Celes breathed deeply as she flattened out the big white dress she was wearing, it was practically a ball gown.
A theatre dress for the opera.. And that was not all, her hair was sat up in a nice velvet black ribbon, her face had make up on it.
Both ruby red lipstick, white eyeshadow. Powder and rouge on the cheeks… It was far more make up than Celes had ever worn before. And a far more feminim get up than she had tried.
For Celes, for as long as she could remember, had always been a soldier.
She has been born to be a soldier, bred to be a soldier, raised and formed in other peoples hand to be a soldier.
The magiteck had been injected right into her, to make her one of the greatest of the empire.
That she was a woman was inconsequential, it was of no importance… Only that she was a soldier.
And so, Celes had never truly belonged to herself. All she had been, was just an imperial soldier and eventually an imperial general.
Oh there had been the occasional man complimenting her on her looks, but Celes had never felt it.
There was though, a small part of her, she had kept secret for all of that time.
A part of her that wanted to know what it felt like to… honestly be a woman. To exsperience romance and love.
One of her few joys in life, had indeed always been music, and as a general she had been able to go to a couple of operas. Something she had done with joy.
Enchanted by the stories, by the heroes whom showed true love and the pure women showing their worthiness by never giving into temptation.
The kind of women that Celes could never be, for she had killed her first opponent when she had only been twelve. She was no woman.
It was ironic really, that she now stood dressed up as the fictional character Maria… From the opera she had secretly loved ever since she saw it for the first time as a girl.
Yes, Celes loved the story of Draco and Maria. She lightly hummed the tone to herself as she walked back and ford… Almost feeling like Maria herself.
She glanced at the mirror, and blushed lightly… It was such a pretty looking mirror image. To think that was actually her. What would it be like… To be a person able to actually fall in love? To have a love you could long for and be with. Maria blushed by the notion and tried to shrug it off. It was silly of course, she had always been a soldier… But now she wasn't any more.
The empire Celes had devoted her entire life, her entire exsistence to.. It was evil, corrupt. And without the empire, without her position.
Celes wasn't anything… She wasn't anyone. She mattered nothing to this world, and mattered to no one… She wasn't anything.
A soft knock sounded on the door and Celes turned towards it. "Come in." she invited.
And in came, a pretty scruffy looking young man. his clothes was casual and pretty worn out, as well was his entire attitude and his features.
Yet behind all of these features, this man had some deep hidden qualities. not that Celes was entirely sure what they were yet, sometimes she had to doubt his honesty. But always she arrived back at the same conclusion. The only thing that made sense was that Locke really meant it.. He just wanted to help her.
"Wow." The young thief and self proclaimed adventurer blinked as he looked at her, slightly gaping.
Celes smiled lightly as she blushed looking down. "I know, it's not very practical clothes." she told. "And the make up serves no purpose though it took for ever to put on."
"It looks beautiful on you." Locke told and Celes looked up at him. "What I mean is… I erh… I like that bow." he told pointing at the bow in her hair. "It really suits you. Looks right there. Like it's where it's belong." he told.
Astounded Celes looked at Locke, and then suddenly felt a warmth rising to her face, then at last she had to look the other way before Locke got to good a look at her deep blush.
"I could steal it for you." Locke suggested. "After the opera is done. You really should wear it more than just one night."
"No don't." Celes asked as she looked up. "That's very sweet of you, but what would I really need a pretty bow for?" she asked. "It'll take for ever to put on right, and there'll be no reason for it to be there."
Locke looked at her, his eyes looking a bit puzzled. "That's a shame." he then told. "It really does suite you."
Celes ones again had to turn her head, almost as if she was afraid that Locke would see her amused smile.
"So." Locke cleared his throat. "Is everything okay?" he asked.
"Is that why you came?" Celes asked, still turning her back to the young adventurer. "To check up on me?" she asked.
"Of course I did." Locke told in a shrug. "It all rides on you tonight, so well.. No pressure."
"I can handle one single gambler." Celes told turning to Locke. "I've faced far worse."
"I don't doubt it." Locke told. "But well, it doesn't hurt to know that someone has your back, does it?" he asked.
Celes smiled lightly. "No." she admitted, then glanced down. "Locke…" she then hesitated.
And Locke looked up, immediatly alert.
"When you escorted me out of that town... Back when we first met, and brought me to the returners. Why would you do that?" Celes asked. "You didn't know me, I was a imperial genneral. You had no reason to ever trust me."
