Hidden Ties - Chapter Four: Histories
Chapter four finally up. You know the drill. I own nothing.
"You know where the Treasure of Nabradia is. Tell us!"
Pained blue eyes gazed up weakly. Formerly blond locks were matted down by blood and dirt. What had been gently tanned flesh was now covered with bruises and cuts.
"What if I don't?" the voice came hoarsely.
"Don't what?" the second tormentor hissed.
"Don't know where it is."
"Don't lie to us, Lord Auron."
"Even if I did know," Vaan whispered, "Nabudis is nothing but a haunted tunnel now. You wouldn't be able to find it so easily."
"Then we'll make you look for it with us."
"My friends will find me before you do anything."
The darker haired captor backhanded Vaan. This caused the wilting flower to be thrown aside. Had ne not been in shackles, he would have been on the ground.
"You'll be lucky if they find you before we leave."
The two men left, leaving the thief hanging there. He did his best to get out of them, but failed. A week cough left his lips, his breathing heavy afterward. He gazed at the ground sighing.
"Why do they say I'm someone I'm not?"
BVFPBARLO
"We never called him Auron, not once," Basch recalled, "Even when he was able to talk, he let us know to never call him Auron. He liked the name Vaan."
Everyone had been summoned to the fortress' library. They each found places around the room to sit, stand or lean against. Basch was leaning against the fireplace. The others watched him quietly.
"He was playful... very active in everything he did. Was curious about everything. It was difficult to keep a constant eye on him."
"Much like it still is," Balthier interjected, a small smirk seen.
"The Nabradian family was happy with their newest addition. All countries - all of the hume nations - were on fairly decent terms. There were squabbles, yes. However there had not truly been a war between them in many decades."
"I remember the peace," Marquis Ondore recalled, "It was something of a miracle to see. Other than the current one, of course."
"It was when Vaan had just barely turned the age of two when it happened. An assassination attempt was made on the royal family. Lord Rasler did not wish to leave when the Majesties wanted their sons to go into hiding. Recsan and Vaan were sent into hiding. I disguised myself and two young servants then escorted the four of them to Rabenastre. During this time was when the wars truly began to break out. Rozarria and Archadia warring over land, taking over the edges of Dalmasca and Nabradia to the point as we see them now. Archadia began to fight against the Majesties."
"Not exactly the best time among any of our nations," Larsa admitted.
"I was able to bring them safely into Dalmasca. We were able to get them establisthed before I left them. I was told to check in on them from time to time. However there was once when I was not able to go. That was when I was called to fight and had to find someone to go in my stead."
"Lord Rasler contacted me and asked if I could get in touch with someone to take Captain Ronsenburg's place," Halim spoke.
"And so you came to a Judge with sympathies to Dalmasca and Nabradia. Said Judge was not happy with being such the evil as were portrayed."
All eyes turned to Balthier.
"I took the Marquis' offer - anything to get away from being what I despised. I didn't look anything then what I do now so I was not surprised when I was not remembered by our little prince.
"Back to the point, though. When I arrived, Vaan's brother and he were out shopping," the sky pirate weaved the memory's tale, the only ones knowing the full truth behind it being himself and his viera comrade, "Their guardians had contracted the plague. It had been a horrid week. The princes had not aquired the disease but we were quarentined in their home. We were forced to watch as the two who had carred for them deteriorated before our eyes before passing. It was painful for all of us - life changing for myself. It was the reason why I became a sky pirate, along with getting away from my father."
"Soon after was the start of the war between Archadia and Dalmasca and Nabradia. Three years later, Nabudis fell," Basch continued his side of the tale, "soon followed by Nalbina. It was a year before that when Recsan joined the Order of the Knights of Dalmasca. He did not enter under that name, but under his Dalmascan alias of Reks Ratsbane. Since the lost of their guardians, no one had gone to check on them - no one could. When I saw him - heard his name - I was barely able to recognize him.
"Then he became Archadia's leverage. He was murdered at the hands of my brother," the Judge spoke, his fist clenching, "However his death - his blood - were placed on mine. As was the blood of Lord Raminas. I was tried and sent to the deepest of the Nalbina dungeons - ironic as to that would be my own place to die. Then I was reborn at the hands of a pair of sky pirates and the only living heir to the Nabradian throne."
