Chapter 16 The Princess
Vaan had only seen such a fleet only once before, when the 2nd fleet arrived to occupy
Rabanastre, and although it brought nothing but pain and humiliation with it Vaan had to
admire the majesty of all those ships. Now he was in a skiff, flying through the ships that
dwarfed anything he had ever seen, against the clear blue skys they looked like flying
fortresses and everywhere around them flew swarms of smaller craft. Then they entered
a hanger and his view was blocked.
"Move it!" Ordered the guard who was holding his chain. Vaan shot the man a glare but
obeyed. They were in the flagship of the fleet, Vaan had seen it's name engraved on the
side as they passed. Leviathan. From the outside the ship was one of the fiercest looking
things he had ever seen but on the inside it was really quite luxurious. White marble decorated
the walls and glass doors separated the passageways.
"Archadia can afford to build ships like this while half it's empire sleeps on the streets?" Balthier
mumbled when he saw Vaan marveling. Down corridoor after corridoor they walked until eventually
they reached a large pair of double doors which hissed open when they approached, Vaan gazed
around. He saw plenty of windows, a lot of control consoles and an enormous wheel in the center,
this had to be the bridge. He took in it's magnificence.
"Nice place" He said to Basch, no reply. He turned around to see Basch frozen stiff, his face was frozen
in shock, eyes wide and disbelieving. It was only then when Vaan noticed who was standing in the center
of the room. The judge magister who they saw in the mines in his resplendant gold armour, and Amalia
from his escape through the sewers dressed up in the finest Archadian clothing. After his capture he
had almost completely forgotten her. Both she and the judge turned to face the newcomers and
she gave every one of them a half glance, but when she saw Basch her face mirrored his. Now the whole
party began to notice this starring contest, as if either person couldn't quite believe the other existed. Then
gradually Amalia's shock turned to rage, without warning she strode fiercely towards the group. Basch quickly
dropped on one knee.
"You majesty I..." He began before she promptly kicked him in the face, Basch fell backwards, a stream of blood
following him. The guards in the room leapt forward to stop her but she was ready for them, she struck out like
a wild beast, taking three of them down including the captain before she was finally restrained.
"After what you've done," She shrieked. "You dare to show your face before me Basch!" She writhed in the arms
of the guards while the judge chuckled in the background.
"Bring her back." He sniggered. The captain, still recovering from the attack gave the order. That is lying on the floor
clutching his testicles. The soldiers hesitantly picked up the screaming girl and carried her over to the judge much in
the manner one would carry high explosives. She stopped fussing when she was unceremoniosly dumped next to her captor.
"Your supposed to be dead!" She spat at Basch who looked down to avert her gaze.
"Come come now," Said the judge testily. "Your forgetting your manners."
"Shut your mouth and keep your toungue still Ghis." She rounded on him but he wasn't finished.
"This is hardly the courtesy due from a princess now." Amalia froze.
"How long have you known." She hissed. The judge removed his helmet revealing the old face beneath.
"Long enough, Ashelia B'nargin Dalmasca." He replied. Vaan's jaw dropped. He had been right next to the
princess and he hadn't even noticed. Then she wasn't dead.
"Is that you Ghis?" Balthier said suddenly. The judge looked up.
"Oh, yes you. I remember you." He said. "You would've gone far you know." Balthier shook his head.
"Everyone, this is Judge magister Ghis. House Solidor's sword of politics and economics." Ghis seemed slightly
shaken by this last statement.
"I think you'll find my friend," He said quietly. "That I am more than a mere politician." Balthier ignored him, turning back to
the princess.
"Well fancy that." He said matter of factly, she turned away. Ghis seemed to pick up on this.
"However she bears no proof of her former station so at this moment she is no different from any other member
of the insurgence." Ghis said smugly. Amalia shot him a warning look.
"The resistance!" She said testily. Ghis ignored her.
"The consol of Dalmasca asks your help in restoring peace to the country." He said beurocratically. "Those who foster
instability and unrest, who claim royal blood without proof, shall meet their fate at the gallows. There are no exceptions."
"I will not play puppet to Vayne!" She snapped.
"King Raminas entrusted me with a task." Said a gruff voice quietly. Everyone turned around to see Basch rising
from the floor where Amaila had kicked him. "Should the time come, he bade me give you something of great importance."
He continued through a bloody nose. "It is your birthright, the dusk shard." At this both Amalia's and Ghis's eyes widened
and the judge began to look worried. If the princess had proof the plan would fall apart and she could reclaim Dalmasca.
"Where is this shard?" He demanded, Basch shook his head.
"It is hidden, only I know where to find it." He grinned triumphantly, but Amalia shook her head.
"You took my father's life," She said through the tears forming in her eyes. "Now you would spare mine, would you have me
live in shame!" Basch turned to her.
"If that is your duty, yes." She looked uncertain for a moment, then Vaan cut in.
"Stop being so stubborn." He complained. "Dalmasca needs a..." She pushed him aside.
"Don't interupt!" She snapped. Vaan hit the floor and heard something clatter out of his pocket. He turned to see the stone
from the palace treasure room, he was still carrying that thing. Everyone else in the room was staring at the stone
with a mixture of expressions. Disbelief, confusion, surprise, dispair, triumph.
"Vaan." Said Basch very slowly and threateningly. "Exactly how long have you been carrying that around?" Vaan shrugged.
"I dunno, since we met you." Ghis began to laugh.
"Splendid." He wheezed between laughs. "You've brought the stone and saved me a great deal of trouble." Basch shook his
head. This boy seemed to make things worse by his very presence, and such a boy was his swordsmanship pupil.
