Chapter 14- Celes' Invitation
Celes and Locke stayed at Figaro for the next week so that Celes could recover properly for their next adventure. Terra left soon after her talk with Celes, for she had to go back to Molbiz to take care of the orphans there. During dinner one particular evening, a carrior pidgeon arrived with a letter...for Celes.
"Miss Chere, a letter has arrived for you." Chancellor said during dinner on a Friday night. Celes looked up from her soup, and blinked.
"For me?" She questioned.
Chancellor approached her and handed her a small, rolled up piece of paper. Celes took it and un-rolled it, looking it over.
"What is it?" Locke demanded, and leaned over in his chair to read it over her shoulder. Celes replied to that by giving him a good thwap upside the head.
"Let me read my own mail!" Celes barked, as Locke nearly tumbled out of his chair.
"Hee-hee, the fire every man desires..." Edgar drawled as Sabin thwaped him too. Edgar's crown flew off his head and landed in his own soup. Edgar made a face as if he were about to cry.
"It's from the Impressario!" Celes suddenly exclaimed. "He's hosting an opera tomorrow night, with Maria starring in it! He's invited me because he said she wants to meet me." Celes smiled brightly. "And I can bring a friend too! This is so exciting!"
"There is no way you can get to Jidoor in a day!" Edgar cried, and shook his head. "What is that weirdo thinking?"
"There's more." Celes said. "If you reply to this as a yes, I will send to you an airship immediately to pick you up and escort you to the Opera House."
"Oh, awesome!" Sabin cried. "Pick meeeeeeeee!"
"Your highness, we have a town event to attend to that evening." Chancellor cut in. "The annual Summer Figaro Festival!"
"Oh, dear, do you suppose I should stay here for that?" Celes questioned.
"Goodness, no." Edgar replied. "I think you should take the offer, and go."
"Alright." Celes agreed, and requested a pen from Chancellor. He handed one over to her, and she quickly wrote on the paper she had recieved that she would be coming. She then rolled it up, and handed it back to Chancellor, who left to pass it on to a pidgeon.
"So, Locke, do you want to join me?" Celes asked, remembering what Terra had said: To talk with him alone. This would be the perfect time!
Locke smiled. "Yeah! That would be awesome! That opera house and I have a lot of memories." He winked, and Edgar smirked.
"Hmmm, yes, they do." He said, and sipped his tea. Celes blinked and shrugged. Men could be so...well, stupid...with their inside jokes and such...
Celes stood up.
"Well, I'm going to make a trip into town." Celes said. "I just realized that I have nothing nice to wear for this..."
"You should go too." Edgar pressured. "Locke, you can't go looking like....that!"
"I'll just borrow something from you." Locke replied, and smiled. Edgar flinched.
"Gah...all my stuff is way to stylish for you..."
"What!?"
While the men argued, Celes slipped out of the dinning room and left the palace, on her way back to town. However, when Celes arrived, she saw someone that came as a bit of a surprise to her in the streets, carrying a basket of flowers.
"Elizabeth!" Celes cried, and ran over to her. Elizabeth looked up, and smiled brightly.
"Miss Celes!" Elixabeth exclaimed. "Oh, I am so happy to see you! I had to thank you for helping me out before...."
"It was nothing." Celes said, and smiled. "But, how are you feeling?"
"I'm just great." Elizabeth said. "I got taken to a doctor right away, and he fixed me up so that I was all better! But my parents also scolded me, and told me to never go waundeing off again." Elizabeth sighed. "I didn't mean to though. I just like exploring things, ya know?"
"I know." Celes agreed. "Just becareful, alright?"
"Sure!" Elizabeth grinned. "So, what are you doing out so late? I'm picking up flowers for my mother."
"I'm sort of looking for a dress." Celes replied. "I'm going to an opera tomorrow night."
"Ohhhhh, in Jidoor?" Elizabeth cried. "Oh, I have always wanted to go there!"
"Hee, hee, maybe when you are older." Celes winked.
"Do you want me to show you where my mommy gets her gowns?" Elizabeth asked. "The thing is, you'll have to walk me home..."
"Sounds like a fair deal." Celes said. "So, lead the way!"
Elizabeth brought Celes all the way across town to a big shop that was still open. They entered, and the dress maker seemed to immediately recognize Elizabeth.
