.-°-..-°-. S h a r d s .-°-..-°-.

.Shard 08.
Tomb of Raithwall

.-°-..-°-.

The official party in which they had met, the new tight blood red dress the tailor had created for her for the occasion handing it to her with a knowing smile, the way they had them sit one in front of the other on purpose, the looks they had exchanged throughout the dinner. The drop she had let fall from her glass when he had smiled to her for no reason, the conversation they have had with the rest of their table companions, without really ever addressing to each other. The balcony he had finally escorted her to after the dinner, her lace gloved hand trembling imperceptibly when he had taken it in his, ragged clouds covering the moon in the sky - and all those expectations, suffocating expectations she could feel coming from inside the palace. The dry formula with which he had proposed, a month later, her candid heartbeats when she had replied 'yes', yes, yes, she accepted, she accepted to do what she was supposed to do, and yes, she knew he was supposed to ask that, but yes, she was happy in spite of everything, in the end. The fun in the fact that their first kiss was actually the one everyone could see, the one everyone liked to consider their first kiss. His fingers on her elbow when she had kissed him for the second time, as soon as they were left alone, the silk of the blankets on her bare back, the gentleness in his eyes even in that moment. The boring maids in her rooms to keep her company while he was gone for war, the coldness of the floor tiles underneath her feet when they had reported the news to her, the appalling figure who had looked back at her from the mirror when she had put on that black dress.

The way she had loved him. The way she still loved him.
And now, that void transparent phantom in front of her, which as impalpable as it may be, had the power to make her stomach clench nonetheless.

There was only Basch waiting for her, there in the cold stony corridor, and Ashe was glad that the darkness was concealing that her eyes had become watery. His apparent absolute indifference, the way he always seemed untouched by pain, by fear, by love, made her feel so stupid and out of place in that situation.
'That's the way I should be - cold and detached, thinking about my mission only - my kingdom only.'

Still, she was hating him passionately when she burst out into tears while leading him in the corridor, and all he could do was following her silently.
Damn, damn knight-code.

.-°-..-°-.

Author'sNote: Weeell.. I think this is rather AsheRasler in a way.. I'm not particulary fond of this couple, but there is something interesting in them probably, and I've tried to write my own take here It's written in a strange style, I realise. Oh, and Basch is always so damn cold isn't he..? I wonder if I'll manage to make him loose up a little before the end of the story LOL.
AsheBalthier fans do not fall in despair! The next chapter will be for you - onboard the Shiva!
For the ones who are following this chapter by chapter.. I love you, you absolutely rock!
Swamp-Eyes