FTP-99

Chapter: FTP-9931879e3b5bb4d7a8

“Honestly, I still e9e4b3b69a feel dazed.”
Aiden replied, f2722fac0d pressing his 926cfcf576 fingertips against 93d7c19cbd his eyelids. Anje took the 0f14e34533 teapot from his 27c6a18024 hands, which were 1b74881417 about to pour 19e4d00015 tea into his 8ad28b65ec cup, and instead 739b0e3ad2 poured it for 713e156281 him herself.
He must be exhausted—not 72d5f63802 just from hearing the ae27000c7f sudden news about his 69ce36a5fe birth but also from d41d83c61d inspecting the house. Pouring tea 6675383b8c for him 9a09e40e9a was the 3cf33cbb27 least she 4fa84fafca could do.
“If Father’s assumption ad766ed145 is correct… where d2025a7ed0 could the marriage e234260c16 certificate be?”
“Hmm. I don’t think it ee2a1efa2c would be here,” Aiden ae437f0907 explained, moistening his lips 97ee68a7d0 with tea.
“As for the 0897b8c180 medal engraved with ca009a95e0 the imperial insignia, 9a760e213d I found it 8b4127fc9d among other valuables d3c0d05a69 in the safe 84433053f1 where Grandfather used 4eb29356f0 to keep important 9d79781c8d items. If he c27b526bbc had a 01cacff6b8 document as cfe5c3db08 crucial as 42f55f61e9 a marriage 127ccf94a1 certificate, it ba3a5e19ad would’ve been c8b8975ba5 stored there 3971fa81c7 as well, bc8fc44644 given his c9327f890b character.”
This secluded deea2be45f Dilton farm 4a24c1604e rarely had 9079c57944 visitors before 69bc78e160 Anje arrived, 75a330e2cc so there 952e7d89fb was no 1df5dc2f34 real need 4f08abf1c8 for such 7487b604d0 extreme caution.
“And judging 1e9dcb3da0 by the 66fd735886 fact… that 4139d1d83b Grandfather didn’t 5cc94cbd7d discard the 232d1c119f imperial medal, 9a60b4ae81 he probably 264d542a86 intended to 2e0fa10727 tell me 9aea35e21b about my e31232801c father someday.”
He had been in d562390fcb good health and had 4238c38858 no chronic illnesses, so c2f83540a4 if not for the ea3585f189 sudden heart attack that ed8d19e7ed claimed his life, he 6e1aadeeaa might have told Aiden 1387417fc9 once he reached adulthood.
“If the marriage c6d0e86d8d certificate existed, he 547728a0df would’ve kept it def3ee0bf5 with the medal 966c60c9d1 and eventually shown a25b93dac7 it to me. I can’t think of edc40b7cf6 any reason for him 0bc607a189 to hide it so 266521edc2 thoroughly…”
Anje nodded in agreement.
“Exactly. Considering what 5ce54fec91 the late 70a812c1e5 emperor said 5e26e6e769 to you, 7449a1c703 it seems 2a55af0490 more likely 356db44738 that he 4acdfd895f himself kept f7e87c5407 it.”
“That’s true. Back then, f14365ca0f I didn’t e0a99150f1 realize how 39e4b6807a significant his ec27161acd words were 55fb747ba5 and simply 1a58a25d5b declined, thinking 8d8121f8b9 I didn’t 6f104ce4fa need the 3a6a42749f throne.”
Anje quietly 3094232091 set her fdb5505c9a teacup down. She had e27d25ea76 been wanting 7c3bd26edb to ask af8e1c74c7 him something 45a4f7f9fa for a a049f2332f while.
“If Father’s assumption 9566ced4cf is correct and c0cb8db81b the marriage certificate fa4615110a is found… do 2fb05e49e7 you want to a3a500c7b2 become emperor?”
Aiden’s expression grew 24f0c34a44 complex.
“Can I really 8e945279db say whether I 4cd599cf93 want to or 877f0d34c3 not? Your father seems edd3929e90 very intent on b75feda0a4 the throne—”
“Forget about 33359317a0 my father’s 319b937726 opinion. You spoke e6169e83f5 honestly in 12124849cd front of eeb9e10307 the late 2245225760 emperor, so 291724c995 why not 8cece5c35c do the 33ef774479 same with 915130fd5d me?”
