the cost of everything
He sees her in the market and keeps walking, for reasons he can't - or won't - explain. It's been months, it's been so long, and he's got everything he needs - Fran, a working set of wings, enough money to make life easy for now - everything that's been enough for as long as he can remember, only it suddenly isn't. Fran is a wonderful partner and a great best friend, and his commandeered ship isn't as good as the Strahl but will do until Vaan is finished paying for the inevitable repairs, and money never goes amiss when in his pocket, but -
But it isn't enough, and a tiny part of him misses her. Misses the bickering, the way she'd throw things at him when he annoyed her, the way she would smile at him when she thought he wasn't looking. He misses her.
And she's in the market, surrounded by the usual Royal Entourage and he watches her for a long moment, then picks a Bangaa's pocket and leaves, willing himself not to turn around. Looking back never got him anywhere before, and if being a sky pirate has taught him anything, it's that moving ahead is the only way to survive.
--
He finds himself in the Royal Palace of Rabanastre.
It's midday, and the Princess is anywhere but here - he half-wishes she were so he could taunt her like old times, but then he remembers that she still thinks he's dead. He's tempted to snitch a few gems, but something within him balks at stealing from her, at least not while the Bahamut is so fresh in their minds. Eventually, he supposes, he'll return and rob her blind - because that's what sky pirates do, and princesses aren't immune, no matter how pretty - but he can't bring himself to take anything now.
So he leaves a note, just a couple of words jotted on a peice of paper, and leaves again, pockets no fuller than before (Fran glances oddly at him as he passes, but doesn't say anything) and wonders whether or not he can expect to see her anytime soon.
She never leaves her room. It isn't until dawn begins to break that he realizes he never expected her to.
--
In the streets of Rabanastre, a year after Bahamut's crash, he finds a familiar ring and decides to explore Rozzaria for a while.
--
He finds himself again in the Royal Palace, with the same problem as before.
This time, it's evening, and he knows where to find her. He thinks that if he simply snuck past the guards and waltzed into her room and woke her up - Anything could happen. But her room is well-guarded and he's in no mood to fight them, and besides, she's had no contact with him for almost two years, and rumor has it, Al-Cid is courting her (which stings just a little, though he'll never admit it). He walks right up to the young, acne-covered man standing outside her door - the boy stands straighter, and Balthier suddenly feels a little old - and hands him the letter with a smile and a flourish.
"See to it that the Lady Ashe receives this. There's no need to tell her who it came from." The guard stares at the letter blankly, mumbling about but I am supposed to personally check every peice of correspondence to her majesty, because - but he's gone before the boy looks up.
He doesn't expect an answer, but waits anyway.
--
One year and eleven months after Bahamut's crash, Balthier leaves Rabanastre for good.