Gentle flakes of snow danced in zigzag patterns towards the ground, catching occasionally on Ashe's soft winter coat. A smile fluttered to her lips as she looked up at the sky and closed her eyes, breathing in the chill air.

Bhujerba was lovely in the winter. From little on, Ashe had always begged her father to let her stay with her uncle during the months when snow frosted windows and iced branches. She was usually granted a week in which she and her cousins would run around in the fresh powder without a care, letting their cheeks turn ruddy from the cold and ice stick to their eyelashes. That was before she was the last heir, before her father horded her away at home until she was of a marriageable age...

"Reminiscing, are we?"

A voice pulled Ashe out of her memories, slowly lowering her gaze from the soft clouds to the man who spoke from her side.

She shouldn't be as surprised as she was to see that Balthier had only wrapped a scarf around his neck and thrown on a thin coat, the man refusing any winter gear besides that and some gloves.

"Snow is such a rarity in Rabanastre, I only enjoyed it a few times as a child. I'm sure you saw it much more in Archades."

Balthier grinned. "My brothers and I used to get into all sorts of trouble once we had some. We'd throw snowballs into Father's lab... back then he'd laugh it off, bouncing our tiny sister on his hip while Mom watched from her chair. She loved the holidays and especially enjoyed the snow." His eyes grew far away when he spoke, lost in days long passed by.

Ashe knew little about his siblings and mother, only knowing that he and his father were all he knew left of his family. His mother had died when he was rather young, his brothers both before he was thirteen, and his sister was missing and presumed dead. It had to hurt him somewhat to think of those times as it ached her own heart to think of the times she spent with her family, or rather, didn't spend.

"I'm glad you have those memories of all your family." She gently gave his hand a squeeze. "I can't remember a holiday in which all my family was present. My father loathed all holidays. Rupen told me that before our mom died, our father was much less strict, that he would actually smile, but I was but a toddler when my mom passed on so..." Ashe trailed off, rubbing her hands together for some warmth. Balthier seemed to notice this, as he took both her hands in his, letting her icy gloved fingers rest entwined with his warm ones.

She paused for a moment, her face slightly contorted, then continued with a soft and happy look on her face."But my uncle... he knew how to throw a party. All my cousins, my brothers, and I would look forward to the party he would hold after the traditional family holiday meals were observed. He'd have an ice rink out behind his manor, and there would be all sorts of sweets and dances for a whole week... but those parties ended when only myself and his children remained..."

"And you became heir." Balthier finished, the pieces clicking. "And then you never got to celebrate the holidays, did you?"

His voice was soft, understanding. Ashe thought that he probably knew best what she went through, assuming his father had stopped celebrating when he lost his wife and other children.

Ashe sighed. "I had my last party at twelve and haven't celebrated the holiday since then. I barely remember which date the actual gift-giving part falls on... we should be nearing it soon, right?"

A soft teasing smile spread on Balthier's face. "Princess, that day would be today. But don't fret, I hadn't known myself until a merchant asked if I had all my gifts ready for today. If that doesn't say something about these last few years we've had, of childhood and present years spent longing for what we once held dear, I don't know what does."

Ashe couldn't help the laugh that escaped her lips. "Look at us, Balthier. We've lost the ability to remember the actual date of the days we hold so fondly in our memories."

"I suppose there is a bit of irony in that." Balthier chuckled. He carefully unwound the scarf from his neck and draped it around Ashe's. "For you, Ashe. May your days be blessed as you are today."

The old words spoken with the gift giving made Ashe's heart long for her remembered parties, her brother's sneaking her extra sweets and her cousins licking icicles they broke off doorframes.

"For you, Balthier." Ashe stood on her tiptoes and gave him a small kiss, having nothing else to give but her love on a day she had forgotten. "May your days be blessed as you are today."

Ashe could tell Balthier too was longing for times gone by. She could imagine him wishing for one more holiday with everyone he loved, much as she longed for it...

The two stood in silence then, hands still entwined and watching the snow fall against the faint start of the sunset, both wondering why they had grown up so fast.