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The Stilshrine of Miriam was cold, dank, and nearly impossible to navigate. There was a maddening puzzle to solve before the party could even continue deeper into the cloister. And what was their reward for solving the puzzle? A battle with the powerful Esper, Mateus.

The battle was hard-fought, and by the time they finally bested the fell scion, Ashe felt as though her lungs might explode. Like her body might fall apart. But then Balthier placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, and nodded his head. "It's all right," he told her gently, gesturing to the doorway they had revealed after the fight. The way was now open for her to enter the Vault of the Champion, where the Sword of Kings waited for her.

Sure enough, at the end of the long corridor was a glowing apparatus, sheltering the mighty sword. Ashe walked to it as though in a trance, and as she approached, the Dawn Shard began to glow. The Sword of Kings fell to the floor with a clatter. She bent to pick it up, surprised by its weight. She needed both hands to wield it.

"You should try it on the Dawn Shard," Vaan suggested, nodding at the stone. "See if it can destroy nethicite, or not."

"What?" Ashe said, slightly perplexed.

"He just might be on to something," Balthier said. Ashe turned to him, giving him her full attention. "After all, The Dawn Shard's no use to us any more," he finished with a shrug and a small smile, only for her benefit.

Ashe nodded and set the Shard on the floor. It was reacting in a very strange manner. "The stone bleeds mist," Ashe concluded.

Fran nodded. "It has been roused. It fears the sword."

Suddenly, Rasler's visage appeared as though coming out of the nethicite. Ashe gasped a little, and Balthier looked, but to no avail. He couldn't see whatever -- or whomever -- it was she saw.

Ashe stared at Rasler, and he shook his head sadly, and his body disappeared. Brow furrowed, Ashe lifted the sword and attempted to strike the stone with it. She missed, the sword clanging against the stone floor loudly. Rasler's image reappeared, and again he shook his head. His body faded again, and the Dawn Shard stopped glowing.

"The Stone is quiet," Fran remarked.

"This is the sword," Ashe said, feeling awed by the power coursing through her. "The Nethicite destroyer."

"Should it find its mark," Balthier added, taking a small jab at Ashe's less than stellar aim. Ashe shot him a warning Look.

"Vaan," Ashe said, before he could walk away. "Tell me, did you see him?"

"I didn't. Not a thing. Not even my brother. Not ... anything," Vaan said honestly.

Balthier overheard the exchange and frowned. Vaan had seen Ashe's ghostly visitor? He had no idea why the thought irritated him so, but it did, nonetheless.

Ashe nodded and the party exited the Vault and headed toward the Stilshrine's entrance. They walked outside, and Balthier noticed Fran's nose twitching. "Fran ..." he said slowly.

Suddenly, the viera gasped. "There!" She pointed toward the Mountain.

"Smoke?" Vaan asked, alarm in his voice.

"What could it mean?" Fran asked, more to herself than to anyone else.

The group hurried back to Mt. Bur-Omisace in record time. When they got there, the scene was dismal. The pilgrims and refugees who had come to the mountain for aid looked battleworn and tired. The party hurried up the many staircases leading to the Hall of Light.

Ashe gasped in horror at what she saw when they entered. The Hall was in ruins. There were corpses strewn everywhere she looked. Judge Bergan stood before one of the corpses, and he was eager to fight.

"Ah, our vagrant princess," he said with disdain. "Swift has your lust for revenge led you to the Sword of Kings." He stepped aside, revealing that the corpse behind him was none other than Anastasis. Ashe's eyes widened in shock. "You will surrender the sword to me," Bergan continued. "Too late, and to their sorrow do those who misplace their trust in gods learn their fate."

A ghostly demon appeared behind Bergan as he approached the Princess. His body began emanating a strange ribbon of spiritual colors.

"Fran, I don't like the look of that," Balthier said uneasily.

"The Mist!" Fran cried. "He holds a stone! It controls him, as it did Mjrn!"

