“I did not expect when my mistress took me into her employ that I would fall in love with her.”

Marceaux sighed into his cup while recounting his tale to the interviewer from the Mythril Eye. The verbal buzz of the Quicksand served well to drown out his story from any would-be eavesdroppers. “Surely, you understand: a native son of Gridania is expected to keep to his own kind. Were my family to hear me speak of my love in this way, they would be beside themselves. A Wildwood… smitten with his Lalafellin employer. Yet… even she does not know. Not yet.

“I was emboldened, once, to tell… no, to show her how I felt. Ah, but how awry it went… One day, my mistress bade me go forth on an adventure to bring back some manner of rare curio to her. I was given leave to travel far afield, but I knew precisely where I wished to go.

“I brought myself to the Goldsmiths’ Guild of Ul’dah, where I decided I would barter for practically all of my venture wages, if I must, to commission a ring for my mistress. And, it was there that I discovered the Guild has little interest in the exchange of ventures for pure coin. Or, more to the point, that there was considerable debate as to what my hard-earned ventures would be worth in gil. After a couple hours of pleading and beseeching in negotiation, we could come to no compromise or agreement. I departed promptly thereafter, seeking another way to retrieve a token that would both show the depth of my feelings for my mistress and speak to her heart.

“When I speak of the notion now, I feel foolish, but… I decided that if I could not have the finest goldsmiths in Eorzea create something, then I would do it myself. I have no skill with metals, so I returned to the Greatloam Growery in Gridania, where I sought out the finest and most robust crop of Gysahl greens – recalling the days when children would weave jewellery from grass, reeds… and yes, even Gysahl greens.

“I toiled for hours. My fingers struggled to recall the memories of the techniques from nigh on 30 years ago. And, after almost twelve hours of effort, I completed it: a Gysahl Ring. My plan was, when my lady summoned me again, I would present it to her – along with the confession of my feelings.”

“And I’m guessin’ that didn’t go accordin’ to plan?” the interviewer asked.

“No.” Marceaux shook his head. “When I presented it to my mistress, I had scarce a moment to explain the nature of it before an errant linkpearl message caught her attention. ‘Sorry, Marceaux! Gotta go!’ she said, interrupting my explanation, ‘Thanks for the ring. Never seen anything like it!’

“The lives of adventurers and retainers move so quickly,” Marceaux lamented. “But one day… one day she will know how I feel. By Menphina, I swear it.”
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Character: Momone Mone
Server: Balmung
Prize: Bluebird Earring