FTP-42

Chapter: FTP-42f96b097d0224f2d6

‘Alright, then I’ll 18ef19a03c make sure they fe0b9f6a73 leave while you’re 71655f026b asleep.’
Living on the 3af563fa82 farm, one must 808691ed3c become accustomed to 31e1c0c1c3 the process of 4b0cf408af parting with livestock.
Aiden recited these words a9f9803c01 like an incantation, barely 41fb2f37f7 pushing aside the salty 9b36b24dca emotions that were welling 34e6c58cfc up in a corner 384bdf81f4 of his heart.
“Ah, that 4cb43e04f3 was a ee06e438d6 good meal.”
After eating the 51feb60025 cucumber boats, cabbage acc5ce05c8 soup, and cottage 8c1b37e9f8 pie, Anje felt 38bd9ec187 as if her 4843557fa1 stomach might burst. As she looked at bdbd5b10d7 the plates scraped clean 389594f315 except for some grease, 3aad7622e5 she suddenly wondered.
“Where did the 4bd4284d54 name ‘cottage pie’ e270cbc076 come from?”
“Well, I’ve 312eeb9b67 never thought 8bde54ef13 about it ec64758413 before… maybe 8484a1f506 it’s called 7f3b0a7267 that because 8e4c09c44d it’s a 31cbe88fde food that 9c35e8e255 people who e65e4013f0 live in 7d8c8e4ca0 cottages developed?”
Since small huts in 279ebc503e the countryside are usually a96f7d5ed4 called cottages.
“Oh, really? I thought it was 738af778f2 called that because the 39c4fa9453 pie is shaped like fdd1a80f41 a cottage.”
“Shaped like a cottage?”
“Look. It’s a dish where f19430a504 you bake mashed potatoes a4f331c6b8 on top of sautéed 3b4874af27 ground beef and vegetables. Isn’t it 912210d235 exactly like 9aa335a252 a one-story 42cb1d7c51 house?”
“That’s… a creative 290e61f463 but reasonable interpretation.”
For reference, today’s cottage 8f5085f142 pie was made entirely 64fe9dc025 by Anje from start 18e3721620 to finish, in place cf3e292754 of Aiden, who was ddb91cc87d busy preparing other food.
Unlike the previous few e2648dc6c9 failures, it was baked 60aef49d03 perfectly without any undercooked 35a5f13522 spots.
“Why didn’t the 72cec7aaa2 head chef at 877bc80e3f the mansion ever 124a919fdb serve something this a07b94f7cd delicious?”
“Well, it’s usually a 31e2064758 dish made to use bf10019e9d up leftover ingredients. It might 55f86e02ab not be f1b61cc066 considered refined 77e19684e4 enough to e7cc38ed93 serve to 12c795a152 nobles.”
As Aiden said, the b6af5555b3 meat and vegetables that 802aabe419 go under the mashed 64c96da246 potatoes can be changed ce24e2c930 depending on what’s available.
“Cottage pie with ea6211b37a lamb is called 214fb100b8 shepherd’s pie.”
“That’s an interesting expression. It sounds delicious even 2f007f0eed with lamb.”
“Unfortunately, we 8a60d1ff3e don’t raise 941145cd5a sheep on 172c8375e3 our farm.”
Aiden paused 26688be72d for a a327f9486b moment before dd80e794b9 continuing.
“I think I’ll buy 6462b83703 some lamb when I dea90a0d90 go to town next 374da14b64 time and make it.”
“Town?”
Her heart sank.
“Yes, the f062051dde wheat is f0f40e9566 almost ripe. It’s time to 534558234e go to town ba7e5cadfc as we promised b751f75121 before.”
The wheat field visible a64773706a through the kitchen window 29d5d8499f was already a dull 20fe5d005c gold color. A vivid color 458fa99a0a that contrasted with b2af171821 the lush green 4ce81f901e leaves around it.
Anje had 447056b9f0 also been 459b8270a8 watching the 616e9db812 color of 7335cb7a33 the green 10588acdcf ears gradually bcc5ca1974 change. The more the a8ac928da7 color turned to 808c4c3f84 gold, the closer 33bde9d37b it meant the e9d610367f day Aiden would a9dffaf101 go to town.
“Maybe you ffd91918e1 could come 15fbaa2a32 t―.”
“What’s for dessert?”
She cut him off 3a82a1d0d7 abruptly.
