Prologue:
Two months after the defeat of Kefka…
Edgar has gone back to reigning Figaro with Sabin dropping in and helping him out, Cyan has been looking among the people of Doma for a relative of the King of Doma. Terra has gone back to raising the kids in Mobliz. Gau lives on the Veldt but regularly drops in on all his friends and also has made it so they had a sure way of meeting him in an emergency. Setzer has been taking loving care of the Falcon while flying it and gambling here and there. Gogo has been drifting around, Mog and Umaro have gone back to live in their caves in Narshe. And Locke...

“She said yes! Yes! Yes!” Locke was bursting with joy, literally bouncing with it. It was the most wonderful thing that had ever happened in his life. Oh she said yes! Locke couldn’t keep back the whoop that came out. He replayed the event in his mind as he energetically went down the street to his temporary home.
He had invited Celes to have lunch with him in the town’s best restaurant that morning when he had made up his mind that he would ask her. For some reason he had been afraid that she would refuse, having guessed what was on his mind. But she had accepted.
They had ordered a small dish of food, and talked a bit. Locke’s courage had started to drain away, but he had been quick to rally it. When should I ask her? He had thought wildly, feeling his pulse quicken slightly with the thought. Celes had chosen that moment to put down her fork and smiled lightly at him. “Alright Locke,” She had said, her eyes had been twinkling a bit with amusement. “Out with it.”
“Out with-with what?” Locke stammered, caught off guard. Celes had laughed lightly before saying. “I can see it, you’re bursting to tell me something.” She had then put her elbows on the table and folded her hands together under her chin. “So out with it. Is it some new treasure you found?”
Locke had frozen for a moment. Now was the time to bring it up, now was the time to tell her. He remembered feeling his face warm up a bit. “Well-well… ah sort of, er, no not really-I mean-”
Celes had looked closely at him puzzlement now was in her eyes. “What is it? I haven’t seen you so flustered!”
Locke had known then that he had to ask her now or he would not have the courage. He had then reached out and grabbed one of Celes’ hands and held it tightly with both of his and looked into her eyes. “Celes…Celes Chere…” He had paused here to take a deep breath before going on.
“Will you marry me?”
Celes’ face had turned serious, and she bowed her head but did not make any move to take her hand from Locke’s. Time had dragged on like hours for Locke. She’s going to say no… Locke remembered thinking fearfully and his heart had started to drop. Oh Celes, say yes!
Finally Celes looked up at him and she smiled her fullest. “I’m glad one of us had the courage to ask,” she said, and then paused. Locke’s grip had tightened slightly with anxiousness.
“Yes. Yes Locke Cole, I will marry you.”
“Yes!” Locke had said furiously, and then kissed her on the hand - something he had never done before. His face was bright with joy when he left.
Back to the present, Locke stopped at his temporary house and started to unlock it. But then a sudden thought struck him and he paused in mid-action.
“I forgot to ask her when!” Locke gasped and went running back down the street for Celes.

* * *

The sky outside was dark and stars were coming out when a figure made its way into town and headed for the town’s inn/bar. There was a feline grace in the stride, but also weariness that suggested the person had been traveling all day on foot. Under a passing lamp in the street one could see the long black hair pulled into a neat and tight braid, then pinned up with a metal barrette. The clothes were well worn with use but the brown stern face of a woman set with dark brown eyes that were ever alert did not show any weariness or strain. Rather it was one with the expression of a tiger, looking for prey.
She entered the bar that was still open and contained what was probably its nightly crowd. She spotted an empty table that was close enough to the crowd for her to catch any gossip but far enough from the door and close enough to the wall so she could see the comings and goings.
The woman sat down and, seeing the bartender look at her with upraised eyebrows, shook her head. The man nodded and went back to cleaning up the counter and filling empty cups for other people. The woman let her gaze wonder around the bar as she thought to herself.
Well, here you are again, Shalla, she told herself, out of a job and on your last set of clothes and with few coins to spare. She noticed a man with broad shoulders glance at her with a keen look, taking her in without missing much. Now where is all that Esperral raising coming in handy? She wondered suddenly to herself.
Shalla knew she shouldn’t wonder like that, and immediately felt ashamed. She was an Esperral Warrior and voicing some doubt in one’s thoughts was un-Esperral like. And she should know better from her childhood experience that wondering like that would bring punishment. She had been taught that there was no other way than the Esperral Warrior way, and that the Esperral Warrior way was the highest position one could achieve. But she still couldn’t help wondering once in a while, not after she met Tarrah…
Oh be quiet! she hissed at herself. You're just wishing for something you could never be, you can never be anything else but an Esperral Warrior. You tried once and failed.
