The light pitter patter of falling rain against the damp ground could be heard in Ashelia's ears. Although she was sure the rain sounded quiet and peaceful to her companions, who were all scattered about the small encampment that had been made the night before during their travels, the rain sounded like the beat of a war drum to Ashe, and it rang irritably in her ears. She was angry at the rain, for it was the sole reason that the party had elected to stay where they were for the day, to wait out the storm before continuing on to Raithwall's Tomb. Ashe stood quietly, leaning against a tree, as she gazed out over the vastness of the desert lands before her. They had only begun their journey to the Tomb the day before, and now, so soon after departing, it felt as if they'd never get there. The clouds drifting their way were dark and gloomy, looking as though they were only bringing more rain and stormy weather to the small encampment.
Ashe's thoughts were drifting subconsciously. She thought of the past three years, all her losses. She thought of how the only thing that had kept her going through all those lonely nights filled with tears was her strong sense to fulfill her duty as a princess. Saving Dalmasca had become the only thing that mattered in her life ever since her father and Rasler had past on. She thought of all her efforts to help her country, and she thought of the night when she had met the unlikely trio of palace thieves. Two sky pirates and a boy wouldn't have been her choice of people, but much to surprise they had proven themselves almost instantly. She thought of Basch, and how it had taken her time to realize that he was innocent, that he hadn't done the terrible things that she had been told. Finally her thoughts caught up with her, and she was thinking about where she was presently and what was going on. She let out a sigh and held up her hand against the tree's trunk.
A silent pair of eyes had been watching her all through this time. He had always found it interesting to watch people when they were reminiscing, but he was more so appealed to watch Ashelia. She seemed to be the only person who, when reminiscing, thought only of the bad things. True it is that some people think of the bad, but usually there are at least one or two fond memories thrown into the batch. It wasn't like that for her. He could tell. Every time she grew quiet and thought back upon her life, all that he could detect was remorse, pain, and sorrow. He usually wasn't one for compassion, but he felt that she truly deserved someone who could understand her, or at least attempt to understand; not to simply listen and feel sorry for her, but to do something about it.
"You look rather glum, Princess."
Ashelia slowly turned around to face the soft voice that she had heard. Balthier was standing a few yards away, his hands gripping eachother in front of himself. His usual charming smirk had vanished from his face, causing him to have a concerned look, one that people wouldn't expect from him.
"I suppose that is because I feel rather glum. People do tend to look the way they feel…every so often." Her voice reflected a slight hint of sarcasm, but it was clear she didn't feel like playing games.
Balthier glanced down and then back up at Ashelia's face, so soft yet hardened from her cruel past. Balthier pondered what she had looked like before so much strife and bitterness had mingled with her beauty, for she was very beautiful even when she did not feel as such. For once Balthier was silent; he wasn't sure what he should say.
Ashelia looked at him a while longer, waiting for him to speak, and when he did not she looked down and sighed. "This war has hurt me deeply, Balthier, and I apologize that I look glum if it is a problem."
"Do not apologize Princess. Some people would look glum for simply not getting the right pair of socks, but you look glum only now, when you have lost two very important people in your life and when it feels as if the whole world has sent her fleet out to destroy your one little transporter."
Ashelia looked back up, a slight glimmer in her eyes, "How can you possibly understand this?" She wasn't angry at him at all, more so she was amazed that he was able to relate to her so accurately.
"Let us leave it simply that I have lost a few things in my life as well…perhaps not due to this war, but indeed I have." Balthier replied.
Ashelia nodded slightly before letting her gaze sink back down again. She felt thankful that Balthier was trying to comfort her, but now the only thing she needed was her warm sleeping spot where she could cuddle up into a soft ball, hiding from the outside world and its cruelties. "I'm afraid I must retire, Balthier, for my mind is tired and my body weary."
Balthier nodded in understanding and Ashelia walked past him, slightly brushing his side when she past, to her tent. Balthier turned around and watched her go. He wanted so badly to make her feel better, to help her move on and not to linger in the past. Remembering was nice on occasion, but Ashelia was obsessed with remorse for her losses. He turned back around and gazed at the drenched land before him. His mind slowly formulated an idea and then he walked out from under the tree and onto the desert ground.
//-//-//-//
Ashelia slept a long time, yet she had no dreams. She couldn't remember the last time she had dreamed. When her eyes flicked open and revealed the damp space of her tent to her, she could only sigh and wish time could be reeled backwards. Slowly she got up to her feet and brushed her clothing straight before looking around her tent for the first time with real observance. Everything was in place, just as she had left it when she had felt her eyes flutter shut. But something caught her eyes. She made a double-take and looked at the moist ground beside her covers. Three roses lay spread across the ground, a white one on the left, a yellow one in the middle, and a red one on the right. Ashelia felt herself smiling for the first time in a long time and she reached down and picked the trio of roses up in her hands. They smelled of leather and a very strong, attractive, cologne. She knew from whom they had come immediately and she suddenly felt her heart feel warm. The last time she had felt warmth in her heart was unthinkable of, and now it was a completely fond feeling that Ashelia welcomed gratefully. She knew she needed something good in her life, no more of the pain of losses.
The smile still etched upon her shining face, she left her tent, the roses still in hand. When she didn't see the sky pirate anywhere she sighed and walked back to the tree where she had been thinking before. The rain had lightened up considerably, and Ashelia felt content to sit down and lean her back against the trunk of the tree. For once she felt peaceful and serenity let its hands caress her mind. Ashelia again looked at the three roses, for they gave her much joy that she longed to feel after so many years of remorse.
"I thought you might be here." She heard from behind her. Ashelia turned around and looked at Balthier, who had his charming smirk back.
When Balthier saw a smile on Ashelia's face he felt his heart go warm with satisfaction. All he had wanted was to be able to see her smile.
"These roses…they are from you are they not?" Ashelia asked, her normal tone back in her voice.
Balthier walked closer and sat down beside Ashelia and turned his head to her, "Who else?"
Ashelia kept her smile but looked back at the three roses. The white, the yellow, and the red…such a contrast between the three.
"Tell me, are you curious about them?" Balthier asked.
"Oh very much so…their colors, do they have a specific meaning?" Ashelia replied.
Balthier nodded, "They do. The white one, the one I found for you first, represents silence and youthfulness, as well as innocence. It is sometimes referred to as the flow of light. The yellow one is the second one I found for you. It recognizes the strong sense of friendship and joy, usually they mean to say that someone cares about you." Balthier stopped after that.
Ashelia looked at the white and yellow roses, both lightly colored and easily matching. Her gaze drifted to the last rose, the red one. It was dark and filled with a sense of passion. She looked into Balthier's eyes, "Please finish."
"The red rose stands for the creative spirit of love, and that true love is stronger than life's thorns. A red rose is the True Lover's rose, and the petals are the fiery passion of desire."
Ashelia felt her jaw drop ever so slightly as she looked again at the red rose. It stood out so much more than the other two roses, and it did appeal to her much more than them. She calmly looked at the other two roses and for the first time noticed that the yellow rose has petals tipped with red. "What does the red on the yellow rose's tips signify?"
Balthier looked deep into her eyes, as if he had been waiting for her to ask this, "A friendship falling in love."
There was a moment of the two simply looking at eachother before Ashelia truly realized what Balthier had meant to say by giving her the three roses. To her surprise, it made her happy. She suddenly felt the need to move on with her life. She would keep fighting for Dalmasca, but the time for mourning was over with, after all, Rasler and her father would've both wanted her to be happy.
Balthier grew tired of waiting for Ashelia to make a move, so he fluently leaned in and felt her lips touch his own.
And the rain stopped.