Ashe lie down to rest. The Dalmascan force should be home soon…with Rasler. He'd promised he'd come back, hadn't he? A prince was bound by his word. He would return.

With these few words of self-assurance, Ashe drifted off to sleep.

Ashe could see a figure in the distance. Hair blowing in a wind she could not feel…cape billowing out behind him.

Ashe began to walk twords him. Whoever he was, he seemed to want her to come closer.

She began to run. He seemed to be getting further away as she ran.

Faster.

Faster.

Faster.

Finally, she was running as hard as she possibly could. Jumping into the air, she landed on top of the figure in the distance.

Picking herself up off the floor, she started to introduce herself when she realized who it was.

Rasler.

Or at least, it COULD have been Rasler. It looked exactly like him, but his eyes were sunken in. His skin had taken on a more greenish tint. His hair was unkempt and matted.

Almost like he was dead.

But he couldn't be. Impossible. He needed to live. He needed to come home.

For Dalmasca.

For the alliance.

For…her.

"Hello, my princess."

"H…Hello, Rasler."

"Please, forgive me."

Ashe stopped at this. Forgive him for WHAT? He hadn't done anything, had he? If he'd taken on a girlfriend or something, she was sure she could forgive him, after all they were forced to be married eternally, or their countries would fall.

"But…I'm not coming back home. Not this time."

"What do you mean? Have you found the border so pleasurable you want to move the capital there? I have no objections to a summer palace being built, if that's what you want…"

"You fail to understand me. I'm not coming back home from the battle. Ever. There's just no way."

"WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?" Ashe screamed at him, though he didn't even flinch at his words…almost if he'd been…expecting it.

Oh, no.

There was no way.
He couldn't be…

Dead.

Death…so final.

Impossible, surely.

"It was a lucky shot by an Arcadian archer. Tell him if you ever see him I bear him no ill will."

"You mean to tell me that somebody actually killed you. Killed YOU. Basch was supposed to protect you! And now you tell me to BEAR HIM NO ILL WILL? HAVE YOU TAKEN LEAVE OF YOUR MIND, RASLER?"
"I like to think I'm quite sane. Trust me, Ashe. It was all meant to happen this way. Some day, you will forget me. You will find another dashing prince. You'll rule the kingdom of Dalmasca. To be a queen-it's what you've always wanted,

Right?

Or have I misunderstood you so profoundly. This is what you want, isn't it? Your heart's dearest wish?"
"It's true I've always wanted to be queen. But not at your expense. Certainly not at the expense of anyone's LIFE. Please, tell me this is all just a bad dream."

"I wish I could. Hard times are coming, Ashe. Remember me to my country. Make it so I haven't died in vain. Win the war. Reclaim Dalmasca. Take the throne from Arcadia. Win it back for me, Ashe."

"No, Rasler. This can't end like this." Ashe reached out to touch him-to know that this was just a dream.

But her hand went right through his armor.

Recoiling in a hurry, Ashe hesitated. This was surely not Rasler. This was a sick joke-or a bad dream. A nightmare. That must be it.

"Please, please…forgive me."

"RASLER!" Ashe screamed in agony, as Rasler slowly faded into nothingness.

"I will never forget you." He replied, before he vanished completely.

Ashe woke up in a cold sweat. That couldn't have happened. Bad dream. Surely just a bad dream.

She walked to the edge of her bed, splashing water from a pitcher onto her face.

A lie, surely.

It must be.

And yet, she couldn't help but feel there was something missing.