********* (I Love You)Chapter LIX: Bottles-A FFXI Love StoryFollow

AUTHOR’S NOTE: This is the next chapter of my love story ************ (I Love You)[/I]. Read, review, etc.

I don’t own anything FFXI related, so SE don’t sue!

Previous chapters, aki, and Interludes

Part I - Connection (Enishi)

Kasho II - Kodoku (Solitude)

Part III - Reunion (Saikai)

Kasho IV- Suriyoru (Closer)

Part V- Secrets (Hiou)

Kasho VI- Hanarebanare (Apart)

Part VII- Longing (Akogare)

Kasho VIII- Takatobi (Escape)

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(Chapter LVII)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=35;mid=1158658394285452028;num=8;page=1

(Aki LVIII)
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=10&mid=1160487418129598544
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Bonus Story: Rainfall Memories

Listen...if anyone knows how to convince someone to give you another chance, one final chance, to be the knight in shining armor...PM me.

For the Hitomi I’m so close to losing.

*****

The guards at the entrance to the residential area gave me a salute as Satmanda and I crossed past him.

Is the war really that bad here to require guards outside even the civilian populace centers?

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Chapter LIX: Bottles

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I calmly sipped at my mint-leafed tea, the warm liquid rushing against my lips and down my throat. The steam from the hot drink began to waft into my nose, and I felt no small relief from it’s pleasant odor as my facial muscles started to relax while I kept going through the stacks of mail that had built up over time since I had been away.

"Satmanda, did it ever occur to you to go through any of these letters yourself and throw away the junk?" I asked casually while flicking yet another postcard advertising some 'happy hour' at the Merry Minstrel towards the trash can, only to have it bounce off the rim and then float down to the floor.

Satmanda immediately went over and placed the piece of paper into the wastebin, his robes rubbing gently against the floor as he did bent down to pick it up.. "Sir, I felt it would be better if I left it to you to decide what was important or not." he said, returning to his place back to his chair at the table where he then used the small footstool that I had gotten him a year or so ago to plop himself back in the seat and settle there comfortably.

"Bills...more bills..." I said, setting each one of that particular pieces of paper into a separate pile, to take care of in a bit. I continued to throw the trash mail, -ALL- of it, into the garbage basket to be later taken away and incinerated in the furnaces beneath the city.

Finally, I came to the bottom of the stack, and found a large square envelope there. It was white, with only my name and address printed on the front in a formal style, and I picked it up to examine it abit more closely. Flipping it over, my eyes widened a bit when I saw the embossed seal of the Archduke keeping the envelope closed. Sliding a finger along the top right edge, I worked my way down the envelope to neatly break the royal seal along the flap lines. Caving the envelope slightly next, I then shook out a letter written on what I recognized to be parchment sent directly from the Archduke’s office.

Commander,

Your presence is requested upon the stage today at 19:00 in Ru’lude Gardens, when the Archduke shall be addressing the citizens of Jueno.

Sincerely,

Red Cloud

My eyes suddenly started to feel a bit heavy as I crumped up the paper and then threw it into the wastebin, it going in perfectly without touching the rim. I then rubbed my face with my fingertips, gently trying to message the blood in them to get moving again, in an attempt to keep awake.

'Requested', eh?...More like 'Required', just like that Goddessdamn ball...

"Satmanda, I want you to arrange a meeting for me with the Archduke of Jueno after this speech. I have something that I want to talk to him about, that will possibly turn the course of the war back in our favor."

Satmanda nodded, his eyes going wide at my words before he making a mental note of it.

I then pushed back the chair I was in, letting it’s feet drag against the wooden floor with a rather loud scraping sound until it finally snagged upon the woven carpet that was laid out next to the unlit fireplace. Standing up, my knees started to buckle under themselves, and I barely managed to somehow catch the top edge of my chair to steady myself before I went crashing into the floor.

"Sir!" Satmanda shouted out at me in his high-pitched shriek, starting to rush over to me before I waved him off.

"It’s alright...just finally got my 'sea legs'...I’ll be okay soon enough. Would you mind fetching me the meds from my cabinet for it? They are in the bathroom, I think..."

My legs felt like jelly, and the world was shifting slightly back and forth over and over, much like a pendulum. Mildly, I was surprised that it hadn’t hit me earlier, and also kinda thankful...

...Making a face plant in front of my assembled Guardsmen the first moment that I am to greet them in Jueno would have made a fine story for the Vana’diel Times. I noted to myself dryly.

After a couple moments, Satmanda came back out with two bottles, one in his hands. He first handed me the small blue one in his left, which I accepted greatfully. Taking a moment to force off that deviled child-proof cap with a satisfying pop, I then quickly slammed three tablets down into my mouth and dry swallowed them down. The foul-tasting and pasty tablets went down uncomfortably in my throat, and I found myself having to gulp a couple more times until they started to slide a bit more smoothly. Setting the remainer of the medicine in the bottle down upon the seat of the chair, I then looked up at Satmanda.

"What’s that in your other hand?" I asked him, my eyes focused upon a tiny bottle filled with what looked like a creamy pinky liquid inside of it.

Satmanda held the container up by the flip-lid, and I saw the label saying Vana’diel’s Finest Lotion! inscribed upon it, with a picture of red berries behind the printed words.

"It’s lotion sir. I found it behind the pills, and thought I should give it to you so you could give it to your lady-friend. I think she forgot it behind here when you two were last in the Grand Duchy." my Elvaan mule said, trying to be helpful as always.

Tenderly taking the bottle into my hand, I snapped the cap open with my thumbnail...and found the scent of rolanberries to begin to gently flood the room. My chest started to tighten up, but I was somehow able to force the emotions back down into the farthest reaches of my soul in an instant.

"Satmanda, that won’t be necessary, she died in the former Marquisate of Tavnazia-" I said, closing the top and then throwing the worthless bottle upon the pile of junk mail already in the trash-"And if you find any more of her effects, I will ask that you dispose of them immediately. She’s dead and there’s no point in keeping her things around anymore."

Satmanda nodded at my cold words, and then headed towards the door.

"Very well then sir, I will now arrange your meeting with the Archduke then. Oh, and I think Tebeal should be here any moment now with your possessions that came with you upon the ship docked still in Port Jueno." Satmanda’s hand touched the cool metal of the brass doorknob, and then paused before twisting it.

"By your leave, Commander."

I simply nodded my assent before closing my eyes, wishing the world would stop twisting and turning beneath my feet.

-fin Chapter LIX: Bottles

Awww Nights, you got your own personal troll! ^^
Can I pet it?