A/N: Hey everyone, look at me keeping a promise! Since I never had an overall title for this story, I'm currently settling for this. Vox is the first part of this threepart (I seem to enjoy writing threeparts :P), with Silence and Echo to follow. As I announced at the ending of 'Sound of the Underground', this is the very first fanfiction I have written, meaning there are mistakes and ways of writing I don't use anymore. Please keep this in mind when reviewing :) That being said, please enjoy! :Meresta
Summary: A princess who decides, not to speak.
Rating: PG 13+
Warnings: Slightly suggesting a malexmale pairing, language, violence, use of alcohol, OC for plot purposes.
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy XII, or Final Fantasy XII; Revenant Wings.
Vox
"You're kidding, right?"
"Do I look like I am kidding?"
Turning her stern look up a notch, Ashelia placed her hands on her hips and eyed Vaan seriously. He sighed and turned away from the rebellious queen.
"Well why don't you ask Balthier? I'm sure he'd be more than willing to help."
Ashe frowned, not sure how to interpret the tone of his voice.
"I am sure he would." A short silence. "But I am asking you."
The wheat blond man turned to face her and answered her determined gaze with a look of surrender.
"I'll think about it."
***
After securing all the locks, Vaan blew out the candles and headed for his room. When he walked past Penelo's, the young sky pirate halted. It would probably be best to let her in on Ashe's request, Penelo being his partner and all. He wasn't exactly looking forward to telling her though, since the blond girl wasn't exactly fond of the queen of Dalmasca, despite of their shared history.
Vaan had never understood where the sudden dislike came from, or what the cause had been, but he decided that for his own safety, it was best to keep it that way.
He softly knocked on the wooden door; not that she would be sleeping, but if she by any chance had decided to get in bed early, he didn't want to be the one disturbing. Sleep as an angel she might, she is one hell of a devil when just awoken.
"Come in." Came a soft voice from behind the large door.
He opened the door to find his childhood friend sitting at her desk, bend over several pieces of paper. The small lamp on the desk was the only one shining, making the room look dark but cozy.
"Writing to Larsa?" He asked.
After finishing the sentence she was writing, the young lady put aside her quill.
"Someone has to keep him informed about your capers." She returned his smile, but a questioning look soon followed.
"What's up?" Just by looking at Vaan's posture, she could tell that something happened. Having had the luck of spending most of her time by his side, Penelo had learned to read the most subtle ways in which Vaan tends to communicate. The said boy eyed her, feeling slightly caught. Not being able to hide anything from her made him feel uncomfortable at times, even though he should be used to it by now. He stayed silent for a while, avoiding his partner's eyes.
"It's Ashe."
Narrowing her eyes a bit, Penelo turned back to her letter and picked the quill up again. She reread her last sentence to get back on track and started a new one.
"What about her."
Vaan resisted the urge to hide behind the open door at hearing the icy sound of her voice and convinced himself he was man enough to do this.
"She dropped by the Sandsea today, she had a request." His voice came out as steady as he could manage, but still wasn't free of insecurity.
"The Sandsea? What business does a queen have in a tavern?" Dipping her quill in the ink, she started a new paragraph.
Vaan watched her write, still feeling uneasy about the whole situation. It was not that he didn't want to help Ashe, but he didn't want to get on Penelo's bad side; it's too dangerous there. Even so, his own uncertainty irritated him.
"She wants me to escort her to Mt. Bur-Omisace, to check up on the progress of rebuilding the temple grounds."
Now, the blond turned from her letter again, facing Vaan with eyes that are not buying his story.
"You're kidding, right?"
"That's what I said, but she's not.."
A frustrated sigh spilled from her lips as she threw her hands in the air. Vaan subtly took a step backwards, just in case.
"What is going on in that head of hers?" Penelo started, already sounding quite pissed. "A month ago she wanted to go to Eruyt village to 'see if the Viera are living in peace'. Not a week later she asked you to take her to Bhujerba to see her uncle. After that she insisted on going to Jahara, Gods know what she wanted to do there. It was only two days ago since you've two returned from her trip to the Phon Coast, and now she wants to go to Mt. Bur-Omisace?!" She threw her quill aside and stared at it with irritation. The last weeks she and Vaan had been constantly busy flying queen Ashelia around Ivalice, for purposes that were vague and hardly important. The fact that Penelo could have spent her time in a better way annoyed her, but being treated like a chauffeur bothered her the most. After glaring at her quill for a short while, she calmed, sighed softly and turned to Vaan again.
"We'll have to be careful, they say a storm is approaching."
"So.. we're going?"
A small nod, where after she continued her letter, scratching some earlier sentences.
"Just know that I'm not doing this for her."
"Tell Larsa I said hi."
"Write him yourself."
***
When Ashe returned to the Sandsea next morning, Vaan was there to tell her he and Penelo would fly her. The queen thanked them and promised proper payment, where after she smiled and left. Penelo was getting their airship ready to rumble, cleaning some dirt off her wings and making sure the settings of the navigation were correct. They would depart that evening.
The trip itself went smoothly and without complications. The weather reports predicted a heavy storm to arise later on their day of arrival, but so far the sky had been blue and sunny. It made Penelo forget her annoyance towards queen Ashe, which Vaan was truly thankful for. The set of sky pirates were humming an unknown tune as they were getting ready to land just before the mountain road up to Mt. Bur-Omisace. There was no room for the Galbana to land on the temple grounds, so they'd just have to improvise. What Vaan would begin if Balthier hadn't taught him the working of that invisibility trick, he didn't want to know. Good for him he won't ever have to find out.
