The Seeds of Treason

III

Time seemed measureless over the course of that journey between Albrook and South Figaro, but eventually the vessel pulled up to the port and much hustle and bustle could be heard reverberating from the upper deck. I was awake and ready, peering between the planks to try and see what was going on.

It was to no avail, but I could listen. I heard several Imperial soldiers rushing off the boat, no doubt hurrying to guard the entrances. Many more soldiers followed them, spreading themselves around the town to their pre-assigned posts. I heard Lloyd's declaration of occupation – the same speech I'd made once to the people of Maranda.

Then the hatch opened. Far too late, I scurried backwards into the darkness, my hand on the hilt of my sword. Then I realized who it was.

Captain Sammy was grinning down at me. "Had you frightened there for a moment, miss?"

My heart pounding, I shot him a momentary scowl. Then I smiled grimly. "We made it."

"Shh!" he said, putting a finger to his lips. "None of them are paying attention to me right now, but getting you off the ship is going to be a trick. There are guards at the end of the dock and soldiers are swarming everywhere now."

I tentatively poked my head out of the crevice, realizing how very stiff I was from being holed up in there for so long. The scene was reminiscent of Maranda, all right. People were scared, confused… nobody understood what was going on. Soldiers rounded them up without mercy, making it clear to them who the new masters were.

I looked to the captain. "How long was the journey?"

"About a day's worth at sea," he replied. "Perhaps a little more."

Another day's worth, I thought. That would mean my two days were up. I needed to work quickly.

My head still poking from the little hold, I looked around the ship, not seeing any other way to get off. Then I glanced overboard. "Captain," I said, "thank you for harbouring me… it was a very risky thing to do."

He glanced behind him, and then saw where I was looking. Then he grinned. "Not a problem, miss, but you'd best get jumping." He pointed to the west end of the harbour. "There's a canal that runs straight through the city, but the troops would spot you in no time. If I were you, I'd take the tunnel that leads from these open waters to the mill in the centre of town. That's your best bet to get into South Figaro without the Imperials noticing you."

"Thank you."

Then, carefully, I pulled myself out of the hold and crawled across the deck to the edge, with the captain standing between myself and the guards to obstruct their view. Inching over the side and hanging from the bow, I lowered myself as far as I could and then, finally, let myself drop into the water.

It was freezing, but I gritted my teeth and swam as quickly as possible to the harbour wall. I glanced around, ensuring that nobody had seen or heard me, and then made my way to the west, toward the small tunnel the captain had spoken of.

It wasn't difficult to find, and was just about big enough for someone my size to fit through. I flipped some of my hair away from my face, noticing that my disguise had been washed away. That meant I'd have to be very careful once I left the water.

I began to make my way through the little opening. I could still see the afternoon sunlight on the far side, and made my way against the current toward it. The tunnel itself was very slick and grimy, and more than once I found myself being pushed back and unable to stop myself. I eventually made it to the other opening and, carefully checking for Imperial soldiers, swam across to the mill, climbing the little water-buckets to the ledge.

I immediately put up the hood of my cloak and took cover behind a large building on the east side of town. The guards were beginning to patrol the streets. They would surely make it difficult to escape the city. If I did manage, I knew where I'd have to go: around the eastern border of the mountains toward Nikeah. Hopefully I'd be able to catch a ship there that would take me to Doma.

But I couldn't do anything until I figured a way out of South Figaro.

I had to hand it to General Lloyd. Eager to please his superiors on his first major assignment, he'd taken every precaution possible to ensure that the city would be under total control. I saw the ship pull away with a few soldiers on board; gone to collect a few suits of Magitek armour, no doubt. I'd have to be away from South Figaro before that ship returned, or I'd have that Magitek to contend with as well.

I needed somewhere to stay for the moment, though. I glanced around, and my eyes came to rest on the inn, situated just southwest of my current position. It meant passing by several Imperial soldiers to get there, but I'd be better able to come up with a plan if I didn't have to worry about lodgings.

