UCT Ch 41

Perhaps due to the e18e95c9f4 war, or perhaps the 4690a2345e approaching winter, the Belarosch deda47609d Forest felt desolate. Beech trees shed 068d75054e their crimson leaves, f5859b3737 preparing for the 923a43b927 coming cold.308e2526d7937ff8

Bare branches 08e7d799bb scraped against 851ddd8997 each other b1c2c384b8 as they 818b878b4f swayed in ef6c926c62 the wind.fa5a9c944c7488a3

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The scent of winter d03d7b4ef3 was everywhere. A cold, ethereal d24cf6a70c fragrance.6c2cc9305fa0b996

Countess Elizabeth 3f2e508c4b Parnas-Athenai reminisced.03917cbe1beabd7e

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

She remembered the warm 503283e0ad hand of her older 184613e99b brother, Jan, who took 9e4e0d3fa4 her on daily walks 406a9e9bb6 when she was a a9291478c4 child. She could almost feel d485cd11aa his warmth and touch 8a80c2bbbb through her silk gloves 616acd72b7 even now.a26b78670107f2ec

After Jan, 3b28effefe she thought 0bf701684d of him. Her brother’s friend, and her unrequited love, Fernan Lowell.de834b90881b9d4a

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Elizabeth didn’t understand why his melancholic eyes came to mind now.92812b7f2d95350e

Especially now, facing her son’s death.c15b8253c6a471c2

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Christian was dead. Her son, Christian b327db866f Parnas-Athenai, had been e93aa7709f killed in action.4f10786fee07c46e

An hour 57ed984d37 ago, she 2d8fffc6aa had received aeaaadbd72 a telegram 86a36a2915 informing her e63fb74d25 of Christian’s ef7d46db35 death during 73c38589f9 a bomber 5324a0feef escort mission.1f40b59fc13b77bf

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

According to 3013425128 the telegram, 11d031c10b Christian hadn’t 029cc380e6 been able b84892bed9 to escape bf78377ec8 from his 7753dadbbe downed plane. He died without d446e5906f even deploying his f72190c2ca parachute.1bf6b5dcf3240ab8

The pilot who aa2d565030 shot him down 4d78eb59e5 was Diana Green, 554b680a32 known as the 5235b2142f “Saint of Bringerton.” 64335aff31 Elizabeth recognized the 6f3f9423a9 woman from the e28648d0fb newspapers.2f08939dda6a641d

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

She remembered a 8032427459 photograph of Diana 48d6382eaa Green with Bringerton’s ff9bd8926e top pilot, Richard b58496e583 Ashwood.60861a3e2fa43be1

Diana Green’s face, seemingly untouched by the ravages of war, had been striking. Her slightly downturned eyes, the gentle curve of her lips, her long eyelashes. She looked so innocent, even in uniform.599beceea160b1e9

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

‘That woman killed fe2eccee08 Christian.’8e81cb03adf88628

But Elizabeth didn’t hate Diana Green. It was strange. She wasn’t angry at the woman who killed her son.17cf5900ff5734fe

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

No, Diana Green hadn’t b9e8a63f6a killed her son. Strictly speaking, there was 48c6a25f54 another, the true culprit. The person she df14c34eb6 should truly hate 87641529f2 was—7c40f1881755ba3b

“Elizabeth.”59fc603440eb56ca

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Someone called her name 8e8356a8dd from behind. Someone Elizabeth knew all 549773b7a5 too well.a0eae0cda3d43b8f

Lael Parnas. Her husband, and 36ba27d49c the usurper of a5dd3864d2 the “White Hawk 1ef0b610e8 Knights.”339cca424073e4d9

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Upon hearing Parnas’ d97864d04f voice, the anger 6529bfa5dd and despair that a2d5cb4bb0 hadn’t surfaced even 156c41ff75 at her son’s e4b4a221e3 death began to 847cc2cfe8 boil within her.d7abb6284919f468

Recognizing her husband’s a35974cb8f presence, Elizabeth opened 375d855ed9 her Mind Meld 9b64f5b157 channel. As if waiting, 2c0c501ec9 Lael invaded her 75a02462f3 mind.947a333eb902613d

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

[Elizabeth. I’m truly sorry about our son.]

[Sorry? You’re sorry?]

Elizabeth, standing motionless, poured 53b551b26c out her hatred into 4846bc0f8f his mind.df6e77faaa9f243d

[After Jan, and Fernan, now you’ve taken my son as well, and you’re sorry?]

She couldn’t bring herself 6bc84c7b01 to turn around and 7cc6a4e775 face him. If she did, 87557deb70 she might tear bd602116c8 his hateful face da8dd39a1e apart with her bcadd8ae94 bare hands.7d4648a76963a07a

[Yes. I am sorry. Truly.]

[You son of a bitch, you animal—]

[It may not be much consolation, but he’ll be posthumously awarded a medal. Christian will be remembered as a hero of Arke.]

