Terra and Locke - Fragment
Title: Fragment
Theme + Number: 12. Choices
Claim: Terra and Locke (challenge)
Characters/Pairings included: Katarin, the kids, mentions Duane, Edgar, and Celes
Rating: E
Warnings: None
Summary: Terra remembers something, and Locke's determined to celebrate that memory.
Note: Is anything still hanging around here? Anyone?
Terra was out on the front porch helping Ruby with her embroidery while Alice played with paper dolls at their feet. It was summer, and most of the kids were out swimming with some other children from the neighborhood. At breakfast, Ruby had tossed her head and declared herself too old for swimming, but mostly, Terra figured she stayed behind because Ben Albert from up the street had promised to bring Charlotte over to play with little Alice. He hadn't made an appearance yet, but it was still early in the afternoon.
When the gate opened, and Ruby jerked her head up, Terra had to laugh at the scowl that crossed over her face when Alice screamed, "Mommy!" and scrambled off the porch. No Ben yet. Ruby in turn scowled at Terra, and then turned with a sniff back to her embroidery. Shaking her head at her oldest daughter's recently acquired attitude, Terra watched Katarin pop Alice up on her hip and walk to the porch.
"She getting way too big for this," Katarin said, grunting as she made it to the porch with her daughter.
"She's not that-" Terra cut off as Katarin shoved a piece of paper in her face.
"You," she said, "are going on a date."
Terra blinked, and then snatched the piece of paper out of her hand. "You opened my mail?"
"Yes I did, and it's a good thing too, because if I hadn't, you'd talk yourself out of it."
Terra scrunched up her face in Katarin's direction, and turned to Alice, tugging on Katarin's skirts and trying to get picked up again. "Don't turn out as nosy as your mother," she said, and then unfolded the letter. Ruby stuck her chin on Terra's shoulder to see as well, and Terra tapped her on the nose in response. "The same goes for you, young lady." Ruby scoffed and Terra turned her focus to the letter.
"He's got to be kidding."
"You're going," Katarin said, crossing her arms.
"Oh no, I'm not. I'm not leaving you and Duane and the kids for that long."
"The Opera House?" Ruby breathed, jaw dropping. "And staying in Jidoor? Mama, you have to go!"
"You took care of the whole brood last year after Duane and I lost Peter. We can hold down the fort-Alice, stop pulling on me; I'm not picking you up. No, I don't want to hear your whining. Anyway, we'll handle things just fine. It's only a week."
"But," Terra scanned the letter again. "I don't even like the opera. I told him that."
"But that's the whole point. He's not taking you to see an opera. He just said he's taking you to see something at the Opera House. There's a huge difference."
"That's not even... This makes no sense."
Katarin moved over, and plopped down on the wooden swing next to Terra. "I was there for that entire conversation, Terra. He was so excited about you remembering something, even something as small as knowing you don't like opera, but that you went to something else at the Opera House once and loved it. He was excited enough to do this for you. I think you should go."
Terra was at a loss for words, reading the words on the page over and over. "But... "
"Mama, go!" Ruby exclaimed. "We'll fix up your blue silk dress and you'll look so pretty!"
"But there's too much going on for me to leave."
"Ruby can help me out with the younger ones, and Will's old enough to help Duane. We'll be just fine. You should go."
Terra looked down at the letter once more, looking for salvation, shocked to see her hand shaking slightly. She was nervous. Incredibly nervous. "But," she said, voice quavering slightly. "It's not really a date is it?"
Three weeks later, Terra walked down the staircase of her hotel, dressed in a floor length evening gown that left her shoulders bare. She'd pinned her hair up and tucked a sapphire comb into her curls.
Locke was waiting at the foot of the stairs, formally dressed in a coat and vest, much to her surprise. He read her face and grinned at her. "Surprised?'
"You clean up well. I'm impressed."
"I could say the same for you." He offered her his arm, and she curled her hand around it as they exited the hotel. "You look lovely."
Terra felt her cheeks warm and glanced away. Luckily, steering her through the crowds until they reached the port a couple streets from the hotel distracted Locke. He helped her up the ramp onto the small airship, and then stepped away from her to talk to one of the crew. A few minutes later, he returned to her side and led her to one of the bars on board to offer her a drink.