Ducking my head, pulling down on my hood and saying a prayer, I began to walk quickly toward the inn, across the bridge under which I had so recently swam, past an enormous mansion guarded by several soldiers – their occupation headquarters, I guessed – and, rounding the corner, into the relic shop.

It wasn't until I'd gone through the door that I allowed myself to breathe.

I looked around the shop, noting that there was nobody behind the counter. The owner of the shop must have been out on the streets when we arrived, I thought. Safe for the moment, I turned and looked out the window, watching the Imperials come and go, careful to avoid being seen.

Then I took a moment to think about it. The whole process of occupation had taken less than an hour. How could it have been so easy? I remembered Maranda. Even though the townsfolk had put up very little resistance, it took much longer than this to put the city under martial law. There was something different this time. Probably something to do with the informer the troops had been talking about, I thought.

I headed away from the window and up the stairs to the inn. I was surprised to see no guards inside. They hadn't gotten that far yet, I supposed. I crossed to the counter, relieved to see a man standing behind it. He eyed my sopping wet form, and raised his eyebrows. "Rather a strange sight to see, aren't you?"

I ignored the comment and dug out some more coins, placing them on the counter. "I need a room for the night," I said. "I hope you haven't been driven out of business…?"

He sighed sadly. "I never thought I'd see the Imperials here in South Figaro… I'll be happy to give you a room, miss, but you might be needing it for longer than that, if these soldiers have their way."

He gave me the key to the room to his left, and I thanked him, hurrying into the room and locking the door behind me. It was a small room, consisting only of a small table and a double bed, but that suited me fine; I didn't plan on being here for long.

I left my sodden cloak on the table and crossed to the window, opening it a crack on the off-chance I'd hear some more Imperial conversations. With any luck, I'd hear something to get me past the guards at the entrances. It was a long shot, but I needed every angle I had.

As it turned out, it was a good thing I opened that window.

Wiping both sweat and seawater from my forehead, I sat down heavily upon one of the chairs by the table. I was in South Figaro, and now I had to find a way to get out. There were soldiers everywhere, and none of them were about to let anybody slip by.

My first option was to sneak out, but that didn't seem likely to work. I glanced out the window, eyeing the west exit. There were no less than three guards there, which would render a stealthy escape impossible. I could reasonably assume that security on the other end was just as tight.

Which brought me to my other option: fighting my way out. I pondered this idea for several moments, palming the hilt of my sword. I'd been through some tough scrapes before, and this really wouldn't be any different, aside from the obvious fact that none of my previous foes had been Imperially trained war machines. But if I were to try and fight, I'd end up making noise. Too much noise. Enough of a commotion could draw every soldier in South Figaro to my throat, and as good a fighter as I was, I couldn't possibly take them all on at once.

I leaned heavily on my right hand, eyes closed, racking my brain for another option, but there weren't many to choose from. And even if I got out of the city, I realized, it wouldn't be long before the Imperials spotted me, and to have any chance at all of getting away fast enough, I'd need to be riding a…

My eyes snapped open. Now there's an idea, I thought.

But I didn't have much longer to think about it before a flutter of pigeon wings drew me to the window. I glanced out of it in time to see General Lloyd, still at his post near the dock, take a sealed message from the leg of the little bird. I watched with interest as he opened it, perusing its contents. I could feel the blood drain from my face as I saw the look on his. It was a look of disappointment, of confusion… a look that spoke of betrayal.

Someone back at Vector had noticed I'd gone missing.

My fears were confirmed only seconds later. Lloyd pulled out a whistle and blew several sharp blasts, calling every nearby soldier straight to his side. I wanted to tear my eyes away, I wanted to hurry and escape while I still had the chance, but I couldn't… there was a part of me that needed to hear it, needed to be sure.

