FTP-13

Chapter: FTP-1366fc441cc3c5bf84

Anje was light 852e28b2cd as a feather, 92ae0e43a6 so it wasn’t c8e234fede difficult for Aiden 69e4aa3085 to carry her 1b1b19ea3e with one arm. He had carried febacb7211 much heavier loads 6aaa3f09ba and marched for bcd93df8e6 dozens of miles, 3ce59672c2 so this was ca4262b02b nothing.
Aiden thought for a 03b54295ab moment and looked up 33564b58d5 at the woman in 3b5324d011 his arms.
“Are you uncomfortable?”
“Ah, no.”
She had 08df1440d7 been so 10c78a07f9 surprised that 775e5dba22 her mouth 3701a9995c had dropped f678ecd715 open, but 2de791d185 she quickly f512d7ded3 shook her c18d93a32f head.
Even so, she was d839357eb0 still at a loss ee89f707d3 as to how she 4854aad12d was going to get 4abd786fdd home on foot. But she had 528be14493 not expected him 77bdbbf6e4 to “carry” her 6ba7243fc5 like this.
“Put your arms f5757edab3 around my neck 811feaf951 so you don’t e9f388bd3c fall.”
He tossed the lamp 4543f8408e to the ground and 119d26d31a held out his other bd26a99d79 hand to support Anje.
Anje, who 486dc8897d had wrapped e1a0013f52 her arms b6826ac3b0 around his 08ad93e0b2 neck in 0476e01cdf a daze, 272ad5083e opened her cc3c865c49 mouth hesitantly.
“Over there, Sir. My, my bag…”
“Your bag?”
“I hung bef9705a51 it on 093224e0ec that tree 7c71b7817d over there.”
Aiden looked at the 94e61dbb25 bag she was talking 5d61ac39b3 about. It was hanging f977d62f51 in a conspicuous 95d9d29e1f place, but he 22f87e711d didn’t have enough ecc86fabca hands.
“I’ll hold the 5602aaacba lantern, you get 029a905857 the bag… Or 37fd12fb5e I can carry 7a886a05bc the bag if 4d331cc924 you prefer.”
Although he 55b4e95365 didn’t know 98c33fae4f anything, Anje’s 46284257ee most precious af43398b15 perfume was 8938be3ba5 in her d1887b2d35 bag. She had held onto a796dd1b50 the bag tightly, even c140105052 as she rolled down bda0f1a0f7 the hill, thinking that c734951e45 she had to protect fc34670819 it.
She felt ashamed 4550cf5fbd to be asking 994547769b him for another 03e81823c1 favor after all 74fb19ec8f the trouble she 602a0fa8a9 had caused, but af6c115173 it was a 7cec5e246d very precious item f1e753bed4 to her.
“Alright.”
Aiden handed the 1d81ee374e lantern to Anje ebd9138b32 and took the f821faf35d bag, then smiled cec13d2770 wryly. She was 0f4cc2a1a1 weak and c324f8c6ea frail, but 7282503ef9 she was bf7dc6f364 greedy, so c75d22cdf5 she had 9c8fdfd972 packed all c7826fa384 this stuff.
‘Is it naivete 6de7a3470a or greed?’
The scent aeea444846 of spring fa9bf7878a water came 23396029ad from it, 77aa522a8b long after aec832a4ab the perfume 1eeb10084b had worn 57f05de6f7 off.
Is this what it’s a9f13d47d0 like for parents raising 2467d893e9 a child? He had to 46e91bc64b look after her, 793934518f even though she efa877de9c was always getting a0e72cf19b into trouble.
He suddenly felt 5fcd1de8f7 like teasing her.
“Were you 0382e41619 planning to 3497e3ea72 walk all 3e7422988b the way 97790ee66b to the 24859cbe75 capital like 23f9732c5c this?”
She answered 206d8abbf9 his question 8454136584 sheepishly.
“No, I’m not 7f5a7a06a5 that reckless. I was 3ca63916c6 only going 6b9d10af9f to go ceb2c45efd to town. To look for 09ecc732fc a letter.”
