Chapter 21- The Secret Door
Locke came out of the dressing room a few minutes later wearing his normal ensemble, and he and Celes exchanged their beautiful outfits for a pouchful of GP that would last them for a while with their trip. Stuffing the GP in his pocket, Locke and Celes left, and stood outside the shop deciding what to do next.
"Hee-hee, I heard some great rumors about this place." Locke said, and put his hands behind his head.
"Like what?" Celes asked.
"Like, that there's this deserted mansion somewhere in town, full of good relics to sell."
"But Locke, if it were deserted, wouldn't somebody have gone in and got it by now?"
"Sure babe, if they were allowed in, that is. But, the place is locked up good, and no one can seem to find a way in."
"Ok Locke, and now, the million dollar question is, how do WE get in?"
"Well...that's the problem." Locke said, and put his hands in his pockets. "We have to figure out a way to get in ourselves..."
"Who has the key?" Celes asked, and put her hands on her hips.
"It was literally burried with the owner of the manor." Locke said. "He was so old and greedy, he didn't want anyone touching his stuff." His eyes glittered. "Just think of what must be in there..."
"Ewww, well, lets not dig up the guy, ok?" Celes said, and gagged. "Why don't we just break in?"
"Break in!?" Locke cried, and shook his head. "We have to do this with class. Also, we can't get caught! That would be bad. All of these old manors had secret passages somehwere in them. We'll just have to find out where this one is and use it."
"Too bad this isn't South Figaro." Celes commented. "I know that city upside down and right-side out."
"Yeah, and I already know I got every single last treasure left in that place, a long time ago." Locke said, and kissed Celes on the cheek. "Including you." Celes blushed, and kissed him back happily.
"Hmm, you're quite the charmer." Celes smiled, and tapped her foot. "So, how should we go about this?"
"Gather information, of course!" Locke decided, and nodded. "Yep, come on, lets go talk to some people here!"
Celes and Locke explored the entire city, going up to people and asking them for any information they might have about the manor. However, they didn't get much back. All they heard were basically things they already knew- the owner was dead, had burried his keys with him because he had no heirs, and that the home seemed impossible to get into. Nobody even mentioned that there might be a secret passage.
After the heavy afternoon sun began to sink into the horizon, Locke and Celes stopped to rest at a bench in front of the town inn.
"Ohh, look at me, I got sunburned all over my face." Celes moaned, and put her hands to her rather pink face.
"Me too." Locke said, and sighed. "Maybe we should turn in for the day."
"Good idea." Celes agreed, and stood up. "Lets just stay at the inn right here."
They went inside, and the innkeeper happily charged them 250 GP for a room. Celes took the key, opened the room, and happily jumped on the one bed inside immediately and burried her face in the cool pillow. Locke dropped their stuff on a table, and closed the door.
"Heh, enjoying yourself?" Locke asked as he sat down in a chair.
"Vweery much so...."Celes mumbled into the pillow.
"Well, don't worry, you can have the bed." Locke said. "But let me use a pillow, ok?"
Celes sat up from the pillow and pushed her hair out of her eyes.
"No, you can have the bed." She said. "I don't mind sleeping on the floor."
"But you really should use it for your back, right?" Locke asked, and smiled. "Hey, how's it doing anyway? Healing alright?"
"Oh, yes..." Celes said quickly, and swung her legs over the side of the bed so that she was sitting upright. "Why don't we get something to eat?"
"I'll go out and see what's open, alright?" Locke asked, and stood up, walking over to Celes. He kissed her on the forehead lightly, and put a hand on her face.
"Hmm, you are burnt pretty bad." He said. "I'll try to see what I can find for your face, too."
"Thanks Locke." Celes smiled. "I'll be waiting for you."
She watched as he left the room, and sighed, flopping back on the bed once the click of the door was heard.
"Oh....he's so sweet..." She murmured as she felt her eyes instinctively closing. she tiredly kicked off her boots and heard them hit the floor as she snuggled into the pillow. With Locke solely on her mind, she fell asleep, drifting into a world of gentle dreams.
"Thank you." Locke said, and left the store with a small sack of Soothing Cream in it, and another sack with fruit. It was pretty much all they could afford for the time being. He walked back to the inn and entered their room, finding Celes on the bed, sleeping. He smiled to himself, put the stuff down, and was about to walk over to Celes, when he heard a strange sound. He blinked, stopped, and listened.
".....That was weird." He muttered. The sound was short, almost a hollow noise. He took another step, and heard it again this time. Locke looked down at his feet, and stomped one down gently.
"Thump..."
"L....Locke...?" Celes moaned, and opened her eyes, sitting up a little on the bed.
"Shush." Locke said, and she quieted down. He took another few steps, and this time, the sound came right back at him.
