#{but she's like nope basch is coming with}

[tarnishedxknight]

Princess, Interrupted || closed with tarnishedxjudgement

@tarnishedxjudgement

“Because... if you are going to sell me to the enemy, then you should at least grant me the comfort of a friend whilst I’m there, father,” Ashelia said firmly, staring the old king down.

“Ashelia... Sir Ronsenburg is needed here and at war’s front,” Raminas said wearily. He was already dealing with immense guilt over the arrangement for his daughter to be held in Archadia’s capital to ensure Dalmascan loyalty, and Ashe’s resistance to it was not helping. 

“Why? My being shipped off to Archadia ensures the fighting will stop,” she shot back.

“Because this arrangement is a precarious and delicate thing, my dear. You do not understand,” Raminas replied.

Ashe huffed. “If I do not understand, it is because you forbade me to be in your war room while it was being discussed! Also, I do understand, because unlike you, Basch does not think women so fragile of mind that they cannot learn of such things.”

“Then understand that your duty and your place right now are to do this in Dalmasca’s name and for her people. Please... do not make this more difficult than it must be,” the king sighed.

“I’ll need guidance,” Ashe said.

“You will be alright, my child,” Raminas said.

“I’ll need protection,” she tried again.

“They’ll not harm you,” Raminas insisted.

“You don’t know that!” Ashe exclaimed, feeling a pang of something in her chest. Was it panic? No, she wasn’t going to be a scared child. “I don’t know that.”

Raminas sighed again... because she was right.

“Grant me Basch and I will do my duty, as you put it, without further objection, father,” she challenged. As strong as she knew she was, the idea of going to live in Archadia alone without a single familiar face when she had never even been outside of her own country before had Ashelia beyond terrified. Basch was her dearest friend, her rock, and her voice of reason. She needed him with her. Her gaze turned a bit vulnerable, much as she wished it wouldn’t. “Please, father.”

Sending Sir Ronsenburg to Archadia would make a serious dent in the leadership of the Dalmascan military. However, he knew it would affect the knight captain’s performance to have the princess abroad with the enemy, whether the man admitted to the distraction or not. And perhaps it would ease some of the old king’s worries as well to have someone like Basch looking after Ashelia. “Very well. He will accompany you there,” Raminas said, not speaking as to whether he would stay.

- - - - - - - - - -

It was hours to Archadia by airship, especially the Durga class cargo and passenger ship they had been granted for this particular trip. Something unmistakably civilian was needed to avoid any and all aerial misunderstandings. Even so, the ship bore Dalmasca’s banners on its carapace. As they neard their destination, Ashelia emerged from her room and came to stand with Basch to see the empire on the horizon, its capital coming into sharper focus. 

A quivering sigh, forced out through her nose, caught Basch’s attention. He turned to see Ashelia’s wide eyes welling up with tears, even as they gazed out the large window at Archadia. He watched as her expression otherwise remained unchanged save for a thick swallow, and she blinked repeatedly to rid herself of the tears she never allowed to fall. Basch’s own eyes fell for a moment, and then he turned back to the view past the glass himself, not calling attention to her moment of fearful vulnerability. She hated when someone pointed out that she was crying.

“Steady,” he whispered to her, and out of his peripheral vision he saw her turn to look up at him. “You represent Dalmasca here. Show them her strength through your own, my lady.”

Ashelia smiled softly and nodded. This was precisely why she had needed Basch with her. His words had already replaced the terror and despair in her heart with resolve and pride. As the ship slowly docked, Ashelia tried to prepare herself for anything and everything that might greet her once they were boarded...

[antepenultimatefantasy]

FFXII Zodiac Age Playthrough Part 7

Local Viera discovers one weird trick to stop aging! Doctors hate her! 

-On the way to Mt. Bur-Omisace, Ashe and Basch reflect on how they would really rather not ally with the empire for the shame of it all, but saving their people from war and death far outweighs their pride.

-Basch has hope for the future and looks on as Vaan, Penelo, and Larsa playfully bicker.

-Does everyone like adopt these kids in their head when they meet them?

-In the empire, two judges talk of how Vayne would be harder to topple than the senate thinks.

-Another judge joins the conversation reminding them that Vayne took two of his brothers lives, and that maybe he's not the best person to look up to.

-Apparently, Gramis found these two guilty as traitors, so Vayne's killing of them was justified, one maintains.