"Don't give it to him!" Screamed Amalia but two soldiers were restraining her. Vaan thought for a moment, how could he use
this situation to his advantage.
"You have to promise." He said boldly. "No excecutions." Ghis paused, then nodded. Vaan reluctantly placed the stone in his
waiting hand.
"I apologise little one." Said Ghis, "But a judges duty is to the law. Take them away."
"So you were carrying it all along." Said Basch thoughtfully to Vaan as the group was lead down a passage. "The fates jest."
"Tell your fates to leave me out of it." Balthier said sarcastically from behind.
"Be quiet!" Yelled the guard in front. For a while they walked in silence before Balthier drew alongside Basch.
"There was nothing more I could do, you know that." The knight hissed.
"Oh, I understand," The pirate replied. "Honour, duty and all that. I still can't believe she was the princess."
"I said keep quiet!" Yelled the guard again. "I have a pain in my head."
"Really, still?" asked the guard next to him.
"Yeah, it's been going for a while now. Must be all those prisoners talking yer ears off." Both laughed, one stopped.
The other opened his eyes to see the mangled remains of his friend at his feet. A soldier passing their group had suddenly turned
around, unsheathed an enormous sword and sliced him cleanly in half.
"Talk about a splitting headache!" Came a deep booming face from within the armour. The other guards drew their weapons but never
got a chance to strike, none could stand before the giant sword and soon all of them lay dead. As their rescuer removed his
helmet Basch laughed.
"Well, this is without doubt the maddest thing you've ever done." He chuckled as Vossler Azelas's wild face came into view
grinning like a madman.
"Just like the old days." He laughed. Then his face suddenly became serious. "I'm truely sorry my friend, in order
to protect her majesty I doubted friend and foe alike." Basch nodded.
"You did your duty, and mine for me." The two knights turned to the group.
"Now onward to the cells, where they are holding her majesty!" Ordered Vossler as he and Basch hurtled down the corridor.
Balthier sighed.
"Do you think we'll ever be free of these supporting characters Fran?" He asked hopefully.
"In the near future?, Doubtfull." Said the vierra with a wry smile.
Vaan's heart began to race as the small force ran through the ship. Last time he had barely been able to touch a soldier, now
he was right in the lion's den. Suddenly Basch drew his curved sword.
"What is it?!" Barked Vossler. He got his answer when a dozen soldiers rounded the corner.
"There they are!" Roared the captain. "I'll deal with this one myself." Basch grinned, charging his opponent. The soldier tried
for a thrust but Basch was too quick, knocking the broadsword skywards Basch drove his own sword home. And hit mid air.
Vossler gasped as Basch's sword veered off course at the last second, an impossible miss for such a seasoned fighter. Fran's
eyes widened.
"I though I felt something." She hissed. "Magick, there's a mage with them protecting the captain." Balthier looked urgently at her.
"Can you break it?" He whispered back. She grimaced.
"It will take time, I wasn't prepared for this."
"Well make it take less time!" Vaan yelled at her. "Basch can't do this forever." He was quite right, no matter how well he struck,
Basch kept coming up against that invisible shield. He roared as he struck again, he could use his quickening but that would leave him
exausted and unable to fight effectively. Suddenly, with a great roar, Vossler leaped into the fray. He brought his huge sword down upon the captain who only just mangaged to evade, however there was an ear splitting crash and all saw the faint outline of a sphere around
the captain shattering like sugar glass.
"Now Basch!" Roared Vossler, needing no prompt Basch drove the point of his sword through the captain's chest. At the same time, Fran
launched a blast of light directly at the remaining troops, it faltered for an instant as the enemy mage tried to deflect it but in the end
surged forward and struck the company at which point they instantly froze solid.
"Woah!" Said Vaan. "Since when could you do that?" Fran tucked a stray hair behind her tall ears.
"Long before you were born." The boy then turned his attention to Vossler.
"And how could your sword cut through the spell and Basch's couldn't?" The knight looked confused.
"I don't know," He confessed. "It should have had the same effect."
"Swords of Dalmascan knights were all forged by the Rabanastre master swordsmith." Basch explained. "These weapons are not
only of the finest quality, they also cut through all but the most potent magicks. Why mine did not I cannot guess, perhaps I havn't held
it in a long time." Vaan shrugged.
"It doesn't matter, lets just find the princess and get out of here." Before anyone could agree another group of soldiers rounded the corner.
"It only makes sense." Vossler growled as he went again for his sword. "We are right beside the cells." Vaan was first into battle this time.
Now, he'd show them. Drawing his sword and readying his shield he swung hard at the leader's head. Almost faster that sight the man caught
the attack with his own sword. Vaan looked slightly taken aback, only just in time coming to his senses as a punch was aimed at his face.
"A judge!" Balthier called to everyone as Vaan recoiled from the attack, so this was a knight of the order of judges. Unafraid Vaan
pressed on, running through a form Basch had taught him, the judge flowed through the form with him as if their minds were linked. Unable
to keep pace with his speed Vaan tried a sneak attack to the torso, his sword was knocked away like a twig. Vaan lurched to the side as his sword clattered to the floor and the judge's heavy blade swung down.
The judge recoiled as a loud bang sounded. Balthier looked over the barrels of his smoking gun while Fran readied an arrow. Bolstered by
his re-enforcements, Vaan made one last desperate lunge at the judges chest. The blade sank into his flesh like butter, the man stood there,
suspended, and then collapsed. At the sight of their leader slain, the remaining soldiers fled in a dissorganised mass down the corridoor.
"Thanks." Said Vaan quietly as Balthier walked over to the cell doors.
"Dont mention it." He replied. "After all as the leading man, I wouldn't look good if my comrade got killed on my watch now would it?"