Balthier was furious. He hadn't been this angry in a long time, and as he strode down the corridors of the Royal Palace, even the guards backed away from him. He stopped as he reached his destination to try and reign in his temper.

"Are they in there?" He checked with the guard posted outside. The man confirmed this, and Balthier opened the door to face his two seven-year olds.

"Oh crap!"

Balthier stared at his son in dismay.

"Really, Bris? You want to add cursing to your list of offences too?" Bris shrank back, instantly chastised but Balthier could kind of see where he was coming from. Ashe was usually the one who did the punishing, she was simply better at it then he was, she carried more authority. But for Balthier to be here now instead of her… The twins must have done something really serious.

Illyana, Balthier's daughter ran forward.

"Daddy, is he okay?"

"We are so sorry!" Followed Bris.

"We didn't mean for it to happen, it was an accident!"

"If we'd had known he was there we would have looked after him.

"We never meant to -" Balthier held up his hand and the twins fell silent immediately.

"It's bad enough that you two snuck out of the Palace grounds," he began, calmly but with underlying anger. "But allowing your brother to follow you is unforgivable! He is four years old! You should have known better, and been watching out for him!"

"We didn't know he was going to follow us." Bris said in a small voice.

"Of course he's going to follow you if he gets the chance!" Balthier shouted. "He worships you both. He thought you were going on an adventure and he wanted to be a part of it." Balthier couldn't truly fault his youngest son for that. Bris and Illyana were so in sync; sometimes even Balthier felt a little intimidated by their bond. He wondered if people had the same reaction when they met him and Fran.

He let out a deep sigh. "Why did you leave the Palace grounds in the first place?" He demanded to know. "Going out into the city by yourselves, do you know how dangerous that is?" The twins couldn't look at him.

"Mama says Rabanastre is one of the safest cities there is." Bris uttered. Balthier put a hand to his head.

"It is a safe city." He stressed. "But that doesn't mean that two seven-year olds should be walking around the streets alone! And then you add your brother to the equation…" The former pirate trailed off, completely at a loss. The truth of the matter was, had Bris and Illyana had just snuck out, when they returned to Palace Balthier would have still been angry, but also slightly proud of his son and daughter's adventurous spirit. After all, the amount of trouble he used to get into as a child almost made the twins look like saints. But for all their care in avoiding the guards and servants, they forgot to notice their little brother, Mathieu, had also snuck away and was following them. Hurrying to catch his siblings, he ran across the path of a Bangaa pushing a heavy cart. The poor man simply couldn't stop in time.

The twins had rushed back when they heard the collision to find it was their brother who had been hurt. The Bangaa was visibly shaken but it was made worse when he discovered it was one of the Princes he had run down. Carrying Mathieu, he escorted the three youngsters back to the Palace. The children had been taken to their rooms as the Queen and her husband thanked the Bangaa for returning them and reassured the man that he was not to blame for the incident, before going to deal with their children. Ashe went to be with Mathieu, while Balthier was tasked with the job of reprimanding their eldest.

Illyana finally looked up at her father.

"Daddy, please, is Mattie going to be alright?" Illyana's beautiful brown eyes were swimming with tears and it cut Balthier deep to see them. Illyana was not one of those girls who cried easily, she was too much like her mother. Her tears only fell when there was nothing she could do to stop them. Balthier let out another sigh, this one releasing his anger, and he knelt down to her.

"Come here, Illy." He said softly, holding out an arm for her and Illyana threw herself into her father's hold. "You too, Bris." He said, reaching out for his son who was also looking at him with wide-eyed worry. He approached much more warily, but soon echoed his sister in wrapping his hands around his father's neck as Balthier held them both.

"Mathieu's going to be fine." He reassured them. "His leg is fractured where the cart hit him and he has a cut on his head, but that's all." He felt his children relax in his hold, their fears about their brother put to rest. When he released them though, his face was stern.

"That's doesn't make what you two did excusable though. You will have to be punished." The twins looked genuinely remorseful as they nodded in unison. Balthier stood back up.

"Firstly, you're both grounded for the next week. The only times you get to leave your rooms are when you're either sent for, or told to do chores around the Palace. You will have your meals and your school lessons in your chambers." The twins accepted that.

"You're also not to see each at all during the week." Balthier continued. His children exchanged a startled glance between them but Balthier knew that wouldn't last and that they would figure out a way to get around it somehow. It was difficult to part these two for long. Balthier had one more punishment to issue, but even he felt bad about this one.

"Finally, how well you behave during this time will determine whether you come to Archades with us next week or not." That got the expected response.

"What?!"

"Daddy, no! Please!"

"You can't leave us here! We want to see Fran!

"And Uncle Basch!"

"Dad!"

But Balthier stood steadfast. "Then you'll just have to prove to us that we can trust you both, won't you." He said. "Now I'm going to go and see your brother. I'm sure your mother will be along later to talk to you herself." He walked to the door, but was stopped by a small voice.

"We really are sorry, Daddy." He gave his children one last look and a sad smile.

"I know you are, sweetheart." And he left and headed to his youngest.

He entered Mathieu's room quietly and saw his wife sitting by the bed, stroking his son's fair hair. She looked up and smiled when she saw him.

"How is he?" Balthier asked, coming to stand beside her and taking the hand she offered.

"He's asleep. He was so good when his leg was being strapped up, he didn't complain once." Balthier smiled at that. Where Bris and Illyana were criminal masterminds, Mathieu was the well-behaved one of their three children.

Ashe stood and slid her arm around his waist, resting her head on his shoulder.

"How are the twins?" She asked as Balthier placed a kiss on her forehead.

"They're okay. Upset about Mathieu but they know they were in the wrong and took their punishment with good grace. Well, except for the bit about coming to Archades next week but I think it was necessary."

"Like we'd leave them behind." Ashe smiled. "Fran would never forgive us if we did." Balthier chuckled at that. "So, are you going to be the disciplinarian from now on?" She asked. Balthier raised his eyebrows.

"Disciplinarian? I like that." He smirked and gave her a squeeze. His wife just rolled her eyes at his antics.

"He did ask," Ashe continued, referring to their sleeping son. "If he was going to get some scars. For some reason he seems to think scars are 'cool', and that you get them by being a hero."

"Or from doing something very stupid." Ashe smiled at him.

"And which one was this?" She asked, as she reached up and stroked the scar that ran along Balthier temple, left from The Bahamut so long ago.

"Oh, definitely stupid." Balthier stated and Ashe's eyebrows rose. "It was the dumbest thing I've ever done because it kept me away from you for so long." He kissed her gently.

"Charmer." Ashe smiled and Balthier mirrored it. With a last look at their son, they quietly left the room, and Mathieu to his dreaming.