Chapter 26 The New Beginning

Balthier and Fran were in their pilot and co-pilot seats. The group was on the Strahl, Basch put Gabranth at the sides where he could lay down.

Balthier looked at Fran. "Well? Can we fly?"

Fran shook her head. "No fuel goes to the glossair engines."

"Damn! Vaan, you're in charge. I'm checking the engine room. Fran, with me!" He got up as did Fran and they started to leave.

Ashe looked up at Bahamut after an explosion shook them. "Look! Bahamut's glossair rings are stopping!"

Balthier looked at Vaan, taking him to the pilot's chair. "Vaan! As soon as the Strahl's rings move, you take off. Understood?" He sat Vaan down. "You can fly her, Vaan. Just do it like I told you."

"Don't worry." Vaan nodded his head looking at his hands.

Fran took Penelo to the co-pilot seat and sat her down. "Penelo, watch for interference from Bahamut's skystone. The Strahl's a fickle girl. You keep her working for us."

Penelo nodded her head. "I'll see what I can do." Fran and Balthier left.

Gabranth looked at Basch. "Basch. Look after Larsa, will you? If House Solidor should crumble, the Empire would fail, and civil war would take us all."

"I understand." Basch nodded his head.

"Lord Larsa is our last hope. Lose Larsa and we lose the Empire. Protect him. I would entrust him to no other's care,"

"I will keep him from harm. I promise you. For the Empire, and for Dalmasca." Basch vowed.

"Your words put me at ease, Brother. Sorry to leave you." Gabranth looked at Auda, "Auda, Look after my brother."

Auda nodded her head. "Of course."

Larsa held his hand. "Gabranth…"

Auda reached out, and touched Basch's hand. He held hers tightly, while watching his brother.

"Vaan," Penelo looked at the now glowing dash board, "the power's back! We can go!"

"Right! Let's go!" Vaan took off. "Grab onto something!"

Auda buckled Gabranth in, "I'm sorry," She started. "We have to buckle in." She kissed Gabranth on his check, and left to go sit in the chair.

Basch knew he had a job to finish and finally left his brother with a heavy heart. He walked to the microphone, and picked it up. "This is Judge Magister Gabranth. All quarters cease fire!" Vaan flew the Strahl between the two armies. "I repeat: All units of the Archadian army, hold your fire!" The fire on the battle field stopped. Auda walked to Basch's side, and grabbed his free hand. He held her hand tightly. Larsa walked to Basch's other side. "The battle is over! As of this moment, we have signed a cease-fire with Ashelia B'nargin Dalmasca... Her Royal Majesty."

Larsa was handed the microphone. "Attention. This is Larsa Ferrinas Solidor. My brother Vayne has died with honor in battle. The Imperial Fleet is now under my command!"

Ashe grabbed the microphone. "This is Ashelia Dalmasca."

"The Lady Ashe! Thank the gods you live!" Ondore's voice was heard.

"I confirm what Judge Magister Gabranth and Larsa Solidor have said here. Please stand down your attack. The war is over. Ivalice looks to the horizon. A new day has dawned. We are free!" Ashe began to cry.

Basch placed his hand on her shoulder. Auda let go of his hand and walked behind Ashe, giving her a hug from behind. Auda's face went on her other shoulder. "Don't cry Princess. You will get me going…" Their dream has finally came true, everything they did finally paid off. Dalmasca is free.

Penelo pointed her finger out the window at an explosion on Bahamut. "Look Vaan, the Bahamut!" The large airship started to fall on Dalmasca.

A voice soon went over the intercom. "This is Judge Zargabaath, captain of the Alexander, flagship of the 12th Dalmascan Fleet. I address all ships in Rabanastre's airspace. The Bahamut must not be allowed to fall on the city of Rabanastre! We are preparing to ram her! Do not interfere!"

"Madness!" Ondore's voice was heard.

"Should she fall, the paling will not hold, and all Rabanastre will be obliterated! Concentrate your fire on the Alexander's remains once Bahamut is clear of the city."

Balthier's voice soon entered the room through the intercom. "Hasty, aren't they. I think it's a little early to be throwing away our lives just yet."

"Balthier? Wait, Balthier, where are you?" Vaan asked into the Microphone.

"Ah, Vaan! Sounds like you made it out okay! The Strahl's a fine airship, eh?"

"What does he think he's doing? Balthier!" Ondore spoke.

"Marquis!" Balthier yelled. "Stop that fool Judge on the Alexander for me, would you? Just getting somewhere with these glossair rings. Almost done! Don't want him ramming me before I fix them, do we?"

Ashe took the microphone, Auda let her go. "Balthier! Do you understand exactly what it is you're doing?"

