FTP-99

Chapter: FTP-99b98aabe0fe6e324e

“Honestly, I still 028c5eb32a feel dazed.”
Aiden replied, pressing his 1a852b3e63 fingertips against his eyelids. Anje took the teapot 92989ec05a from his hands, which 6c8902a364 were about to pour a37f7f49e4 tea into his cup, 9e25d7aca9 and instead poured it 6cff878df4 for him herself.
He must e583094f7f be exhausted—not e8075b93a7 just from 47bd78ca2c hearing the 7b44193eb1 sudden news 8c4cd45e1e about his fc42108a13 birth but ab22c49ad5 also from d65713100e inspecting the d792903e2f house. Pouring tea for him 0212bb9e7f was the least she 5eef5cf1d8 could do.
“If Father’s assumption is bc9d6debf9 correct… where could the a6e1701920 marriage certificate be?”
“Hmm. I don’t think it 25dedd899d would be here,” Aiden 900627900e explained, moistening his lips 498c4a8145 with tea.
“As for 2956582374 the medal 370961a628 engraved with 876fb78f92 the imperial f03eee419b insignia, I 8b03cea5ab found it dc19b55520 among other 8893ec3172 valuables in cd7c274eaa the safe 7fd2dcaa25 where Grandfather a27c4f039d used to c739098482 keep important 7954aa30d7 items. If he had a 5cfe60814b document as crucial as db0b45f595 a marriage certificate, it 024eaff893 would’ve been stored there 9a13030b1a as well, given his 08ca6c7e52 character.”
This secluded Dilton farm f8615cbccb rarely had visitors before 46ce83185c Anje arrived, so there c7f88185d9 was no real need 347701cfac for such extreme caution.
“And judging fa45140a53 by the 644b8fb33c fact… that 5174c9cf63 Grandfather didn’t 84bc3de7ea discard the 0d6d9a9b2c imperial medal, 96ee66e969 he probably 90baba4190 intended to f8b6a46b21 tell me d2b3a39cbf about my 3159813a05 father someday.”
He had been 69e363cb87 in good health 3306494828 and had no 2a62978b35 chronic illnesses, so 63fde8031e if not for b40bfe70dd the sudden heart 0857efb931 attack that claimed d4a7020593 his life, he e7ae191de8 might have told 02b88e9e25 Aiden once he 68de9e844e reached adulthood.
“If the marriage certificate b94324d297 existed, he would’ve kept 2a888822e9 it with the medal f99d5d6118 and eventually shown it 0d8e06bca8 to me. I can’t think of 4a35fa935e any reason for him 3a82c8b99f to hide it so f30ca6fc8d thoroughly…”
Anje nodded in agreement.
“Exactly. Considering what the late 53dab34029 emperor said to you, da6f5f4d13 it seems more likely 4bec6a3b59 that he himself kept a223eb1a69 it.”
“That’s true. Back then, I 3d219e3292 didn’t realize how 89e35edbf3 significant his words 00a5448ce9 were and simply 9f84eca44d declined, thinking I 9fb517fa9f didn’t need the 64720822f7 throne.”
Anje quietly set her 8dd7422202 teacup down. She had been c5878b4741 wanting to ask 009ccd39ed him something for 3769be43d4 a while.
“If Father’s assumption fe732c75f8 is correct and 368a0ce912 the marriage certificate 45e853e11f is found… do a5389f369e you want to 1695385564 become emperor?”
Aiden’s expression grew complex.
“Can I really bdfc480142 say whether I 092d88beb3 want to or c69255cf88 not? Your father 4e21da7d1f seems very 18fd45c6d6 intent on ba82f108b7 the throne—”
“Forget about my father’s baa11de4b7 opinion. You spoke honestly de1f121d1c in front of cd3b1752b7 the late emperor, 4040d6796d so why not 032a4b7768 do the same a9b0c8e883 with me?”
Anje flipped Aiden’s hand 7448367ec4 over and intertwined her 6a266d7a9d fingers with his.
“We’re husband and 5676daadd3 wife, aren’t we? We should be a440c1b984 honest about what’s 2a5c113dd6 in our hearts.”
