aleadingman (aleadingman) wrote in blackpoint, @ 2015-03-16 18:38:00 |
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Entry tags: | ashelia dalmasca, balthier |
WHO: Ashelia Dalmasca and Balthier
WHERE: Her place
WHEN: Nowish
WHAT: A long-awaited reunion
RATING: Light!
STATUS: log; complete.
Ashelia wasn’t as young as she used to be, or as angry. Not that that was necessarily saying much. On the adventures that she and Balthier had shared, she was practically a thing composed of pure rage. It was a miracle her team hadn’t all died, and it wasn’t usually thanks to her leadership. She’d grown up since then. She only verbally threatened people when she arrived, still very suspicious that after more than ten years, some evil gods were trying to use her or her children. Ten years was a long time. One by one, she fell out of touch with the friends she had traveled with. She married Al-Cid to solidify a treaty. Dreams of airships and far off lands and beautiful sunsets faded as the daily duties numbered up. But they hadn’t faded completely. As her sons grew, she found them again, stories to tell them during baths or at bedtime. She tweaked the details, but even so, she found herself missing those days more and more. Maybe that was why she requested a separation from her husband--but it more than likely had to do with the continued rumors of his girls in other ports. Whatever. It was done now and in a different world. A different world? Ashelia took a deep breath as she brought out a bottle of wine for her and her guest. She had put her sons to sleep upstairs, and now it was time for the adults to really talk. It didn’t seem like a trick of the Occuria or other gods simply from their world--there were too many strangers involved, and different versions of them to boot. But it was magick far out of her understanding. She poured a glass for Balthier and then for herself. “It’s not Dalmascan Barose, but it seemed like a good red. I couldn’t tell which of the liquors might be closest to Madhu, so this seemed safer.” Her tone was stern and formal, years of being a queen hard to shake. Balthier walked away from their adventure with an even greater legend behind him, and wasn't that what he was looking for at the end of the day? He also got unexpected closure with his past, and that was a book firmly closed. Ffamran mied Bunansa was dead for good, the pieces left over of him faded away with his father's last breath. Balthier had his mighty stand and his heroic sacrifice, but the hidden truth was he and Fran did come out of it gravely injured. She more so than him, although she also healed faster. They were not found in the wreckage, good pirates never were, but it took time. Silence on their part was intentional as the let the dust settle. A year later they were prepared to get their ship back, and set a journey to head off to with Vaan and Penelo. He sent the ring back to his Queen, as he promised when a better treasure was found, and looked to the next horizon. And that was more or less what his future held. He flew and he wandered and he found treasures and adventures. He got updates about their former companions, although he didn't need to press Vaan's limited awareness for information about the Queen. She was a public figure, after all. It was impossible to not know of the political dealings. And Balthier knew all about rumors. Those whispers were a good rogue's most useful skill. Time barely seemed to touch him. He hadn't reached the point where excitement started to age him; it still invigorated him instead. Balthier took to the princes easily and well, wasting no time in casting elaborate stories around them. He knew a good tale when he had one, and there was the added portion of filling in gaps for their mother as well over the past few years. Embellished, of course, in some places, as was his way. He nearly took, opened, and poured the wine instead, he was a gentleman after all, but one look at Ashe warned him otherwise. As usual, she preferred to take command. "I trust in your refined tastes." Balthier swished the liquid elegantly in his hand and tasted it, nodding his approval. He was casually attired and seated, a boot up on a chair nearby, languishing in a way that owned the space around him. "You look well," he complimented easily. "Motherhood agrees with you." If there was one thing that Ashelia could say (and was willing to admit) about Balthier, it was that he lived up to his own reputation. He had a way of making himself the center of whatever story he found his way into, even when it was her rebellion or her living room. He was smart and had access to information that made him seem always on top. It could be a little annoying, so she would be calling the wine in her own house, thank you. Or what passed for hers. But his compliments had an edge to sincerity, she felt, but maybe that was just wishful thinking. After all these years, she missed her friends terribly without any way to fix it. So now, it would be hard to admit, but she hoped they had missed her, too. "It is good to have children in the palace again. And they're such good boys. I was blessed with them." She didn't need to reference that she was from a very large family