Author's Note: this little piece came into my head when I was pondering about Balthier's past.
I'm going to add other interludes from before we meet him in the game but in no particular order. So enjoy :)
Disclaimer: I don't own any thing recognisable it all belongs to square enix (I'm just playing with them :P)
Shades of dreams
Balthier and Fran strode through the streets of Balfonheim . The sun beat down on the cobbles and a number of small children scurried past them. A handful of gulls swooped over the shimmering waters calling to each other in loud scratchy voices.
Balthier exchanged a look with Fran, he did not like children as a rule. They were loud and sticky.
"Do we locate another target?" Fran asked.
Balthier stretched and rolled his shoulders, still sore from their last venture, "Most certainly," he answered with a predatory smile.
He secretly rather enjoyed enjoyed the little visits to the pirate port, when other pirates weren't after his blood of course.
Not accusing any one in particular but really Esme his sudden appearance hardly warranted and gun in his face. Well maybe, but that was completely beside the point.
Fran glanced over at him, "You are unusually quite."
Balthier nodded, "Yes well I have not annoyed any one yet this time."
Fran's eyes twinkled with ill hidden amusement, "I take it you are not referring to Skye."
Balthier thought of the tiny wild red headed pirate and shook his head, "No."
No Esme was far more scary than Skye could ever hope to be. And she was only annoyed because he had forged a relationship with her for the soul purpose of stealing a particularly expensive gem.
Balthier stopped in front of a brightly coloured stall on a whim. He was perusing the wears when he spotted an object that made his blood run cold.
It was a battered music box. It's peeling paint had once been a crisp white and the yellowing motif once a gleaming gold. The little handle on the side was wobbly and looked like it had been broken and then mended badly. Carefully Baltheir reached out with trembling fingers.
He slowly flipped the lid and stared down and the smooth looping writing.
For my little angel so you shall have wings for which to fly
Balthier almost dropped the box. It was impossible. A coincidence, nothing but a painful coincidence.
"Balthier?" Fran's voice shocked him out of his inner panic, "Are you well?"
Balthier nodded closing the lid and brushing his finger tips over the fading cloud motif, "Yes I believe I am."
Fran did not look convinced. Almost fearfully Balthier turned the little handle. The tune was broken, disjointed a mere shadow but it was enough to loosen the memories of a little boy that was still hiding some where in the sky pirate that was Balthier.
The room smells of honeysuckle. The white silk drapes fluttered in the gentle breeze that whispered round the pale yellow white room. The little boy with soft caramel curls bounces across the marble floor and scrambles into the wide four-poster bed covered in white silky sheets.
The woman at the dressing table stifles and laugh and the amusing figure he makes. A tiny child on a sea of white.
"Must you go mama," the little boy pouts?
Ceilian Bunansa sighed deeply and turned on the white wood stool, "Yes Ffamran. Your father and I have been invited to the Emperor's grand ball so we must attend."
"But I don't want you to," little Ffamran whined, used to getting his own way often.
Ceilian smiled showing the dimples in her creamy cheeks. "You shall have Penny to keep you company."
Ffamran frowned, "But I want you to say good night to me."
Ceilian returned to painting her lips a deep rose pink, "And I shall, before we leave."
Ffamran hopped off the bed and wandered over to the dressing table, "Will you be gone long?" he conceded finally.
Ceilian smiled indulgently, "Not very my sweet. Barely past the stroke of midnight."
The youngest Bunansa frowned, this was not a version of 'not long' he had ever heard. Ceilian giggled and the baffled expression on her baby's face.
She rose with a rustle of cream silk skirts and swooped the seven year old into her arms, "Why don't we find that old music box of yours hmm? Then we can have a little ball all to ourselves."
Ffamran beamed and clapped his hands, "Yes. Yes."
Ceilian put him down and gave him a little nudge towards the door, "Go and get it then."
Ffamran scampered to his nursery, "Penny! Penny have you seen my music box?" the little boy demanded.
The fluffy silver white moogle dressed in a sky blue dress peeked out from the top of a toy box, "On the windowsill kupo," she chirped.
Ffamran beamed and bounded over to collect it. It was a very special music box. It was painted white with a golden cloud motif on the lid. On the side was the little handle you used to wind it up. Clutching his treasure in both hands Ffamran hurried back to his mother.
Ceilian smiled as her little son returned with the music box. Gently she set it on her dressing table and wound the little handle.
A sweet melody filled the room and Ceilian scooped up her little son almost waltzing round her room. Quietly she began to sing under her breath...
little bird in a restless storm
spread your wings and take flight
bear on the wind my hopes and dreams
and never shall they die
listen to the lullaby
listen to my words of joy
dancing around my memory
fly little bird stretch out your wings
keep to heavens
no ones watching
keep your dreams closer
guard them always
listen too the lullaby
listen to my words of joy
dancing round my memory
shades of dreams shatter softly
fall in shower of rain
crystallised tears steak your cheeks now
stain your soul so white
listen to the lullaby
listen to my words of joy
dancing round my memory
Cidolfus Demen Bunansa lent in the doorway of he and his wife's room watching his beautiful wife and son.
They had been attempting for children for so long. The first had been pronounced dead upon birth, the second had lived to two months before it was claimed by scarlet fever. The very fever little Ffamran had barely managed to survive.
Cidolfus was very thankful for his little son's miraculous escape.
Ceilian noticed her husbands appearance and wandered over, "Hush," she whispered, "He is sleeping."
Cidolfus nodded placing a chaste kiss on the little boy's forehead and then one on his wife's cheek, "Come my love we have to leave soon."
Ceilian nodded, "I'll just put him to bed." she swept from the room in a flurry of white silk. "Penny?" she called.
The moogle nanny appeared in the doorway of the nursery, " Does mistress require assistance kupo?"
Ceilian tucked her son under his chocobo down quilt. "Look after him for me."
Penny nodded, "Always kupo"
Ceilian lent over and turned the dial that dimmed the nursery lights. She gently kissed Ffamran on the forehead and smoothed back his curls, "Sleep well my little angel."
His mother had never returned. She had been killed in a head on collision with the sky cab she and his father had been riding in and a hover bike. Cidolfus had been devastated. Little Ffamran had buried his music box in the deepest toy box he could find and had never listened to it again.
Even know looking down at the battered wood, Balthier could still hear the echo of Ceilian's voice. It had been almost as if she had expected that she would not return.
The thought made Balthier shiver despite the warm weather.
"I'll give ya it fer 15 gil," the store owner wheezed.
Noticing her partners distress Fran narrowed her eyes and plucked the battered box from his shaking hands. "We have no need for a music box," she stated coldly and steered Bathier away.
The young hume glanced back dazedly but allowed her to steer him to the small inn where they had lodgings. She put him to bed, then slipped quietly from the room.
Fran frowned to herself, she did not understand. The box had obviously been important to her partner but it had also upset him greatly.
She wandered down the crowded streets ignoring the odd looks she received and pondered on what to do.
Out the corner of her eye she spied the same stall Balthier had stopped in front of earlier. Cpmming to a decision she made a beeline for it.
When Balthier next awoke it was dark. To his utmost surprise the battered music perched on the rickety table near the bed. He frowned in confusion.
"It was important to you," Fran said by way of explanation when his asked.
Balthier allowed himself a soft smile and tucked it away safely in the bottom of the chest in his cabin on the Strahl. Maybe he could allow himself to keep a tiny reminder of where he'd come from and who he'd once been.