"Hello, darling." She said, and swept a few stray strands of hair out of her eyes. She swept over to Elizabeth, who offered her a flower.
"Why, thank you!" She exclaimed, and tucked it in her hair.
"You're welcome." Elizabeth said, and nodded to confirm it. "I was wondering if maybe you could help us out with something."
"And what might that be?" She asked.
"My friend here needs a gown for an opera." Elizabeth said, and pointed to Celes. "She needs to look beautiful so that everyone will look at her!"
Celes laughed a little along with the saleswoman.
"Sounds lovely." The women said, and nodded. "So, your name is?"
"Celes Chere." Celes said.
"I'm Reese." She said, and smiled. "Now, first, Celes, you'll have to undress so we can take your measurements. Right back here, please..."
Celes followed, and entered a backroom full of lighting and clothes hangers. She hesitently slipped out of her clothes and remained in her underwear as Reese pulled out a measuring string and began to measure first her waist, then her bustline. Reese noticed how jumpy Celes was, and gave her an inquiring look.
"Haven't you ever been measured for clothes before?" Reese asked.
"Well...no." Celes said, and blinked.
"Hee-hee..." Elizabeth giggled from outside.
After that was over, Celes was given a robe.
"Since we're alone, you can just slip this on and browse the shop." Reese said. "You may be changing out of alot of outfits."
Celes stepped out in the silk robe, and Reese pointed her and Elizabeth off towards the clothes that would fit Celes' toned frame. They found quite a few that fit, and Celes noticed that Elizabeth seemed to like the brightly colored dresses.
"Celes, have you ever seen a pink like this!?"
"Ohhh, this green is gorgeous!"
"Or maybe a bright turqoise...?"
Celes paid careful attention to what Elizabeth picked out, but really had her eye on something that she thought was spectacular. It was a deep blue- topaz gown, the same color as Celes' eyes. It was strapless, and very long. It was small at the waist, but as the gown decended, it gradually flared out and just barely swept above the floor. Celes knew that this was it. She picked it off the hanger, and showed it to Reese.
"Well, goodness, try it on." Reese exclaimed.
Celes did, and looked at herself a little surprised in the dressing room mirror. No longer was the ex-soldier Celes Chere standing before her, but instead, a beautiful, slightly blushing young woman. Celes whirled around, and smiled at what she saw. Suddenly, Reese burst into the dressing room.
"Oh, my goodness, how lovely..." Reese commented, and placed her hands on Celes' shoulders, whirling Celes around manually. Elizabeth came in too, and also smiled with delight.
"It looks perfect for you." She said. "But, don't you think something is missing, Reese?"
"Well, Elizabeth, I'm sure her hair and makeup will be done at home." Reese reminded her.
"No, I mean....like an accessory." Elizabeth tried to explain. Suddenly, she spotted something sticking out of Celes' clothes, and tugged on it.
"Something like this!" She cried, and revealed Locke's bandana, which was the same exact color of the dress. Celes reddened, but Reese nodded excitedly.
"Yes, this will be it!" She said, and swiped the bandana from Elizabeth. She lifted Celes' hair away from her back, and gently tied the bandana around her neck. When she was done, Celes saw that the bandana made a beautiful mini-scarf around her neck, with the small bow turned on the side.
"Perfect!" Reese exclaimed. "Beautiful people like you don't need much fixing up!"
Celes blushed more, but smiled.
"I like it." She said. "I'll take it!"
Celes got in her normal clothers again, and paid for her gown with every last amount of spare money she had. With that, she proceeded to walk Elizabeth home. Once Elizabeth was safely on her doorstep, Celes waved good- bye, and practically ran all the way back to Figaro Castle.
When she arrived, she spotted Sabin in the lounge room on her way upstairs.
"Hey." Sabin said, and looked back at her from his chair. He was all alone, apparently.
"Hello." Celes said, and stepped off of the staircase. "What are you doing?"
".....Thinking." Sabin said, and turned back to face the wall. Celes blinked, and walked over to him.
"You ok?" Celes questioned.
"Sure, like always." Sabin said. "But you know, sometimes, I just have to sit and sort out the things in my mind. Helps me relieve stress, to an extent."
