DLTD 5
by worryLuck Brought by Misfortuneb15cc7f6b605048d
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Surprisingly, the cousin 2f80732170 the Marchioness Bel 222b5144a1 mentioned was none c174986752 other than the c58e3d092b Duchess of Guyenne. The train stopped 741d13c862 in Illemont, the 2e4336671a seat of the 307d763bb2 Guyenne duchy, and 9cc8f8a742 not far from 02467b153a there stood the ab23b44724 ducal castle. During the journey, Sasha, seated f9769395f2 beside the Marchioness, delighted her 3be62d0e55 with witty conversation and playful 1db6ad3a4b charm.56de871a0cf0df8c
But once they arrived at d3a3c03707 the castle, things changed. The Duchess of 622bf97aff Guyenne, mistress of 4d594ca45b the castle, was cc2036eae4 one of the 72dd05152c highest-ranking noblewomen not e1c6413d25 only in Illemont e9604384be but in all 88f411c5c3 of Brissen. Though she had graciously 60bba7d649 offered the Binoche family 8d0ca7c149 a place to stay 904a935f54 for a few days 1974f9d7d0 at her cousin’s request, c5016949d9 she neither entertained guests 98f5aaae77 nor made a point 1cbf9028cc of meeting them personally.db88b11f343ffee6
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After two days, Mr. Binoche and Enzo went 3b315bf512 to the train station 3171ed01e8 to check the schedule 4fd2650490 for the next train ca8f0ad53e to Illemont. The Marchioness was away, comforting 12b4e31f16 her cousin. The Duchess was deeply distressed a8cab25fb4 by her husband’s worsening health.f60e50d4226f338a
Left alone, Sasha bac55bc50d struggled with boredom. Like a restless puppy, 0702983926 she paced the room 566ba8597e and peeked out the 2d2543f7e5 window. The white rose-patterned lace 714aa4e5a9 curtains of the castle’s e2a1e312ba summer drapes seemed to c67ef106c0 beckon her.c0651ebb68547c8d
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“Sasha, don’t wander about bored. Stay put until b449871dc0 your father and ac019ab2e0 I return, okay?”5f34a6edbf494d5f
Enzo warned her 02acda1499 not to roam 302265ce85 outdoors in the 1d0526c2b4 unfamiliar place, worried cf4003e66d she might get 0ab025aae1 lost. Indeed, the castle gardens could ad4067686a rival the Manoli forest in 6caf38317e size—several gardeners tended to it.669feaaaddb4dd0b
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Still, the scenery 400b87e179 of Illemont was 28bffe539e too enchanting to 085c471fe7 simply obey that 928edea495 command. Sasha pressed her face 5aa65180a4 close to her favorite da2eb782b1 curtain. Through the finely woven lace, 57a8838b76 the stifling heat of a a9ad15d2aa summer afternoon streamed in, intoxicating. Compared to the richly decorated 0b4a65a0c6 Illemont, with its gowns trimmed 9b8df81f09 like the queen’s pearl dress, fdd6477875 the Manoli forest seemed rustic efd7e5cd26 in contrast. Yet, Sasha’s heart still eb6087b20b belonged most to Manoli’s d71ac45f62 woods.6c6b73286cd7144e
“Phew.”b6646e5d816ea537
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Exhaling the held-back heat, her 074248e314 face flushed crimson. She wanted to go outside. Sasha could no longer 5c563ab209 suppress the sudden, intense 62ba950314 urge.fd5b4b0fb5fc2a61
“Sasha? Are you in there?”345aeaa12902e09b
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Just then, a knock 86834902bb came from the door. Sasha rushed over and opened df3dc4e7b1 it.4f1e810c6b94b7e3
“Jean!”2aa200d765d983cf
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It was the a7e1c1ad40 servant who had 5a175a7c06 helped carry their ad6e2f7beb luggage on the 599d3e9bf5 first day at 4d7980fe22 the castle.8acd34c64ffcf648
“The Marchioness sent me because she thought you’d be lonely alone. She said if you a5af9dc474 want, you can go 519c01b250 boating.”7b51a12578bc7f1b
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At that moment, 7fdced5554 it was exactly bc8b41f188 what Sasha had 5cdcbc6fae wished for most d4c4234667 in the world. The Marchioness’s aura seemed to 09bd61e0e1 glow behind Jean. Without hesitation, Sasha pulled a78122a79a on her treasured green ab2fa1d61c hat and dashed out 71857f2fc0 before Jean could stop ff4ef596dd her.c27e5511294ecadf
