Disclaimer: I own neither Final Fantasy XII nor its characters.
A/N: Another chapter down and I truly hope you are all enjoying this as much as I am enjoying writing it! My thanks, once again, to BlueTrillium, my wonderful beta! And I thank all of you who take the time to read this and to those that review, your words truly are an inspiration for me. Thanks!
Chapter Thirteen
The sun had barely risen and Penelo was wide awake. She stared out her window at the surrounding city. Her nerves were a bit jumbled over the upcoming journey. She didn't like to fly and the last time she was in Rozarria was when she was helping Vaan retrieve something that did not belong to them. She wondered if she could still be held accountable even if she had given up the sky-pirate life. She knew the answer and hoped Al-Cid Margrace was just as willing to forgive as both Larsa and Ashe.
The alarm went off overhead and Penelo jumped from her daze and spun around clutching her hand to her chest. She hated that noise. She stomped childishly over to her door and swung it open. She wanted to give someone a piece of her mind about the blasted thing, but she spotted Basch and the last thing she wanted to do was to take anything out on him. The man was liable to take everything out of context so she simply took a breath and gazed at the already dressed man. At least he wasn't in his armor yet.
Basch caught first glance of Penelo as he entered through the hall door with breakfast in hand and saw her glowering face. Instantly he thought he had done something to displease her, but watched her features calm upon seeing him. Something in his own heart lightened at the gesture and he smiled at her in return.
"Good morning," she greeted him and smiled. "You look happy today."
"It is a very good morning and I slept well," he said as he continued smiling at her. "I trust you did the same?"
"I did. I'm really going to miss that bed." She giggled at him as he led the way back to her room.
"You are welcome to it anytime you wish." He grinned at her as he settled himself and the tray on her bed.
"And what if I decided to never leave?" She grinned back at him, settling herself down on the opposite side of the tray.
"Penelo, you would not be happy here," he said as the mirth disappeared from his face.
"Oh, I don't know. If you were to add a table and some chairs for an eating area in one of your empty rooms it would certainly be even more tempting." She smiled at him. "Not that I mind breakfast in bed every morning, though."
"That is not what I meant," he said, and smiled in spite of himself.
"I know, but I told you I'm not letting you push me away anymore," she said gently as she placed her hand on his.
He sighed and smiled at her, then took her hand in his and brought it up to his lips and kissed her knuckles gently. "You should eat before the food gets cold," he said and lifted the tray for her.
"Aren't you eating?" she asked when she saw there was only one plate.
"I have been up for some time now conversing with Larsa and have already eaten," Basch replied.
"But I wasn't woken up by the alarm." She was puzzled, wondering how that was possible.
"Yes, Larsa and I both were amazed you are able to sleep through the noise." Basch grinned at her.
"Larsa came here and you two didn't wake me up!" she exclaimed indignantly.
"We both agreed 'twould be a crime to wake you from such a peaceful state," he said as he gestured for her to eat.
"I'll give you both a peaceful state," Penelo grumbled and began to eat.
"It is always best to let a sleeping couerl lie," Basch said sagely.
Penelo merely grinned at him and shook her head. He watched her eat for a moment and decided he best inform her of what they would be doing.
"We shall leave from Archades in five hours time and from there we are to dock in Balfonheim Port," Basch informed her as she nodded. "While docked we will conveniently have our tampered airship besieged by pirates and taken apart with hopes to only see the parts as scrap, and I shall be forced to send the guard and pilot back to Archades to report of our misfortune. We then shall be meeting up with some old friends who will escort us the rest of the way to Rozarria."
"Old friends? You mean…" Penelo said, her eyes growing large as Basch nodded.
"Yes, Balthier and Fran," he confirmed.
With that said, he let her finish her breakfast in peace and watched her. Though he had told her she would never be happy here, secretly he hoped that perhaps she could be. He had been given yet another chance by Larsa in asking her to accompany him. A chance to be selfish and ask her to stay by his side, but his honor would not allow it. She deserved a far better life than one he could provide her.
Penelo finished her meal and watched as Basch's face went through a range of expressions. The man was a jumble of emotions these past two days. She felt honored that he didn't feel the need to school himself in front of her. She could almost hear his thoughts about her and how he could never make her happy. Maybe she should just kick him and that would put some sense into the man.
"You know, you never really know what will make you happy until you try it," she said, not realizing she was thinking aloud.
"What?" he asked as his body stiffened.
"Oh, I didn't realize I was talking out loud," she said as she giggled and watched him relax slightly. "I said that you never know what will make you happy unless you try."
"And what is it you wish to try?" Basch asked hesitantly as he eyed his hands.
"Hmm," Penelo pondered as she put on her over-exaggerated thinking face and a moment of clarity came to her. She knew exactly what she should do to try and bring Basch to his senses. "I think I should try my hand at decorating. You really haven't done justice to any of these rooms you know. The furniture is beautiful, but you really haven't decorated."
"You wish to decorate my quarters?" Basch questioned, taken aback. This wasn't what he was expecting her to say.
"Well if I get to have this room all to myself, I want it to look more lived-in and less like a room at a fancy inn." She grinned at him, liking her idea more and more.
"More lived-in?" he repeated as he tried to follow her train of thought.
"You said I could stay here as often as I wanted. I'm assuming you meant that, right?" she teased.
"Well of course. You are always welcome here," he replied, disbelieving.
"I think after we get back I'll have to stay for at least a week or two," she said as she placed a finger to her cheek in thought.
"A week or two?" Basch questioned, his eyes growing wide.