Terra held up the flute of champagne, raised an eyebrow, and sent a look at Locke. "Ok, what is this all about?"
"Hmm?"
"This. You whisk me away from my kids-and by the way, I can't believe I'm saying this, but thank you. I didn't even realize how much I needed a vacation. But anyway, suddenly I'm in Jidoor away from my kids, all dressed up to go to the Opera House. By airship no less. And with champagne. Don't you hate champagne?"
"Where did you get the idea I hate champagne?"
"When you told Edgar at the victory feast that champagne was for sissies, and insisted he toast over gin."
"That was for Edgar's sake." Locke's hand shot out to grab her arm and steady her as the airship lurched, signaling their departure. "He was in full royal form, acting all pompous, and it was just all of us, so I needed to knock him off his game. But I have no problems with champagne."
Terra nodded, but her hand crept up to fiddle with the string of pearls around her neck. "Ok, so the champagne doesn't count, but the rest of this. You're in a suit. I'm in a dress. We're going to the opera."
"No, not the opera." The airship had steadied, but rather than just let go of her, Locke slid his hand to her back, drawing her in like he was about to reveal a secret. "We're going to something much better."
"What exactly? How do you know that I'm going to like it?"
The excited grin snuck onto his face, turning him into a mischievous little boy. "You're going to love it. I promise."
Terra stomach jumped at the sight of that grin, and also at Locke's proximity. She covered it by rolling her eyes and blowing a stray curl out of her eyes. "We'll see."
"Oh, we will."
The Opera House was different from how Terra remembered it. Everything had been reconstructed and restored in the years since Kefka's defeat. The cheap fabrics and paint from after the Fall were replaced by splendor. Once again linked to Locke's arm, Terra drew closer to him as she noticed the glances her way. She self-consciously touched her hair, knowing what people were seeing and possibly recognizing. "Stop that," Locke scolded softly when he saw her fussing.
"But they're looking at me."
"Good for them. You don't need to hide. Anyone who recognizes you will count themselves lucky."
Terra ducked her head. Locke reached out and gently lifted her chin. "Stop that, Terra."
Terra glanced up and him, and he frowned down at her. "You're beautiful. Now come on. Let's go sit down."
He led her up the stairs to the mezzanine, accepting a program from an usher, and holding it out of Terra's reach. "Uh uh," he said. "No ruining the surprise."
"Not fair!"
Locke refused to give in, and they were seated in prime seats in the center of the mezzanine. While the orchestra warmed up below, Terra tried to steal the program, but Locke continued to keep it just out of her reach. Aware that they were annoying the other patrons, Terra drew back, crossed her arms, and glared at him out of the corner of her eye. "It'll be worth it," was his only reply.
When the lights dimmed, Terra leaned forward slightly in her seat to get a better view. The orchestra played its overture, and the curtain opened to a sight that both astounded and perplexed her.
There were women on stage, all dressed in bright costumes, dancing around a baby. And, much to Terra's confusion, that's all they were doing. There was no singing or lengthy exchanges, just dance. As her shock wore off, and she watched the inhuman things happening on stage-they were moving around on the very tips of their toes-her shock turned to amazement.
The music was beautiful, and seeing these girls dance to it... It stirred something within her. Her feet started twitching, and she wanted to just jump on her feet and let out her sudden energy. Without even thinking, she reached out and grabbed Locke's hand as she watched, mesmerized.
The dancing continued, with an evil fairy casting a spell on the baby. The baby grew to be a flirtatious young woman (Terra couldn't help but think of Ruby) who teased her suitors, until, drawn to a spindle, she pricked her finger and collapsed.
The audience applauded as the curtain lowered. The people around the couple stood to stretch and move about, but Terra couldn't move. She turned to Locke. "What?"
He offered her the program. "It's called a ballet."
Terra eagerly snatched it out of his hand, and opened the small booklet. As she scanned the dancer's names and the libretto, Locke chuckled. "See, I told you. You loved it."
Terra tore her eyes away. "But how?"