The man that had been watching her stood and made his way towards her with a confident stride. Shalla didn’t tense a muscle, she was confident that she could defend herself if the man made any trouble, so she just watched and studied him in the time it took for him to get to her.
His hair was well combed and was of fire red in color. His face, tanned from being under the sun, was long, his cheekbones high, his chin pointed and his nose short. Looking at his shoulders Shalla knew he was strong, and the hands in the elbow length gloves were large. She could see he was a well off man, that much she could tell by the clothes he wore.
He came and sat down at her table and Shalla saw that his eyes looked even keener than they had at a distance. She was amazed at the deep color of blue, feeling that she could get lost in them if she allowed herself. But of course she wouldn’t, she was an Esperral Warrior.
“Buy you a drink?” The man asked, his fluid speech was of a man use to talking to a crowd. Underneath the words Shalla thought she detected a small accent of some sort, but she needed him to talk more. She knew the man wasn’t interested in buying her a drink, he was just initiating the conversation.
“No, but you can talk and tell me what you came for,” was Shalla’s reply.
“Ah.” The man nodded to himself, “You knew right away I wasn’t here for small talk. Good. I noticed the knife you are carrying. Esper-Shawl smithwork, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” Shalla said, surprised, one hand unconsciously going to her knife and fingering the hilt. Not many people knew that Esperrals made her long knife. “I’m glad someone recognizes its make.”
The man made a sound that might have been a chuckle. “Fine weapons the Esperrals make, and warriors.” Shalla felt a swell of pride and made her back even straighter. How much the whole village of Esper-Shawl wished to be recognized like that, oh how they would love for a chance to show the world what Esperral Warriors were.
The man continued. “You for hire? If you are, I could use you for bodyguard duty and other small jobs. Regular pay of ten gold coins per day for bodyguard duty and extra for any other jobs you complete for me. Well?”
There, she had been right, he did have an accent, one that she hadn’t heard in a long time and caused a small ache inside. Stop, she quickly told herself when she felt it, I don’t need that, that life is long gone and I am an Esperral Warrior being offered a job that is in my highest advantage. And ten gold coins was a lot.
“Twenty gold coins and I’m yours,” She replied smoothly, the higher the money the greater advantage for hiring ones self to anyone.
“Fifteen,” the man replied without batting an eyelash. “That’s as much as I’ll go for now.” He paused for a moment. “I might consider raising it later in the future to…” He trailed off and looked at Shalla.
Shalla thought for a moment. Fifteen gold coins per day sounded like a nice brake from what she had now and the promise of more was too tempting. “Done,” she told him with a nod of her head, not bothering to think of what sort of man he was or what other jobs he would have her do. Money was money, and that was all she was after, that was what the Esperrals trained for. And for her the Esperral way was the only way.
“Good!” The man got up. “Then if you will follow me, I’d like to go where we can discuss things more securely and then I’ll get you a room. Tomorrow I will be traveling by boat to South Figaro.”
Shalla got up and followed him out the door. See, she told herself happily, if I wasn’t an Esperral Warrior I wouldn’t be getting fifteen gold coins per day with more in the future and a man that recognizes my abilities. I should have known better than to doubt that.
But deep down she felt uneasy about selling one’s loyalty to the highest bidder. Can my loyalty and pride be bought so easy? But there is no other way to make enough money to pay the EsperShawl leaders and still make enough for a living.
Or can there be another way?

One month later…
“And now you shall be man and wife.” The man performing the ceremony nodded to Locke and he hugged Celes and gave her a full kiss, which Celes returned. Then they turned around and walked back down the flower petal stewed carpet lane of Figaro Castle’s throne room to the doors. Celes looked over the heads of people and spotted Gandpa Cid, his eyes brimming with tears of happiness.
Celes remembered telling him her wish to marry Locke and asking his permission as well as to lead her up the aisle, being her adopted grandpa. He had hugged her and given her his permission.
“You are marrying a good man, Celes,” He had said. “He will be a good one for you. Of course I will lead you to the groom, I will be more than happy to for a man like Locke.”
The two newly weds exited the big room which signaled that everyone else could exit, which they did with much rustling of fine gowns and coats. The two waited near the door for their friends. They didn’t have to wait long. Terra was in the lead; bounding towards Celes and giving her a crushing hug.