"Men," Lloyd announced, his voice cracking somewhat, "we have a traitor in our midst. General Celes has abandoned the Empire, and our superiors believe she stowed away on the ship that brought us to South Figaro." There were murmurs from the assembled group, and I could guess what they were thinking. General Celes? Traitor? "We are to find her and detain her before she escapes from this city," Lloyd continued. "I… I want a thorough sweep of South Figaro. Leave no stones unturned." He half-heartedly saluted his men and looked back to the letter in his hands.

It wasn't until then that I managed to get moving.

Frantically, I grabbed my cloak and tossed it about my shoulders, heading as fast as I could out of the room. The door swung open and hit the wall behind it with a violent bang, but this wasn't the time to be thinking of etiquette.

The innkeeper hurried over, stopping me in my tracks. "What's wrong with you, miss? You could have broken that door if you…"

"Look," I interrupted him, "here's your key. I have to go, it's very important that I…"

I was cut off by a pounding on the door beside me, the one that led to the pub. They were already here! I turned toward the stairs, but I could already hear the pounding footsteps ascending them. I was trapped. Acting purely out of instinct, I snatched the key back from the protesting innkeeper and dashed back into the small room, locking the door.

I really was trapped.

I heard the innkeeper trying to make sense of the situation, but the intruding Imperials tossed him aside, banging open all the doors to all the rooms until they finally got as far as mine.

They tried the knob, and then pounded on it several times. "Open this door!" came the cry from the other side.

I looked around in a panic for any way out. But there was nothing.

They pounded again, much harder this time. "We know you're in there!" they yelled. "Open this door in the name of Emperor Gestahl!"

I spun around one last time, and finally my eyes came to rest on the window. I didn't have any other option. I hurried across the room, shoved it the rest of the way open, and prepared for the steep jump just as the soldiers smashed the door open. They saw me and headed straight for me, yelling, "you! Traitor! Stop her!"

Swallowing my fear, I leapt from the window, grabbing a hold of the rooftop across the way. My grip didn't hold out, however, and I cried out as I fell to the street. I landed painfully and rolled some distance away, but I didn't have time for pain. I bared my teeth and got up running, heading to the north end of town.

I could hear the guards in the alley behind me. "Hey, you! Stop!" I heard their footsteps chasing after me, and I ran for my life. I rounded the corner, back across the bridge, and I drew my sword as I went. Barrelling around yet another corner, I ran back down the very same alley and scurried up a set of stairs, not really sure where I was going, fuelled only by my instincts and my fear.

I ran up another set of stairs, my feet carrying me past the item shop, along the top of the wall that bordered the small city. There was another set of stairs coming up on my left, but already more troops were ascending them, coming after me. Startled citizens jumped out of my way as I bolted past them, but I didn't care. All my brain was telling me was to keep on running.

I realized far too late that I was headed straight into a dead end.

I slowed instantly to a halt as I saw the rail that blocked the long drop to the ground below. I could feel my heart racing, saw the soldiers quickly approaching. There was only one thing left to do.

I raised my sword.

The four pursuing soldiers screeched to a halt, each drawing his own blade and eyeing mine warily. I gripped the hilt tightly, ready to let my training take over. We stood like that for a long time. They knew they were facing a battle-hardened general, gifted with magical abilities and with experience that far outmatched their own. I knew that I was outnumbered, four to one.

Fortunately, I made the first move.

Channelling my magical power in less than a second, I let out a fierce cry and threw my fist forward, sending from it a blast of ice that sent the first two sprawling. Before the remaining soldiers had time to react, I was charging toward them, sword at the ready. The first fell quickly, parrying only the first of my brutal slashes. I spun around, swinging my blade around and feeling it strike the metal of my enemy. This one was ready.

I unleashed blow after blow upon the guard, who moved swiftly, ducking, parrying and striking with abilities seldom seen in men of his rank. He slashed forward and I leapt back, kicking over one of the nearby barrels in an effort to knock him off his feet. He dodged the rolling mass and lunged forward with an overhead strike I just barely managed to deflect. The force of the strike sent me sprawling backward, knocking over the two remaining barrels. I lashed out with my right foot, catching the man in the stomach and allowing myself room to leap to my feet and deliver a crushing swing from the side.