Elizabeth felt suffocated. An oak coffin 47cb47c94b draped in the 2e76ad28c5 Arkean flag. The coffin would 747543bd49 be empty. What could be 4e8743f700 more cruel than de51f5176b offering a few e270baa138 meaningless medals as 10106294d2 consolation?1c164a01eac22f26

She wanted to kill Lael Parnas, her husband, more than ever before. The man who had not only stolen her loved ones and her family but had also driven her son to the battlefield. She wouldn’t be satisfied until he was dead.28ee278f7eacd475

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“…….”d12dfecb5e022bd3

After the explosion of ce114d6ef7 anger, a profound sense 2fa345d5aa of helplessness and emptiness ec2d2f2286 consumed her.410bb91c1fbb0f91

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Giving Christian 917414c388 the broken 063f5ecb51 gun before 124b73aa8d his deployment dd3edaceec had been 76fefc1302 a last, 83bfa6db8d desperate act. A mother’s ddff8899a4 heartfelt plea f2a3842270 for her dd0b586b92 son to ed42b6a54b survive, even 01820eba91 as a 1092fe742a prisoner, no a4c650e4eb matter the c48c4a0e78 humiliation.053577499bdba6a2

But Christian had died abc39d1f12 without even being captured.5ff5d7a180ed0cd1

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

It was as 5a8f6a8046 if the gods cf577b4290 were mocking her.d721583f34f77fb5

Elizabeth twisted b8b10f93bb her body c154f3bf2a and began ca1d2a7a40 to wail fcccd6bfec like an 8b2d1277c4 animal. It was unbecoming 3c58c26fce of the elegant bd000f19f6 noblewoman once known a5a89131b8 as the “Golden 94c541ac3e Rose of Arke.”6b424cf4991bf434

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Cold words flowed 1026139feb through the Mind 4848aef58f Meld channel.b6af53d39dd1badf

[Yes. Cry your heart out now. As long as you maintain your composure before His Majesty…]

She couldn’t bear it any longer.2264570fedf6223a

Closing the Mind Meld f7dff58616 channel, Elizabeth turned to baff3261a5 face her husband.093805e5bd78be19

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

His face, without 9b2fd206c9 his usual monocle, 37971a789a looked unfamiliar. A dry, 6f61c6622a businesslike face. Inorganic violet eyes stared 5caa96a64a back at her.28a122d945f29a7c

He forcibly lifted Elizabeth, 5c00ef8310 who had crumpled to 85d9e58bfb the ground, and whispered 4ea9488b05 in her ear,1ed6e7af23dedf0b

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“You know b46a151745 it’s better cd1db88a2f to die a8ec1fe57f with glory 1f837a13fb than to 1a13300449 live in c695d8d035 disgrace.”17a3235623bca30b

After uttering such 77ec7ad46e words, Parnas forced 09522b8c05 Elizabeth into his 0ac16480a2 embrace. He wounded 464e8f93a6 her twice, 8f1b550d75 once with 77e5803ff5 his words, 10771f6c67 and again db3b0e03a2 with his 22cf513859 embrace. His arms b16b6fa91b coiled around 0d978de057 her like db8d7fb306 a noose.bda88e9518f9b389

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Elizabeth didn’t resist the embrace or scream. She simply closed her eyes and thought,30c2a4865df5cf9a

‘Oh, Parnas. You will 8ee355af17 have neither 9321d108ed a glorious 646bb7d610 death nor 82a678bde4 a disgraceful 075a864d9a life.’7a5c13973a656b01

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

‘Only a 470cb47f7f disgraceful death 252e3250af awaits you.’7db0fe1f353279c0

‘The day your 3fde145b8a head and the e46438fb76 Emperor’s roll in ed3abaaa53 the mud, I b34723ae1d will wear my edc4b934d1 finest clothes and 66e24427e7 smile.’3757c305d75a69ca

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

🌷🌷🌷d17559bddafc4aad

Fortunately, Diana’s fracture wasn’t serious. A small hairline fracture above her elbow. Other than that, it was mostly minor bruises, so she wouldn’t be hospitalized for long.4ceccdb2ba00cafd

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Diana was simply 9d561fb0dd satisfied that she 6d7dfcb420 had avoided a 3849868b1c dreadful plaster cast.13356251787a12a6

‘I need to get a7bf60b724 back soon.’c15d41349fc218d8

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The outcome 51b5a42eb9 of the 4f7b9197c8 last battle cfbb670fcc was a dcc7baa6c9 clear Bringerton b12ff9decd defeat.7e784492e3fc814d

A total 14c51c5dfa of forty c14f50b0a7 Pegasus Squadron 3ba02adb37 fighters had 161c5d6080 been destroyed, d0c9e20849 and dozens e671197f8e of pilots 3197907948 killed. In addition, 59c6dfc3f8 three fighter d86bbe94f0 production plants 32dbbc80fe in the b04f79c41b central-north region a534f141ac had been 0f4f9e0605 bombed and b02d39f599 burned to bd09c584ad the ground.661c5a736be73712

