Disclaimer: don't own this stuff.
"I want you to leave!"
"I'm glad, I really want to leave." Came his reply as he begun stuffing his belongings in a bag.
The queen paced the room, sour faced and frustrated by the few days she had spent with the pirate.
"You know I can't even remember why we were friends in the first place." She said shaking her blonde head.
"Ha! We hardly were, you have a problem you know! Always over glorifying situations and the people. Didn't I do enough for you! Saving your bloody kingdom."
She scoffed in reply
"No! It wasn't enough; you pester me into coming here, with no invite to Fran I might add!"
"Oh Fran, Fran, Fran, that's all you ever think about, do you know how boring it is to listen to you fawn on. That pathetic excuse for a woman would follow you to hell if you let her, she's like a dog!" The queen spat bitterly.
Balthier stopped and she noticed his eyes sparkle with restrained tears. She felt slight satisfaction; her words had caused great offence.
"None of this would be yours if it weren't for her!" he said raising his arms to signal towards to the palace, "You are not worthy even to speak her name."
"Well if you love her so much then why are you here?"
"I've asked my self that so many times these last few days, and do you want to know why? It's because I pitied you. Poor Ashelia all alone, everyone needs a friend. But it's not ever going to work out; I've helped you as much as I can."
These words wrung true, they stung and yet she remained numb.
"You think I need you, arrogant pirate, Farewell." She murmured he picked up his bag.
He shrugged and walked out, carelessly exiting over the low balcony. Ashe watched as he sprinted across the gardens with no regards to the shrubbery.
Ashe felt her rage leave her; she felt nothing but bitterness towards the pirate now.
Taking a deep breathe, she turned on her heal and strode from the guest bedroom. She felt an overwhelming sense of empowerment as she did so. A smirk spread across her face, now she was free of whatever bind there had been between the two of them.
"My lady! I heard raised voices." Basch was running towards her. He stopped in front of her and gave a bow.
Ashe gave a slight laugh and placed her fingers on his chin and tilted his head up.
"I have told you; no "my ladies" or bowing, not from you."
Basch gave a half smile in gratitude.
"Our mutual friend has decided to take early leave."
"He raised his voice to you?!"
"Do not fear, oh loyal Basch, I gave as good as I got." She smiled.
"As I would expect from you."
"Perhaps you would join me for a night cap?"
"It would be an honour your high- uh- Ashe."
"I see you have taken notice of my request." She teased and nudged him in the ribs slightly.
Balthier sat down in the aerodrome and searched his bag; he lifted the catch to a secret compartment that concealed his ill gotten goods from his trip to the palace.
He had learnt that an apology was always far better received when offered with a side order of diamonds. Lifting an extraordinarily sparkly necklace, it would look quite at home around the slender neck of his stunning partner; He stuffed it into his pocket along with some back up trinkets. Slinging his bag over his shoulder, he made his way to the private airship docking desk.
"Miss, I wish to gain access to my airship."
"Certainly sir, name and registration please."
Balthier relayed the details.
"Ah yes, that ship docked this morning, could you please answer the security question?"
"What?!"
"The security question the pilot set."
Balthier scowled, Fran was clearly not happy with him; he would have to just hope that he could answer it.
"Very well, let's hear it."
"Please list the loot needed to acquire a Sagittarius bow."
Balthier smiled; trust Fran to assume that her knowledge of bows was greater than his.
"Well you need 3 beastlord horns, 3 moon rings and of course 4 Sagittarius gems, isn't that right." He said with a wink.
"Correct, please exit through the gate to the hangar."
Balthier climbed aboard the Strahl, attempting to go as silently as he could, a task not easily undertook when ones partners ears were quite as sensitive as Fran.
The lights were off and he tried desperately not to stumble.
His heart almost jumped out of his chest when he was greeted with twin barrels pressed firmly under his chin.
"Oh, so you've missed me then?"
He felt her breath huff against his face as she leant across and turned on the light.
With an unimpressed sneer she lowered the gun and strode into the cockpit. She slumped back into her chair and resumed drinking straight from the bottle of Balthier's prized whiskey. He followed her and sat in his seat, grey eyes watching with disdain as she took another mouthful.
"You have a problem with this?" she spoke eventually, tilting the bottle back and forth.
"No, no you go right ahead."
"I have eaten all your chocolates as well." Fran stated sounding rather satisfied with herself, her long heel clad foot kicking the empty boxes off of the control panel.
Balthier stifled a slight laugh; it was good to be home, even if he was receiving Fran's frosty shoulder.
"Tell me then? Did you enjoy your royal visit?"
"Ah, um no, in fact I don't think I'll be invited back for Christmas or ever actually."
Fran's eyebrow raised in defiant curiosity.
"I may have traded nasty words with the Queen." He murmured, glancing down and feeling completely ashamed of himself.
"But you would never…" Fran softened.
"I thought so too, but she said such terrible things about you, I couldn't bare it."
"You should not worry about defending my honour, pirates are not supposed to be so valiant." Fran bit her lip and handed him the bottle, "Am I too presume insults were the only craft you put your tongue too?"
Balthier almost choked on his drink, he swallowed and eyed her carefully.
"You are flirting with me? Pray tell, does this mean you forgive me for leaving you here alone?"
