The Garif tribe, though they could not give the answers that Ashe and Larsa sought, offered to let them stay in the village for the night. Balthier found the provided food good, albeit a bit bland for his palate. Ashe had drifted off shortly after nightfall and Vaan vanished soon after and it afforded Balthier a bit of amusement at the scrutiny the young man was subjected to by Basch as the pair resurfaced near the bridge leading out of the village. Whatever the older Knight saw, eventually Basch seemed content that young Vaan was not taking any liberties with his liege-lady and he returned his attention to his own dinner.
Past where Fran was perched, nibbling on the remains of her own food, Balthier watched as Lord Larsa and Penelo shared a conversation, the small blonde girl laughing and gesturing in the air with her fork - blowing Court etiquette completely out of the water - as she described some incident to the fascinated Solidor scion. She seemed to be intent on the Garif tribesmen, pointing out various things and focusing on where a group of the horned nomads were setting up a small drum circle.
"I'll show you, if you want," her voice wasn't loud, but with his attention on her, Balthier could read her lips well enough in the ample light cast by the fire. She unfolded from her cross-legged seat and half skipped over to where the drummers were, whatever she said was lost, but the Garif seemed amiable to her request.
She took another skip backwards and gave her limbs a brief shake as two of the Garif began to set out a beat on their drums.
"A courtship display?" Fran's voice purred thoughtfully and Balthier gave a wry chuckle.
"I don't think so," Balthier replied - and wouldn't that be just a jolly wrinkle in Archadias courts if it were so? - as Penelo stepped out into a pattern, moving slowly with the drums and building up her pace along with the musicians. "That's more a dance done in market squares for spare gil." He watched for a moment more and nodded, "Penelo's rather good, someone gave her solid instruction,"
He'd been a bit leery taking the girl with them after successfully retrieving her - a bit of over extravagance on his part, giving her the handkerchief, but he'd never been able to resist making a show and he hadn't known his small flattery to the girl would bring ill fortune to her - but she was proving to know her way around a blade and her excellent footwork in this rapidly accelerating dance was proving that she had the nimbleness and stamina to keep up with Lady Ashe's irregular band.
The girl's dance brought forth calls of encouragement from the Garif, even Basch unbent enough to clap his hands along in the beat and a few of the younger warriors jumped forward to add their own head tossing movements into the girl's display. Penelo laughed and danced around them, occasionally turning a handspring or leap adding more complex elements into the dance.
"She's quite talented," Fran's ears twitched briefly, alerting Balthier to the return of Ashe and Vaan from whatever conversation they had held. "The Mist favors her."
Well, wasn't that an interesting comment? Balthier filed the Viera's observation away and watched as Penelo pulled off a combination of moves that gave the watcher the impression that the girl had near taken flight and then the drums crashed to a halt as she landed and sank into a half bow, half pose of completion. Her audience applauded and hooted, Balthier gave her a whistle as Larsa added in a very wholehearted cheer - and how the young Lord's etiquette teachers must be thrashing fearfully in their sleep over such an unreserved accolade?
"That was wonderful, Penelo!" Larsa smiled and applauded as the dancer came back over to her abandoned meal. "You're quite good!"
Penelo blushed and ducked her head a bit. "It's just a raqs sharqi, for entertaining. I wouldn't know how to do any of the really formal dances." Ah, Balthier didn't miss that little note of longing there, or the slight hint of interest she affected. However, it seemed that the young lord was not quite up to speed on a young girl's dreams of a different sort of dance, Larsa tried instead to reassure her that her own dance was amazing. Well, that was what a Leading Man was for, after all. Balthier stood and gave Penelo a small half-bow.
"My dear, after that display, I'm quite sure with a bit of instruction you'd cut quite a scene at a masquerade. You've got the foot work, all you need are the steps," and with a slightly wicked grin, Balthier turned and gave Ashe a similar half-bow, this time extending a hand. "If the Lady would honor me with a dance?"
Ashe gave him a startled look, one that quickly turned measuring, "A dance?" she asked warily.
"A waltz," Balthier clarified, his hand still outstretched, "so she can see the steps." He could see the princess's gaze flicker briefly over towards Penelo, saw her note the hopeful expectation on the younger woman and she sighed, stepping forward with a curtsy long ingrained into her as she accepted his hand.
"One dance," Ashe replied. So wary the woman, it wasn't as if Balthier would steal her away - the kidnapping had been her idea anyways - and they settled into a formal stance. Years it had been for him, for her as well, but the dance was so old and well drilled into them both that even the lack of an orchestra was no hindrance as Balthier and Ashe moved out in step.
She was an excellent partner, Balthier found, it took only a few turns before they had each other's measure, Ashe moving easily to his lead, spinning out along his hand and back again with only the faintest of telegraphed hints. "You're a man of many talents," Ashe observed dryly. "Not an ordinary pirate at all."
"Ah, Lady, that would be my greatest fear, to be found simply ordinary," Balthier quipped back lightly. He kept an eye out for Penelo, seeing the girl torn between the delight of seeing a highborn dance and paying attention to the moves so that she might try it herself. Larsa had a slight look of recalculation on his face and Vaan seemed about to say something when Fran nonchalantly took a sideways step and pinned the boy's foot before he could insert it in his mouth.
Fran always had superb judgment.
After a too brief time, Balthier sent Ashe into one last spin and brought the waltz to a close, bowing formally over Ashe's hand. "My deepest thanks, Lady for the dance. I hope to have another spot on your card one day." Her return curtsy was more relaxed, there was a small smile at the edge of her lips. It had been a good dance, a reminder of better times for both of them he thought.
"That was… so pretty!" Penelo sighed, dreams in her eyes, hands clasped to her chest in wonder.
For being far from his beloved Strahl and the comforts he normally enjoyed, Balthier had to admit, that any night where he'd managed to bring pleasure to two young ladies was a night well spent.