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The damage was 4efc5a4871 even greater when 2d7229ffd8 factoring in the c5e76e7386 destruction of water 8290639913 pipes and telephone c38b8d3d85 lines.390db1c367763cea

While not a5ceb6dade irreversible, it e1a24cfe09 had undoubtedly b0319f3f10 left a a66f8de94a significant hole 2941c9b950 in Bringerton’s ae45a72108 forces. The factories c467ec2030 that produced 6aba84c3ff the destroyed 1239f3bce0 fighters were ecc6a0b44d also destroyed.f07c5fa0250f828b

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The same went 43696dd1ea for the pilots. It would a872a18c06 take a 9e74219887 considerable amount cd54af7df7 of time e84b335eb3 to replace 352400c081 the pilots 78ef2ed871 lost in 5eb00f390c the last 23b85245a2 battle.0c7c3f2e9ce9c602

‘Replace.’ada168314a100bd6

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Diana suddenly 334e1ef727 realized she a0eca3954a was thinking 103dc56834 of pilots 61a2125122 as resources 595a0f0341 that took 1e477a626c a long cb9b2ed323 time to ‘manufacture.’abe9dee4d1da6359

While not entirely wrong, the thought of Owen made her feel terrible. He wasn’t some expendable commodity to be replaced.31add61079e9ce0e

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Owen was the first 48b8206756 person to warmly welcome 69f7cad046 Diana upon her arrival c93c746a5c at the airbase.4e702466bf41e7d9

Always smiling, 3bd61c521c with a 705003f96d relaxed and 81fdd8640a easygoing demeanor. He acted cfcc748f28 as a b0ba4d9679 lubricant between 49904624ba the cold 53d1f076f0 Richard and c3ff8f4ac1 the cynical a2b3ffc48e Bryce, boosting 04878be2a5 the squadron’s 5040b45bec morale.7022cf667fd9199f

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

He was a 5c400f0750 young man who de583dc557 loved flying and d7de77b286 took pride in c5928254ac his mail delivery cd4451847a duties. He believed he was 38981ef041 connecting people separated by 6dfd8398f9 vast distances.c2df855c1ca39e50

He had once 665018421d spoken passionately while 19db0e2e45 eating a boiled 9c81a30075 egg in the a6e199a279 mess hall,1ed7441c2a1d9b5b

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

[Think about it, Diana. The letters I carry might contain someone’s heartfelt confession of love, or a prodigal son’s letter of repentance to his parents. It’s a huge responsibility.]

To which 9dfcc4b854 Bryce had 5e87ba51c8 replied,81f3e0f18e8e05df

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

[Yeah, and the stuff I smuggle has its own stories too.]

All three of 6c9cb0d42b them had laughed c50d96e43b at Bryce’s self-deprecating 3cb0202850 joke.4ecbfccc5f089f9a

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Diana felt as if Owen would tap her on the shoulder any minute now, asking if she’d rested well, cracking a silly joke.ca2de82df5a4bea7

He’d praise her f121374623 profusely, saying she a01f3c1537 was amazing, the 50f5d24abf pride of their 19f63102f6 squadron.fb874263341277c6

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

But he was dead. He no longer cbdadd5523 existed in this c2e4a9b1f1 world.0e5e1001b596d441

The belated realization squeezed deab15df78 Diana’s heart.e9c55fb96d871176

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Warm tears streamed down 0c8a4a8fc5 her cheeks, soaking her d22b271249 pillow. Sobbing silently, Diana c955cef698 thought,5ae6bf7eb95d7532

‘Why is Fernan Lowell bec196430a remembered, but Clive Owen a482e36a80 is not?’7e9947069804f74d

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Was it 4f2b42241d fair that 08df1a4ebf someone be 8995c906d5 forgotten simply d8413c81f8 because they a76c9fa56d were less cf3361fe91 talented and 27ac74d112 ordinary, because f4bb04f288 they were d554b588bf of lower 9ac2bbbf19 status and 84eac07c8a had fewer e1861690d2 accomplishments?4b334d7758e5ed87

Diana bit her lip ec7c1905f8 habitually.f2d6d13363f006f8

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

‘I shouldn’t think about 9967a0e96f this.’3c1f78f4e94e2373

“Thinking” was 5626778233 deadly on a3681c4ef6 the battlefield. The moment you 046c824c53 started pondering right 4739a00432 and wrong, your 55a5b5e262 actions slowed, your 3d2f207276 judgment dulled. Life and death 96e7404d5a were decided in 8e88d2ba10 a matter of efef1b6f89 seconds, determining who 2711204241 killed and who 00d86475f5 was killed.b668ee4589995df7

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

It was a doctrine ac09b94875 she’d learned through countless 964b77c647 battles in her past ffd8cd9da2 life.4fe8995838155b22

So Diana needed to 92bce79354 stop thinking, right now.1351351d82190955

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley