighed.

One moment for the vain pirate was equal to a small eternity in these circumstances.

Fran walked back to the cockpit of the Strahl and took her seat in the navigator's chair.

Today marked one year and six months of partnership.

She and Balthier had, in no time at all thanks in part to their dramatic activities in Veridree, made quite a name for themselves.

The summons to Balfonheim to meet with the new pirate king had come as a welcome distraction however.

War had come to Ivalice much as Balthier had predicted. Shortly after their escape from Veridree Nabudis was eradicated and its kingdom now stood an instant wasteland; Dalmasca was under an occupation and its ruling family dead within two months of Nabudis' fall.

The woes of the ruling classes made little odds to pirates, yet Balthier, who had taken it into his head to only rob from those 'who deserve it' kept his ear to the ground for political nuances, hoping to pick his next target from those who would exploit the misery of Ivalice's people.

' What kind of a name is Reddas anyway?'

Balthier stalked into the cockpit fastening his cuffs, a towel across his shoulders and hair still slightly damp from the shower ( a piece of equipment that few could afford but which Balthier would possess come hell or high water).

' An assumed one, I would surmise.' Fran murmured as Balthier dropped into his seat beside her.

'Obviously.' Balthier agreed. ' I was referring to the choice, more so than the providence.'

' It is lacking in elegance, I suppose?' Fran suggested as she started the engines.

' It lacks a certain mystique, I would argue.' Balthier smirked.

He had grown beyond the vestiges of adolescence in the last year, his features fine boned and sharp as rapiers, no longer held the softness of youth.

' The mystique of a name such as Balthier?'

He had also taken to cultivating delicately curving sideburns that traced his jaw and multiple ear piercings; under Fran's careful eye he had gained muscle and maintained a healthy weight for his height.

' A fine pirate name, certainly.'

Balthier conceded having told her the truth of his lineage some time ago, though Fran had never asked.

I have no intention of ever lying to you again Fran. A pirate must have one person in his crew that he can be honest with, after all.

He had told her in defence of his confession.

Fran had yet to tell him of Eruyt and he had never once asked, but she knew that it was only a matter of time before she shared her burden with him also.

'Do you suspect trouble?' Fran asked him as they sailed through moonlit sky towards Balfonheim.

Balthier glanced at her briefly, 'No; do you?'

Fran shook her head, 'You seem ill at ease.'

His preoccupation with dressing in his best an indication of his unease, the white shirt luminous and the leather trousers subtly embroidered; the vest of supple leather and swirled with silver and green velvet.

Balthier sighed, 'I am not thrilled with the prospect of making the acquaintance of another pirate king. I have no intention of giving fealty in any rate.'

'Rikken and Elza said only that Reddas wished to meet the pirate responsible for deposing Nylous. Do you not trust their word?'

' Oh, no more or less than I trust the word of any other pirate.' Balthier said off-handedly.

'It is the fact that we know so little of this Reddas chap that bothers me. Pirates, especially those who would be kings, ought have a past.'

' Your words surprise me, Balthier, as you would seek to bury your own.'

Fran pointed out dryly as the lights of Balfonheim pricked the velvet dark horizon.

Balthier turned his head to throw a quick grin her way, ' That's true Fran, but I still have a past. This man Reddas appears from nowhere as if conjured from Mist.'

'Sky Piracy has made you paranoid.' Fran teased gently.

Balthier scoffed, 'Paranoia is a fine thing in moderation but I prefer to consider this as due prudence.'

Fran allowed a ghost of a smile to light, briefly, upon her lips. 'As you say, Balthier.'

They settled into companionable silence for awhile.

A year in her company and Balthier had learnt to be more sparing with his words, quieter in his actions and his reflections.

Fran could not decide if this was a good thing or bad.

' I have been thinking about our next caper, Fran.'

Balthier spoke eventually; he still could not abide long periods of silence.

' We are destined for the Mosphoran Highwaste with the counterfeit Licence certificates.'

Fran reminded him. Smuggling contraband and Balthier's talent for forgery provided the majority of their income.

Balthier shook his head, ' That's business Fran, I was referring to our next big heist.'

Fran internalised her smile, waiting for the big reveal. They did not need to rob ancient tombs and steal from the houses of Imperial diplomats to make a good living from piracy.

They did so solely for fun.

' In a little over six months Vayne Solidor is to take up his consulship of Dalmasca.'

Balthier informed Fran in a conversational tone of voice. He kept his eyes on the approaching Balfonheim.

Fran studied the read-outs on her monitors and gauges, making sure nothing untoward would affect their descent and landing into the port.

'I was aware of this.'

'Hmm.' Balthier all but purred, a smile twitching his lips.

'We have never stolen from Dalmasca before.'

Fran glanced at him as he brought the ship into dock smoothly.

'You once said that Dalmasca had nothing to offer the discerning thief but sunburn and Chocobo excrement.'

She reminded him pointedly.

Balthier turned to her as they powered down the ship. ' I'm sure there must be something of value in the palace treasury, Fran.'

He sounded just a little annoyed that she was threatening to spoil his fun.

' Something Vayne Solidor would pay handsomely to have returned to him.'

Fran stared at him for a moment, Balthier gazed placidly back at her.

He had perfected a smooth veneer to go with his mendacious tongue and did not often falter in his act now.

Fran suspected he had learnt this from her, again she was not sure if she did not actually miss the more free and demonstrative Balthier.

'You would extort the son of the Emperor with ransomed treasure?'

She wanted to make sure she had understood him correctly.

A cunning grin slipped free of his facade, 'Why not? I need to perfect the art of blackmail and who better for a target than Vayne Solidor?'

Fran shook her head, 'You are like to be hanged.'

Balthier shook his head as they disembarked the Strahl and made their way to the Manse on Saccio Lane.

' Hung, drawn and quartered actually.' Balthier corrected her cheerfully.

'Really Fran, if a man is to become a legend he cannot do so through petty forgery and smuggling. He must make sure to have his name on the lips of every man, woman and child in Ivalice.'

'As the fool who thought to blackmail the most powerful man in Ivalice; the commander in chief of the Archadian army, and suffered accordingly?'

Fran questioned dryly, Balthier scowled.

'Fran, please. Give me some credit, I shall not be caught.'

'You are so confident of this, Balthier?'

They had reached the Manse and could see Rikken and Elza waiting for them by the large front doors.

Balthier turned and smirked at Fran.

'Of course Fran; I am supremely confident that I can pull off such a caper once I have properly planned out the details. '

' Why?'

They stopped for a moment before heading up to the door to meet the other two and be introduced to the elusive Reddas.

Balthier was grinning with confidence and some amusement at her confusion.

'Because I have something no other pirate has ever had.'

He was determined to draw out the suspense and Fran had no reason to deny him his entertainment.

'And that is?'

' You, Fran. I have you.'

Balthier promptly pivoted on his heel and made his way, a confident couerl-like swagger to the sway of his hips, towards Rikken and Elza.

Fran did pause for a moment to watch his departing back; a smile ghosting across her lips.

And I have you.

She thought as she stepped up alongside him and they greeted their compeers.

And in lieu of Green Way, her sisters and her Wood, Fran thought that she should be very thankful that she had found this Hume to call partner in her exile.

I would like to thank everyone (again) who read and reviewed. I am hugely grateful for all the kind words and encouragement. The response to this story has been better than I could have imagined!

Spikey44

P.S - For those who are interested I have a war time tale for our piratical duo 'The War Privateer' in the works, turns out Balthier wants a shot at spinning a good yarn, now Fran's had her say. - I really should get a life - fictional characters are running amok in my brain! - but these two are just so much fun to write!