3/4/07
Disclaimer: The characters in this fic, such as Ashe, Larsa, etc. don't belong to me; they are property of Square, so don't sue! ;.;
Dedications: God, my parents, my friends, my readers, my beloved fans, and Square for making this fantastic and extremely addictive game.
Special dedication to: Mariagoner and the rest of the Larsa x Penelo LJ community, for this will be my last fanfic of this fandom for a while.
Final Fantasy XII: For Peace
By Tiger5913
It was a special day in Rabanastre.
The streets were crowded with civilians and the air was filled with excitement as people bustled around the streets in anticipation of the important event. Palace guards were stationed in the vicinity to keep everyone behind the lines, and maintain a straight path down the middle; the smooth carpet lane had to be unobstructed at all times. Many were dressed in fancy or formal attire as they gathered around the chapel, eagerly awaiting the appearance of their queen and her new husband. Only few dared to whisper behind cupped hands, and speak their doubt on what they considered an odd union, but none had the courage to voice so aloud.
Inside the church, the young queen of Dalmasca was gradually strolling down the aisle toward her groom. All eyes were on the beautiful woman in her elegant white gown, but she kept her head ducked, and her cool blue pupils were hidden by the fine, pale lace of her flowing veil. Her expression was calm, shielding her inner thoughts, though she had a small smile on her lips when she glanced up slightly to meet the empathetic gaze of her husband-to-be. He was there for the exact same reason as her; they shared a strong love for their respective countries, and would do this to bring down the barrier that was erected so many years ago.
The bride took her place beside the groom, and the priest began to speak.
While the familiar words drifted through her ears, she closed her eyes and sighed inwardly, remembering the previous time she had been in this same position. She fervently prayed that her second marriage would not be as short-lived as the last one, for her groom was a good man, even if she didn't love him as she had her deceased husband. The young queen loved her country and to bring peace to her people, she would marry and unify two neighboring countries that held such bitter history between them. It had been several years since they last warred with each other, and despite the numerous peace negotiations that had taken place, there was still a high level of hostility present.
As the leaders of two powerful nations, they had to do all that they could to mend the fragile wound and bring their countries together.
Oh, of course, she certainly had her doubts in the beginning, while the plan was first proposed. She didn't think that her people would be convinced by such an obvious performance, and there were quite a few whispers of shock at the prospect of such a union. Their age different was a bit of popular gossip as well, but no one would dare murmur that anywhere around the vicinity of the queen or her husband-to-be. Truthfully, she had been opposed to his proposal at first, and she wouldn't have agreed in the end if it wasn't for their private agreement. She would belong to him in name, but her heart would still be free.
The young woman was jolted out of her thoughts by the voice of the priest asking her, "Your Majesty, do you, Queen Ashelia B'Nargin Dalmasca, take Emperor Larsa Ferrinas Solidor, as your lawfully wedded husband, to have and hold, in sickness and health, until death do you part?"
Ashelia looked to her groom, and comforted by the lingering understanding and compassion in his eyes, she nodded slightly and replied clearly, "I do."
The priest spoke the necessary words to bind them together, and then the couple leaned toward each other for the ceremonial kiss, while their audience clapped and cheered their congratulations.
In the back of the church stood two bystanders dwelling within the shadows, and they watched intently as the newlywed pair slowly walked down the aisle to leave the church and head to the palace.
At the reception, the bride and the groom sat up at the front of the large room, maintaining their joyous and excited expressions in front of all the people. Her smile turned slightly bitter as Ashelia glanced over the crowed, feeling the occasional burning glare of resentment from somewhere that she could not pinpoint. She had heard whispers of the commoners, saying that their queen was betraying them and their country by allying with the ruler of the nation that had caused them so much painful distress and suffering. Ashelia understood their sentiments, but she didn't agree with them. How long would it take before those people would finally let go of their hate? How could they deepen the animosity instead of healing the wound and striving toward compromise?
The young queen knew that some kind-hearted souls felt pity and concern for her, because as far as they knew, she had married yet a second time for political reasons. They had thought the same of her first marriage, but little did they know… Ashelia mused with a tiny smile that for the sake of diplomatic peace, she would rather have married Larsa than Al-Cid Margrace of the Rozarrian Empire many times over. Despite how she felt about his predecessors, the current Arcadian emperor was very caring and sympathetic with his people, and he shared her dislike of war and disruption between their countries. Al-Cid was charismatic and charming, but she didn't know him very well and admittedly did not trust him enough to legally bind herself to him.
