AN: With this, I'll be mostly going with the PS1 tactics game since I'm more familiar with it. While I'm not afraid to add in things from the PSP version, I'll be keeping them scarce-ish.

Disclaimer: I don't own final fantasy, or its spin offs.

~ Prologue ~

Agrias didn't know what to make of the spectacle she'd just witnessed. The golden haired knight had arrived on the scene of her princesses (re?)abduction, a top a bridge surrounded by knights. Whatever relief she felt quickly washed away when she'd spotted the mark of Hokuten, the men of Larg, and by extension Beouvle. With nothing but her kidnapper as protection against the Northern Sky, Agrias found her-self wrecked with worry.

Even more so when the Knight had called out to Gafgarion to end their lives. She'd expected the Fell knight to betray them at some point, despite her questioning him. The man was unsavory at best, and happily declared his stance on everything: money was the only thing he valued. She should have known better than to let her guard lax, far too worried for the heiress to properly focus, and let the enemies catch them at the least favorable moment.

Agrias would have ran the old bastard through hadn't Ramza thrown the man off the cliff side.

The one saint amongst the cut throats; the young man had been polite, quiet, and reasonable. But most of all, and the highest point in her good books, hadn't spent the trip ogling her. She could practically feel his companion's leers travel up her backside, and it made the knight's skin crawl.

Yet, she knew Ramza was a coward who kept his head low and took the verbal abuse of his fellow mercenaries without a peep.

So when Ramza straightened his back and raised his head, tall and proud, and declared with steeled resolve that he'd save her ward, Agrias looked upon him for the first time, not as the meek boy, but as a man.

Then he tore off his pants.

Agrias wasn't quite sure when Gafgarion registered the fist smashing through his helm, shattering it to pieces and delivering a solid strike to his cranium. She assumed it was about when he'd been tossed into the river, light trails signaling his magical retreat.

His follower only lasted a second longer, a single kick to the ribs sending the man spiraling into the waters.

The knights on their side of the bridge were struck down with a single thrown knife to their throats, grasping at the wounds in some meager hope to save their lives.

Ramza then leaped through the air, nimbly ascending to heights she'd never thought possible, and descended like a spinning meteor of destruction homing in on their enemies.

As the knights collapsed to the earth, Ramza had finished his assault kneeling. He rose with grace, and folded his arms as he greeted the princess. It was only then that Agrias had finally seen the extent of the man's change. Gone were his familiar armor and slacks. He was dressed in the ceremonial attar of the ninja – cotton robes and hard material graves. However, he carried an extra layer of armor over his traditional wardrobe, and around his neck was a single scarf that twisted in the non-existent breeze.

The sheer confidence he radiated was maddening, a complete one-eighty from the boy he'd been just moments ago.

"Your grace," he stood there, calm, collected, and not with a single drop of blood staining his clothing. Agrias had finally snapped out of her stupor. Clenching her sword, the holy knight marched forward to protect the princess from…whatever Ramza was. The ninja kept his position even as Agrias roughly shoved Delita towards him, and took a protective stance between them and Ovelia. Her knights Lavian and Alicia brought up the rear, watchful for potential ambushes.

"Yes?" The princess asked quietly, eying her savior. Golden pupils met brown, and Agrias found herself staring into the eyes of the man who'd just wiped out a platoon of knights. Single handedly.

For the second time that day, Agrias had cursed her lack of attention in the face of anxiety.

He took a single, deep breath, before dropping the proverbial bomb. "My name is Ramza Beouvle, and my brothers serve the Hokuten."

She became a blur, sword even, trusting her girls to protect that which she cared for most. As she swung her blade, attack aimed at his midsection, Agrias found her assault stopped in its tracks. He'd lifted a single hand. No, he hadn't even graced her with that dignity. He'd lifted two fingers, and had stopped her sword between their tips.

Blade grasp, she'd realized. That infuriating technique of samurai!

But that was fine. Let him hold her sword. Channeling her inner stores, the holy knight prepared to strike him down with a hail of magically produced crystals. "Stasis Sw-,"

"Stop!" Came the frantic command of her princess, and Agrias hesitated.

In that moment, before she could blink, the sword had been stolen from her very fingers. Ramza casually tossed it behind him and out of her reach, leaving the holy knight defenseless.

"…Bloody rogue." She growled, knowing well the battle was over by this point. Ovelia placed a hand on her shoulder and gave it a weak squeeze of assurance. The act of affection did not go unnoticed by those present, but by this point Agrias did not care for social appearances. There was a threat before them, and she was helpless to stop him.

"Are you truly Ramza Beouvle?" She inquired, slowly, as if treading into dangerous territory.

"He is indeed a bastard of Beouvle," Delita muttered bitterly.

With a single, confirming nod from Ramza, her majesty let the revelation hang for moment, gathering her wits, before addressing him. "Why help us?"

"Once," he started, voice cool, "I had watched the friend of my sister die to the machinations of nobility." Delita clenched his hands. "I'd spent the time since then running. I'd cut ties with my family, my responsibilities and my past life. But in this moment, when I saw Gafgarion turn on you, I made a choice."

"I must know what my brothers are planning, and you are in need of protection," Ramza stated, "If you would have me, I would serve as your champion against the Hokuten."

"You would turn against your own brothers?" The princess inquired.

"If it meant the safety of Ivalice," he declared, "yes."

Delita had already turned from their group, making his way deeper into the forest. "Delita?" Ramza called out to the man in confusion.

"I'll leave the princess in your hands," he glanced over his shoulder, eyes narrowed, "for now."

"Wait!" Agrias was about to chase after the man. She would not just let her majesties kidnapper walk away. Yet as she made to move, her majesties grip tightened with astounding strength, stopping the holy knight in her tracks.

Agrias blinked, and looked back at the assumed fragile heiress who'd just physically stopped her, "Your majesty?"

Ovelia's response was an entirely too innocent smile.

"It's alright, Agrias," She said softly, before turning her sights onto Delita, "Thank you, Delita!" She called out, half unsure. The man lifted a single hand, casually waving good-bye as he left.

Ramza had leveled a sober look at his friends retreating form, before turning his attention once more to princess. "Your answer?"

"I-If you are really who you say you are," her response came slow, unsteady, but as she continued the princess confidence grew, "...Then yes, I would love to have you."

The way her majesties eye's twinkled as she said that did not bode well for Agrias. It did not bode well at all.

~Prologue End~

AN: I was in a rush to get this out to see what I could do in a limited time/amount of words. My other story felt a bit bloated with words, and I wanted to see what I could accomplish with a less is more mentality. Expect me to take future chapters a bit longer to get out, and with a bit more word count on them (3-4,000 at the most). I'm kinda running blind here so to speak, so if anyone's interested in beta-ing this little bit of fiction let me know.

From now on, expect things to get crazy. Very, very crazy.