He parried, but my attack sent his sword spinning away, embedding itself in the rail with an audible thot. Delivering a final kick to my opponent's unprotected skull, I turned around again, starting back the way I had come, only to find six more soldiers rushing along the wall, all of whom had their swords ready.

I backed several paces away, glancing around once more. There was very little else to do.

The soldiers advanced on me, approaching warily. I lowered my sword, knowing that attempting to fight six of them at once was futile. The lead soldier grinned confidently. "Give it up, traitor," he said to me. "Nowhere else to run!"

I backed up until I was up against the railing. There was a bit of a commotion at the back of the group of guards, and then General Lloyd appeared from between them, his face cold as steel.

We looked each other in the eye for a few moments before he spoke. "General Celes," he said quietly. "Of all the people to defect to the other side… why did it have to be you?"

The fury in his eyes nearly matched mine. "I came to my senses, Andrew," I retorted. "I refuse to serve an almighty tyrant… or a horde of cowards." I nodded at him. "I see you've been promoted. Congratulations, General."

His expression didn't change. "By order of His Excellency Emperor Gestahl, I hereby take you, the traitor Celes Chere, into Imperial custody."

I'd been subtly glancing around myself, and it was at this point I noticed the roof of a building just behind me. I decided to stall for time. "I'm sure you'd like to do that," I said. "I'm sure you'd like to please your superiors. Don't you ever feel annoyed when they don't even notice? Does it ever bother you when your commanding officers can't even remember your name?" I saw some of his troops begin to step forward, and I raised my sword again, menacingly. They stopped advancing.

Lloyd, however, wasn't finished. "You can try and sway me with your traitorous propaganda, but it won't do you any good. I know what we are doing is for the greater good."

I laughed. "You remind me of General Leo when you say things like that. He's a man who's twice as honourable as you ever could be." I paused. "But then again, even he hasn't seen how truly rotten and vile our Empire really is."

He took an angry step forward. "That's enough out of you. I'm taking you into custody."

He took one more step.

And I sighed. "When will people learn?" I said. Then, without another word, I spun around and leapt onto the roof behind me.

"No!" I heard Lloyd say, advancing with the group of soldiers to the railing. I laughed gleefully and leapt to the ground, dashing into the building – the chocobo stables – and jumped onto the large, yellow bird's back. I could hear their approaching footsteps and didn't waste any time. I dug my heels into the chocobo's sides, and with a cry of "yeee-haa!" I shot out of the stable, knocking over the two Imperial grunts that attempted to block my path and shooting out of the city.

I was out!

As I rode the swift bird away from the quickly diminishing South Figaro, I let out a long, passionate cry of joy. I was free! I tangled with my old allies, and won! I felt the wind whipping through my hair, my blonde locks flying in every direction as I crossed the emerald green of the fields, heading straight for the mountains.

It wasn't until we neared the mountain pass that I started taking in my surroundings again, whereupon I once again felt the cold, inescapable dread one feels when one's dreams are shattered.

Advancing toward me from the mountain pass, far too close to allow for any escape, were two huge, clanking suits of Magitek armour.

"Freeze, traitor!" called one of the soldiers, and I coaxed my chocobo to a halt, flabbergasted. I'd gotten so close… I'd made it this far… how could I fail now?

I could do nothing as the Magitek knights approached. My heart felt heavy and I felt a cold, deep fury as I silently dismounted, with no choice but to submit to the two monstrous machines and allow myself to be guided, in silent indignation, back toward South Figaro.

It was over.

---

It was dark. It was damp. There was a perpetual draft that chilled me to the very bones. This was the life of a captive of the Empire. I was once General Celes… and now I was nothing more than a vile defector, a traitor. How had I sunk this low? How had I grasped freedom, and then let it slip between my fingers?

