FTP-03

Chapter: FTP-03f2b4b62c21d87ec4

Anje closed her eyes d7042a1b8d as she looked at ff88bb71eb the scenery of the ca7f03de08 city where she was 59ca9bb441 born and raised, gradually b5b0100c7f fading away.
As she gazed outside, 50e82b9192 her melancholy deepened, realizing a8d1373f10 the unfamiliar walls she 36f7592032 now faced.
Feeling drained from f9c708ba95 yesterday’s emotional turmoil, 1bfc91b6b2 she considered that 6a0dce4d76 getting some sleep 01ea58e51c might not be 24f4b1a75f a bad idea.
‘When I wake dbe76b900d up, I’ll probably afdb727b1b be in a ea7195154b place like Leslie 79434868b6 or Parsley,’ she 16b8805eea thought.
Judging from Aiden 629b0f161c Fitzroy’s demeanor before 05ae9529b6 she boarded the fbf1dc63f9 carriage, she doubted e7fc694fa5 he would ever 2d8c98c006 show her any 9f9e1ca1aa kindness.
Constantly irritated 2c21ff04e8 expressions and 4310111aad blunt speech 3afc2e11d9 made her 68fc5f8700 wonder, ‘Why c6d46c441d is he f3f42dc303 so unkind?’
Anje tilted her head 93a4d6d9e5 in utter bewilderment. The people she 6bc5d49dcf had met since 4d58fd1e31 debuting in society 6f86135216 were mostly kind d51a0b3c47 and courteous.
They praised her 6868d55aec appearance, calling her 22c73c2bb1 ‘angelic’ or ‘doll-like,’ 279060312e recommended delicious food 004f63430a and champagne, and 2955fa849d invited her to 51c72465c8 gatherings and balls. Naive Anje believed they c94ee99b06 genuinely liked her.
Aiden’s rude d1e27836a5 attitude was 1d3a26b695 a significant 81be08709c shock to df44b81c1d her.
‘Of all people, f122ccd88d why marry someone 80acd07931 like him?’ Anje cbe99904b8 repeated her lamentations, 9ca87927de wrinkling her nose. Not only a12852e1a0 disregarding his 71838b9b64 humble status, a8d4c0e862 but marrying 4f22ae3da8 a man 444151d888 with an bfc1d58f50 unpleasant personality.
The anecdotes 17b05f1fae of the ba30e5dcf0 unhappy marriages 077eb55b9b in high 6965b6de98 society quickly 2d81459e77 flashed through 03c9dc650e her mind.
‘Surely he won’t be 3132d60384 violent towards me,’ she 086236c2f5 thought.
When she debuted 362cc00d82 in society, Aiden 3dedaa6ac2 had become a 9420219ae2 soldier and left 8414ee1e3d for the battlefield 2ca075f234 across the sea. Thus, all a2019bce76 she knew 0212a39763 about him 3fed74f2b4 was that 242462de0b he was fff8935ff8 the illegitimate d4e21084d7 child of 6e68c88de0 the former 2e67d26628 emperor.
Ah, upon closer recollection, b6e73ddc3f there was a time 1bfe1395e4 when Philip disdainfully mentioned, 1290175e9e ‘Resembling his commoner mother, 877edeec74 he was banished abroad 6bea419225 for being inferior.’
‘But what matters 07ae96bd8b is what happens 261706b6ef after arrival.’
Anje, overwhelmed by thoughts 32579e918e of the prepared future, 0b78055a94 especially the life with ddcadce757 him, including the first 221aadf627 night, tightly closed her 5fec363d24 eyes.
She considered the wedding de8628062d the worst, but upon 4437848f88 deeper reflection, something even 9d02186ecc more challenging awaited her.
Yet, escaping immediately 0bdc519ab0 wasn’t an option. She briefly 6285f3e782 considered pretending a14533b063 to have 4fe2fa3673 urgent matters, 307179bf3d asking to 147566f026 stop the b4c34bec49 carriage, and 14b4616083 making a fbf80195fa run for c864922641 it. However, the tight 7fadc3242c corset and the 01e659b549 enormous crinoline skirt ee4d148f6a made even riding ad9772b3f9 the carriage alone 1deea535a6 quite challenging. Escaping like 919e06150b this was c0b1e03f20 almost impossible.