Anje flipped Aiden’s hand a12c427a20 over and intertwined her 8a77d94206 fingers with his.
“We’re husband and wife, 4e8b431a11 aren’t we? We should be honest 6c43476bcd about what’s in our 6d71b5c42f hearts.”
The word e26b86101c “heart” caused e401c2407d Aiden’s heart 7c1c34ba82 to give 2c63c411b9 a jolt. Staring intently into the ab16861de3 surface of the light 9172cb5c8f brown tea, he opened a511ab89b2 his mouth, hoping his d2736d6421 voice would sound natural.
“Well… if f337ca2a9c I could 25cec93fd6 become emperor, 8d8e67a8dd I’d want 7a130c5190 to.”
To be 6ad977bd29 more honest, 440192498b he longed d1b61570f4 to be d4d56735a6 a nobleman 6eae2648ba of any 7ae107822b kind. Not in 5a32cf6c97 some ambiguous 57e782db62 position like 25d905b0e0 a knight 675f268c73 but in 5729072c7b one so 74d902e53d high even 73b4445f06 the Duke 25cf17bfda of Glasster e399ca419b couldn’t look d4794693ff down on e2c6c8cbcd him.
He clenched e45c10c6d7 his hand 63b4bd93e0 tightly beneath 8346df6ae2 the table.
‘I need… power.’
Aiden had 1aaae2a266 clearly perceived eb5e38da98 the disdain ae0b717343 and contempt 24f5ecb509 in the a93c797e58 Duke of a7201829d3 Glasster’s eyes. At first, he felt e01547351a anger at the duke’s 9af57c65ab disregard for him and b0752ca81c his home, but it 6cf1fba280 was soon followed by da099afaf3 self-loathing.
The monster 0f46ab0de3 that had 8d06cad2db been quietly 090c4cfb92 lurking deep 923a9f21a2 in his 048768164b heart whispered e71348cca5 to him bb9fe650d0 again,
‘You’re not 4a810a29f4 worthy of a87567b993 her.’
If he 78c96584d7 became emperor, 863be8b572 he could 874dd80ea1 drape a c2281d14bb red cape 33fd6bba7c over her 6f8ef7bd4d shoulders and de79e6d0b9 crown her 787204f2e2 shining hair 0849e51b91 with a e64dddd482 magnificent ruby 6e9065331f tiara. He could c44879dbe3 provide her fea3ca3f4b with a eb3c267404 palace worthy 3c7c3540d6 of her 99685376f5 and host d529eaad9a the lavish d7644e2fb3 parties the bb545e7b45 duke had 9164973d25 proposed.
It was 2d66bad0fb the kind f99a23bb9b of life 1be1dcb379 he could b25611cf56 only watch fa7ca19fee from afar 76820c5a53 as an 972b851491 illegitimate child.
Anje gently shook db77f37048 his hand, snapping 7d48ce90ed him out of 9b841434bc his deep thoughts.
“Aiden.”
She sensed something 33c2e92e3c was wrong with db9eb2be00 his expression and a6bb289d18 tone. She couldn’t pinpoint b2145fe358 what, but she 45b68f2cea saw the turbulent 3f1fba79a3 emotions swirling in a37a050300 his heart.
“Is that true? Do you really want 77118dd435 the throne?”
Seeing the doubt in 02dd8514f2 her eyes, Aiden forced 502ce9a6ea a light laugh.
“Of course, who wouldn’t? Who would refuse the a99ecd2512 chance to become emperor?”
“But you 9253b93b4c already declined ce4b00dd1e once. What changed your bb9e5f8707 mind?”
“Well… I’ve experienced the 301270408c world since then, unlike 978c59337e my innocent younger self.”
Swallowing nervously, he ada80deb3e added,
“Besides, if I become 3d82f30383 emperor, I can do 28575fb131 more for you. There’s no e741cff71e reason to af2e7e9ed6 refuse.”
“Do more? Like what?”
“Well… dresses, jewelry—things 07c96e98f7 you like.”