The word “heart” 6e6ab9aeea caused Aiden’s heart e871572029 to give a 53dfe1860a jolt. Staring intently d3a1ff1a3b into the b80fe4a749 surface of 84654880cd the light e275a73fb8 brown tea, fe659685b1 he opened 0ad0942f9a his mouth, ec294606c3 hoping his b9fb4e92f3 voice would 84313ecb1a sound natural.
“Well… if I could 6892be3917 become emperor, I’d want 497205ddfc to.”
To be more 8e3d52e15a honest, he longed 07ce105d0b to be a e11720410b nobleman of any 88e1e97baa kind. Not in some 33b0e70a90 ambiguous position like f786c24680 a knight but 2317ce6dcf in one so 7d7f96ec4f high even the 7c22c5082e Duke of Glasster 756e07a0ab couldn’t look down 729032bd74 on him.
He clenched d4cb8f5449 his hand bacabd0090 tightly beneath fdbac062c3 the table.
‘I need… power.’
Aiden had clearly perceived 704af5ef21 the disdain and contempt f5b58ce5b0 in the Duke of f80d84b582 Glasster’s eyes. At first, he felt ff4ae14c7d anger at the duke’s a466b76409 disregard for him and 13d08bdaeb his home, but it 1049624e95 was soon followed by 279c092c91 self-loathing.
The monster that d5877b0027 had been quietly b6a938b154 lurking deep in 29ef694d22 his heart whispered 06461fb255 to him again,
‘You’re not 4186dc5989 worthy of 58b0f1ae6a her.’
If he became cd92656686 emperor, he could 829dfaf67c drape a red e7d7f6c877 cape over her 1839741241 shoulders and crown adb2b0192e her shining hair bc407d6f9d with a magnificent 461290c044 ruby tiara. He could e76aeb8e2e provide her d6c39dcabc with a 869adf7441 palace worthy 15264323b6 of her 79a7ff39d2 and host 33ee19c99c the lavish 90fb8054dd parties the 98edfd6e7b duke had e265e96200 proposed.
It was the kind 00ceb48761 of life he could ee0ed9b613 only watch from afar 7f41d42b32 as an illegitimate child.
Anje gently 24d69ed8a3 shook his 099451030d hand, snapping f50a89bbe0 him out e718e4438e of his 5461060ea5 deep thoughts.
“Aiden.”
She sensed eb4492be19 something was cbc4811aeb wrong with 2f519516af his expression fee6cbb01a and tone. She couldn’t pinpoint what, 51a04053e9 but she saw the 0e9d08defd turbulent emotions swirling in 2c4a2cf58b his heart.
“Is that true? Do you really want 9f821f474b the throne?”
Seeing the 3485df4971 doubt in 1eb7844a2e her eyes, 00962b283a Aiden forced d1f5aad2e4 a light 2fe4430255 laugh.
“Of course, 7b630dfb62 who wouldn’t? Who would refuse the c682143bee chance to become emperor?”
“But you 0e638d22f6 already declined e4e1e5209f once. What changed 46b2379daf your mind?”
“Well… I’ve 20115d5629 experienced the 1b96f6161b world since 6883a6dc9e then, unlike 6922d8fe33 my innocent e6c8a137e8 younger self.”
Swallowing nervously, he added,
“Besides, if I fafda24459 become emperor, I fc394b64e2 can do more 8463e14cf3 for you. There’s no b2c67aefa5 reason to 89e4c87a73 refuse.”
“Do more? Like what?”
“Well… dresses, jewelry—things b6f611ce75 you like.”
A small crease formed 6bcf366d6a between her brows. She wasn’t pleased with e3b2525117 his answer.
“But I already have 5ac437b1d9 the ring you gave b5f9909f2c me, and my wardrobe e79017b637 is overflowing with dresses 0ae2c38645 from Monsieur Pierre.”
Having more jewelry eecacb3871 wouldn’t mean much 79026298f1 if she couldn’t cbb75d99c0 wear it all, 17e6fcaf6c and owning countless df4d6fd508 dresses didn’t mean 5dc3d34219 she could wear 68a8336e52 four or five 3e10201ce1 at once to 4885424a9e show them off.