"Locke, what are you doing?" Celes demanded, and stood up on the small rug on the side of the bed. As she placed her weight on the floor, there was a slight rattle. She squealed, and jumped up. "What was that!?"
"Celes, lift up that rug by your feet." Locke said. Celes bent down, did as she was asked, and gasped as she peeled the rug away, revealing nothing other then a trap door.
"I knew it!" Locke cried, and bent over the door. He lifted it up by the hole in the wood, and saw that below them was a dark hole, with a rotting old wooden ladder inside.
"This must be a passage of some sort." Celes said quizically, and prepared to step into the hole onto the ladder.
"No, stop!" Locke cried as Celes rested a foot on the ladder top. He shook his head as a sudden remembrance of Rachel's scream ran through his mind....when she was falling...falling....
Celes blinked and pulled out her foot.
"The ladder....looks like it may not be stable." Locke said, and suddenly closed the door. "I think that we should check it out later tonight, after we've eaten. And, I'll go first, ok?"
"Alright." Celes agreed, and smiled. "So, what did you bring us to eat?"
**********
"So, what do you think it is, exactly?" Celes asked as she slathered on more cream that Locke had bought. They had eaten, and from the look of the moon outside, it seemed to be about midnight. They had decided to wait until everyone was definately asleep in the inn before checking out the trap door.
"I dunno....you know what I hope it is." Locke said, and smiled as he leaned back on the bed, gazing at the ceiling. He realized that he liked this very much....being in a small room with Celes, getting along with her like this...as if they were maybe...
"Me too!" Celes smiled, interrupting his thoughts. She set down the cream, and glanced at herself once more in the mirror before plopping down on the bed beside him. He smiled and turned on his side, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her down by surprise. Celes hit the pillows and laughed softly as Locke leaned over her and kissed the tip of her nose. Celes gazed up at him happily and pushed some hair away that had flopped into his eyes.
"Locke?" Celes asked.
"Yeah?" Locke replied.
"Why did you get so freaked out before, about the ladder?" Celes asked softly, running her hand down his cheek softly. "You...should have seen the look in your eyes. It sort of scared me..."
Locke sighed and nuzzled his cheek against her warm hand.
"It was nothing...." Locke said, and looked into her eyes. "You shouldn't worry about it."
Celes got a calm, serene look in her eyes as she slowly dropped her hand onto her stomach.
"Locke....were you thinking about Rachel?" She asked softly, with a trace of hurt in her voice. Locke shook his head.
"Not the way you think, honestly." He said, and continued to hold himself over her with his strong arms. "I....just had a bad flashback, and I freaked out a little, that's all."
"Locke....I know how close you were with.....her." Celes said, and bit her lower lip in thought.
"Celes....please...you know that feelings of the past could never overpower anything I feel for you now." He said. "I was just worried about you before, and...well....learning from the past..."
Celes sighed and gently kissed him, interrupting him and bringing her hand to his face again.
As she spoke, she reached up and ran her fingers through his hair.
"You don't have to say anymore, I understand." She said. Locke smiled, and returned the kiss, but this time, he slightly parted his lips and ran his tongue over Celes' lips gently. Celes felt her heart skip a beat and her eyes widen. She smiled a little as he lowered himself on her more and continued to kiss her with a subtle longing in his lips. Celes closed her eyes and rested her hands upon Locke's chest as she kissed back, this time parting her own lips more and brushing his tongue with hers. A warm jolt of electricity shot down her spine, and Celes found herself to be enjoying this very much. Everything with Locke was better then she could have ever immagined in her life time.
"Mmmmm....." Celes murmured against his lips as he lightly ran his hands down her sides, causing her to arch her back. He wrapped his arms around her fully now, being completely on top of her delicate body. Locke stopped kissing Celes for a moment to make sure she was ok, and she merely gave him a sweet smile back.
Locke lowered his face again, this time running his lips over Celes' neck. As he did, he brought his hands to the top of her suit and began to toy with it.
No....wait. Celes thought. This might go too far. We can't let this happen, not tonight. I'm...no, I'm not ready...!
"Locke." Celes suddenly said, and suddenly sat up.
"Huh, yes?" Locke asked, and got a worried look on his face.
Celes smiled a little, the best she could manage.
"It's getting late." She said quickly. "We don't want to run out of time for exploring that passage. After all, we can't afford to stay here another night, right? So we may as well take our chances now?"
".....That's right." Locke said, and blushed a little as he climbed off of her. Celes was blushing too, not that you could really tell because of her sunburn. She stood up, and straightened herself out the best she could, Locke doing the same. He then bent down, pulled open the trap door, and prepared to go down.
"I'll meet you at the bottom, alright Celes? If you fall for any reason, I will catch you."
"Yes, alright." Celes agreed quickly, getting nervous from him saying that. With that, Locke took a deep breath, and began to climb down the ladder, Celes watching him until the top of his head was no longer in sight.