"When Ashe, Vaan, Fran and myself were approached by the Imperial soldiers and Vayne, I witnessed the look in the consul's eyes. It was of recognition and he was looking at Vaan," Balthier made note, "Of course he knew about Ashe - he took her right off. However, he probably wanted to be more than sure about Vaan."
"How could he do that?" Penelo questioned.
"Vaan touched the nethecite. When he found it, it was giving off a solid glow," Fran replied, stilling the young woman.
"The stones only revealed those of power from the bloodline of Raithwall. They did so by glowing if one was near or holding it," the Dalmascan queen recited from years of study.
"However," the Bhujerban leader took his turn, "some generations ago, the Nabradian lineage found a way to partially hid themselves. Most of you have tried to wear the ring, yes?"
There were several nodding heads.
"The ring is part of a set of two. When the stone is held by a member of Nabradia's royalty it will not glow unless a member of the Dalmascan lineage or a different member of the Nabradian lineage is present. However if they were not holding the nethecite and standing away from it, it would glow in thier presence."
"You said it was a set of two," Larsa squinted slightly.
"The second is a copy the Nabradian crest which had been slightly modified. Not only into a brest plate, but into a type of magic cyphon that takes in the elements of the Mist. It is then that they are turned into the threads that create the spells we know so well."
Balthier, who had been listening to this new part of the story, had moved to a comfortable chair. Reks padded over to him, sitting beside the chair. The sky pirate then scratched the wolf's head. He didn't notice the aged gaze looking upon him in cofusion.
"Balthier, when did you tame such a creature?" the marquis questioned.
"He was not mine to tame, marquis. His tamer was non other than the prince turned thief," was the reply, "Because I am so close to the tame, this wolf has grown accustomed to me."
"A gift..." Basch spoke softly.
"Basch?" Penelo squeeked.
"The Nabradian lineage has a rare gift," the former captain answered, "One passed through the generations."
"But if it was passed down, I would have received a gift much the same would I have not?" Ashe interjected.
"There are two gifts in the Raithwall blood line - one of man, one of woman. Yours is a gift of magic and spells, passed down by your mother and her mother before her."
"And Vaan's - or should I say Auron's?" Fran asked, shifting to her other leg and placing a hand on her hip.
"Vaan's is a gift of the creatures. He can tame even the most wild and dangerous of beasts if he set his mind to it," Basch replied, "A gift from his father's father."
"It's starting to make sense now."
Everyone stared at the queen. She stood from her place on the floor and went to the window which over looked Nalbina. A frown graced her lips.
"What he said to me at the garif village. I can still hear the words he spoke to me," she spoke softly, "And now... they make sense."
"Please, tell us what the young prince spoke of," Marquis Ondore requested. Ashe quietly nodded, then proceded to retell what had happened.
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"Rasler," the young woman whispered as she gripped onto the dead nethecite. She hurried toward the bridge only ot find it was Vaan there. He looked to her, his eyes pained.
"You saw him, didn't you? Like at the king's tomb?"
The recent memories flooded her mind as she gazed upon the thief. "So you did see him, too," she whispered loudly, "But why?"
Vaan turned and took slow steps onto the bridge. "It's strange. Before I didn't even know what you looked like. And the prince... I barely knew there was a prince. Who knows?"
The princess cocked her head slightly. She watched the teen's head turn toward her. A sad smirk-like smile graced his lips.
"Maybe the person I saw was my brother."
She took slow steps toward him. "Basch told me about him," were her words, unspoken condolences among them.
He gazed over the dusty plains. "He enlisted... right at the end. But for what? He knew we couldn't win."
"To protect something."
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"It felt right to say at the time," the Dalmascan ruler uttered, "but now I can see that I was much closer to the truth than I had ever been."
"Hmmm..." Basch nodded. He moved toward her. "You are right in such matters. Not only was he protecting his brother but he was protecting the only other living heir to the throne, even though he was one as well. And with all I had I knew I had to protect him. Little good it did."
A young howl went through the room. Reks went over to the Judge and nuzzled the armor. The former captain knelt down and stroked the animal's fur.
"We'll find him... and we'll get him back."