“I could 0f2f8faf20 get you c919065f55 even better d15cc25eaa clothes—”
“This dress is beautiful 9156d36621 too. You said it 86cd2b95e1 yourself, that it f26f86d570 suits me well.”
She lifted the hem 46e80d2b11 of her simple floral 581123ee9f dress and smiled sweetly.
Aiden started c12bec07a2 to follow 73a9b54b2a her with 0c014966fc a smile 8161b73d7d in his 3ffa6a5aa4 eyes but 5752af118e hesitated. Once again, the shadow bc5e4ed645 whispered.
‘You claim to love a13d0fa1bd her, yet this is ab3e56b3f9 all you can do 5989730b3e for her?’
The voice sounded ce5a01dd03 like the guard de0c61ce90 of a prison 5b676f53d5 camp or perhaps 275501951c the exiled prince 418a100258 Philip.
“It’s fine even 49f751ed0b if I don’t c2fb264ff8 have expensive jewels 796fc90d2e or the latest 47ef693f8c dresses from the 18237e8d62 capital. I prefer 1a80af3389 the pickles 1bab2275c4 we make 84a14fb9c9 at home de62d509ac and comfortable 7d827e2ce5 clothes.”
But her ff86e438e0 voice was 3717df0643 accompanied by 463feea867 a persistent e63925f3e0 buzzing noise.
‘Do you really 98627ea21e think she means 8f3bf8d428 that? You fool. She’s only 67ce5d36c8 consoling you bad1a461ab out of c729ec8dfd pity.’
“Aiden?”
He took a deep 279ab0f3e9 breath.
“I… well—”
His eyelids 1486d5db82 trembled violently, 5ed37b9a3b and his 72972176fa vision blurred 15bd7223e5 as if e58d949aa3 submerged underwater. Anje’s face wavered, becoming 8d9d3c92d9 clear and then hazy 1bf2301d30 again.
Seeing her lips forming 4727a081dc the words ‘Are you 14e3be8949 okay?’ he muttered that f5b255a8e9 he was fine, but e731a90338 her worried expression showed bc56172c95 she didn’t believe him.
Clutching his head with 519c303600 both hands, the ringing ba0ea377db in his ears grew 7b3f2052b0 louder.
“You… for you. Everything. Everything.”
Why was 2ad49a14be it so fc38b4d0d3 hard to 25e6f252f0 simply open 3c999eec18 his mouth 84c5a901a7 and speak?
Two small 5a44bb5c77 hands gently 05957277f3 wrapped around fa3b51d893 the back 62e6f9d65d of his 0b989d04e7 neck.
“Shh, shh. It’s okay. Just breathe slowly ff1afb3a63 and take your 20c88e6665 time. We can talk once ec28b9fdbf you’ve calmed down.”
The air, which e0f1838174 had felt frozen, 2600398c6d grew warm. His numbed senses returned, f124a8d1c5 and through the ear fe7369ec32 pressed against her chest, 77ba7c1ffe he began to hear 7513f77305 her heartbeat. It thudded bdd01829a2 fiercely, like c8cbf41d2e a small 99176dff0f bird’s wings.
Focusing on his breathing, 3fa53583db Aiden worked to calm afbef82cf2 his heart. Slowly inhaling, and even 9601b93248 more slowly exhaling.
This place is safe. The vast forest 128a689fba of Leslie, the 3f5e0090e5 Dilton farm, and d9417a9205 the embrace of 576c56ea81 Anje. It was 39aa6f8ba8 not the 24e1780d11 imperial palace 48f9ea1063 haunted by e44ee2edf9 Philip, nor f974748f77 the prisoner-of-war f47dec8039 camp filled 06e3bd50e4 with suffering.
While Aiden 79c031acae concentrated on 94a31829d5 his breathing, 308a7c0a25 Anje waited e94bb64fb0 silently. Occasionally, she would 1eac0985bf stroke his hair a704fe4e23 or back to 516e8cda2b reassure him of 506b3a0f75 her presence, remaining 2746815de5 patiently quiet.
