Author's Note: The necklace I described can be seen here: http://www(DOT)deviantart(DOT)com/deviation/37839295/?qo4&qnecklace&qhboost3Apopular+agesigma3A24h+agescale3A5

That necklace is so beautiful and elegant, I just love it!

The Leading Lady

Author: Wakamoley

Chapter Eleven: In the City

The trip going back from Mt. Bur-Omisace took long hours of fighting and running, and occasionally chocobo-riding. There were no airships nearby, so flying one wasn't an option. However, once the party got back to Rabanastre, everyone was excited again.

"Finally!" Vaan exclaimed. "I haven't been in Rabanastre in so long!" he said as the group arrived at the Rabanastre South Gate. Vaan stretched his arms out and wove his hands together behind his head.

"I think that goes for all of us, Vaan," Penelo told him as she walked up to him and grinned.

Ashe felt certain happiness inside her when she walked into her home city. It was so familiar yet strange at the same time.

Fran was talking to her the whole time, and Ashe discovered many things about her and Balthier. Apparently Fran met Balthier when he was seventeen years old, and they traveled through Ivalice together ever since. Fran didn't say anything about why, however, as that was still a secret for only her and Balthier to know.

Ashe felt jealous; not because of Fran's looks compared to hers in the eyes of Balthier, but because Balthier and Fran shared even more secrets than he and Ashe does. She wasn't sure now if the sky pirate would commit to only one woman that easily, even though Fran might not be his love interest. She then thought that Balthier and Fran were sky pirate partners for a very long time, so it's only normal for them to share deep secrets.

The party arrived at the market place, and they split up into groups of two and went shopping. Balthier and Basch went looking for new armors and weapons, Penelo and Vaan went to the item shop, while Ashe and Fran went to look for magicks and technicks. From then Ashe and Fran talked some more, this time Balthier was their main subject.

"I know that sky pirates don't commit that easily, but is this true for Balthier, too?" Ashe asked Fran.

"You must understand that we sky pirates fly around Ivalice freely, and we don't stay in one place only," Fran started, "Balthier has had many relationships before you, but I must say that they didn't last long at all. After all, Balthier is a young man, and it's not really easy to commit to one woman at his age."

"I understand," Ashe replied, "but couldn't I be an exception to him?"

"Actually, since you're royalty, the chances of a long-lasting relationship might be very little. Balthier loves his freedom, and what if you were to become queen? What would happen to you two then?"

"That's true, and I understand that part," Ashe told her, and she now started to feel a little disappointed, as she loved Balthier really much. "But, if our love endures during this journey together, wouldn't he change his mind?"

"It's probable, and maybe it would really happen," Fran told her, "but you must know, that most of his relationships usually ended after one night of love and passion and it's good bye between the two the next day."

"Oh…" Ashe started, and now her feelings towards Balthier were changing. She still loved him, but what Fran said had made her think over their relationship. "But that's normal for a male sky pirate, right?"

"Yes, it is," Fran said. "When we first met, Balthier tried to come on to me with his charms, but of course I rejected him," Fran smiled as she spoke, and Ashe laughed at her words. "I try not to get involved in a Hume-Viera relationship, because I'm probably old and wise enough to be anyone's grandmother in these streets, not just Balthier."

Ashe laughed again; she never thought Fran could be this funny, as the Viera always seemed so stoic and serious in their journey.

"So you never were in a love relationship with Balthier, Fran?" Ashe questioned the tall Viera.

"No," Fran replied, "and that was a long time ago that he tried to charm me, now we're just really close partners and friends that travel together in the skies of Ivalice."

"Oh, I'm glad to hear that," Ashe told her as she smiled, knowing that the beautiful Viera was never a lover with her man, Balthier.

"I understand you love him, Ashe, but just don't love him too much," Fran told her, this time her face was serious again, "I've seen him made a lot of girls the happiest women on Ivalice, but after their night of passionate love, they're nothing but strangers. Hopefully he won't do that to you."

"I really hope so too, and thank you so much for telling me this, Fran," Ashe said.

Fran nodded, "Love him if you want, but just don't rush or go too fast with each other. Ashe, I trust that you are capable of changing the way Balthier sees women, and hopefully soon, he would settle down and start a family of his own."

"But," Ashe spoke, "Won't you miss him as your sky pirate partner?"

Fran smiled softly and turned to her, "I've been traveling alone for a long time before I even met Balthier. I'm sure I'll be okay without his company." Fran then turned to look at the sign of the magick shop. "Besides, his happiness is important to me, and every time he broke up with a woman, he certainly was never happy, until he finds another one to replace her."

Ashe understood her, and she felt that Fran was such a good person to care for her friend like that, Ashe had never doubted the Viera, and she was right not to.

"Look, Ashe, there's the magick shop, let's go buy new spells before the shop closes at night," Fran suggested, and Ashe nodded in agreement.

"Fran?" Ashe said.

Fran turned around as she wore a curious look on her face.

"Thank you so much."

Fran then smiled faintly and nodded at the princess' words.

o-0-O-0-o

That night, the party decided to rest inside an inn somewhere in the Bazaar. Everyone rented their own room, but Balthier had paid for Ashe's room. She smiled at this, and gave him a quick smooch on his cheek.

"Your girlfriend is lucky to have a generous gentleman like you as her boyfriend," the innkeeper commented, smiling at the two.

"Well, I'm lucky that I have such a beautiful woman like her as my girlfriend," he replied, giving the innkeeper a cocky smirk.

