The dream, she had floated into it again it had been reality once, two years ago. They laid on a hammock strung between two trees on a private island in Dalmasca; the waves lightly lapped the shore. She ran her fingers through his short, spiked blonde hair. Somehow this time the dream was different though, "Ashe," his voice was velvet to her ears, "I've watched you morn my death for two years, I cannot go across to my forefathers because you cling to my soul. Remember there's a time to mourn and a time to laugh. Ashe, you're nineteen years old, yet you carry the sorrows my mother holds now and she is an old widow who has lost her husband and only son. Yet I feel as if I should be mourning your death instead, you walk around the city like a ghost. No one knows you are alive because they believe you died from your sorrows of losing your first husband. Don't do this to yourself Ashe." he pleaded with her.
"Do you know what you ask me Rasler Heios Nabradia do you know what you ask me? You ask me to let go of the one that I love most and just forget you, I can't do that Rasler, I can't." His eyes screamed in pain and he wrapped his arms tighter around her, "Now Ashelia B'nargin Dalmasca Nabradia, I don't remember telling you to forget me. Let me pass on, love my memory-yes, remember me-yes, but if you hold onto my soul I might not be able to get to the other side when you pass on. We would never be reunited. I have till the new moon. I promise I will be back every night before it. Sleep well my love, my Ashe."
Ashe awoke before dawn with tears rolling down her cheeks; she hastily wiped them away and started to calculate things in her mind. She had thirty-one nights left with Rasler; would naps count would she see him every time she slept, or dreamt? She wrapped her arms around herself and stood. She walked onto a sand dune and let the wind flutter her hair.
"You feel that Ashe? I believe every time wind passes you like this, so gently, a lost loved one is kissing you." Rasler had whispered in her ear. "You know what I think?" She asked teasingly, "No tell me." She smirked, "I think you're full of something." The wind blew again, a raspy sob passed through Ashe's lips. "Kiss me again Rasler."She whispered.
Ashe ran her fingers through her short, silky, sepia toned hair. Penelo and Vaan were counting the Gil Vaan had stolen so they could eat; this always annoyed her since she had Gil they could use. Basch and Balthier were debating on the best battle tactics, and Fran was practicing archery about fifty feet away from their temporary camping sight.
She stood up and wiped the sand off her pants, "Where do you think you're going princess?" Balthier asked. "I am going for a walk, got a problem with that?" her eyes dared him to counter her. "Come back before dark, we aren't sending out a search party if you get lost." "You really think I would get lost…Yeah right!" Ashe scoffed. Vaan watched her as she left the camp. He could tell something was wrong.