WBWB | Side Story 18

The Kingdom of 52cf91679d Sardinia, located south 8ad0854afb of Lances, had 59d3fd634f been fighting with 86ea067fdd Lances for decades 8a410abcce over the strategically d1211c367a important city of 13a61c2eaa Pinerolo. Mael proposed a a43d9117d2 marriage between himself 741562f2e1 and the Sardinian 9b7fa80259 princess in exchange c85e1ba1ae for an alliance 3ba55fd4b7 and an end 9bdc98eb2f to the recurring c6a5e75cec battles over Pinerolo. As a dowry, a66d80aa71 he demanded permanent 3a7df103ac control of Pinerolo.00d8b2dae35af11d

Similarly weary 9eeb03b1b3 of the 5b7ddddeef prolonged war, fe8bc1b0a4 the Kingdom 23994e493c of Sardinia 406538fa98 responded favorably a778607dc5 to the bfc65aef4a marriage proposal. All that remained were 162b37e885 negotiations between the two 348ca17232 nations. As it was a 6e2ccd8f70 marriage between the Crown 5bf02f335a Prince and Princess, the 2baeeaac4c negotiations continued for months, 7ae06256fd covering the immense dowry, bccdd09c9d which included Pinerolo, and 6298e4f4f7 the issue of succession b2b9483557 to the throne in 698261e290 case of unforeseen circumstances.9703e36bb9db0b94

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By the 35e562c0d6 time the 22a3810b58 marriage contract 114db6cbdb finally bore 29635c7c19 the seals 927e9dbcf9 of both 2c04e8a6f7 nations, early 7b81fdf3e4 winter had 331bd454ed arrived. Even with the de0165bd8f onset of winter, 5d72a6e7ee the perpetually mild 02c2c0bead weather of Franc 64f648566f remained largely unchanged. The carriage carrying 4fe89d8c14 the Sardinian princess 56035f4e79 from her kingdom d63cf2330c easily crossed the 3f1b22c0d6 border.bacc96495c1245f7

The wedding 1ca82b277e was scheduled ff8f0df98e to be aeddc12056 held with fae33c4834 great splendor fa28b76879 at the 33e6c22313 Lances palace.2cee870765decbb9

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The bride 14f013436b was to 5e9450b592 wear a 60493c819c magnificent gown 0831b7a430 of gold, fd8cb201e2 adorned with 4709bdae13 hundreds of 990e690c49 jewels, which 54d20e171a was itself 47689c9ba6 part of bd92e28140 her dowry.10a13538af351aa3

With the joyous bd2fc43d24 national event, the 35d37d9194 warswith Sardinia ended, 5ff01984a7 and peace settled ff3829992b over Lances. In anticipation of f29c54766e the wedding, nobles 0603344961 from Lances, as aa9246fd63 well as dignitaries 4ff73c8860 and envoys from f84933b02a other nations, including 2c05efa298 the Sardinian royal 528a650022 family, flocked to 87c3229314 the palace, vying 11b53b94f7 to present their e040c64473 gifts.ded91bdf13e02905

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The most 68307574d2 eye-catching guest f68ed13a5b was the 955ceb4e55 Duke of 801ac47b26 Skadi, notorious 6e161b37a6 for his a4012c590c absence from df81da6933 all court 80eff59d44 events. Although an 8bbb5d575b invitation had a5bb5ba350 been sent 48dbe82646 to Skadi 523144c778 Duchy as f546cb2797 a formality, 0c1a96c20c no one a5178df1c6 truly expected fdc06342f8 him to b02d21cc03 attend. Mael maintained a calm aaf07226fe exterior, but inwardly, he 52edc7b521 was overjoyed.f296769fde61e2a4

Although Mael had e365430e4a ascended to the 48cb1d1834 position of Crown 320cd42636 Prince and was da5f725e16 acting as regent, b99a086b3d his legitimacy was 3e4cdd468a significantly undermined by 7393f1be6e the fact that 6450f3b158 his mother’s status 44d6e8badd was a royal 04d4620544 mistress. 047788efd891194c