"Princess! No need to worry. I hope you haven't forgotten my role in this little story. I'm the leading man. You know what they say about the leading man? He never dies. Let's fly! Fran! Power to the glossair rings. Fran?" There was some silence.

"Listen to me, Balthier. Get out of Bahamut immediately! Please, Balthier! You mustn't die! Please, Balthier. Come back." Ashe was crying again.

Auda took the microphone, "Balthier, Fran, if you two die, I'll swear I'm going to kill you. So come back okay?! This is the one promise you cannot break."

"The one promise huh Auda?" Balthier asked. Bahamut went away from Rabanastre, and Vaan flew by it. "Vaan, the Strahl's in your hands! You'd better take care of her, you hear? If there's one scratch on her when I get back…" Balthier started.

"Roger that. We'll be waiting for you." Vaan spoke, flying away.

Ashe lifted her head. "Balthier..."

Auda grabbed her, "Princess…"

She looked up at her, "Auda since when do you call me that?"

Auda smiled lightly, "We did it. We saved Dalmasca. We shouldn't be crying. Balthier did it, and he wouldn't die on us like that."

Basch and Auda stood in the aerodrome. The time has arrived where everyone had to go their separate way. Ashe was named successor by the Kiltias. Though in the Dalmasca aerodrome were Basch, Auda, and Larsa. The three stood there, and Basch had changed, he gave himself a shave haircut, and he wore his brother's armor.

Auda looked at Basch. "Are you sure Basch?"

"I gave him my word that I will watch over Lord Larsa, and thus I shall."

"As him though?"

"I have to, the Empire knows Gabranth, not Basch. You do not have to join me."

"How can you dismiss me like this?" She shook her head, the tears started to form. "I won't leave your side." Her voice sounded broken.

"This is my sacrifice, I cannot ask you to make the same sacrifice just to be with me." He held her shoulder.

"Are you…" She looked down on the floor. "Are you breaking up with me?" She shook her head once more, the tears never stopped. "Basch… no…" Her heart couldn't take this.

"Auda, listen to me, you have a life ahead of you. You need to live it, be free. I cannot ask you to go to the home you ran away from. I cannot ask you to be with Gabranth, and I cannot ask you to leave your new home." He pulled away. "I'm sorry Auda." He began to walk away to the hanger, where Larsa was waiting with Judge Zaragabath. His own heart was breaking.

Auda ran to him, putting her arms around him. "Don't do this to me Basch…" She felt the tears leaving her. "My life means nothing without you. I was looking forward to moving in with you. I don't want to leave you. I love you Basch."

Basch didn't move. He opened his mouth to talk, but she wasn't done yet.

"I love you," She repeated, "I want to be at your side, and I will always want to be at your side no matter where life takes us. So please… let me go with you. I don't care that you will be Gabranth, I don't care that I will have to return to Aracadies. I'm begging you Basch…"

"Auda…" He started. He walked free from her hold. He turned around, Auda looked so small. She had a lot of tears. "You love me?"

She nodded her head.

He kissed her, "Auda, I love you as well, but…"

"No buts…" She held her heart, "Let me go with you, where ever you go, I will follow…"

"You are willing to make this sacrifice with me?" He asked.

She nodded her head again. "I am." She hugged him once more. "Please don't leave me."

Basch kissed her forehead, "Of course not. I was not aware how much you loved me… forgive me."

"Basch…"

"Let's go." He grabbed her hand.

Auda smiled one of her big smiles. She hugged him again jumping into it. "Basch!" Her arms went around his neck, her legs went around him.

"Auda," he let out a laugh.

She got down, her smile never faded.

On board of the airship, Larsa and Judge Zaragabath where waiting for them. Judge Zaragabath had his helmet off. He spotted Auda first. "Lady Auda! You return home?"

Auda nodded her head. "Sorry for being missing for those five years…" She lowered her head.

"Sorry? Your father had…" He didn't finish. "What's important know is that you are safe and sound. Thank you Gabranth for returning her home, you were always her favorite Judge, even if you weren't a magister."

Auda looked away at that, "Judge Zaragabath, you go too far, he wasn't my favorite…"

"Oh, and you pretended to have math problems for nothing then?"

Auda looked at him again, "I was not pretending! They were hard, I was taking advance Trigonometry…"

Basch shook his head, "Lady Auda, I must say after today's events, you must get your rest."

"I agree." Judge Zaragabath spoke, "Same to you Lord Larsa."

"Uncle," a five year old was on her uncle's neck. "How come they call me Lady Auda? Why not Auda?"

"Because it's social etiquette," He spoke simply."You are taking your etiquette classes aren't you?"

"Yes uncle."

"Why ask then?"

"Because I thought those in House Solidor are Lords and Ladies. Why am I Lady when I'm not in House Solidor?"

