it'll go ashe, balthier, basch, fran, penelo, vaan. maybe vaan and penelo will be combined though? idek
He had to think about them quite often. He was in their presence near every waking moment of the day, sworn to protect the royal couple. Thinking about them and observing from his post at doorways or down the hallway led him to know them better than they knew each other.
They both went to such lengths to please each other, but it wasn't necessary. They could be happy without the tireless efforts to make each other smile.
Gabranth was stuck inside the room when Larsa was pleading with her, begging her to just give him one more day to do something - make up another missed date night, it must have been - when Basch knew she would have been perfectly content with him somewhere where he was safe.
She worked hard to keep the baby happy, even if Xiomara behaved better when Larsa was around, but he would smile and give her a kiss even if he needed to juggle speeches, conferences and paperwork along with a demanding, screaming child. And he would be happy to know she wasn't dirtying her hands or busying herself.
Basch did his best to eliminate some paperwork or play with the little Lady, to perhaps push them together, because deep down all the fon Ronsenburgs were mushy, gooey romantics. He knows Larsa's figured him out, and Ria's probably caught on too - in return, the Emperor will tolerate Gabranth mishandling some of the documents, and the Empress became the judge's gossip buddy.
The poor man worked harder at getting the couple happier and closer than he did at his daily training, he thought.
Yet it was worth it to see a smile on their faces or to watch them whisper happily to each other.