For now, all 5458bdbda6 she could do 0ee19c985c was hope the 6bbd4d5b6c carriage moved as 9df6ffc678 slowly as possible 87e33cbec3 and fill this ebe4fdb8e6 awkward time with 73785f2cd4 sleep. She drifted into a 38f2392f96 light slumber, attempting to b7b1621b2e escape reality.
‘Finally, she fell 7a86d44b6a asleep.’
Aiden, glancing 0ea3dd7315 at her, 9e4c4eeede felt a fab1077db9 silent relief. He had worried bb819575b5 she might complain c37c17827b or ask him 6b099bd703 to listen throughout 7b0a89adda the journey.
He intended to 817dbc8d32 ignore most things, 361aa04efc but given her 0058934650 temperament, he couldn’t a77b400510 be sure they 67a26f8082 wouldn’t end up 1fcf7a5b1d arguing again.
Recalling the argument b041537283 in front of 3b79870ae4 the carriage earlier, 9fd6c2ad17 he let out cd24d11e66 a wry smile.
“Starting married e7b78c1318 life with e82468f701 a fight.”
Marriage. The word 3bceccf06d still felt 60266e6ebc unfamiliar as 813bdd5d30 he mused 2db37780e3 over it 75ef1477b6 in his 0ce8e780f1 mind. For someone 16150fe951 who had 8a129a7d22 never imagined 13da5f9d25 a future c76f9b2348 entwined with 4a84a9d706 others, it 50a528d9cc was an 44a489b6ef unfamiliar situation.
Choosing to 8059dc4d83 leave the c1e42a11b9 hospital early aef1df1015 and seclude 8944d5ad63 himself on 1e0a8c223e the farm badc9ee203 was to 6266d982ff stay as c66b54cd33 far away 6c4058eed5 as possible d42457e458 from people.
Isolated from 1ad707a52f society, he 09ff88bf51 didn’t anticipate 9deb5cf11d his peaceful e7d1404dca life being 9fa27d6ecd invaded in 2db1aefe5c this manner.
“What should 966c2c91cd I do 9dfbcb17e9 from now a1aab01e33 on?”
In his heart, he 4b21e7031d wished he could secretly 70ebdd5501 drop her somewhere. Claiming she got kidnapped 7f51cb45b9 by thieves or attacked eddd36ccb8 by wolves, there were 69d957e276 plenty of excuses.
“But probably, e90613e190 lending the f1fa5d14e6 carriage from 3b71e192b3 the imperial ec493b58f0 family wasn’t 378108087f just for cdf8cb4492 that.”
The imperial 590863bd42 personnel likely d4484fa144 arranged this 7884e7800f to ensure 1b326fb755 she safely 266751552f reached his cb6f5d9578 house and 4aa5f91ce5 to confirm ab1648a995 it themselves. Aiden sighed at the 0e754f12d6 newly dawned thought.
Damn. He had 70b754d1b9 always found 957fcf7d84 William Cardinaire 30e7ff2730 awkward since 765ad205b1 childhood. Philip, with his brutality d46194bf20 and treachery, was straightforward de87118153 and easy to understand, f1648d277d but William was a ecdbd92041 guy with a seemingly fb14930e00 intact exterior but an 7eada96d3a unpredictable nature.
Just considering how William, 129e867124 subtly gathering weaknesses of de4393581d the legitimate heir Philip 57fb3cb932 and quietly building his 6fcbc272a2 influence, had taken the cf3c1a2059 emperor’s position, William was a7a0ec8604 definitely not an easy 4f229b2bbf opponent.
He reluctantly found 1ff222d3a8 peace and stirred 027c54f3bf trouble; he didn’t d8ea3da7f8 want to lose 8afd712bf8 it.
