At the Beginning, a final fantasy xii fanfic

-At the Beginning-

By: Fantasy Wings

Ashelia knew the moment she first laid eyes on the man that she would never fall in love with him. She would despise him, and it would be a lucky if she wouldn't have thrown him to rot in the Nalbina Dungeons. However, it seemed that fate had other plans for her.

We were strangers, starting out on a journey
Never dreaming, what we'd have to go through
Now here we are, I'm suddenly standing
At the beginning with you

Ashelia was finally home—peace was, at long last, restored in Ivalice, and rejoicing began in the Royal City of Rabanastre. Not only because the Lady Ashe had been announced as Queen of Dalmasca, but because a king would soon sit beside her. It had been two years since the fall of Bahamut, and two years when he reappeared to her, alive and well, and without a scratch left from the tragedy that befell Vayne Solidor.

No one told me I was going to find you
Unexpected, what you did to my heart
When I lost hope, you were there to remind me
This is the start

Ashelia stood in front of her mirror and gazed at her reflection. Again, she would be wedding, but this time, on her own free will. It was not that she did not love Rasler. She loved him with all her heart. However, someone else found a place into an empty void created after he died, and thatsomeone gave her much happiness in the present time, and hopefully in the years to come. All hope seemed lost on the day of the war. And everything seemed against them, as it was a war with a fallen god—Venat. Nevertheless, a new day had dawned on Ivalice. Dalmasca and Nabradia and Landis were avenged. The people—the people were free.

And life is a road that I wanna keep going
Love is a river, I wanna keep flowing
Life is a road, now and forever, wonderful journey
I'll be there when the world stops turning
I'll be there when the storm is through
In the end I wanna be standing
At the beginning with you

"M'lady," Ashe heard a familiar voice come from the doorway. She turned her head and saw an ally, a smile on his lips. "Gabranth," she murmured. "I'm glad you've come." Another voice spoke, "Well, we certainly couldn't miss this rare occasion, could we?" Ashe turned around to see a young lad standing beside the former Dalmascan Captain, a smile spread across the boy's face. "Yes," Ashe murmured quietly. She nodded her head in agreement.

We were strangers on a crazy adventure
Never dreaming, how our dreams would come true
Now here we stand, unafraid of the future
At the beginning with you

Larsa and Gabranth left the Lady Ashe to prepare for the ceremony, which was planned to take place at dusk, and to be honest, she was rather anxious. She had barely known the man, and yet, she already felt something for him. Perhaps it was when he disappeared. Was it true then? That absence does make the heart grow fonder? Ashe felt so. And maybe this explained her heart's escalating pace whenever his name entered her thoughts.

Ashe stood on her balcony, her mind on the past. She awaited the sun's disappearance from the sky, and the emergence of the stars and the moon in the soon dark night sky.

And finally, the time arrived.

"Your Majesty," a young elite soldier entered her bedchamber. "It is time." Ashe smiled, as she caught a glimpse of herself in her mirror. Her eyes grew wide; t'was the attire she had worn on her wedding day with Rasler two years ago. "I still love you, Rasler." She whispered as she gazed lovingly at the ring she had on her finger. "And I know you'd want me to move on." She kissed the silver ring on her finger and placed it onto her vanity table. She was ready.

Knew there was somebody, somewhere
A new love in the dark
Now I know my dream will live on
I've been waiting so long
Nothing's gonna tear us apart

Similar to the day she married Rasler, she and her husbamd-to-be stood on a red stage being pulled by fine Chocobos of the Royal City. She saw all the citizens of the city, young and elderly alike, flock to the streets just to view the smiling Queen and the man who would soon become Dalmasca's new king. Ashe looked at Dalmasca's future king and he smiled back at her. Worry not, he mouthed slowly with his lips, which made the young Queen feel much comforted.

At the cathedral, Ashe's eyes wandered and found her allies from two years prior. There stood Judge Gabranth, with him was young Larsa, the Emperor of Archadia. Standing behind them was a Viera—Fran, and with her were the two children, Vaan and young Penelo. Ashe smiled and as her Uncle Halim began to close the ceremony, Ashe felt the butterflies in her stomach return. But all that disappeared as Balthier leaned and kissed her ever so gently. It was heaven in the Lady's Eyes, and the audience began to cheer as the young couple's lips touched.

Ashe looked up at her new husband, then down at the ring on her finger. She smiled once more. He had taught her so much in life. And she knew one thing as she stood next to her new love and life.

In the end, I wanna be standing at the beginning with you.