Bath:

It was a nice quiet evening after a rather uneventful day. As he poured another glass of Dalmascian wine Balthier could not help but wonder at the calm before the storm that was sure to come. For now however he enjoyed the alone time. Just him, a warm bath of nicely scented water and a bottle of perfectly aged Dalmascian wine, the second and by far the better of the two tonight. The book sitting just out of reach was another plus but he wasn't in a hurry to pick it up just yet. There was something missing...he frowned. Something that was very late coming.

A soft sound reached his ears as his window opened. Ahhhh there it was... better late then never, she was so predictable his Moon Thief. He smirked as he watched the lithe form of his 'guest' slip through the window. Moonlight turning a halo of glowing silver upon her golden hair washing her ice blue eyes a bright grey. He leaned back in the tub, sipping at his wine as he watched her scan the room. Knowing the instant she found him. The most adorable red tinged her cheeks. He raised an eyebrow at her, "Care to join me, Selene?"

Those lovely eyes of ice blue narrow at him. "No."

"Too bad." He sighed. "For I have the most wonderful wine, and the water has bubbles."

"Are you drunk?" Selene asked

"Not nearly as much as I thought I would be by this time I assure you." He smirked at her

"My locket." She demanded

Balthier sighed. "So predictable. Is that really the only reason you come here? Because I won't give you back your pretty little bauble."

"Is there another reason I should have?"

"How about my charming company for starters."

"You think you're charming." A ghost of a smile graced her lips. "You really are drunk."

"You weren't saying that in the market the other day. Or was your hand down my pants just you're way of saying hello?"

Her blush deepened. "I did not have my hand down your pants. I had them down you're pocket. An no it's not the way I say hello... it is however the way I try to take back something that's mine from stubborn Pirates who don't play nice."

"Well you will need to work on your subtly then. Thief."

"Just give it back to me and we can end this."

"And if I don't want to end it?"

She threw up her hands. "Fine, you're obviously in no mood to talk. I'll come back another time." she made for the window

This was what he was waiting for. "Too bad, because I happen to have what you're looking for right here." he held up the locket they'd been playing this cat and mouse game over. "Still don't want to join me?"

"No." Selene glared at him she approached but not close enough to get a good look at him. "Hand it over Pirate" She held out her hand.

Balthier dangled it in front of her. A michevious grin spreading. "If you want it you'll have to come get it."

They shared a silent battle of wills as they stared each other down. He saw her muscles contract and prepared to move just as quickly as she was about to. Selene got her hand around the locket just as his unoccupied arm wrapped around her waist. Balthier dropped the trinket on the floor and then had both hands to pulled her into the water with him. The result of the small struggle the issued was Selene with her back to his chest, both his arms around her and his legs on either side of her, with a fair amount of the bath water now on the floor. A mess to be cleaned up later. She let out the most interesting curses in Dalmascian and her native Rozarrian... there was even a bit of his native tongue of Archadian spattered in there. To which he had to wonder where she learned such words.

What an enigma she was. She carried herself and spoke with the inflictions of a lady, danced like a whore, picked pockets when it pleased her and cursed like a common thug soldier. Such an amusing contradiction. "My dear you really must stop moving, I am just a man after all and all this squirming... well you get the idea" Balthier said lowly in her ear. His hold on her loosening from forceful restraint to a tight embrace when she relaxed. Balthier took the rare moment of closeness to admire her beauty. And by the Gods she was beautiful, fine featured, full lips. She wasn't what he'd call overly skinny, she had too much of an athletic build to her- but neither was she overly muscled. She was slender but still had graceful curves. Balthier had to wonder at her past. What was she before the Occupation of her current home? and what drove her to be what she was now? And how she came to be so far from her homeland and why? But those questions were too deep for tonight and would wait for another time. "Now we can talk comfortably."

"You call this comfortable?"

"Indeed. Now about your trinket. Are you ready to tell me why it is so important to you yet? For such an ugly thing."

"It just is."

He chuckled tipping her face to face his. "Come now you can do better then that."

"I really can't." Selene tossed her head so she was facing forward and leaned away. Balthier let her.

"And why not?"

"Because I can't trust you."

"Oh?" His trademark smirk was back on his lips. "And why is that?"

"Do you really need an explanation?" Selene deadpanned

Balthier chuckled. "I suppose not." He leaned back, shifting into a more comfortable position. "I have done some research on your locket. It's workmanship is fine indeed, odd considering the inferior materials it's made of. Even the stones are not of what is considered an overly valuable grade. Fran says it looks worthless but she senses much magicks in it. Which is what I can only assume makes it so precious to you. As a Mage."

