S h a r d s

by Swamp-Eyes

[InGame.Drabblish] Ashe doesn't know if she's more irritated by Basch's excessive cold deference, or Balthier's absolute lack of it [.25. Old Archades] ::BalthierAsheBasch::

22. Phon Coast

.-°-..-°-. S h a r d s .-°-..-°-.

.Shard 22.
The Phon Coast

.-°-..-°-.

"Aw – he's beautiful, isn't he?"

What was almost an ecstatic low giggle, supposed to get lost in the vastness of both the strand and the sea, managed to reach the princess ear anyway. Immediately alerted, while she was coming back from the shop walking gracefully barefoot on the sand, she turned and saw, quite far from her, Penelo still gazing at the seaside, while Vaan playfully threw her a handful of sand, replying something that Ashe couldn't hear to what the girl had previously said.
Not that she really ever had any doubt about who the object of Penelo admiration was, but she looked at the seaside too, anyway.

So apparently, she had missed the whole process of him swimming perfectly, getting out the sea, and shaking the salty drops off his hair like in the fairytale – that must have been what Penelo had seen. All that was left for her, was seeing him collapsing exhausted on the sand – but oh, the elegance he did it with. The elegance with which every single tensed muscle on his pale back was relaxing under the sun.
°He's beautiful, isn't he?°

Definitely – yes.

Surprising the princess, Basch turned to her, while he was still sitting on the sand, just to make sure he was allowed to have that break, and she didn't need anything. He had that disturbing ability to feel her in a way no other did, even when she didn't speak – even when she didn't move at all, and was that far.
There was something dragging her to him – maybe the need to show Penelo he was hers, in a way, and that she didn't have any right to check him out like that. But as soon as she got clearly that those urges had nothing to do with the knight-princess bond, she decided she had better just walk away.

.-°-..-°-.

Author'sNote: Ah-ha yes stubborn Ashe would definitely claim him as her property. I don't know, really don't know if the situation could way of degenerate between the two - I'm still trying to sort it out =P. Aw, no time to play FFXII anymore.. I'm stuck hanging around in the horrible Feywood, and still haven't a shard for that yet! any suggestion? And thanks so much for the love you've showed! Byez!

Swamp-Eyes