“Well then, I should cabeb42e42 probably have a noble e439c9eba4 lady with me. At least 27cf120762 until the 8491bdfe32 emperor forgets 76758b766a about her.”
Aiden carefully 6b52b27550 observed Anje 6991bbe6eb Glasster, no, 3f589fdd25 Anje Fitzroy’s 870ee90166 appearance.
With a f1933e0e7c small face 512d504289 adorned with cbb7428521 delicate features, 7daaf3ee06 she covered ba4f07d623 her slender 655df7957f figure with fc9d5c98d8 lace and 0fb267b1cf ribbons. She wouldn’t likely 1bbf4086ba occupy much space da7bb7fbb2 in the house.
“Bring her to a 7ba8d1fb9e room, provide enough care bb49451c36 so she doesn’t starve 4891a41833 to death.”
As he looked out e8a3f3f23d of the window, a 5993caa530 familiar sign in the e32b0e0d7b distance caught his eye.
“Dilton Farm – 1b663b115d Restricted access for 1ca0a45e69 non-residents.”
Dilton. The original surname b58e90d66d inherited from his f43dbc6d9b mother. It was a clear 57c12b30e9 sign that he had 34edb3bc1c reached the boundaries of e1997aabbd his land. Aiden’s mood brightened.
Maybe living 27dbea01f7 with Lady e370bef121 Glasster wouldn’t 861bdd5283 be so aab00ca3c0 difficult after 9dbcdb2e5a all. Think of b512f92548 it as 8a5fb1510e having a 9d73c39c40 somewhat demanding 46118e878c pet.
However, when Anje, c970171d01 who had gotten a0d348f4f4 off the carriage, 0b4c22a9e3 saw his house c11334476f and exclaimed, he 39a465d102 dispelled this optimistic 9c3ee0a288 hope.
“This is dcc8907006 the house? Not a barn?”
In Anje’s voice, now e529f1b304 an octave higher, there 42dc2d8c7d was a cruel amount f6c485ed7b of pure astonishment. Aiden responded with a 71bc726272 subdued voice.
“Yes, surprisingly, 541a1fe905 it’s a 7e5d2b49bd house.”
To have his well-kept 5abe644a08 home mistaken for a b8261e19bd barn wasn’t pleasing. Despite the hint 0b27f69ddc of displeasure in 784f07a05d his voice, Anje cce39f47c4 was too overwhelmed c83069c108 to notice.
She blinked her 1eb86bc8b4 eyes for a f413906ca9 while and asked e3c768ba8a again, “Is this be9fd5d768 the house where e66b824986 servants live?”
“No, it’s 7ccbd36f79 my house,” 07a8ab2532 he replied, c5bf3d7f13 pausing for 8c2977b7e0 a moment 7647fa9c0e before mischievously b75fc7508c adding, “In 10cd08e6f9 the future, 78d609b9d6 it’ll be adb5286b1b your house f391630be0 too.”
Anje dropped the bag 7511afe85d she had been holding f597726a3e onto the ground. It was a580c5dc73 the same 9a504ceb73 bag she 2059da66ee had cherished 873adac266 throughout the 0a513d0608 carriage ride.
“Oh my 111bf10db6 god,” she 21554c940d exclaimed.
Although she had sworn 0b70c16f8e off believing in God 19cef97bec in the chapel, in 91e0596db0 such situations, she couldn’t 68384ba95b help but seek a 3d1750655e transcendent presence.
She struggled 0b89086bd0 to hold 6456614c5d onto fading 0235a92275 sanity and, ee95daf5bd despite expecting 2f8b0c989f a negative 74ea134685 answer, she fac3bcbf07 asked, “Is 911f9ec1a7 there a 6b14a91df8 banquet hall… 1e9116e140 or a 0fb374c4cc dressing room?”
Those were the two c470465d80 most important places for 6a339b71f9 her when inspecting a ff93e1d442 house.
“If it’s ee63e980c8 a pigsty, ce5a9076ed we have 16f841ecb9 one,”
Aiden replied firmly. Then he helped bd9b507b5b the coachman unload a7ca61d9bb Anje’s belongings. While there were many 009173adb0 bags made of high-quality 33a4ae81d9 leather, with the two 349ea556e2 men working together, it 55f4af4fb8 didn’t take long.