Celes nodded. "I know how you feel..."
"Yeah...Edgar tells me that he's going to propse to Terra soon hopefully.
"Oh my goodness!" Celes cried, and smiled. "How wonderful!"
"Yeah, hee-hee, but don't tell anyone." Sabin said, and shook his finger. "Who knows what would happen to me if word leaked out!"
"Did you tell Locke?" Celes exclaimed.
"Nahh..." Sabin said. "Truth is, I kinda know that Locke doesn't like talking about that sorta stuff."
"Wha...?" Celes asked, feeling a small ball of what seemed like ice form in her stomach. "What do you mean?"
"Well...ever since the Rachel thing." Sabin said. "I remember how Locke and her were supposed to be married themselves before the accident."
"Married...?" Celes asked, and took a deep breath.
"Yeah, they were engaged..." Sabin trailed off. "But ever since then, Locke has not mentioned girls and love a lot. He treats every girl he knows like a sister. Like he's afraid to get too close to someone again."
Celes didn't reply.
"Edgar thinks...well, being Edgar, it's not 100% accurate, but Edgar says he knows Locke likes somebody now, though. And the Rachel thing is why I think Edgar has been mistaken."
"Liking someone...?"
"Yeah. Ever since the fall of Kefka, he says Locke has been lightening up, and being more open to him." Sabin grunted. "Says that he well, goes on and on about you these days..."
"ME?!" Celes nearly shouted.
"Yeah, but you see, that's just Edgar." Sabin said. "He gets these queer ideas in his head about people's emotions. I think he just wants everyone to be like him and Terra. I know he feels weird, being a committed man all of a sudden. He just wants someone else to shine the spotlight off of him for a while." Sabin burst out laughing, and Celes sighed.
"Good point." She added numbly. "Well, I'm off to bed."
" 'Night." Sabin said, and Celes turned and walked slowly up the stairs.
This is so confusing. She thought. One minute, he's got me thinking he likes me. The next, he's telling me I'm his best friend. But after that....he goes and speaks to Edgar...about me?
Celes entered her room, dropped her bag of clothing, and collapsed on the bed, immediately embracing the comforting arms of sleep.
Celes and Locke stayed at Figaro for the next week so that Celes could recover properly for their next adventure. Terra left soon after her talk with Celes, for she had to go back to Molbiz to take care of the orphans there. During dinner one particular evening, a carrior pidgeon arrived with a letter...for Celes.
"Miss Chere, a letter has arrived for you." Chancellor said during dinner on a Friday night. Celes looked up from her soup, and blinked.
"For me?" She questioned.
Chancellor approached her and handed her a small, rolled up piece of paper. Celes took it and un-rolled it, looking it over.
"What is it?" Locke demanded, and leaned over in his chair to read it over her shoulder. Celes replied to that by giving him a good thwap upside the head.
"Let me read my own mail!" Celes barked, as Locke nearly tumbled out of his chair.
"Hee-hee, the fire every man desires..." Edgar drawled as Sabin thwaped him too. Edgar's crown flew off his head and landed in his own soup. Edgar made a face as if he were about to cry.
"It's from the Impressario!" Celes suddenly exclaimed. "He's hosting an opera tomorrow night, with Maria starring in it! He's invited me because he said she wants to meet me." Celes smiled brightly. "And I can bring a friend too! This is so exciting!"
"There is no way you can get to Jidoor in a day!" Edgar cried, and shook his head. "What is that weirdo thinking?"
"There's more." Celes said. "If you reply to this as a yes, I will send to you an airship immediately to pick you up and escort you to the Opera House."
"Oh, awesome!" Sabin cried. "Pick meeeeeeeee!"
"Your highness, we have a town event to attend to that evening." Chancellor cut in. "The annual Summer Figaro Festival!"
"Oh, dear, do you suppose I should stay here for that?" Celes questioned.
"Goodness, no." Edgar replied. "I think you should take the offer, and go."
"Alright." Celes agreed, and requested a pen from Chancellor. He handed one over to her, and she quickly wrote on the paper she had recieved that she would be coming. She then rolled it up, and handed it back to Chancellor, who left to pass it on to a pidgeon.
"So, Locke, do you want to join me?" Celes asked, remembering what Terra had said: To talk with him alone. This would be the perfect time!
