CHAPTER 1: DREAM EATER

"Ashe is disturbing – when she asked the Gran Kiltias where to get more power, she looked like an eager puppy bouncing for a toy. She is famished for power, hungrier than Vanye's ambition."

Fran chewed a piece of chickadee jerky, her ears tuned in to listen to the softest snap of a twig. Everyone had settled into their camps for the night and it was Fran's turn to keep watch. She easily disguised her worried concern as calm coolness.

"Does she not remember how a single shard obliterated Archadia's airship?

How Judge Bergan died? His bones infused with nethicite. His quest for destruction and conquest led to his ugly death."

Fran could easily tell how frustrated Ashe felt. She was a key player in the politics between Archades, Dalmasca, Rozarria and for the fate of all of Ivalice. Everyone could see how Ashe was tossed about between Al Cid, Larsa, Vossler, Marquis Ondore, all telling her what was best. It was like she was the dusk shard herself; a pawn to be used for the next move into a dangerous future with unpredictable consequences. A helplessness that Ashe was painfully well aware of.

Fran was slightly frightened by the royal hume. Everyone felt that Ashe alone had a creeping destiny waiting to be fulfilled – that is, to decide Ivalice's fate.

"Her kingdom taken, her family assassinated, her husband dead before their love could grow old – If Ashelia took this pain and fueled it into a type of power, a type of survival mechanism... what awaits us? Should she walk down a dark path and everyone aided her revenge, we would be as blind as Vayne. Doomed to Vayne's fate."

"AUUUUGH!"

Fran quickly jumped at the sound of Ashe's anguish. She ran towards the source of the cry which led directly to Ashe's tent. Fran readied her dagger and opened the covers of the tent.

"Ahhh... haaa...help."

Ashelia was in a deep sleep, her facial expression twisted in fear. She had thrown off her blankets during her night terrors, revealing that she was only wearing her undergarments. Her body jerked slightly every few seconds. She whimpered softly, but it wouldn't be long before her night terrors would make her scream again.

"A nightmare haunts her. She needs rest but she won't have any energy tomorrow if she sleeps like this..."

"Ashelia! Wake up!" Fran spoke sharply enough for Ashe to hear but quiet enough as to not disturb the others.

-+(a nightmare)+-

'Ashelia B'Nargin Dalmasca...' the Eryut accented voice echoed throughout the princess's skull.

Ashe was surrounded in nothing but bright white. The light was so strong, it blinded Ashe and she was forced to look at the floor. Beneath her feet was pitch blackness and there was nothing to do but for Ashe to walk forward on the trail.

"I'm so tired, but there's nowhere to go but this damned road! I feel as if I had walked for hours... perhaps it will eventually lead me out of here but where would it take me? I doubt I would actually go anywhere but I feel like...like... something horrible... is waiting for me at the end."

Ashe shivered and hugged herself to control the shakes. An incredible loneliness engulfed her. The stress of the situation caused heat and she sweated to the point that she had to repeatedly wipe her eyes from her sweat drops. But the atmosphere she was in sent a cold, bitter chill up her spine and her body couldn't stop shaking.

"This place is giving me the flu... What of Ivalice is this?!"

The black trail that Ashe was walking started to move as if rats were scurrying underneath the covers. The blackness slumped around so much that it revealed some fluid traces of a dark red color. Soon, the red and the black melted and transformed together into a viscous liquid. The colors swirled, becoming thicker. To Ashe's horror, it revealed itself as large clumps of black blood clots swimming in a stream of red blood. The whole floor started to fill up in volumes of the disgusting mess.

She was walking on a road of mutilation and massacre.

Ashe started panicking, breathing heavily. But she knew there was nothing she could do. She couldn't look up at the light for it would destroy her eyesight. She could only walk forward as the trail pulsated alive with blood. The stench of wounds and gangrene hit her nose. Ashe started to whimper and cry.

"I cannot do anything... I cannot. I cannot. I cannot..."

Ashelia... Ashelia...

ASHE!

-+(wake up)+-

Fran laid a soft cloth soaked in cool water on top of the princess's head. Ashe stirred and slowly opened her eyes to see Fran's caring face. Seeing the beautiful viera brought Ashe great relief.

"You made such noise. I thought you were attacked. Here, have this to drink."

Fran passed on a water bag filled with fine madhu wine to the princess.

"Thank you Fran. I just had a troublesome dream is all. I appreciate your kindness." replied Ashe with a grateful politeness. She was too exhausted to care about her intimate appearance saved by the underwear. Fran took notice but kept her poker face.

Ashe silently gulped a portion of wine and felt a tingling, buzzing sensation. She collapsed on her bed mat, blinking slowly with her arms widespread. She was hot and tense, unable to find comfort in the sheets. No words needed to be said. Ashe knew she would not be able to go back to sleep and she had quenched her thirst of the madhu wine. Ashe let out a heavy sigh, frustrated and fearful that she might experience that hellhole again. Fran knew this too. In a soft and gentle voice meant to lull the listener to sleep, Fran recalled a story...

"A long time ago in Eyrut Village, Mjrn and I rescued a Giza rabbit. The rabbit had strayed from its home and got lost in the jungle. It was terrified of everything and refused to eat. Golmore Jungle scarred the creature. But Mjrn coaxed the rabbit like this..."

And Fran stroked Ashe's head. Ashe's eyes widened in surprise but quickly relaxed and enjoyed being petted.

"The rabbit calmed down but still, it did not eat. So Jote massaged it."

Ashe turned over on her stomach with a seductive grace, showing her feminine, naked back. Clearly, the Bhujerban madhu was helping. Fran rubbed her shoulders, pressing her long thumbs into Ashe's sore back muscles, and squeezed the small area on her lower neck.

"Mmm. It feels good Fran. Thank you." Ashe murmured in contentment. "Did the rabbit eat?"

"Yes." Fran replied. "When I left the village, I returned the rabbit back to Giza."

"I'm glad to hear it. I hope the rabbit is with its family. I hope it enjoys a peaceful life..." Ashe said as her eyelids began to droop.

The sky pirate continued to massage the princess's back until Ashe fell asleep. The Dalmascan royal slumbered as if she were floating on the heavens. Fran nodded in satisfaction, a job well done. Afterwards, the viera neatly rolled the blankets and placed them underneath Ashe's feet as a footrest. The cloth was dipped in cold water once more and rested upon the princess' forehead. Then she resumed her duties outside.

Dissonance bothered her like pesky gnats.

Fran lied. That rabbit died of starvation, refusing to eat. No amount of reassuring comfort changed its decision to die.

"Ashe is no rabbit. She's not weak nor does she cower before darkness."

Fran had to smile a bit at the irony. Didn't the viera shared a common ancestor with the rabbits?

"And I as well."