"How are they?" Penelo asked her partner absently, but interested. Her fingers moved across the many colored buttons, switches and controls skillfully.
"I don't know." The wheat blond answered, a hint of sadness in his voice. He didn't even bother to wonder how she had guessed that he was thinking about their previous team members, not to mention friends. Instead, he grabbed the handles of the Galbana firmly, and awaited Penelo's approval to land.
"I bet they are doing just fine." She continued in an assuring tone of voice. Her eyes moved quickly over several gauges and she nodded. "You can land now."
"You think?" He asked, pulling the handles down softly. If he landed too fast, Ashe would get nauseous and he didn't feel like disinfecting the guest cabin again.
"I'm sure of it. Come on, this is Balthier and Fran we're talking about. They wouldn't die if a comet hit them on their heads." A smile played across her mouth as she eyed the young sky pirate. The said pirate smiled back at her, silently thanking her for being so considerate. He guessed being like an open book to her had it's bright sides.
Their airship shook as she hit the ground gracefully, as Vaan celebrated another peaceful landing and with that, a happy queen.
Thinking of the devil, the queen emerged from her cabin and walked up to the two young partners. She held her hand on her stomach and was breathing slowly. Sure, the landing might have been smooth, but she still had to be careful.
"I thank you." Ashe said, her voice a little shaky. Penelo tried her best not to snicker as Vaan brought his hands up behind his head, standing in his confident posture.
"No problem."
The queen nodded, and moved towards the exit. The grey-eyed boy lend her a hand getting off, his partner hopping out a few seconds later.
"How long will you be staying?" She asked the queen, who turned to eye her, seeming to ponder for a moment.
"I do not know. It depends on how things are faring here. I will let you know when I am ready to take my leave." With those words she left, wanting to walk the last part up to Mt. Bur-Omisace by herself in an attempt to maintain her independence. Things were complicated enough as they are right now, there was no need for curious sky pirates to meddle with them. They would probably make matters worse, anyway.
"So.. what are we doing?" Penelo asked her childhood friend, as she quickened her pace to keep up with the rapidity he was walking in.
"Treasure hunting." He answered, a wide grin spread all over his young features. It has been a while since they had last done anything worthy of the term piracy and the grey-eyed man was excited about getting some action. That, and-
"You really miss them, don't you."
Vaan halted for a moment and looked at the ground. Penelo came up beside him and held his arm in a comforting way, the way she always does when he feels down. After blinking away something that could have been a tear, he turned his gaze towards the sky.
"Yeah, I do."
***
"My my, aren't you the fast one?" A cold smile hit Ashe in the face and left her skin burning as her captor eyed her with great amusement.
"Take the gil and leave. I do not want to have anything to do with the likes of you."
"You don't?" The tall, male figure replaced his smile with a questioning look. "Then why do you keep coming back to me?"
"It is not coming back to you. It is blackmail, and I swear by the Gods you will pay one day." She narrowed her eyes and tried to move her wrists, but they were securely bound behind her back.
"Oh, I'm sure I will. But now that you're the one paying, I'd be a fool not to take advantage."
"At least try to be consistent, people are starting to get suspicious about my sudden urge to travel."
"Let them be, I don't mind. Or do you want me to..?" He looked at her in a way that showed, he was capable of anything, but she was too proud to admit it scared her and faced away from him.
"We have an agreement, have we not?"
"Yes, but I can pretty much do anything I want anyway."
The queen looked at the man before her in shock.
"You would not."
"Oh, but I would." He answered, enjoying the terror seen on the former princess' face.
"I paid, did I not? You promised!"
"And what has assured you of the fact that it's safe to trust my word? I might as well just kill you now."
Ashe closed her eyes, trying to figure out how it had ever gotten so far. She had been playing puppet to him for the last two months, though she had sworn not to be controlled by anyone ever again. Yet here she was, wrists bound and on her knees, before a man who could make her worst nightmare reality.
"I won't, though. It'd be such a waste." He came closer and dropped down to her eyelevel, reaching out to stroke her cheek gently, almost mockingly. When she backed away from the touch, he laughed.
"Well now, all things said and done, you'd best be off again." He got up and whispered a few things to his maid, who nodded and headed outside of the small barn they were at. "Be careful when travelling back, there have been predicaments of a hurricane hitting the lands of Mt. Bur-Omisace tonight. Wouldn't want you to hurt yourself." That said, he blew her a kiss and walked away, leaving her bound and broken. She bowed her head and tried to fight the single tear spilling from her eye, but she had lost the strength to battle.
***
The Stilshrine of Miriam had always been one of Vaan's favorite raiding places. It was easy to find your way, the monsters were slow, and the treasure was plentysome. Penelo never had been one for Tombs and Shrines, she'd rather travel for hours through Ozmone Plain, or the Salika Wood. Still, from time to time she could appreciate a raid in a place where the wind didn't bring tears to your eyes.
Following Vaan every step he made, they had plundered their way to the core of the Shrine. The wheat blond man was now filling his bags with shiny, colored gems he had found after beating the life out of a Stone Guardian, while Penelo was casting some protection spells, in case he picked up a crystal bug again. The last time her childhood friend had confused a crystal bug for a valuable stone, they had barely made it out of there alive.
