Vaan had waved Balthier and Ashe over as they reentered the bar, grin on his face as he held out a listing from the board. "Think we can handle this?"
The beast was in the Highwaste, and Vaan had spoken with the petitioner for them already. Atomos, a beastly fiend, yet not the most threatening foe they had faced.
"If we couldn't handle something like this, then I think we all would've met our graves by now." The skypirate smirked, reaching out and grabbing a glass from the counter. He took a long swig, then looked back to Vaan. "Seeing as we've all managed to make it this far, we shall be fine."
Vaan had tried to mimic Balthier, he too grabbing a drink from the bar. However, he had to choke down the liquid, being much too strong for him. "Yeah! We all lived! Remember when we saw that beast step on and crush a wolf and nearly get Fran? And that arrow that nicked Basch was pretty nasty, but at least it didn't kill him-"
Ashe stood abruptly, turning away. "If you'll excuse me." The princess was shaking slightly, hands clenched and twirling her thumbs in discomfort. "But I think I'm going to be sick."
She had only need hear of the arrow to be reminded of a far more lethal incident, one that haunted her to this day. She had been a girl of seventeen, awaiting her love's return from battle when Captain fon Rosenburg had arrived. She had rushed toward him, eager to hear news of her beloved, but stopped short as her eyes locked on the lifeless form draped across a worn and frantic chocobo. An arrow stuck from the chest of the man, and as she stepped forward to confirm her fears, she uttered an unholy cry of anguish. The white hair of her beloved was stained crimson, his eyes still open and glazed in horror. The arrow…the arrow… the arrow…
"Ashe?" She was vaguely aware of hands grabbing her shoulders and being shaken lightly. Stained hair and armor, the frantic moves of the chocobo, that lifeless gaze… the arrow…
"Ashe!" She blinked, pulling away and trembling. Her eyes focused on the person in front of her, and she realized for the first time she had fled to the backroom of the bar.
Balthier stood in front of her, his gaze softer than she was used to. "Do you need to see a physician? You seemed as if you were about to faint from fri-"
He cut off, eyes widening in realization. She had never heard of that injury Basch sustained, and they had been warned not to bring it up around her… Had Basch somehow known she would react like this? But what could cause… Rasler. Balthier cursed Vaan's stupidity mentally, having realized Ashe's husband had lost his life to a well placed arrow that had hit the one weak spot in his armor.
Ashe breathed deeply, regaining her composure. "I… I am fine. It is nothing but the heat, I'm sure."
"Ashe-"
"I said I'm fine." She pushed passed him, not willing to let the pirate see her grieve. Her grief was her own, something she locked away and did not want to let out. "And I would like you to keep this incident between us. Basch would over think things and assume it was something more than it was not." Her hands were still shaking, and she wiped her eyes before tears could escape.
"Princess…" He trailed off with a sigh. "I… if you insist."