Balthier, The Leading Man

Novus Terra (with Garnet Til Alexandros XVII)

“You will not speak to her majesty in such a manner!” boomed a very ruffled Steiner who was immediately disregarded as Garnet bowed her head in acknowledgment to her guest. “I’m glad to know that we will be behaving on common ground with each other then. Thank you, Balthier.” The captain of the knights made attempts to protest, but was sternly met with a look of mild annoyance, mingled with calm pleading. It wasn’t often that she had visitors from unknown lands. In fact, this was her first guest who hailed from a land that she’d never seen for herself.

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.”

Taking a step towards the railing of the first level of the grand Alexandria Library, the young queen took a deep breath. And then she released all of the tension that had begun to build within her petite frame at the thought of scouring through the hundreds of bookcases. Surely they would find it; the key to solving his dilemma. Her gaze fell upon the section of the library that held documentation of travels. With a red glove, she pointed in that direction and cheerfully called back to Balthier. “We’ll begin there. It is, the most logical place to look, after all.”

#naivequeen #novusterragarnet

Balthier looks towards the section of towering bookcases she gestured to, yet spied no indication of what the books enshrined within contained. Well, all he could do was trust the queen in her judgement. They most likely had something to do with foreign lands or travel, which is where he would start himself if given a choice.

“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.

Unless one of them were to become very lucky in finding a book that might have a inkling to do with his situation, he had no idea how long they’d truly be at it. In the sky pirate’s case, however, unless the book was titled “Ivalice”, he would not give it a second glance.

"I'm wearing Revlon Colorstay Lipstick, want to help me test the claim that it won't kiss off?"

“Is that true if you only touch lips, or does it work if you kiss other body parts as well.”

#naivequeen #pickuplines

A Run-In With Liquor

What he had said had obviously struck a chord. He did not quite catch the words she so quietly mumbled to herself, but her response to him was favorable nonetheless.

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.”

Balthier cleared his throat, his hand still outstretched towards her. “Would you care to dance? Not to worry, I will take the lead, so simply…” he grinned softly, his eyes full of joy. “…follow me.”

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.

Locked into the moment, she found herself complying with his mischief-laced words. She followed his lead. His hold on her was firm, though not so much so that the sovereign felt restricted in her movements. On the contrary, she was able to dance quite freely with him taking care to steady her when necessary. A smile was brought forth, curving her lips with ease as he twirled her once. The smile broadened as she stumbled a bit, giggling at her own drunken clumsiness. “My apologies, Balthier.” Her words were lighthearted as he aided her in regaining her balance and never missed a beat, continuing their dance.

Balthier laughed along with Garnet, her merriment infectious. He spun her around, but kept close so as to not let her fall. He clutched her hand tighter, and sprightly and fluidly maneuvered closer to her, then farther away. The rhythmic motions nearly led him into a drunken state himself, though he had not partaken in any wine...at least not recently. It was more of a blissful trance, and the world around the two melted away. Though she was not steady as steady as he, still he could not focus on anything else.

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.

"You see, my Queen? Dancing is no matter I take lightly." He grinned. Balthier had not enjoyed himself so much in a long time, and he could not contain his emotions fully. His eagerness, usually only reserved for piratical adventures and airship traveling, was displayed fully on his face.

#pickuplines #naivequeen #answered

"I must be lost… because I see paradise."

"Paradise is the wide open sky in front of you and an untamed wilderness below, so being lost is a requirement to attaining such a thing."

"Spending the moment with a special someone...now that is true eternal bliss."

A Run-In With Liquor

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.

"You are not a burden to me, not in the slightest. So do not fret! I will be here for you till you no longer require me." Balthier smirked. "I wouldn’t dare let anyone else take care of you while you are in such a state, in any case."

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?”

…there. That’s more like it.

What he had said had obviously struck a chord. He did not quite catch the words she so quietly mumbled to herself, but her response to him was favorable nonetheless.

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."

Balthier cleared his throat, his hand still outstretched towards her. "Would you care to dance? Not to worry, I will take the lead, so simply..." he grinned softly, his eyes full of joy. "...follow me."

A Run-In With Liquor

"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.”

He let go of her and placed his hands upon her shoulders, bracing her from falling again. “I might add, however, that you are a very keen gem of a queen, Garnet.”

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.”

