The city is just as I remember it: people with powdered noses, districts of towering buildings, and rounded buses speeding through the sky. Vaan rushes ahead, breathless and awed by the hundreds of architectural wonders and thousands of people bustling through the streets paved with the same tawny bricks and blue-tinted glass.
"You're gaping like a fish out of water," Penelo teases, stepping up to his side. I shudder upon seeing the chillingly familiar sights around me, lost in the hammering of my heart.
"I'm just checking out the city," Vaan replies, obviously impressed. "Even if it is the Empire."
I turn to face Balthier, watching him murmur something to Fran as Ashe and Basch move to talk to the two young orphans ahead of us. Something he says makes them laugh and I fight a smile, listening to them tease the soldier. Ashe allows a small smile at their display of comradery, pleased that we're finally starting to get along.
Shaking my head, I take a deep breath and follow the group as they start to move further into the city. I take hold of Basch this time, still playing the part of a meek blind girl. Just as we start to enter the thicker crowds of the street, Balthier charges to the front of the group and faces us, halting our walk.
"We go our separate ways here. I've some business to attend to. We'll meet again later."
"Hey!" Vaan protests as the sky pirate starts to walk down a diverging alleyway. Basch grabs the boy to keep him from running after Balthier. Huffing, I hurry forward just enough to catch the pirate's arm and his attention.
"And where exactly are you off to?" I hiss, scowling.
"I've some personal business to attend to," Balthier replies smoothly, raising an eyebrow. "Aren't you supposed to be blind, Shae?"
"You're going to leave me alone with them?" I demand, nodding back toward the confused cluster of oddities behind me.
"You'll be just fine," he grumbles, though he's fighting the smile that tugs at the corner of his lips.
"No, I…!"
"I think if you do as I say now, you'll be quite satisfied with the reward later," he interrupts, a smug smile now stretching across his face. Just what are you hiding? He leans down closer toward my ear, keeping his voice low. "And remember, you can't see."
With that, he turns on his heels and heads down the street and out of sight. Sighing, I close my eyes and stumble my way back to the others who stand a few mere feet away, waiting. Why so sudden? Was it what Jules said? I swallow hard, feeling the blood drain from my face. He's holding it over our heads… Bunansa's son and the betrayed princess…
"Shae?"
"Hm?" I look up to see Penelo giving me a curious look. "I'm fine, just thinking."
"About where he could be going? As am I," Ashe replies coolly, frowning in the direction the sky pirate took off in. "Fran?"
"He will return of his own accord when his business is finished," the viera reassures us. With that, she turns on her heels and makes for a magick shop. Ashe sighs.
"I suppose we should meet up somewhere soon after we equip ourselves for Draklor."
"At the end of the road," I suggest, nodding toward the end of the shopping district. "It would be best to meet there."
"Sounds good to me," Vaan shrugs. "I'm gonna go check out the daggers."
"Where'd all his money come from?" I huff, eyeing Basch. He pats the coin purse at his side, opening his mouth to reassure me. Then his face falls into rare irate expression.
"I'll return shortly," he grumbles, charging after the boy. Penelo laughs, chasing him and preparing to give her friend an earful. I sigh, turning to face Ashe.
"I've no need to acquire anything more," she informs me.
"Same here," I sigh, turning to the end of the lane. "Care to help a blind girl to the end of the road?"
"You make it sound as though you await death at the end of this path," the princess replies lightly, taking my arm and pulling me along behind her. People part for us, paying no mind to the fact that I'm clearly watching them. I'm wearing shades, therefore, I'm blind. Archadian logic.
It takes no time at all for the others to return, Fran with a satisfied look on her face and Vaan's cheeks bright red and his hand scratching at his neck. Basch looks proud, patting Penelo on the back while she smiles as always. I try not to catch her contagious grin and turn to Ashe.
"Where to now?"
"I suppose we start toward the laboratory," Ashe murmurs, turning toward the tallest building of them all. "Do you remember the way?"
"I can certainly try," I shrug. "But wouldn't it be odd if I was the one to lead?"
