Final Fantasy XII
Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Final Fantasy 12 or any other game by Squaresoft.
A Man From Nabudis
By: Mage-Alia
Prelude: Love and War
Summary: Prince Rasler was said to have died, the night Nalbina Fortress fell under the Archadian attack, but it was all part of a carefully prepared design. Now months after his supposed death he meets a young street rat named Vaan and it's from there that their adventure begins.
AU, Pairings undecided, Mild Ashe Bashing, implied Basch/Rasler in the beginning (Doesn't continue though)
A/N: Okay, I know I already have like a million stories going but this one just had to be let out the moment I began to watch the opening credits of FF12 the very first time I played. It's AU (Obviously) and centers mostly around Vaan and Rasler as the main characters, but not as an item…..
…..Just ignore the inner Vaan/Rasler faingirl going off in the background… she lost the first round of the Rock, Paper, Scissors tournament against the other inner fangirls (The non-pairing fangirl was all-supreme), but there might be a rematch later if someone decides to help her out… hehehe.
Oh well, on with the story before my brains explode.
"Lord Rasler!"
He could hear his men calling to him, but for what he didn't know. His attention drifted from the battle and his sword felt heavy in his grasp, like someone had cast gravity over the area. Looking down, trying to find what had weighed it so greatly… noticing the shaft peeking out of his armor. The royal stared almost stupidly at the arrow that protruded from the smallest of gaps in the plate metal, still vibrating with the force of which it had struck.
"Oh…" His vision swam violently and he felt his Chocobo pitching beneath him like a roiling wave. In a whirl of confusion and pain he didn't fight it when black began to creep from the edges of his vision and he was sent spiraling into a black abyss… shouts of the soldiers ringing in his ears.
"LORD RASLER!!"
Year 704 Old Valendian
Kingdom of Dalmasca – The Royal City of Rabanastre
It seemed the entire city had rose to the occasion as petals from rare desert flowers rained down on the central promenade as the procession made its way toward the palace. The parade stretched on for what seemed like forever as they moved slowly behind the costumed Moogles whom where drumming out the march. People along the streets cheered as the Royal Carriage, drawn by teams of white Chocobo's bred specially for the purpose of conveying the newest royal couple toward their waiting doom…
'No, it's my Wedding…' Just thinking the word made him want to shudder. He was too young for this… well, not exactly. His father had been married off around the same age, so he couldn't use that excuse at all. Resisting the urge to sigh he cast a look to his right where the Princess of Dalmasca sat beside him. Feeling his gaze she smiled nervously and looked as though she where about to burst into a fit of giggles.
'Of course 'she's' enjoying herself.' The part of his mind that still couldn't accept that all this was happening whispered snidely in the back of his head. 'Isn't it a typical female day dream? Get married to a prince and ride off on a Chocobo into the sunset? Euughhh.' Prince Rasler of Nebradia smiled at that thought and Ashe, assuming she was smiling at her, finally turned back to the crowd with a tiny wave. The smile fell off his face once she was no longer looking and he turned away, his mask no longer in place.
Their marriage had been arranged by their fathers, as part of a new alliance between the lands of Nebradia and Dalmasca in the face of the rising tensions between the Rozzarian and the Arcadian Empires that boxed them in on both sides from the east and the west. The two great countries had been at war with each other since the days of the Dynast King and anyone with eyes could see that in the next few years they'd be under fire from both when war finally broke out, and their small countries that spanned the land between them, would most certainly end up being the battleground.
Thus, this damned Wedding had to take place.
Rasler hated the idea, but duty was duty and it was his duty to marry the lovesick fluttering girl that sat on his right and meet the final conditions of the Alliance.
Even so, he shifted a little further to the left.
There was a loud burst of fanfare from musicians along the ramparts as the procession ground to a halt and Rasler disembarked from the carriage, absentmindedly holding out a hand to aid the Princess before they moved up the stairs to the palace proper. It was slow going and Rasler cursed every step he climbed. The Royal City of Nabudis was never this hot or bothersome, and there were reasons why they'd wanted to build it over a lake as opposed to in the middle of a desert! What was worse, once he made those vows he'd probably never return to Nebradia again and he missed it already.
King Raminas, his new father-in-law was waiting at the top of the stairs for them, flanked by his highest-ranking captains for the occasion. Rasler smiled along with Ashe as her father spoke to her in whispers and resisted the urge to glare over his future father-in-law's shoulder at Captain Basch who was staring back with a mix of mocking, hurt and concern flitting across his face. Captain Azelas was far more reserved, his face stone blank as he watched the proceedings.
Eventually the priest sent from Bur-Omisace with the blessings of the Grand Kiltias himself, called them forward, beginning the long and tiresome ceremony. Rasler resisted the urge to fidget, his etiquette training kicking in alongside ours of sword drills to make him still before the… wedding, could come to a close.
"IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND IN THE PRESENCE OF THESE HOLY RELICS... I HEREBY PRONOUNCE YOU MAN AND WIFE FROM THIS TIME FORTH. MAY THE BLESSINGS OF THE GODS LIGHT YOUR PATH TO ALL ETERNITY. FARAM." The Priests voice echoed loudly out of the entrance hall of the Palace and out into the streets where the watching crowds went crazy. Following protocol Rasler turned toward Ashe and found her waiting expectantly for him to make the first move.
'Crap.' He thought as his eyes flickered over her shoulder.
Basch was laughing at him again.
He hoped his brief glare went unnoticed as he steeled himself and leaned forward, pressing his lips to the princess's and mentally wincing at the deafening peal of bells that went off overhead before he could pull away.
Ashe was beaming at him as she attached herself to his arm and they began to walk back out into the sunlight.
'Duty… it's all just your duty…' Rasler assured himself, but somehow, he could just see his boredom and irritation stretching off into forever.
The evening wouldn't end soon enough.
The halls of the palace where cool and dark as he made his way through them with all speed his armour clanking with each long stride and in the distance he could hear the soft murmur of voices from the one room in the palace the Princess Ashe never attended.
The War Room.
Basch sincerely regretted having to be the one to deliver the news to the room's occupants all at once, but it was something that had to be known so they could make the correct steps to counter Archadia's imminent advance.
Nabudis had fallen.
The prince would be crushed.
Basch genuinely cared about the Prince. Although he'd been just a brief fling to the royal he understood what it was like to do something you didn't want to do, but did so anyway out of duty. Still, he couldn't help but laugh at the look on his face the day he'd been married to the princess of the country he served. They'd been a good few weeks. Schooling his face to blank he nodded to the guards either side of the entry and they threw open the doors.
"If Arcadia should launch an attack by both land and Air, our kingdom would stand little…" The human representative on the council of war cut off abruptly as the slam of the doors grabbed his attention. The elderly king looked at his captain in askance and Basch's eyes strayed to the youngest man at the table before he gathered his nerve and spoke out before he could hesitate.
"Nabudis has fallen!"
"Impossible!" The king responded on reflex as shock swept around the room. Prince Rasler wore a look of horror at the announcement and was next to recover.
"My father!?" He leaned over the table, eyes pleading with him to be lying, but Basch could only shake his head in the negative.
"I know not. I am sorry." Rasler looked away, heartbroken.
The human representative looked around the table and waved a hand over the illusion that displayed the surrounding countries.
"If Nabudis has indeed fallen, it is only a matter of time before they reach the borders of Dalmasca. There is nothing to halt their advance." The king looked older than he had in years, his face seemingly withering away under the eyes of those present as responsibility for the kingdom weighed heavily on his heart. Blue eyes watched the projection of the advancing armies sadly as he gave the order.
"Secure Nalbina with all haste."
Nalbina Fortress stood at the edge of the deserts and was their last defence against the invaders from Archadia. Bloody fighting would ensure there, whether or not they where ready for an attack. Casting one last look at Rasler, Basch nodded shortly to his leader.
"I will go." He had already half turned to leave when he heard the voice that made him freeze in place.
"And I will go at his side." Basch shut his eyes and took a deep breath before he resumed walking without looking back, knowing all to well that King Raminas had just granted Prince Rasler the request to enter a war zone.
'He's just doing this out of grief.' Basch told himself as a hurried pair of footsteps raced up behind him. 'It has nothing to do with me or Dalmasca.'
But he could always still hope, couldn't he?
Rabanastre was ready for war.
The Promenade that had been decorated in white silk, bells and flowers for the wedding now clanked with the sounds of armour and the warking of Red chocobos, bred specially for battle, even though they smelled foul enough to kill a Banga. At the top of the palace steps the generals stood scattered behind the king as they examined the waiting forced standing to attention in the square. Airship transports hummed as men climbed aboard, waiting patiently to be transferred to the front.
The king standing before a makeshift throne accepted a large blade from a kneeling servant and held it out to the prince standing solemnly before him. Rasler hadn't smiled once since he received the news and it hurt an old man's heart to know that his son in law could very well die on the battlefield in an attempt to avenge his father, but there was nothing he could do to stop the boy… he hadn't the heart to deny him.
"Galtea, stand watch over your life." Raminas offered his the blade in his hands and Rasler didn't hesitate in the least as he took it.
"That I be considered worthy." Rasler intoned, looking to the side as he lifted the sword from the king's grasp. Ashe looked grim but determinded to see out her duty. The grey haired prince cast a look at Basch as he turned, sword ringing loudly as he drew it from the sheath and cast an eye out over the massing soldiers and conscripts, all ready for war. Squashing his doubts under a layer of determination he brought up the blade, high over his head and let out a roar.
Caught up in the atmosphere of the city the Soldiers let out a cheer in return, stamping rhythmically as they readied themselves for battle…
The Dalmasca – Nabradia Border
Nalbina Fortress
The border fortress was consumed by fighting as night fell. Archadian soldiers pushed through the outer walls pressing the defenders back into the tiered courtyards as enemy airships hovered ominously overhead. Single man fighters flew around them like flies trying to inflict whatever damage they could before they where found and destroyed by the opposition. The only hope for the defenders on the ground was the shimmering blue force field being generated by large amounts of magicite from the paling tower.