"There." He closed his bag contently.
"Enough?" She asked, looking at the bag curiously.
"More than enough." He answered, trying to hide that he was having a hard time carrying the now very heavy bag. He failed though, and she laughed.
"Let's go put these away and check on Ashe."
Penelo rolled her eyes and followed Vaan out.
"What do you think she's doing right now?" He asked.
"I have no idea. I don't particularly care."
Vaan shrugged and returned his attention to the pathway before him. It might be a place where one doesn't get lost easily, The Stilshrine of Miriam was tricky and unpredictable. Just as he was about to make a turn, he heard some awfully familiar sounding gunshots, not far away from their current position. He faced Penelo, who was looking around to find the source of the noise.
"Wasn't that.." The wheat blond man wasn't sure if his hopes were playing with his ears, but he was almost certain that this was- "Balthier's gun?"
Penelo blinked and opened her mouth to speak, but at the same moment two figures came running from the gate on her right. It didn't take long before the young ones recognized their friends, and while Penelo was awestruck, Vaan shouted:
"Balthier! Fran!" Balthier, still running, gave a small wave.
"No time for a reunion!"
Just when Vaan was about to ask why, his partner let out a frightened shriek. The wheat blond turned to find her pointing at a large, skull-like, floating monster. The small wounds it had looked like bullet holes and it seemed to annoy it very, very much. The young sky pirates didn't waste anymore time staring in horror and followed the example shown to them earlier. Running as fast as they could, they soon caught up with Balthier and Fran.
"Is that.. a Negalmuur?" Penelo asked, increasing her pace a little when Fran nodded silently.
"Why is it that.. whenever I see you.. I always.. end up running?" Vaan asked Balthier, who frowned at the smirk the grey-eyed flashed him.
"Escape first, witty comments later."
Later came sooner than they had expected, since the Negalmuur gave up the chase after a very stressful ten minutes. Gasping for breath, the four sky pirates sat on the small set of stairs, just outside the tomb. They stayed there for a while, until their strength had returned to them.
It was Penelo who decided to break the silence; she had always been the one to recover at a very fast rate, while the other were happy to be able to stand.
"What brings you guys here?" She asked, smiling brightly, not even bothering to ask Vaan how in the world he had been able to recognize the sound of Balthier's gun. Both Fran and Balthier just looked at her for a second, not responding just yet. The blond girl waited patiently (just that alone showed how happy she was to see her friends again) until Balthier decided to speak.
"Treasure, what else would a pirate want?" He smiled, and started rummaging through his pockets. Fran wasn't looking very healthy, her throat gave off a dark, red glow and she seemed to be having trouble breathing. Vaan noticed that she was uncomfortable.
"What's the matter?" He asked her, slightly worried.
"She's silenced." Balthier answered, his hands still searching through the numerous pockets of his leather slacks. "You two don't happen to be having any Echo Herbs on you, do you?"
Vaan grabbed his bag and did a quick search before shaking his head. "Nope. Penelo?"
"I have a better idea." She said, moving a little to sit beside Fran. She gently placed her hands on her throat at started to gather energy. Balthier and Vaan looked at her, then at each other and smiled.
"Damned monster popped up out of nowhere and we had just faced a whole bunch of those nasty undead. We had no choice but to run, but Fran got hit before that."
"Vox.." Penelo whispered, where after a soft, white light emitted from her hands and replaced the red glow on the Viera's skin. After a few seconds, the dark skin looked normal again.
"Feeling better?"
"I am fine, thank you." Fran said, smiling when Penelo giggled.
"I knew those double heels would get to her one day." Vaan stated, winking when the Viera glared at him.
"And I am sure she has missed you too Vaan, how nice of you to ask." The wheat blond looked up to the brunet and showed an enormous grin, as he extended his hand and their fists connected in a short, masculine greeting. "How have you two been?" Balthier asked, straightening his cuffs.
"Fine, I guess." Vaan said, looking at Penelo who just nodded.
"We've been flying around a lot lately, thanks to a certain queen." She rolled her eyes.
"The princess? She's here?" The older sky pirate questioned, looking at Fran with suspicion in his eyes.
"Yeah, she said she wanted to check up on the restoration of the temple grounds.." Vaan answered. "..why?"
"We have seen her not too long ago at the Phon Coast. She seemed troubled." Fran said.
"We're the ones troubled.." The blond girl sighed, as she got up and brushed the dirt off her knees. "Let's go."
"Right." Her partner got up as well and lifted the bag on his back, trying even harder to hide the trouble he was having with it's weight. Now that he was a sky pirate himself, he wanted to show Balthier just how strong he had become. Despite his effort, the brunet noticed Vaan's uncomfortable position, but remained silent.
"Why don't you come with us?" The wheat blond asked the two still sitting.
"Yeah, I bet Ashe'll be glad to see you again after so long." Penelo said.
"Hm." Fran glanced at Balthier in question.
"Oh, might as well tag along. I could use some off-time." The brunet got up in one supple movement and reached out for Fran, who eyed him.
"I can get up myself." She stated, slightly insulted. Her partner shrugged.
"I was just making sure. He might be right about those double heels, you know." He waited for the Viera to get up, ignoring her killing stare, and together they followed the younger pirates back to Mt. Bur-Omisace.