"What makes you so sure I have been alone?" She said, glancing at him sideways to gauge his reaction.
Both eyebrows shot up and he almost choked again on his second swig
Fran chuckled, "So easy to toy with." She leant across and took back the bottle.
Balthier gave a sigh and shook his head.
Fran turned in her chair and faced him. "You're intentions were to give a lonely girl some company, were they not? Tis a regrettable shame you fell out." Her voice became tinted with sarcasm as she finished her sentence.
"So I am forgiven?" he asked again.
"Depends doesn't it, on whether you have bought me a suitable souvenir."
Balthier grinned; he would have to remember that whiskey also helped when perusing Fran's forgiveness, not that he intended to wrong her ever again.
He produced the necklace; she took it from him, the diamonds gleaming in the reflection of her dark eyes, clearly impressed with her gift.
"And the reserves." She held out her other hand.
Balthier rolled his eyes and delved in his pocket again and emptied the contents into her outstretched hand, he had not noticed that his own ring had come lose and joined the pile.
Fran picked it out and gave Balthier a questioning look.
"Oh I must have dropped it." He held out his hand to take it from her but she pulled her hand back quickly. She shook her head.
"I desire this too, may I have it?"
"Be my guest, you know I would give you anything you wanted."
She smiled, "I think I am most glad that you have returned."
Balthier got to his feet and shuffled closer to her, he placed his knees either side of her legs and held her head to his chest, tossing her head gear aside as he did so.
"Is that your way of saying you missed me?"
Fran wrapped her arms around his lower waist and begun to untie the fastenings on his armoured chest plate, it fell to the floor. Fran pulled him closer and wrapped her arms around his slim but toned waist, her cheek pressed against the soft fabric of his shirt.
"Possibly."
It had only been three days but she had missed him so. The way his voice sounded when he prattled on about complete nonsense, the way his clothes felt, the way he smelt and the tender way he held her were all extremely welcome back aboard the Strahl.
It had been many years since Basch had been in ladies private quarters, he had been surprised when the Queen invited him in, he had thought they would drink in the drawing room. Ashe topped up his glass for the third time and sat next to him, a little too close.
Basch shifted nervously but found that there was no where left to shift to.
"You know, your hair does look nice in this way." Ashe ran her hand over his cropped blonde hair.
For years he had known nothing but torture and violence at the hands of others. The queen's soft caress made his face flush pink.
Ashe smiled, as she rarely did, "Why Basch, you are blushing! I hope I do you no insult."
"No, really, thank you for the compliment. You grow more beautiful everyday." Basch cursed himself, well aware that he was still pink.
Ashe tilted her head to the side slightly and gave a nod in thanks.
"Do you know, Vaan taught me a game to play when one is indulging in drink?" she looked down at the dark liquid and swished it around her cup.
"I that so, I never had him down as such a bad influence, teaching you such strange habits."
"Well will you play or will you disobey your queen?" Ashe teased. Perhaps she had already consumed a little too much drink, but who could blame her after the tiresome week she had had.
Basch swallowed his nervousness and agreed. Ashe had always been a rather intimidating presence, even when she was younger.
"Very well, take a drink if you ever lost your boot in a puddle."
Basch laughed, "Yes I know this game." He lifted his glass and took a mouthful.
"Now it's your turn."
"Um, lets see, drink if you ever broke your wrist after jumping on your bed" he smirked and added quickly "at the age of 17."
Ashe took a sip, "and If you twisted your ankle doing the very same on that eve?"
Basch grimaced and took another sip. They both laughed at the memory.
"I know, drink if you ever broke your father's favourite sword and blamed it on Vossler."
Ashe gasped and covered her mouth with her hand, "How did you know that was I!"
"Well I know it was you now, don't I."
Ashe took her drink and gave him a playful punch in the arm.
It was good to see her at ease, even if it were under the influence of alcohol.
"Drink if you think that Prince Margrace's sunglasses are pretentious." Ashe asked and took a mouthful herself, she gave Basch a questioning glance and he resigned.
"Well perhaps just a little." He confessed as he drank. "Oh! I know, If you think "business partners" in fact means lovers?"
Ashe nodded, "The only ones they ever fool with that title is themselves."
They both drank and traded words of agreement.
Ashe looked away and asked quietly, "Drink if you will be saddened tomorrow evening?"
Basch had tried not to think of his departure back to Arcades.
They clinked their glasses together and took a big gulp.
"Drink if we will be reunited soon?" he said after a slight silence.
Ashelia smiled and finished the last drops of drink in her glass.
"Okay, I have one more to ask. Drink if you would stay with me for this night?" she did not blush and she did not take her eyes off of his.
Basch felt slightly flustered under his collar but tried with all his might not to look away. He took a steadying breath and poured the remains of his drink into his mouth.
Ashe gave a warm and rare smile that seemed to illuminate her face. Placing both of her hands on his cheeks, she leant in and kissed him.
Basch had not felt such an affectionate embrace for so long; she gently wiped the few tears that had escaped his closed eyes with her fingers, he could feel that she no longer wore her late husbands ring. The jewellery she now favoured hung around her slender neck; it was the necklace he had given her when he had first left for Arcades. Basch had worn it the entire time he was incarcerated and throughout their adventures, giving it to her had allowed them both to believe that a piece of him would always be with her.
A/N: please review: D XXX