herself, though that would explain part of why children were so welcome. But even without that, children were good for her. She wasn't sure she'd be a good mother, but having that responsibility had turned out to be her greatest pleasure. Something happy outside of treaties and politics. “But your adventures haven’t aged you at all. Perhaps Fran keeps you young, though.” It was hard to tell from her tone if she were complimenting or teasing, but he did look not much older than she remembered. While there was much about his past Balthier rejected, there were aspects of it that made him into what he was now. He was born into wealth and prestige and influence. He spoke more like a courtier than a pirate. There was an elegance in his dress and manner that made him stand out, and he cast his mishaps as daring adventures more than outright thievery. But he craved freedom in a controlling atmosphere, and he disregarded the laws that he was supposed to adhere to. His appearance and mannerisms were deliberately crafted to Balthier the sky pirate. He made himself into the legend he created. But he never had what he would call a cause before. Or a purpose. He was intentionally purposeless for quite some time. And then he kidnapped a Queen and decided to be on a mad journey simply out of curiosity. Or perhaps there were more sincere reasons he preferred not to delve into. Such as some suppressed sense of honor and responsibility. Shhhh. His compliment was sincere, but it was easy for people to second guess his intentions since he was full of silky words and double meanings. It had just been too long since they saw one another, if she could not tell the difference. "Of course they're good boys, they come from good stock. Well, half of them at least." Balthier's distaste for her husband wasn't exactly new. He never liked the man much, and liked him even less now. He would never disparage him in front of the princes, that would be disrespectful to the family, but to her, his loyalties were very clear. He tugged at his ear when she teased and he smiled, his fingers playing along the several ornamental piercings. He traded the major ones out from silver to gold. "I'm merely adopting her skill for slow aging. One of these days will my hair will be as white as hers, and I will never hear the end of it." Balthier's partnership with Fran was a constant for so many years now he considered it a given. It was going to bother him with time, this separation. "They say there's no going back," he said, somberly. Whatever his reasons had been for helping her, she couldn’t guess. He lived up to that reputation, but it was clear that there was much more to him than that. He and Fran had stopped the Bahamut from destroying Rabanastre. He had returned her ring. There was more to him than what was on the surface, but she hadn’t figured him out. What she had been doing was spending years with a flattering ladies’ man, not to mention other courtiers, and she wasn’t in the mood to accept compliments quickly. And it was the reference to that other man with silky words that made her grimace and drink her wine too quickly. She thought she had done very well with keeping a neutral face on the matter for her children, but it was only Balthier here, and he had never seemed too impressed with Al-Cid. Ashelia agreed. But after a pause, she could admit, “Al-Cid has his skills, as well as his flaws.” Another sip of wine. “And I have my flaws as well. Hopefully our sons will take the best from us both.” Al-Cid’s even temper might be useful to counter the deep emotions that Ashe had. Her feelings always ran very deep and very openly, no matter how she tried to cover them up as queen. Her appreciation for his loyalty was seen in a her eyes now. Ashe could already guess that it would be difficult for Balthier to be here without Fran, much less his airship. It bothered her that she could think of nothing to do. “Shouldn’t the leading man simply fade into the sunset?” Untouched by age, his reputation surviving forever? But that was just a story, and this was reality. What they said didn’t matter as much as what Balthier thought, so Ashelia leaned forward. “And you think they’re telling the truth?” She would likely never get an honest answer out of him on the matter, because Balthier wasn't altogether certain of his full motivations. It was enough he had them, and he and Fran helped where they could. And he could never really let go of a good dramatic opportunity like going down with the ship. He was a complicated man, but if pressed, he would smile insincerely and claim to be very simple instead. Artifice was part of the game. Still, he wouldn't like to be considered on the same level as Al-Cid in that regard, no matter how true it was. They both had smooth tongues and easy temperaments, but Balthier's greatest weakness was in his absolute loyalty. It was difficult to win and rarely spoken about, but unwavering all the same. "We all have our skills and flaws, but you'll have to forgive my intolerance of his. You are, after all, my queen." She wasn't, not truly. Not in the sense he was one of her citizens, or born to it at all. That was a claiming purposely made and decided upon long ago. Even