-The judges are summoned to meet with Vayne, who has just arrived in Archades

-The judge who is wary of Vayne, Drace, talks with her colleague about how Larsa is headed to But-Omisace and how that will give the empire time to shore up their defenses against a Rozarrian invasion.

-Even though the senate thinks so, Larsa is no puppet, she says, and Gabranth (the other judge she's talking to) says that that will make the senate turn against him. They agree to protect him.

-Somehow, Gabranth manages not to mention that he would totally kill Basch in this conversation.

-Back with the 99% (and Larsa), the team arrives in a deep jungle.

-Unforch, there are barriers everywhere. Fran says that the jungle is denying them passage and it's her fault.

-She and Balthier head in a different direction, where she casts a cool spell that creates a path into the distance. It's to a Viera village.

-Fran's not exactly welcome there though.

-Fran tells Vaan to look for Mjrn and bring her to her.

-She also tells him to lend her one of the vowels in his name, because Mjrn really needs one.

-The Eruyt Village is basically like Rivendell.

-Its inhabitants want exactly zero things to do with Vaan.

-This includes their leader, Jote, who is very evasive about Vaan seeing Mjrn.

-Fran appears saying that the voice of the woods has told her that Mjrn's not at the village.

-Jote says that the voice of the woods is also saying where she is, but Fran can't hear it because she left the village.

-Viera who leave are no longer Viera.

-That's...not how biology works.

-Jote tells them that Mjrn headed west and walks among iron-clad men.

-It's like a Tinder bio.

-Fran says that staying in the village isn't the only choice Viera have.

-Jote says that she heard those same words 50 years ago.

-Hmmm....

-As the team leaves the village, Balthier congratulates Vaan on some good negotiating and wonders where Mjrn could be.

-Larsa says that it's probably the Henne Mines.

-Then, the most legendary FFXII moment happens.

-Vaan brings up how Jote said that Fran told her that same thing 50 years ago, then asks how old she is.

-Silence.

-Penelo facepalms.

-Ashe pretends to text.

-Basch is wondering if protecting Dalmasca is really worth this.

-Larsa becomes very interested in his sleeve ruffles.

-Balthier's soul momentarily leaves his body.

-Fran has, in these five seconds, imagined 47 unique ways to make sure Vaan's twinky ass never sees the light of day again, but ever graceful, she turns heel and leaves.

-The rest of the party does as well, very unimpressed.

-This is like, Tidus fake laughing in FFX level of embarrassment.  

-I love it.

-Back in the Ozmone Plain, the group comes across a wounded imperial and gives him a potion.

-He lets us use his chocobo and tells the team to stay away from the Henne Mines.

-Being good listeners, they head directly there.

-Outside the mines, corpses of imperials and Draklor Laboratories researcher lie strewn about.

-The corpse of Vaan's self-esteem is there too, after what he said to Fran.

-Deep within the mines, Larsa comments on how Henne is much like Lhusu, and the imperials will need the magicite if the #resistance blocks them from Bhujerba.

-There's another dead imperial and Mjrn comes wandering out.

-Girl's drunk.

-Then she calls Ashe a "power-needy Hume" and stumbles away.

-Wig. Snatched.

-The team follows after her and runs into a giant dragon that totally ignores her, but does not like anyone else.

-Aw, she just wanted to get tipsy alone with her dragon friend, but stupid power-needy Humes keep on getting in the way.

-It was self care.

-After the team defeats the dragon, Mjrn reappears holding a nethicite stone. She drops it and it breaks, showing a creepy shadow demon thing behind her that evaporates in the air.

-She's all better.

-Later, she explains that she wanted to investigate the Hume soldiers going through the woods, so she came to the mines but was caught. They placed the stone next to her so that the mist would be drawn within her, and the last thing she remembers is the light of the stone.

-Also, she's Fran's sister. Aw.

-Fran says that she experienced the same thing on the Leviathan before it blew up because Viera are particularly sensitive to mist.

-Larsa never realized how dangerous nethicite was and takes the stone he gave Penelo.

-Ashe says that dangerous things have a place too.

-Ashe is basically Daenerys.

-Back in the Eruyt Village, Jote gives Vaan a means to pass through the barrier.

-Mjrn tells Jote that Ivalice is changing and the Viera shouldn't just hide in the trees while it does. She intends to leave the village.

-Fran dissuades her because the freedom comes at the high price of solitude and exile.

-She tells Mjrn to forget she ever existed.

-Geez, this is really heavy.

-Mrjn runs away and Jote apologizes to Fran for making her do that.

-Fran asks Jote to listen to the Wood's voice to see if she hates.

