Watch an old dog tries trot out a few new tricks in her arsenal for your pleasure!

I decided that, like most other authors of the FFXII fandom, I might as well take a crack at writing everyone's favorite Extremely Angry and Ready To Put Your Head Through a Metal Grating Because of It Princess. And so here's a new collection of short Ashe-inspired fic-bits, dialogues and letters for everyone to, er, enjoy.

Next up comes a tid-bit of Ashe and Vaan fic, for the radiant Ladyassassin and then something Ashe and Vossler flavored for the excellent Aeris888. But for now, here's a short post-game dialogue between Ashe and Basch, originally written for the unfairly talented Mithrigil and still, I suppose, dedicated to her. ;)

Bonus points, btw, go to whoever can figure out what recent pop song inspired this fic! (Though I'll just tell you if you really want. ;)

Title: Embers and Other Words, Chapter 1: To the Start

Fandom: Final Fantasy XII

Characters/Pairings: Ashe, in various combinations with Basch, Vaan, Vossler

Rating: PG

Summary: Was there, she wondered, still time enough to go back to the start?

I knew from the start this would not be easy…

My lady?

…But all the same, I didn't imagine it could ever be so hard.

Your highness? I--

I'm sorry, Basch, do I confuse you once more? I feel as though I've been doing that to all I've ever… cared for all my life.

My lady, you've never really confused me. And at this point, I do not believe I shall have to stretch my imagination to understand what you speak of.

Hah. No, I don't quite believe that either.

As ever, you hold me in too high regard.

No, no, never that. If anything, 'tis poor repayment in light of what I've regarded you as in years past.

Your highness, any debt occurred from those times have long since been forgotten.

Do you believe so, Basch? Really and truly? I don't… I think no matter how determined one might be to move on, some part of them will always be running in circles and making the same mistakes they've always made, till they wind their way back to their start.

You… you cannot mean that. Highness, even at Dalmasca's worst, I've never heard you sound so--

Being queen for even a month for a broken kingdom can… do that to one.

Then let us…

But regardless, Basch, will you tell me of which I speak of? I do not quite know myself as of this part.

I… cannot claim to be a reader of minds. And of all the minds I've ever met, yours might be the most… intricate and…

You mean to say difficult.

And you mean to smile, however you may hide your face behind your fan.

Dressing as a woman after so long has been strange at times, yes. But there are compensations for finally playing the part.

And I did not mean to say difficult, my lady. Sometimes, you are simply not easy to understand. But still, you are all the better a person for that.

I--

You are. You are.

The… question then. You have not yet answered.

I do not know if I truly know the answer. But Lord Larsa has told me, many, many times, that those who merely look upon a scepter can have no idea of how heavy the burden of actually wielding it is. Is that what you speak of?

As ever, Basch, you know my mind in more ways than all else in the world.

…Gabranth.

Pardon?

Gabranth. As Lord Larsa has ever stressed to me, I must needs become used to being called by another name by now.

To being the ghost of another, you mean.

My lady…

Of all the cruel deeds your brother has ever done to you, this must be the worst of all.

He… he was always thoughtless in that way. He pushed change on people, without even asking of what they themselves wanted, and let the pieces of their life fall back where he willed it over and above any other matter.

Ba--

Please. Please, I am now Gabranth. And despite it all, I still honor my brother. In the time that lies ahead of us, I will carry his last wishes out.

I… know. I'm sorry if I impugned your own flesh and blood without meaning to. Perhaps that is my own bitterness speaking in being deprived of-- of your services.

And I in turn… I treasure your loyalty. Where I can be, I am ever a servant of Dalmasca, even after Archadia has lain down its brand.

Yes, of course. I spoke of naught but that.

Your… majesty?

I… forgive me. I speak now, and I speak in a way that would lead one to think my sanity is ever in doubt.

No, your highness, you are not mad. We, the both of us… we just never realized that what would face us after our journey would be even more difficult to navigate than the trails that came before.

I did think of that, sometimes. I did realize that life would not be a bed of roses after we finally defeated the mechanizations of the Archadians. I just…

…Yes?

I just never realized it would be so hard. And after we found each other once more, I never realized that we would have to face the future apart.