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Venice was, as always, amazing.  Ever since the Austrians and Napoleon killed Venice’s spirit, it has become such a quiet, somber place.  To think that the Carnival lasted months.  Masked celbrants would imbib in every form of pleasure and debauchery imaginable.  Now the black clad people I see in the mists and narry alleys almost seem to scurry from my sight, as if they don’t want to be seen by anyone.  Now it’s a city very aware of its mortality.  She used to be the Queen of the seas, the Master of the Mediterranean.  Now she’s a vacation spot for the rich nobility of Europe.  What a sad fate for such a magnificent place.

In Enjoy Venice like no other city, but it makes me sad to see it, to see what once was.  Not unlike my own Mondrego.  It too is gone, though never to be visited again.  It lies in ruins now.  Ruins in an empty desert that people will soon forget. 

The archives in Venice proved fruitful and after only a few days of searching, I found what I had been looking for.  The mad philosopher and alchemist had indeed left his notebook.  Now I know what he had found.

Buried on the island of Poveglia, among the countless victims of the plague, I found it.  It had almost been too easy.  I never laugh out loud, but if I were to, this would have been an appropriate time. 

Prize in hand I hurried back on my (now functioning) airship.  Not that I thought my Sultana had even been aware of my absence, I went to her office to check in and give a much edited report.  The idea that I would fly all the way to Venice and spend days there just to see an old friend would have been ridiculous to anyone who even partially knew me.  

When I entered her office where she…worked, (such an unsightly word for the Sultana) I noticed the large but tasteless ring on her finger.  News of her wedding was public knowledge in New Babbage and so I waited for her to announce it herself.  Surely she wouldn’t keep such things from me. 

Yet, as I talked about my trip to Venice and asked her how her week had been, she never once mentioned anything about the ring or her engagement.  I wasn’t going to bring it up because I shouldn’t have to.  I was hoping that my Sultana, once my friend, would have the honor and courage to tell me that she was now engaged.  As her body guard one would think I should know such things. 

I left her office with the taste of bitterness heavy in my mouth.  The whole affair was a disgrace to everyone involved.  If she thought to keep it a secret from me than she truly did not know me.  If she thought I was beneath her important news the she did not know how dangerous I could really be.

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2 Comments

  1. Bianca Namori Bianca Namori July 13, 2011

    ((Awww….Aki. You need to come back into town so we can eat comfort food together. Mountain Dew style…))

  2. Akidami Swift Akidami Swift July 13, 2011

    ((I’ll be back (A) when I come to get the car. or (B) on the 21st to take the test. So, either way it will be soon and I’ll treat you to some Gelato!))

     

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