"Isn't it odd that no one can recognize you just because you're wearing glasses?" Vaan counters. I open my mouth to retort when I'm cut off.
"Planning on leaving me behind, were you?"
"Of course," I fire back, raising an eyebrow at Balthier. "We've no use for you anymore, you poor bastard."
"I believe you were the bastard child—correct me if I'm wrong," he counters, the sly smile crossing his face. "I'm not rejoining you here, don't get your hopes up. We happened upon each other and now I'll be on my way."
"Balthier," I huff, pinching the bridge of my nose. He ignores me and continues on his way. "I suppose we could try to board a bus, though I doubt that will work."
"And why is that?" Basch asks, frowning.
"The currency here is a bit… different," I shrug. "You'll see."
We carry on to the nearest bus station, Vaan hurrying to talk to the man issuing the machines. I resist the urge to move to stop him, taking a deep breath. The guard instantly turns the boy down, demanding chops in place of gil to send us to the higher level of the city.
"What's a chop?" Vaan frowns.
"If you lack a chop, you pay coin. That's… one million gil, thank you." Yeah, okay.
"What?! That's crazy!" Penelo cries.
"Having a spot of trouble, are we?" Jules grins down at us, standing behind me with his hands on his hips proudly. "I've a message from Master Balthier. He's waiting in Central. He says to come quickly."
"On this? But we need a… a chop," Vaan replies. "What is a chop, anyway?"
"When a boy wants information… that's right. A boy pays. Twenty-five hundred gil sounds about right."
"A chop is a form of currency in Archades," I huff, facing the boy and giving Jules the cold shoulder. "More a sign of respect than anything. You have to be a certain rank in society to go certain places and those ranks are achieved by collecting chops via great deeds. Pinewood can be earned from virtually anything, but sandalwood is for those who have done extraordinarily well." I turn to the trickster, stepping forward, gripping his collar, and pushing him up against the wall. "And I smell the stuff all over you, rat. Hand it over."
"Have you forgotten where you are, Princess?" he grits between his teeth.
"You haven't forgotten who I am," I growl, getting in his face. I can hear citizens nearby whispering, confused and anxious. "Good. I'll give you five seconds to hand the chops over before I shove my spear where the sun can't shine."
"You'd be dragged away," he scoffs, struggling against my hold.
"Would I? A sleazy lowlife creeps over toward a blind woman—a lowlife from Old Archades, no less. You think we would be stopped if I were to cry wolf and take matters into my own hands? Bribery is a tool I've come to use quite often, friend."
"…Put me down." Defeated, Jules pulls a stack of chops from his satchel once I release him, scowling at the ground. I accept them with a sickeningly sweet smile and hand them to Vaan.
"You see, Vaan, when a boy wants information, a boy uses his resources." I nod to the man behind me. "Preferably not a dirtbag who demands nothing but everything."
"Yeah, I guess," Vaan laughs, taking the stack from me.
"Were those from Master Balthier?" I ask, adjusting my shades.
"Unfortunately," Jules huffs, dusting off his clothes. "A friend of Master Balthier's must be a friend of mine—even if she tries to strangle me." Fran raises an eyebrow staring harshly at the man with daggers in her eyes. I stand waiting with my arms crossed. Uncomfortable, Jules coughs and turns on his heels, awkwardly strolling away.
"Should we board now?" Ashe asks finally.
"I don't see why not," Vaan shrugs, turning to the bus issuer with his arms full of chops. "Hey, can we get on now?" The man stares at us with a pale face, clearly unsure of how to respond to what he just witnessed between us and Jules. Clearing his throat, he nods stiffly.
"Y-yes, to Central you go."
We enter the rounded vehicle, the cab wavering with every step someone takes inside. I settle on a wide bench beside Vaan and give a sigh of relief. If I hadn't known that man any better than I do now, we'd be running about performing trifling favors for Archades' stuck-up civilians. The bus takes no time at all to carry us to the center square of the grand city. Sure enough, as we wobble off the vehicle, Balthier stands waiting for us at the stop. He strides down the short set of stairs upon seeing us.
