Vaan started to stir. Looking out everything seemed blurry and yellow. Vaan shook his head and slowly the room began to appear normal again. Sand and tiny pebbles fell from the ceiling softly hitting his face and making the graze on his cheek painfully apparent.

"Ouch." Vaan softly winced; he then sat up to begin clearing the wound.

"You're awake."

Vaan turned towards Balthier eyeing him cautiously.

"Where is Ella?" Vaan asked

"Oh quite chivalrous aren't we?" Balthier said sarcastically "But to answer your question she is around here somewhere, off running about making mischief I'd say or maybe biting guards."

Vaan looked at him straight in the eye. With Balthier you could never really tell if he was serious or having a joke at your expense, however in this case, Vaan decided, Balthier was being truthful.

"Biting people... huh? Where are we?"

"Prison, where else? More a dungeon, but it's really all the same"

Vaan stood up, a sharp pain seared through his head blurring his vision again. Tracing his fingers around the wound he felt a large bump at the base of his neck. Loud cries started echoing loudly through the prison and ringing in Vaans head, he figured they were being tortured. Moving back from the entrance Vaan felt his legs touch something, turning he saw the dead body of a Bangaa. Shocked he yelped softly and jumped away.

"It's just a corpse, jump at every little thing down here and you'll wear yourself out" Balthier scoffed at him "It's not even a proper dungeon; they just sealed off the bottom level of the fortress, take a look around we're not the first they've thrown down here."

Vaan looked out and saw nothing. It was pitch black and his eyes had not gotten used to the darkness. Vaan could hear people though; he heard their crying and delusional mutterings.

"Oh gods I have to get out"

"Where's Fran?" he asked Balthier

"She's off trying to find us a way out." Balthier said stretching his arms above his head and getting up towards the door

Another muffled scream echoed through the halls. Vaan walked towards the door intent on exploring the prison. Balthier frowned and held out a damp canteen.

"Remember what curiosity killed, just a friendly word of advice." He said "Oh this is all the water we've got I'd save your strength if I were you."

I had been walking around for a long time, or so it felt. Despite only being in Nalbina for a short time the atmosphere and darkness seemed to suck everything into it, including time. I couldn't help feeling increasingly uncomfortable. Everyone's eyes were on me as if I was some sort of intruder, I didn't like this place at all

I jumped as an older man walked in front of me. He walked right up to my face till I could smell his breath, stale air and rotting teeth, I was trying not to gag but I wasn't succeeding.

"Little girl would do best to stay away," he said rasping at me "Has she not seen the men that follow her?"

Yanking on my hair he pulled my face even closer to his, "Why are no women here? For their lack of guilt? HA!"

"W-what I don't..." I managed to stutter out

"When one lives in darkness for so long, the darkness begins to take over ones soul."

His eyes started darting wildly around. Dropping my hair he slinked away into the dark looking back at me.

"Run."

I stood there frozen to the spot. I can't say that running was the first thing on my mind but all things considered it seemed like a good enough plan. I turned back in the direction I came when I heard it. The silence was settling in like a thick layer of dust. Whilst walking here I had heard life, coughing, crying all the things you would expect in a dungeon but now there was nothing except my breathing. I must have walked further into Nalbina then I expected. I needed to get to light.

I took a step forward when I felt someone slip their fingers lightly down my neck and onto my shoulder.

I screamed and ran.

Balthier went out looking for her he figured since they were partners of some kind he had to, at the very least, keep her alive considering she seemed to be doing a damn good job of almost killing herself. Guessing that she was lost in the darker and deeper parts he made his way downwards. Over a three quarters of an hour spent looking and he had found nothing except her occasional set of foot prints.

Balthier kept his eyes down at her prints as he walked along, careful to listen to his surroundings; it wouldn't do for a leading man to get caught. When waling further into the dungeon, he noticed with a feeling of unease that there were around ten male foot prints following Ella.

He stopped walking and stared cautiously into the darkness listening for any sounds to indicate a threat ahead, hearing nothing he slowly started to walk again hugging the wall.

"She seems to be more trouble than she's worth," Balthier grumbled to himself as he pulled his weapon out making it ready to attack should he need it, "At least she is a form of entertainment I suppose."

