#ladyasheofkirkwall

I’m so sorry for the time it’s taking - it’s my fault only, and I don’t have any excuse. Those past months, I’ve been down way too many times to be productive, or to do things like I wanted - and like you deserved. Didn’t want to botch these drawings. But now I’m gonna do them, as well as I can. After all, it was to thank you, my followers. You deserve no less :)

Third Prize (ladyasheofkirkwall): Sketch - Lineart - Base Colors - Lights, Shadows, Textures - Background - Last details

Second Prize (raging-insomniac): Sketch - Lineart - Base Colors - Lights, Shadows, Textures - Background - Last details

Ashe sat at the bar, watching Vaan examine the listings for Hunts, presumably to earn the money required to move on to their next goal. Sighing, she glanced away, looking at the alcohol lining the shelves. Unfitting for a princess, no doubt, and she wouldn’t be swayed from her goal. “Dalmasca will be returned to her former glory.” She murmured stubbornly under her breath. "Pssh. What former glory? We’ve always been a tiny country with nothing more than a desert that turns deadly." A drunk a few seats down had managed to hear her, and took a swig of his drink. Enraged, she burst to her feet, drawing her cloak further over her features, lest anyone recognize her as she stormed out of the bar. Outside, heavy heat beat against her fine features as she lifted her face to the sun. Her hands fisted as she glared at the deep blue sky, angry somehow that it hadn’t changed. My entire world was flipped wrong-side around, and yet the sky still blazes in the same blue shade?

"Hey." Balthiers lazily deep voice sounded from next to her, and her gaze flitted to his in shock. He raised a sardonic eyebrow. "What, you believed your dramatic exit to have been unnoticed? You wound me, princess." He gave a lazy shrug. "But, it’s your prerogative if you want to mind a drunks word."

"Am I to ignore the voice of my citizens?""When they speak against themselves such? If you are to keep sight of that lofty goal you hold to yourself," He smirked, referring to her not so quietly murmured statement earlier. "Then it’s simple. Don’t listen to them. Don’t you EVER listen to them.""But-"

"Any man who speaks so freely against his country as that, isn’t truly a part of his country. Believe me." His eyes were sober a moment, before he grinned wickedly, and stylishly spun a gun around his finger. "Or don’t. As I said, princess, it’s all your prerogative." Spinning on his heel, he turned and walked into the bar. After a contemplative moment, and a secret, soft smile, Ashe followed with a straight face and emboldened resolve. 

I recently realized that, despite all the crap (and trust me, despite not boring you with the details, there's a lot of it), that's going on in my life, I still find moments to be happy. 

I feel you. My dad refused to let me preorder it so Im just sitting here hoping I can find a way to get it.