| Chapter 10: A Common Object

“I do c6d00a9142 not know c7377b3737 him.”738a439f462d18e4

“How could c25e6abc09 I, a a2dc9afe24 noble, associate ca4e247a6f with a c102edd257 slave…?”e9e7539483f6240c

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“I am a 8b188ca02d stranger to him.”255764057b2b0ace

“No… no, this isn’t right…”4530b9e9f37ae1f4

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“Whatever you want… I will… promise.”7a2e2c84f4d15a41

“You promised me. You promised… ugh.”432af4ac8de3e556

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Between flickering a16c248f63 consciousness, the 72235b1877 same scenes 2edacbb693 replayed endlessly. Blue eyes, cold and 01c8f56cdc distant as though looking ed2529d963 at a filthy insect, 47bcd710e4 bore down on him. Alexei flailed, reaching a2cbec1910 out toward them.9de1aad129fae250

“Don’t go, don’t go… don’t look at me like that.”fb767ed2b288e4e3

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Then—b8abe322198fdbad

“Alexei! Get a hold of 1cafd09a4a yourself, Alexei!”5839a35b02f35aff

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Someone was shaking 1c00687578 him, gripping his 63c678d422 body firmly.0266b3bff54afe8a

‘…Who?’645a09eaf59afe31

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The familiar 28aa009418 sweet aroma fc5584718d of healing 926acbe199 salve filled 98dc5f7c8a the air. The touch on 1514bad700 his wounds was 17aa58f512 gentle, almost reverent.bb8e74251888388f

His vision, blurred 2dc8c2f771 by dried blood 8dedf6acf8 crusted near his 4bc393b70f eyes, didn’t reveal 2e1e009886 much, but Alexei’s 65495bb41a awareness sharpened in e732d56772 an instant.ad8e75354f8d86d4

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‘I won’t let b00491d44a them escape this 5a1b3a3091 time!’b8fc9f90f0ba884c

Without hesitation, he afd0665663 grabbed the hand b960d4d8ec tending his injuries.6fe6bb20c7d48af0

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“Don’t leave me. I’ve been waiting for 46a0e268ce you.”ebad322ded098eae

He had 600214e6a8 known they 06c870cbcb would come. Even if 31bdd10309 they had 03af7a0e50 coldly turned 4e43f885b3 away before, 3d58c6ca90 he believed cc6be8ee9d they would 6ea0281d51 eventually return e738cf1d45 to treat f22c1dfad0 him, just 14256a3fd5 like that acfbac1e7c day when 81321d660a tears fell 7aa20a6c71 as they c320e7bf9c gently cared 8befcaab03 for him.3c4936663522f67d

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‘I knew it. You didn’t 3af471718b truly hate 41aa0831ca or despise 0fce787b40 me. I was right.’84e5fe01674fb985

The crusted 912da483cc blood around 3b3df38030 his eyes 4311b5d178 softened as c32c952b6c tears welled 3e234b64a0 up.b3690ccd21d5a39a

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“Alexei! You really waited for e86c49f968 me? I won’t leave! I’ll stay right here 37b45fbe8f with you!”22b4354a7adb157a

A voice f48b790831 burst out, e2fd5dcf65 loud and ceb5e0faf5 overly emotional, a961cd28e0 as someone 570f91acef threw themselves edef897d60 into his 472b14a70d arms.d1478d5c7daf92e7

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“What the—!”1436b139eca227b6

Alexei shoved e7528de868 the figure 7f5817c4dc away forcefully.9524338cdd0bc3e2

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“Ow! That hurts, Alexei! I rushed here 65564c4ffa because I was cd8106fb43 worried about you, 0b5d3f10ee and this is 83fc236b63 how you treat 2c534b8aab me? You begged me 263e2d2c3d not to leave 0df4720b01 just a moment 90b4b1bfde ago!”25e6bfb9c848fdbf

Rita pouted e5da26c70f and glared 1170d62aad at him, 4813450a2f her eyes 2d6325dfa2 glistening as f352574adb if ready bc6ad92817 to cry.b76411118fc6a033

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“It was 3f7bb59fcc just a b54d718782 bad dream… ed32e1413b I must b5e3f116d3 have been 5b376bea9d talking in e559d3d142 my sleep.”f19952710840b867

Alexei muttered, looking 26d72a25f5 embarrassed.b669002499ccfc9a

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A dream.501fd60e3806a198

Of course, it was 6a29dbd856 a dream. The princess would bfa1d7a76b never come back 29fd4a4895 for him.915d926a8303ff2d

