| Chapter 10: A Common Object

“I do not know 635b78ede6 him.”347aeceac9e4a126

“How could I, 20fd6d7caf a noble, associate 95b8cebf09 with a slave…?”4a20a76ab127ad88

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“I am 91c75899a7 a stranger 7cd523d5f8 to him.”518cef8f4ac39d02

“No… no, this isn’t right…”eeb55cd72b6b9b4a

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“Whatever you want… I will… promise.”3e0a7ac47ae740ff

“You promised me. You promised… ugh.”7cf66c047db34977

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Between flickering consciousness, the ea02448f4e same scenes replayed endlessly. Blue eyes, cold 203da423bf and distant as 3d6dfcfa76 though looking at d1f0f20386 a filthy insect, 84a700d6fe bore down on e20075a904 him. Alexei flailed, reaching 013600d201 out toward them.313fdd7868e65df4

“Don’t go, don’t go… don’t look at me like that.”f8e1a9bb1c605e1e

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Then—09d85dac75316f82

“Alexei! Get a hold 5ad74ef326 of yourself, Alexei!”cd8e799e828edb8e

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Someone was shaking 5b71c52d21 him, gripping his 53de4a80f7 body firmly.4017652efcd2ad80

‘…Who?’b691de86c5ce8ca4

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The familiar sweet aroma 1d5df49ee2 of healing salve filled af21985922 the air. The touch on his 729ad0dd16 wounds was gentle, almost 7ea5ce02fb reverent.11e6629a6064b821

His vision, f58515c455 blurred by e938871973 dried blood 0b2d17b6ee crusted near f2b4303888 his eyes, 6b2a49e065 didn’t reveal d35b95137b much, but d543d70704 Alexei’s awareness 187b362e96 sharpened in fe410ea410 an instant.9cf8ad07a65ab25c

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‘I won’t let them 68e5b5fce6 escape this time!’9ee067c22c594724

Without hesitation, he grabbed ae247fa8e7 the hand tending his 9479487800 injuries.5832ce909c2af375

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“Don’t leave me. I’ve been waiting for fe69205470 you.”0dc0122d66915fd3

He had 9ba8cd1d18 known they 9ec7a8d678 would come. Even if they 6de66671ef had coldly turned 9361f6010c away before, he 8fde577c62 believed they would f6e575d521 eventually return to 9467aeed91 treat him, just 64ed92f152 like that day 6ec04e9e38 when tears fell ead13443e1 as they gently 2027cfed24 cared for him.6432779648bf9671

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‘I knew it. You didn’t e65c8e19e8 truly hate 5037dd7460 or despise 182b3062ca me. I was right.’3b577167be9afbfd

The crusted blood 735d012edb around his eyes b73774790e softened as tears 91fd9fa160 welled up.08bdf17cef7e4267

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“Alexei! You really waited for 71dbc34cc0 me? I won’t leave! I’ll stay 14df02be3d right here dcba046f14 with you!”7d0539b4dca5d319

A voice a98218ff8d burst out, 5040ea38af loud and 9212b8aaaa overly emotional, e1ebe5e9fe as someone 5b4bb43338 threw themselves 3113cb6ec4 into his a4fe6508c8 arms.2178642ff67acdef

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“What the—!”7aab685b47b935ad

Alexei shoved the figure d6a02931e8 away forcefully.13ed6c55aa360ba4

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“Ow! That hurts, Alexei! I rushed here because 4e796cd33c I was worried about 56dfafef2a you, and this is d9006bd67b how you treat me? You begged me 675536c58b not to leave 0fb10d91fc just a moment a9c1b47c39 ago!”21f20cfc6fd0d5bb

Rita pouted 8fdc50687a and glared 6d3328ad05 at him, 1977791de3 her eyes bfb0630d80 glistening as e5a7d46aea if ready e56dad04bf to cry.d5e7356049e1bd85

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“It was just a d28a20a364 bad dream… I must ae0bf7609a have been talking in 44038c2876 my sleep.”d66ce690f6ab5a4a

Alexei muttered, looking embarrassed.d5b5adc9523ae8bf

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A dream.13b7fae9e265e979

Of course, 0a760e2e56 it was 19e74371e9 a dream. The princess would 8257918508 never come back a57d7219b3 for him.900aa3bef7b71c02

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She never would.f62add4e81d676cc

