This chapter WILL contain some Vaan bashing again, because I really do love to hate him! (Again, sorry if there are any Vaan fans out there reading this, but he's just so... stupid, and annoying and... OK, I'm gonna stop now.) I figured it's about time we explore Balfonheim, and for our heroes to chill like pirates! (Btw: the dialog in the first part here is actually from the game.)
Leave a review and I'll bake you a cake! :) FWI: Next chapter will be "The Women of Balfonheim, including Elza" :3
Disclaimer: SquareEnix owns everything (question: is it possible for me to, let's say... BUY Balthier? No, you say? Goddammit!)
Part 7: Reddas, or "the other sky pirate"
Reddas had his arms crossed over his broad chest. He had said everything he had to say about both the Marquis, the war and his involvement in it, and his deep-set worry about anything involving the nethicite.
The small group who had gathered in his private Manse in Saccio Lane, right at the heart of Balfonheim, had apparently made up their minds about following Cid, which the younger sky pirate, Balthier, had suggested. He had furthered explained that they should destroy the nethicite shard with the Sword of Kings, leaving both Cid and Vayne with close to nothing.
They were going to Giruvegan, shrouded in myth and, if you believed the stories; mist.
It was clear on the princess' face that she was torn between using the shard and destroying it, and Reddas could, in a way, understand. The pure power of the stones were unmatched, he had seen that with his own eyes in Nabudis.
With clearly to much unused energy, Vaan ran out the doors, with Penelo in tow, the second the next course of action was decided, ready to leave for new adventures. The Viera and the Captain followed shortly.
"Not coming, Reddas?" Balthier asked cocking his head in slight amusement. "Forget your precious nethicite already?"
Reddas refused to let the other pirate's word rile him, and simply turned around to face Balthier. "Cid's words rang hollow to me. I will follow another course."
"Ah, another lead then, is it? You're well informed."
"I could well say the same to you, pirate."
The slight furrowing of Balthier's brows gave him great satisfaction, and it was clear he was about to reply, when Vaan burst through the doors, telling both the pirate and the princess to hurry.
The youth was about to leave again when Reddas advised him to ask what his men had found out about Feywood. Vaan's hasty retreat got a short laugh from Reddas.
"Fly first, ask questions later. Your apprentice is more pirate than you."
"I don't have an apprentice." And with that Balthier left, leaving Reddas to give a last advice to the princess Ashe.
...
"But why can't we leave right away?" Vaan all but whined.
"Because," Balthier sighted. "We need to restock, maybe buy some new weapons, and most importantly, we could all do to sleep in a proper bed again. Who knows when our next chance will be. Not to mention that it is past midday, and there is no point in leaving now and travel through the night."
Both Fran and Basch nodded their agreement, both being practical to a fault, and Vaan let out a puff of air, before throwing his hands up in the air.
"Fiiiiine!"
"By all means; leave right now if that is your wish." Balthier said with a shrug as he walked down the streets of Balfonheim. "The rest of us are going to have a good meal not made over a campfire."
The party followed, while Vaan dragged his feet. It didn't take long for him to perk up though, and run to the front of the group. A delicious smell greeted them as they approached a small and modest-looking restaurant.
"Best food in Balfonheim." Fran's mellow voice explained.
"That, my dear Fran, is nothing but the truth." Balthier opened the door, holding it open for the party, Ashe walking in last, receiving a small slap to her backside, which she never had the chance to avenge as a waitress stood at the ready to lead them to a table.
"You just wait, and I'll make you pay for that!" Ashe sneered at Balthier as they took their seats.
"Is that a promise, princess?" Balthier all but purred in her ear, making her blush furiously.
It didn't take them long to order, and the food arrived shortly after. Fran had not been lying, the food was superb, and they all dug in greedily, hungry for something other than wild berries and game.
"Were you not going to Giruvegan?"
Balthier turned around, only to find Reddas standing there, his arms crossed and a small smile on his face.
"We were, but then we had to restock and something, and then there was food!" Vaan was so eager to explain, food flew from his mouth, landing mostly on Penelo, who sighted and started cleaning of with a napkin.
"Ah, I see." Reddas took a chair from the next table and sat down with them. "Best to leave prepared, right Balthier?" It was clearly a stab referring to what he had told Balthier earlier, but the younger pirate kept his face neutral.
"When the stakes are so high, I would daresay it is."
Fran, sensing the tension growing, though not the only one feeling it, turned to Reddas. "Will you join us for dinner?" Her words were friendly, but her voice seemed distant, but then again, Reddas had never heard her speak any other way.
"It would be my pleasure."
...