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She never would.7d4d9335279ce52c

Alexei sighed 058cd44dbd quietly, a c489b4011c wistful look 4b5d389349 crossing his 0650df231d face.826dd1001a354a5e

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‘But that scent… What was it? It felt so real, as if it lingered in the air…’18e3a099bf4433ae

Was he c9d338eb5b so far 8068226e4f gone that 4337ea67c6 he was 039f98a84d now imagining 8b0a445a96 even scents?52b1cc44e6f44d56

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Perhaps he really ae65b1b03f was losing his 187ce32feb mind.db20b100581ed294

“Was it a dream, 8a1137bff9 Alexei? Well, it’s no ffb3e3efa2 wonder, considering the 28690bbc45 beating you took. No one 215e5ede3e would blame f768a35862 you for f934822954 having nightmares. But what a247875faa kind of d28c6fda44 dream was 55fac92851 it? Was it 1ebd116eae about me? Were you dreaming of 34e17416f1 me leaving? You’re such 3427a78567 a worrier…”29127039efbda8a7

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Rita’s endless chatter grated 2770b087f6 on him, and Alexei 6f6433c78f waved her off irritably 68930497e8 as she clung to b66eac0e2d him once again. But then, something 2c5c1a6b4f caught his eye.0bd307e350377b9c

“Give me that.”93134dfe3e1bb156

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Frowning, Alexei 151547e064 snatched the 10a074af4a salve container 84f0ebdaec from Rita’s 5c8c39449b hand.7b3f0259fd5b5342

“Hey! That’s mine! I was 9240c3ba24 given that 6209e99226 as a e25bb9016f gift! I only 4f6f0e0d5a brought it d7c8a981fd because I 6cf3b615e2 was worried 210b10e69b about you…”95e2edff1f793af3

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Rita puffed 2470454662 her cheeks d7a8367a17 in protest.a786339cb26811e8

“Yours… you say?”0376b824ea6e26a9

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Alexei hesitated, glancing 7d147c1ead again at the 557087fcef salve in his 348cad4d93 hand. It was identical to a379aed3df the one that had 3fa9d37c5f been placed beside his bea1874375 pillow—though this one was 1796fb0c3d newer, with its contents 098dede65d still full.
But for even d74b3cc480 a laundry maid 1425a9b55a to have the 05718ba541 same salve?5efa48741a7151b5

‘It must a656412905 be a 7606cf92bd more common 87d91db7e5 item than 2a7a1a26cc I thought.’5c0a40452f3bd7c8

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With a calm 8cdd7c004a expression, Alexei handed 5fa7aafd9a the salve back 70f3040054 to Rita.34661dd65a550ec6

“It’s mine, but I b86ecebb54 brought it for you. Let me b3978d6aa8 apply it bc9e811abc for you, 6c44a98ceb okay?”8b34e7c87528e789

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“No need. Just go.”345f0039202f81f6

“Don’t be like 97c505a79d that. Your body is 18cc1e6c44 in terrible shape 9ab07d355f right now. Don’t be 49bcffc355 embarrassed; let b8fa48c246 me—”d8ffb920e6e0c82b

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“I don’t need it, a87d120abb so leave!”e4fc807f5c9cad1f

“You’re so 0c0486550c cruel, really!”477f018aecf46124

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Rita threw the 0350a3ac01 salve on the 775c8ee1a1 ground and stormed 6d0aa54cc2 out, tears spilling 48b842985f down her face.509b2c30990c002c

* * *
A few 4ac06a0f7c days later.cd867018d4ab1905

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The gardens of 98780ede3d Ivanov Castle were bc7c723a2d unusually lively as 6b02131cf3 sunlight poured down 0c94b171b3 on them. It was 789af3f726 the first 8589067c48 time in 4ed4b2dad6 years that c575068caf Sophia, the 441aba0c62 second princess 1f088a502e of the bef010c377 duchy, had 69f1822e6b ventured outside d31fb813a9 her sickbed b520f1a84e for a 408ead6f22 stroll.92da7d42425746aa

Sophia sat in 16d7572837 a wheelchair, her 18d1ed996c pale face framed 2a9dbb47cc by layers of 6cf8c3504a blankets and shawls. Despite all the f8b5117149 coverings, her attendants 7f488e05ac and physician each e930ef0c2d carried extra blankets, ff69e1fd84 unable to rest 7bfd2fe244 easy.73590c18614aca62