I sat on the floor, holding my legs tightly against me, waiting for the inevitable. I was in South Figaro, in a basement somewhere. I couldn't be sure of where. I knew I was in a place where I'd never be found… and nobody was looking. Two guards stood outside, prepared to kill me if I dared make a move. This was my fate.

One day. One day since my last breath of fresh air, since my taste of freedom. At least, I thought it had been one day. Could it have been longer? I had no way of knowing. I knew I had no chance of saving Doma now. I had failed. All I could be sure of was my name… and my fate.

I heard men talking outside the door, and I looked up. Their words held no meaning to me, though I thought one voice sounded very familiar. I couldn't be sure.

I wasn't sure of anything.

At least, until one of the men opened the door and walked through. It wasn't until then that the tears began to flood my eyes. Standing before me was my old colleague, General Leo Cristophe. Of all things, I'd prayed he wouldn't have to see me like this: held in the traitor's prison, a prison of both the corporeal world and of the mind.

His face had never looked so grim. "Celes…"

I couldn't look up. "You were right. I couldn't do anything. I failed. My death sentence is all I have to show for this." I glared at him. "I'm sure you're satisfied now. I tried my little hero's errand, and this is what I've earned."

He shook his head. "Celes… I'm sorry…"

"Sorry for what?" I said fiercely.

He knelt before me. "Sorry I couldn't protect you. I can't do anything for you now, Celes… but you can rest in peace. Doma is safe."

My anger and self-pity washed away for a moment. "Doma is safe? What are you talking about?"

"When the Emperor learned you'd run off, I was able to convince him you might be a threat to the operation. He put me in charge of the assault on Doma. I'll keep Kefka from poisoning the river. You have my word." He stood again. "I need to leave. I'm due to be at that camp before the end of the day." He paused, watching my hopeless face. "You're a very brave woman, Celes."

I couldn't respond.

He turned silently, and left without another word. The door closed behind him, and I heard the click of a key in the lock. But my heart wasn't quite as joyless as it had been a few minutes earlier. Doma was safe. The innocent didn't have to die. Even if they were under Imperial command, even if that castle was no longer their own… they would be alive.

Quivering, I slowly smiled.

It was that hope that kept me going the rest of the day. It is those moments, the moments wherein you realize what you once found in the meaning of your life, that sustain a weakened mind and a weakened heart in their most frail state. The shining ray of hope, never cast away, but buried deep inside and unleashed in your dire hour of need, revealing once again the very essence of your innermost desires.

I lived through the day in silence. They beat me, they punished me, but it didn't matter. I'd done what I had come to do. Doma was going to be safe. My mission… my rebellion… ended in a victory. My hopes could no longer be extinguished. Nothing they did to me could stand to face the real truth I held inside me: that I had won.

That's the thought that passed through my mind the next morning as the gloved hand struck my face.

The most recent beating, not the first, probably not the last. I stood against the wall, rubbed my cheek tenderly… but my pride was there. They could bruise my face, but my dignity was immortal.

The soldier whose hand had delivered the blow stood back, cracking his knuckles. There was another guard behind him, chuckling as I took my punishment.

The first man stepped forward again. "Well, General? Ready to start talking?"

I laughed bitterly, wiping the blood from my lip. "Even if I knew anything, I wouldn't tell a word to you bastards."

His face darkened, and he reared back and struck again, sending pain coursing straight across my jaw and flecks of blood to the floor. And then again. I stumbled, leaning heavily on the wall for support. The pain would have been torturous… endless… and yet I was almost incapable of feeling anything. Everything was going to end. I walked out of life knowing I'd done what I needed to do.

The other guard took a step forward, a nasty grin on his face. "This is what happens to traitors!" he said. I shot him a look that would have melted stone, and he stepped back just as quickly, as if he'd been burnt.

