Chapter Eighteen: Complications, emotional outbursts and scenes of an adult nature

Author note: This chapter has given me no end of grief. I think this had to happen, as I have written myself into a corner in terms of this 'relationship' and there needed to be a clearing of the air.

In my opinion Balthier's soul belongs to Fran forever and a day - his heart however, well, I can't deny he and the ever-prickly Ashe have chemistry.

Any reader reactions and review is gratefully received.

The Imp finally fell with a thump to the cavern floor; Balthier looked distastefully down on it. He really, truly detested this place.

Looking up he saw Basch wiping ichor from his hammerhead axe and the Princess pull the tip of her spear from the carcass of another Imp that had attempted to aid its brethren.

'How much farther do you think until we reach Archades?'

Basch asked him in reasonable tones. Or it would be reasonable if it wasn't for the fact that he had been asking the same question every time they reached another ancient door, of which there seemed to be hundreds.

Balthier felt his lips curl in a less than friendly sneer, ' Can you not smell it, Captain?'

' Smell what?'

'Why the stench of Empire, it's difficult to mistake once you come to know it.'

Looking at him quizzically the Princess strolled over, affording Balthier a distracting moment to wonder how she managed to walk at all with a seven foot Obelisk spear slung across her back.

' I do smell something. I had thought it merely the filth from these fiends.' She kicked at the Imp carcass with her boot.

'No Princess, the pungent aroma you are now enjoying is the scent of Old Archades, quite unforgettable.'

'Old Archades what is that?'

She frowned at him, though they had returned to something like their old combative geniality since travelling the Sochen Cave Palace, she had not quite forgiven him yet and reserved her trust.

Balthier had decided it was best to pretend he liked it thus to avoid any unnecessarily deep and guilt-laden thoughts on the matter.

' It is the dross of Empire, the detritus of constant expansionism that washes up on the banks of the river. We will come out right in its heart, if such a place had one.'

Basch, whom both Balthier and Ashe had quite forgotten about, spoke up. ' So we are close then?'

Balthier nodded, 'Very if the smell is any indication. If memory serves the worst beasties guard the way to the surface so we had best wait for Fran and the others to find us.'

After nearly half an hour of waiting for the rest of the party, Ashe having decided again to split them up, despite the disasters that seemed to befall them when that happened, it was decided that someone should go look for them.

' Basch, you are the strongest, Balthier and I will wait here while you find the others. Balthier give him your pack of supplies.'

Ashe spoke with utter confidence and command, argument was not an option.

Basch looked back at Balthier somewhat doubtfully but was relieved by the look of genuine surprise on his own face. He had thought he would be the last person Ashe would choose to be alone with.

He waited in silence until the heavy clomping of Basch's footsteps receded from hearing. Then he turned to face Ashe's eyes, which burned into him like dry ice.

'I am no fool pirate.' Her words were venomous.

'I had never thought you were Princess.' His own words, in contrast, were cool as falling snow.

' I know what you meant to do the other day. Why you lied.' She continued as if he had not spoken.

' Princess I have said, it was not a lie merely – '

She cut him off with one ferocious look, 'Do not insult my intelligence further by finishing that sentence Balthier.'

Balthier decided the wisest course of action, considering the Princess appeared to be in a towering rage and he was well aware of how quick she was with that monstrous Obelisk of hers, was to keep his mouth tight shut and hope to weather the storm.

'Do you not think that I haven't seen the looks Basch gives you, the looks he and Fran share when they think you and I cannot see. Even Vaan and Penelo think we are having some form of affair.'

Balthier could not help himself, he smirked, mouth opening and words coming out, 'Do they indeed?'

Ashe was pacing in a tight circle, like a wild animal caged. She ignored him, speaking in heated whispers he had to strain to hear.

' Rasler is dead. I know this. Gods know I know that he is gone, even as his spectre haunts me.'

' Princess..' He began but was again shot down, which was just as well, he thought, as he had no idea what he had been about to say.

' I am so tired of being alone.'

Ashe rounded on him suddenly on the tail of that tortured exclamation. She pivoted smoothly as she did in battle and he had to resist the instinct to back away.

' I am under no illusions. I know that you are here not to serve me but instead motivated by some strange curiosity. I know that I am bound to duty, honour and responsibility to my people. Things that are meaningless to one such as yourself.'

She spoke rapidly and Balthier had little chance to get a word in edge ways, a rare occurrence for him and not one he liked. Especially as he was not sure he liked the opinion of his character the Princess seemed to have formed.

'But I am a long way from my home, my throne, and all the things that are my right and my duty.' Ashe continued in a softer voice, moving closer to him.

'These past months journeying have taught me more than two years in the resistance. I cannot wait for my life to resume until Dalmasca has been restored for if I do I shall be waiting forever. I am a Princess, heir to the throne, but I am not only thus.'