Fran would call her such, and the viera knew no Hume leaders. Balthier's eyes were serious for a moment, meeting her appreciative ones directly. He meant what he said. Her children would have his allegiance for the same reasons, and a decade hadn't changed it. Of course he could never remain that way for long, his easy smile returning a moment later. "The leading man lives forever in the imagination, but I had no plans for retirement soon. Although it may be forced upon me." A fact Balthier was not fond of, and he looked to the sky with longing and frustration more than a few times since arriving. He would find a way around it. He was clever that way. He pensively drank his wine before replying. "Yes. I do." Balthier was skeptical of all things, but he was also smart and good at reading people. "They certainly believe they are telling the truth, and I've gone back on this ... network of theirs. A long time now. Unless they went through years of preparation simply to fool us when we arrived, they are likely speaking truth." She knew she had no political power over Balthier and Fran, nowhere outside the boundaries of Rabanastre. Even here, she wasn’t technically queen. So being called queen made her tilt her head in heartfelt acknowledgment. Nobody might understand Balthier perfectly, but that meant his loyalty after all these years counted all the more. His long distaste for Al-Cid didn’t necessarily make any more sense, but between the two of them, she wasn’t going to complain. “As I’ve lost my tolerance, I suppose I cannot hold yours against you.” Her face was more serious, as she wasn’t particularly good at covering up her feelings. The stern line of thought was also a testament to her faith in them. “I am sure you of all people will be able to find treasure worth stealing here. The world cannot be so empty.” But that couldn’t bring back Fran or the Strahl. She gave a quiet sigh at Balthier’s belief--he wasn’t a gullible man. Her eyes glanced up, thinking about her boys sleeping upstairs. They were priority number one now. She had other priorities, though--her kingdom, and her companions. She took another drink of her wine before she gave a disbelieving chuckle. “To survive what we did, and to end up here.” This wasn’t how her life was supposed to go. This wasn’t how the lives of her sons were supposed to go. And Balthier was here, of all people. She was at a loss of where to start. Anyone who attempted to wield political power over him would automatically be rebelled against. Balthier's freedom was extremely important to him. He fought beside Ashe, he helped her regain her throne, and that meant he knew she was the type of ruler he could respect. If not follow the orders of. He would never do that. It was a matter of principle! But his dislike of Al-Cid started before their political marriage, and only deepened because of it. "The princes will hear no disapproval from me on the matter," he reassured. "But their mother can say whatever she likes. We are, after all, old friends." His eyes wandered over her features aimlessly. Such a beautiful woman. Time only matured it, although there was so much severity in her features. "Only when I know the best way to get away with it here. My escapes are slightly more difficult without a ship to run to." He wanted to find a way to soften her features, to make her smile, but it was a tall order. Nostalgia might help. "I doubt I'll find a treasure greater than you to steal in this world, your highness." He watched her look up and knew where her thoughts were leaning. It was a testimony to how much they respected each other that she believed his opinion. He didn't take that for granted. Balthier set the wine down and reached out to take her hand. It was meant as a gesture of comfort. "We will continue to survive and thrive. We're both excellent at that. Of course you might have to remind me of that when I inevitably get stir crazy and try to steal a new ship." His smile was warm, as was that steady green gaze. "We shall adapt." Balthier might not follow her orders, but she would probably end up offering some anyway. He was a sky pirate, and she was a queen, and some things would never change. Like her trust in him, which he would be wise to enjoy: she had so many betrayals in her young life, but sometimes it was easier to trust a pirate than a knight. And he in their travels had never let her down, although, well, sometimes she was disappointed he’d never dropped in unexpectedly at the palace. But that was just idle fantasy on her part, and she wouldn’t hold it against him. “If you have kept at all informed of the palace, I’m sure you know what words I may wish to use in reference to that man.” None fit for any company. “But I appreciate your regard for the princes in the matter. They’ll surely miss their father at some point, although I find being in a world away from him a not unfortunate fate.” Still so much severity and anger inside of her, defaulting her to a serious expression, even if she was better behaved than she had been. Nostalgia was a useful way to make her wistful, though. She didn’t want to be angry and serious all the time. But his reference only made an eyebrow go up. “We’ve long