She gazed across the placid waters to marvel once again at the ancient city. Her muscles ached from battling fiends on the treacherous water steps within, and her mind ached equally with the burden set upon her by the Occuria. Their next journey would take them to the Sun-Cryst, but for now they rested across the river from Giruvegan. They would head back towards Balfonheim the following day to consult with Reddas once again.
Ashe was to be the hand of the ancients in Ivalice, to wield the ultimate power. What would she do when she came upon this Sun-Cryst? Would she use it to destroy Archadia as they wished her to? There was not much she could do at the moment, so she left the edge of the stone platform to wander back to the rest of her party. Basch and Vaan were setting up tents while Balthier and Penelo played at cards. Fran stood alone, and Ashe decided to approach the Viera.
"You are still alright? The Mist has not changed since we returned?" she asked gently, and the tall woman nodded in reply.
Fran admired the ancient carvings embedded in the rock beneath her feet. "It is a marvelous place. That such evil fiends guard it within is not surprising. Those who look down on Ivalice do not wish to be disturbed."
The Princess sighed in agreement. "Unless they have someone to invest with their power."
The Viera shook her head and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I sense that our next adventure will be even more difficult. But do not worry. We will see this through to its conclusion with you." As she said that, her warm eyes drifted over to her partner who was apparently teaching Penelo a new game. Ashe followed Fran's gaze and watched him as well.
"His father manipulated us. He knew what was going to happen," the Princess noted sadly. She remembered Balthier's disgust with himself for not catching on to Dr. Cid's trickery. Ashe hoped he did not blame himself for it. They would never have learned about the Sun-Cryst if they hadn't come all this way.
"That man is not his father. Not any longer. He is warped, twisted," Fran noted calmly as they continued to watch the sky pirate. Penelo clapped her hands excitedly, and gathered a handful of cards from in between them to add to her own pile.
Balthier smiled at the girl's apparent victory, and his eyes drifted over to catch them watching him. "This all weighs heavily on his mind. Though he may not say so, it hurts him to see that man manipulate you. He wishes he could do something more," Fran continued. The man had tried to force his son to be a judge, and now he had knowingly sent her to the Occuria.
His smile faded at their scrutiny, and he took on a neutral expression. Penelo stood up and brushed herself off, scampering away to help Basch and Vaan. Fran walked over to join them, leaving Ashe alone with Balthier. He began shuffling the cards again and gestured for her to sit down.
The Princess walked over and settled down across from him, letting Fran's words sink in. He began dealing cards to the two of them, dividing the deck in half between them. She didn't know this game. "What are we playing?" she asked him, meeting his eyes.
"War," he answered, finishing his dealing. She knew she had made a face unconsciously at his response, and he shrugged his shoulders. She was reading more into it than she had to, it appeared. "It's rather simple actually. Set down a card," he told her, setting down an eight of diamonds.
She set down a four of clubs next to his card, and he picked up both and added them to the bottom of his pile. "My card was higher, so I win. That's pretty much it." They continued quietly for a few moments, the only sound from him a soft grumble when she claimed one of his kings with an ace.
Vaan wandered over minutes later, offering them each some bread. "What's this game?" he asked, standing over and watching them lay down cards.
"War…but it's just for two players," Balthier muttered, accepting the food and settling it on his knee. Ashe thanked Vaan for the snack, and she munched on it as the young man walked off in disappointment.
"Surely he could watch?" she inquired thoughtfully as she set down a five of spades. He shook his head. It seemed he could only brood with an audience of one. He placed a five of diamonds down, and she looked up at him.
"What do we do when we have the same number?" she asked. He gestured for her to set one card face down on top of the five.
"Now we set down another card face up, and whichever is higher wins the war. The winner then gets the other cards as well," he replied. She did as he instructed, placing a six of hearts face up.
He put down a nine of clubs and released a triumphant breath. Ashe sighed. "Let's see what you've won," she muttered and went to turn over the other cards, but he reached for them at the same time, and their hands met.
She froze as his fingers brushed against the top of her hand. He cleared his throat and took his hand back, letting her turn the cards over. She willed her fingers not to shake as she overturned the cards. He had won a ten of hearts from her in addition to the other two cards. She sighed. "Here lies the challenge of the game. Luck chooses the winner. You don't know what cards are to be laid down."
He nodded. "It's the chance you have to take." Ashe wondered if they were still talking about the card game at all. She was reminded of Dr. Cid's words, of putting history back into the hands of men. That people should not let the Occuria dictate what cards are to be laid down. Is that what Balthier was trying to tell her? To make her own choices…to not give her heart to nethicite and let it dictate what was to happen?
She continued to lay down cards, these new considerations swirling through her head. They each put down a jack, and he stopped her before she set down another card. "Why don't we make this interesting?" he asked.
Ashe looked up to see him watching her, his face blank but his eyes twinkling deviously. The man appeared to be obsessed with betting. "Interesting how?"
He shrugged his shoulders and took a bite of his bread. He swallowed and spoke again. "Bet something."
The Princess thought of what trinkets and loot she had obtained in their travels through the ancient city. "I don't have anything you'd want…" she began, but immediately regretted it. He smiled widely at her, and she wondered how she always seemed to wander into his innuendo traps.
She touched her left hand, feeling the empty space where Rasler's ring had once been. She sighed and looked away from him. "That is to say I don't have anything left of value that you haven't already taken from me," she said quietly.
It was probably out of line for her to say something like that with what Fran had told her. He said nothing, and he simply continued the game. She took another bite of her bread, and she felt awful for taking her frustration out on him. He wasn't the one who gave her the Treaty Blade and told her to destroy a nation.
After minutes of silence, she put down her small stack of cards. "I didn't mean that," she muttered sadly. He would not meet her eyes as he picked up her cards and put them back in his case. Balthier stood and walked away, his face nonchalant so as not to give anyone else the impression that he was upset. Ashe felt the realization strike her unexpectedly. It was his tell.