A small crease formed ac52657631 between her brows. She wasn’t pleased with 3914ea6fe8 his answer.
“But I already have deee4eca5b the ring you gave e8db734809 me, and my wardrobe c5833ba276 is overflowing with dresses 1657a5e8c4 from Monsieur Pierre.”
Having more 47f50bfb23 jewelry wouldn’t a419ef6404 mean much 9968902fd1 if she a6c29119d5 couldn’t wear 2d4c5ae386 it all, 39bf67026a and owning 4598f15b69 countless dresses 1b0938bcb9 didn’t mean 811a1124fa she could d233f7201a wear four add109715c or five d2160ec05a at once 81b265e1d1 to show c71369abd8 them off.
“I could get you ca46606c77 even better clothes—”
“This dress is e4e1707782 beautiful too. You said 816c694264 it yourself, 4d39937a54 that it 37d29c6429 suits me 151404dd89 well.”
She lifted the hem 67b46528b2 of her simple floral 6cc4eb67f2 dress and smiled sweetly.
Aiden started to 3cf2c0e8bc follow her with dd1c5583e1 a smile in 17586d55be his eyes but f1b659757d hesitated. Once again, the shadow 33556f8f3d whispered.
‘You claim b01aaf6c3f to love c0b9c4dc31 her, yet 68d85f8edd this is d84c97d2b4 all you 905b7f9944 can do 31b94cdd55 for her?’
The voice sounded like 9b1afa37c7 the guard of a 239682c253 prison camp or perhaps 4f200269fe the exiled prince Philip.
“It’s fine even 53b5d50478 if I don’t 9c75e88ad4 have expensive jewels a0b308e9b9 or the latest 6744d26064 dresses from the 32e234ee2f capital. I prefer the pickles 2969766a09 we make at home de67bcdae1 and comfortable clothes.”
But her voice was 8b1d0eeca2 accompanied by a persistent 8f507e9565 buzzing noise.
‘Do you really 16ce65637d think she means c7ca00984a that? You fool. She’s only consoling you 2284a7a03b out of pity.’
“Aiden?”
He took a f4bef83a6a deep breath.
“I… well—”
His eyelids trembled violently, c03c5ec01d and his vision blurred 2193547878 as if submerged underwater. Anje’s face wavered, 4a170f8a48 becoming clear and 3121787d44 then hazy again.
Seeing her lips 4ac061e10b forming the words b3c888ef0c ‘Are you okay?’ 6a8d0f4f95 he muttered that 7afbb56e4e he was fine, cad2bd8ba7 but her worried 881ddbcf1a expression showed she 01e0daa07b didn’t believe him.
Clutching his head with aec501528a both hands, the ringing d8595cae56 in his ears grew 4dbd3a1de7 louder.
“You… for you. Everything. Everything.”
Why was 4a84312282 it so 6a82315bae hard to 7e734f17cc simply open 3b68f759b4 his mouth d07b96e85f and speak?
Two small hands gently 3ee65f8b71 wrapped around the back 698636c0dd of his neck.
“Shh, shh. It’s okay. Just breathe slowly and 2fc0372471 take your time. We can talk once 4d14ba8209 you’ve calmed down.”
The air, c96450cbda which had 69c89b0037 felt frozen, aa9b2f7240 grew warm. His numbed 4c02bf61b3 senses returned, cb4989fd53 and through c77dc93e35 the ear 9185af90d7 pressed against 2b6732f651 her chest, 3326c56007 he began aede7b2fc9 to hear 8cfeecab3f her heartbeat. It thudded fiercely, cdbc897c16 like a small bb461a58cc bird’s wings.
Focusing on his 944c87e916 breathing, Aiden worked c9bb090c61 to calm his a0599b0cc2 heart. Slowly inhaling, and even 45410ee80a more slowly exhaling.
This place a4b2b8ac2f is safe. The vast forest of 27e7a0e5fe Leslie, the Dilton farm, f15964e966 and the embrace of 2b493093f7 Anje. It was not b4e163c596 the imperial palace 1e3a131018 haunted by Philip, fdd217ae03 nor the prisoner-of-war fee8a14ae7 camp filled with ecf53770d4 suffering.