"No. No, the power of Manufacted Nethicite is the power of Man! A weapon forged by his wisdom…who would challenge the gods themselves! A fitting blade for a true Dynast-King. Raithwall did but pretend the title…a cur begging Nethicite scraps from his master’s table. Hark! Ivalice hails her true Dynast-King, Vayne Solidor! He shall defy the will of the gods, and see the reins of History back in the hands of Man! His time is nigh! The new Ivalice holds no place for the name Dalmasca. The stain of Raithwall’s blood…shall be washed clean from history’s weave!" Bergan laughed maniacally and unsheathed his sword.

Ashe and her allies fought tooth and nail, and had very nearly taken him down, when he suddenly lunged at the Princess, grabbed her, and pressed his blade against the side of her neck. With a terrified expression, she sought Balthier's face, begging him with her eyes to save her.

Balthier stood, frozen in place, unsure of what to do. He'd never been one to lock up in battle, but then, he'd never had to face the realization that someone he -- that someone he cared for a great deal might soon die if he didn't act quickly. And he froze.

Luckily, Basch had kept his wits about him, and with a vicious snarl, he drove his spear into the demented Judge's side. The Judge crumpled, and his grasp on Ashe loosened. She fell to her knees, gasping and wheezing in as she tried to gather her courage and strength again. She could hardly stand the fact that this Judge had reduced her to nothing more than a damsel in distress.

Her eyes found Balthier's, and she could see the hurt and humiliation in them. She didn't understand at all. She had thought he would protect her from anything, but in the moment, he'd done nothing. Perhaps she had been mistaken -- and that thought cut her deeper than any blade.

When Ashe was able to stand again, they checked the bodies lying about for any sign of life, and found none.

"Wait!" Penelo said in a panic. "What about Larsa?"

"Gone. Spirited away by Judge Gabranth." Al-Cid's voice came from behind them. They turned, and saw the Rozarrian leaning against his female servant.

"So, he was here," Basch said bemusedly. Ashe sensed that he wasn't speaking of Larsa, but she didn't press the subject.

"As for our young lordling," Al-Cid continued as his aide helped him to sit down, "to avoid trouble, you see. But Judge Bergan had other ideas. He flew into a rage, and I was left to fend for myself." He turned his attention to Ashe. "Please, Princess, you must permit me to take you back to Rozarria."

Balthier felt his anger start to bubble, but Fran placed a hand on his shoulder, as if she could sense his distress.

"So that you can protect me?" Ashe asked, not unkindly, kneeling before the wounded man.

"I would lay down my life at a single word to be sure -- but I harbor no maundering delusions of valiant grandeur. Vayne has our War Pavilion jumping at shadows. They favor a pre-emptive strike. But you—you will convince them otherwise. You will see that they do not start this war," Al-Cid explained.

Ashe gave long pause, and for a frightening moment, Balthier thought she would actually consider going with this buffoon. But she shook her head. "Forgive me. This I cannot do. My errand here is not yet done. I must wield the Sword of Kings, and with it, bring an end to the Dusk Shard."

"Do you even know where this stone is?" Al-Cid asked her.

Balthier stepped forward, eager to cut into their little one-on-one. "I could venture a guess. The Draklor Laboratories, in Archades. The Empire's weapon research begins and ends there." He approached Ashe. "How soon do we leave?"

Ashe regarded him solemnly before speaking. "At once." She turned to Al-Cid. "As for matters in Rozarria ... I wish you luck."

Al-Cid left then, and Ashe was silent for a long time before she spoke. "How do you propose we reach Archades?" Her voice was cool, bordering on indifferent. "Her borders will be well guarded for fear of Rozarrian invasion. We dare not approach by air."

"And the navy will ensure that the coast is watched as well. No, we'll go on foot, through the Salikawood. The easiest route is to head north from Nalbina," Balthier added.

"There's a Hunter's Camp just outside the Salikawood," Fran said. "Patrols there will be sparse, so we shan't rest until we reach it."

Ashe nodded. "Let's go, then."

**************************************************************************

The Mosphoran Highwaste was rugged and treacherous. They reached a small encampment. "Please, can we rest for just a minute?" Penelo asked.