"...and then he fell into his own trap!" Balthier exclaimed, arms gesticulating wildly.
Reddas laughed so hard he nearly feel of his chair. "That cannot be true! You're making this up, you pirate!"
"Oh, I wish I did, dear friend, but the truth is that although it is laughable now, it was not so at the moment. You can only imagine the explaining we had to do when the rest of his team showed up!"
"I have truly misjudged you, Balthier. I always saw you as an egocentric, narcissistic, wannabe who couldn't hold a candle to the real thing, a real pirate."
"Now, now, do not flatter me so."
Reddas loud laugh boomed through the restaurant again, startling a few clients. "Let me finish, damn you!" he dried his tears on the sleeve of his shirt. "Tonight have changed my opinion, you are more pirate than most I have met! You have seen things and gone places most pirates wouldn't dare. I truly envy you."
"Ha! You cannot be serious?" Balthier slapped a hand on the older pirate's shoulder. "You are the patron of Balfonheim. You could rightly be called the Pirate-King!"
The two men cheered and drank deeply from their mugs.
"How long will they keep this up?" Ashe asked Fran with a sigh. "This is growing tiresome."
The two pirates had been telling stories and boosting each others egos for the last two hours or so, the mood around the table changing drastically once they found they had quite a lot of things in common.
Penelo had went to bed half an hour ago, and Basch had excused himself to go buy them some rations and necessary equipments. Ashe and Fran sat observing the conversation while Vaan tried desperately to join in, but was shut down again and again.
"Until one of them passes out." Fran answered calmly. Chances were she was used to this. "Or, until one of them has a good reason for leaving." Here she stared intensely at Ashe.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, that earlier you promised him a bit of payback, no?"
Ashe's face flushed red. "How did... why...?"
"Do not be embarrassed, I have known for quite some time. There are few things we do not share." Fran spoke matter-of-factually and strangely it helped Ashe feel a little less flustered.
"So you suggest I what? Go over there and tell him to come with me?"
"Yes."
"I can't do that. Reddas is there, and Vaan."
"Then get him when he gets another drink, or goes to the restroom. I will retire now. Good night, princess."
Ashe stared after the Viera, puzzled by her calm and collected composition. Turning towards the three men, she saw that Balthier was getting up and moved towards the bar in the corner to get a refill. Quickly she followed, neither of the two remaining noticed she left, as Reddas was busy trying to explain the finesse of dueling to Vaan, who looked utterly lost.
"Are you having a good time?"
"Princess. How nice of you to ask." His grin was a little bit loop-sided, and absolutely adorable. "I am having the best of times, the pesky blonde aside." The last part was muttered under his breath, and clearly not meant for her ears.
"I though that maybe we should get out of here." She said as seductively as she possibly could, looking at him through her lashed and smiling sweetly.
He hadn't been looking at her, and it all went straight over his intoxicated mind. "Why would I leave now that the good man Reddas and I are finally getting along?"
Ashe huffed and dragged his head down to her level. "Do you remember earlier, when I said I would make you pay for slapping my ... backside?"
Now, his expression grew more tentative, a grin slowly spreading.
"I was thinking you could make up for that, back at the inn?"
"That does sound a bit more fun than anything going on here." He pretended to ponder, scratching his chin, until Ashe punched him lightly on the shoulder. "I will willingly allow you to take out your anger on me for my previous actions." He finally said as he bowed.
"Moron..." Ashe rolled her eyes. "Well then, are we leaving?"
"I am at you command." He grinned as he followed her outside, all thoughts of Reddas and Vaan out of his mind.
...
The next morning started bright and early, the group gathering to eat some breakfast before heading for the Feywood. Everyone was at high spirit.
Everyone except Vaan.
"What's gotten you down, Vaan?" Penelo asked concerned.
"I don't think Reddas likes me anymore." Vaan sighted.
"To be honest, I don't get why he liked you to begin with." Balthier muttered, earning him an elbow in the stomach from Ashe.
Penelo put a hand on Vaan's arm. "What makes you think that?"
"Because, last night, when suddenly everyone had gone, he said that I wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer."
"Oh, Vaan, I'm sure he didn't mean that you're not smart." Penelo tried her best to comfort him.
The blonde looked at his friend in confusion. "Who said anything about being smart? Reddas uses daggers, knives... He obviously thinks that I can't be as good a pirate as good as him!"
Penelo didn't really know what to say after that, and neither did anyone else.
"Well," Balthier broke the silence. "I believe you to be more like a spoon, compared to a knife."
Ashe glared at him, but for reasons unknown Vaan brightened up, probably believing it to be a compliment.