"Ah, so pleased you could join me," he greets, looking quite satisfied with himself. "Jules had a morsel for us: a light airship used by Draklor researchers is just up ahead." He brushes past Vaan to stand in front of me, Ashe, and Basch. "We'll take that and go in through the service entrance. Let's make haste, shall we?"
"Service entrance, eh?" I tease, cocking my head to the side. "We're certainly moving up in the world, aren't we?"
"You're looking as ridiculous as ever," Balthier mutters, eyeing my "disguise." "Besides, you're royalty, aren't you? After all this is finished, you can head home to your riches and what not. I'm not sure I'm impressed by the title of Empress Shera, though."
"You're hilarious," I scoff, tugging on Basch's arm. "Let's go, then."
~5 months before~
The ground is littered with bodies, my skin slashed and burned. I sheathe my sword, throwing my heavy cloak to the ground and swiping a keycard from a soldier's belt. As the towering steel door slides open, I take a deep breath. Adrenaline pumps through my veins relentlessly, blood rushing through my body faster than it ever has before. I already know what's happened when there are no soldiers inside to greet me. Vayne, you sneaky little… Gritting my teeth, I pick up the pace, running down the path already laid before me by locked doors and blocked hallways.
Before long, I'm lost in a maze of barred cages, filled with bloodstains and bones. This is the Empire you uphold as a humane, ideal society. Choking on the smell alone, I run through the corridor before coming up to a heavy door. I swipe my keycard through the scanner and shove it open. A single cell lies at the back of the room with the bare, emaciated form of Dern strung up by iron shackles.
"Dern!"
I run toward the cage, gripping the cold bars and rattling the door. Where's the damn key? Lashes and bruises and welts mar his skin, bloodshot green eyes lifting to see me. His hair is a greasy, blood-caked mess and his bones are clearly visible beneath his skin. His wrists are smeared with red and purple, pressed constantly to the shackles above his hanging head. I realize with disgust that half of his right pinky is missing, covered in a bloody, old bandage. Across his jaw is the roughest, scraggliest beard I've ever laid eyes on.
"Shae…" he rasps, eyes flickering to something behind me. "Shae, look—"
"Ah, a happy reunion at last."
"Let him go," I demand, not straying an inch from my position facing Dern, fingers clutching the bars of his cage.
"Years away from home truly have made you lose your sense for good manners," Vayne sniffs, walking toward me calmly. My jaw clenched, I glare down at the crimson-splattered floor and my hands tighten around the bars. "You should be grateful that your lover here is still breathing."
"Barely," I snarl.
"Barely is better than nothing," he points out. I see a gloved hand rest against the bar to my right before I'm ripped away from the door. He slams me back against the cage, sneering down at me. "You've caused me a great deal of trouble lately, sister. And to think I was going to let you go after all you did during your great escape." He cocks his head to the side, dark hair spilling over his shoulders. "A shame."
"A shame?" I laugh, gripping his ornate lapels and jerking him closer to my face. "Let him go, Vayne."
"You've slaughtered hundreds of my men," Vayne replies coolly. "What's one of yours?"
"You've got men to spare," I retort.
"Ah yes, but does that make their lives worthless?" He raises an eyebrow. "I do not think so."
"Take me instead, then," I huff, shoving him backward. "That's what you wanted, isn't it? Let him go and take me."
"Why should I release him when I could have both of you?"
"What's he have to do with anything?" I snap, throwing an arm back to point at Dern. "So what if he was a Judge? That was years ago! You lose them all the time!"
"I fear you misjudge my intentions," he chuckles. "I need him not; his only purpose…" He grabs my shirt, turning and throwing me to the concrete ground. My head spins, throbbing as he kneels over me, pinning me to the floor. "Is to break you."
"Is that so?" I force out, spitting into his face. Staid, he wipes his cheek off with his sleeve, jerking a dagger free from his hip.
"Let her go," Dern pleads from his shackles, voice rough and broken. "Do what you want with me but set her free."