Fran nodded. "It will do us good, I think," she said. "The Salikawood is not far, though, so we shouldn't dally too long."

Penelo nodded earnestly, and sat down on a large boulder. Vaan stood near the rock, and they conversed quietly among themselves.

Fran stood off toward the exit of the camp, scanning the horizon, and Basch looked please to have a moment's respite.

Ashe walked over to a waterless fountain, and stared off into the distance. Balthier walked up behind her, cleared his throat. "Princess, if I didn't know better, I'd say you were angry with me," he ventured cautiously.

Ashe turned, looked at him coldly. "Well, you get points for intuitition, at least," she sneered.

"What's wrong?" Balthier asked.

She sighed, threw up her hands. "I put much value in the fact that I need not be protected by anyone. You know that. I'm proud of the fact that I can take care of myself, and I've done a damn fine job of it these past two years.

"But, Balthier. Earlier, when the Judge had me -- I needed you then. And you did nothing." He opened his mouth to speak, but she held up her hand to silence him. "No. It's I who is the the idiot here. I presumed far too much into the depth of your feelings. I was just another conquest. You got what you wanted, didn't you? I made it frightfully easy for you, because I thought --"

"Ashe," Balthier said, truly stricken. "Is that really how you see this situation?"

"If I meant anything to you, you would have tried to save me, instead of just staring." Ashe blinked back the tears angrily. She would be damned if she'd let him see her cry. Her fingertips brushed the spot on her neck where the blade had been. "If he'd put just a little more pressure ..."

"Ashe, please, stop," Balthier said. "I didn't do anything because the moment I saw the fear in your eyes, I got frightened. I feared you might actually die, right in front of me, and that I would be powerless to stop it from happening. Yes, Princess, I, the leading man, froze. I did nothing. But it wasn't because I feel nothing for you, it's because I feel ev ..." He stopped suddenly. He couldn't allow himself to finish that sentence. Not now, not yet -- maybe not ever.

He didn't have to. She saw the sincerity in his eyes and was humbled. "All right, then," she said quietly. "That's all I needed to know." She reached up to touch his face, but the sound of a throat being cleared behind her made her jump.

She turned around, and found herself face-to-face with a stony-eyed Basch. "I sincerely hope I'm interrupting something," he said gruffly.

"Basch," Balthier said, in a hurry to smooth the ruffled feathers.

"This is the princess of Dalmasca," Basch hissed. "What made you even think ..."

"I did," Ashe interrupted him. "It's not his fault, Basch, and I won't have you stand here and chastise him as though he's done something inexcusable."

"Highness, with all due respect, he has," Basch said. "If you'd give us a minute?"

Ashe stood firm. "Whatever you're going to say to him, you should say to me as well. I'm as much a part of all this."

"I don't understand why you would protect this -- pirate," Basch sneered. "We trusted you, Balthier. And this is how you show your loyalty?"

"I never pledged loyalty to anyone," Balthier contested, completely unfazed by Basch's outburst. He knew it wasn't personal, and he could see how the situation might look to one sworn to protect and serve Ashe.

"Ah, that's right," Basch remarked sarcastically. "You're only in it for the treasure. And what better treasure for you than a Princess."

"That's enough, Basch," Ashe said coldly. "I'm going to say it again, Balthier has done nothing -- nothing that I didn't allow him to do. Please, Basch. Just ... leave him be." She looked at Balthier, nodded a little. He understood immediately and took his leave.

"Highness, I must remind you of your mission. Your duty to your country," Basch said in a low, firm voice after Balthier was gone.

"Every day for the last two years, I've thought of naught else," Ashe said steadily. "Dalmasca, duty, taking down the Empire -- these have been my driving forces. They've kept me going. But -- I can't ignore the duty to myself any longer. Am I not as important as my kingdom?" She shook her head. "Since Rasler, there has been no one else. I never even wanted to entertain the possibilty. If I had never met Balthier, we wouldn't be having this conversation. But I did meet him, and we are having this conversation. I can't change these things. And even if I could, I wouldn't want to. He makes me feel ..."

"What, Highness?" Basch asked, his tone softer now.

