Chapter 2-Stranded in the Estersand
"Fran, do you still not sense anything in the distance?" Balthier and Fran had been walking for 2-3 hours, and still had seen no sign of civilization. What they had seen is more monsters than they wanted to.
"The mist is not favorable in this area. I can't sense very far, but what I can tell you is that we will be walking for a long time."
"I already knew that." Balthier continued to ramble on about sand in his shoes (and someplace else) as they walked on through the dunes. After a time, they found a small alcove in the cliffside they were following, and stopped to rest for a few moments.
"You know, Balthier, we could be walking for days, so if you need to stop for the night, we can camp here." Fran rose to begin making arrangements for a makeshift camp.
"Me? Stop for the night? I'm the leading man, so I'm supposed to be the strongest. Besides Fran, shouldn't the man ask the woman if she wants to stop? Especially in your three inch heels…" Balthier motioned to Fran's footwear as he talked about it, and grinned slightly.
"Ah, but don't you get sand caught in your long, flowing sleeves?" Fran grinned and motioned to his lacy clothing.
"Not as much as you might get wind burn from that headgear of yours." Balthier pointed at Fran's wiry helmet.
"Of course not. I'm more worried about you and all of those layers. We should stop here in the shade for you, so you don't get your clothes dirty or sweaty."
"You've got a good point Fran. Maybe we should stop." Balthier walked off to gather wood for a night fire, leaving Fran standing there, looking dumbfounded that he actually agreed.
"Humes are…so confusing…" Fran walked in the opposite direction to find a cactoid that would make a good salad for dinner.
(((Later)))
Balthier finished up his last bits of cactoid flesh and began picking his teeth with a needle. "That was tasty, Fran. Where did you learn to cook cactoid like that?"
"Learn? What do you mean, learn?"
"Um…never mind. So, what will we use for linens tonight?"
Fran pulled her pack over to her and took out two blankets and one pillow. "I have these. We'll have to sleep on the sand and cover ourselves with the blankets, since it gets very cold in the desert at night. I only have one pillow, though." Fran thought for a moment, then continued, "I suppose it should go to the 'leading man'" The last two words she emphasized with an almost sarcastic tone as she threw the pillow and the blanket at him.
Balthier caught the blanket and the pillow and smirked. "No, no, Fran…the lady should have the pillow." Balthier threw the pillow back at Fran and caught her dead in the face.
"I don't want it, though. You might mess up your perfect hair." She threw the pillow back at Balthier again, but this time it hit him in the chest.
"Well, it's only chivalrous to let the lady have the pillow. And what have we discussed about the qualities of a leading man?" He tossed the pillow to Fran again.
"Oh, come now, Balthier, you're hardly the main character in this story. Besides, you really should have the pillow." Fran tossed the pillow and it landed next to him. Balthier looked at it for a moment, considering what to do.
"Well, Fran, if you insist." He moved the pillow to the top of his spot, fluffed it, and laid his head down. "Good night, Fran."
Fran once again sat there, confused as to why Balthier had actually let her win, and then realized she had lost, since he had the pillow. She sighed and lay down on her own spot. She covered herself with her blanket and muttered, "Good night." to Balthier.
Morning came all too early in the desert that day. Fran woke Balthier up so that they could get an early start when the weather was still acceptable.
"Give me five more minutes, Fran, I need my beauty rest." Balthier turned over in the sand and covered himself up tighter against the slight chill outside.
Fran sighed and gathered up their supplies. About 10 minutes later, after she had gathered them all up, Balthier was still laying there.
"Balthier, you really need to wake up. We are to be leaving now." Fran frowned at his laziness.
"Fran, just go find something to do, I'll be fine." Balthier was sprawled out on top of his blanket, attempting sleep again.
Fran sighed and walked over to Balthier. She grabbed the edge of the blanket and pulled on it. Balthier flew up into the air and landed on the side of the dune, giving him enough momentum to roll all the way down the dune and land about 35 feet away from Fran at the foot of the hill. She put his blanket and pillow in the bag, threw it over her shoulder, and casually strutted down the side of the dune after him.
"Come now, Balthier, we don't have time to hang about…we have to find a town sometime." Fran glided past Balthier, who was lying on the ground, his body half covered in sand. He mumbled something, but since his mouth was full of sand, it was incoherent. Balthier stood up a few moments later and looked around, but didn't see Fran anywhere.
"Fran, where did you go!?" He continued yelling into the wind as he looked around frantically. He fell to his knees on the soft sand and ran his fingers through it. "Did I chase you off, Fran?" He continued moping, not feeling like getting up. He had, after all, been left in the middle of the desert by his companion of many years. What had he to be happy about?
Fran walked up behind Balthier and asked politely, "What's wrong, Balthier?"
"Fran…she's gone. I think I chased her away with my laziness…"
Fran looked confused as Balthier spoke to her as if she wasn't Fran. In fact, she was slightly offended that he didn't notice her accent.
"I guess that was the straw that breaks the chocobo's back…I didn't think I was that hard to put up with."
Fran continued standing there, waiting for him to realize who he was talking to.
"All these years together, and she abandons me in the middle of the desert."
"Oh, for the Occuria's sake, Balthier, quit moping and follow me. I went back to the alcove to gather up the flint. I left it there by accident." Fran walked purposefully towards a distant blur.
"Fran!? You're back! Thank goodness!"
Fran looked at Balthier questioningly. "Quit being so dramatic."
"Oh. Ahem. Of course. Let me compose myself…"
"Good news, Balthier. I think I see a town in the distance. If we hurry up…we may be able to reach it by nightfall." Fran pointed to the distant blur she had been walking towards.
Balthier, acting as his old self again, followed Fran diligently, and took the bags from her, as the two hiked off towards the town in the distance.