Thankfully, Larsa was familiar to her. Years ago, when she was running under the veil of deception that was her apparent suicide, he had been allied with her party on several occasions. They had traveled together for the goal of peace, and even fought side-by-side against his very own brother, Vayne Carudas Solidor, until the last breath had left the body of their opponent. Ashelia was admittedly glad that the then-prince had once been her comrade, and after he became the emperor and she the queen, the two had met frequently to work out a treaty between their countries. It was just unfortunate that their attempts of bringing the nations together were unsuccessful… hostility had been rising so high and alarmingly rapid that the concerned leaders had to resort to dramatic measures.
In the present, Ashelia sighed a bit mournfully and rested her chin against the palm of her hand, sparing her husband a thought as she wondered how he was faring. Did he feel regret for entering into a marriage of convenience? She knew that many women had sought after him, and he was actually relieved about relinquishing his bachelorhood, but she couldn't help feeling like they had trapped themselves. The pensive queen turned and caught his expression of empathy, and right then and there, she decided that if she ever married once again, it would be the last time. When peace was firmly settled within her country, Ashelia would finally be able to marry for love, and focus on starting a family, ensuring that the Dalmasca bloodline would indeed live on.
Dimly she realized that music had begun to play and her husband was standing before her with his hand extended expectantly, inviting her to share their first dance together. She accepted and rose to follow him to the center of the room, and positioned herself appropriately even as she resisted the urge to shiver from the scrutinizing looks that lingered around her form. He made a slight gesture and whisked her away, delving blissfully into the art of the melody that flowed through the air, and for a few moments, Ashelia allowed herself to be disillusioned with satisfaction. When the beat slowed to a pleasant lilt, Larsa drew her close and pressed his cheek to hers, personifying the impression of marital intimacy, even as he smiled knowingly to a duo in the crowd.
"For Dalmasca…" the young emperor whispered softly into the ear of his wife, trying to comfort her as his lean fingers glided gently across her back.
"For Arcadia…" she whispered back in reply, stealing a quick smile as the two briefly glanced at each other, too easily identifying their individual anguish and inner yearning.
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Night fell, and with the reception over, it was time for the married couple to retire to their bed in their first time together as husband and wife. Prior to the wedding, the queen's chambers had been remodeled quite a bit to accommodate the newcomer, with strict orders that restricted everyone from entering except for the newlywed pair. The two paused before the large door and dutifully kissed each other for the benefit of any curious eyes linger around, and then they entered their quarters, escaping into blessed privacy. Behind closed doors, Ashelia and Larsa shared a furtive smile, and they quietly said their good-night farewells before proceeding to the back of the room, each heading toward a separate chamber well-hidden by armoire.
In their own respective quarters, the bride and groom undressed and slipped into different beds, both warmed by the patiently-waiting bodies of their secretly-cherished lovers. On the night that was supposed to be their honeymoon, they shared the special occasion with the ones they truly loved, and could only be with in private. No doubt their partners were extraordinarily understanding to sit back and allow their marriage, but they were fully acknowledged of the situation, and there would be no secrets between the two true couples. Vaan tried his best to smother his jealousy as he rested his cheek against Ashelia's soft hair, and Larsa convinced Penelo of his love for her by the way he held her so tightly, yet ever tenderly in his arms.
The couple merely shared one thought as they drifted off to sleep: thank goodness for their agreement…
The End
Author's Note: Wow, this was definitely a hard piece for me to write. I started it a long time ago and honestly didn't think I would finish, but I finally buckled down and ground it out. If I didn't get the wedding vows out correctly, I apologize to those of you who are married and know better. Oh, I want to ask of you readers, were any of you surprised by the pairing, or the ending? I certainly hope so, hehe. Well, as stated in the beginning, this will be my last fanfic for the FFXII fandom until I get more time and inspiration. I welcome encouragement from you fans, as that usually motivates me to start going again. I had better go study now for my exams this week, so I'll be off now. Please leave a review and let me know what you thought of this story. :)
With love for my fans,
Tiger5913