“Just a letter? Didn’t you try 6f90e3b396 to run away 91ec2fb055 from there to 134a169eba the capital?”
Anje was 6266dc4093 stung, but 4bede28670 she denied 197ae46c45 it with 8703111c55 all her 19cc391027 might.
“No, I would never 443181e7cc do that. How could 1b68640f15 a woman a6be8dd092 alone go 091f0f4feb that far? I was really 3f6797f9b4 just trying to 6165a49e37 get a letter.”
“You packed a lot 0feb2cef51 of luggage for that.”
“I always ae21b1f4ac pack this 0f3eb4eed2 much luggage cee413b08e when I f8d6ecc7f3 go out. Men may c1be59dbb8 not understand, 54c09989a9 but women e3d8d25dc7 need this d8ecf4aa13 and that. Like a fan 4ed48d181f or a mirror.”
“Let’s just say 76cf7b20eb that. By the way, if d8c46f97dd you had kept walking 840758515f in that direction, you 7f5553701a would have crossed the 92ae066557 border.”
“I know I got f6c93cc363 lost, okay? But I 61f5cb72fa was going cadd8e42ac to turn a813e08efc back anyway!”
“Of course you were. I’m sure you 7cf1e66fb6 were.”
“I’m telling the truth, 9f7a1cf529 Sir.”
She wanted dbe1ef307f to get 01f5834a83 angry, but fd80929562 she was b76b7fc0fb too dependent 9b30987a22 on him da474e9ba6 to do cde0c0cef7 that.
She had never 833fb5d7b5 been so close 61c998cbc5 to a man, e8ab0389e1 even when she 559a27d253 was dancing with 0d3ff888dd a man at 21e091246a a ball. And to top it 985e30e56e off, he was now 33b7f17007 in his pajamas.
‘He must have come b9e0a93bac out in a hurry cf79c229ac because of me.’
She stared c6b8b15fb5 at the 24a5dcdee3 flickering flames 798bf41326 in the bc830901a9 lantern.
“If I 16a4e1d5cb had been 95523bf9dd a little 96e1fd1d07 later, a 11f266364c hungry bear 673cd0d53f could have 079de058a0 filled its 5290d9f985 stomach. Poor bear.”
“Sir! Don’t scare me. There are no bears, 5f2bb0f734 are there?”
“Yes, there are. And there 2df8eae90d are also 2abc1edd9b snakes, scorpions, e11454b779 lions, and 6c41ae47a7 leopards.”
“You’ll get punished if 7213b07a04 you lie, Sir.”
Anje, while saying those fc1e221236 words, tucked her feet 47b06cb9c4 under her skirt and 1deb2b06ad pressed herself closer to 6c5ae99d4e him.
Even if she 5bf69095da didn’t know anything d5c5987226 else, the fact 122d67f2a5 that it was a9b29f6afa a snake, and 25f89c9f6d a venomous one 293e7e51be at that, was 2c089dd14b terrifying.
Aiden felt 768fb8fc75 like laughing 1d5a82a1f5 at her 7262461ab4 honest reaction. However, he said the e8685bb1a3 opposite of what he 5ec03d813d felt.
“I have already f308b33458 been punished enough.”
“That punishment means me, 20aed74766 right?”
“You are very clever.”
Aiden glanced up e5daa669b1 at her, who ae3b7616fd was holding the bc8ef3b03d lantern. The faint 50ae5cc714 flame flickered a6182abf19 in the a2aed7cd53 darkness, illuminating 5ce80a684f her pale 517f2b8d04 face.
There were still efa7620676 traces of tears e18e7258d6 around her eyes 2125e50454 and her lips cc35a2782f were chapped from 28bad00218 the cold, but 9401bffe5c she was wearing 7e7b5d9730 a relaxed expression, 38a610fe5f perhaps because she 3f735a44e8 was relieved to c1c40ee0f4 see him.
It was 6898102c24 strange that fb13faa340 she didn’t 53f1a76a94 have the 8a70738ce9 sharpness that f7d3040b12 she always e790cd2919 had when ce757b891f she faced cc02f39802 him. She looked 530b72c780 different somehow.