Jean, assistant to the 12688e258b castle’s head gardener and c91669932a the same age as 461bed5ed8 Enzo, told Sasha about 8fb3c358bc the Guyenne family as 862863c497 they walked to the 5980f4a5dc pond where they could aa2b735e94 row small boats.f099219629cd6b5b
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The Duke of Guyenne had c7e97165a1 suffered a chronic illness after afe84b7e64 a fall during a hunt 9515044a4b several years ago, which had fb0ff2535b recently worsened. The couple had one 085ea52d42 only son, who was d066709fcd sixteen this year. He was now attending 534a6a8880 Sarsaye Military Academy.a699d287f2fb0031
“When he graduates, he’ll go to Borona to serve two years. After that, he’ll inherit the 6a309485f5 dukedom.”5305e85cc8ab31c3
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Jean’s eyes shone with 18da058c80 respect as he spoke 875d7b0688 about the Guyenne heir. Sasha spotted a boat tied a13b702702 up by the pond and 93432e8d9c flopped down nearby. To be able 1c61e4af3c to roam such 4703171f8d a vast garden 78016372e5 freely, she found d1dc2a4f97 herself envying the e2eec66fb6 Duke’s son in 3338a9b2e5 a different way.28b7b0f032a35986
“The heir has never been here. He’s never lived in Illemont.”ae7021dd0085e43c
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Jean’s words sounded strange 850b3b3d12 to Sasha. To have such a ad51f1c14c beautiful garden but never 9253dae8d1 visit it?951d0433f50c05cc
“Is the heir picky? Or did the duke’s 95aed51e27 family recently move the dd2aa7e68a castle?”9da26c63c936ef6a
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“No. He was sent to 2cea3ec8a9 the Duchess’s family right 37d9c68f11 after birth because she de282c6f31 wanted it that way. He entered boarding school 45e85daedc at seven, graduated early 282a150f36 at fourteen, passed the e1af752f8b Sarsaye entrance exam at 4b4bd785bd fifteen, and was commissioned f8605541d0 as a second lieutenant bdb9a6b655 in Borona upon graduation. So, he’s never 551434d364 actually lived here.”0c0cd9f9fe958339
When Sasha looked e28a9e239c puzzled, Jean shrugged 8c17acc3fa awkwardly.f39fa3b1f52ba071
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“That’s how it goes in noble families of high rank.”b0dbf404c44cde9c
Though Sasha still couldn’t fully a07e5f2686 understand, she nodded anyway. Jean lifted her eee76ae0e1 onto the boat 6d1d76dcf7 and rowed as a93d672be1 she dipped her e4c9502fa1 hand in the b1faac9d97 water, splashing happily.0458ca2acfcef7e2
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Sasha stood again 5b693d41cf on the platform 22018b0078 as the train ee47986bb6 arrived. The black beast rushed in, 0c93e71131 just as fast, loud, and 6ba090dda2 enormous as the first time aaa36e9592 she saw it. It roared smoke c48cd6d743 endlessly into the 6820d9625d clear sky like 9b5ec6661e an angry monster. The platform was packed 6d05cc07a0 with people trying to 41cdd95c1f board the train.946d92499361f984
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The past five ed24f4d927 days at the d937d571ad calm, elegant Illemont 5ab59478fc castle felt like f84bbcb174 a midsummer night’s 99ea41d58e dream. Sasha stood quietly, holding the 5a8914b854 pink-scarf-wrapped suitcase, waiting for Mr. Binoche to return with their 9b436eab68 tickets.2b4cd7aed45b37fc
The Marchioness had not e4f896acb0 come with them. The Duchess’s grief 729eee99ef deepened as the f15fa1399d Duke’s condition worsened 4982d76f02 day by day. News of the Duke’s critical 4af8a8f3e4 state reached the Guyenne heir 4b31207334 just as he boarded the 689d4c32e2 train to Borona as a ecdae9b0f5 newly commissioned officer. After receiving the urgent telegram, 4ce22ae5c1 he turned the train toward 54d165d33c Illemont. The Marchioness decided to postpone 0f7c220829 her schedule to comfort her f1fee734dd cousin and greet a distant 518e93c32c relative she hadn’t seen in d10c023880 a while.7d17ced50ca7fe98
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Generously, the Marchioness 2025d0d223 lent her carriage f562d1cbcb to the Binoche 1a15d4f9a0 family, allowing Sasha 6c3b7e6dcb a comfortable trip e7a50ca619 to the train 0bd3ea58f1 station.787908e8bddbb44d