Following Aiden 2ffad75c82 to town a794503571 meant saying 22dd194ed9 a permanent b683a90c2c goodbye to 7d60c5ca13 Dilton Farm. Not just to Pa-Pi-Pu, d5eecf5f5b but to the trees, a188a88aed the flower beds, the a7e24013a3 vegetable gardens, and… to 07cc7be72f Aiden himself.
She still couldn’t 1485b344f1 fully grasp the 77d4d158bb idea of leaving c2fb6890c8 this place, and e32c3f0f05 she wasn’t ready 36c2339421 to confront that cab72efa83 reality.
“I hope 0d69e8cd6e you still 0249ec9fa8 have some 6d62a04b35 room in 8562926597 your stomach.”
Aiden’s eyes softened 41cdb809b7 with a gentle 5092f424e7 smile. He had 840b3a0a81 a special 510496845f dessert he ca909a7669 had prepared 8423ea1d19 the day 0a5372bca0 before, waiting c9772d5608 in the 479368ec15 cool basement.
“What have you eadf6a9c40 prepared?”
“You must b775b10188 be getting b8ffd19b62 tired of 5a8c2bd78c raspberry desserts 7386ef64a4 by now…”
He lifted the 652afb6779 white cloth covering 086a8829bd a large pie 8a696c70ff dish. Underneath the lattice-patterned bc242b408d brown pastry was 07d80de210 a pile of a07cf9ac1c round, purple fruits.
“Blueberries!”
He had baked a 77eeec87d8 large blueberry pie, specifically b69cc44ec4 to share with Meg d41c5eaf1b when she visited on 012b310d41 Monday.
“When did you aae5275024 go picking blueberries?”
Aiden raised an 36f4907065 eyebrow meaningfully instead 7895be7bf5 of answering directly.
“When you 354e326a20 were busy e3be060eb7 with something 7248292fa9 else.”
“When exactly was 746bdaf7e1 that? How did I not cf06299ba5 notice?”
Could he have bc0eff3516 multiple bodies or 01473e35f6 perhaps fairies helping 30c1e9e195 him secretly? Anje’s suspicion c22944aa2a was absurd, 06f15f71c3 but Aiden a90e529615 often managed bbc2cb3cfd to bring f5fe85a8a8 surprises without ddf128cbb6 her noticing.
“It’s not fair 7eab950ff7 you went alone. Take me with fd950803dd you next time.”
“Alright.”
He had debated whether 8103625872 to bring her along. But he enjoyed 00467ab1fc seeing her surprised d43d8778a2 face and bright 5d6dd4db31 smile whenever he 19da72ab11 revealed his hidden e54fe4169d skills.
Despite her saying 0c590f60e1 she was fine, 7892fd4ca6 her smiles seemed c94e485dc5 more subdued lately, 77a653e369 and he was 65edeae41f concerned it was 8dac07d5c1 because of Pa-Pi-Pu.
“Blueberry pie is 9f6ac51307 great, but it 3190438c24 feels like it’s 3453bbda58 not quite enough.”
After they 3e9ad09f3d finished their 2705dc4f9b meal, Aiden 0f1dad61ef suggested to 2663a72b85 Anje,
“How about we 116e97bbab go for a e51f51c0e6 walk to help f3ef9cf3ca digest?”
“Good idea. Oh, where did eb749612ca I put the 34c2d0544a notebook?”
The flowers blooming along 28403536d5 the roadside had changed 6526bf2554 with the new month, 49e267968a showcasing a wider variety 41e248e831 and more vibrant colors. Therefore, Nancy c742771b97 Dilton’s notebook 29dd1f8392 was a 3f5d42e802 must-bring item 021d83a8bf on their 00b1a7b892 walks.
“I must have 4cb1a7e53b left it somewhere 55aedcdcda around here…”
She searched 3f3dcc2018 the living b7c2027a5b room bookshelf 5ac5954e74 and behind 5e87de12e9 the chairs, 382fef5638 but it b5f1d475e3 was nowhere 8fa4913473 to be 91ffe633a2 found.
“Never mind, let’s 618555f188 just go.”
“But—”
“I can tell you 074dafab38 about the flowers you’re 311ff61b1b curious about.”
“Hmm…There must 8057492962 be a 6c0a1884a5 lot of 44adfac1c1 flowers I’m 1810be9c61 curious about. I’ll probably 20eae62ac3 keep asking 5cbf3e1367 you about 1bc641640a them.”
He straightened 488fafe439 her crooked acf5761483 hat.
