Sorry for the three week delay. Life has been busy with, well, life. So much happened, I don't even know where to begin.


Chapter 6 Reunion with Fran

Everyone entered the bridge, and Vaan was ready to take off to the Strahl. Kytes looked confused. "The Judge of Wings and Velis used to be in love?"

Vaan nodded his head. "Uh-huh."

Filo looked at him, "What made her come to Lemures?"

Penelo thought for a second. "She probably heard of the connection between the Cache and the eternal. She must've been trying to find a way to bring Velis back."

"Sounds like someone who is disparately in love to do." Auda commented.

Kytes shook his head. "So Mydia thought that if there was a way to make people's lives last forever there must be a way to bring someone back to life."

"But her hopes came to nothing." Llyud spoke.

"And now she wants revenge." Vaan looked at Auda, remembering she once joined the resistance after the war when his brother died. After all she and he used to be engaged.

"Sounds about right." Auda had her hand on her chin, "So what's her revenge?"

Kytes tilted his head. "Is that why Mydia's destroying the auraliths? Is she planning on taking over Ivalice?"

Filo growled angrily. "Not if we have anything to say about it!"

Vaan agreed. "That's right. We have to stop her." Everyone else nodded in agreement.

Penelo looked outside, "Let's go see what Balthier has to say about all this. Maybe together we can figure out what to do."

"That's a good idea. If there's anyone who'll know what to do, it's Balthier."

"Revenge… it always sounds good in the heat of the emotions, but payback is never the answer." Auda spoke.

"I don't get it." Kytes sighed.

"It should stay that way. It means you don't have a reason to take revenge." She was ready to walk off.

Filo looked at Auda, "You talk as if you have."

Auda nodded her head, "Cause I have." She then shrugged her shoulders. "When Reks died on me and Vaan, I wanted revenge against the Empire. So I went to Old Man Dalan, and he set me up with the Resistance. Only until later, last year did I learn revenge will never end. The dead is dead, and there is no changing that. It was a lesson half of us had learned. Right Vaan?"

Vaan nodded his head, "Though you took your revenge much farther than mine. You were actually at the palace to fight Vayne and his army."

"I didn't expect Vossler to be the spy…" She shook her head. "Let's head out shall we?"

"Auda…" Kytes called out, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be, it's best you know not revenge." She gave a soft smile. She looked at Vaan. "I would like to see Fran and Balthier."

"You need rest." Tomaj jumped in, "You have not recovered…"

Auda rolled her eyes, and walked off.

Tomaj sighed.


Vaan ran up to Auda in the Sky Saloon, "Are you coming? We arrived."

"You think you can get Tomaj to let me go?" She asked, "He is watching me like a hawk since I'm still no eating well."

"You should rest then. I'll bring Fran and Balthier here." Vaan nodded his head.

"Why is everyone telling me that?" She sighed, "I've been doing nothing but rest…" She shook her head. "Don't answer that. I know everyone is worried about me, but I'll be fine."

"Do you know why you are sick?"

"No…" She lied. "I can't really see a doctor."

"True, true." He put his hands behind his head. "I promise to bring them over. Fran will know what's wrong." He took off.

Auda bit her lip. That viera, she would know, the mist may tell her. She sighed, if Fran knows, a good guess so would Balthier. And if they know, Vaan may find out, and if Vaan found out everyone will know, and her secret will be out of the bag.


Vaan and the party had rescued Fran and she walked off. "Wait Fran!" Vaan yelled. "There is something else, I wish you can help me out."

She looked at him her eyebrow raised. "Yes?"

"Auda, she's here too, only once we got to Lemure's she has been sick. She has her moments of being healthy, but now, she hasn't been eating. She isn't talking to us about what's wrong."

"You want me to see her before going to Balthier then?"

"We have to get some more supplies off the ship anyways." Vaan nodded his head.

"All right then." Fran walked on.

The group walked onto the ship. Tomaj looked at Fran. His emotions over Auda became long forgotten. "Hello." He said.

"Where is Auda?" Fran asked, getting to the point quickly as Vaan got supplies.

"She is in her courters resting."

Fran walked off, following her nose.

Auda rinsed her mouth out with mouth wash when her bedroom door opened. She turned around and saw Fran. The hume smiled big, "Fran! It's good to see you. What brings you here?"

"Something is troubling you." She looked around and spotted the book.

"You promise you won't tell anyone?"

Fran raised her eyebrow. "Why do you wish to hide this from everyone?"

"I want Basch to be the first to know."

Fran nodded her head in understanding. "You know they are worried yes?"

"I know…" Auda sighed. "I'm just dealing with morning sickness. I'll be fine. Just wish this child will let me eat a good enough meal and keep it down."

"Keep me posted on this."

"Of course." Auda nodded her head. "Thank you."

Fran left. Auda went back to the bathroom feeling more coming up. When it finally stopped she walked out to the sky saloon. She spotted Tomaj staring off in the sky with a dreamy look on his face. She went out to him. "Hi ya!"

Tomaj jumped. "Auda!"

She was laughing. "Gotcha! Who are you thinking about?"

"You can tell?"

"I know that far off look." Auda laughed some more. "Fran?"

"How can you tell?"

"She's a viera, and Fran is attractive. If I went for the other team…" She stopped herself when Tomaj raised an eyebrow. "Anyways, I think you are fetching for trouble."

"Any why's that?"

"I think she is with Balthier…" She laughed, "They are partners. And they have this bond where they don't even have to talk to know what the other is thinking. If you go after her, all you will be going is setting yourself up."

"I see…" Tomaj sighed. "Never met a viera before."

"Really?" Auda raised her eyebrow. "Really? You worked at the Sandsea. Fran went there last year, remember? She was the one who took us to save Penelo. And you are a member of the clan are you not? There are two vieras there now, sisters no less."

"I'm just the streetear to get people to the clan."

Auda laughed, "A member no less."

"What about you? Was she your first?"

"Nope. The first viera I met was Ktyn. She replaced my arm with the fake," Auda lifted up her left arm, "And I even have the privileged to be in Fran's home village."

"What?" Tomaj blinked, "I thought that once they leave the wood…"

"That is correct. It was an unwelcomed visit. Still, not many humes get to say they went into the wood, and saw the culture first hand. The rules are as strict as they say. Follow the Green Word of the Wood. Those who forsake the wood in turn get forsake. They live long, and so they aren't in a hurry like humes are."

"I want to try to get Fran's attention. You said you think Balthier is with her, but not for sure are you?"

"She won't go for you." Auda shook her head. "Don't say I didn't warn you." She got up, "Fran knows."

"You told her?"

"She's a viera. She knows things that are uncanny to us. I didn't have to say anything. She knows not to tell." She turned her back to him. "I'm going to see if I can eat."


Auda felt accomplished, she could keep food down for a little longer. The ground started to shake from afar. "Tomaj!" Auda yelled.

"You want me to go see right?" Tomaj asked.

She nodded her head. "As I am 'grounded' right? Please Tomaj?"

"Fine."

"Thank you." Tomaj took off. There wasn't any news though, and no one of the party returned. The Strahl was gone as well. Did Fran and Balthier take off? She didn't know. She looked out the window. She sighed. How much longer will they have to wait?