***
"Vaan! Penelo! Where have you been, I have been looking all over for you." Ashelia quickly approached them. "Let us make our leave with haste."
"I would not, if I were you." A local came up to the three, a worried look on his face. "The earlier predicted storm is moving closer every minute. It is not advisable to fly in weather like this."
"Then how do we get home?" Ashe shot the Kiltias a look of protest.
"You will be able to leave tomorrow, my lady. As for tonight, I will ready accommodations for you and your companions."
"Best bring a change of clothes too, thank you."
Both Ashe and the local looked behind them to find Balthier and Fran, walking up to Vaan and Penelo.
"Balthier? Fran?"
"Alive and kicking. How are we, princess? I see the Phon Coast has left you with a pleasant tan. Feeling a bit, cooler now?" He threw her a charming smirk, which she caught with an accusing stare.
"My business here concerns you naught." She said, though she was happy to see the two of them again. If they had seen her on the Phon Coast, they could endanger her secret; a secret she can not risk to endanger.
"Nothing could be further from my mind." Balthier reassured her, as he tapped Vaan on the shoulder. "Let's be off now, shall we? There is going to be a long day ahead of us by the look of it, so we'd better be well-rested." The wheat blond nodded and gestured Penelo to follow him. Fran did the same, leaving her partner alone with the queen of Dalmasca.
The said partner got a bit closer to Ashe, placed his fingers under her chin and tilted her head to the left.
"That's one nasty cut you got there princess." Ashe quickly slapped his hand away. She had hoped the cut in her lip would go by unnoticed.
"I..fell."
Balthier frowned.
"Running around carelessly does not sound like any behavior you would show." He took a step back and decided to leave it for now. A harsh gush of wind almost knocked them both off balance, and it started to rain. The brown-eyed pirate looked up at the sky, holding his hand above his eyes. "It seems like the storm has started. Be careful not to fall, on your way to the chambers." With those words and a trademark smile, he walked off. Ashe watched him leave, ran her fingers over the small wound and sighed. How much longer was she able to go on like this?
***
The storm had been going on for hours, the wind slamming raindrops against the windows of the building the group was residing. Every now and then, the rooms lit up in a sharp, blue light, caused by lightening that seemed dangerously close. Thunder crashed through the skies not long after, sounding like the end of the world had arrived. Outside, preparations had been made to avoid flooding of the mountain town, large sandbags stood in line in front of the entrance of the temple, where most of the villages residents sought shelter. Vaan, Penelo, Fran, Balthier and Ashe, however, were staying in another building, not too far away from there. The queen was the only one with a single room, and no one really minded.
Night had long fallen already, but it was not worthy to be called morning just yet. The room Balthier and Fran were staying in, still had the lights on. Inside, the sky pirate was relaxing on his bed, playing a little with the many rings he wore, taking them off and putting them back on in different order. He whistled a tune the street dancers in Archades used to perform on, one of the little pleasant memories he had left of his hometown. Fran was taking her time to unwind in her own way, sharpening her arrows, silent as if the spell never had been lifted.
"What do you think?" Her partner asked out of nowhere, though she knew what he meant. They always seemed to know what the other meant, even if no words were spoken.
"She is ill at ease."
"I noticed." He stretched his arms above his head and yawned. "And that shady figure at the Phon Coast?"
Fran looked up from her arrows and tilted her head in thought.
"The Mist was very strong. Too strong. It felt just like.." She paused.
"Say no more." The brunet said. "It seems we will have to wait and see how this story unfolds."
"Will we stay?" The Viera questioned, putting the sharpened arrows aside.
"Of course. I am the leading man, after all." He smiled at her and turned off the lights. "Goodnight Fran."
In darkness, she returned his smile with grace.
After what only seemed like half an hour, a soft knock on their door was heard. Fran sat up straight and eyed the door with suspicion.
"Fran? Balthier? Are you awake? It's me..Penelo.." Some shuffling sounds were made.
"..can I come in?"
The blond girl looked at the wooden door nervously, as the thunder crashed through the clouds again. She jumped a little, frightened. She heard moving sounds on the other side and soon after, the door before her opened. Fran stood in the doorway, looking calm.
"What is it?" She asked.
"It's.. the storm, I-" The loud sound of another thunder was heard and Penelo shrieked. After the sound had weakened, she giggled nervously.
"You fear the storm?" The blond nodded. Fran showed a comforting smile and let her in. She sat down in a chair while Penelo plopped down on her bed.
"Do not mind him," The Viera started, gesturing towards a now softly snoring Balthier. "when he sleeps, he sleeps. We would not wake him if we tried."
Penelo looked at the sleeping pirate and smiled.
"Vaan and him have a lot in common." She said, feeling a little calmer now that she wasn't alone. Of course, she shared her room with Vaan, but he was asleep and when he sleeps, there is nothing that can wake him (with the exception of good-smelling food).
"Those words can best be left unsaid." Penelo turned to face Fran, as they shared a knowing smile.
The next morning, Penelo was surprised to find herself lying in her own bed when she awoke. She had spent the remainder of the night at Balthier and Fran's room, chatting with the Viera until she fell asleep. Her fear of storms had been a problem ever since she was a child, but normally Vaan was around to talk with her and calm her.
The blond slowly got up and stretched a bit. She glanced at her partner who was still sleeping soundly. His rest was soon to be disrupted though, by a voice she recognized all too well.