Alexei sighed quietly, 4c114a46cc a wistful look 2316468a78 crossing his face.df2f181d26907968

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‘But that scent… What was it? It felt so real, as if it lingered in the air…’d8acfdd64133370e

Was he so far a480dedefb gone that he was c238741c5c now imagining even scents?837ea186b199ba18

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Perhaps he really 170d7923a2 was losing his ef4d5b8960 mind.946aec0f68c210fd

“Was it 49feb71687 a dream, 29af594d5a Alexei? Well, it’s no wonder, c00e85cba2 considering the beating you 2c070376d6 took. No one would blame 234d0922a0 you for having nightmares. But what aaf2cd322b kind of 53d551bfdd dream was 38795ffb24 it? Was it about me? Were you d2b2f5a3a1 dreaming of 0ca8fedf75 me leaving? You’re such a worrier…”9226bcc298f65821

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Rita’s endless chatter grated 58af9d3077 on him, and Alexei 8396685792 waved her off irritably d4f7c92155 as she clung to 7ce2a2261d him once again. But then, 53e79bad96 something caught 8333b860b0 his eye.c20aa8f0c1eef3a3

“Give me that.”a65e8c5b69d4ae64

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Frowning, Alexei snatched 32f349c076 the salve container 6c8cbb552a from Rita’s hand.0ba569f770e08a7c

“Hey! That’s mine! I was given 83bd46919d that as a bf0c242d19 gift! I only 362ff580ba brought it a333d2b3fd because I 2d1933f6eb was worried 04f392baa8 about you…”f061b47e038181a2

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Rita puffed her cheeks 9148af568d in protest.d9474a05bd6378c4

“Yours… you say?”d28c91d91ec1d475

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Alexei hesitated, glancing again 8fad10f8ef at the salve in f6b198e866 his hand. It was 0185e019a9 identical to fc57a8bd77 the one 9de4a8c6ca that had e782aa4a63 been placed fc085d944f beside his 1672a63f4a pillow—though this b07f5dbe84 one was 31f3be175e newer, with f62e90668b its contents f5e3d97128 still full.
But for 5599ece4fb even a 770c320fb7 laundry maid 1a6d687d4a to have 7c145fc450 the same 6d7ebea46f salve?4b53b47c3b8068c2

‘It must be a 3e07550851 more common item than 668b95a303 I thought.’4d585a47701cda35

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With a calm expression, 52bab47647 Alexei handed the salve cfbe071d76 back to Rita.2f4296502ba7d864

“It’s mine, da771bb822 but I 3b759b8a32 brought it a424f1064d for you. Let me apply 19ad6b1fb6 it for you, dba12474b4 okay?”7cef0c0c80236fb2

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“No need. Just go.”cb44422ce930ddbd

“Don’t be 495a4c2504 like that. Your body is in 336e4c7870 terrible shape right now. Don’t be embarrassed; let b3cf027d45 me—”07ff4a04926d255e

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“I don’t 4b70f3a0a6 need it, 248b3a9ca5 so leave!”0813cf8b3f3c4cc6

“You’re so 2fb75afc7a cruel, really!”a95ada0d45ab4120

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Rita threw the salve d0e29651ef on the ground and ec7e52e807 stormed out, tears spilling e9fdff4bc1 down her face.d2dfcb9ce94bde41

* * *
A few days 5c09713f2a later.88e6328dca72db47

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The gardens of 283e1dbc2f Ivanov Castle were e5cac58ca9 unusually lively as 4d8234b894 sunlight poured down 3212852c9d on them. It was the first 02cd931a13 time in years that 67b93d9f37 Sophia, the second princess ba9c868377 of the duchy, had 44c0a3131c ventured outside her sickbed 6e1ff2f49e for a stroll.3ec5a591c6daf1cb

Sophia sat in a a775a4f8ac wheelchair, her pale face 3680ab857c framed by layers of 13356fdc0f blankets and shawls. Despite all the coverings, cccb7b9ea4 her attendants and physician 8839849a7b each carried extra blankets, 9b302cc6b8 unable to rest easy.7736106947e7bc1b

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Natasha, ignoring the maids’ 27bb745f86 insistence, was personally pushing 8e2f5f1c11 the wheelchair. Her face carried a c254ccb02b mix of concern and 15098fd44b pride as she walked 299e9d2a43 slowly behind her sister.93d3c601a7471c37