"Sorceress." Selene said softly.

Balthier blinked at her. "Excuse me?" he wasn't sure he heard that right.

"I'm not a Mage. I'm a Sorceress."

And so our mystery deepens. "Impossible, the Naturals were hunted to extinction centuries ago."

"I didn't say there were many of us did I?"

She had a point- but it did explain a lot of what Fran sensed from her. "So then if you are what you say you are, why does that piece of junk hold so dear to you?"

"It just does."

Balthier sighed closing his eyes in not totally mock frustration. "My dear Selene you do not play this game well at all."

"I was not aware we were playing a game."

Balthier opened his eyes again to look down at the woman in his arms, this close and with her head bowed forward as she tried not to sit too close to his body, he could see the series of small discolourations on the back of her neck that signified scaring of some kind. Another level to add to the mystery. But if Selene did not trust him enough to tell him the real reason behind the locket he knew she would not trust him enough with the secrets of her past. Balthier could actually relate to that, they all had things they did not talk about in their pasts. Instead he settled for leaning forward, putting them in full contact again "Oh but we are my dear Thief." he whispered in her ear, enjoying the small shudder of her body and slight quicking of breath and deepening of blush. Balthier lightly caressed Selene's arms, pulling her closer to him. Now this game was much more fun. He let the touch linger when she didn't fight him, let his breath play on the back of her neck. Just as Selene relaxed again into his hold he smirked. "Well enough of the game tonight I think." he let her go and stood up. "The water is much too cold to continue and the wine almost gone." he left her in the water and took the few steps to his clothes. Keeping his back to her. Hearing the small sound come from Selene Balthier looked over his shoulder. "

Offering her a roguish smirk he chided lightly. "Now now... it's not polite to stare you know." Knowing full well he was giving her the most wonderful view of his nude backside. "Not that I'm complaining of course. But I will expect some reward in kind if you..."

"Oh shut up Pirate." Selene cursed him and turned away. Leaving Balthier to laugh and pull his pants on. When Balthier turned back around with a towel on his head and another in hand he bit back a gasp. Selene stood with her back to him, wringing out her shirt. All across her back where scars, but not scars you would expect from the blade or whip. These were too uniform, to patterned... like... carvings. There was a grotesque sort of elegance to them, but before he could puzzle out the pattern to see if it meant anything he might know they were covered up as she slid her shirt back on.

"Here." he handed her the towel in hand. "At least you can be somewhat dry before you leave."

Selene nodded and took it, drying herself as best she could. "The locket" she gasped as if just remembering it. She knelt searching for it.

Balthier watched for moment liking the view. Before he chuckled and held it up. "For a thief you're rather unobservant at times."

Selene stood to glare at him. "Give it back."

Balthier rolled his eyes. "Back to that game again are we?"

"We never left it."

"When you are ready to tell me why it is so precious to you... I may be ready to give it back, for a price of course." He opened another decanter of wine. "Joining me?" he held it out.

"No." She stated going for the window. "Another night I tire of games this evening." Selene was gripping the sill with one foot on the window and one foot still on the floor when she was hugged from behind again.

"So soon?" Balthier asked from behind her. "You know if you are tired of this game you can easily win it. Just tell me what I want to know."

Her grip tightened. "No."

"No?" He sounded amused. "Then shall we play another... more fun game?" he leaned in and she could smell the sweetness of the wine on his breath

"Not tonight."

The silence hung a moment before he sighed. "Pity. Very well be on your way if you must." Balthier moved his hands from hugging her to sitting on her hips. He felt her body start to move. "But before you do..." he placed a light kiss to the back of her neck making her freeze. "An idea of what you'll be missing." he whispered huskily in her ear, nipping the lobe slightly. He let her go after that. "Good evening my dear thief." Balthier went to sit pouring another wine. He heard more then saw Selene leave- only the fluttering of the curtains behind her.

He toasted the window. "To another night then little Moon Thief." The game was just getting interesting after all. Balthier wondered just now far he could push her.

For her part Selene sat in her room once she got home and changed glaring in the relative direction of the Inn where the blasted sky pirate was staying, confused over the touching and kiss. She grumbled to herself about stupid pirates and rubbed the back of her neck where he'd kissed her. The touch of his lips lingering for some reason. "Another night..." she finally growled dimming her lights and preparing to sleep. Her head hurt too much to think on the night's events right now.