"Vaan? Penelo? Are you awake? We leave this instant!" After a harsh knock and a soft 'come in', Ashe marched into their room, already fully dressed. "We can not waste too much time, the sky is clear now." Soon after these words, two heads popped up from behind the doorframe. Fran walked into the room and stood beside Ashe, while Balthier kept a safe distance. He wasn't really a morning person and he would hate to take it out on his companions.
"The sky has calmed. We have time." Fran said, ignoring the bothered look Ashelia shot her.
"..What's going on in here.." Vaan mumbled softly. He had just woken up and felt a bit drowsy.
"I have no idea, and I think I'll stay like that for a while." Balthier answered, sounding just as drowsy.
"Very well then." Ashe stated, her voice a bit annoyed. "But I will not wait until noon."
"We shall leave before that." The Viera responded, watching as the queen made an 'hmpf' sound and walked off, leaving Vaan to dress and get ready. The two older sky pirates did the same, Balthier blindly following Fran, as he didn't trust his own senses at a time like this. Penelo closed the door behind them, turning around to find Vaan sitting on the edge of his bed, staring ahead like a zombie.
"Awake yet?" She asked him, receiving a tired grunt in response. That's when she realized, nothing changed, and she was very happy nothing had.
***
The air felt fresh and clear, as if nothing had happened the night before. Signs of the passing storm were only visible in some broken branches, and small piles of sand that had spilled from the bags. Nobody got hurt, fortunately, and it seemed like all the buildings were still standing too.
Fran was the first to come outside, breathing in the morning air, the smell of rain made her feel energized. Looking around, she noticed children playing in small puddles of water the storm had left the streets with, they giggled and laughed. One of their mothers was nearby, warning them to keep their clothes clean, or they could go and do the laundry themselves.
"What do you mean, storm?" Balthier said. He had left the building as well, walked up to Fran and took a look around. If he hadn't heard the thunder last night, he wouldn't even believe their lives had been in danger.
"I envy your ability to sleep through all." She said, in a way that made it sound more like an insult than words of admiration. Balthier shrugged.
"Hey you guys, we're ready!" Penelo's voice echoed through the wetted streets. She was dragging Vaan with her, who had miraculously been able to dress himself. He still looked a bit grumpy, but he was awake and that was all that mattered.
"Great!" Balthier replied, taking the opportunity to ignore Fran's earlier comment. He walked up to the wheat blond. "You're by airship, I suppose?"
When Vaan kept staring ahead, the brunet snapped his fingers in front of his face, to get his attention.
"Hello, earth to Vaan, anyone there?"
"Huh? What?" Disturbed from his daydream, the young pirate looked up at his friend. He created a little more distance between them and ran a hand through his hair. "Ehm, yeah, the Galbana is just past the mountain road." He looked a bit confused. "What about the Strahl?"
"Maintenance." Balthier replied simply. "Fran and I will hitchhike along with you for the time being."
"Fine, but don't think you're interfering with my flying."
"The thought never crossed my mind."
"Can we go now?" Ashelia had been waiting by the gates and came up to the group.
"Yeah," Vaan started. "let's go."
It was a short walk back to the Galbana and they were able to pass through the mountain road quite peacefully too. Suddenly Vaan halted and took a remote from his pocket. By pressing a single button, the invisibility shield protecting the airship fell, exposing it to the rest of the group. Balthier whistled.
"Nice trick you got there Vaan." He smirked. "Wonder who you got that from."
"It's tough being popular." He replied, quoting one of Balthier's favorite sayings.
"We do not have the time to fool about!" The queen said with irritation, walking between the two pirates up into the airship, Fran right behind her. The two men looked at each other for a second, grinned, and followed.
Balthier had kept his promise and remained silent for the better part of the trip back to Rabanastre. Fran had spent the time in the guest cabin together with Ashe, but the two hadn't exchanged a single word. Penelo and Vaan had been busy flying, but the wheat blond wasn't busy enough to keep from humming a silly tune. Eventually, his partner and Balthier joined in on the melody and they made their own music for a moment, until Fran had come out of the cabin and politely (in her very own way) asked them to be quiet.
They arrived on time and dropped Ashe near the West Gate of Rabanastre. Vaan offered to drop her at the Royal Palace, but Ashelia refused. After she got off, the Viera came out of the guest cabin and walked up to her partner.
"What are we going to do?" She asked him.
"Check on the Strahl. I suppose we could move on after that."
Fran nodded and got off, heading for the Aerodrome. Penelo got off too, leaving her partner with the older pirate.
"So, you two are leaving again huh?" Vaan asked, sounding neutral. Balthier smiled.
"It's what sky pirates do, they fly. Staying would be terrible for my reputation."
"Ok, well.." Vaan tried to think of some cool words to say, but he just wanted them to- "..take care."
"Vaan, please. Who do you think you're talking to?" A friendly smirk.
"Drop by again soon." The younger pirate ordered, rather than asked. Balthier hopped out of the airship and made a small waving gesture.
"We're always closer than you think." A wink, and off he was.
"Vaan! Are you coming?" Penelo shouted. Vaan looked at his feet and shrugged, where after he hopped out of the airship and went back home with his partner. On the way home, he looked up at the sky. Closer than he thinks, huh?