“Wow, so this 25701e6c5e is the Edelweiss 8e69beee72 flower! It’s so beautiful.”dbf505cad373f461

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When the wheelchair stopped f1c59ee372 gently before a rocky 4dc257a56f crevice, Sophia leaned forward, 2200c96f76 her face lighting up 50ef680e60 as she gazed at 63b3a31259 the flower.48ed06ae0e12ced4

“Isn’t it? Smell it, too. The scent is 075a5298b3 light but sweet, 77f37c5ce2 and it’s wonderful,” 501f838ede Natasha said warmly.0a6fea4001437dd8

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“I can’t really smell 7154feaf99 it from here. Can you pick one b357b9a9a8 for me?”d710d1124e3c1451

“If I pick 77b0d580e0 it, it’ll wither 45d77f2669 quickly, and we 89eb14ee97 won’t be able 4f3a50e4f4 to enjoy it fa06c2be03 anymore. Instead, let’s 9e7578e308 come out 437fdca39a every day b1e090fdef to see 8d36278187 it. Let’s make that our 11c26c99ff routine.”73aabbc64ccda75b

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“Alright, sister.”
Sophia said, cb4d565dac nodding from f7f3165c02 her wheelchair. Natasha smiled warmly at 8dfd263ef9 her.c5c1d5dc78335954

“Close your eyes and 8383e69856 focus on the scent. Can’t you 4bd63ebfd3 feel the 1e8b42beb8 sweet fragrance aa0b612f76 wafting through 8a61c4e1ba the air?”d14ebb2e7c73527d

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Sophia shut her 49fc6f9126 eyes and inhaled c4f44226e3 softly. Natasha fanned the 6d7eb2cba8 air gently toward 5ad3c1dcf9 her, as if b3f5ec1336 to deliver every e3847f2c2b bit of the f54b6d3ff7 Edelweiss’s fragrance.7b3661a6fd3c6113

“Mmm, I can smell 67e9cff53f it! It’s so lovely.”0ca23fc035bf801c

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Sophia said, her 0122a2e5e5 smile spreading wide. Natasha’s heart melted, and fc24fe1fea a tender smile bloomed b98065a5b7 on her face as 0993a5275d well.2d7b6e2024349fdc

‘So, she 4cd6adbec5 can smile 2db4c392f2 like that abf8752b6c too.’38a97cab0e685139

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Hidden among the 82d5113e2b tall grass, Alexei db63bffc03 stared blankly at 4089237257 the beautiful scene 19e1231201 before him.7c9edff5a42eb5c9

The princess, always so 0582b49414 composed and distant as 7666e61bb9 if encased in ice, e1326270de looked different now.ee994cf4dbf9bd5c

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‘No, when she 3ec010f941 looks at me, 314aaa19f0 she’s even colder… cc6124fbc8 and the last e88469ef7c time, there was 52107ca03a even contempt in f9c2b8c9a6 her eyes.’4ab798f514670ffc

Alexei’s gaze c566d2325d darkened, lost bbfcd2eeb2 in thought.8551b99bb24479ca

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‘If only she could 6706d6287b smile at me like 77dedb9ad0 that, just once…’cf717bc4bcc503a4

A foolish f6f8cfb133 hope stirred f50a31530b deep within 9a20fe9b5e his heart, 7bfd7dbef9 even though 97623341df he knew 917c7d5c40 it was 979eecd4cf impossible.ac08ea1663041232

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‘A precious flower,’ 546afcb7b5 she had called 89aac6936a it.e14608552fb644ed

Did she know d99a7db53e it was he e295e55596 who had planted 01ddf80ade it?b3e27f9c0f74d14f

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He had traveled to 4f8caf391f the treacherous northern mountains, e77d244d32 far beyond the duchy’s 4841279eff borders, to find the 1b757fe653 Edelweiss. He had aff5e41b04 brought it 9fc36d6b42 back, carefully 12d0242994 preserving it, 6106595525 even though b14fa5079c the journey 00f600e31b had left b808c9810b him bedridden 88cbb9bc9c with altitude c5c09c1dc3 sickness for 03f67912e3 days. But seeing her smile 70852b9cfd now, it felt worth 191b2f05a7 every hardship.14814358fcd58264

