The Things We See
One sided Ashe/Balthier, Balfran
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It is well past dark and Ashe is still awake. She tosses and turns thrashing like a fish out of water. She knows the reason why, and yet she will not admit it, even to herself. Over the past weeks, she has grown restless and distant. She is afraid that she has fallen for the charming sky pirate who has abandoned a life of privilege to fly free in the sky. Deep down, Ashe knows that if she is going to be truly honest with herself, the likelihood of such a thing working is far-fetched and unconventional. However, some part of her still grasps at the idea that maybe she can convince Balthier to come back to Dalmasca with her, to convince him to give up pirating. A part of her is sure she could persuade him, tame him, even. She would make him happy, if only she could make him trust her!
Ashe rolls out of her bunk and wraps a blanket tightly around herself. She will go to see him. She will tell him that she wants him to come back to Dalmasca with her, to be her king. The high court of Rabanastre could hardly disapprove; he was of noble, Archadian, blood, but firmly against the policies of Vayne Solidor and his father; he would make a good king, and she was sure general populace would accept him.
Ashe wonders whether her deceased consort would approve of her attraction to the devious pirate, but Rassler is a distant memory in her mind. She had loved him, in a way, but the marriage had been for the good of Dalmasca, and she had barely known him, even at the time of his death. She had spent very little time with the quiet prince, and she longed for someone with more life and vigor than her former husband. A voice inside her protests, but she shoves it down firmly, Ashe is done with the past, although it is the past she runs to when the future is too cruel.
The princess' bare feet pad quietly down the worn, wooden, corridor of the Strahl, her quiet breathing keeping time with her even footsteps. She pauses outside the quarters where the sky pirate sleeps, then slowly inches the door open.
What she sees crushes any hope she ever had of making Balthier her king. She feels the air rush out of, her lungs and a feeling of dread settles in the pit of her stomach. Her eyes cloud with tears and she grips the doorframe to steady herself. But she is not the only one awake now. A pair of inhumanly crimson eyes study her, curious and questioning.
Ashe slams the door and dashes down the hall. She curls into a fetal position on her bunk and blinks tears out of her eyes. What she saw in Balthier's quarters was neither vulgar nor revolting, but something far more damaging to the stubborn princess.
Balthier was lying on his bunk, as she had expected, sleeping on top of his bed sheets, as they were sleeping in a hot airship, over an ever hotter desert. None of this bothered her. It was the Viera who was lying next to the sky pirate who Ashe took such issue with. Fran's long legs were wrapped around Balthier's waist, and his fingers were woven into her long hair. Ashe felt sick to her stomach.
Evidently the prodigal son and daughter did not have a brother-sister relationship.
~*0*~
Fran was awake the second the doorknob started to turn. When she lifted her head from Balthier's warm chest she saw the princess, standing in the doorway. When Ashe saw Fran's curious gaze, she jumped back and flitted away, slamming the door and making Fran wince as the loud sound reached her ears. The Viera, ever observant, knew the reason for the princesses' visit. She knew Ashe lusted over her partner, even if the princess was not aware of her feelings herself. She also knew her partner was aware of the princesses' feelings; he found them both amusing and slightly annoying at the start, but Fran had come to fear Balthier hid real feelings behind his humor and mockery.
It was at that moment that said man stirred and opened honey-amber orbs to gaze at her, a slight wrinkle appearing on his forehead and concern prevalent in his eyes.
"Did something wake you?"
Fran nods slowly, "T'was the princess. I suspect she wanted to see you, but upon discovering my presence she quickly took her leave." The Viera hesitated, "If you would like to go after her I do not object. If your feelings are changing…" She trailed off, suddenly not trusting her voice to remain steady.
Balthier smirked, putting on his usual mask of nonchalance, "But my dear, why would I go after our prickly queen when I am so comfortable here?" He pulled her closer and whispered into one soft-as-satin ear, "I have no feelings for Ashe, and I would never leave you unless it was by our own request."
His warm breath caressed Fran's cheek and she shivered, a rush of desire racing up her spine. Fran was neither cruel nor unkind, but at this moment the princesses' feelings were far from her concern. She slid her hand behind Balthier's head and pressed his lips to hers, relishing the feeling of his tongue against hers.
The sky pirate ran from many things, (nethicite-obsessed fathers and corrupt military regimes, to name a few), but Balthier would never run from the leading lady he loved.
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FIN
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You may notice some slight differences, that's because I'm going through and doing some revisions.