Locke smiled. "Yeah! That would be awesome! That opera house and I have a lot of memories." He winked, and Edgar smirked.
"Hmmm, yes, they do." He said, and sipped his tea. Celes blinked and shrugged. Men could be so...well, stupid...with their inside jokes and such...
Celes stood up.
"Well, I'm going to make a trip into town." Celes said. "I just realized that I have nothing nice to wear for this..."
"You should go too." Edgar pressured. "Locke, you can't go looking like....that!"
"I'll just borrow something from you." Locke replied, and smiled. Edgar flinched.
"Gah...all my stuff is way to stylish for you..."
"What!?"
While the men argued, Celes slipped out of the dinning room and left the palace, on her way back to town. However, when Celes arrived, she saw someone that came as a bit of a surprise to her in the streets, carrying a basket of flowers.
"Elizabeth!" Celes cried, and ran over to her. Elizabeth looked up, and smiled brightly.
"Miss Celes!" Elixabeth exclaimed. "Oh, I am so happy to see you! I had to thank you for helping me out before...."
"It was nothing." Celes said, and smiled. "But, how are you feeling?"
"I'm just great." Elizabeth said. "I got taken to a doctor right away, and he fixed me up so that I was all better! But my parents also scolded me, and told me to never go waundeing off again." Elizabeth sighed. "I didn't mean to though. I just like exploring things, ya know?"
"I know." Celes agreed. "Just becareful, alright?"
"Sure!" Elizabeth grinned. "So, what are you doing out so late? I'm picking up flowers for my mother."
"I'm sort of looking for a dress." Celes replied. "I'm going to an opera tomorrow night."
"Ohhhhh, in Jidoor?" Elizabeth cried. "Oh, I have always wanted to go there!"
"Hee, hee, maybe when you are older." Celes winked.
"Do you want me to show you where my mommy gets her gowns?" Elizabeth asked. "The thing is, you'll have to walk me home..."
"Sounds like a fair deal." Celes said. "So, lead the way!"
Elizabeth brought Celes all the way across town to a big shop that was still open. They entered, and the dress maker seemed to immediately recognize Elizabeth.
"Hello, darling." She said, and swept a few stray strands of hair out of her eyes. She swept over to Elizabeth, who offered her a flower.
"Why, thank you!" She exclaimed, and tucked it in her hair.
"You're welcome." Elizabeth said, and nodded to confirm it. "I was wondering if maybe you could help us out with something."
"And what might that be?" She asked.
"My friend here needs a gown for an opera." Elizabeth said, and pointed to Celes. "She needs to look beautiful so that everyone will look at her!"
Celes laughed a little along with the saleswoman.
"Sounds lovely." The women said, and nodded. "So, your name is?"
"Celes Chere." Celes said.
"I'm Reese." She said, and smiled. "Now, first, Celes, you'll have to undress so we can take your measurements. Right back here, please..."
Celes followed, and entered a backroom full of lighting and clothes hangers. She hesitently slipped out of her clothes and remained in her underwear as Reese pulled out a measuring string and began to measure first her waist, then her bustline. Reese noticed how jumpy Celes was, and gave her an inquiring look.
"Haven't you ever been measured for clothes before?" Reese asked.
"Well...no." Celes said, and blinked.
"Hee-hee..." Elizabeth giggled from outside.
After that was over, Celes was given a robe.
"Since we're alone, you can just slip this on and browse the shop." Reese said. "You may be changing out of alot of outfits."
Celes stepped out in the silk robe, and Reese pointed her and Elizabeth off towards the clothes that would fit Celes' toned frame. They found quite a few that fit, and Celes noticed that Elizabeth seemed to like the brightly colored dresses.
"Celes, have you ever seen a pink like this!?"
"Ohhh, this green is gorgeous!"
"Or maybe a bright turqoise...?"
Celes paid careful attention to what Elizabeth picked out, but really had her eye on something that she thought was spectacular. It was a deep blue- topaz gown, the same color as Celes' eyes. It was strapless, and very long. It was small at the waist, but as the gown decended, it gradually flared out and just barely swept above the floor. Celes knew that this was it. She picked it off the hanger, and showed it to Reese.
"Well, goodness, try it on." Reese exclaimed.
