Balthier, The Leading Man

She turned at the sound of his voice again, diverting her attention from Steiner. An excellent query he presented her with. Taking a moment, she allowed her chestnut colored eyes to carefully survey the library. This could take more than a day’s time. Taking care to stand tall, Garnet gave him the most confident smile she could muster. “I do truly believe that we will find some sort of clue at the very least here for you. I told you, didn’t I? That I once read the name Ivalice in one of these texts before.”

“Well, I suppose if we are to start somewhere then that area is fine by me.” he replied, slightly shrugging. They made their way over to the bookcase in question and he scoured the titles on the bindings of the books. Many of them had nothing on their spines, and he had to pull them out simply to see what it said on the cover or inside of the novel. This was to be very irritating, he quickly surmised.

“Might there be a scribe or librarian we can enlist the aid of within this myriad of books?” Balthier asked, with a slight twinge in his voice that betrayed his annoyance. “I’m rather against poring through just the titles of these books for hours on end.”

And there were enough books here to be at it for many, many hours. If Garnet spent enough time in this library to know her way around that would be fine with him, but the more hands the better in cases such as these.

Balthier spoke once more, answering her question with one of his own. “Do I dance?”

He gave a great flourish. “My Queen, just who do you think you’re talking to?” He bowed down before her and offered his hand to her. “I am a sky pirate, my dear; I take great care in mastering the art of high class behavior. It helps immensely to blend in when stealing into a castle during a grand ball.”

        She turned at his words and then took his hand, captivated by the willingness he displayed. There was music to be heard in the tavern on the level below them. Her deep browns found their mark as Garnet settled her gaze on Balthier’s. For the first time since they’d met, she dared to capture the details of his visage. Staring back at her were eyes the shade of a laurel green; a pale and dull coloration, but one that twinkled when fueled by just the right emotions. Funny how she never at least noticed the color before.

The music drifting up from below came to an end, and he slowly came to a halt, pulling her close to him. He held her for a moment, before letting go and backing away, bowing once more in the manner he had before the dance.

Balthier placed a hand on top of the queen’s head, and patted it fondly. “I will not lie; there are few other places in this world where I would rather be other than right here with you, now.” He did not think he would show such open affection for Garnet while in her presence, but he could not hold back when she showed such an accidental, albeit drunken, charm. Hopefully she would not remember it when she sobered.

                       Had she truly heard him correctly..?

        The weight of his hand on her head rivaled the weight of his words on her heart. Such honesty. It was not expected of the sky pirate. Under normal circumstances, she would dismiss his words and label them as hollow and meaningless. She would claim that they were a ploy to charm her the way she assumed he did with all women. However, these were not normal circumstances. And there was no denying the sincerity behind his eyes and the tone of his voice. Even his smile—the one she caught just before the smirk, bordering on sheepish as it was, held nothing but genuine vulnerability. I must be imagining things. 

        Her gaze would not meet his. She refused. Garnet knew that at this point, it wasn’t just the alcohol that was coloring her ivory complexion with various shades of red. She murmured her reply, almost to herself, “What if the time that I no longer require you never comes to pass?” Immediately regretting the truth that she’d just voiced aloud, she took a deep breath, and spoke up, as if to dismiss her previous words. The young queen looked confidently up at Balthier, taking care to use as much of a regal tone as she could muster. “Well then. See to it that you take great care in watching over me for the remainder of this evening.”

                                                                                                    Stubborn. . . 

        Her red boots scuffed lightly on the cobblestone as she walked away from him, struggling not to stumble along the way. A fond smile played on her lips before she called behind her to the sky pirate, fighting the urge to glance back at him. “Tell me. Do you like to dance, Balthier?”

Balthier spoke once more, answering her question with one of his own. "Do I dance?"

He gave a great flourish. "My Queen, just who do you think you're talking to?" He bowed down before her and offered his hand to her. "I am a sky pirate, my dear; I take great care in mastering the art of high class behavior. It helps immensely to blend in when stealing into a castle during a grand ball."

"Careful—!" he declared as he jumped forward, catching the drunken queen before she could hit the ground. Balthier breathed a sigh of relief. Though the fall would probably not have been dangerous, there was little reason to risk it by not taking action.

The pirate looked down at the queen he held in his arms. Her face was flushed and she felt as though she could barely stand. He chuckled, and responded to her question. “Well, I have shared travels with fair women before; one now a fledgling queen just as yourself. I would not dare take advantage of anyone, lest it be for a treasure of some monetary value.”

         She was embarrassed at first, to be caught in his hold so that she would not fall. But then her mood soured further as she set her chestnut colored eyes to his ornate vest. His voice lingered as she listened to him, but her focus was on the embroidery of gold and olive tones. Everything else surrounding her seemed to delay by a fraction of a second. When he was done, she did her best to recall what he’d just said to her. And then a heavy sigh left peach hued lips as she looked up to lock her gaze with his once more. “You say that, but I feel foolish in this moment. I’ve never allowed myself to be swept away by drink, and now? I just seem to be a burden to you.”

Balthier placed a hand on top of the queen's head, and patted it fondly. "I will not lie; there are few other places in this world where I would rather be other than right here with you, now." He did not think he would show such open affection for Garnet while in her presence, but he could not hold back when she showed such an accidental, albeit drunken, charm. Hopefully she would not remember it when she sobered.

"Careful--!" he declared as he jumped forward, catching the drunken queen before she could hit the ground. Balthier breathed a sigh of relief. Though the fall would probably not have been dangerous, there was little reason to risk it by not taking action.

The pirate looked down at the queen he held in his arms. Her face was flushed and she felt as though she could barely stand. He chuckled, and responded to her question. "Well, I have shared travels with fair women before; one now a fledgling queen just as yourself. I would not dare take advantage of anyone, lest it be for a treasure of some monetary value."