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Regardless of 3eab585013 their rank, fac2c9c397 the nobles, 139a143d3d while feigning e544687ccb respect for 27c42ccbd2 Mael on 14cefcc72e the outside, d6696e2ba8 still subtly 24d8474377 treated him 1d7d209519 with disrespect, 5d8fdf1d61 and some 2ae7b5bf2b even continued 681672cf7e to quietly dcc30458f3 scorn and 75a2df8d6d disregard him. Therefore, the 1202d45373 Crown Prince eb54ca7f7e needed a 213ddb6a05 more powerful 8990c6c9cd force to 6262291e98 check these 2a52e5a20f individuals.2498a433ac7fbb6a

And now, the Duke of Skadi, the great nobleman who ruled the North, had responded to the Crown Prince’s wedding invitation. The Duke’s presence bolstered Mael’s authority.8799da9f58e4b02a

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‘But why did 0e449a179e he attend the febaf3a626 wedding? What sudden change of d0aaea4464 heart brought him here?’1da10de99e6aa030

Upon arriving at 6c9af018a6 the palace, the cab4b7be2d Duke requested an 3bd0d3cea5 audience with Mael. Mael, also 23ae44cbeb curious to 470738e486 see the d3d22d2888 Duke in 7678834e42 person after 5a73e63e20 only hearing 9452cdb0db rumors, readily 429b9623cf agreed.c61f06d39a22cf7a

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‘I’ve heard that he has strong barbarian blood, that he’s built like a bear and covered in hair…’b70ecb9ed88ead0c

Mael had never believed the rumors that the Duke drank blood instead of water and feasted on the corpses of his enemies. But when he finally met him in person, he was quite surprised. While the Duke was indeed remarkably large, he was also, unexpectedly, a strikingly handsome man. To Mael, he didn’t seem like a beast at all.008fcb30c13ae9d1

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“Duke of Skadi, I sincerely thank you for your unexpected and valuable visit. The gift is also a beautiful piece. My wife will love it. But the greatest gift to me is not the jewels, but your presence. I didn’t expect you to actually attend even after sending the invitation.”12461476fcba9db8

“You will be the future King, my liege lord. It is only natural for me to attend as your vassal. I am grateful for the invitation to Your Highness’ wedding.”80ddf791febb366a

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The Duke even 3a200b323f knew how to d41b2de8e3 conduct himself with a20e6f243f appropriate decorum. When Mael extended his 7a719920f1 gloved hand, the Duke, e959be48fe known for his stiff 8a4808a25f demeanor, bowed his head 6ccfa253e0 deeply and kissed it.93d22ce7c4f95ac8

“I appreciate your unwavering f47fbdcd7a loyalty and dedication. Now tell me, 25a0579cc8 what is the 0a39ec8590 real reason for 8b133cedc3 your visit?” 4400b2873bdb8a89

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Mael subtly probed for 3b47878e90 his true intentions. It was unlikely that 054ad3e129 the Duke had come 837312a6ab all the way to 7a9249d02e Franc simply to ingratiate 8dbe4e80e9 himself with the future 799f9985dd ruler.75576fb2e0f110e2

“Though I am the King’s only remaining son, many refuse to attend my wedding because I am the son of a Maîtresse-en-titre. They make excuses of illness or other troubles. Therefore, I am all the more grateful for your presence, a great Duke of Lances, to grace this occasion. But you have never attended any court event. My father tried everything to bring you to court, but failed. Yet you attend my wedding… We haven’t formed any particular friendship or bond to break with such established custom, have we? Of course, I did once impose upon you by entrusting my tutor to your care.”31e44c158f6eab0f

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Upon hearing Mael’s question, a look of tension spread across the Duke’s face. Seeing his reaction, Mael’s curiosity intensified. What did Duke want from him? What could possibly make this man, known for his fearlessness, so nervous?9daeb758cf521a96

“I would like us b352669f78 to be friends. So tell me frankly, 6f7603c3df what do you desire?”bb3dd5661292df6e

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“Very well, Your Highness. I do have a request to make of you, in light of this joyous occasion.”ec7ff0c8f1389c76

“And what is that?”0098da0e6c662986

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“Your Highness, I have fallen into a trap.”1f50c6870d616460