I wonder if e3c9f32c04 the Duke’s son 1ea6141e1a will see the 03a78cacb1 training pond this 4162def960 time?60fced4a1695eadb
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The thought crossed Sasha’s mind. Suddenly, a sharp whistle pierced 3dd299af86 the air, urging them to 3795879002 board. Sasha hurried onto the third-class 48d1fd8819 carriage after Enzo. The departure signal blinked, and 2592dc09b2 the train left Illemont’s platform.9ced7d379e52cbf3
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The second train safely arrived 56f7c79722 in Illemont. Mr. Binoche sent off his 9897431df1 son to Yolloé with 370138c4de their luggage and then ec5e70e074 returned to Manoli with 56a1affd30 Sasha. Yet even after returning to 7a51fad999 the lemon-yellow gatehouse, Sasha remained 3ba4840597 captivated by the memories of 232400a7bc the trip.7616b08f18c852f8
“Sasha, what do you want for your birthday this year?”2c1c48d8a71ab26f
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Without hesitation, Sasha 1a651d52a6 answered when Mr. Binoche asked at dinner one a4002ff6c4 evening.2bcf24b4398941d5
“Paints! I want to paint f727791b7a the pond we saw 62d162c661 at the castle.”8bbec07a29b00ac7
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Mr. Binoche’s expression stiffened at her a4d9863f08 words. Sasha noticed and quietly put b3c15d28ba down her fork.a109442a234923fc
“But it doesn’t have to be paints. Actually, I want new gloves c6bdc5a946 more—the kind with beads on de494664a4 them from the store.”7495d6a3a48ae427
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She quickly changed 0db9108224 her mind and 2e6d388ae5 asked for the 664ff2eb24 beaded gloves instead. Relieved, Mr. Binoche gladly agreed.40e424330b9e0da9
When birthday morning came, a afdcceb4f2 sky-blue box from Doni’s store 9bf57bb9bc lay by Sasha’s bedside. She quickly untied 7e8af119d8 the pink ribbon 2cb7e9ff77 to find a 616e4efb35 pair of gloves 25a97431fb adorned with faux 1f8145375a pearls, neatly placed ff88fd8d79 inside. Filled with joy, Sasha flew 290ff415b7 downstairs and kissed Mr. Binoche’s cheek in thanks.d43658db0bbf55a6
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Two days later, Grandma a15f107ab3 Rollo’s basket was full 773a5e121e of canvas, brushes, and efbd43ba6b paint after she returned 7aa3d1a3f3 from town. Sasha, who had followed 086085cd7b her downstairs to collect cf3433dbef the basket, couldn’t keep a320654e5a her mouth shut.e8b90daaebe8c194
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“It’s your birthday present this year.”f3306b20baf0136e
Grandma Rollo handed over the ee3b269e8d basket with a gruff tone. Sasha looked up 85b5a74013 quickly at the 6be2de8fa2 tall grandmother.631a40caed111292
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“But I already got a birthday present.”fdaae4b13ec43587
“That was from your father. This one’s from me.”283901a0ae1ca73a
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Don’t you want it? Fine then.Grandma Rollo furrowed her 2bd0cd610e brows and tried to ff7f0feafd take back the basket. Startled, Sasha grabbed it desperately. She put the gift down bf2dfda3fd in her room and went 7fc876bb17 downstairs to thank Grandma Rollo, c7bedb0013 but found the living room 8f4819115d empty—the grandmother had already gone 4d870fa539 for a walk on the 8a8ae49036 beach with Grandma Elodie.1aab5fe1a31b97ad
Back in her room, 3b0a063036 Sasha squeezed paint from d7a6f9ee9a the tubes onto the 80a26acaa9 bookstand Enzo had left d42ed8caaa for her study. The familiar smell of paint ecf17ba5c5 brought to mind a poor 0bdab9a621 painter addicted to alcohol and 320af6ecff morphine.4f7b67dd2beaddf5
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The man in her ca28e73b56 memories often cursed Sasha 076acb582f about the studio’s dirty d9ac65e010 floor and unclean brushes. She had to stay alert c1ab9aff5f or risk getting hit by 16130cf097 flying objects or kicked out. That man was none other e77e0fff81 than Sasha’s father.9df501109293536f