Ashe blushed slightly at his words, and she heard the innkeeper laughing to with Balthier.

"Balthier, stop using your charming tongue everywhere we go," Ashe said as she smiled.

"I'm only telling the truth, Ashe," he told her with the cocky look still on his face.

"Would y'all two stop flirting and go to your rooms already?" Vaan smiled as he teased the two. "Everyone is tired and I would like to have my turn at renting a room here."

"Vaan, you're just jealous because you'll never be as gentleman-like as Balthier," Penelo told him, "I don't see you renting a room for me now do I?" she asked and smiled mischievously.

"Fine! You want a room, Penelo? I'll rent you a room, then, let's see if I will be as charming as our sky pirate here." Vaan said jokingly.

"Vaan, you have a long way to go until you are as charming and handsome as I am," Balthier started, his cockiness was written all over his face.

"We'll see about that, Balthier," Vaan then laughed.

"Vaan, just rent me a room already!" Penelo then slapped him lightly on his arm and grinned. "We don't have all night you know?"

Balthier then took Ashe's left hand in his right and walked towards the stairs. He then ruffled Vaan's blond hair before he and Ashe disappeared from everyone's sights.

"Good luck with your girl, Vaan," Balthier told Vaan as he smiled.

o-0-O-0-o

Ashe finally changed into her usual white nightgown after she took a hot and long shower. She felt so relieved after a tiring day, and now she can finally relax and enjoy herself.

As she lay on her bed, she began to close her eyes. However, sleep was unable to come. Her mind was filled with thoughts about Balthier with other women. Ashe really hoped that her relationship with Balthier could still be there after the quest for her throne ended, and wouldn't just disappear so easily.

Feeling alone, Ashe got up from the bed and walked out from her room. She decided to knock on Balthier's door, but she didn't get any answer. She knocked and knocked again, but still there were no response. However, Ashe knew better than just to barge in whenever nobody is in a room. For all she knew, Balthier could be sleeping, and it wouldn't be right to disturb him.

Ashe then thought she would talk to him once morning came, so she turned and about to walk the other way when the door suddenly opened.

"Do you need of my presence, princess?" Balthier asked.

Ashe noticed that the only thing that he was wearing was a towel wrapped around his waist. His hair was still wet, indicating that he just finished showering. Ashe tried her best to make her eyes stray away from his muscular and tanned body. She looked at his chest and started to blush, but quickly she focused her eyes on his face.

"I just want to talk," she replied.

"No problem, let me just change into appropriate attire, and I'll be right with you, all right?" he told her as he went into the bathroom, taking his sleeping clothes with him.

Ashe closed the door behind her and walked in his room. She saw that he had washed his leather pants, tunic and the white shirt and hung them outside the balcony for them to dry. He had his trusty gun next to the drawer, and his jewelries were on top of it.

After she examined his things, Balthier got out from the bathroom, now dressed in his sleeping attire.

"Sorry to make you wait so long, Ashe," he told her.

Ashe looked at him and smiled. "Oh, it's no problem at all."

"I haven't been able to find any gifts for you, but today I found this really beautiful necklace in the Bazaar," Balthier said as he opened up his drawer and took out a magnificent and elegant necklace. It had a red garnet in the shape of a raindrop in the middle of the pendant, surrounded by beautiful sterling silver in various shapes. The necklace itself was made of a thin and beautiful silver chain, textured like the pendant in the part where they meet, having a garnet connecting them together. The details on this elaborate necklace were so perfect and precise that it must've been very expensive.

"I bought it just for you, my princess," he told her as he unhooked the link and wrapped it around Ashe's neck. He then handed her a mirror and smiled.

"Oh, Balthier, it's so beautiful!" Ashe exclaimed. "Thank you so much!" she told him as she hugged him tightly around his body. "But, didn't this cost you a lot of money?"

"It's my pleasure, Ashe," Balthier replied. "Don't worry about the money, though, it's on me."

Ashe softly touched the necklace as she gazed at her reflection in the mirror and felt its cool sensation on her fingers. It looked so luxurious and gorgeous on her, and she couldn't even describe the feeling. She was mesmerized by its beauty.

Ashe then turned away from the mirror, and brushed her lips against his. Balthier then used his hand to caress her cheek, kissing her back as he did so. She then wrapped her arms around his shoulder, and her fingers in his hair, while his hand was still on her cheek. They then kissed some more as they lied down on the four-poster bed, and Ashe felt that her love for Balthier grew stronger with each and every passing moments.

Afterwards, she found herself lying in his arms. The handsome sky pirate was certainly a romantic gentleman for buying Ashe such an elaborate piece of jewelry. She was embraced in his arms on the soft feather bed. They then spent the rest of the night sharing their aspirations, passions and dreams. Balthier had learned so much about Ashe, and he adored and loved every new thing he discovered about his woman. Ashe had significantly loosened up when she talked to him now, and Balthier had lost his attitude towards her. They were now acting like a couple who had been together for a very long time.

Their chatter could be heard late into the night, until it dwindled down into warming and peaceful silence. The lovers had already fallen asleep; their minds focusing only on each other inside their closed eyes.

As Ashe slept, she dreamed about the wonderful things that she had always dreamt of when she was a little girl. Many of which included her glamorous and extravagant wedding in Rabanastre. However, the groom that was in the dream wasn't Rasler anymore. Instead, Balthier was standing in his place.