Second Reflection

Second Reflection

They smiled at each other before kissing once more.

Celes kept the white sheet pulled over her body as Locke slid out of the bed.

"I love you," she said.

Locke smiled back at her. He yawned and walked over to the window that looked out onto Lake Obel, the manmade lake where they had erected their dream home. It had only been complete for a week now. Their first night in it was amazing. Locke and Celes ate a large and exquisite dinner with the Figaro brothers and Setzer. After they party had left the couple got drunk on wine and made love in their new home.

And now the first night had ended. So began the first day.

"This place, it's beautiful." Locke said.

Celes smiled again. "I don't think we could've chosen any place better." She followed suit and unraveled herself from the sheets. She stood up, wearing her long green nightgown studded with diamonds on the shoulders. Edgar had presented it to her as a gift last night. "Isn't this beautiful as well?" she asked, looking at her new garment. "A nightgown with diamonds. It could only be from Edgar."

As Locke looked at the garment he drifted into a reverie.

And Celes recalled the previous night as well.

"He's quite foolish for asking such a thing," Edgar said. "The 'Chancellor' knows I am much happier on the high seas. I don't want to be bottled up in that castle, leading a life or uneventful leadership."

"He's even begged me to take the throne." Sabin said.

Celes shot Sabin a quizzical look while cutting into her lobster. The thick meat was scattered across the pale blue plate, intermingling with her side dishes. Edgar had gave Locke his adequate share of the shellfish caught by the fishermen aboard the Floating Figaro.

"If I was the Chancellor I wouldn't even bother to ask you Sabin, I'd know your answer." Locke said, dipping a piece of the lobster into the hot bowl of butter.

"Yes, you're quite busy training Gau. How is that coming along Sabin?" Celes asked.

"He's progressing well," Sabin said, pausing to scoop some rice into his mouth. "But I'm not only training him in the ways of combat. I have to help make him civilized."

"Still own that tux?" Setzer asked, laughing through a smirk.

Sabin laughed along with the rest of the party.

"I'm afraid Gau and I are minimalists when it comes to clothing. We spend a majority of the day training. We can't restrict our movement."

Locke looked over the navy blue suit Sabin had worn to the dinner. A gold trim ran down the shoulders and forearm. It circled and ran the length of each pant leg as well.

"Your choice of clothing tonight doesn't seem so minimal." Locke said.

You'll have to thank my brother for this outfit," Sabin said. "I own nothing to compare with the likes of this."

Locke looked over the older Figaro brother. Edgar always seemed to be partial to green, though Locke couldn't complain. He was quite stunning in the color. On this night he wore a white ruffled shirt covered with a large green cloak. The cloak was embroidered with an intricate blue pattern on the shoulders, causing the outfit to mesh with the bright-eyes royal perfectly.

"Locke?" Edgar asked.

Locke snapped back to attention, straightening his back in the chair. "Yes?"

"You seemed to . . ."

"Flash out? Yes, I'm sorry." Locke returned to his lobster. He stared down at the fragments of exoskeleton scattered across his plate.

Celes cleared her throat. "Setzer, how's your business doing?" She glanced at her lover next to her. He was content on his plate, not wanting to look up to face her.

Maybe what I thought is true.

She let out a small sigh. How many years ago was it when she had made one certain trip to Figaro Castle?

Edgar, you never told me why.

Why did she give in to his pleading?

"Celes, you are my love! I need you!"

Of course you did Edgar.

"Well, offering the service was a great idea. In fact, I've had to build three more airships to serve all the customers." Setzer replied.

"I would presume that air travel would be popular." Celes said smiling, trying to push back her thoughts of Edgar.

She caught the handsome man gazing in her direction, his sharp blue eyes peering at her from the opposite end of the table.

And she welt them whisper to her.

"I still remember," they said.

Locke took a few steps towards her. He reached out and wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close. "Diamonds or no diamonds, you're the radiance here." He kissed her gently. She smiled and looked towards her feet. Locke ran a hand through her golden hair before kissing her forehead and breaking the embrace.

"When do you leave today?" Celes asked.

"I can't go today. I'll have to send a message to Edgar that I won't be going along this time." Locke answered.

"Will we be able to manage until he sets out again?"

"I think so. The last expedition yielded a lot. We should be covered for the next two months."

"You always have everything worked out don't you?" Celes asked, striding towards him for a kiss.

He gave her the kiss she desired and sat down on the bed. She sat next to him, forcing him to turn towards her. He cupped her chin in his hand and kissed her again. "Well, if you aren't leaving, then how are you going to spend this day?"

"With you."

She used her hand to push off the shoulders of the nightgown. Locke wrapped his arm around her back. She fell back towards the bed. He followed her.

As they lay naked wrapped in the sheets of the bed, Locke entangled with the woman that loved him. She was pondering about how to start a conversation with Locke that she had wanted to initiate for quite some time.

"Locke?"

"Yes?"

"Have you ever thought about . . . Have you ever thought about children?" Celes asked, biting her lip.

He rolled over to face her. "Who hasn't?"

"But what do you think about having children?"

"Well my dear," he grabbed a strand of her hair and twirled it around his fingers, "I think we should wait for now."

"Well, what is there to wait for?"

He looked her in the eyes. "We'll find out."

Locke sat in a small wooden chair on his dock. He turned his head to the left to let his eyes linger on the abused paddle boat that was tied to the dock.

"Do you remember the day when we took that to the center of the lake?" He stopped to laugh. "I miss you." A smiled played across his face. He stood up and walked towards the house.

The house we built.