Garnet pushed away from him lightly, steadying herself the best that she could; swaying here and there. A remorseful smile tugged at her lips as she spoke in a near whisper. “And for that, I am sorry, Balthier. I’m sure that you had better things to do than to deal with a drunken queen this evening…”

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.

"You are not a burden to me, not in the slightest. So do not fret! I will be here for you till you no longer require me." Balthier smirked. "I wouldn't dare let anyone else take care of you while you are in such a state, in any case."

#naivequeen #pickuplines #submission

naivequeen said: "Is there an airship port nearby or is that just my heart taking off?"

"The thrum of an airship's engines isn't near as loud or exciting as the beating of your heart for me."

naivequeen said:“There isn’t a word in the dictionary for how good you look.”

"I think you'll find the correct word right next to your name and 'divine'; though those words are not indicative of me but of you."

#pickuplines #naivequeen #submission

"Growing or no, one must sleep eventually. As stated before, I will be ever watchful over your unconscious figure; have no fear."

quistisenthusiast

"I’ll go ahead and take ya up on that, then. Goodnight."

#quistisenthusiast #toto

A Run-In With Liquor

When you’re acting like this it’s hard to think of you in any other way. He thought to himself. Balthier dare not say that out loud, least not while she was still in this state. “Now, now, Dagger. No need to get pouty. How’s this for a solution, then? Next time we decide to drink, we’ll take a ride on my airship beforehand, travel to some majestic landscape, and drink together to the setting sun?”

Walking closer to the edge of the balcony, she rested her hands on the railing. The cool breeze felt nice against her flushed skin as she listened to his words of resolution. “Do you tell all the girls that, Balthier? Somehow, I wouldn’t be surprised if you do. After all, you are quite the charming sky pirate. Why wouldn’t you use that to your advantage?” Turning to face him, she realized too late that she’d spun too quickly. And soon found herself tripping over her own feet and stumbling forward.

"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."

He let go of her and placed his hands upon her shoulders, bracing her from falling again. "I might add, however, that you are a very keen gem of a queen, Garnet."

"You would do well to do so—a growing boy should conserve his energy."

quistisenthusiast

"I’m not sure I’ve got much room left for growing, actually. I mean, I’m 17, so I’m pretty much full grown."

"Growing or no, one must sleep eventually. As stated before, I will be ever watchful over your unconscious figure; have no fear."

#quistisenthusiast #toto

A Run-In With Liquor

"The problem is a truly vexing one, in that with you drunk, you would most likely fall ill upon my airship. Though you are intoxicated, you must understand I must refuse due to this. I cannot have someone of your stature lose her stomach whilst flying at high velocity and height above the ground.

"Believe me, despite my nature, I am only looking out for you."

”Looking out for me, you say. And yet, somehow, you make me feel as though I am a child around you. Perhaps it’s best I refrain from drinking with you from now on.”

When you're acting like this it's hard to think of you in any other way. He thought to himself. Balthier dare not say that out loud, least not while she was still in this state. "Now, now, Dagger. No need to get pouty. How's this for a solution, then? Next time we decide to drink, we'll take a ride on my airship beforehand, travel to some majestic landscape, and drink together to the setting sun?"

A Run-In With Liquor

"If you wish, my queen. I surely hope that this little exchange doesn’t affect our relationship in the future, for, if given the chance, I would gladly take you around Ivalice on my airship."

"With you drunk, however…it poses a problem for me."

“And what problem is that? Is my company not wanted? If so then, perhaps I’ll just leave!”

"Believe me, despite my nature, I am only looking out for you."

A Run-In With Liquor

"Well, Garnet, I would not mind doing something simply because you have asked it of me. An order, however, I would not be able to refuse. If you want to ride on my airship, your order is absolute."

”I don’t particularly like that answer either. Why don’t we just forget the whole thing. I don’t think I’m in the mood for an airship ride anymore…”

"If you wish, my queen. I surely hope that this little exchange doesn't affect our relationship in the future, for, if given the chance, I would gladly take you around Ivalice on my airship."

"With you drunk, however...it poses a problem for me."

A Run-In With Liquor

"Why, of course! Should the queen order it, I would show her the world. However, my lady, are you feeling perhaps…tipsy? It would do no good to fly while intoxicated."

”Order…should I have to order you around to get what I want? If that’s the case, then I’m deeply saddened by this, Balthier.”

"Well, Garnet, I would not mind doing something simply because you have asked it of me. An order, however, I would not be able to refuse. If you want to ride on my airship, your order is absolute."