Chapter 6: It happened at the gates
Balthier promptly trashed his purchases as soon as the two exited the Sears. Looking around, they could see that they had come out near the Sandsea Bar.
"The castle isn't far now, Balthier. We're almost there." Fran strolled off in the general direction of the castle, with Balthier tagging along quickly behind her.
"Fran! Wait, Fran! Can't we just quickly stop in the Sandsea to get a drink? I've had a long, arduous journey, and I think that I deserve a little bit of rest."
Fran continued her gait until Balthier grabbed her arm. She turned around and glared at him. "Balthier, I have had to put up with your senseless complaining for the better part of the last week. We are almost there, and I am sure Ashe will be happy to put you up in a suite or something of the sort." With that, she took hold of Balthier's arm and began dragging him towards the main avenue.
Fran walked up to the castle gates and boldly attempted to open them, only to be stopped by a guard.
"You can't go in there, Miss Viera. The coronation is tomorrow, and I have instructions to keep all but those with an invitation out." The guard stared at her with a 'You're-so-dumb-for-even-trying-this' look.
Fran sighed and rolled her eyes. "I really have come too far through too many closed gates to allow you to stop me when I am but a step from my goal." She lifted her leg to take her heel off, and promptly began beating the guard with it. After the first guard was unconscious, a slew of others emerged from the guardhouse.
"Fran…I don't think we should be beating the guards unconscious. It seems a bit drastic."
"Oh, shove it, Balthier, I am tired of dealing with thing neatly." Fran casually walked over, took the gun from Balthier's belt, and shot the oncoming guards in non-lethal areas. She replaced the gun, commandeered a key from one of the guards, and unlocked the gate.
"Fran, what the hell do you think you're doing? Friends of Ashe or not, I don't think that we can get away with assaulting the city guard!"
"I didn't say we were going to get away with it. We'll simply blame it on a more likely person." She looked around until she spotted a moogle shuffling by. She picked him up, thrust the gun in his hands, and replaced him on the ground. She then pushed him into a throng of guards. "
Now, then, if you'll kindly follow me to the castle, we can be on our way."
"One moment." Balthier walked to the guard house and began rummaging through a folder of papers.
"Oh, Balthier, we haven't got the time to be messing around!" Fran replaced her shoe and began tapping it on the cobblestone, impatiently waiting for Balthier.
"No matter, I've found what I was looking for." He pulled out a long list full of names and pictures. Fran recognized two of the profiles as themselves.
"What is this?"
"It's the guest list for the coronation. There are exclusive instructions to allow any of these people in, providing that they point out that they are guests first."
At that moment, two disheveled figures ran out from behind a building holding a key and slowed down upon seeing Fran and Balthier at the open gates.
"Ah, look, Fran! It's Vaan and Penelo! I would've thought they were already here." Balthier raised his hand to wave at the duo, but was swiftly greeted with a sharp smack in the face with a key.
"What the hell was that for!?" He wiped his face, leaving a smear of blood on his sleeve. Vaan and Penelo jogged up to them, Penelo ranting the whole way.
"…chase down that guard, losing all of our belongings that we brought in the meantime, only to find you two standing here waiting for us with the gate wide open!?"
Fran sighed and muttered, "Couldn't anybody be troubled to tell the guards that we were guests and have them check the list?"
The other three shot angry glares at her. If looks could kill, Fran (and any innocent bystander caught in the cross-glare) would be dead as a gatehinge. All three of them brushed past her, leaving her standing there with a smug smile on her face.