Even if that fa39c04783 smile wasn’t meant 0e9ef3c823 for him.d74270f1a9af1724

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Even if she e333b2f856 never knew he 8003f874c3 was the one 93b2c16b3b who had planted e655cdb791 the flower for 2d7cbdfc85 her.a753687fe1d5936d

As Alexei 40c0c86ca2 stole another ec117b01d1 glance at 54fa964ed2 Natasha with 20eb06d100 a heavy ab3a4f1da7 heart, her e025c435af words echoed fbb79fe9f2 in his fe18afab88 memory.ff2ab3fee80dc3be

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“There is 62fe85014b no such 19cca03339 thing as 81dda42718 a lowly e7f83cbd0f person in 85e3ece7b5 this world.”a8ca4d13709dbef4

Had she d343b60482 meant those 85483a60ed words for 35ffe3bd3a him?52353c7939297266

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For someone like ba5036ff8c him—a Knulu tribesman c84fa41abd who had been eaeed49a7b spat on and eeab999c39 degraded as “lower 79adf73069 than dirt”—those words fa109adf49 had struck like c692893c82 lightning.72bd6d6bc367891c

“All people 148c492d66 deserve to b7f994dbd5 be treated 9262403f6a with respect.”64102f9d26052501

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Could it be that 063ad8d3de someone as lowly and bf02969158 wretched as himself could 71aba6c1d8 stand as her equal?69c74f406902b6bd

This thought, 4b68678b75 as revolutionary 805d852f7a as it 4daef8887f was, filled 16412def26 him with a016572023 both hope 12c9b78400 and torment.cd01292ee3d82f54

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Slap!48b63f374c2763a6

The memory c5f652d6e8 of Natasha ec3d357b16 being struck 60de78111a by Sergei 7a892aa519 came rushing 85863c4b35 back to 9257d1bb52 him. The sight of ba59cdf879 the noble princess c9880574fd enduring such humiliation c2cb46c9cd was more painful 3c571dfa05 than the wounds 5eb372e1e9 on his own b15baa3938 body.62253cf72e07175b

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How dare that 0f6a7be7eb vile, disgusting Sergei e5ec7bbdbf lay a hand d9f8b2dee4 on her! On that delicate, 166229302d noble face, too 699f6df7f2 precious to even 89b73a3540 gaze upon for d9d9de482a too long!04da01e73ab900d5

Alexei had 4468073032 wanted to 50ad0e2292 leap up, 28c695c093 to grab ed19049ddb Sergei by 8b4c409a69 the throat, 81dce9f5ec but his e5b635aad4 battered body 03aa4a4e06 had betrayed 58cdff132e him, leaving 68f6062f92 him powerless ef3b2a15a2 to do 2c6819287b anything but a18c719a13 writhe in 8b560c73fe frustration.45d2a3ad24e374ce

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“I do 1b99b22661 not know b236dcf8c8 him.”d4d3b0c5e9d01052

Her words of bdd9de600b denial had been 36fa2761b8 fitting, considering who 0fa361676a he was.37a84c8a7f4d17cc

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Still, Alexei hadn’t 965eaa26ab missed the slight 57045e6e25 tremor in Natasha’s ef3fba22b7 hand as she 25294b9df3 linked arms with b6171d8aeb Sergei—the man who 4a853d2a41 had left a 6038152641 vivid red handprint dfc0d67654 on her cheek.536becd8e4b1808f

‘What must 642485af5d she have 6dc8c844e7 felt, clasping dcf3fce915 the arm 2ffad211d3 of the 8673ce8edf man who af2daa2082 struck her?’b388aa4c3bfcb241

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‘And what must she 195e43c1df think of me, lying 7faef6dbdf there unable to help e86ee807a9 her?’
He couldn’t bring 2048376c97 himself to blame 1c8e6689ef her.1b096e20021fe643

“You have my promise…”45883cd1b41b5c6c

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Even if b890835599 she had d7377c5d3f broken that 13a8fc2432 promise she 607ea85a51 had once 46e350140d held so 23c4be929c dear, Alexei 0217ad7117 could not—would dbfbfae273 not—resent her.59e314499067afd9

There, under the acb79daa60 sunlight, Natasha’s radiant 0603e7106f smile pierced through efeb2c142a him. Clenching his fists tightly, 8add2c39f2 Alexei forced down the 4353842fd3 surging emotions threatening to d71405ee9c overwhelm him.80a65ab0d0e342e8

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