-Jote says that the Wood misses her, but Fran calls that a "pleasant lie."

-Also, they're sisters too.

-Deeper in the jungle, the team comes across a nice lush mound.

-Nope. Mound dragon.

-When the team defeats it, it turns into an actual mound.

-The team finally exits the jungle, to enter...a snowy mountain?

-Geography?

-Ivalice explain!

-Also, this is where refugees go?

-That's pretty metal.

-Balthier says that while the empire parades around, refugees are walking barefoot through the snow.

-Larsa responds saying that's why he's getting his father to choose peace.

-Or...they could move the refuge to, like, the beach.  

-Balthier says that you can never know anyone, not even your father.

-Okay, first of all? Daddy issuesTM.

-Second? That's a myspace tagline, B.

-In Archades, Vayne and Gramis talk about silencing the senate.

-Like, killing them?

-They banter about the difference between vengeance and necessity, but conclude by saying if they don't do anything their house will fall.

-Plus Vayne's already murdered tons of people, so might as well keep to it so Larsa doesn't have to.

-I'm not sure that's sound logic...

-Back at Bur-Omisace, the team comes up to the Gran Kiltias.

-He is not moving and his eyes are closed.

-Is this Weekend at Bernie's?

-Vaan asks if he's sleeping, and without actually talking, he answers that he's dreaming.

-He dreams because reality and illusion are two parts of a whole, and dreaming helps him find the truth.

-Whatever, we get it. You're vegan and do yoga.

-He says that he has seen Ashe's dream of restoring Dalmasca.

-Larsa asks him to give her his blessing then.

-Just then, a cool guy with sunglasses strolls in and asks her to reconsider. He also condescendingly pats Larsa on the head.

-Watch out, Balthier. You have coolest-guy-in-the-room competition.

-He is the frenemy Larsa wanted to introduce to Ashe. His name is Al-Cid Margrace, of the Margrace family that rules the Rozarrian empire.

-Anastasis says that both Larsa and Al-Cid dream of no war.

-Ashe says that she came all this way to make peace and she does not want to reconsider.

-Al-Cid reminds her that she is still reported dead, and her reappearance would complicate things, not because she's powerless because other circumstances have changes.

-Larsa says that he could convince his father for peace if Ashe extends her hand.

-Unfortunately, Gramis is rather recently dead.

-In Archades, two senators are being taken away protesting that there is no reason they could have killed the Emperor.

-Inside the Emperor's chambers, the leader of the senate is dead along with the Emperor. Vayne says that the senate was conspiring against him, and now he has taken autocratic rule.

-Or, as Palpatine says, "I am the senate!"

-Drace is not here for this. It's obvious to her that Vayne is lying and created the whole situation.

-You and me both, Drace.

-She draws her sword to place her under arrest, but another Judge, Bergan, says that it was the law itself which made Vayne Emperor.

-Then he just fucking one handed picks her up by the face and tosses her aside.

-Okay, she's wearing a huge suit of armor. Bergan's got gunz.

-Obviously steroids, says Drace.

-Vayne tells Zargabaath to collect Larsa, but Gabranth says that Larsa was under his charge.

-Vayne says that he shouldn't have been and then asks Gabranth to execute Drace to prove his loyalty, because she has been tried and found guilty.

-She tells him to do it and to protect Larsa. He asks her to forgive him.

-Well, damn. Drace was the best one. Now we're left with Fratricidal Gabranth and Frat Bro Bergan.

-Though Gabranth is getting better, I guess.

-Back at Bur-Omisace, Al-Cid explains that now that Vayne is the Emperor, he's basically just going to blow everything up. His fleet's pretty much ready to go.

-Ashe then returns to the Gran Kiltias and is like, "forget being Queen. How can I too blow everything up?"

-At this, Anastasis opens his eyes and actually talks, saying that seeking such power is something only Humes would do.

-I don't know, have you seen Moogles?

-He tells her to go to the Stilshrine of Miriam to seek a sword that can cut nethicite, which also belonged to the Dynast-King.

-Off the team goes (except a shocked Larsa), and Anastasis cryptically says that his dream is also fading to day.

-That's it for this section!

The only exchange that matters:

Vaan: "I was wondering - what Jote said, you know? About how you said the same thing 50 years ago? Fran: "Your point?" Vaan: "How old were you again?" *longest silence* *Fran leaves* Balthier: "Nice, Vaan." Larsa: "Surprisingly rude." Penelo: "Try to grow up, please."