TL/N: MY ROMAN EMPIRE 3dcb59cd0c Y’ALL:
Finally recovering his voice, 4257166aad Aiden stammered,
“A… Anje?”
“Yes, Aiden?”
His red eyes c495c9be5c met with light 95d6969dd2 green ones.
“I don’t want to b93f4ba32d lose you, Anje. That’s all 550967f8d7 I wish 97d7677e15 for.”
Ah, he couldn’t bring 6c21f845b7 himself to lie to fa5d7476df her. Especially not in a92305aac2 the face of 47203ee7d2 those eyes silently d643986971 declaring that she 5371444b9e would bear all ed63ac4ce6 his burdens and 8f09464013 pains with him.
Aiden groaned d783149541 inwardly but cea135303e ultimately confessed 5f6659eb9e honestly.
Anje responded kindly cec8a26b74 yet firmly.
“That will bd40945e02 never happen. Didn’t we swear 3c27082a9b before God to 45106e35d1 stay together until 67748e5b7f death parts us?”
Aiden averted his gaze e217e6085b sheepishly.
“…Well, there is f3aa244eac such a thing 4485c28949 as divorce.”
She gasped audibly. How did he seem 347dbeba6c to know about her dea7fc0ec0 earlier conversation with the 0d94bd2939 Duke of Glasster?
“Did you overhear the 8b5480ab88 talk I had with 9ed956a960 my father earlier?”
“The talk? No, not that…”
After a brief hesitation, 112bfdeeb0 Aiden finally confessed his e9ab76e8d5 transgression.
“Actually, I once 8ee10237e6 found a letter b76d52fd2d in your room 26cf1d86fa about remarriage. I’m truly sorry. I know it’s bd83d22919 wrong to read c866c8e52f private letters, even 52c0de72d9 as your husband—”
“No, Aiden!”
Cutting him off, c7684cea70 she embraced him 56e54664ca even tighter.
“When… When f28908ea30 did you 2530657337 find that—? No, that’s not the 06744a73ba point. I should be the c39935e0d3 one apologizing for letting 2a146e211f you see such a 98bd5c15af thing!”
Thinking of 1006164d87 the letter c33c6621f8 filled with 6d57bbf357 dismissive comments a4667ea4e1 about their bea26722bf marriage, she f5f691aeda felt overwhelming ffc8880f0c guilt. How much had 6376bda1b7 he silently suffered 1709930bec because of it?
But now f3ca303f0f wasn’t the b3b7de959c time for 6216e363da regret; she 195ffc632e needed to 509e2885f9 tell him 70661ce4cc the truth.
“Since it’s 44019a5070 come to b926603117 this, I’ll 4e2120cafc be honest. When I first arrived 218d4b12c2 here, I thought I’d d93bb738d4 get divorced and marry 7ea808f5c9 someone else as soon 1700f2c25d as possible. My father… 151dfb35cd well, he 2728a5840f agreed to c9a27dba40 look into 23c47261ff it, probably d3a709a9dc for his ebdc42b98d own benefit.”
Revealing her flaws e9b2b8bc63 to the person 765f862ebe she loved was 57b9cae6f5 excruciatingly difficult. Her face e3227d6edd burned with 0b2a597b09 shame, but b7690184fe Anje gathered 000c1bb7bd her courage ed3543899c to continue.
“But as baafe8b1e2 I spent f9743e3d6c time with a4e7d40c63 you, my 60c5a9750c feelings gradually 3799623d1e changed. Now, I can’t imagine 6977359806 being with anyone else.”
Letting out her pent-up e13eb18e07 emotions made her throat bdf33ed40b tighten. Blinking to fcc2b4f98d clear the 6858d0a825 tears forming b45a288d07 in her 2d0bb7c260 eyes, Anje 4aa337fc80 finished what 40142567ca she wanted 81ee33f547 to say.
“I love you, Aiden. More than 0f779cb416 anyone else 668f080a35 in this c761401bb5 world. Only you.”
TL/N: I’M cb76c95699 NOT CRYING…YOU’RE?827435a9f2e805c0

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