Locke came out of the dressing room a few minutes later wearing his normal ensemble, and he and Celes exchanged their beautiful outfits for a pouchful of GP that would last them for a while with their trip. Stuffing the GP in his pocket, Locke and Celes left, and stood outside the shop deciding what to do next.
"Hee-hee, I heard some great rumors about this place." Locke said, and put his hands behind his head.
"Like what?" Celes asked.
"Like, that there's this deserted mansion somewhere in town, full of good relics to sell."
"But Locke, if it were deserted, wouldn't somebody have gone in and got it by now?"
"Sure babe, if they were allowed in, that is. But, the place is locked up good, and no one can seem to find a way in."
"Ok Locke, and now, the million dollar question is, how do WE get in?"
"Well...that's the problem." Locke said, and put his hands in his pockets. "We have to figure out a way to get in ourselves..."
"Who has the key?" Celes asked, and put her hands on her hips.
"It was literally burried with the owner of the manor." Locke said. "He was so old and greedy, he didn't want anyone touching his stuff." His eyes glittered. "Just think of what must be in there..."
"Ewww, well, lets not dig up the guy, ok?" Celes said, and gagged. "Why don't we just break in?"
"Break in!?" Locke cried, and shook his head. "We have to do this with class. Also, we can't get caught! That would be bad. All of these old manors had secret passages somehwere in them. We'll just have to find out where this one is and use it."
"Too bad this isn't South Figaro." Celes commented. "I know that city upside down and right-side out."
"Yeah, and I already know I got every single last treasure left in that place, a long time ago." Locke said, and kissed Celes on the cheek. "Including you." Celes blushed, and kissed him back happily.
"Hmm, you're quite the charmer." Celes smiled, and tapped her foot. "So, how should we go about this?"
"Gather information, of course!" Locke decided, and nodded. "Yep, come on, lets go talk to some people here!"
Celes and Locke explored the entire city, going up to people and asking them for any information they might have about the manor. However, they didn't get much back. All they heard were basically things they already knew- the owner was dead, had burried his keys with him because he had no heirs, and that the home seemed impossible to get into. Nobody even mentioned that there might be a secret passage.
After the heavy afternoon sun began to sink into the horizon, Locke and Celes stopped to rest at a bench in front of the town inn.
"Ohh, look at me, I got sunburned all over my face." Celes moaned, and put her hands to her rather pink face.
"Me too." Locke said, and sighed. "Maybe we should turn in for the day."
"Good idea." Celes agreed, and stood up. "Lets just stay at the inn right here."
They went inside, and the innkeeper happily charged them 250 GP for a room. Celes took the key, opened the room, and happily jumped on the one bed inside immediately and burried her face in the cool pillow. Locke dropped their stuff on a table, and closed the door.
"Heh, enjoying yourself?" Locke asked as he sat down in a chair.
"Vweery much so...."Celes mumbled into the pillow.
"Well, don't worry, you can have the bed." Locke said. "But let me use a pillow, ok?"
Celes sat up from the pillow and pushed her hair out of her eyes.
"No, you can have the bed." She said. "I don't mind sleeping on the floor."
"But you really should use it for your back, right?" Locke asked, and smiled. "Hey, how's it doing anyway? Healing alright?"
"Oh, yes..." Celes said quickly, and swung her legs over the side of the bed so that she was sitting upright. "Why don't we get something to eat?"
"I'll go out and see what's open, alright?" Locke asked, and stood up, walking over to Celes. He kissed her on the forehead lightly, and put a hand on her face.
"Hmm, you are burnt pretty bad." He said. "I'll try to see what I can find for your face, too."
"Thanks Locke." Celes smiled. "I'll be waiting for you."
She watched as he left the room, and sighed, flopping back on the bed once the click of the door was heard.
"Oh....he's so sweet..." She murmured as she felt her eyes instinctively closing. she tiredly kicked off her boots and heard them hit the floor as she snuggled into the pillow. With Locke solely on her mind, she fell asleep, drifting into a world of gentle dreams.
"Thank you." Locke said, and left the store with a small sack of Soothing Cream in it, and another sack with fruit. It was pretty much all they could afford for the time being. He walked back to the inn and entered their room, finding Celes on the bed, sleeping. He smiled to himself, put the stuff down, and was about to walk over to Celes, when he heard a strange sound. He blinked, stopped, and listened.
".....That was weird." He muttered. The sound was short, almost a hollow noise. He took another step, and heard it again this time. Locke looked down at his feet, and stomped one down gently.
"Thump..."
"L....Locke...?" Celes moaned, and opened her eyes, sitting up a little on the bed.
"Shush." Locke said, and she quieted down. He took another few steps, and this time, the sound came right back at him.