She was standing so close she was all but leaning against him. Her eyes were so tormented, so rife with emotion and pain that seemed too large for one person to contain, that Balthier reacted instinctively and against his better judgement. He put his arms around her.

Ashe slapped him, hard across the face, with lightening reflex. Balthier, who had had many similar slaps in his time, simply removed his arms and rubbed his cheek turning ironically raised eyebrows up to her in question.

He was therefore caught completely by surprise when Ashe grabbed him by the vest in both fists, rose up on tip-toe and kissed him as if she intended to suck all the life breath from his lungs at once.

Balthier supposed he could be excused for his reaction to this development, it having been a sinfully long time since he had last had an eager woman in his arms.

With a grunt he gripped her hips and hoisted her up, her legs immediately wrapping around him as he positioned her back against the wall and gave her back as much passion as she fed into him.

When they came up for air, the Princess' lips swollen and eyes heavy lidded with passion, Balthier felt the need to say something, his hands splayed across her oft admired derriere and suffering a frankly painful tightness in his pants.

' Tell me Princess, do you do this often?'

Quick as a darting viper her hand left its mark again on his cheek, he would be lucky not to bruise. Smirking broadly Balthier turned full face to the Princess.

' Has anyone ever told you, Ashe, you have a very odd way of showing affection?'

Glaring at him like a spitting cat Ashe caught the back of his head with her quick hands and kissed him again.

Balthier decided that conversation could wait in favour of more intimate forms of communication between man and woman.

Vaguely he hoped that Basch and the others took their sweet time in returning.

Yet some very un-pirate like vestige of honour forced him to pull back from the kiss, to marshal his wits, despite the fact that all the blood in his body had headed southwards in a hurry, and tried to think with his brain.

' Princess, now is not the time or the place.' With difficulty he extracted himself from her.

' I would be a poor leading man to take advantage of you here in this filthy hole. Such a place is not fit for a queen in waiting.'

'Balthier?'

Turning away from her he made his way in the direction Basch had gone, he did not look at her, he didn't trust his resolve if he did.

' I will be but a moment Princess, you should be quite safe here.'

'Where are you going?' She demanded sounding as breathless as he felt, which was gratifying at least.

'I saw a small pool of icy water a little ways back. I thought I might go and jump in it, before our dear Captain and the others return.'

'You cannot just leave -we were – you were….'

To his mounting horror it seemed as though the Princess was close to tears. He looked over his shoulder at her.

She stood where he had left her, fists clenched, cheeks flushed and eyes almost wild with tears of anger, embarrassment, shame. Bloody hell.

'Princess, it is alright. I have treated you unfairly and I am sorry for that. You deserve better from your entourage.'

Ashe tilted her chin and looked him squarely in the eye, ' Are you saying you do not want me?'

Gods above!

' Princess my current - predicament -should be ample answer for you.'

Awkwardly keeping his back to her, he willed himself to look only at her eyes. Not her lips, and certainly not anything lower!

Ashe almost smiled, her shoulders loosened fractionally, ' You must think me a fool. I am sure you have women swooning all over you as a daily occurrence.'

She spoke drolly, yet nervously set about smoothing her skirt. Balthier wrenched his eyes from that strip of red cloth covering those softly curving thighs. Eyes, look at her eyes, Gods damn it!

He pasted a smirk over his face, ' I don't think you a fool, Princess. You cannot help it, I am, after all, quite irresistible.'

Ashe snorted, looking calmer, happier. ' You are an egotist of the highest order.' She retorted. 'But an honourable one. I thank you.'

He quirked an eyebrow, relieved that this awkward incident looked to be heading to an amicable conclusion. He couldn't resist just a little teasing at her expense.

' Thank me for not ravishing you here on this cave floor?'

Ashe blushed, though the spark of lust he saw in her cold eyes nearly had him crossing the distance to her once more.

' Yes.' She snapped, definitely feeling more her usual austere self.

' Though I would ask you to please keep this - moment of weakness- between ourselves.'

Balthier smirked both at her description of what had just transpired and at the idea that he would ever dream tell of it. Basch would have his guts for garters.

'Princess, I am just as happy to keep this between us. It would ruin my reputation with the other pirates irrevocably if they found out I was,' he mock shuddered, ' given to gentlemanly behaviour.'

Ashe allowed herself a real smile, the ache in his groin worsened, Gods but she was a pretty little Princess, ' It will be our secret, then.'

'Indeed.' He nodded.

'If you'll please excuse me, Princess, I really must go and take a quick dip in that pool, or else I doubt I'll be able to walk, let alone fight.'

The Princess' wicked chuckle followed him as he made his exit. He prayed to the Gods he didn't believe in that the water in the pool was very, very cold.