A/N:

RENAMED THE STORY. I thought "The Cerobi Secret" sounded too 9-year-old fairytale and "Cerobi" was pretty rubbish. I also got fed up of referring to the Mark as the "Beast" and it's spell "the spell" so they both now have a name: Coren. The Coren Beast and the Coren Spell etc. I've edited the previous chapters a little to involve the old lady Jeyn explaining that the name comes from the Esper named Coren who was originally granted the curse of this spell. And no it has no relevance to previous ff games, it's just a word that's not too different from "Cerobi" ;)

As I've decided to bring Vaan and Penelo into the main story, but still want it to focus on Ashe and Basch, I'm going to change POV throughout each chapter so that their aren't whole chapters without Ashe or Basch etc. Two of my favourite writers on this site (Sita900 and BaschAshe) use this method of writing and I've grown to love it so, yeah, hope I can pull it off ;)

4. Eavesdrop

Everose hissed a curse at the end of the trail. The tracks she followed simply disappeared over the waterfall and into the pitch darkness below. Surely nobody would be foolish enough to jump from such a height. Perhaps they had fallen in the dark and plunged to their deaths. She paced along the cliff- edge, peering into the frustrating darkness and straining her ears for fiends.

An orange glow flickered at the corner of her eye and she stared hard at it.

Yes!

The light was definitely a small camp fire sparking into life on the banks of the lake. Her elation was soon punctured when she remembered just how the bastards had gotten down there in the first place. Heart pumping in anguish at the prospect of making the jump herself, she scanned the area for other means of keeping up with them.

She would have to wait until morning and find a safe path by which to follow them. She vowed to herself never to lose sight of them again until the moment they slew the Coren Mark for her.

Besides, she wanted to know why this endearingly strong and handsome man's name tugged at her memory. 'Basch'... where have I heard that name before...?

- - - - - - - -

Deep in slumber, Basch dreamed of a memory he thought long forgotten. He lay beside his brother under the same soft cotton sheets, in the same little bed, with the same white pillow as they did every night. For the twins had been as one in those days- what was Noah's was Basch's, and sometimes they even forgot who was named Basch and who was named Noah.

Often their mother would conclude the day by settling on one of their beds to tell them a story and the two brothers would climb in beside her. Landis was cold in the winter and she would pull a blanket over the three of them. They would slowly stop shivering and become sleepy before she even finished her tales of Knights and Princess‘.

And so he had often fallen asleep like that, his mother stroking his hair as she had loved to do and he sharing his warmth with Noah.

Usually Basch would banish a memory like this from his mind for fear of the nostalgia that would trail after it. He feared the heart-wrenching pain he had suffered at the loss of his beloved home. Right now, the memory seemed so precious and real- he was warm and comfortable just like in those times... he could even feel the soft sensation of his mother stroking his hair...

Slowly, Basch began to come to. He became aware that he was cold and damp but utterly tired and comfortable all the same. Disorientated, he stirred and dragged his heavy eyelids open. Vaguely, he caught a glimpse of Ashe's pretty face not far above his own in the dark, but she looked frightened or shocked at something he couldn't see. Before his protective nature could even raise it's loyal head he found the black wave of oblivion tumbling over him once more, and there was nothing he could do to resist it.

- - - - - - - - -

The early morning found Vaan marching straight to the Hunters board. Most of the campers and locals had not yet risen and the peaceful silence helped him to think straight. For a while there was nothing but the sound of the waves softly lapping against the shore and of seabirds floating on the light wind.

Vaan and Penelo had still not decided which Hunt to take on the morning after Basch and Ashe left for theirs. He knew it was up to him to hurry up and choose one, but most of them seemed too advanced for the likes of him and Penelo. He didn't want to put her in any more danger.

Of course, he never said any of this to anyone. Penelo would scoff and make him choose the most challenging hunt just for the reason of proving him wrong. He laughed as he realised he would probably do the same, and they would both worry about each others safety later.

He took in a deep lungful of fresh air and attempted to tame his sleep-tousled hair. Suddenly, the silence was broken by a loud crash from one of the huts to his left. A pained cry followed shortly after, soon muffled, and then a series of violent crashes that didn't sound good to Vaan at all. Frowning and ever the nosey slinker, he casually moved closer to the house, wondering if there was some sort of attack or domestic violence taking place inside and whether he should do the heroic thing and interfere.

The sound of an old woman speaking out of sight reached his eavesdropping ears and he listened for a moment.

"Come on, Tobiah, listen to me... listen to your Grandma, I know you can if you try!" it was the old local who had stitched up Basch's arm the other night. Her voice was full of anguish and desperation. Vaan wondered what could be bothering her so early in the morning.

There was no response from this 'Tobiah'. The old woman dropped her voice so that Vaan had to creep even closer to hear through the door. "Tobiah... I know you can hear me. I want you to take control of that thing, don't let it take you away! We've sent a kind man to get a cure for you so you need to hang on..."

Vaan didn't know what she was talking about. There didn't seem to be an attack anymore and so he was just about to walk away and mind his own business when she said, "He's called Basch and he's going to get that thing out of you, you hear me?"

Basch? Did she just say 'Basch'? Now all thoughts of minding his own business were forgotten. He didn't have a clue what Basch had to do with this old lady except for the hunt. 'Basch is going to get that thing out of you'? Basch is no surgeon, what in Ivalice is she talking about?

And how did she know his name? Surely Basch wouldn't have thrown his real name about so carelessly... He gasped- Penelo had shouted "Get him, Basch!" at the top of her lungs that night as they played in the sea.

Crouching into a more hidden spot, Vaan tried to look innocent as he settled on the ground and leaned up against the side of the hut.