The Archadian army had attacked swiftly and suddenly, throwing the fortress into chaos as they where overwhelmed by sheer numbers.
Riding a Chocobo along the ramparts Rasler had his sword out, the metal flashing in the light of another explosion above as he forcefully took the head off another Archadian soldier. Basch brought his Chocobo to a halt as he pulled a bow off his back and let fly with a dozen arrows, picking off enemies that had been about to take advantage of the prince's distraction as their escort swarmed around them to finish the injured off.
"THE FORTRESS IS LOST!" Basch yelled to his liege, "WE MUST WITHDRAW!" At this point in the battle it was obvious that their preparations had not been enough to help as the Archadian's soon outnumbered the Dalmascans by nearly ten to one. Rasler looked downright rebellious as he looked up toward the Paling tower. There was still a steady glow coming from the arched windows as mages worked tirelessly to hold the last real line of defence.
"NO!" The grey haired man shouted back over the noise of the battle. "THE PALING STILL STANDS!" It was obvious that he was not going to give up while he still lived… Then as if to spite him the light of the tower flickered and died, taking the shimmering shield with it and allowing the airships above to get through. One fighter spinning out of control as it was shot down and sent crashing through the upper level of the fortress.
"The… the paling's fallen…" Rasler gasped in disbelief as he faltered for a moment.
"Then it's over." Basch rode up beside him, silently urging him to call the retreat so at least some of their people might be saved, but Rasler would hear nothing of it.
"For my father." He muttered to himself, suddenly glaring murder at the enemy soldiers before him. "FOR MY FATHER!" He roared out and plunged into the fight once more, this time with no real regard for his own safety as he mowed down his opponents.
"LORD RASLER!" Basch yelled, trying to bring him back to his senses but he became aware of the sudden danger as an archer on a nearby walkway suddenly broke from the thick of the fighting ahead and knelt on the railing, taking careful aim. The Captain traced his line of sight and realised with a cold feeling of dread who he was aiming for. Reacting on instinct he shouted again, stinging an arrow and letting it fly at the archer but by the time he'd loosed it, it was already to late. The blonde's arrow stayed true to its course, the projectile punching through armour to find the heart beneath, but he wasn't about to stay and watch him die as he threw his bow away and pushed his Chocobo to it's limit as the enemies arrow found it's mark in the small gap in Rasler's armour just below his neck.
Shocked, Rasler grasped at it as the Chocobo pitched beneath him and he toppled to the side. Basch reached out and grabbed him, feeing the arrow break in half as he pulled the prince across him lap, letting him hang limply in his grasp. Thinking quick he cast a spell normally reserved for healers white light pouring out of his hands as he serched for a way out of the mess but there was none as the defenders where overwhelmed. Archadian soldiers surrounded them on both sides of the walkway, closing in on them as overhead an airship discharged its cannons bringing down a defending craft right into the fighting below.
Firey debris rained down on the combatants and for a split second the advancing soldiers where distracted, some thrown off their feet by shockwaves and Basch wheeled his Chocobo around, drawing his own sword and slashing at the imperials as his mount took a running start and leapt over their heads, using a few as stepping stones as he made it clear and rode as hard as he could down a planned escape route and out into the deserts of the eastersand
Nalbina… has well and truly lost.
His only charge left now was to protect Lord Rasler any way he could.
Looking down at the unconscious man he made a decision then and there, backtracking toward the battlefield and searching for something to help he went to work…
Rain poured down in a rare storm, a distant rumble of thunder only adding to the depressed atmosphere as the entire city of Rabanastre mourned.
"Blessings of the great father descend and guide your body's return to the earth…"
It had only been months since the grand wedding between the Princess Ashelia and the Prince Rasler, but already their romance had been cut tragically short as it was announced that the Prince had died in the defence of their homeland. None had been affected by the loss more than the princess as she kneeled by the open coffin lined with grey flowers.
"Great Father… guide your spirit's return to the mother of all…"
A tear made its slow passage down her cheek as she reached out as if to touch his face but drew it away… He looked so peaceful in death, more so than he ever had standing by her side. More tears followed the first as she broke down and cried. Still, she didn't resist as her father helped her to her feet and guided her past Basch. The captain had been the one to bring him back to Rabanastre, bent over the back of his Chocobo, dirty and bloodied, worn and obviously heartbroken. Ashe wasn't stupid. She'd seen the way Basch looked at Rasler, the captain probably never noticing how his face changed when he looked at him. Taken by a sudden fury Ashe turned, throwing off her father's guiding hand and marching up to the blonde.
"There you shall find peace…"
SLAP!
The sound of her hand meeting his cheek was almost deafening and in the roaring silence afterward she stormed out of the chapel, no longer able to hold in her grief as she fled and in that silence created by her abrupt exit the priest from Bur-Omisace finished the Funeral in the same fashion as he had the wedding, bringing the story back to where it had started…
"Faram."