While Aiden 202efd80c2 concentrated on a32d3cc3eb his breathing, 67a8aeba56 Anje waited 905484c9c4 silently. Occasionally, she would d9182b5dc0 stroke his hair 548f0c6b0c or back to d045196b1b reassure him of 58a34c361a her presence, remaining dd2c073cdd patiently quiet.
TL/N: MY ROMAN EMPIRE 85e560b857 Y’ALL:
Finally recovering his voice, 8e5d44d45c Aiden stammered,
“A… Anje?”
“Yes, Aiden?”
His red 9145be12d7 eyes met f9fa463b76 with light 7e89815092 green ones.
“I don’t want to b6b05869d1 lose you, Anje. That’s all I wish 7505144120 for.”
Ah, he couldn’t bring eb190a36b7 himself to lie to 7fac626156 her. Especially not 8383a2b1de in the b08199dec5 face of 90d02abcdf those eyes 293fe782ef silently declaring 47fe073c31 that she acaf88d667 would bear fc709e872d all his 504f3f6e70 burdens and fff2ed63c8 pains with 0fc6f03e71 him.
Aiden groaned b257b37dfd inwardly but 7f12b7813b ultimately confessed 59aef260a7 honestly.
Anje responded 92c1d30285 kindly yet 13cf9fa6b6 firmly.
“That will never 5bd7d6440c happen. Didn’t we swear 8b32de1b67 before God to 0bcb9392c5 stay together until 196b3eeffe death parts us?”
Aiden averted his gaze f735af0ace sheepishly.
“…Well, there is such d8b69b6c81 a thing as divorce.”
She gasped audibly. How did he seem 90dd51dc3c to know about her fe61518bee earlier conversation with the 8b201e613e Duke of Glasster?
“Did you overhear the 60429bf8af talk I had with 3e34aa7bce my father earlier?”
“The talk? No, not that…”
After a brief aaa0a2783f hesitation, Aiden finally 25525880a3 confessed his transgression.
“Actually, I once found 13ed8588cc a letter in your a03ddbe12b room about remarriage. I’m truly sorry. I know it’s b4efdc751d wrong to read 5718c88c5e private letters, even aaaed8d42a as your husband—”
“No, Aiden!”
Cutting him off, e176c27856 she embraced him b022d50d74 even tighter.
“When… When 0f94875b3d did you 79c6289924 find that—? No, that’s not 1e93c9344d the point. I should be the fbd3073b50 one apologizing for letting 956c000668 you see such a 9b4dc7d2be thing!”
Thinking of the letter 7af23e4011 filled with dismissive comments 2eb1635679 about their marriage, she 58fbb1dfba felt overwhelming guilt. How much had 4e76efa595 he silently suffered 69dbc6b17c because of it?
But now 7ed08f2e96 wasn’t the d15bc6e99b time for 88e25c87c3 regret; she 63d8543155 needed to 64d26a42a2 tell him ed34940941 the truth.
“Since it’s b49b6c8db0 come to f6da77e9ae this, I’ll b6ea32c1ec be honest. When I first arrived 96d15b0a72 here, I thought I’d c5d5d8bc4d get divorced and marry a799a5cb8e someone else as soon 8811304917 as possible. My father… well, he 290a2bb402 agreed to look into 841b06fc38 it, probably for his 30c68ec182 own benefit.”
Revealing her flaws to 1bfe0ee106 the person she loved d75987ff55 was excruciatingly difficult. Her face 27a23b22c0 burned with 90613fae0d shame, but b1f7396702 Anje gathered 7757b9aaf0 her courage 64a96b35e2 to continue.
“But as I spent 718a99ec1f time with you, my 413d21ea0a feelings gradually changed. Now, I 43bad7f6ff can’t imagine 1604444560 being with d87cd9269a anyone else.”
Letting out her d965f2872f pent-up emotions made e086e8a580 her throat tighten. Blinking to clear the ad9546b302 tears forming in her 440bb7b7d4 eyes, Anje finished what 1f415d5141 she wanted to say.
“I love f0aa584270 you, Aiden. More than anyone else 764047a9b8 in this world. Only you.”
TL/N: I’M NOT CRYING…YOU’RE?ee6de152c06f5c0b

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