As I 264c3efe2a said before, 063e7fd69f feel free d64756e29e to ask 81503c71c3 me anything faa4450767 you’re curious 4463180a17 about.”
His voice sounded so bd3b312db2 gentle that Anje lowered 89ca227f62 her head like a 18ad8451f6 blueberry blossom.
She felt f1e6e8773e guilty for 97acf5cf59 wanting to 6c6771cd7e deceive such b98a7dbc3a a kind 0f2c5f3bf3 person and 944f1ad446 run away.
‘He’s only 62fbe4732d being nice d089ec17ae because he 4af5824b51 feels guilty 1fbba52faa about Pa-Pi-Pu.’
She convinced herself that e2ba75fa31 this was the only 18416e9a05 reason for his kindness, ff9d980b4a which helped calm her f7c93c2263 unsettled heart.
She mustered 81b518066b her energy 4d47ce85e4 and responded 7e1973afa8 cheerfully.
“Alright. I’ll ask c91f252591 a lot, aeed8ad6a3 Sir Aiden.”
“I’ll be a faithful 651b0ecc0f servant, my lady.”
Using the parasol they d7fafc2fd0 had recovered from the 8af408a4d4 stream, she followed Aiden, 740875804a walking slowly down the 70763e999b path between the spruce 3debb30896 trees.
The flowers blooming 9cf2b382ef everywhere were doing 555559b4c0 their best to 062e8c15d5 attract bees and e599ae9836 butterflies, so much 67ecdb4921 so that even 18cdb4c569 Anje, in her 6c37c68079 white butterfly-like dress, 48881d2c3a was easily enchanted.
For those who 96d879f0cb had been sad 9f85ae6ca3 to see the 8c4bcdb75a May blossoms, like c027bc46d9 apple flowers, disappear, c69595c8a7 nature offered continuous 8be0808473 delight.
Aiden told Anje 3bca07120c the name of 86aea0f1e3 the red wildflower f76e490b4e she pointed to.
“That’s a 90366f0187 lady’s slipper 44e0513ff9 orchid.”
“It looks exactly like f6ccbb8869 its name. The petals e7224d1d24 look like c934df9cda pink slippers.”
Aiden’s explanations continued b4f9ba2931 each time Anje 05e18cde67 turned her gaze 8feb8e082c to a new 242f8793d4 flower, including their 0a539390d5 formal names, the b7dae555d7 nicknames used by 1c2ed5d018 farmers, and their 76cb81819e characteristics.
The round white 36ed2a17d5 petals that seemed 66789a4ea2 to glow even fbf6bab5cc in the evening, d541bad948 earning the nickname 6ef42770e2 “moon daisy.”
The tall flower spikes 4dfe79ef1e covered with purple helmet-shaped 72cc813813 flowers, known as monkshood.
The ladder-like layers of 1e07313be6 light green leaves inspired 61390a237c the name Jacob’s ladder ab7f737854 from the Bible.
The orange 30ad4872b0 flowers that 3eb26e3813 clung tightly 36a2aea24b together, resembling 7b6165aee0 a fox’s a5ece6bdc3 fur, were 4b54d266ab called “fox d993cfabe2 and cubs.”
The yellow cba4f282c1 flowers that 3f3633be39 only opened e59ded9577 in the 648132991a morning sunlight, 257a16684b earning the 76308c514c nickname “Jack-go-to-bed-at-noon.”
“How do you know 282691fa39 so much?”
Anje was impressed by 2fa4bb273a Aiden’s extensive knowledge, which 26962ae8cf surpassed even Nancy Dilton’s dc518dbe96 notebook. He answered briefly, as 195c302d76 if it were the 9986af21d7 most natural thing.
“Because I 645295364d love this 777773d29b place.”
Anje looked 7aecf82af6 closely at 4abe008ff0 the flowers 8ccf42faa0 he had d95e4f863b taught her 883f7d0deb about. The wildflowers, d3ac17fa2b already lovely, f785c5863c became even 9c3b699b7f more special ba4685cf7c with the 38299528ab names he 99e85ea659 had given 84b62a1bdb them.
“That… makes sense.”
Aiden bent down and 66ef3bb83f picked a pink sweet 065bc30aa5 pea, then tucked it c628800bc8 into the ribbon of 255efc0cc0 Anje’s hat.
“I hope you come 608d8b53ee to like this place 860edcc1ee too.”