since passed the time for kidnapping queens.” Even if on more than one occasion she had found herself wishing for that. She silently considered him for a moment before setting down her own wine glass and joining her hand atop his. “I will. I will consider it my duty as your queen. But I do not have the ability to grant you pardon here, so do be careful what you steal,” she teased. Because he would. Or find some other way to get his thrills. “My sons deserve more than exile,” she added after a long pause. They were innocent of all this. Right now, they still liked it, but soon, they were bound to miss home. She couldn’t forget them when Balthier was trying to comfort her. But at least she was accepted some portion of the comfort. She wasn’t trying to be too strong and brush it all away. She counted that among the ways she was acting mature. He would be shocked if she didn't throw around a few orders eventually. Some he might follow, some he might not. Just like when they were companions. Balthier considered visiting over the years. He was in and out of her land, and a drop by would have been very easy. But she had a busy life and he might get tempted to stay longer than a day or so. It was better for him to always be moving, and now that was going to be a problem. He was not looking forward to being rooted in one place, not when his spirit needed more. For now he would let himself get intrigued by the situation and wait for that to last as long as possible. A concern for another day. "I may have an idea of it. I kept a close eye on you, from a distance. I had an invested interest, after all." It wasn't just Vaan and Penelo, because they could only give him so much information. Occasionally Basch and Larsa. And a coin in the right pocket could get basic rumors from the palace; nothing traitorous, just gossip. Balthier had his own way of watching. He saw the fire burning in her, and it was a relief to know some things hadn't changed. If Ashe was sickly sweet and soft spoken now, she might as well be a different person. "There's always time to kidnap queens, especially from fools who don't value them properly." It was a nice fantasy, them all back together on a new adventure. Just one that was never possible. "Please, you wound me, I'm very careful about what I steal. I have high standards." Balthier doubted he would last long, but he needed to learn this world first. He was a smart and not-suicidal man. He suspected this place was far less warm toward legitimate piracy. He was surprised she accepted his touch, but brought no attention to it. Instead he turned his hand around to let their palms meet and comfortably held hers that way. "It's not precisely exile. We may not be able to promise them a throne here, but it's early yet. There may be a future worth fighting for." He smiled at her. "Have you never wondered what you might do without a throne?" She raised an eyebrow when he said he had a vested interest. “And if I had failed as queen, would you seek a return investment?” Always out for a profit, that was Balthier. But she knew he wasn’t reckless. She was the reckless one, really. He was the flamboyant, never settling free person. She was the quick-tempered queen held in her position. “He’s worse than a fool. He insulted the throne and his children and his vows.” That’s what pissed Ashelia off more than if he had simply not cared for her. She wasn’t property to be valued. It was a political marriage. Logic said that she couldn’t expect feelings from him, even if he might lavish her with charm. It was the way he treated many women. As became extremely obvious. But, there was nothing to be done about that. Well. Not anymore. It was better that he didn’t bring attention to her accepting his hand. Talking about it might have made her snap and change her mind. But she liked the warm touch of his palm, and even if he’d fly off again soon--or whatever would become the equivalent--she thought she could indulge in his company this much. But she wasn’t going in indulge him with her thoughts on not being queen. “No.” Lies. “I fought too hard, and lost too much, to secure that throne.” That was true. “But I suppose there are other lives my children could live.” Only one of them could be king, after all. But to help them, she would have to take the lead and set an example. What the hell was she going to do? She didn’t think she was qualified to do anything but fight and rule. Balthier snorted. "You? Fail as Queen? I never worried about that." It was not flattery at all, he said it in a very direct way. He really got nothing from their relationship, at least not in the sense that a pirate would look for. Perhaps if he was in trouble one day, real trouble, he had an ace in the hole he could call for. Otherwise all he had was the satisfaction of knowing their countries found peace and prosperity. Wars were very troublesome, after all. "Off with his head," he said dryly. He knew he walked a fine line with Ashe, considering her temper and prickly attitude, but Balthier had faith. In his charm, and also in her knowledge that if he teased, it was with affection. And he clearly shared her feelings toward her husband. "You should have gotten word to us. Instead