She smiled a little. "That's it. He makes me feel. You aren't going to punish him for that, now, are you?"

Basch simply shook his head and let her go. For now, she seemed to be the Ashelia he'd remembered from so long ago. With any luck, whatever this was would simple fizzle out. He didn't imagine it would have gotten too serious so soon.

And he never would have imagined that the two people he stood watching now were two people who were slowly, unconsciously falling in love with one another.

****************************************************************

They reached the Phon Coast several hours later, after trekking through the southernmost part of the Salikawood, and rounding up a bunch of lazy moogles to repair a broken gate.

"Ahh, the beach," Penelo said with a happy sigh. She and Vaan ran off toward the water, laughing and squealing like children. Fran and Basch went to look into securing new weapons for the group. Balthier and Ashe headed down the beach, away from the others.

Ashe had noticed the far-off look in Balthier's eyes. It had been there ever since the Mosphoran Highwaste. So absorbed was she in whatever it was that was bothering him, that she tripped over a stone in her path. Luckily, Balthier grabbed her by the hand before she fell face-first into the sand.

"Thank you," she said quietly, as he walked up to the water's edge.

Sensing he wanted to be alone, she turned to go.

"Why the capital?" His voice gave her pause, and she looked at him, confused.

"You said Draklor was there -- the Nethicite ... I must destroy it." She was perplexed. He knew all of this already.

"You sure you don't want it for yourself?"

Ashe gasped, shocked. "Balthier ..."

"Use the nethicite's power to restore Dalmasca -- something like that? The best intentions invite the worst kinds of trouble," he said.

Ashe sensed his distress. Something was weighing heavily on his mind -- the question remained -- did he trust her enough to share it? She decided to test it. "Lusting for ever greater power, blinded by the Nethicite," she said haughtily. "That's not truly how you see me after all this, is it?"

"That does sound like someone I know," Balthier said wistfully. "You think you know someone, but then, Nethicite ..." He gave himself a mental shake. It wasn't fair, passing these judgments upon Ashe, when it was someone else who troubled him. He would tell her. Now. She needed to know -- she'd earned the right to know.

"He was obsessed with Nethicite. It was all he cared about. He'd babble nonsense, blind to aught but the Stone's power. He’d talk about some ‘Eynah,’ or was it ‘Venat’? No matter. Everything he did, he did to get closer to the Nethicite, to understand it. He made airships, weapons… He even made me a Judge."

Ashe's eyes widened in complete surprise. "You -- were a Judge?" she gasped.

"Part of a past I’d rather forget. It didn’t last long. I ran. I left the Judges…and him. Cidolfus Demen Bunansa. Draklor Laboratory’s very own Doctor Cid. That’s when he lost his heart to Nethicite, lost himself. And I suppose that’s when I lost my father." He turned to Ashe then, placed his hands firmly on her shoulders. "Please. Don't follow in his footsteps."

Ashe said nothing, just stared at the man before her in wonderment. This -- this explained so much.

"I ran away," he continued. "I couldn't stand seeing him like that -- a slave to the Stone. So I ran. Free at last." He snorted derisively. "Funny I went for the Dusk Shard. How was I to know it was Nethicite? And then, of course, I met you ..." His expression warmed slightly as he looked at her. "All that running, and I got nowhere. It's time to end this, cut my ties to the past."

Ashe touched his cheek softly. "It's hard to leave the past behind, I know," she said, thinking of Rasler. "I'm trying."

"The choice is yours to make, Princess," Balthier said quietly. "But don't give your heart to a stone. I couldn't bear to lose another ... and you're too strong for that."

"My heart to a stone?" Ashe asked, amused. "You don't have to worry about that. I gave my heart to another a long time ago. And I'm finally starting to get it back -- if I decide to give it away again -- you'll be the first to know." She smiled up at him, amazed at the rush of feelings that had come over her after his confession.

"In that case, I have a request," Balthier said in his usual charming fashion.

"What's that?" Ashe asked him, glad to see the twinkle back in his eyes.

"Might I beg a kiss from the Lady?"

Her smile widened. "Yes, please."