A loud scream for help grabbed his attention, there was no doubt it was the girl. Abandoning his plan he began to run for her.

I didn't think about anything, I couldn't, worrying about how fast or slow I was running would let me be caught even quicker. I kept running until I hit a huge room filled with sunlight, I stopped for only seconds to get my bearings but it was enough for them to gain an advantage on me. I heard laughter, malicious laughter coming from all directions. When I looked up I saw men surrounding me from all angles. Desperately I looked around for an exit but there was no way out that wasn't blocked by a man.

"HELP ME, PLEASE SOMEBODY HELP!" I screamed out as loud as I could

"No one is here to help you princess." the leader said through sneering at me

I stared out at them and ran at the door hoping to break through but the teenager standing there threw me on my back into the sand in the middle.

My head hit the sand with a soft thunk. I was really bloody sick of being hurt; it seemed Final Fantasy 12 was more sexually explicit and graphic than first appearances would have you think.

I sat up and stared into the eyes of the leader. The first thing that struck me about him was how tall and young he was, in fact everyone in the room couldn't be older than 30, he started to walk towards me holding a thick stick that I presumed was a weapon. As he circled me he dragged the stick along my skin, I let the tears drop from my eyes.

"Come now do not cry," The leader said whilst stroking my cheek "It ruins the whole experience for us."

"Is there a problem here?" Balthier smooth voice rang out into the air

The leader turned obviously annoyed that he had been interrupted before he had a chance to do whatever he was going to do. I looked past and at Balthier pleading him to help me. The sight of one lone man standing in the doorframe made his body visibly relax.

"This does not concern you," he spat at Balthier "Walk away or the choice will be made for you."

Balthier regarded him and raised a single eyebrow. In a single move Balthier has a way of making you feel like a small child by making the smallest of face movements. Walking slowly towards me he crossed his arms and stared at the leader.

"You are their leader I presume?" Balthier more stated than asked "Well I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline that offer."

The leader regarded him looking at him like he was crazy "Why does this one hold such meaning you are free to take your turn after we are finished with her."

"You would rape another gentleman's lover; even in prison that holds as a serious crime, do wish to add a hanging to your sentence?" Balthier calmly asked

The men in the room all started to whisper and become restless. I couldn't really blame them because unless I had blacked out somewhere I had no recollection of having sex at any time. I looked at Balthier with a confused expression; he looked at me and smiled a little cocky smile. I knew he was having fun playing this little game.

The leader looked at Balthier suspiciously "We had no knowledge of your possession we assumed the viera was your claim."

Balthier stepped forward and ripped the leaders' hands of my face before holding my head in his hands "I am sorry I lost you my sweet."

Balthier was playing with me, this may have been cute if real but unfortunately it wasn't I still wanted to play along though, maybe beat him at his own game.

Putting my hands around his neck I snuggled into his chest and bit my lip and looked up too innocently at him "It's okay baby I forgive you."

Balthier looked at me. With a slight eyebrow raise and a smile playing on his lips he gave me a look that said 'Oh really now'. Pushing back my hair he leant down a pushed his lips down onto mine.

It was like bloody 'The Matrix' time slowed down dramatically. I had never kissed anyone before but his lips were so amazingly soft and his hands slipped down my back. It was amazing and he knew it, the playful bites on my lips signalled that one. I grabbed his shoulder blades and dug in with the pads of my fingers and ran my leg up his calf. A little moan escaped Balthier before he pulled away slowly.

Grabbing my waist he started to pull me in the direction of the exit, he looked back at the men before smiling and saying "Thanks most kindly for your hospitality."

He kept his arm on my waist not moving it till when we were out of sight.

He looked at me and smiled "Well kitty cat you seem to have nine lives."

"Is that why you call me that?" I asked giggling

"Yes indeed kitten, although may I ask a favour if it's not too much trouble?" he asked leaning over slightly to make himself level with me

I looked right into his eyes, both waiting; see when we called each other's bluff. My lack of blushing and a look of cockiness in my eye made him fold.

"Next time grab my shoulders harder would you, your grip is too soft." He said then walked slightly ahead "Come on I feel Vaan is probably causing some trouble we will probably need to rescue the dolt."

I watched Balthier walk.

Me – Uno

Balthier - Nada