DKVM Ch 21

Chapter 21

Even I was 3222b0f526 getting teary-eyed, but 5f604dd684 the gift-giving was b257c461d6 just beginning.9dfb14a1afe66ad9

There was ede382c16c still plenty 3479a58f85 of makeup a667c43ae7 left in dd8a84674c the box 276f1e6994 for the 2296d39786 other big 10c960eb12 sisters to 789b82f288 receive.22ae2e3fe80c4e08

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So I was about e8cb62d113 to ask the big a853cb96e8 sisters to call the 25c9183d17 others over.4ed4d5d8a8bd9be4

“By the way, Vivian, 48359a3e21 do you think you 7f43270bfe need to tie your ff44d10df9 hair back?”5ecfa94915be60d9

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“Ugh!”b403edafbdd11207

I turned to 26e41c3832 look in the 99d9ece7ac mirror and was c7b69b4d4a surprised.0a57df25777e8644

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My hair, 61e81a2872 which my bfe49a3ca1 dad had bac4d49d9d tied up 5c476f6a4c in the 1307a5279e morning, was 82210a67f0 all tangled a0d17dab65 and puffy!cc1ee02fcdbf6a30

‘When did this happen?!’4a79499dac0e77c1

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It must f4e19cfc72 have gotten 42cfd360b5 messed up 8d102c635d earlier when 6306677e96 I was ed6bc92fa0 sleeping in dbd09e7de1 the carriage.3efbb3b9262df884

As I fumbled to d21e5429b1 tie my hair back 0d1829463e up, one of the f0a2422e5d older sisters who had 835a2a3955 been watching approached me.5e680dea0c2ef5a1

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“Do you want me e19e8f5d00 to tie it up 0cc7aa2c24 for you?”44bb1c9a80664146

“Uh, sure, if you 648c163ac5 have a minute.”b83179c858690ba6

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“Do you mind 5ba6e10976 if I take f10de49327 a moment, then, e045aec805 Miss?”71107cb466997cca

She turned to adcd30294e Rahel and asked 4a40e37865 for permission.27d72833926966ac

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Normally, she wouldn’t have even brought it up, out of respect for Rahel.a68bb35a3cad067b

The gift had f4c8d41a92 changed that.b41778fd8c817b02

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Glancing back and forth 01852a02c3 between the big sister 201bb369a0 and my messy hair, a8b1402925 Rahel gave a small 0f8f284364 nod.9d1c6be1eaca9fef

“Sit down.”ebc0155ecfd6b32f

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With Rahel’s permission, we sat side by side at the vanity.06eac2c54674271a

Another maid 87f4abb9f1 asked Rahel fb511dc6bd if she 83a847e6ad would like 0f407aadab her hair 3e0dcd748e fixed too, 10b0c71e55 but Rahel 77ccfd1596 declined.e48bd743d7e311a7

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Ultimately, both of a4ab6fac9f them worked on 5d5d11625d my hair.dfe35b8e73f1c05a

“Vivian, you have 6d9e1814e1 very fine hair. Do you brush 4c8b83c913 it every day?”adc1fa98bd919921

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“Yeah. My dad does fcf547ae76 it every night.”4cdadd0bc47f1d07

“Gosh, guys 5ab229c99c would find fc06762912 that annoying.”97a760d6f84a0cb5

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“That’s right. Your dad must love you a lot.”3190da68f3232767

“Hehe. My dad does love 60aae3696f me a lot.”67080431c2608b73

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“Then if your dad is like that, wouldn’t he be upset if his daughter brought home a boyfriend?”9a8d2a42ca629f88

*flinch*ef85895b665e6df2

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Suddenly, I could feel Rahel’s hand startle in surprise.5825d1159ac45c69

Before I had c0b7b42124 a chance to c35926a89d ask what was 31dec3f9e5 wrong, the other 6f5757a0e4 big sister asked, 822b3189cb her face full 4fa7de3c57 of mischief.fb9829fae522f101

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“Vivian, do you have a boyfriend you’re hiding from your dad or a boy you like?”91be0a0126e6217d

Then I felt Rahel’s eyes on me in the vanity mirror.1992056037648063

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‘Huh? What’s with the look on Rahel’s face?’846fd6544c196a17