of kidnapping a queen, we could always disappear her consort instead. Nothing untoward, mind you. Just a very remote temple where he would have plenty of time to think about his choices." The suggestion was mild, but sincere. He and Fran were not assassins, but they could get creative. He had little doubt Fran would be on board. She had no love for cheating Humes either. "As someone who chose to defy his fate, I know a thing or two about starting over on a new path." Balthier started from nothing. He fled his father and his comfortable background. For all his confidence now, he remembered that terrified boy, who more than once thought about turning back. "You must trust someone, Ashelia, and I think for a sky pirate I've proven moderately trustworthy." He ran his thumb along her knuckles lightly. The directness with which he answered surprised her somewhat, and it showed on her features for a moment. But honestly, she did know that everyone in their group had faith in her at the end. It was the only way they succeeded: they did all trust one another. “Good, I wouldn’t tolerate any lack of faith on your part,” she answered lightly. But if he needed help getting out of trouble, she probably would help. Probably. “I thought about it,” she returned. Balthier needed to put less faith in his charm, though. She was extra prickly about charm after Al-Cid, but Balthier did have a different sort of charm. The silver words were more sincere, somehow. “And how would I have gotten word to you?” she asked. “A queen contacting a sky pirate?” She took a deep breath. “He’s in Rozarria now anyway. And I am here.” Wherever Hawaii was. Defying fate. That did sound a lot better than exile, and she tried not to curl her fingers more into his hand when he brushed her knuckles. She did trust him. As a comrade. “Very. You did return to my ring. I would be willing to use your counsel here.” She wasn’t going to put faith that he wasn’t going to disappear for long stretches, though. Roaming spirit and all. Balthier chuckled warmly, shaking his head at her. "I can't say I've ever been particularly fond of royalty, so if I encouraged it, it was for good reason." He didn't hate royalty either; he knew the power and entitlement of the ruling class from personal experience. For every person like Ashe or Larsa, there was one who didn't mean as well. Believing in her cause was a necessity or he would have left her where he found her. Having a royal on his side in case there was trouble was an added bonus. He had Larsa too. Just in case. He knew his charm was different. Al-Cid was slimey. Balthier was smooth. In his estimation, at least. His eyebrows went up curiously at her. "Did you not know that our former companions knew how to reach us? We would have come, if asked." Especially for such a worthy endeavor! He would very much enjoy it. "Even Basch occasionally sent messages." He didn't take it personally when she was far too busy to waste her time on it. Running a Queendom and raising two children must be quite the time waster. "I keep my promises. Not always the way I originally mean them, but that's life and fate for you. Ever moving." He might get stir crazy and disappear occasionally, but he would come back too. Her hands were smooth and elegant, and so were his, more so than might be expected for someone typically in danger. "The first thing I plan to look into is what they know about us here, and then how that can be used to our advantage." “Of course, you always have good reason,” Ashelia agreed in a dry tone. The implicit ‘for your own benefit’ was practically audible. But that clearly had never bothered Ashe. She had chosen to work with the sky pirate all that time ago, and that was one thing she didn’t regret. But the fact that she’d fallen out of touch was less comfortable. She had wanted to send messages on occasion, but she never had. She saw Basch--Judge Gabranth--at infrequent court ceremonies, and Penelo made a point of dropping in when she could. Bless the girl. And so Ashelia did indeed know that Penelo at least could have gotten word to the pirate if she had asked. But she hadn’t, for reasons that were her own, although they were reasons Penelo had guessed and told Larsa, if not others. Ashelia was lonely, but she couldn’t admit that. That would have been weakness and insulting to her people. She won her country’s freedom and gave up her companions. That was that. She took back her hand--too smooth, in her estimation, having had less cause to wield a sword--and sat up. The Queen and her formality returned. “I’m surprised at Basch, but if his better contact with you made me look ungrateful, I apologize. I owe much to you.” There. Duty. She gave a disbelief half-laugh at his comment. “Yes, looking at your reputation here I’m sure will do you much good.” For his ego. “What sort of advantage do you believe it will give us?” "Well it would hardly be smart to do things for bad reasons." Balthier smiled at her tone, because he knew exactly what she was saying. And he wouldn't argue in the least. His benefit was always in mind. If he happened to do something for unselfish reasons, he certainly wouldn't admit to it. He had a reputation to preserve after all. Even