Ashelia politely declined Ramza's offer, though she was thoroughly impressed. She finally found a man who seemed, on the surface at least, a true gentleman. It only took her, what, a month or so? "My thoughts exactly."

Which leads right into Ramza's next question. "None have seen her. If our erstwhile hosts are to be believed - and I do think they are, at least on this point - she disappeared several weeks before we arrived. Apparently, she left behind a letter outlining our arrival and has not been seen since." The queen frowned, shaking her head. "Wedge, the most forthcoming of them, insists we are not here to fight for any Queen, but for Crystallis itself." Ashelia didn't seem to thrilled with that idea, either. She hadn't felt very thrilled by anything at all lately. "However, the fact remains that an Empire with weaponry and technology that far outclasses Aqures Ixen's stands at its doorstep, ready to invade at any moment."