The first guard saw this, laughing derisively. "So, the mighty Celes has fallen," he said mockingly.

I looked at him in disbelief. I remembered when I was like that, when I used to feel superior. I was a part of the Empire, a part of the greatest kingdom the world had ever seen. I knew the feeling… and now I was disgusted with myself.

I looked at the floor, scowling. "How can you serve those cowards…"

The guard turned sharply and returned to my side, reaching with his left hand and grasping my jaw, squeezing until my teeth felt as if they'd fall from their rows. He forcefully lifted my face up to look me in the eye. "Hold your tongue," he said viciously.

My breath escaped me in short bursts, my anger rising once again. They wanted the truth, they'd get it. "Isn't it true?" I said from between my involuntarily clenched teeth. "Isn't it true Kefka's going to poison the people of Doma, to the east?"

"Shut up!" he yelled, and with his free hand, he swung around and delivered another, crushing blow to my jaw. I lost my balance and fell to the ground, panting.

Lying on the floor, I saw his dirty boots step closer to me, so close I could smell the foul stench of my former masters emanating from their cursed surfaces. I craned my neck as far as I could, breathing heavily, and saw the look on his face. And then I grinned. I could see the doubt beginning to cross its surface. I could see the beginnings of uncertainty.

Of rebellion.

Then the look vanished, and he spit on my face. "I'd hate to be you tomorrow," he said as I recoiled in disgust. He turned to leave, crossing the room to the door. Then he glanced at the other guard. "Keep a close eye on her!" he said.

The second soldier saluted. "Yes, sir! I can go for days without sleep!"

I could imagine the first one rolling his eyes before he strode out of the small room, closing the door behind him. The other one walked over to me and pulled me roughly to my feet. I just scowled at him as he attached my wrists to the wall behind me, an old pair of iron shackles dangling clumsily and covered in rust. I noticed a small key attached to a chain at his belt… and then I closed my eyes. Still thinking like a general… to the bitter end.

His job finished, the guard walked over to his chair, sitting comfortably and leaning back, his head resting against the wall behind him. He watched me for a few moments, almost hanging, helpless, vulnerable… a defeated rebel. I trembled with fury at the smug look on his face. It wasn't long before he dozed off.

I sighed shakily, aware of the blood still leaking from my severed lips, aware of all the bruises, cuts, everything they'd done to me over the past twenty-four hours. I was battered, useless… completely and utterly defeated.

For the first time since General Leo's departure, I felt tears begin to sting my eyes. My mission… my mission was accomplished. But I still felt empty. I felt meaningless. I was once General Celes. I was once an authority, a commander, someone who was reliable, knowledgeable… respectable. What was I now?

I looked at myself, let out both a laugh and a sob when I saw I was still wearing my Imperial uniform… I hadn't even noticed. All this time I'd thought I was a rebel, all this time I'd thought I was finally doing something for the greater good, and yet I still hadn't abandoned that part of myself that I didn't want to acknowledge, the part that I found myself longing for right now…

It was a part of me that ached for the order and law that I'd left behind. It was sickening and vile, but I began to realize how lost I was. I'd strayed from the order, dove headfirst into the chaos, and where had that gotten me? Into the bowels of newly-conquered territory, barely alive and awaiting execution.

I sighed again, trembling, and looked up at the ceiling. It was cold again. It was the first thing I'd noticed: the draft, the uncharacteristic chill of this forsaken place. Cold… cold and dark… and there was no light left at the end of the tunnel. The darkness of the room, the darkness of my soul. Just like that night, it all seemed to fit together. And just like that night, it was silent…

Silent…

But there wasn't fear in the air now. Nature – whatever nature there was – wasn't afraid. It was a different silence, it was a silence that told of things to come. The complete silence, save for the air. I couldn't see the stars, couldn't follow their light… but the weather was changing. It was carrying something. But what?

And then the door slowly opened, and I caught a glimpse of a blue bandanna…

Faith, I thought.