Locke shrugged, but Terra noticed the twinkle in his eye. "Talk."
"There's nothing to say."
"No, there's some sort of backstory here."
Locke scratched his head and sighed. "Well, I was going to save this for the end, but now's as good a time as any." He reached inside his vest and pulled out a program, similar to the one in Terra's hand, but much more worn.
Terra took it carefully, and looked it over. It was for the same ballet. She looked up and him and raised her eyebrows.
"Look at the Aurora casting in each."
Terra carefully opened the old program and compared it to her own. The same name was listed next to Aurora in each program. "What?" she asked.
"When you had that memory, of not liking opera when it came to the Empire, but liking something you got to see at the Opera House, I got curious. I wanted to figure out what it was. So I asked Celes."
Terra jerked her head towards him. "And she answered?"
Locke spread his hands in surrender. "Hey, hey, I know she and I didn't part on the best terms, but when it comes to helping our friends, we can still be civil. She wrote back and told me that you went to see a ballet. You used to take lessons as well."
Terra sat back. "I... I did that? That stuff of stage?"
"Yes, you did. Up until you were about fourteen or fifteen when things changed in the Empire. Celes said they let you come here on your thirteenth birthday, so I chatted up the Impresario and managed to find the program. The night you came to see it was the night the young lady performing Aurora premiered as a prima ballerina. She's much older now, but she survived the Fall and she's still performing."
Terra looked back at the names. "That's unbelievable."
"And it was this same ballet, with her in this same role. So even though you don't remember it, I wanted to give you something back. A new memory, to replace the lost one."
"I..." Terra closed the programs. Her eyes prickled, just enough to tickle but not to cry as she thought for a moment of all that was lost. But this... And it was true. She knew from her reaction, the sudden love and amazement for what she was seeing on stage, that it was true. She'd been here before. She'd done this before.
She turned to Locke. "Thank you."
He smiled, and reached out to take her hand. "You're welcome," he said.
The lights began to dim, but as they did, he drew her hand in and kissed her knuckles. He didn't say anything, but there was a soft light in his eyes that drew an equally soft smile from Terra.
He held her hand the rest of the night.
Theme + Number: 12. Choices
Claim: Terra and Locke (challenge)
Characters/Pairings included: Katarin, the kids, mentions Duane, Edgar, and Celes
Rating: E
Warnings: None
Summary: Terra remembers something, and Locke's determined to celebrate that memory.
Note: Is anything still hanging around here? Anyone?
Terra was out on the front porch helping Ruby with her embroidery while Alice played with paper dolls at their feet. It was summer, and most of the kids were out swimming with some other children from the neighborhood. At breakfast, Ruby had tossed her head and declared herself too old for swimming, but mostly, Terra figured she stayed behind because Ben Albert from up the street had promised to bring Charlotte over to play with little Alice. He hadn't made an appearance yet, but it was still early in the afternoon.
When the gate opened, and Ruby jerked her head up, Terra had to laugh at the scowl that crossed over her face when Alice screamed, "Mommy!" and scrambled off the porch. No Ben yet. Ruby in turn scowled at Terra, and then turned with a sniff back to her embroidery. Shaking her head at her oldest daughter's recently acquired attitude, Terra watched Katarin pop Alice up on her hip and walk to the porch.
"She getting way too big for this," Katarin said, grunting as she made it to the porch with her daughter.
"She's not that-" Terra cut off as Katarin shoved a piece of paper in her face.
"You," she said, "are going on a date."
Terra blinked, and then snatched the piece of paper out of her hand. "You opened my mail?"
"Yes I did, and it's a good thing too, because if I hadn't, you'd talk yourself out of it."
Terra scrunched up her face in Katarin's direction, and turned to Alice, tugging on Katarin's skirts and trying to get picked up again. "Don't turn out as nosy as your mother," she said, and then unfolded the letter. Ruby stuck her chin on Terra's shoulder to see as well, and Terra tapped her on the nose in response. "The same goes for you, young lady." Ruby scoffed and Terra turned her focus to the letter.
"He's got to be kidding."
"You're going," Katarin said, crossing her arms.
"Oh no, I'm not. I'm not leaving you and Duane and the kids for that long."
