Night:

Candlelight case a soft flickering spectrum of faded golden light as the locket twirled on it's chain, the only thing actually pretty about it. "You know I can't feel that right?" Selene told her bed partner as he lay beside her, lightly tracing the symbols on her upper back.

"Oh really? Then perhaps this," Balthier ran his fingers between the rows of odd scared symbols that adorned the his Moon Thief's back from nape of her neck to where the sheet was pooled at her waist. He already knew the symbols ended just above her buttocks. He leaned over "Or this." placing a kiss on her shoulder, smirking at the pleased sigh that came from her. Green eyes focusing on the object in her hand, knowing that even though she reacted Selene's attention was honed nearly completely on the necklace. Well that just wasn't going to do at all. The Pirate decided it was time his lover turned her attention back to something largely more entertaining that some gaudy piece of jewelry. He'd puzzle out how she got her hands on it later.

Selene dragged her gaze away from the object in hand, scowling over her shoulder. "Enough, it's over."

"Not yet." Balthier argued as he placed a hand under her, palm on her stomach. "I seem to remember promising 'till morning'." he kissed her shoulder again. "And unless I am mistaken, morning is still quite a ways off."

"A boast made from too much wine." Selene shifted, unable to really move as he hovered over her. "This was a mistake and while I don't regret it." She finally got free enough to sit, tucking the sheets around her. "We really can not continue this any further."

"I see." Balthier leaned back, fingers still playing on the ends of her long goldenrod hair. "So this was only to get back your locket I take it." He'd suspected as much though he really hadn't thought Selene the sort of woman to use her body in such a way.

Selene was, to say the least, offended. "Of course not!' She spun, "I'd never..." the locket was quickly relieved from her grasp. "Oh... you..." she huffed, trying not to let his display of near nudity distract her any more then it already had tonight. "You..."

Balthier sat back, allowing the sheet to just barely cover him as he gave her a challenging and smug smirk. "Sky Pirate." He half reminded her. "I think now is a good time to finally answer my question. Why is this so important to you?"

Selene glared ice blue daggers at him. "It just is."

"That answer is getting tiring my dear," He lay back putting his hands behind his head. "you will have to do much better."

"Fine." Selene straddled the pirate as she kissed him again.

Balthier felt that compared to previously this kiss of hers felt forced. Like she was doing it because she had to- not because she wanted to. And that did not sit well with him at all. Quickly turning the tables, he shoving the blond woman off him pinning her arms down, not quite laying on her but close to it. "Stop Selene."

"Why?" Selene shot back, as Balthier met her furious gaze. "It's what you want isn't it?"

Balthier shook his head. "No Little Moon Thief, it's not. But I think you know that."

Selene scoffed again, turning her head. "Let me go." To her surprise he did as he sat back and watched her. "Why not?" she asked him after a moment of silence.

Balthier reached out and cupped her cheek. "Because I have never and will never take any partner who is not 100% willing and consenting. And I neither give or take payment of this sort for any reason."

Selene almost called him on that ego of his but his eyes weren't nearly as amused as his lips made it seem. She let his fingers tangle in her hair and pull her to recline beside him and put her head on his shoulder. "We are going to talk about this Selene. We have played this game too long and I think after tonight we can both agree...the rules have changed. Trust me a bit."

"I can't."

"You can, you just refuse."

"You can't help anyway." Ah so she was in some kind of trouble. He'd had his suspicions.

"So sure of that?"

"You're a Pirate."

"Pot calling kettle black there my dear Moon Thief."

Selene was silent again, obviously torn between trusting him and not. Though she didn't make a move to put distance between them so that they were making progress. She sighed "You can't help, they are my duty and my curse. Things I can not share."

"And these?" he asked tracing one of the symbols down by her hip.

"More of the puzzle."

"What are they?"

"Which?"

"Both."

"They are a map and a key. Though I am not sure which is which. Protecting and keeping them has been passed down through the centuries from Mother to Daughter."

"A map and key to what?" Balthier said pulling her back down and tucking her against his side.

"Something terrible." Selene said softly. "Something that's lost and best not be found... by anyone. Though there are those within my family who disagree with me." Selene shifted putting an arm around him. She stayed silent again for so long afterward that Balthier had thought she wasn't going to continue. "I was never meant to be the Keeper."

"Mmmmm?" She was actually talking and Balthier worried any more verbal answers would cause her to stop.

"I had an older sister, it was her place to be Keeper. Not mine, I never even knew anything about it aside from there were things she kept from me... no matter how close we were. I was 8 when she died, that night I was dragged from my bed by my mother and grandmother and strapped to the alter in our family temple. I don't really remember much after my grandmother started cutting. I woke up 4 days later with the locket around my neck and healing scars. My mother told me of my sisters duty that had now become mine then left me to find my way with it." Her tone was dark with loathing.

"Why not just destroy it if it's so horrible a thing?"

"Don't you think I tried? Time and time again I tried to the point I thought I would go mad... always it came back. Even when I tried to just toss it away." She looked up at him. "Which is why it's curious that it has stayed here as long as it has."

"If you wanted it gone so badly why try to get it back at all?"

"The War. The Emperor of Rozarria chose to believe the rumours in the family and would have used the secret it keeps for his own gain."

"So you ran?"

"I refused to be a pawn for anyone...even family."

"Then why Dalmasca?"

"Well I could hardly risk Archadia now could I? Even without the map and key a place like that, the nest of the movement to eradicate my kind so may years ago, would be a very uncomfortable place for a Sorceress. Besides, all that aside, Archadia has recently begun investigating into the rumours as well. I suspect the spies they have in Rozarria have been... informative... about the Emperor's movements in regards to this matter. Then there is the whole magicite and nethicite thing."

"As one of the few Naturals, possibly the only one left. You'd have been found out eventually and captured for 'research'." Balthier filled in, a cold pit settling in his stomach. Would Cid really use Draklor to go that far? He feared they would. "So you chose to be the needle in the haystack."

"Exactly. The best place to hide is in plain sight in the last place anyone would think to look. The only place safe enough, to some extent, should what I am be found out."

Balthier had to admit that was a much deeper story then he'd thought she'd come out with. This shone an all new light on his Moon Thief and he was impressed at the visage. As he held her part of him wanted to help her but he knew he could not give back the locket. Things were changing and he knew that with these changes things were only going to get more dangerous for the girl, especially if she had the locket in her possession. He kissed the top of her head. "Morning is still some time off." He said, shifting them to lay down. "Come here." he pulled her closer.

Selene knew she shouldn't trust this man, as an Archadian and a Pirate. That she should not have told him so much. For tonight however she threw caution to the winds and lay with him, sharing in the comfort of intimate caresses and kisses. Morning be damned.