"You think your begging will have any effect on a man who's sought vengeance on his own little sister for six years?" Vayne muses, tracing the blade along the side of my face. "No, my friend. I will set you free once I'm finished, whether that be through death or other means."
"What're you doing?" I demand as he slices the front of my shirt open, tracing the tip of his blade over my heart. "Vayne…"
"Never forget from whence you came," he replies gently, stabbing his blade into my skin and tracing down to my side, slicing across my stomach. I grit my teeth, writhing against the pain of him tearing through my flesh. "You believe yourself to be one of those ruffians, those pirates, and you forget your royal blood and the honor of House Solidor." He twists the blade, a smile curling across his lips at my sharp intake of breath. I move to shove him off only to have his free hand pin my wrists over my head, twisting for good measure. "It is true that you are not my full-blooded sister, but you are a daughter of House Solidor all the same, Shera. Our father made sure of that." The blade twists again, digging even deeper as he carves.
"As the eldest remaining son of the Emperor, I find it in my list of duties to have House Solidor prevail, even if that means I must track down its members or kill its rebels off. As long as we survive, the power of the world is well within my grasp." He rips the dagger free, blood running from his cuts across my skin and dripping down to the floor.
"You, Shera, are a rebel, but it would be a shame to kill you. No, take your shattered dignity and leave this place. Word of your presence here has spread already and the people will be expecting an immediate execution if I were to capture you now." I cry out in pain as the dagger buries itself in my side, my hands curling into fists. "Your hound, however…" He pulls the knife free and steadily heads toward Dern's cell. Choking on pained breaths, I drag myself onto my hands and knees, clutching my bleeding wounds. Crimson splatters onto the floor as it drips from my chest.
"Vayne…" I plead, my voice weak as I watch him open the door and walk toward the limp form of Dern. "Please, don't…"
"Begging?" Vayne turns to sneer at me, head tilted with an sort of innocence I know he never possessed. "Do continue." Upon seeing my stubborn glare, he shrugs haughtily and turns back to Dern. Heart racing, I give up on keeping my façade when he raises the dagger.
"Wait!" He hardly has time to stop his momentum, glancing at me over his shoulder. Trembling, I shake my head. "Vayne, please. You've done enough to him. If you really want to keep swinging that knife around, I'm the perfect target. Just, please… Leave him alone." He chuckles, crossing his arms and facing me.
"Apologies. I believe I missed the magic word. Once more?"
"Please," I grit, scowling up at him. He sighs, sheathing his dagger and twisting his key into the locks on Dern's shackles. My partner crumples to the ground with a pained grunt, thousands of cuts pulling open on his back.
"I suppose I can wait until another day," Vayne sneers, walking past and making sure to send a sharp kick to my ribs as he strides by. "Farewell, my sister. Do take care of your dearest for me. I will eagerly await his recovery." With that, he vanishes into the depths of the base.
Gritting my teeth, I drag myself to my feet unsteadily and crouch beside Dern. He grumbles something under his breath, hissing in agony as I pull his swollen arm over my shoulders. Tears pricking at my eyes, I pull him up and ignore all the cries and cringes coming from my best friend. Breathless, I pull him along, hot blood soaking into the waistband of my pants as we go. My shirt is splattered and spotted with scarlet stains.
"Let's get you out of here," I mutter, stumbling toward the exit. My limbs shake with effort, my head spinning, my chest burning. Head tucked into the side of my neck, Dern takes a shuddering breath.
"Shae… You're wounded…"
"Look who's talking," I retort with a weak, pained laugh.
"Leave me here," he pleads, trying to stop. I drag him along anyway, teeth clenched together. "Please, Shae…"
"Unlike my brother, I'm no sucker for begging," I snap, giving his body a sharp tug. For once, his heavily muscled figure is a liability. "I'm not leaving you behind. I left the cloak outside, so at least you don't have to be butt-ass naked all the way back to the Castean." Huffing, I drag him outside, taking a deep breath of fresh air. "C'mon, Dern. You really think I could leave you?" I shake my head, turning my head to press a kiss to the top of his sweaty hair. "I'm not that heartless. Let's get you home."