AN: Clara is a character shared between me and The-Seeress-Yeul. This chapter is just an AU one-shot. Requests are still open if you have a prompt idea!

"Momma, I had a bad dream…"

Ashe looked up to her doorway where her small daughter stood. Her hands were held tight against her body as if she were hugging herself, and the corners of her pale eyes were filled with tears.

"Clara, what's wrong?" Ashe stood up from where she had been seated at her desk, pulling on a soft robe over her nightgown.

The little girl rushed to her mother and pulled her into a tight hug. "There was a scary man chasing daddy down the main hall and he hurt him! But then daddy hurt the bad man and they both ran too far for me to see so I don't know what happened. Daddy is hurt!"

Ashe smoothed her daughter's hair, wondering what had brought on such an awful nightmare. "Clara, you know your daddy is far away from here. I'm sure he's okay."

It had been three years since Balthier last set foot in the palace. Three years since she kissed him farewell and they parted ways, knowing it would be for the best of them both that they stop pretending everything was perfect as it was. Since Clara had last seen her father, Ashe her husband. Clara and he spoke often, and gifts always arrived for both of them on holidays, but other than that, it was as if he were a phantom, unseen and unheard. Ashe only wished the things she had said had not left them like this, neither willing to admit the mistakes they made and make up… Three years of no contact between them had done nothing but clarify things she already knew, namely that she had messed up the best relationship she had ever had and more than likely lost the man she still loved deeply.

"But Momma, it seemed so real!" Clara clutched tighter onto her mother's robe, her little tears soaking the garment.

Ashe scooped the six year old up into her arms. "I'll go back to your room and sit with you until you fall asleep, okay? Then we can try to radio your daddy in the morning and you can talk to him."

Clara nodded, her tears slowly residing. "Okay Momma… but don't walk down the hall I did. My feet got all wet." The little girl wiped her tears away with her small hand.

Ashe glanced down at her daughter's feet and her eyes grew wide, taking in the rusty red stains on the girls socks. The world seemed to stop as her daughter's 'dream' played out in her mind.

Her heartbeat raced, though Ashe tried her best not to panic. "Clara, did you go down the same hall that your dream happened in?"

The girl's nod made Ashe's heart clench. Ringing a bell for her maid, she told Clara she would be in her room shortly and sent her daughter off with the maid, telling the woman to avoid the main hall and wake the physician after she took the small princess to her room. The maid took one look at Clara's socks and nodded quickly, summoning extra guards as she went about the tasks Ashe set for her.

Once Clara was far enough away, Ashe grabbed her sword. She sprinted out of her study and into the main hall, tracing the crimson footprints her daughter had left on the way to her room to a pool of blood.

"Oh gods…"

A cough from down the hall alerted her, hand clutching her sword tightly. Was it Balthier? Or his antagonist?

"A bit of help would be lovely, Princess." The voice, while weak, was one she knew well.

"By the gods, what happened?" She rushed to the side of the man she called husband.

He was propped up against the wall slightly, clutching his side were Ashe could see the telltale signs of a large wound. The man he fought was still, blood soaking the floor around him. Ashe stepped around the lifeless body to reach Balthier. Without thought, she gently shifted him over to her, allowing him to rest against her chest.

Balthier gave her a weak smirk, attempting bravado in the face of his serious wound. "I played the hero, what else?"

"Balthier…"

The man's face contorted as he pressed his hand tightly to his side. "I had heard rumors of an assassination attempt that was to take place tonight and thought it best I clear up the situation myself. I do have my family to protect after all." While he was speaking, Ashe had looked at his wound. The injury was not the worst she had seen, though the amount of blood he was losing was alarming. Her eyes began to fill with tears, and she gave his hand a small squeeze.

"You have always made sure we're both okay…"

"Careful, Princess. You just came dangerously close to paying me a compliment." A ghost of a smile fluttered onto his lips.

Ashe let out a laugh through the tears that had turned to sobs, cradling his head to her chest. "Me, compliment you? Those day are long past, pirate."

He gave her the smallest of smiles in return, though his expression soon grew serious. "Ashe, For all…" He took a deep breath in, trying not to cough as he did so. "For all the things we said three years ago, none haunt me so much as those last words I said to you after you kissed me goodbye..."

Ashe knew those words well, echoing in her mind constantly. She knew he had not meant them, had said them in the heat of the moment after a remark was made by one of her guards after the kiss, but they still haunted her.

'Maybe we never truly loved each other after all!'

'Maybe we didn't! Maybe this was all just a huge mistake, Balthier!'

"I know you didn't mean them, same as I didn't mean what I said so don't dwell on that now. Save your breath." Ashe wiped her eyes, letting the new tears make paths down on her cheeks and the salty liquid burn her lips. "We can talk about this once you're all healed up, okay?"

"Still… I need you to—" He coughed, face tensing. A few shallow breaths later, her struggled to speak. "Ashe… I still… I still lo-". His voice faltered, words dying on his lips.

"Don't you do this to me Balthier!" Ashe sobbed, her hands pressing against his wound as his breathing grew shallower, knowing he was unconscious now. "Don't you dare die! I still love you too!" Her voice faltered as her hope began to lessen. Quiet, in a small breath she repeated those last words. "I still love you too…"

Tears streamed down her face as she wept over him, holding him close. She could hear the footsteps of the physician and her guards coming close. He just needed to hang on a few more moments…

"You have to live… please gods let him live! For me, for Clara!" Ashe begged, her voice becoming hysterical as she watched his shallow breathing and felt his weak heartbeat.

The glow of healing magicks filled the area as she watched Balthier's face, praying for a miracle so they could have time to fix what they needlessly, stupidly broke. They could fix the stupid words they said when tensions were high and stress raised due to stupid words from noblemen who did not favor a former pirate as the queen's consort. They could talk out the stupid stunt pulled due to anger and embarrassment from words said about that topic in front of Balthier. They could repair the damage that an ill-timed chaste kiss from a foreign visitor with shades had caused. They could have the joy and sweetness that the first five years of their marriage held, before the sixth year turned sour and rotten.

The wound under her hands grew smaller as the glow grew brighter, and it was only then she realized it was she who was casting, digging down and using abilities she had not touched since the days spent trying to reclaim her kingdom. Her guards and the physician watched in awe as Ashe cast spell after spell silently, drawing on what seemed like an endless reserve of power. When they noticed just who she was healing, they grew shocked, knowing well of the estrangement of the Queen and her consort. Ashe took little note of her audience however, her gaze never leaving Balthier's face.

"Please, you mustn't die." Her head hung, eyes closed as she grew exhausted from using her magick reserve. Those words were echo of an old plea, one used long ago to beg for his life. "I love you, Balthier… I love you so much…"

"I love you too, Princess."