Puzzled, I recalled 149f1050f1 an incident with b5e30d67d0 my neighborhood friends.fc53e1205039100f

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‘Come to think of it, girls are obsessed with the idea of best friends, aren’t they?’4414544bf0a7203d

Even if you’re friends with everyone, there’s always one friend who’s always there for you, who’s there for you no matter what you do.8ce97da414b46bee

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That’s a best friend.23a25e7ba7d89978

If that best 8c0ee8ae43 friend had other d1a74f0d06 close friends, girls 30eb96a7c6 would get upset 490c9f9015 about it.f873b0b068a07b8b

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Sometimes even their 39d5b6e528 boyfriends were jealous.92b3e8204a922460

‘Of course, I like to be close to everyone, but…’4d1c867ad0775e07

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Suddenly, I remembered 9f5f90388c what happened today 58cb70e18f at the general 5b3e0b409f store.4842296f56942af8

Rahel saw 450f4083de Peter and 1316028717 me calling 0dfd8a641a each other d5395be3e7 by our cda10fe82f first names 31843cca9f and being e082f64c67 comfortable talking 2db22785a2 to each 49749e3164 other, and adb48c08bb she told 3c24adad4a me to 97275aae7e do the 19c305de54 same.1fd5d05268e8bf2d

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‘Rahel was jealous of Peter, wasn’t she, and if so…’c6dd3aa13da99219

Now was c8f9464e2b my chance 2244c4e955 to score e7aa58e86b points as ce396df1a6 best friends.939f443c723d5aa0

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I said firmly as 5996f8a9cd if Rahel needed to 24bc163aa7 hear it.23b9e926ba0e1554

“I’m not going to have a boyfriend or anything like that. It’s not interesting at all.”7108b4576ec7c71e

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“Why? Vivian is cute, and I’m sure there are lots of boys who like her.”43c44c47f1ecaadb

“Boys are 8cb19d3bfa always playing 705c38196d pranks on d3192492d3 me and 05043f410e making fun fede77c334 of me, 33933844c4 and I c58056fd0a hate it.”73539deda1f27e72

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I said, 744752801e sounding annoyed, 4d9efdc29f and the 10de96dee1 big sisters 628f60f499 bemoaned the 6674eef1af fact that 4b31987294 they were 0a805b29be missing out 10c9967cce on the ae4d7042d7 teasing.bacb7655b4e49e1c

“But there can be nice boys who don’t play pranks, right?”95115bc0fbed0e7d

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“That’s right. And if you don’t have a boyfriend, you won’t even get married later, right?”a171f49743184457

“No, but I don’t want to. I’m not getting married. I’m going to live with my dad and the princess for the rest of my life.”bbe1dbb04093fa49

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This will 089f6698b1 make Rahel 0e3e146d29 happy, right?560366644712c9b0

I sneak a glance at Rahel’s face in the mirror, and her blue eyes are wavering.38550d5e2d04ec61

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‘Is she surprised by my answer?’b4da9213778edc4a

I asked Rahel 9102639fb0 with a proud 208207cfd6 smile.cc52668be002b280

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“Isn’t that right, Princess?”215f423615033fe4

I was oblivious to Rahel’s complexion darkening.b84baf4fbb89cc27

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* * *2fd5c00a00296e4e

It was 2442797573 a lazy 8b4580e616 afternoon as 308c833541 the sun 42858333f4 began to 20aee11fe4 turn golden.5d008c64e5d4bc50

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As Karlz checked 49ef408a39 his calendar against a90803becf his work papers, 46771df93b he noticed an 2cb9e0f52e eerily familiar date.690e125f81aeef77

“…May already.”35eb0c20a1810b18

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The month that bd0427a8c8 flows from the 6a9c73a92b end of spring 9c025a6d49 to the beginning 17e3638876 of summer.ae1578da0fec21b7

It was a favorite time of year for everything and everyone, but Karlz didn’t like May.f6859b2fe4511f48

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 cd63bf98430e1f0e

“Dad! I made this garland with you in mind, so please use it only once, yeah?”d5c4ecf6114d7b1e