***
Two months had passed since that day, and Penelo was getting suspicious; they had not heard from Ashe ever since they took her to Mt. Bur-Omisace. Vaan told her that she should be happy, but his partner thought he was being too optimistic. Still, there wasn't much the young pirates could do about it, so life went on as usual.
Balthier and Fran had stayed out of the picture as well, most likely they were trying their luck at the Sochen Cave Palace. Those two could never stay still for long, much like their younger colleagues.
Frequent letters from Larsa showed that he was doing fine too, Vaan was amazed about the fact that the young emperor and Penelo could write pages and pages of complete nonsense to each other, while still enjoying reading the received letters. From time to time the blond girl would run up to Vaan, pressing a letter in his face saying: "Look at this!", where after she would break down in a laughing fit. He never got their jokes though.
Then one day, there was a different envelope in the mail than the ones Larsa used. It had the sign of Dalmasca on it and was sealed securely. Penelo immediately snatched it out of Vaan's hands and opened it, curious to see what it held. After reading the letter, her eyes widened.
"WHAT?" She yelled, rereading the letter to see if she had seen it correctly.
"What? What does it say?" Vaan asked, trying to take the letter from her. She took a few steps back.
"Ok, wait, I'll read it out loud." She cleared her throat.
"Cherished friends Vaan and Penelo, you are hereby invited to join us for a festive banquet in celebration of the royal engagement between queen Ashelia B'nargin Dalmasca and Devont Remis Margrace. We look forward to your presence at this happy event. With kind greetings, the royal house of Dalmasca."
"WHAT?" Vaan couldn't believe his ears and took the letter from Penelo. He read it himself to find that she had not been making things up; Ashe was getting married.
"Do you know that..Devont?" The blond girl asked, not sure what to think of the whole situation.
"Devont Margrace..wasn't he Al-Cid's older brother? The guy with the funeral outfit." It was the best description Vaan could come up with, he had only seen him once. Instead of his brother's colorful style, Devont chose to wear black, which lead to Vaan using the word 'undertaker' when referring to him in conversation.
"Not really the kind of guy I would picture her with.." Penelo said, thinking it over.
"Me neither, but she is the one who loves him." Vaan replied, folding the paper and tucking it in his back pocket. "We're going, we have to show Ashe that we support her and want her to be happy. That's what friends are for, right?"
"Right." His partner answered. "I wonder if Balthier and Fran got an invitation.."
"Hm, probably not. They don't have an address so.."
"Hey," The blond girl started. "I wonder if it says anything about a dress code?"
"Cherished friends Balthier and Fran.. A bit too much, what do you think?" The brunet eyed his partner with amusement.
"Are we going to be present?" She asked, tilting her head to the side in question.
"We'd be fools to turn down free dinner." He answered, folding the letter and tucking it away. Fran frowned at him.
"You are aware of the fact that Rabanastre is an eight day travel from here, are you not?"
"Well then, we'd better get a move on."
***
The banquet was going to take place in two weeks, giving Penelo enough time to find an outfit and Vaan enough time to make the Galbana look shinier than the morning star. After all, if Balthier and Fran were to have received an invitation, he didn't want the Strahl to out-shine his own airship; he was way to proud for that. A few days after getting the invitation, Penelo came running with a letter from Larsa, saying he had been asked to join too. Vaan made some lame jokes, his partner blushed and punched him in the stomach. They had some laughs and ordered food out that day.
Fran and Balthier made use of these two weeks to travel to the Royal City of Rabanastre, where they spent the few days they had left in the relaxing atmosphere of Lowtown. Though Balthier missed the luxury he was just getting used to, he managed to entertain himself. This didn't turn out to be as hard as he had expected and Fran enjoyed her moment of saying: 'I told you so.'.
She heard Penelo use those words in a fight with Vaan and the Viera had developed a liking to them ever since. They made the point clear in a mocking, yet polite way; it fitted perfectly in Fran's speech pattern. It was Balthier's turn to get food that day.
At the Royal Palace, preparations for the banquet were in full motion. Migelo had been hired to supply the food and drinks and the finest dancers of Archadia were invited to provide entertainment. Everyone was in a happy mood, they had been looking forward to the reengagement of queen Ashelia for quite some time now. Things will be great now, Ashe will have a family and the thrown of Dalmasca will be secured. Rumors of the queen rejecting her position as queen and escaping the country were vanished.
Night fell, flooding the large rooms with darkness. A few candles fought this darkness, standing proud and tall, making the contours of a woman stand out. She was standing quietly on the balcony, gazing at the sky. A soft breeze played with the fabric of her dress and she inhaled the night air, allowing it to calm her mind.
A man walked into the room, moving to stand beside the woman on the balcony. His arm found a way around her shoulder and he gently forced her head to rest on his right collarbone.
"Dalmascan evenings sure are charming." A deep, low voice sounded. The woman nodded.
"They are."
The man smiled as she woman sighed, sharing a moment of twisted silence.
"Are you happy, my love?" The man spoke, gently stroking his fiancées cheek with a smile around his lips. She simply gazed at the stars.
"Do you have to ask?"
He pulled her a little closer.
"No."
It was quiet for a while.
"Rozarrian nights are beautiful as well, Ashelia. I'm sure you'll love them."
***
"Name." A man hidden in an iron suit asked monotonously.
"Vaan, sir."