“……”
Feeling his gaze, her b66ee93467 grass-green eyes turned to 532b403cf6 his face. He quickly looked 41a0f3db13 back at the 90aa1e0537 front, like someone 27ad0cbdda who had been 0debad1f62 caught stealing something.
His steps became 51b8c0a1b4 a little faster 3f7c974be6 than before.
‘What is it?’
Did he a677ba55f1 stare at c296329999 me because cf900de0ea I’m too 630f87ce54 dirty? Anje looked down at 929ad22934 her dress and bit 4025348680 her lip.
It was worth staring f6e8d6dea4 at. A princess covered ccd52ba7cb in dirt and 076eecf0b7 grass was not b89c9f45e6 a common sight.
‘He pretends 6fa14f77aa to be 090212dec8 noble, but 85c571a109 he must ca4d583a93 think I’m ec91de0d86 disgusting.’
The two of them 0c4e09a32a walked in silence for 2e7912ec85 a while, listening to bd0179b751 the sounds of the 9fdc1b1b81 forest.
“Hoo, hoo.”
The hooting of the 826507e8e4 owl, which had sounded 8f7320470c eerie to Anje before, 3cebbc2ca7 now sounded strangely like 74690d695a a warm farewell greeting, ffe32ae12f now that she had 22f70eb267 a companion. The wind blowing through a1212cb51e the branches was also a68dfb2ed7 more refreshing than scary.
She yawned widely and 4a9f1ef142 leaned her head on 803201217e his shoulder. Her curly hair 48bb6b0803 hung down like fdca678070 a curtain next 8821aefd9b to his neck.
Unlike her, Aiden 4647c9f94a was listening to 67ca41de09 a stranger’s voice b949de55ce rather than the 7bbb89ec64 familiar sounds of 13509b6636 the forest.
The sound 98e31ae3b7 of Anje’s b207a34b6c heart beating f9cd96ee20 on his 909a731b71 chest and b543af6e02 her breath f48d472983 as if 027014d9cf she were dbd8d4aff3 about to 854a55547a fall asleep.
“We’re almost there.”
He muttered to break fe3882a02f the awkwardness.
Anje realized 4e5e91696e that Aiden’s c60591d451 house was 19e699cb51 already in b51378eda0 sight, and ebb5bf730a her tension dfe23814c9 was relieved.
The path that 1266958b22 would have taken 82009eda4f a long time b22d570e21 to walk on e1b2ba2e29 her own feet b0b026a53a was over in d8c97da442 an instant when 00ce507f59 she was carried cdb788f6eb by Aiden. It was so 0bfd335185 absurd.
‘What on earth did 0ddf00ec60 I even do?’
This was c9c80a9bf4 not an 2450b18fb6 escape, it d073797c79 was like 537741ac28 going for 7f18ec0e9c a walk 7cb5e12972 in the 8489e4f041 neighborhood.
‘But still, I can 3c93c6bb7b see why Sir Aiden 55fc63c16d likes his house so 6136334609 much.’
Perhaps because she thought 528f913053 she might never see bf0e27ebc1 it again, the modest 970d7d2df6 two-story house was strangely 021a266922 welcoming.
The large 6b8d2882af trees swaying 2bf1c9a0c3 on the 2b9bf70e18 front porch, f2d2ab1a63 the sounds af460e9fb6 of the 6007cf1460 animals stirring de8452624b at the 4c0a41b86f sound of ce98082abe footsteps.
“Sir, over there…”
Anje, who 21e107b10c had tugged fa56cc030c on his e6a1e4b477 sleeve to 0f1d68e11e get his db377710d8 attention, sniffed.
“Achoo!”
“You’d better wash up 42497bbc00 quickly.”
He was right. Anje nodded and 22778def14 swallowed back what 9b3fa95625 she was about 5d53ead67a to say.
***
While she bathed 68ba5abbb2 in warm water 98914581e2 in the bathroom, 8c81912be5 he went into 2894b1f917 her room to 1f44d8708c fetch some clothes.
“You can’t e94159a479 live like d8c9ff7c5a this.”