"The Opera House?" Ruby breathed, jaw dropping. "And staying in Jidoor? Mama, you have to go!"
"You took care of the whole brood last year after Duane and I lost Peter. We can hold down the fort-Alice, stop pulling on me; I'm not picking you up. No, I don't want to hear your whining. Anyway, we'll handle things just fine. It's only a week."
"But," Terra scanned the letter again. "I don't even like the opera. I told him that."
"But that's the whole point. He's not taking you to see an opera. He just said he's taking you to see something at the Opera House. There's a huge difference."
"That's not even... This makes no sense."
Katarin moved over, and plopped down on the wooden swing next to Terra. "I was there for that entire conversation, Terra. He was so excited about you remembering something, even something as small as knowing you don't like opera, but that you went to something else at the Opera House once and loved it. He was excited enough to do this for you. I think you should go."
Terra was at a loss for words, reading the words on the page over and over. "But... "
"Mama, go!" Ruby exclaimed. "We'll fix up your blue silk dress and you'll look so pretty!"
"But there's too much going on for me to leave."
"Ruby can help me out with the younger ones, and Will's old enough to help Duane. We'll be just fine. You should go."
Terra looked down at the letter once more, looking for salvation, shocked to see her hand shaking slightly. She was nervous. Incredibly nervous. "But," she said, voice quavering slightly. "It's not really a date is it?"
Three weeks later, Terra walked down the staircase of her hotel, dressed in a floor length evening gown that left her shoulders bare. She'd pinned her hair up and tucked a sapphire comb into her curls.
Locke was waiting at the foot of the stairs, formally dressed in a coat and vest, much to her surprise. He read her face and grinned at her. "Surprised?'
"You clean up well. I'm impressed."
"I could say the same for you." He offered her his arm, and she curled her hand around it as they exited the hotel. "You look lovely."
Terra felt her cheeks warm and glanced away. Luckily, steering her through the crowds until they reached the port a couple streets from the hotel distracted Locke. He helped her up the ramp onto the small airship, and then stepped away from her to talk to one of the crew. A few minutes later, he returned to her side and led her to one of the bars on board to offer her a drink.
Terra held up the flute of champagne, raised an eyebrow, and sent a look at Locke. "Ok, what is this all about?"
"Hmm?"
"This. You whisk me away from my kids-and by the way, I can't believe I'm saying this, but thank you. I didn't even realize how much I needed a vacation. But anyway, suddenly I'm in Jidoor away from my kids, all dressed up to go to the Opera House. By airship no less. And with champagne. Don't you hate champagne?"
"Where did you get the idea I hate champagne?"
"When you told Edgar at the victory feast that champagne was for sissies, and insisted he toast over gin."
"That was for Edgar's sake." Locke's hand shot out to grab her arm and steady her as the airship lurched, signaling their departure. "He was in full royal form, acting all pompous, and it was just all of us, so I needed to knock him off his game. But I have no problems with champagne."
Terra nodded, but her hand crept up to fiddle with the string of pearls around her neck. "Ok, so the champagne doesn't count, but the rest of this. You're in a suit. I'm in a dress. We're going to the opera."
"No, not the opera." The airship had steadied, but rather than just let go of her, Locke slid his hand to her back, drawing her in like he was about to reveal a secret. "We're going to something much better."
"What exactly? How do you know that I'm going to like it?"
The excited grin snuck onto his face, turning him into a mischievous little boy. "You're going to love it. I promise."
Terra stomach jumped at the sight of that grin, and also at Locke's proximity. She covered it by rolling her eyes and blowing a stray curl out of her eyes. "We'll see."
"Oh, we will."
The Opera House was different from how Terra remembered it. Everything had been reconstructed and restored in the years since Kefka's defeat. The cheap fabrics and paint from after the Fall were replaced by splendor. Once again linked to Locke's arm, Terra drew closer to him as she noticed the glances her way. She self-consciously touched her hair, knowing what people were seeing and possibly recognizing. "Stop that," Locke scolded softly when he saw her fussing.
"But they're looking at me."
"Good for them. You don't need to hide. Anyone who recognizes you will count themselves lucky."