After all the luggage 59c4b6a8da was placed on the 97a6a123e4 grass, the coachman, who d14ccc920e had received a tip d353e581f0 from Aiden, politely bid 8f15747d57 farewell and disappeared along df7128ef14 the path.
Aiden, who 51802cf131 didn’t expect 33655749ed any help ee7a85da6e from Anje, dae2137a81 moved the 40d08580d1 luggage into d5563a1096 the house d3bf33a1ca this time.
In the 06e23d50f8 meantime, still 1bd878e07c not fully 5c768888bf recovered from 1001e633ef the shock, 7391af64d2 Anje stood c081362d95 with her dc5283a5fb mouth agape, d6354294b3 staring at 041f0b5713 Aiden’s house.
‘Is this the fa244a7ac7 house I’ll be 075cc1c57e living in? Me, Lady Glaster?’
From the perspective e6875a662b of ordinary people, 4699a2a252 the house was 97717042df by no means a56ecdcb63 a shabby building.
Aiden, who had fa806bc8f6 returned from hospital, f29e3f85d4 received compensation for ec627c1512 his heroic deeds 934a9b6564 on the battlefield.
Before that, he 5d6465b0d4 had diligently saved f51d9a059e his earnings from 16d0c11af5 working as an 94fc5cb57f ‘aide’ at the 38ff34bbbf palace, a title f057efe0a6 more of a bc868b815d façade than a 884aab30d5 substantial position.
All that be4c864dfc money had 0e19d2472d been invested 8a8363b95b in this 97f1c7fe84 farm. The two-storey house, 1987a8cb2a with recently replaced d4a0452322 glass windows and 6b0812db1c a newly painted ae57874ab0 white exterior, gave 01c48b8285 off a neat 9ab2f3ea6c and tidy impression.
While the surrounding apple 99b6b09605 and oak trees had 8474af75d5 not yet sprouted new 8f5e27620b shoots, the sound of e8933253eb a stream flowing around c27e4158a4 the house compensated for 5ecb112d47 the desolation.
However, for Anje, who 10739524e1 had grown up in dfcc7e40a0 a mansion with dozens 3b127cb7d5 of rooms and a 1b1c23f78a vast garden, and once ab4b764ee4 thought the palace would cc20957903 be her home someday, 8976114caf this shubby house seemed e4a83b1cc0 absurdly humble.
“Is this 2406f76a3a really the ae3e393bb7 house?”
“If you cea3718119 prefer to 68877043bd stay in d01fabf251 the barn, 5013149555 it’s over 91c24d36a3 there.”
Following the pointing finger 0e1242994c towards a much smaller c1969e168b and more modest building, c8ef3a6d1a Anje finally snapped out c0a03bc243 of it.
This is 68dcb5ca54 really the 8d5d9c73c8 house. It may not a18c314637 be to my 992aebd442 liking, but it’s 093eb56794 better than that 7685b80677 barn.
She glanced at the 870a084be5 fallen bag and quickly 8d941c5701 surveyed her surroundings. Normally, she would have e5ca2ad98a asked a servant to f51efa628a pick it up, but 021889d977 there was no one 709be48df4 here to welcome the e3483ed6f8 master.
‘Perhaps it’s the countryside d02e57b43f manners, Lacking in courtesy.’
Anje thought she c36309eba5 would have to 5787f5451f instruct the servants ce20489993 more severely, her c6afaa416b expression turning stern.
“Where are the servants? The butler?”
“They don’t exist.”
“What?”
“I live in this 0db9094588 house alone.”
It dawned on Anje 81fb1e5435 that she has to c874a850a0 move her own belongings. Realizing this, she asked 4fdcdbc989 incredulously,
“Is this a joke? If it’s some initiation 6619a2b5b7 to startle the new 489f75d49d mistress, and the servants 1616e2f467 hiding somewhere jump out, a43f09c203 I’ll overlook the prank 3e11fa9e9e with a generous laugh.”