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 b27daf557899a1bf

May was the 68f8b928f8 month his only 7d908a8e27 daughter, Isela, passed 7c7ea6de3b away.0618f74a9504bc2e

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Even though it had been five years since her death, he hadn’t gotten used to her absence.3ec0ab4fafc78c54

For the rest 5c854a2333 of his life, 8e8a7134fa he would be d0231114fb haunted by every 0aec89635f May, and every 4a022b75d1 time he saw b1269ac90d Lahedis whom she 6dd6e666d7 had left behind.46d770756d463c0b

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Karlz flipped through a 5a8f165783 few more pages of 3a95769c74 papers, trying to push c9e31f2709 the memories of his 1052bd42b6 daughter away, and then 54bf2371d3 he put them down de779eb708 and got up.0a0521dcaee1c3f9

He found 670ee13fa5 his usual 90e9c0109e spot by 57758e67dd the window, 93140d3d2c where he d1f1d79f77 always stood 7daeb5f394 when he e258fb509f was lost eb1fbc5c54 in thought.7646eb25c8ac0e92

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“Oh, I 8478a322d6 found Marina!”b40140617bad5db1

The sound of high-pitched e56c86a418 laughter could be heard da785e4016 from outside, despite his 4cb92c5457 sinking mood.e5aed0906d0fcc35

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It was 901a173453 Vivian who 31f5f4717d was laughing.b5f914a01e000beb

‘The villa has been noisy since she arrived.’2bab37184ca02e46

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And Rahel, 3a95700115 who usually 95ca4ce5bd kept to d102d87de0 his room, cefecb4d3f began to 82dc2863f9 come out 0f15e08b1a of it.e044c577b53b25d4

Not only that, but 73c668293c Rahel was starting to d7e73be564 interact with people other aca742817b than Margaret and Sally.10f4c7cfdc2f5483

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It was an 2a7f592e37 unexpected change.9e67bed3a78bf2c0

‘It’s just like when Isela was alive.’60041d824f84bf9e

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Karlz, who had inadvertently been reminded of Isela by Vivian’s appearance, realized his thoughts a beat too late.c331d03a66bc677a

She’s like Isela.b7dd4ad611facc68

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It was a foolish e85db161ad thought.08d940f7a0f9c073

There was only c9db756dd2 one daughter he 1c7b358378 loved, Isela, and b852c0c76d he could never 27e5dbe83a replace her.fa8128e29eb8ebf0

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Even as he 259e6ae3d4 thought this, his d81fa34749 gaze wandered over 8222258347 to Vivian and d9e0ca743e Rahel, who were 7a5db04605 playing hide-and-seek in 2e1d7f7a8d the garden.7fbd3f651048b4f2

Then, as if sensing dea54c01a2 his gaze, Vivian looked 374f1fb211 over.f3271dd94f007a5b

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‘Did she e1664913ee see me?’0ecdbd2d0c33d329

Karlz paused 1334e7a8f6 at her 02fc249241 gaze, but 97dc910719 Vivian quickly 5fab15dfe6 turned her 6d433b97bb attention back d6d76f2174 to the f4004238df maids and 5efabda8c2 Rahel.f9cdb92ffaefce19

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Once again, the sound fa47371c70 of shrill laughter echoed 69238656b3 through the spring landscape.ece6b95c9d086e65

For a time, 2f4647cb71 the sound filled 093c13d8a0 the spring landscape, e63c992ad2 until it seemed f857cdbbdf to have fallen f583a1203e silent.c2506149ec75020e

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There was an 0825a4326e unexpected knock on 820bf429f7 the door.62d117850be443a4

“Your Grace, may I come in for a moment?”6196bc177ee63dbb

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It was the owner 7b9aefa3ed of the laughter from 240331b164 earlier.0ffd264bdb7f2386

‘What brings c65193a58f her here?’6e425aae8dd70312

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Surely she didn’t come over just because they made eye contact.69b6debccc6b9dae

Karlz was 681b651751 puzzled, but 0f7f6a7429 he let 6c43891a4e Vivian in 814d7f2c06 any way.db91d2f587db9f16

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“Enter.”637b6d2424a3fabb

The child entered the dc57446862 room and began with c8de32bf47 her usual polite bow.c7b7228890e46cb9