"I know your angry with us," Jeyn continued, "but if you control it and keep your strength we-"

A boy's voice spoke up, scratched and strained, "I'm sorry, Grandma..." he rasped. "I'm just so... so angry... with Everose." His voice began to trail off and slur and his voice sounded weaker as he continued. "It's so hard to... speak..."

A hand touched Vaan's shoulder gently and he almost jumped out of his skin. Fran had found him and he hadn't noticed her appear by his side. "What are you doing, little thief?" she asked him, amused. He hushed her and signalled for her to listen to the old lady in the hut.

Frowning at him, she seemed to realise he was serious. She casually leaned against the hut and pretended to examine her bow.

"Oh, son. It's so good to hear your voice… to know your still with us. You have to understand that Everose never meant for this to happen."

"Jeyn," Fran whispered, cocking her ears.

That must be her name, Vaan realised. "She mentioned Basch," he muttered to her, bring a surprised look to Fran's mysterious face.

"Don't... make excuses for what... what she's done to me..." Tobiah muttered slowly. "Where is she?"

"She's gone to help Basch get the spell to cure you."

"The Coren spell... you told them the legend? Everose would kill... for that spell... she'd never let... any other have it... You know this... She's just... just using them... Like she used m-me..."

As the boy released a sickened moan and- by the sound of it- collapsed upon the floor, Jeyn cried out. "Tobiah, NO! Stay awake! Don't let it take over!"

Vaan felt his eyes widen as he turned to stare at Fran in horror.

- - - - - - - - -

Basch awoke as the sun rose above the cliff and touched his eyelids. The feel of his cold and damp clothes immediately brought back the memory of the night before and the image of Ashe jumping from the cliff flashed through his mind before he had even opened his eyes. Worry rose in him and he sat up quickly, checking around for her and cursing himself for letting her take the full nights watch.

She sat very close to him. Her legs were crossed with her back leant against the exposed roots of a tree. She was clearly asleep and Basch studied her with a feeling that could be excused as nothing but innocent affection. Her head was tilted to the side where her tousled hair rested upon a branch of the tree. A serene expression graced her delicate features and her breast rose and fell with a peaceful rhythm that made Basch rather envy her.

He could not bare to wake her but he had no business watching her sleep, either. Tearing his eyes away from Ashe he got up and made to tend to the fire that she had let die. He was cold and stiff from his night in wet clothes and he could do little to stop the shivers that invaded his muscles as he moved. He began to make a warm drink to sooth the rawness in his throat and pulled off his white shirt to let it dry by the fire.

Just as he was about to cook them something for breakfast, he sneezed so loud that it woke Ashe up with a jerk. She stared at him blearily for a moment and then covered her face and groaned, lightly.

He was at her side in an instant. “Your Highness, are you well?”

She blinked up at him for a moment and said, “I‘m sorry, Basch.” She did indeed owe him an apology for the night before but he had no place telling her off so he merely shook his head kindly and offered his hand to pull her to her feet. Taking her delicate hand in his, he pulled her a little too hard, used to pulling up heavily armoured soldiers such as Vossler. He caught her as she stumbled into him with a gasp.

For a moment, Ashe was so taken aback that she remained close enough that he could feel her breath sweet on his face. Her eyes moved from his own to his lips before she could regain her composure.

A swooping sensation fluttered through him and he suddenly felt too hot- he longed to pull her into a passionate kiss. He could not stop his mind running away with the situation. After several quickened breaths however, Ashe’s gaze returned to his eyes and he suddenly remembered his stance.

Closing his eyes as if blocking out the image of her would be easier with them shut, he released his hold on her arm and took a step backwards. “My apologies, your highness.”

Her response was breathless. “That’s quite all right.”

He watched her, dazed by the sudden onslaught of feelings, as she slid into the pool and carefully began to wash with all of her clothes on. Mesmerised, he completely forgot it was wrong of him to stare in such a way. She did not realise as she was positioned with most of her back to him.

Ashe dipped her whole head under the water and emerged a few seconds later. It was the moment when she slicked her hair over her head, out of her face and her mouth opened in a gasp from the cold water, that Basch really began to see Ashelia B’Nargin Dalmasca in a whole new light.

Realising she was being watched, Ashe glanced over at Basch. Instead of the usual reaction she’d given the perverted eyes of Balthier on many an occasion, a sly grin crept over her face and she turned away as if to hide her pleased response. This set Basch’s mind alive. Does she… want me? She never showed the slightest bit of pleasure when she discovered Balthier or Vaan watching her.

Embarrassed, he quickly went to the little fire to start cooking them some breakfast, making sure his eyes never strayed from his work. Knowing what had just happened in his mind was completely taboo, he banished any further thoughts of her. Desperately he tried to think of something else, anything. Staring hard into the fire, he thought he’d done it- his mind was blank for a few seconds before it invaded.

She is your charge!

No longer, she isn’t; we are nothing now. I am nothing. I am free to do as I wish, as is she.

She deserves better than you. This is ridiculous!

Her light footsteps approached but he kept his eyes strictly on the food he was preparing. Ashe sat down beside the fire and rung out her hair.

There was an awkward silence that made Basch want to burst. Where is Penelo’s morning song when you need it? They had a long hunt ahead of them and if he was going to succeed and make it worthwhile, he was going to have to get a grip on himself.

Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to look up at Ashe and pass her the now cooked food. The sight of her made him catch his breath. She had shed her armour and sat posed with her bare legs- glistening, wet and absolutely perfect- one over the other, her back arched as she ran her fingers through the tousles of her wet hair.

Oh Gods, I am a doomed fool.

- - - - - - - - - -

A\N: Please tell me what you think! I’m trying really hard with this story and I could really use some feedback :)