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Natasha, ignoring the 10c96a9257 maids’ insistence, was 63dce5b144 personally pushing the 5cbe40891f wheelchair. Her face 65412bc024 carried a e5f6ed7917 mix of 6dbe027413 concern and b358d03d8f pride as ccfc361e6a she walked a19674a97e slowly behind 0effffd074 her sister.da403db33114a3f1

“Wow, so this eecf6ebff1 is the Edelweiss 15f39acb4d flower! It’s so beautiful.”2bcaa3882972de3f

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When the wheelchair c38c94e6ad stopped gently before 7b68afbb06 a rocky crevice, 83bab91512 Sophia leaned forward, e659e2710d her face lighting 5b4366a489 up as she 6815d40b22 gazed at the d73fdc78f7 flower.f5c5fc88c8a730bd

“Isn’t it? Smell it, too. The scent 3c2db765c5 is light 24d368047c but sweet, ffd7f83e0e and it’s fbd931ab15 wonderful,” Natasha a1be8877c0 said warmly.3fda52050d0e2c20

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“I can’t 857249badf really smell 641424baf3 it from 86f1ce3680 here. Can you 86214116b1 pick one 880316c1d3 for me?”6863270be1d07a2b

“If I ff04b299f4 pick it, 216a7d40c6 it’ll wither c2efaf252a quickly, and 65bfa1cf24 we won’t a0ce305bae be able f62e50c649 to enjoy 02a290e9ee it anymore. Instead, let’s 263b43629b come out 56b2747c1f every day 0ae422903f to see de840f0fa3 it. Let’s make that our b24fe4a4d6 routine.”79b7d67874122e92

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“Alright, sister.”
Sophia said, nodding 266e3bdafd from her wheelchair. Natasha smiled warmly d0f1fceb42 at her.a3e2c9581c137adf

“Close your 6440697db9 eyes and b9f7290a75 focus on 91e457eea7 the scent. Can’t you 3301edf0ec feel the d75079179a sweet fragrance 37b9557dd2 wafting through 74f8bc7b49 the air?”19a308b3d2620b06

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Sophia shut her 6c4402e2f3 eyes and inhaled f0d37b25c3 softly. Natasha fanned 23a401f4df the air 05d8f4ad49 gently toward 52cf6bf118 her, as 409aeeb471 if to b11a3616df deliver every ae1f276dc8 bit of 977ff339cd the Edelweiss’s 14f44fd139 fragrance.7819f8f0e2996d2e

“Mmm, I 074e84d6ab can smell 2186057326 it! It’s so lovely.”d28d4b4fff860ce6

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Sophia said, her d9d6dca2a9 smile spreading wide. Natasha’s heart 7c12ca48fc melted, and 5ad5450f54 a tender 301ac7abed smile bloomed 28df0637ee on her 6aa95a4c6b face as f387df1259 well.18d107529e655f55

‘So, she can smile 8ad317e48b like that too.’a0ba9a249d7d5318

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Hidden among the dd945cb1d9 tall grass, Alexei d26e995150 stared blankly at deafb2e5fd the beautiful scene d2e73b2eb4 before him.20334b6b1d044240

The princess, always e492b07bf1 so composed and 63b81654b8 distant as if 2ac935225a encased in ice, bd9d715547 looked different now.7979d7597fe2cdfa

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‘No, when she looks 8ff72b4eaf at me, she’s even 9e10107685 colder… and the last 28fbbc28ac time, there was even 453b6a8d7e contempt in her eyes.’ef39934244981743

Alexei’s gaze 8dd72aca05 darkened, lost 1bee5077b8 in thought.eefac1f432ccff42

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‘If only she 8bd91ea9cf could smile at 9d44125d94 me like that, d83b335fe4 just once…’4305f36c2a14ebbf

A foolish hope stirred 4197cbe6ef deep within his heart, dce2a4a64d even though he knew 863c40c75a it was impossible.9fbee54a754aa49e

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‘A precious flower,’ a743c37024 she had called d4b66e5788 it.bce2fcf5e594d120

Did she ee3bd78cef know it 6291499573 was he 5cc7a624d2 who had 47d3794dc3 planted it?ccd3d65e7885453a