"Locke, what are you doing?" Celes demanded, and stood up on the small rug on the side of the bed. As she placed her weight on the floor, there was a slight rattle. She squealed, and jumped up. "What was that!?"
"Celes, lift up that rug by your feet." Locke said. Celes bent down, did as she was asked, and gasped as she peeled the rug away, revealing nothing other then a trap door.
"I knew it!" Locke cried, and bent over the door. He lifted it up by the hole in the wood, and saw that below them was a dark hole, with a rotting old wooden ladder inside.
"This must be a passage of some sort." Celes said quizically, and prepared to step into the hole onto the ladder.
"No, stop!" Locke cried as Celes rested a foot on the ladder top. He shook his head as a sudden remembrance of Rachel's scream ran through his mind....when she was falling...falling....
Celes blinked and pulled out her foot.
"The ladder....looks like it may not be stable." Locke said, and suddenly closed the door. "I think that we should check it out later tonight, after we've eaten. And, I'll go first, ok?"
"Alright." Celes agreed, and smiled. "So, what did you bring us to eat?"
**********
"So, what do you think it is, exactly?" Celes asked as she slathered on more cream that Locke had bought. They had eaten, and from the look of the moon outside, it seemed to be about midnight. They had decided to wait until everyone was definately asleep in the inn before checking out the trap door.
"I dunno....you know what I hope it is." Locke said, and smiled as he leaned back on the bed, gazing at the ceiling. He realized that he liked this very much....being in a small room with Celes, getting along with her like this...as if they were maybe...
"Me too!" Celes smiled, interrupting his thoughts. She set down the cream, and glanced at herself once more in the mirror before plopping down on the bed beside him. He smiled and turned on his side, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her down by surprise. Celes hit the pillows and laughed softly as Locke leaned over her and kissed the tip of her nose. Celes gazed up at him happily and pushed some hair away that had flopped into his eyes.
"Locke?" Celes asked.
"Yeah?" Locke replied.
"Why did you get so freaked out before, about the ladder?" Celes asked softly, running her hand down his cheek softly. "You...should have seen the look in your eyes. It sort of scared me..."
Locke sighed and nuzzled his cheek against her warm hand.
"It was nothing...." Locke said, and looked into her eyes. "You shouldn't worry about it."
Celes got a calm, serene look in her eyes as she slowly dropped her hand onto her stomach.
"Locke....were you thinking about Rachel?" She asked softly, with a trace of hurt in her voice. Locke shook his head.
"Not the way you think, honestly." He said, and continued to hold himself over her with his strong arms. "I....just had a bad flashback, and I freaked out a little, that's all."
"Locke....I know how close you were with.....her." Celes said, and bit her lower lip in thought.
"Celes....please...you know that feelings of the past could never overpower anything I feel for you now." He said. "I was just worried about you before, and...well....learning from the past..."
Celes sighed and gently kissed him, interrupting him and bringing her hand to his face again.
As she spoke, she reached up and ran her fingers through his hair.
"You don't have to say anymore, I understand." She said. Locke smiled, and returned the kiss, but this time, he slightly parted his lips and ran his tongue over Celes' lips gently. Celes felt her heart skip a beat and her eyes widen. She smiled a little as he lowered himself on her more and continued to kiss her with a subtle longing in his lips. Celes closed her eyes and rested her hands upon Locke's chest as she kissed back, this time parting her own lips more and brushing his tongue with hers. A warm jolt of electricity shot down her spine, and Celes found herself to be enjoying this very much. Everything with Locke was better then she could have ever immagined in her life time.
"Mmmmm....." Celes murmured against his lips as he lightly ran his hands down her sides, causing her to arch her back. He wrapped his arms around her fully now, being completely on top of her delicate body. Locke stopped kissing Celes for a moment to make sure she was ok, and she merely gave him a sweet smile back.
Locke lowered his face again, this time running his lips over Celes' neck. As he did, he brought his hands to the top of her suit and began to toy with it.
No....wait. Celes thought. This might go too far. We can't let this happen, not tonight. I'm...no, I'm not ready...!
"Locke." Celes suddenly said, and suddenly sat up.
"Huh, yes?" Locke asked, and got a worried look on his face.
Celes smiled a little, the best she could manage.
"It's getting late." She said quickly. "We don't want to run out of time for exploring that passage. After all, we can't afford to stay here another night, right? So we may as well take our chances now?"
".....That's right." Locke said, and blushed a little as he climbed off of her. Celes was blushing too, not that you could really tell because of her sunburn. She stood up, and straightened herself out the best she could, Locke doing the same. He then bent down, pulled open the trap door, and prepared to go down.
"I'll meet you at the bottom, alright Celes? If you fall for any reason, I will catch you."
"Yes, alright." Celes agreed quickly, getting nervous from him saying that. With that, Locke took a deep breath, and began to climb down the ladder, Celes watching him until the top of his head was no longer in sight.