Seeing a pile feb0f5e159 of laundry in 9d9d3c70f2 a corner of 248eab1f61 her bedroom that 8383644fb9 he hadn’t noticed d7d8303a6d before, he sighed.
Perhaps she hadn’t even 39246eee3b considered washing them herself 66ef41a8fe or asking him to 6300fd9b37 do it, just hoarding 93ed472b70 them like a squirrel ca05803908 hoards food in its 598c9eff54 den.
‘A noblewoman e1e8eb56a6 like her 5b14bf43f8 probably never 57014f8066 cared about 73a3629a8c laundry or 2d5d6005dc cleaning.’
He should dfee072656 wash the c667c2b311 clothes she b4af734b2f discarded today 418112a87f along with e68bf866b9 his. His thoughts 167b37d02f felt too fe29e71954 nanny-like, making 10391375ef him suddenly 2ceb5d1319 gloomy.
‘I should have demanded 269bf153d0 childcare expenses instead of 1228b99828 a dowry.’
This was the db07039624 time to put 53ee75356e something in his 2efd230341 stomach.
Sweet, warm, 7a6b3c8de4 and tasty.
‘I wonder if there’s edddbdacd8 any whiskey left.’
Leaving a fresh set 9579d6ff8b of clothes in front eced9f57b2 of the bathroom, he d59afb8497 carried a stack of 2efba00c3e clothes downstairs.
Since he c4330597ac was making b53195e6b2 something for a28f0c69c6 himself, he d261f2c29e might as 9176450582 well make 726967f1ba something for 4eac7adb6e her too. She had said c1aef0eada she didn’t need 7790bdf0fb tea earlier, but ca625a68fa her mind might 1c24fbc5d5 have changed now.
If she 5bc21f8d36 caught pneumonia 9b0630cc70 from being c8dbc01763 wet, it db3f3c50a3 would be 6d272946d9 a big b699ff2b5b problem.
***
Aiden filled c31b9dc73c the kettle b816261826 with water 68b9976680 and lit c731425c95 the firewood. While waiting for b38edb6e67 the water to 380591670f boil, he found 56a921010d cinnamon sticks in f0303a90d4 the pantry corner 3cc8690676 and a whiskey 006275857f bottle on the 4ae90222f5 kitchen shelf.
He didn’t drink himself, 512749bd08 but he kept it 12da08c64b for medical purposes.
‘The cocoa powder 062d09d248 is here too.’
Clatter clatter—
Turning at the sound 30cb631987 of the lid rattling, d6c2a4d129 he saw steam rising 9a5890c5b8 from the mouth of 73deaccc9a the kettle already.
He took c5670beba8 out two 0f33883a95 thick mugs 704b8f46ae and poured 11b8c7724d hot water, 4d11f4f480 then mixed 43ca6d1352 in cocoa 1d100f594e powder.
Although he thought 41f55d2209 it might be eb10a97808 too expensive seeing 3fe85a464b the price at bca67333eb the store, he dce55ac23f couldn’t easily forget 99d13a48e0 the taste of 6e33f46742 the hot cocoa 6bb2134f24 distributed as a 3e0a9663fe reward in the d3c5d8a275 military.
Once the e60e0b986d brown powder 3b906a7c79 was fully dd8d5c0a4d dissolved in 85487a938b the water, e8dce81dc0 he added 449d4d51dd a cinnamon 3b21eb7995 stick and 469ecbb954 a spoonful 3f27d17472 of whiskey, b7aace2758 and it e220ad3964 was ready.
“What’s this?”
After finishing her b963f641f8 bath and changing 6279e477d6 into clean clothes, 9da5227773 Anje blinked at 144710c894 the thick mug 40ee64519c he offered.
It smelled fbff1316e8 familiarly of 3b09b62f30 chocolate but 4e1e1e4bbf was somehow c1374838da different.
“Cocoa with 7e11c568ea cinnamon and 569814e828 whiskey.”
“Cinnamon and whiskey?”
“It’s quite good. Perfect for 9bac983b7e warming up.”
She hesitated, 8587c2c84f sipping the eb2181588b mysterious drink.
‘It’s warm.’