Ghis laughed, "You are a niece of Judge Ghis. All those related to the Judge Magisters are Lords and Ladies as well. We are upholders of the law and defenders of House Solidor, and thus we need respect."

"Oh…" She placed her head on his. "Does that make Mom a lady? And my Dad a lord?"

"Of course, though not in such high regard as you."

"How come?"

"Because you are the closest thing to a daughter I will ever have."

"Oh… How come?"

Ghis laughed again, "Because my dear, it's hard for Judges to find those to love."

"Why?"

"Your questions are never ending little one." Ghis laughed, "You see, all of us are busy, and once we find someone, it's hard to keep them because they don't understand how much time we have to give up in our work."

"Sounds lonely to be Judge."

"It can be, but with you in my heart my dear, I will never be lonely."

Auda giggled, "Aw Uncle, you are so weird."

Auda didn't move from the cabin. She looked at the Judges. "I remember me riding on my Uncle's neck as we were walking down the hallway after he got of work. I asked him why I was called Lady Auda, and he explained why. Judge Zaragabath, as Judge Ghis is not really Judge, I should no longer be called Lady Auda, that is correct yes?"

"Yes, Lady Auda, however you and Judge Gabranth are together… though it does not meet my approval, it means that you are still a part of the Judge family, which you never left even with Judge Ghis's death."

"It does not meet your approval?" Auda had asked.

"It does not."

"Why?" She walked to him.

"He is a man 17 years older than you; don't you think you should go out and find someone your own age?"

Auda looked right at him. "I've lived in Dalmasca for five years, and I found someone yes, however, I must say, I never felt this high of a love before. Age doesn't mean a difference to what is in the heart."

Judge looked at Gabranth, "Does this have to do with the fact your uncle never liked him?"

"No. I'm listening to my heart."

"Very well then. You are aware of the time he will spend away from you then?"

Auda nodded her head, "As long as I am in his heart, that to my uncle explained when I asked him why he never found someone." She looked out to the sky.

Auda and Basch laid on a bed, he was on top of her. She smiled up at him. "Do you mean that?" Basch asked.

"What?" Auda's arms were around his neck.

"That you never felt the love that's in your heart."

Auda nodded her head. "It's true. I love you."

"I love you too Auda." He kissed her. He went to her ear. "He is your favorite?" He asked.

Auda laughed a little, "No, you are." She kissed him again.

"It seems no matter what you picked, the fates would have brought us together." He kissed her neck. She closed her eyes, "It seems you have much to tell me about my brother. I don't want to leave any missing information out." He gave her a bite right on her spot.

She moaned out softly, "Later," She put her hands in his hair.

"How about the stuff about helping you out on homework you didn't need help on."

Auda looked away, "I needed the help."

"Uh huh, like you didn't flirt in the desert?" He teased.

She looked up at him, "Okay, Okay, I admit I flirted in the desert… But I didn't forge being stuck. The sine, cosine, and tangent mapping on a graph were what I got stuck on…"

"And you remember what you were stuck on? I don't even remember my own studies as a child."

Auda sighed, "I only remembered what the assignment was about… You are making a much bigger deal out of it than it needs to be."

"I question," His teasing voice was in use. He kissed her neck once more, "Who would you think was laying here with you, me, or him?"

"You." She said not getting his game.

"Are you sure my love?" He bit down, she gave a gasp holding on to him. "Think now, if you stayed, whose name would you be moaning?"

"This is mute." Auda received another bite. She bit her lip, she shut her eyes once more. "I am in your bed now. What difference does it make if… if…" His hands went to play with her nipples, as he continued on licking and biting her. "Basch…" She moaned his named softly.

"I want to know the truth; did you have a little crush on Noah?"

Auda shook her head. "No…" He bit her once more. "Maybe… It's hard to think…" Her breathing was labored.

"No difference true." Basch kissed her, she kissed back. He pulled away, "Just means that the fates had us paired up from the start." He entered his length within her.

She moaned out in bliss. She grabbed him, and moved with his rhythm. He moved a bit faster with each thrust, her moans soon were getting loader and loader, and was so glad they silenced the room. She went to kiss him. He kissed back. The love that was shared, there was no hiding it. This is where they belonged, with each other, and no other would have done. She wanted all of him, and nothing less would be do. "Basch!" She screamed his name as she released around him. It caused him to be undone, and he released as well.

"I love you Auda."

"I love you too."

"Now isn't the time nor place to ask this, but my heart needs an answer." He pulled out, but he stayed on top of her.

"An answer to what?"

He placed his hand on her face. "Will you marry me?"

Auda smiled brightly, "You mean… Yes! Of course yes!" She pulled him down. "I never plan on leaving your side. Not now, not ever." She kissed him. "I love you Basch, so of course I will."