Celes did, and looked at herself a little surprised in the dressing room mirror. No longer was the ex-soldier Celes Chere standing before her, but instead, a beautiful, slightly blushing young woman. Celes whirled around, and smiled at what she saw. Suddenly, Reese burst into the dressing room.
"Oh, my goodness, how lovely..." Reese commented, and placed her hands on Celes' shoulders, whirling Celes around manually. Elizabeth came in too, and also smiled with delight.
"It looks perfect for you." She said. "But, don't you think something is missing, Reese?"
"Well, Elizabeth, I'm sure her hair and makeup will be done at home." Reese reminded her.
"No, I mean....like an accessory." Elizabeth tried to explain. Suddenly, she spotted something sticking out of Celes' clothes, and tugged on it.
"Something like this!" She cried, and revealed Locke's bandana, which was the same exact color of the dress. Celes reddened, but Reese nodded excitedly.
"Yes, this will be it!" She said, and swiped the bandana from Elizabeth. She lifted Celes' hair away from her back, and gently tied the bandana around her neck. When she was done, Celes saw that the bandana made a beautiful mini-scarf around her neck, with the small bow turned on the side.
"Perfect!" Reese exclaimed. "Beautiful people like you don't need much fixing up!"
Celes blushed more, but smiled.
"I like it." She said. "I'll take it!"
Celes got in her normal clothers again, and paid for her gown with every last amount of spare money she had. With that, she proceeded to walk Elizabeth home. Once Elizabeth was safely on her doorstep, Celes waved good- bye, and practically ran all the way back to Figaro Castle.
When she arrived, she spotted Sabin in the lounge room on her way upstairs.
"Hey." Sabin said, and looked back at her from his chair. He was all alone, apparently.
"Hello." Celes said, and stepped off of the staircase. "What are you doing?"
".....Thinking." Sabin said, and turned back to face the wall. Celes blinked, and walked over to him.
"You ok?" Celes questioned.
"Sure, like always." Sabin said. "But you know, sometimes, I just have to sit and sort out the things in my mind. Helps me relieve stress, to an extent."
Celes nodded. "I know how you feel..."
"Yeah...Edgar tells me that he's going to propse to Terra soon hopefully.
"Oh my goodness!" Celes cried, and smiled. "How wonderful!"
"Yeah, hee-hee, but don't tell anyone." Sabin said, and shook his finger. "Who knows what would happen to me if word leaked out!"
"Did you tell Locke?" Celes exclaimed.
"Nahh..." Sabin said. "Truth is, I kinda know that Locke doesn't like talking about that sorta stuff."
"Wha...?" Celes asked, feeling a small ball of what seemed like ice form in her stomach. "What do you mean?"
"Well...ever since the Rachel thing." Sabin said. "I remember how Locke and her were supposed to be married themselves before the accident."
"Married...?" Celes asked, and took a deep breath.
"Yeah, they were engaged..." Sabin trailed off. "But ever since then, Locke has not mentioned girls and love a lot. He treats every girl he knows like a sister. Like he's afraid to get too close to someone again."
Celes didn't reply.
"Edgar thinks...well, being Edgar, it's not 100% accurate, but Edgar says he knows Locke likes somebody now, though. And the Rachel thing is why I think Edgar has been mistaken."
"Liking someone...?"
"Yeah. Ever since the fall of Kefka, he says Locke has been lightening up, and being more open to him." Sabin grunted. "Says that he well, goes on and on about you these days..."
"ME?!" Celes nearly shouted.
"Yeah, but you see, that's just Edgar." Sabin said. "He gets these queer ideas in his head about people's emotions. I think he just wants everyone to be like him and Terra. I know he feels weird, being a committed man all of a sudden. He just wants someone else to shine the spotlight off of him for a while." Sabin burst out laughing, and Celes sighed.
"Good point." She added numbly. "Well, I'm off to bed."
" 'Night." Sabin said, and Celes turned and walked slowly up the stairs.
This is so confusing. She thought. One minute, he's got me thinking he likes me. The next, he's telling me I'm his best friend. But after that....he goes and speaks to Edgar...about me?
Celes entered her room, dropped her bag of clothing, and collapsed on the bed, immediately embracing the comforting arms of sleep.