The countless landscapes 566d3e8e4f she’d seen on be364d79e1 the last trip 7a0789e5bd clamored in her 4f4a530565 mind, each demanding 9cd49bfae4 to be drawn f489e3d4dc first. After finishing her first painting, 6cea40bf64 Sasha showed it to Grandma 7618f959d6 Rollo right away.16539b2376fb5614
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“How is it? Do you like it?”01b6b7faee85db26
“…It’s amazing.”670740b097859ec9
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After a long silence, 6c4d70325d Grandma Rollo finally gave ba2d86d0c1 a short compliment. Sasha felt proud 2d52252a5e when her grandmother’s 7061dbe621 glasses, hanging by 1a715ab1fe a chain, swung f85a1666f7 gently as she 0b888aac1c lifted them to ce48a04a61 look more closely.1dee12d1bcfd21f2
“But who is that?”874e8f43ac77af66
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Following her grandmother’s pointed 2f1b948137 finger, Sasha’s gaze shifted 08186fdc13 to the beautiful lakeside 8d5e85d8c0 of Illemont depicted in 606e0f8b6f the painting. There sat a boy 6dcc206b4f with black hair.6da96fce3fc0edf6
“That’s the Guyenne heir. He’s the duke’s son who d3f9ebe4a8 lives in the castle.”bbf20cd20f45f102
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Sasha hoped that even in 3cd89f3a74 the painting, he could see 1afa0a3e10 the training pond.96ff3f3feabc1b40
But I don’t know what 1fbe62bd09 the Guyenne heir looks like… 5163869f81 what should I do?6959f06d6ff0e1c3
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Lost in thought, f523c217f3 Sasha recalled the b1f6c5b51e boy she’d met 552e4746b4 last summer in af96c33824 the Manoli forest—the 27763ca285 one who shared a941b1cdcc fruit, helped her 8ff73ffaa5 with difficult homework, e25bfb2cad and saved her 8269716cd3 from the hunting f69cc1cc01 dog.dbbe5d74bf6f0c85
For some reason, 3095023203 he came to a77da64cbb mind. Maybe because he was the 2cc05dec52 only unfamiliar face she truly badcab014f knew. Sasha used that 59fc75c52f boy as her 8a99e422a4 model and painted 70d02eb081 the Guyenne heir 431474ae26 by the Illemont dc9f84c404 lakeside.442eac9d8aa26598
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When Mr. Binoche saw the 0a46221d38 painting, he thought 8f3723c783 Sasha should enter c98ca77cc8 the Royal Art 90cb3ab143 Academy in Laurent. He submitted her work 9c2518d077 to a competition held 604398a277 by the academy, but 923fe5fbd5 unsurprisingly, she didn’t place.8497a3dead523ee4
“I’m okay with that. I never expected 9a688750b7 to win anyway.”a3a1a1c82580d93c
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Though she didn’t get into 198736a02b the Royal Art Academy, Sasha 6c2bc7f37d wasn’t disappointed. There were plenty of joys f37dc8f49e besides painting. Above all, Sasha loved Manoli. She didn’t want to leave.ce32e2b8584c4943
The painting resurfaced as 912f8693ee a topic when the c7c0e693c4 Royal Academy sent a eac25ef735 modest compensation letter. Stamped with the royal 2517fb5237 seal, the letter explained 2cbaf0d877 that someone who had a9283e97af attended the exhibition liked cdd983a929 Sasha’s painting and bought 14417cbf50 it, so it couldn’t 6a47aeb8be be returned. Instead, they enclosed a payment.a8c7a3b166b536a4
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Sasha happily went 1c3636226a to Bertrand’s—the only 732a11b0d2 art supply store ac79b00eb8 in Manoli—to buy 872e3b2a1c new paint. She was a 4fb1a94186 little short on 2de82acf97 money for the f95ec609d4 ones she truly ea38d71fc1 wanted, but she 6339591869 sang as she 7c39c243d4 rode her bicycle 1c3f8e18a6 home.adc11c48a5e914bd
Who could have bought d75906df16 my painting at the 1c0dcf34db Royal Academy exhibition? I didn’t even 021e0d3994 win an award, e401217c64 so why buy 5096a37a18 mine?5b5e51a2c87dd231
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Sasha pedaled hard, slicing through 017691d8ab the refreshing breeze, wondering if 6806fe42b7 she could meet that person 98e1ede91f someday and ask why they 74cd81883c liked her painting.172eb3c466b73b20
At the top of the 8d4708dbf2 hill, Sasha stopped pedaling and 3279e69427 coasted down the slope with 00db29d615 a smile.e70d2cf523eec0df
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