Terra ducked her head. Locke reached out and gently lifted her chin. "Stop that, Terra."
Terra glanced up and him, and he frowned down at her. "You're beautiful. Now come on. Let's go sit down."
He led her up the stairs to the mezzanine, accepting a program from an usher, and holding it out of Terra's reach. "Uh uh," he said. "No ruining the surprise."
"Not fair!"
Locke refused to give in, and they were seated in prime seats in the center of the mezzanine. While the orchestra warmed up below, Terra tried to steal the program, but Locke continued to keep it just out of her reach. Aware that they were annoying the other patrons, Terra drew back, crossed her arms, and glared at him out of the corner of her eye. "It'll be worth it," was his only reply.
When the lights dimmed, Terra leaned forward slightly in her seat to get a better view. The orchestra played its overture, and the curtain opened to a sight that both astounded and perplexed her.
There were women on stage, all dressed in bright costumes, dancing around a baby. And, much to Terra's confusion, that's all they were doing. There was no singing or lengthy exchanges, just dance. As her shock wore off, and she watched the inhuman things happening on stage-they were moving around on the very tips of their toes-her shock turned to amazement.
The music was beautiful, and seeing these girls dance to it... It stirred something within her. Her feet started twitching, and she wanted to just jump on her feet and let out her sudden energy. Without even thinking, she reached out and grabbed Locke's hand as she watched, mesmerized.
The dancing continued, with an evil fairy casting a spell on the baby. The baby grew to be a flirtatious young woman (Terra couldn't help but think of Ruby) who teased her suitors, until, drawn to a spindle, she pricked her finger and collapsed.
The audience applauded as the curtain lowered. The people around the couple stood to stretch and move about, but Terra couldn't move. She turned to Locke. "What?"
He offered her the program. "It's called a ballet."
Terra eagerly snatched it out of his hand, and opened the small booklet. As she scanned the dancer's names and the libretto, Locke chuckled. "See, I told you. You loved it."
Terra tore her eyes away. "But how?"
Locke shrugged, but Terra noticed the twinkle in his eye. "Talk."
"There's nothing to say."
"No, there's some sort of backstory here."
Locke scratched his head and sighed. "Well, I was going to save this for the end, but now's as good a time as any." He reached inside his vest and pulled out a program, similar to the one in Terra's hand, but much more worn.
Terra took it carefully, and looked it over. It was for the same ballet. She looked up and him and raised her eyebrows.
"Look at the Aurora casting in each."
Terra carefully opened the old program and compared it to her own. The same name was listed next to Aurora in each program. "What?" she asked.
"When you had that memory, of not liking opera when it came to the Empire, but liking something you got to see at the Opera House, I got curious. I wanted to figure out what it was. So I asked Celes."
Terra jerked her head towards him. "And she answered?"
Locke spread his hands in surrender. "Hey, hey, I know she and I didn't part on the best terms, but when it comes to helping our friends, we can still be civil. She wrote back and told me that you went to see a ballet. You used to take lessons as well."
Terra sat back. "I... I did that? That stuff of stage?"
"Yes, you did. Up until you were about fourteen or fifteen when things changed in the Empire. Celes said they let you come here on your thirteenth birthday, so I chatted up the Impresario and managed to find the program. The night you came to see it was the night the young lady performing Aurora premiered as a prima ballerina. She's much older now, but she survived the Fall and she's still performing."
Terra looked back at the names. "That's unbelievable."
"And it was this same ballet, with her in this same role. So even though you don't remember it, I wanted to give you something back. A new memory, to replace the lost one."
"I..." Terra closed the programs. Her eyes prickled, just enough to tickle but not to cry as she thought for a moment of all that was lost. But this... And it was true. She knew from her reaction, the sudden love and amazement for what she was seeing on stage, that it was true. She'd been here before. She'd done this before.
She turned to Locke. "Thank you."
He smiled, and reached out to take her hand. "You're welcome," he said.
The lights began to dim, but as they did, he drew her hand in and kissed her knuckles. He didn't say anything, but there was a soft light in his eyes that drew an equally soft smile from Terra.
He held her hand the rest of the night.