with her. Especially with her. He watched her reaction. A decade could go by, and he could still read her, somehow. It was as if he could see the wheels in her head turning, so he was unsurprised by her pulling away. "Oh yes, I was taking you to task for ingratitude, that is what I meant." Balthier's tone was sarcastic, since he meant nothing of the sort. She chose to take it that way. He wasn't particularly fond of the way she shut down at him. "You owe me nothing, Ashelia." That was the calm and apathetic pirate responding, after the Queen's dutiful words. But his eyes narrowed slightly. "I thought about coming without invitation, but it seemed rude, once your life seemed busy and full." She had plenty going on, and while she might have agreed to have tea with an old friend, Balthier didn't particularly like the idea of begging for it. In his own way, he had his own stubborn type of pride. "If our stories are popular, and I see no reason they shouldn't be, perhaps we can find a way to make it lucrative." Balthier knew how to make use of advantages. It was his singularly best skill. "It won't be a crown, but there are other types of power." She had her own reputation to maintain, too. The shield of duty was a useful one, but when he returned with sarcasm, that one couldn’t keep the anger back. When all else failed, she still fell back to that, try to restrain herself as she did. The flash in her eyes was almost visible. “Yes, I’m sure you took whatever you wished at the time.” He had done nothing of the sort, but setting him out as the apathetic pirate to match her Queen did make things easier. He would have to read between the lines a bit, but from her previously fond interaction with him and the fact that her sons knew their adventures and their companions spoke of a healthy nostalgia that she wasn’t admitting to now. “I’m sure my life seemed a great many number of things.” Deep breath. Balthier didn’t deserve to get snapped at like that, but it was just her temper again. Anger was easier than other emotions. “I will aid you in this endeavor,” she promised. She didn’t sound pleased, but it was a promise. His weary look was a rebuke in itself. Not for her anger; she was Ashelia. Her temperament was to be expected. He was as difficult to rile up as she was easy to. Balthier took the easy way out by taking offense at very little. But rather to how she chose to interpret his words. He studied her for several long seconds, thinking through the angles, and then spoke again. "I would have taken you, if I thought you'd go. One more adventure." But it would always be just one more with him. She had her duty, but he wondered if a temporary escape would be welcome. He did fly off without much of a look over his shoulder, and that was reality. After a beat he smiled, all tease and deceptive light heartedness now. "I didn't realize how much you missed me, your highness." He couldn't possibly be serious for too long. Spoiled the image. And sentimentality was not something either of them often allowed. "It would benefit us both, I assure you. I looked up the name and it appears to be very, very popular." So it got him thinking right away. Of course their adventures seemed to only be a part of it, but it was a start. "Final Fantasy, they call it. I don't think there was anything particularly final about it, do you?" The world moved on. They kept going. He didn't die, otherwise it would be final for him, but not for everyone else. His look made her want to snap again, but she forced a very deep breath. She was going to strangle him. How long could they survive being grounded together, really? Reality was reality, and they were who they were. “I’m not so easily satisfied,” she dismissed with a roll of her eyes. She still refused to take him seriously and sentimentally. She considered that a favor to both their reputations. She shook her head and poured herself more wine, offering the bottle to him as well. She wouldn’t dignify missing him with a response, which yes, meant that she had missed him. She leaned forward again to consider his plan. “Final Fantasy? It’s not what I could consider a fantasy, either.” But this world had a weird relationship with magick, so, who knew what they considered fantasy. They were brought here by a magical portal, but otherwise, they didn’t seem to be able to use it. “But let’s say we are a...interesting part of this Final Fantasy lore. People know who we are. How does that benefit us?” This coming from a woman who had faked suicide to build a rebellion. She didn’t necessarily associate fame with benefit. "Oh I believe that. You're not the type of woman to be content easily." It was difficult for him not to keep poking at her, to keep getting a reaction out of her. Balthier smiled when she looked like she wanted to strangle him. He was a button pusher, but he felt a little bad about it. They were trying to make peace. "It's a compliment, I assure you. Easily satisfied people are boring." He took the wine bottle from her and the acknowledgement that she missed him. His small salute toward her with the bottle said the same. He did miss her. Balthier wouldn't be staying around for reasons like duty or obligation, it wasn't