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"Wait up Vaan!" Penelo called laughingly, chasing after him, her feet kicking up small clouds of sand as she ran. The group were finally making their way across the Giza Plains having lost two days wandering the Estersand after becoming disorientated during a sandstorm. They were making their way towards Jahara to seek knowledge from the Garif regarding the stone Ashe carried in her pocket.
"How do they stand the heat?" Balthier asked, wiping sweat from his brow and watching as Vaan allowed Penelo to catch up with him, laughing loudly as she grabbed hold of his arm.
"I've no idea" Ashe's face was flushed and she blew her damp hair out of her face as spoke. "I suppose growing up in the desert has its advantages."
"You grew up in Rabanastre too." Balthier pointed out.
"Yes, well. The palace was never like this. I feel as though I'm in an oven." Ashe frowned.
"Perhaps we should make camp" Basch suggested, shielding his eyes from the dazzling sun and looking towards a cluster of tents just visible on the horizon. "Unless my eyes deceive me, the nomad's village lies ahead of us. Perhaps this would be a good opportunity to stop and rest" he finished, looking towards Ashe for approval.
Ashe pursed her lips for a minute; it was apparent that she did not want to stop so soon, eager to reach the Garif's village of Jahara to get the answers she so desperately sought.
"We really ought to keep moving..." a half hearted suggestion, she knew.
"Oh yes, we'll get there so much quicker as sun bleached skeletons!" Balthier snapped. "Basch is right, we should stop. If we rest now, we could journey through the night instead."
Ashe pursed her lips again but it was clear to her companions that she was as eager to stop as they.
"VAAN!" Balthier bellowed, waving his arm above his head to draw Vaan's attention. Vaan trotted back towards the group, Penelo trailing behind him.
"We stop at the nomad village, make use of yourself and scamper on ahead to let them know." Balthier flapped his hand at Vaan as if to shoo him away.
"Come on Pen!" He reached for her arm, an eager look on his face. He was clearly pleased to be running an errand for Balthier. Penelo wrinkled her nose and pulled her wrist from Vaan's grip.
"I'll catch you up." She watched as Vaan ran off, his white-blonde hair glinting in the sunlight. She slowed her pace, allowing Basch and Fran to draw level with her, falling in step with them.
"So...if we're camping with the nomads, does this mean we don't have to stand watch tonight?" She asked, looking towards Fran. The viera did not reply, simply shrugging her shoulders.
"It won't be necessary. The fiends learned long ago to avoid the nomad village." Basch kept his eyes fixed firmly on Ashe and Balthier who walked a small distance ahead of them.
"Oh. That's good." Penelo smiled, swinging her arms back and forth. "It'll be nice not to have to worry about fiends for a night." Basch said nothing, a non-committal grunt his only response to her comment.
Penelo bit her lip and frowned. She already knew from their few weeks travelling as a group that Basch was pretty non-syllabic and difficult to draw into conversation but this felt different and she couldn't help but think that his attitude towards her had something to do with their encounter on the banks of the Nebra the night before. She opened her mouth to say something, paused and closed her mouth again. Before she realised what she was doing, she reached out and put her hand on Basch's arm. He stopped dead in his tracks, and she was certain she felt him flinch slightly as she touched him.
Fran stalked on ahead without a backwards glance at them. Penelo watched her until she was out of earshot before turning back to look at Basch.
"Are you being awkward with me because of the other night?" She asked, her words tumbling from her mouth in a rush as she stared at his feet.
"What do you mean?" Basch asked; he avoided her gaze, looking almost shifty.
"You know, when we talked the other night and I cried. Did I make you uncomfortable?" She toyed with her bracelets and kicked at the sand in front of her, waiting for his response. She heard Basch sigh as she stared at the ground, heard the clank of his sword against his armour as he shifted position.
"You did not make me uncomfortable" he muttered, folding his arms across his broad chest. "I do not like to see any one upset, least of all you."
"Why least of all me?"
"Because you're so young and suffered so much already. It saddened me to see you hurting. And I fear for your future and what it holds. I would not like to see you suffer further."
Penelo looked up at him and was surprised to see a slight smile on his face, although his eyes were full of sadness. Before she could speak he turned on his heel and began walking quickly in the direction of the nomad village. Penelo had to run to keep up with him, taking two steps to every one of his, turning his words over and over in her head.