Author's Notes: A short fic on Laguna's reaction to Raine's death, and why he decided to bury her where he proposed to her. Please R&R... if I get enough comments, I may write a sequal or something to that effect to this piece.
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"Um... President Loire?"
" - hold on a minute would you, Gik, I'm right in the middle of an important conversation," the man in question responded, running a large muscular hand through his untammed mane of hair. Leaning back into the phone's reciever, which had been covered so the man on the other line wouldn't hear what he had said to his attendant, Laguna continued his phone conversation.
"Look, President... you can't keep wraps on everything, and Timber is one of those things. They're small, but the people have spirit - and unless you want to waste precious Galbadian lives I suggest - "
The orderly who had interrupted Laguna earlier tried to do so again. "Sir, please?" The news he had was more important that any conversation with the President of Galbadia, and yet his own President kept on yaking. It was almost as if Laguna hadn't hurt him.
" - that you relinquish holdings on Timber. Two rebel factions have already sprung up, so obviously the people aren't willing to be held down. So why not let them have their little city? Galbadia wouldn't be losing anything except for a forest or two. And what - "
"Sir," the man who resembled a weasle tried again without luck. Maybe if he just splurted out the news his boss would get off of the phone? Trying again, in a less than confident voice, the orderly - Gik - said, "President? I've just recieved word that your wife is dead."
And that was all it took, the phone reciever nearly fell from the dark-haired president's ear. Had he heard right? Was Raine dead? Telling the President of Galbadia to hold on for a moment, Laguna wheeled around in his desk chair to face the man who had brought him the news. "What was that Gik?" He prayed that he had misunderstood his attendant.
"Your wife, sir, we've recieved word that she's dead."
The President of Esthar drew a single, short breath as the news struck him like a blow from Ward's anchor would have. This was impossible! Impossible! And what was more inconceviable was the fact that he hadn't been there with his beloved, hearing her last words... or maybe being the support that saved her from death. No, he had been off running his damned country, leaving Raine alone... and it had killed her.
The bitter taste of bile creeping into his throat, Laguna fought the urge to be sick. He had killed her... he had killed his wife... What kind of man was he? Gripping the side of his desk for support, the dark-haired president mustered the courage to ask, "How did she die?"
The attendant shook his head in dismay. "Died in childbirth, sir."
Laguna felt dizzy now; how the hell could Hyne take his beloved and leave him with a child to care for? He was too busy to be by Raine's side in her time of need, and it had killed her. Did Hyne want to see another life flushed down the tubes in the name of Laguna Loire?
Shuddering faintly, he used the hand he had put on his desk to support him as he stood. "I want to go to Winhill as soon as I can. Ellone has probably worked out some kind of funeral arrangements, but I want to be to one to decide where she's buried," pausing he though back to where he had proposed to Raine. It was a little grass-covered hill, like so many in the town his beloved had lived in for all her life... but it was there hill. And he was certian that Raine would be happy to be buried there, for it meant something for both of them. Finding breath to speak again, Laguna continued, "Tell Kiros and Ward they can come if they want."
"Of course, Mr. President." With that, the attendant was gone, off to carry out Laguna's orders. And as soon as he left, Laguna colapsed back into his chair and did what any man would have done in his position. He cried.
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"Um... President Loire?"
" - hold on a minute would you, Gik, I'm right in the middle of an important conversation," the man in question responded, running a large muscular hand through his untammed mane of hair. Leaning back into the phone's reciever, which had been covered so the man on the other line wouldn't hear what he had said to his attendant, Laguna continued his phone conversation.
"Look, President... you can't keep wraps on everything, and Timber is one of those things. They're small, but the people have spirit - and unless you want to waste precious Galbadian lives I suggest - "
The orderly who had interrupted Laguna earlier tried to do so again. "Sir, please?" The news he had was more important that any conversation with the President of Galbadia, and yet his own President kept on yaking. It was almost as if Laguna hadn't hurt him.
" - that you relinquish holdings on Timber. Two rebel factions have already sprung up, so obviously the people aren't willing to be held down. So why not let them have their little city? Galbadia wouldn't be losing anything except for a forest or two. And what - "
"Sir," the man who resembled a weasle tried again without luck. Maybe if he just splurted out the news his boss would get off of the phone? Trying again, in a less than confident voice, the orderly - Gik - said, "President? I've just recieved word that your wife is dead."
And that was all it took, the phone reciever nearly fell from the dark-haired president's ear. Had he heard right? Was Raine dead? Telling the President of Galbadia to hold on for a moment, Laguna wheeled around in his desk chair to face the man who had brought him the news. "What was that Gik?" He prayed that he had misunderstood his attendant.
"Your wife, sir, we've recieved word that she's dead."
The President of Esthar drew a single, short breath as the news struck him like a blow from Ward's anchor would have. This was impossible! Impossible! And what was more inconceviable was the fact that he hadn't been there with his beloved, hearing her last words... or maybe being the support that saved her from death. No, he had been off running his damned country, leaving Raine alone... and it had killed her.
The bitter taste of bile creeping into his throat, Laguna fought the urge to be sick. He had killed her... he had killed his wife... What kind of man was he? Gripping the side of his desk for support, the dark-haired president mustered the courage to ask, "How did she die?"
The attendant shook his head in dismay. "Died in childbirth, sir."
Laguna felt dizzy now; how the hell could Hyne take his beloved and leave him with a child to care for? He was too busy to be by Raine's side in her time of need, and it had killed her. Did Hyne want to see another life flushed down the tubes in the name of Laguna Loire?
Shuddering faintly, he used the hand he had put on his desk to support him as he stood. "I want to go to Winhill as soon as I can. Ellone has probably worked out some kind of funeral arrangements, but I want to be to one to decide where she's buried," pausing he though back to where he had proposed to Raine. It was a little grass-covered hill, like so many in the town his beloved had lived in for all her life... but it was there hill. And he was certian that Raine would be happy to be buried there, for it meant something for both of them. Finding breath to speak again, Laguna continued, "Tell Kiros and Ward they can come if they want."
"Of course, Mr. President." With that, the attendant was gone, off to carry out Laguna's orders. And as soon as he left, Laguna colapsed back into his chair and did what any man would have done in his position. He cried.