“I’m so happy for you!” she exclaimed, twirling them both around in a circle by the hands before she pulled away. The men came up and surrounded Locke, who had an uh-oh expression slowly coming onto his face. Celes saw from the corner of her eye a grinning Sabin came up from behind him and give him a slap on the back that unbalanced Locke for a moment before he turned and glared at Sabin. That was all she was able to see with a clear view before he was hid by the flow of exiting people.
Celes turned and smiled at Terra. “You know, when I first met up with him I would have never dreamed this could happen. I know for a fact that if he had made the suggestion back then, why I would have slapped him!” She gave Terra hug back. “But then so much happened with us that it became impossible to think of nothing else.”
Relm wiggled out from the group of men and came to join the two of them. “Celes,” she asked quietly, seeming shy, “when will you have a baby?” Celes laughed lightly and smiled down at her. “As soon as I can Relm, that’s one important job that wives have to do.” Relm perked up, encouraged to announce boldly, “I want it to be a girl, then I can help you take care of it.” She paused. “You will let me help you, won't you Celes?"
Celes laughed again. “Of course I will, miss artist! You will help me take care of all my babies if you wish.”
Relm’s face lit up. “Yippee!” she said. “I’m going to tell granddad.” With that she went skipping off, her skirt swishing around her, swerving with all the grace of a thirteen year old around Cid who approached the two ladies.
“Celes,” he said joyfully, hugging her. “I’m so happy you could find a man like Locke to take care of you.” He turned to Terra, who had respectfully back up to make room for Cid. “And I’m happy she has a friend like you, Terra,” He told her, shaking her hand. “She will need someone to watch her.”
Soon the crowd walked down to the banquet dinner that Edgar had set up for after the wedding and started eating. After that there was music and dancing and more eating. During a break after a dance Celes glanced over at Terra who had just finished dancing with a captain of a Figaroian army to see Edgar walk up to her. At first they just talked and Terra seemed a bit cautious, but then her expression lit up and she nodded her head and the two started to dance to the next song.
The dancing went on for an hour or more, but Celes didn’t mind. She was always in Locke’s arms…well, most of the time. Edgar of course had to have at least a dance or three with her and had gotten it, despite Locke’s jestful threats that Edgar would have to duel him for permission to dance with her. She even spotted Shadow - barely, hidden as he was in the darkest corner - just watching the couples dance on. It was a wonderful evening, and Celes had never felt so happy in her life.
Finally, the party broke up and the guests left and went either to their permanent homes or temporary quarters. All, that is, but Celes and her friends, though Shadow had expectedly vanished, with no one seeing him go or when or where he went. Celes and her friends were used to it and when he wasn’t where he had been a second ago they would shrug their shoulders and comment he’d be back sometime later. He always had.
Terra came up to them before they could go anywhere and grabbed their hands and led them down a hallway where the others (the others being the Coles' friends) had disappeared, ignoring their flood of questions of where she was taking them, though they made no resistance. There she let their hands go long enough to open up a door in front and then took hold of them and led them in.
The room was smaller than the banquet room, and not decorated as much. There was a long table in the center, with enough chairs around it to fit all of the friends, including Shadow if he had wanted to be there. The rest of the group was standing in a group, waiting for Terra to seat Celes and Locke.
“What’s going on?” Locke asked after he had been seated, looking suspiciously from person to person. “Don’t you know?” Edgar said as he stepped up to the table, his cape draped so that it covered the front of his body on the left side, hiding his arm that he had tucked under there. Celes could tell that he was holding something under the cover of the cape with that hand.
“I only know that I and my newlywed wife were hauled off by a mute person and placed in seats where we are surrounded by devious characters.” Locke growled in mock anger. Everyone’s face lit up at that, and Cyan said quietly with his Domaian accent. “Devious characters indeed! Thou art the thief in this group.” Bursts of laugher came from Locke, and after a moment he himself joined in.
We’re so close together, Locke and I, and our friends, Celes thought to herself, looking over the faces, What would have become of me if I had not met them? Or if I hadn’t met Locke or if he died in a battle? Celes halted that line of thought as Edgar started to speak again. “Why, don’t know you know that newlyweds are always given gifts after their marriage?” And in so saying, he swept his cape back to reveal his left arm, holding a small package. This he handed with a smile to Celes.