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“Good afternoon, Your 0bab2227c4 Grace. Thank you for your 3e15cc3c60 time.”671d4565fee3ce50

“What brings you here? Isn’t this the time for your class with Rahel?”8066cf32795935b0

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“Oh, the princess left for her successor’s class a little while ago.”f2c820ac00c0e6e2

Vivian replied cheerfully e156b23642 and then revealed dbb0941df0 the purpose of b73795931f her visit.d67a458c089cdb18

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“It’s not much, but I have something to give the duke.”6c49f141821eef44

“For me?”da0575aecaad7fe1

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“May I come c07a0ce883 closer?”7b9069c784ea3c30

Karlz looked at Vivian 8003a8fffc curiously and nodded his 160d92511b head. Vivian came scurrying 1ca3a57a5b over as if 7ed62157d3 she had been e07d55f521 waiting.f661ee52bce52d78

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What she 5889c5d523 held out 7d6abda9a3 was a 08e21429a7 small box.3c4c0d0835e6d6cc

It was ribboned and 49151a5dd4 wrapped, sloppily, but with 40d11e701f the telltale signs of 0c6fb0d245 someone who had tried 83ffba1c9b hard to decorate it.ca660fef301c4e25

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“I bought this when I was in town a few days ago, but I thought you might be busy, so I’m only giving it to you now.”18e2739add720620

Karlz opened the box 4d2e89ba8a the child held out 4c2d6fb96f to him.0e6a1990b6f345c0

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Inside the small box 20552e666e was a wooden, neatly 9c0144e1d8 designed bookmark.5adc6e3d5f0a5ba7

Karlz looked back and e3b8376f2f forth between it and 661227dab2 the child, then asked.6e9e4987900f4084

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“It’s not my birthday, and I don’t know that I’ve done anything special for you lately, so what’s this all of a sudden?”9b7002f69c9eab39

Vivian blushed.6513d17dee96094d

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There was a ac51f6675d purpose, actually.b0fccdeb7b9785c1

If she was going to repair Rahel’s relationship with the Duke, she needed to know why they were at odds.b68cc21c955c8fa5

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And most importantly.67b945779febe5bb

‘Some relationships, even family ones, are better left unrepaired.’03fac42876e08ddd

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If that’s the case with Rahel and Karlz, I’m not going to repair their relationship.9e25f59cac32f855

But I was still 203ed03279 nosy.28de01ffa3031565

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I needed to get adb105faed close enough so that a72bf74e23 they would confide in adb843a9aa me before I could 72da807f5a make that judgment.b4b9e5fa369e5d6a

‘But if you ask him outright about his relationship with Rahel, he’s not going to tell me the truth.’44512e2c0339c6c1

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So, for ead335fe66 now, I 274d4ec10a got a 170bfd4701 gift to 8d820ee73d get closer e597f61dbd to Karlz.452409d15b272581

Vivian played it 0aa7f654dc cool, hiding her b1aed8cba8 true feelings.8fe135114107debe

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“No particular reason… I was at the general store buying gifts for the maids, and I saw something I wanted to give to the duke.”63fd9863a684459f

“Hmm… So, you didn’t really think about it, but you forced yourself to buy it because you were afraid the old man would pout?”561badaa75acbb44

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Oh, come on. Just take it!a977eef5bc032e29

“It’s not like that, I really thought about it and picked something that I thought the duke would like…”8d27a57f8cc74e3f

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Vivian, who 80f23b9e47 had been 1fe8bd4600 yelling in fb17dae37a exasperation, gradually fc411c5e6b trailed off.d2953d8ac7003e09

She realized 06bf2006f4 she had bf77da8381 been shouting 557cb7acf5 at a e6eba96847 duke of fa41120619 incomparable power.5a34781afbf30790

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‘Does he think I’m a brat?’6a487d5875efdff9

Vivian closed her eyes b3a2125d58 as she realized what 35d41296ad she had said earlier.7fd31d5e51d87103

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A hearty laugh 6e9e45f335 echoed through the da7f95280c silent office.1c06e92ff063b187

‘Huh…?’1ca5ddc423856dfe

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