in his nature. If he was there, it was for her, and no other reason. "It's fantasy in this place. They have less swords and monsters." Balthier's eyebrows went up. "As a man who is all reputation, it can open many doors. For me, I could work on a ship, or possibly gain access to engineering sky ships, with the right supporter. Or they could hire me to break into unbreakable vaults." It was simply a step or two outside of what he was already capable of. The type of business he accomplished at home was possible there. Not the way he liked it, no, but Balthier was not a defeatist. "I don't know for you, but you have skills. Think outside the box." Balthier probably didn’t need to feel bad about pushing her buttons. She made it so easy on him. And everyone else. It was like she was looking for ways to be annoyed. “I know it’s a compliment,” she returned quickly. “A good queen must be demanding.” But that’s not all where she got it from. She had more of a taste for adventure, and that had nothing to do with being queen. She gave a frustrated sigh and took a long drink of wine. The salute made her take another sigh that was more relaxed. He really was impossible, but didn’t she like the occasional impossible cause? He was entirely unlike the rest of her life, so she simply returned the barest shake of her head. At first, she really wasn’t sure about Balthier’s grand plan. He had plans for himself, yes, but what about her? Her skills weren’t so easily transferable. She fought. She used magic. But then an idea came in the back of her mind, thinking of her uncle Ondore, of her own sons. She paused, shifting, as if a little nervous about what she was going to propose. “I suppose, if our stories are popular, I could create a record of them. Perhaps people would wish to read them.” Her uncle had always been good at telling stories, and her sons enjoyed hers. It was new for her, but, it was something. Ashelia's testiness made her brief moments of softness all the more valuable. On the very rare occurrence she showed it. He smirked at her assurance about the compliment, and tapped his fingers on the table lightly. "People should always strive for something above what they have. Otherwise there's no challenge left in life." And for him, the challenge was a reason to keep going. Balthier didn't have an easy way of it, despite how he acted. He had dark periods, after he ran, before he connected with Fran. A foolish young man running head first into a world he didn't understand yet. It would have been easy to become just like the rest of the pirates. But Balthier wasn't like anyone else. He was one of a kind. And so was she. His eyebrows went up when she shifted, in tune with her mood changes. It was hard for her to look outside of a crown, and perhaps it would reveal something personal, without her realizing it. Her idea made him smile. Not the teasing one, or the arrogant one, or the hundred other types of ways his lips curved to fool the other. It was warm and soft, and it made his eyes crinkle at the corners, the only sign of age at all. "I know I would be interested in reading that. There aren't so many actual royals in this world, few who have your experiences, Ashe. Perhaps call it something dramatic like Final Reality." “I’m not sure that’s completely true,” she countered, leaning back in thought. “There is such a thing as wanting too much.” Of that, she was sure. She had fallen into the trap of that more than once. But within reason, Balthier was probably right. She was content and happy with her life as it was, but she still chose to part with her husband, to make a statement that she could do better. There was always more to do, but not at the expense at forgetting what you have. She was a fairly open book, especially with someone as keen as Balthier. She’d certainly never met anyone like him. She was less adept at reading him, but this smile reached his eyes and made him look real in a way his other smiles didn’t. He seemed to approve. The thought eased her. “Good, because I probably will make you read it sooner or later. But it will be my project,” she said firmly, both to keep him from getting ideas and to reassure him that he wasn’t going to be held responsible. “And I’ll come up with the name.” Final Reality? She looked unimpressed. "Within reason, Majesty." Of course his reason might not be the same as her reason. Balthier had lofty goals, but then again, she reached for a crown. There were few goals loftier than that. He thought the book was a good idea; it would give her something to focus on. And she was a storyteller at heart, just like him. "Be certain you give the leading man the credit he deserves." He shrugged nonchalantly when she disapproved of the name and toasted her with his wine glass. "To better days," he said with it. He would work on getting them the connections and fame, and he was very good at that part. He didn't have the desire to flee just yet, but give him a few months, and any place would seem less like paradise and more like a sunny trap. The first step was for Ashe, however, and that he would do with ease. It could be worse. They had each other, at least, and if they were there, perhaps the others would come too. |