That seemed to be the signal that everyone was waiting for. All of them pulled out packages of different sizes from invisible pockets or hiding places under table or chair and crowded to the table, grins and smiles on their faces. Even Gau had something wrapped up.
After a few encouragements from them, Celes opened up Edgar’s gift. It was a small box that was as long as from her fingertips to her wrist and as wide as her hand, so she knew it wasn’t something too large. She took off the wrapping and opened the white ivory colored box. “Oh, Edgar they're beautiful!” she exclaimed.
Inside was a pair of earrings in the middle of two bracelets, which in turn were encircled by a necklace. The bracelets were ivory with engraved golden flowers and white silver snowflakes carved into them with a very skilled hand. The earrings were made of two silver pieces and one gold piece, which were twisted around each other to make a hoop. The necklace was of white silver made in small chainlike shapes holding in them a golden bird in flight. The bird was highly detailed and its eyes were fitted with deep sapphire blue stones, making the bird almost seem intelligent. Celes picked up and put the bracelets on. They fit.
The rest of the presents came in a flood, some to Celes only, some to Locke, and some to both of them. Relm had made a picture of Celes and Locke dancing. There were other people in the picture, but Relm had skillfully made them a blur in the background, with the two being the centerpiece. Gau had awkwardly given his present to her, which turned out to be a lovely cloak made out of one animal hide with the fur, which was like the color of desert sand, on the inside. When Celes exclaimed that she didn’t know he could make clothes like it he had simply said, “Gau get skin, Terra help Gau make cloak.” Then he had scampered off, his face red.
Soon all the presents were given and the group talked into the night and news was passed around. It was found that Cyan’s search for a royal relative to the king was coming along with positive results and the repairing of Doma Castle was going smoothly.
“We have decided not to make an effort to cover the scars that it has, we feel that we should keep a few to remind us of those days.” The Figaroian realm was also working smoothly as could be, though Edgar was having some political clashes over a man who called himself Kevlar over South Figaro. It was clear enough from Edgar’s tone of voice that he had a great dislike for the man.
“He’s a nuisance, but he’s too determined to get a hand in my realm that I can’t take my mind off of him.” He sighed. “If I wasn’t a king with a reputation to keep, I’d go down there and start a fight with him if it would give me a week of peace. Just last week I had another run-in with him and he brought up the fact that there were more bandits running around my realm than in Gestahl’s Empire. He’s making money somehow, because now he has a bodyguard with him to keep him safe.”
Finally Strago noticed that Terra and Relm had fallen asleep and that made them all feel tired and sleepy. Yawning, they bid each other goodnight and headed to their rooms after taking care of Relm and Terra.
As Celes laid in bed, she felt so happy that if it were possible she would fly like the bird on her necklace, so free and wild. Snuggling under the blankets, she went to sleep dreaming peacefully.

* * *
He finished the letter he had composed and went over it again, carefully to make sure he didn’t word anything wrong. All the information he had gathered about the Esperral Warriors from Shalla and from personal experience would make this work. He’d then have his own private small but deadly army that no one would know about because hardly anyone knew about Esper-Shawl or the cold blooded warriors for hire that it turned out. He wouldn’t tell Shalla about it right now, he’d let her leaders tell her about it in their own time; she’d like that better and be more willing to stay with him.
He nodded in satisfaction to himself when he finished the letter. This should convince them that he was their only hope in getting that long sought after honor and recognition that they wanted. It would rub on that hurt pride that they obtained somewhere in previous years and passed down and would convince them that now was a time to act and that he was their man.
Carefully he folded the letter up, sealed it and slipped it into a pouch. Getting up from his writing desk he slipped on his ever-present gloves and headed for the door. Opening it, he hunted down a messenger and sent his letter off.
Seeing the messenger off he felt satisfied. He’d soon get the position he wanted, soon he’d show that young king that thought he knew everything. But getting at the young king was only on the pleasure side, something he could afford to do while obtaining his real goal.
Tilting his head back he looked at the starts and laughed softly and lightly. What would the leaders in his land think now? They would probably panic and try to send him somewhere else. The fools, to think they could stop him from reaching out to his dream by banishing him into a foreign country were they hoped he would die.
Well, he hadn’t died. In fact, he had adapted better than the others, so much that he was no longer thought of as a stranger but as one born in this land. Soon he would get the power he needed to return to his land, and when he did, he would have his revenge. He’d show them what it meant to banish a SilverThread in the middle of his action.
Back