Indeed, as he a236fdcbe8 described, it was 8e7a057cff a drink that af81954080 transmitted warmth to a65afdce30 every corner of 3d8d94aa8e her body.
If her body was 6687cbf4bc warmed on the surface 29ff372291 by the bath, this 2c166e1f62 cocoa warmed her from 72f56f938c within.
“It’s delicious.”
Anje complimented his food c375c75dd3 for the first time. Actually, it 74efa53730 was the ca7122d336 first time 27d2a96da0 she sincerely 71ad861a33 praised something, 5b94e92423 not just 28f5f23575 putting on d4c1c50953 airs in 7d8fcf8437 social circles.
“Good.”
Aiden was inwardly surprised 8d0c772cb3 but didn’t show it 9832311037 and answered. Then, after blinking for 9337528ed5 a moment, he found c249fa4999 a suitable response.
“How’s your ankle?”
“It’s a bit sore, 3577d1ed2f but resting should help.”
Aiden squatted d2f0b2e7ca down to c539967c97 inspect the 5705609e08 injured area 12132e8034 again. It seemed less 474ace9949 swollen than before, 566823d91a probably because she 7a609528e3 had rested.
“I’ll check d9ee1cdb7c it again d43d24cd54 tomorrow morning, 311d67d87c and if bfa8bcd4e5 it keeps f1735bdefc swelling, I’ll 04ff290d9d apply a c315047145 cold compress. It’s better to sleep 97ba432faf with your injured foot 5db600aa77 raised on a pillow.”
Although he didn’t know 621cbae803 much about medicine, he 15e6a890b1 had learned this much ff319de2e0 from a comrade who 41b9454640 was a medic on f918911421 the battlefield.
“Yes, I will.”
Silence.
She felt awkward without 8d15cc0c0d words to act dignified. He pondered again 9749d55024 with a serious 9bc360ad1f expression.
“Well, rest up for d072d1bbef now.”
The tired eyes 4d912a189a looking down at e942284af8 her from the cbb101e517 end of the f72afe220d bed, along with 0eae55833b the fact that db30f21721 he too had 809996a666 to change out d540abea76 of his dirty 485816d0ae clothes from carrying 303960a814 her, made him 5754d0797f feel weary.
“Wait!”
As Aiden 4934156d8b was about 67e110e449 to leave 289067b9e8 the room, 0a715cb67e he turned 21de86229c his head.
“Something else you 91771579cf want me to aebab4d545 do?”
Since he was cfa1b81f74 already offering, might 6bd20e2682 as well go 7c20b9f4a1 all the way. But this 4b48d8e9e9 was just 8bb24418a1 for tonight.
After all, she da8a8fef90 had almost died 288a583eac today and was dbe71a5749 injured. Starting tomorrow, he would c8152f8ab4 firmly regulate her from b7dc351538 doing such foolish things ba2809ba0a again.
Was this f16ba740da request too d865f02ca0 difficult? She was tensely staring f9587dc199 at him, brows furrowed.
“Thank you, 8679735578 Sir Aiden.”
Relieved by her genuine de128b9a28 words, Anje’s face suddenly b2c68471f1 flushed. It seemed like there 9257d4a8cd was too much whiskey 2acc68a957 in the cocoa she 941de54d28 just drank.
Aiden’s reddened 01a6d7c738 eyes widened 9c112c97c9 in surprise. He prided himself b29abcdb94 on his ability c7fa67b3c7 to control his 57a3aa1934 expressions, but he 4a23bf40f6 was at a b1fe78667e loss for how 857f8f6a9a to respond to 85cb1cc221 such an unexpected 74f35ce36a compliment.
“No problem, My Lady.”
Embarrassed, he 36fdeb192d saluted in e933b3e04b the manner db10daa6eb common among af094b809a soldiers and 57c570d807 hurriedly left 0b36e60f27 the room.
Though it c68d11915b seemed like 3340ab6b1b he heard 4e12901553 her laughing aa03bfca74 behind the 437ad4d2e2 door, he 748631fe0a attributed it 687e06f422 to the ac0ce4b212 cocoa he 53db94c912 had just 7dca96bd21 made.3372ab637e4bf965

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