"Balthier? Heh. We'll have quite the interesting ride, then." He smiled and nodded firmly. "I shall teach you, yet I assure you I shall not treat you any different to my troops. No man learns to wield a sword by being mollycoddled nor by their tutor or opponent restraining themself." He removed the sword at his waist, pressing it, sheathed, against Snow's chest. "Yours. Until you are gifted the Blade of Galtea."
He took the sword with the slightest of sways, and smiled to Basch, "Thank you.. I would ask another favour from you, Basch.. two honestly. The first.." he glanced over his shoulder, "Do not mention Mount Bur-Omisace to Ashelia.." Snow's tolerance for alcohol already had him putting it off, and he was silently thankful that Basch was willing to drill him properly in the sword, "As for the second.. Well, I want you to stand at the altar with me, when I am married." as good a time as any, right?
Basch gave a firm nod, offering his hand for a handshake to the taller blonde. "It would be my honour." He smiled at the other man, though it was brief and as world weary as ever. He really was going to drill Snow in swordplay. Possibly using it as a chance to show the man what could happen were he to break the Queen's heart. He loved his Queen and country as any man should, but Ashelia was important. He'd known her longer than any of his friends, aside from Vossler, and his whereabouts were unknown.
Snow returned the handshake with a serious look, "As well as mine, Basch." he smiled back, and rolled his shoulders softly. Snow had no intention of ever doing anything to hurt Ashe in that manner.. but even he had his doubts about himself. Lightning had seen to bringing them all up, fresh and raw as a mouthful of lemon juice, "Shall we turn in, on this note?" he still clutched the sword, squeezing it gently.
"Indeed. Rest well, My Lord." With that, he bowed as he would to Ashe before turning towards the direction of the barracks. He had a room in the main palace but fet more comfortable out with the other soldiers. They'd accepted him into the fold as his brother, claiming that he, as Gabranth, was a better man than Basch. It hurt, yet it was something he had to deal with.
The blonde idly wondered if Basch would ever be himself in Dalmasca.. but he didn't linger on the thought, returning quickly to his and Ashe's chambers. When he entered, he moved to his wardrobe, and hung the sword on the side of it, unsheathing the length of steel and looking at it.. well, he'd never handled a sword before, that much was obvious.
Ashe emerged from the bathroom, clean, quite sobered, fresh as a spring morning and wearing only a translucent negligee, nothing beneath it. She smiled at Snow, shifting to sit in bed, drawing the silk blankets to her waist. "Why have you Basch's sword?" She'd know that sheath anywhere. It held an Archadian emblem. The Solidor emblem.
"I asked him to teach me the blade. This is mine, he said, until I am given the sword I am to wear as King." he gave it a very clumsy, experimental swing then sheathed it ruefully. "I.. should probably practice, hmm?" he shrugged his coat off, and hung it up, beginning to strip off the clothes he'd had on.
She laughed softly at the clumsy swing. "Well, you have chosen not a better tutor. Basch taught me how to wield a sword and a bow, though I fail dissmally at the latter." She smiled then, resting her laced hands on her lap. "I was five when I first picked up a blade. He was twenty one. I vaguely recall him telling me a woman should not need to arm herself with a sword. Still, I demanded he teach me as he did my brothers."
Snow nodded, "I did not have to demand to be treated as any other man. He seems to have been broken of that yoke by a young lady with a fierce eye." he winked at her, now nearly nude, and moved towards the bathroom. "Let me get the booze smell washed off, and I'll be right out, okay?" he had moved slowly, though, displaying his body for Ashe's benefit.
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He took the sword with the slightest of sways, and smiled to Basch, "Thank you.. I would ask another favour from you, Basch.. two honestly. The first.." he glanced over his shoulder, "Do not mention Mount Bur-Omisace to Ashelia.." Snow's tolerance for alcohol already had him putting it off, and he was silently thankful that Basch was willing to drill him properly in the sword, "As for the second.. Well, I want you to stand at the altar with me, when I am married." as good a time as any, right?
Basch gave a firm nod, offering his hand for a handshake to the taller blonde. "It would be my honour." He smiled at the other man, though it was brief and as world weary as ever. He really was going to drill Snow in swordplay. Possibly using it as a chance to show the man what could happen were he to break the Queen's heart. He loved his Queen and country as any man should, but Ashelia was important. He'd known her longer than any of his friends, aside from Vossler, and his whereabouts were unknown.
Snow returned the handshake with a serious look, "As well as mine, Basch." he smiled back, and rolled his shoulders softly. Snow had no intention of ever doing anything to hurt Ashe in that manner.. but even he had his doubts about himself. Lightning had seen to bringing them all up, fresh and raw as a mouthful of lemon juice, "Shall we turn in, on this note?" he still clutched the sword, squeezing it gently.
"Indeed. Rest well, My Lord." With that, he bowed as he would to Ashe before turning towards the direction of the barracks. He had a room in the main palace but fet more comfortable out with the other soldiers. They'd accepted him into the fold as his brother, claiming that he, as Gabranth, was a better man than Basch. It hurt, yet it was something he had to deal with.
The blonde idly wondered if Basch would ever be himself in Dalmasca.. but he didn't linger on the thought, returning quickly to his and Ashe's chambers. When he entered, he moved to his wardrobe, and hung the sword on the side of it, unsheathing the length of steel and looking at it.. well, he'd never handled a sword before, that much was obvious.
Ashe emerged from the bathroom, clean, quite sobered, fresh as a spring morning and wearing only a translucent negligee, nothing beneath it. She smiled at Snow, shifting to sit in bed, drawing the silk blankets to her waist. "Why have you Basch's sword?" She'd know that sheath anywhere. It held an Archadian emblem. The Solidor emblem.
"I asked him to teach me the blade. This is mine, he said, until I am given the sword I am to wear as King." he gave it a very clumsy, experimental swing then sheathed it ruefully. "I.. should probably practice, hmm?" he shrugged his coat off, and hung it up, beginning to strip off the clothes he'd had on.
She laughed softly at the clumsy swing. "Well, you have chosen not a better tutor. Basch taught me how to wield a sword and a bow, though I fail dissmally at the latter." She smiled then, resting her laced hands on her lap. "I was five when I first picked up a blade. He was twenty one. I vaguely recall him telling me a woman should not need to arm herself with a sword. Still, I demanded he teach me as he did my brothers."
Snow nodded, "I did not have to demand to be treated as any other man. He seems to have been broken of that yoke by a young lady with a fierce eye." he winked at her, now nearly nude, and moved towards the bathroom. "Let me get the booze smell washed off, and I'll be right out, okay?" he had moved slowly, though, displaying his body for Ashe's benefit.