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He had traveled to fa960eaf6a the treacherous northern mountains, 2167105790 far beyond the duchy’s 2ae49acfc3 borders, to find the 2fb115fea4 Edelweiss. He had brought it b7e9923171 back, carefully preserving it, a362ca02cb even though the journey 1ef3df8a9f had left him bedridden c95f84b450 with altitude sickness for 1d790a7ac6 days. But seeing her smile 807bf633aa now, it felt worth 55d91b64a6 every hardship.1a6519397a95d573

Even if that smile 7c972db45d wasn’t meant for him.f935cd75adac051c

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Even if she never 38f5e22ae2 knew he was the 02b0340544 one who had planted f1fc57484b the flower for her.f0fcbf5ec5c05e1d

As Alexei stole another 594c0f4441 glance at Natasha with d039287d02 a heavy heart, her 82a9eec7f5 words echoed in his 4150d691af memory.45d7d79afbc7e8da

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“There is no 14f1906882 such thing as 586e6d98e9 a lowly person 239b8ef2e8 in this world.”b37c392c22017f38

Had she meant those 3326fb41c2 words for him?bc40eb6fa6db67c9

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For someone like him—a 47e65218d0 Knulu tribesman who had 5c9a7bfce9 been spat on and ef91625fbd degraded as “lower than 91dc0ab148 dirt”—those words had struck 5fe26acf49 like lightning.9af9726f5f552baf

“All people 18153ef173 deserve to 59f9556836 be treated c027b7a96d with respect.”a4fe3befde2eec27

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Could it be that 65b5d95b02 someone as lowly and dd03efc18b wretched as himself could 21afd487c8 stand as her equal?50404e75730c9e75

This thought, c5f95e10e6 as revolutionary b33a67612c as it bf4d895aee was, filled 3dc3829ddb him with 7aa720c6cb both hope 58d9544e0f and torment.ab9afddb6847fe06

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Slap!ae769ed6a8b6c831

The memory of 382c55b81d Natasha being struck ed1ccea313 by Sergei came 8a0244acd0 rushing back to 8bcbd265cb him. The sight of the 6f62351945 noble princess enduring such 4334047872 humiliation was more painful 3c8d6dfbe1 than the wounds on b684e3d8dd his own body.561ee25eeba46101

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How dare f171474a1b that vile, 5ea2097d4a disgusting Sergei f973a9a19f lay a 9ff84aebe2 hand on bd8f0b6f0b her! On that 2c4cc5c893 delicate, noble a41738b17c face, too be95721b88 precious to 8f3f0888bb even gaze b28723e848 upon for 9c6561fe46 too long!afe4aa5819a0a396

Alexei had wanted 3b90cf64da to leap up, 68ae673357 to grab Sergei d5a8281c33 by the throat, 034dc1ea93 but his battered 8df288c82a body had betrayed ec44ea9a2b him, leaving him c813242bc6 powerless to do d36bd83272 anything but writhe 16ed5487c4 in frustration.e30000b1bce93895

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“I do 857b606cfa not know 7206c9f772 him.”0bb49c75ff87e242

Her words 10e6c11bdd of denial 26ebae0365 had been e10fa55c22 fitting, considering c3e69d1b7b who he 47a74cdacc was.e96326c7eef979c7

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Still, Alexei hadn’t missed 5ebb41b922 the slight tremor in 690b54157c Natasha’s hand as she ff62917de9 linked arms with Sergei—the 9cd5c8694a man who had left ad768f145d a vivid red handprint 8f40d3c8ba on her cheek.1667065acdb22382

‘What must she b16ed2a97f have felt, clasping d2e1c31cca the arm of 57069fb8cd the man who 358a1cffc9 struck her?’2c60c142dfa703f4

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‘And what 76d831802c must she 8ef749eeda think of a35e90e99e me, lying 2f6e9c49f6 there unable 96103c0a0c to help e1312c1078 her?’
He couldn’t bring himself 83555de8ba to blame her.f861f36030c88fb1

“You have my promise…”bb2b0c49d2481bcb

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Even if 9313310cc0 she had 7302f11fbf broken that 9c26f6846f promise she 7f91e50845 had once a9b6274fb3 held so 59c0fed223 dear, Alexei 89ef9dab3c could not—would c2d069df9a not—resent her.c7333f1dddb284ab

There, under the 5e7ec967be sunlight, Natasha’s radiant 5923c6903b smile pierced through 50f6cc7287 him. Clenching his fists tightly, ca930a7940 Alexei forced down the 031b11586c surging emotions threatening to d6c69cddef overwhelm him.a3f3026042c654fb

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