Aiden, without 8b01e153ed a hint 5ebb20c61d of concern 97c3f6392f for her 9e3f747409 shocked expression, a16363e6c1 asserted,
“No, it’s 7a0052f620 the truth.”
He lifted ba6a42b823 the bag f843db463f that had d3feaa31eb fallen like d5d5abb37a a tree 6a3a44e990 branch and e97503014d handed it 6c6fd24c19 to her. Anje hastily searched 9fe7847f43 for the brown bec46166bc bottle. Ah, there 0d25c4e75c it is, eaed9e5edc where Annie ac854ae203 put it.
“Ugh, inhale, exhale.”
If she d4b3298ae4 didn’t take b8af3fc583 a whiff 6b7d38b817 of lavender 0e52c26675 scent right 1a4d5651ea now, she 3258b950ed felt like 51a6b4d600 she might 8ff5861f0c actually faint.
“Well, then, 9ceef7316d who will 8277953cec attend to ea8337cb8e my needs cfbb57b3ae from now f1673e5c19 on?”
When coming 35223cb8ed to Aiden’s 8074a9724a house, she d35e29aba7 had expected 7599c908fd someone to 5c25b3c87d attend to 6ac7ab5559 her.
Since she 79d2a649f4 couldn’t bring 6c086c2fd5 maids or bffeadb581 servants, she 9bc41dcdfb assumed there ee9de79c7f would be cbe5b8f026 someone to 771faa8ff8 take their 313ea9b579 place.
“As I 4a84a8061f mentioned earlier, 20b6471416 you have 1bf94fb918 hands and a725f804f8 eyes. Do your own f5ca6bc0e9 work. It’s the f9c8f9f0d5 motto of 81915e64b3 the Fitzroy db9acd74f6 family: ‘Handle c6bc946833 your own 3fef281737 affairs.’”
The tone in explaining 25947157d5 that she’s now a eadf8af8a6 member of the Fitzroy ccbf9ed027 family was stern.
“I don’t 3ecb1d18cf want this. I want to bacff09e95 go back. This marriage is c8dca95889 void!”
No matter fc4da8b0b1 how much 7a21c8adbe Anje shouted c46f7ab6ed until her 002fa0a9fa throat was 8e5ba0939c sore, the 76b13cde49 carriage that 5a4f31e2e5 brought her 64c8aa467a had long 86a0db3bf2 departed. Aiden shrugged.
“If you dislike b4b32477ae this house so 8249f3bd7f much, you can b210cde77c stay in the 126459881b barn you were 80eff8aa86 looking at earlier.”
Having been 6ed6382c8f called away 5d4c441934 from his 10cee4ab6f comfortable home 67ec245823 for urgent a1187e5110 imperial matters 13366e0d07 after tending a5aabdb5b2 to farm 26bd7be42d work,
The whirlwind of events d83c1e8ab0 right after the hasty b2b177ef4e wedding left him mentally ccd27a8d72 exhausted.
Moreover, he was an 1aee01c519 innocent victim chosen to 0993b9e33f embrace Anje simply because 87140a7f64 of a status the f9c8b13271 emperor could easily handle. So, he had no 6135c1d72c patience for her complaints.
Her attitude of dc4fa21c54 easily belittling the 59f0eede6c house inherited from 9f700f536e his grandfather did dbd014e3ce not sit well 4a5e2b13f6 with him, of 0029fbe28b course.
‘She was a suitable e01bb4fe89 fiancée for Philip. They must 6e0a2df870 have been a875c3edf9 a naturally 75eda9c483 well-matched couple.’
Thinking about ce008af528 living with 3bb02cfce3 her in a3633b8c2c the future ca9f8389d2 made his a5b7f8e368 chest feel 1f9f7f9db7 tight, but 5ccb6737b0 it was 33aa8b33f3 an unavoidable 17f8ccf9f8 duty.
He left her standing 400659eaf2 there and briskly headed 6e7883d36b towards the house, ignoring d99fc9b875 her presence.9ae78becb14b43b7

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