"Hey what kind of adventurer would ever leave a lady in distress?!" Locke asked sounding almost offended and Celes raised an eyebrow.
"You thought I was a lady in distress?" Celes at last asked.
"Weren't you?" Locke asked right back.
Celes halted, then hesitated a bit. "Perhaps a little." she then admitted. "You don't have to look out for me like this though." she told. "It's fine. I am indeed, fully capable of handling myself."
At that Locke had to sigh deeply as he slightly rolled his eyes, looking away.
Celes as well looked the other way.
"You do remind me of someone." Locke then admitted.
Celes blinked as she looked up. "Who?" she asked.
"There was a girl ones… The best young woman I ever knew. I should have protected her." Locke told. "But when she needed me the most I failed her. I don't ever want to be in that position again. Failing to protect the people I care about."
Celes breathed deeply as she looked at the young man, then cast down her eyes. "I am not that girl you know." she told. "I'm just a stranger."
"A stranger?!" Locke asked. "Are you nuts? After all we've been through already?" he asked. "Look lady, ones you have snook out through enemy infested territory together, battled like a hundred soldiers and beasts. And then went on to battle through the dirtiest place on earth, you aint strangers anymore." he told. "To be in sitations like that with anyone, everyone has to have each others back, we need to trust each other in battle. If we didn't, you really think we would have gotten this far?! I would have been fried alive if it wasn't for your Runic magic!" he stated with slightly wide eyes, before he sighed. "You're one of us Celes." he told. "And you are Celes, a very strong, brave and… erhm.. erh. Beautiful woman." he told. "I really am glad we ran into each other back then." he told.
Celes swallowed as she stood up and stood in front of Locke, smiling at him. "Me to." she told. "Will you be watching the performance?" she asked.
"Are you kidding? I wouldn't miss it." Locke told. "You're going to the be the perfect Maria, no doubt about it." he grinned.
"You really think so?" Celes asked in a blush as she looked down.
"Why wouldn't you be?" Locke asked. "I mean look at you, you sure look the part." he commented.
"Thank you." Celes whispered. "How ever, Maria is not just beatiful on the outside. Inside she is kind and full of love." she told. "Love enough to her people that she'll be unhappy for them.. Love enough for a man that she'll wait for ever for him. And then it's her compassion that saves all of them as she'll forgive even the evil chancelor."
"Celes." Locke sighed. "You really have to be one of the most compasionate people I have ever met." he told.
Slowly Celes looked up. "How… How so?" she asked, barely even daring to ask.
"Just look at you, you've been through so much." Locke told as he looked directly at her. "You've grown up with so much blood and violence, and yet when you saw what was really happening, when you saw innocent suffering, you had no doubt throwing away your own position to protect those innocent." he told. "You know you've been used, and yet i've never seen you go into a angry rampage against the soldiers. Instead you are just looking so sad… As if you are not only compassionate towards the innocent, but also to the soldiers we fight. I seen you, you know they are the enemy but you feel for them." he stated.
"How can't I be?" Celes asked. "Those people are like me! They've been fed lies and believe they are fighting for the greater good. If that believe is taken from them, they'll realize all that what they have been doing is wrong… Right now their wrong belief is all they have. And it's causing every one pain. There are no winners here." she told. "I committed so many sins in my life, the least I can do is to do my bit to set things right."
"See, what did I tell you?" Locke asked. "You sure are wonderful."
At that Celes's mouth slightly opened as she looked at Locke.
Locke blinked as he looked at her… They stood very close to each other, inches apart from each other.
"Thank you." Celes breathed.
"What ever for?" Locke asked.
"For making me feel like a human being whom is worthwhile." Celes told as they slowly moved closer and closer.
"Celes.." Locke breathed as their heads were slowly moving closer, though in the last moment before their lips would have met Locke stood up straight and tore his head away. "I… I better go!" he stated. "You need to get ready, this in a way is your big night you know!" he stated as he darted for the door. "I.. I'll see you before you go on I promise. You'll do so great i'm sure of it! You're the real Maria for sure!" he stated as he finally vanished through the door and closed it after him.
Leaving Celes as she blinked, then smiled lightly as she blushed turning to the mirror, lightly she fingered with the black ribbon… Steal it huh?
Well.. Maybe it wouldn't hurt. Maybe..