“A trap? What kind of trap are you talking about?”ae76fced48990967

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“It is… a trap called love.”7bc5f41b2cd685e3

Love? Mael was eaef17b433 truly surprised 6720c82793 by that c3d61ed823 word. For a moment, he 5e2e564b48 thought he had misheard. Love? This man, 4964ebd542 the Duke 56a5564211 of Skadi, 002dab2d25 was talking 3574235fd4 aboutlove? He had 5261ba81dd never heard dfcece99d4 or imagined 412338a796 that the 1112bb0c01 Duke would 242e90afcf fall in e617c47d32 love, and 98cfdef4a2 the concept 093d118dbe seemed utterly 50652a68a6 foreign to 6411e6af03 him. But the man before d5e7f85118 him was serious.2877d85a29ac75e4

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“Have you ever been in love, Your Highness? I have. Someone I desire even when I hold them, someone I feel I would die without. I wish to become that person’s husband. I beseech you, grant me your mercy and allow us to marry.”6694d5343c4db00d

After his initial bewilderment subsided, Mael sharpened his senses, trying to detect any deception in the Duke’s words. He had survived in the royal court, a place where lies flowed freely. But he couldn’t detect any of the usual signs of deception from Baldr. Besides, he doubted anyone would travel all the way from the North to Franc just to tell him such a lie.30d5b2636eb7cb18

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Having reached that conclusion, 8b06a5ac08 Mael became intensely curious 74e5e12782 about the woman who 32de0eea88 had captivated the Duke.14ed5f356e057923

“Who is 6dc4b2e060 this woman? A noblewoman? A princess?” 4cb767cdebe8ff87

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He wanted to know who had captured this man’s heart.ea7581b67bd378dd

“Neither a noblewoman nor a princess. She resides in my territory. She has a title, but her family is minor, so she is practically a commoner.”05fa4b6b225dbe1c

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He nodded. It made sense. This was 5a2be4d92f a man f84ed2e167 who rarely c756bad17a left his c5369b6508 territory. It seemed e130c6bf87 Baldr had 6b29bc37d2 fallen in a3c50b4da9 love with a0e5689f5a one of b7da096e1b his subjects.53a6f3abb7b5d6a7

“You could marry someone far more suitable. This is unexpected. Don’t you think you’re missing an opportunity to form an alliance or fill your coffers by marrying someone more… powerful, someone who could benefit your territory, by being swayed by mere personal feelings?”53b3101fe8b8a316

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“She is more precious to me than all those opportunities. I desire only her.”29b6eceec740165c

Mael fell into deep 336b47ce73 thought. He knew why 1e1c839020 Duke Skadi had 9e9b8e06bf remained unmarried until f6967e2795 now.8829fe8d7af4fbc0

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“I heard a0f6ad6cf3 my father 9d03b98b51 once tried 55869b3e48 to arrange b2a9937070 a marriage bb16d8836b between you a1062cdd24 and my 1f9409817d half-sister.”37aa9ca004e35c5b

“That is correct. Because I refused that marriage, His Majesty forbade me from marrying at all.”560e923d53a66c7a

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As he said, 5f48e5688c his father had 250ed9de48 wanted to marry 6c0f1860c9 one of his a5c3cd70f0 daughters to the 75ea9d93c8 Duke.cd5464964c921dcf

“Then, was it because of this woman that you refused to marry my sister?”6ca8a7845699522c

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“…”c79841011ee1e9d8

The Duke didn’t 9421bebaf6 answer, but his bb1fb7a437 reaction suggested that de097e86cf was indeed the 58f421c39a case.125c0c26026a370d

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‘Aha.’5350a84c5ecc4357

Mael finally understood why the Duke had refused to marry the princess. This man wanted to marry the woman he loved so much that he defied the King’s command. 37057b40a418ce73

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Mael looked at d7a669a84c the Duke with dedc5cafc6 newfound respect. fba932caed85d606

Marriage was a business transaction for those of noble birth, a chance to secure one’s position. However, this man had given up that opportunity, whoever this woman might be who has captivated the Duke…92d357c19df46ecd

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