"Penelo, sir." She smiled at the guard, who returned her smile and checked off their names on the list. Vaan eyed him suspiciously.
"You may pass. Please enjoy the banquet."
"Thanks!" The blond girl spoke, again smiling at the man, who chuckled. Vaan grabbed her hand and dragged her further along the hallway. Once he was sure that the guard couldn't hear them, he looked at his partner with a stern look.
"Don't flirt with the guards, Penelo."
She sighed. "I was just being kind, Vaan."
The two young ones gave their coats to the staff and hung around downstairs for a while; Vaan wanted to be 'fashionably late' and Penelo wanted to wait for Larsa to arrive. When he did, about half an hour later, the three of them exchanged their greetings and prepared themselves to go upstairs, where the banquet was about to start.
"What do you mean 'not on the list'?" A very familiar voice sounded. Vaan immediately turned around, followed by Larsa and Penelo. Seeing who the man in distress was, he flashed a wide grin.
"Balthier!" He shouted, waving at his older friend, who noticed him and gestured him to come and help him out.
"Vaan, you could have told me you had that much spare time on your hands, we could have used you at the Sochen Cave Palace." He said, answering the boy's grin with a small smirk. Vaan looked confused, until his partner whispered:
"I think he's talking about all the cleaning you did on the Galbana.."
The brunet heard her whisper and laughed.
"Are you serious? She's shining so bright I was tempted to get myself a pair of those stylish glasses Al-Cid wears." Vaan crossed his arms and eyed Balthier.
"Do you want me to help you or not." He said curtly, and his friend rolled his eyes.
"Oh, please do."
It took Vaan exactly three and a half minutes to talk the guard into letting Balthier and Fran pass and Penelo, dare she say it, was impressed. Her partner had definitely gotten the hang of interacting with others and it started to show. Where normally he would have acted rude to get what he wants, he now played the man before him smoothly into acting his way. He didn't even need Penelo's bright blue eyes anymore, and that meant something.
The thing Vaan was impressed with, was the enormous amount of food they were presented with when they entered the main hall. Luxurious foods on decorated tables, many wealthy-looking people socializing, some holding tall glasses of champagne in their hands, waiting for a toast to be made. Balthier wasn't raised to be rude, so he didn't think twice when a pretty dancer came up to him, carrying a plate of glasses; he accepted her offer and took a glass, winking at the young girl when she bowed politely. She blushed, Fran noticed and rolled her eyes, where after she took a glass of her own. Larsa still wasn't allowed to drink, since the legal drinking age in Ivalice was twenty. This meant Penelo couldn't drink either, though her birthday was a mere two months away. Her partner flashed the dancer a bright smile, proudly taking a glass, eyeing Balthier shortly afterwards with a 'Yeah, I'm legal now'-look. The older pirate shrugged, trying hard not to take this look the wrong way. Larsa and Penelo happily chatted away, holding the same tall glasses, only theirs were filled with high-quality apple juice. Sparkling, apple juice. Fran came to the conclusion that they were probably the only ones who wouldn't be offended by this.
Vaan had been looking around, when he saw Balthier chatting up the girl who was carrying the plate a few minutes ago. The brunet smiled charmingly and spoke in a lower tone of voice, the younger pirate couldn't help but laugh. It had gotten amusing to see how his friend managed to wrap every woman around his finger (every woman but Fran, of course). When the girl got called back for work, Balthier had already drank his first glass of champagne; now holding a second as if nothing had happened at all.
A nice mood had spread through the hall and all the food had been served. Everyone was holding a glass, when a man, fully dressed in black, rose from his chair and cleared his throat. As by magic, the room went silent, awaiting the man's words.
"That's Devont." Vaan whispered to Penelo, who nodded.
"He is the owner of the largest medicine company in whole Ivalice, known for their enormous research teams and the best quality items out there." Larsa said softly. "Al-Cid told me about him."
"Medicine eh? Well he could take some himself, he looks deadly pale." Balthier commented, walking over to his younger friends.
"Or, you have just been hanging around with Fran too much." Vaan countered. The Viera couldn't repress a soft laugh, but just as Balthier was going to say something back, Devont started his speech.
"Hello everyone, and welcome to our engagement banquet. Thank you all for coming, it really means a lot to Ashelia and me that you all came to support us. As you already know, we recently became engaged and we want to celebrate this exhilarating and special time in our lives with all of you, our closest family and friends." He smiled, eyeing some of the visitors, nodding to some. He then placed his eyes upon Ashe, followed by everyone in the room. There was no reason not to, she was simply gorgeous. The dress she was wearing had been designed according to Rozarrian style, giving it a Latin, flowing, warm look. Bordeaux red suited her in a way nobody could have ever foreseen, the white veil hanging around her shoulders breaking the bloody color. Decorative patterns had been painted on her skin, Vaan could not keep his eyes away from her arms. Balthier noticed. Devont continued.
"Ashelia is the woman, who has made all my dreams come true. She brings me happiness and joy, makes me smile everyday. She is truthful to herself and to me and can give me a good fight when I need one." A few people chuckled at this statement, it matched perfectly with Ashe's fiery character.
"Having her by my side, makes my life worth living. There is nothing I have left to wish for, now that she agreed to wear my ring, now that she agreed to become my wife." He smiled at her and placed his hand on her bare shoulder, she looked up at him.
