In which Balthier finally learns something about Fran's family

"I see." Says Balthier "So, you and your sisters are 20 years apart then."

Fran and Balthier had since located their clothing and were having a nice lunch together.

"Well Jote and I are, but there are 40 years between Mjrn and I. Ian was born after myself and Mjrn was born after him." Said Fran picking from Balthier's plate.

"You never told me you have a brother." Balthier said

"You never asked if I had a brother." Said Fran "When I mentioned in the past that I was the elder's younger sister and that now that I had left there would be a heaver burden on Mjrn, you only inquired about them at the time, you didn't not ask if I had any other siblings."

Balthier signed and smiled. Again with the lack of elaboration and never volunteering information. But alas, she can not help but to be herself and he would not love her if she was anything else. "Well do you have any other siblings besides your two sisters and one brother?"

"Not that I know of." Said Fran. "But mother could very well have had another child by now since my departure. Though mother had been reaching her Pasferteal stage, the time in a Viera's life when she can no longer become fertile. If she had become with child after Mjrn, then it would have been the last time."

"So your brother lived in your village until he was old enough to talk and now he lives in the male village with your father…"

"Yes Ian lives in the male village but my father does not." Said Fran "He is with mother in the Coupling Village"

"Ah, so your mother and father are one of those "Bestowed" Couples you mentioned before."

"Yes." Fran answered in her usual simple fashion.

"So how often did you go to see your parents and brother? If you don't mind me asking…"

"The last time I saw my mother was during her Koing period with Mjrn. The last time I saw my father was when he came for mother after her Koing period was over and he accompanied her back to the Coupling Village. Ian ventured in the direction of our village once when he was about 2 Cycles old and Jote and I went to met him. I accompanied Mjrn when she ventured to see Ian, but since then he has not ventured towards us since nor have we ventured towards him."

"You mean you have not seen your family for years?" Balthier astonished. "Would you even know your brother if you saw him now?"

"Most likely not."

Fran looked over a Balthier and sensed his unease.

"When we are little we have the want and need to see our family that live elsewhere, but that desire fades. The Wood tells us they are all well and content. So there is no need for us to see them. I know it seems strange for you, being Humes live in such close vicinity to their family."

"Yes it does seem strange, but I know I can't be so bias about it. I knew Viera culture was vastly different than of Humes… I just didn't know how much."

"Your level of understanding and acceptance never ceases to amazes me." Says Fran

"It comes from growing up around scientists and attending the Academy." Sighs Balthier "I was taught that, when it comes to things I don't understand I should think objectively about it. If I find something strange, I should think why I feel it's strange. And if I find it strange because I am comparing it to my own societies standard of what's normal then I'm being ethnocentric and bias and should try my best to look at it from the prospective of whatever I find strange. Yes I find it strange how unemotional Viera seem and rather sad that you haven't seen your family in years and wouldn't know your own brother if he were standing right next to you. But then again I don't know what it's like to have a voice whispering in my ear telling me things I need to know, like how some is feeling or how my family is doing. When I take the voice of the Wood into account, I can begin to see how Viera can stand to be separated from their family and not have the burning need to see them all the time."

Fran smiles and leans against Balthier "You are a Hume wise beyond his years. Though I suppose I knew that already when I felt how old your soul was. It is a great part of the reason I picked you. Now more than ever I am content with my choice of venturing out of the Wood."

Balthier smiled and put his arm around Fran and pulls her closer to him. Fran rest her head on his shoulder. "Glad to hear it."

"Ne, Fran…"

"Hm?"

"You say you haven't seen your brother since he was a small child and most likely wouldn't recognize him…Is it the same for other Viera? You know, having a brother they don't know."

"Yes. The others who have brothers in the male village most likely would not know them should their paths cross."

"I see…doesn't that raise a bit of a problem when it comes to mating?"

"No. Why should it?"

Just wanted to cover all the bases…If I thought of it then others will have thought of it too…don't know what I'm talking about? Eh, just wait till the next chapter…

So yes, I added a member to Fran's family…remember him…he may pop up in a later story X3