"Not to be rude but you and Larsa still have a lot to learn about women and this girl's going to need a friend," Penelo said with a firm nod of her head.
"Learn?" he asked lamely.
"Hmm, you're right. I may need to stay at least a month, or I could just stay until they get married, though I'm not sure when that will be. I don't know, what do you think?" She looked at him as she bit on her bottom lip.
"But what about your dancing career?" He finally blurted out a coherent thought.
"Um, I can still dance here," she said reassuringly.
"Penelo, I…well…" He fumbled.
"I believe the proper way to say it is 'as my lady commands'." Penelo teased him with a grin.
"Ah…" He attempted, but found he just wasn't able to form so much as a 'but' with her last retort.
"Well that's settled then," she said with a nod and stood up from the bed grabbing the tray.
She knew he wouldn't refuse her. That was another of Basch's failings, you could impose on him and he wouldn't argue for fear of seeming ungrateful. Of course this wouldn't stop him from trying to convince her that he couldn't give her the life she deserved, but she knew Basch needed her in a way Vaan never could. He never argued when she wanted to mother him and he never doubted that she was capable of taking care of herself. He simply accepted her as she was and never asked her to be something she wasn't.
She went up to him and kissed him gently on his cheek before turning and walking out the door. She knew she was being more forward than usual but she knew she needed him as well. He made her feel safe, like she was home and she wasn't going to give that up without a fight.
Basch watched her walk out of the room with the tray in her hands. She amazed him at how she could both fluster him and make him the happiest man in the world at the same time. If he had heard her correctly, she had every intention of moving in with him after they escorted the Rozarrian noblewoman back to Archadia. The fates were certainly blessing him in abundance at the moment and he darkly wondered how long it would last before disaster.
He was always one to cling to hope, after all that was how he survived Nalbina. But he had his oath to fulfill and he was a military man, a realistic man. As much as he would love to offer her everything, he knew he was not able to do that any longer. If he ever had to choose between Larsa and Penelo, he knew what his heart would choose but his duty would leave her wanting time and time again. He just was not able to give her the life she deserved but he would never deny her anything she asked.
"You're going to have to teach me how to use that door too," Penelo said as she reentered the room.
"Of course," Basch said, standing as he tried to regain some of his earlier lost dignity.
"Well I guess I should get ready then. Do I have time to get washed?" she asked as she looked at him with amusement.
"Take the time you need." He nodded and smiled at her.
"I don't want to make us late though," she said as she furrowed her brow.
"The departure can wait if need be," he stated.
"But…" she started.
"It seems I have need to speak with Larsa regarding the state of my quarters," he said amused.
"Oh, well I guess I had better hurry. I'd hate for you to have to face him alone when it's about decorating." Penelo grinned at him, placing a hand on her hip.
"Larsa shall be stopping by again before we leave if you wish me to wait," Basch said, knowing Larsa would probably die of laughter if he attempted to broach such a subject with him.
"I won't take long. Wouldn't want you to get lonely after all." She winked at him as she grabbed her traveling clothes and headed for the door.
"Penelo, wait," Basch interrupted as she turned around to look at him curiously. "Larsa requested you wear this instead."
Basch left the room and she stared after him wondering what it was she would be wearing. He returned from his own room with a teal gown that looked far too regal for a mere dancer.
"I'm not sure about this," Penelo said, eyeing the garment suspiciously. "That does not look very comfortable to travel in."
"You will be representing Archadia as an ambassador of sorts and Larsa wishes you to look the part," Basch explained hesitantly as he placed the garment on the bed.
"So I'm to play dress-up now?" Penelo asked, not the least bit amused.
"You will need to be seen as Larsa's equal in the eyes of the Archadian public and the senate's eyes are ever watchful," Basch explained further, hoping she would not be offended.
Penelo merely narrowed her eyes at him and placed her hands on her hips.
"Penelo, it is not meant as an insult. Larsa and I view you with the highest of opinions and know your depth of character beyond a shadow of a doubt, but to the rest of Ivalice you are nothing more than an ornament to be hung from the arm of someone more worthy. We wish to show them that they are wrong to judge you thus," Basch said in a vindicating tone.
Penelo was still unsure about the whole situation, but there was Basch, acting as if the world had wronged him again just because people didn't see her the way he did. She was both pleased and exasperated. She wouldn't be able to tell him no now.
"Fine I'll wear it, but you both owe me big time," she grumbled as she set her traveling clothes back on the bed and eyed the gown again. "And I'm changing the minute we get on the Strahl."
"Agreed," Basch said with a nod of his head. "Though I should remind you that we are even now."
"What?" Penelo spun on him and glared.
"At the aerodrome you said you owed me one. We are now even," Basch said seriously.
"Oh." Penelo pouted.
"Also, as you intend to reside here, I feel justified in saying that Larsa shall not owe you either," Basch stated, raising a brow at her.
Penelo's shoulders slumped as she deflated. He fought the urge to laugh as she sighed and found a sudden interest in her hands.
"I'm being childish, huh?" she asked in a small voice.
"Slightly," Basch agreed and placed a hand gently on her shoulder.
"I suppose I'm used to dressing up. I am a performer after all." She smiled and looked up at him.
Basch simply laughed and Penelo took the opportunity to snake her arms around him and lay her head on his chest. She listened as his heart picked up pace and she closed her eyes hoping he wouldn't push her away. She felt his chest rise from a deep breath and heard him sigh as he placed his arms around her resting his chin on the top of her head.
"You should be readying yourself," he rumbled.
"Yeah," she agreed softly, but neither of them moved.