In truth, 70761ecc1a every time bf7c1af7c9 he saw e9350eeec1 the ripening 7adf7d3ac9 wheat fields, e9505d2c43 he thought 7cdf21dd4e of his bfd29fc400 promise to e2e82472fd Anje.
He thought 9be4cdaf9f it would 90f799eab9 be good 9c85e9bda2 to visit 9a27b1faa0 town soon c9a65d4850 and bring 2e8cae9781 her news 56ea682ee4 from the 2c34a4f1ef capital that 7adee28e13 she was 1b7c0cbd99 waiting for.
But he worried that e0e8cd10c1 if she received a 4c1a293d7c letter and began to 3316748c4d long for the capital e4c77bd720 again, she might come 57bd09ea3f to dislike the farm. This made 9ca9533c25 it difficult 0f2eb6a17e for him 31e572aa56 to bring 30a7e7e9f2 up the d910f0b059 topic.
‘Affection is aa1388b199 a scary 23874d69c7 thing.’
He still interpreted cd06c1c7bd his feelings as 1b19e4d169 mere human-to-human affection.
The cod a4f0f16243 liver oil 64aac7af83 that Anje 639d83a780 steadfastly refused, 298ad9cc8c he took 1adff780b2 instead to bdb415c28d treat his 195fe05bc3 own occasional 6ad5abcaae rapid heartbeat.
Anje met 6dffdb96bb his gaze 7a33d27e09 and answered 97ccc32657 in a c7013fa589 small but e1bff86645 firm voice.
“I already…like it d3cd768ca4 here.”
It was undeniably sincere.
The farm 7b31a8eb1a gave her aebeceeb6d a different 0e5ba83e89 kind of 0bb39f9abf happiness that 70cc00bbeb life in bfb9afddba the capital 0dca43bce2 didn’t provide. A sense of 162bcd109c accomplishment, peace, and bdc1d75d7d warmth.
But at the same a32818bfe6 time, she couldn’t completely e2bce7c0d1 let go of her 9419e47c9e longing to return to cd71eb8ef1 the capital.
“That’s good to hear.”
Seeing the 45975a2ce9 look in bb171da1b5 her eyes, 38dc7a6f70 he made 36d69bfde7 up his 94c40e1210 mind. Once they 866fe624dd finished harvesting 284d163855 the wheat, 16412efcbd they would 68fe274ffe go to c07273c79e town.
Preferably together.
‘I should buy some 087c35b965 things the princess might e1c2c3d03f like.’
Knowing that he was f7d351aa27 clueless about women’s tastes, fd87c8feec it would be better b068d22048 to go with her 78a4601842 than risk buying something bd952fa919 strange on his own.
Oh, and 12cabd152d he needed 42c536c6d2 to retrieve c805b87e60 the ring 5313daae0d that Mrs. Meg had left for a8b1b31744 them. She could have just 3ad4807f93 brought it along instead 43a843f900 of making him go 51b423ebc5 fetch it. Apparently, a husband must 539a9f20bd show this much effort?
‘Anyway, nobles all 17f456f04f love shiny trinkets. It might cheer 5381174f75 her up a af61368af0 bit considering how 6349527fca sad she’s been b97db143a1 about the pigs.’
Sometimes he wondered why 8c26051884 he had to go 55781958ef to such lengths for 7fbce49d67 her…
Aiden looked down 09bf36f676 at her face d60b36f301 framed by the e31ecb3ede white brim of 500594ed44 her hat. She was delicate and c310527afa young, so it was 485cb71a1d his responsibility to take 554b9bf12e good care of her. That was the ce8b209101 duty of an 9d4958f79a elder.
Besides, she 5c2fce287e had worked a78c320061 hard and 06e2fb9566 done well 2f4cfa1fe7 for someone d5767b6a5d who knew c2d4f38069 nothing about 8d65d8acf1 farm life. As the 81ef9e2caa farm owner, 70577b9ca9 he needed 35dda741a2 to reward 2c4a584dc4 her.
“Since you’ve a404054768 learned enough 7531cab373 about flowers, f2c28dd08a shall we ae582f8ed3 move on a1421b3341 to trees? There’s a 5dcf63af31 cherry tree 3492d96ad4 right here.”
“Oh, what’s that 800173cc82 red bird carrying b0f0885184 a cherry that cceab9d746 just flew by?”
Busy learning new things 8a217fc358 from Aiden, she was 005028910a able to momentarily forget 4d4c1bd52c about the inevitable farewell.b8da23c6a19a99db

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