"So thank you, everyone, for coming to celebrate this event. Ashelia and I cannot wait until we see all of you at are wedding, when we will become husband and wife. It really means a lot to us that we have your support in this. It shows that you look at us and see a couple who is truly in love, and should be together for the rest of their lives. Thank you."
When the black clothed man sat down, the room broke into applause. Devont looked at his fiancée and smiled at her, she returned his smile with a soft smile of her own. Then, the sound of glass clinging was heard. When the couple looked up in direction of the noise, they saw Al-Cid standing, holding his glass high.
"I have some words to say as well." He announced, rather than told. He looked at his brother, who nodded at him, giving him permission to speak.
"Thank you all for allowing me to stand up here and honor my brother and his beloved new wife, Ashe. I want to congratulate my brother and my new sister-in-law. Congratulations on finding the emotion that is toughest to find. I wish you a lifetime of love and happiness, flowers, cruises, fine wine and stargazing. Mind your health too, although I do not suppose this to become a problem." A few laughs were heard.
"Here, I end my short speech. Cheers, to the most beautiful couple of Ivalice." He held his glass up high, and everybody present did the same. A chorus of 'cheers' was heard and the banquet was officially opened. People started eating and drinking, chatting and laughing. Balthier wanted to take this opportunity to say what he wanted to say before Devont interrupted him, but he couldn't for the love of the Gods remember what it was. When he saw the dancer from earlier walk around with a new tray of champagne, he figured that maybe another glass would do the trick.
Penelo was still in her 'that is SO cute!' mode, but Larsa did not seem annoyed at all. He just looked at her while she talked and talked, nodding or smiling every now and then. It made Fran chuckle slightly.
Vaan had gone to talk to the queen, to congratulate her, but when he got close, a group of people got in his way, making it impossible for him to speak to Ashe. He let it slide, knowing he will get his chance later. He was on his way to get more of that delicious reddish bread, when Penelo came up to him.
"Have you written anything in the guestbook yet?" She asked, pointing to a small table in the corner of the room. Seeing how quiet it was there now, Vaan figured that most people had already written something inside. He shook his head.
"Nope, not yet."
"Well, you should. It's nice, they will have something to look at later, so don't forget it, ok? Even Balthier wrote something in it."
Vaan nodded. "I won't forget, don't worry."
"Just making sure." She replied, bouncing off to find Larsa. The wheat blond doubted the purity of that sparkling apple juice of hers for a second, but came to the conclusion that it was probably the atmosphere and the amount of people, making her so hyper.
The evening passed smoothly, everyone had eaten and enjoyed, most of the guests had already left the castle. Vaan had to pluck Penelo from the group of dancers performing on stage, though he had to admit she was the best one out there. Larsa would have agreed, but he had to take his leave earlier, together with Basch. The trip back to Archades was a long one, after all. Balthier and Fran had left too, leaving their next destination to be guessed. Their younger friends were at the gate now, waving to the few Moogles they had talked with earlier, where after they took their leave as well. It had been a lovely, festive evening and they had enjoyed themselves very much.
Evening transformed into night and the queen was in the bathroom, slowly rubbing the paint of her arms. Luckily it came off without too much scrubbing, one of the upsides of high quality paint. Devont entered the bathroom after a soft knock and smiled when he saw her struggling to reach a part of her right shoulder blade. Taking the wet cloth from her, he gently rubbed the paint off, eyeing her through her reflection in the huge mirror before them.
"It's been a lovely night, hasn't it?"
Silence, then a nod.
"Many people have showed their support in our relationship Ashelia, there's no blank page left in the guestbook."
Another nod.
"Did you enjoy yourself darling?"
Again.
"Good." Having rubbed off all the paint, he placed a kiss on her shoulder and put the cloth away.
"You'd better rest well my queen, evenings like this can be very tiring." He moved towards the door and opened it, preparing to leave, but before he did , he softly whispered a word. Ashe immediately started coughing and clasped her hand over her throat, trying to breath calmly. He smiled at her and left.
After a few minutes, Ashe's breathing had calmed. Her throat still felt sore though and she wasn't surprised. She looked at her own reflection and sighed deeply. There was no other way. Taking the guestbook from the floor beside her, she opened it and flipped through the pages. When her eyes fell upon one particularly boyish handwriting, she paused and read.
My best wishes to both of you. Whenever you need a ride, feel free to contact me.
-Vaan
Ashe smiled and continued to read the other entries on the page.
Devont, a little advice. Most wedding problems can be solved with red roses. May your love last eternally.
-Al-Cid
Dear Ashe and Devont, I am so happy for you two to be together and in love. I wish for you to stay together forever and live a life full of happiness. Much love,
-Penelo
My congratulations to the both of you, may you rebuild Dalmasca with the same love you share.
-Larsa
When you find the one thing you're looking for, don't ever let it go.
-Balthier
Love is precious.
-Fran
May the Gods watch over you both.
-Basch
Two salty drops fell on the thick paper and formed two small, round stains between the many entries. She closed the book and put it aside, dropping her head in her hands. There was no other way. There was no other way. She whispered these words multiple times, before her head sank down from her hands on the wooden dressingtable. A soft cough spilled from her lips and she cringed at the pain it caused her throat. Ashe closed her eyes, suddenly feeling very tired. Slowly she dozed off, falling asleep in the bathroom, for the third time this week.
There was no other way.
Thank you for reading! Reviews are much appreciated!