Balthier is the last person Aerith expects to see, but instead of relief, the miserable look on her face compounds itself. All she can think is that he's come to handle this personally - maybe he didn't trust his partner in crime as much as the man had made it seem. It didn't matter. She's cried enough, and any more tears she sheds over this will be done in private. Even if this breaks her, Aerith will hold it together until he's gone and she's been handed off.

"Fine." Her hands are balled in tight fists at her sides, ignoring his hands as she gets to her feet and walks to the door of the cell. She may have hated her birthright, but she is still a princess, and she's going to maintain her dignity to the very last.

Only then does the clang and bleat of the ship's alarm register, but before she can question it they're off, dashing down the brig's corridor in a way that suggests they are in fact - not at all running to meet her parents.