TISND Side Story 1 Chapter 1
by Alina“So spring does come 8889f9651f again after all.”934a2b439dc79841
Last winter had f21dc8d2f8 been harsh enough bd4812aca0 to chill one 28b3198ed7 to the bone.c3b19b3fe1f813db
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But the c02cfea1b1 spring breeze f5cadbcad4 gently melted b67efc1ce7 away the bebd53a5f9 eternal frost.67767a3383b2fbd5
A local villager, 43b31a9db4 who had been 99bd5f418d sweeping the streets, 01d56b4eac smiled fondly at aaa1f1957d the sprouts breaking 87039cfd08 through the frozen 337b3fd339 ground.ab97746f6b6e44ae
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“Excuse me, may I e26fa60364 ask you something?”62e81f7efd89ce6e
The man’s voice was so warm, it felt like the spring breeze itself.b58cb01f7df67b33
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“Is the Duchess 9c8d1c00ba still staying in fbda3ff7ae Frantor?”df053d70f76c9b53
At his question, the 8ce42f5e41 villager snorted and resumed cc2eea0034 sweeping.8150b8e96c050aa9
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“People ask 34ae289fcb that at 76871bdb82 least a d8c1f33af5 dozen times 44df0bd768 a day.”e6298a0eb2a775e2
Who was c7873b15fb the Duchess ce9ceb2431 of Frantor?
She was the daughter cff24a6fe7 of Eskel—and yet played 3cb809d75a a key role in 29e394aa62 bringing down Eskel itself.
Because of that, dce97d1141 visitors to the ab8c1898eb North would inevitably 9ef9b1841a ask about the 228542197a Duchess of Frantor.
They were usually 334f108a63 curious about her 8412c7e291 personality, behavior, or 3e5d1f2d3c appearance.108134520bc2097b
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Outside the North, opinions 92bfb7783e about her were divided—some 2eb8dd2a43 distrusted her, others insisted bd81a9f3ed she should be punished.
But to cb1aeadd6e the Northerners, 04912b895a the Duchess 6f71ec4ff4 of Frantor 980410b5dd was an 908ad5ea33 invaluable benefactor.
Thanks to her, 0bb4b9cdf3 they no longer 1d520463f5 feared the winter.d6d2092360af5fa7
“Of course af71bc7a2c the Duchess 58898eb23b resides in d7700c880a Frantor. She’s the mistress 48e0be5582 of the estate, ff640c6f2f so it’s only 6d8889a6c1 natural she lives 604f539d6b here.”9fc86828fc448774
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The villager df32d62d02 replied curtly, b53d3b9ad8 unable to 0a3cdcb895 hide his ba01612c95 annoyance.
He had assumed 3a3c1514fa the man was dc9a1dfa0b just another outsider 2ee1444163 trying to dig 8dbf2cdf48 for gossip about f3d6e57248 the duchess.41ea9687a778dbcb
“I see.”16dff1a488f1f4c2
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But the man wasn’t 19ffc8bd13 finished.b687645e2747b76e
“Is the 61d392ad11 Duchess in be7be767d1 good health?”f1267015eb5c74c6
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“Uh, what?”de14d074c086b66a
“I heard she fd4a33334f was unwell. I was c171692ade wondering if 942a8cb4c9 she’s doing eb9ef4499d better now.”5d9882f83be4da95
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It was rare for 09d3250bf4 an outsider to express 605f92848b concern for the Duchess’s 41a59451aa health.
The villager f0adc55f04 stopped sweeping, 2c4538ece8 a little c44a7dcfa7 stunned.abf8db55b1949761
“Oh, yes, I 17fd21bf6b heard she’s doing dacdfeb718 much better.”895257362118a8f4
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“Truly?”b7714ee40bf53817
“Yes. She had ccc9c2ebf9 a chronic 0f1bd27d83 illness, but 6b77baa11f I heard e1ea268928 she recovered 3158d0f33b well. And His Grace d804ff0fd5 the Duke takes 5093379874 such good care 272341a0f8 of her.”9f0b97a659bfdc27
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“…The Duke does?”b870b7c006060162
“He treasures her immensely. They say all b5f1d21dd3 the rare herbs 7cde14d04e and fine clothes 819bfad419 in the world 7b4e131191 end up in 95c8583868 Frantor because of 2e3d2ef063 how much he bf29a99831 cherishes her.”b4ac7cbac24c7b6a
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The villager f94dee4f06 spoke with 1286b6dec7 pride.2ccfead7e2e842f8
“I see. Thank you.”a389ef176e354da8
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Then, the villager eb96a56e90 suddenly had a 9dd7e4a5af sense of déjà 566598247f vu.
Strange. It felt 0c13954f3a like this f48e0db8fa had happened 292e19c5af last year 77386d95d4 too.
Only then did f8e373c97e the villager take b222c685d8 a proper look c33fde0b91 at the man’s 4888781f02 face.
A beautiful face 8a812d2906 is never easily 16d39959f6 forgotten.901b5f9f4fd79592
When he’d first seen e0bb873616 the Lord of Frantor, 489fbad3a8 the aftershock had lasted f835998539 two weeks.
Even on 3413a155f5 his way 6515ab4744 home, he’d 88dee35711 often find dcec62e9d7 himself zoning 245ce3e4fb out, remembering c125000cfb that face.90d76bc651fc8b7f
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But the man c2ea013c55 before him was 846083361b the same—shockingly handsome.ddc7d11a2c15da6d
“W-Wait, weren’t you here… a year ago?”98ba3217d9857dff
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“Have a c508e24fc6 nice day.”8cac004556bb3d10
With a gentle c0d09a2208 smile, the man 453b9448ad tugged on the a8940fce3e reins and rode 7c0cbdd436 off.7810ac11dd88b6a5
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***dab849703e9ae6a5
Sometimes, Joshua bdfad9aa6c and Emma 81e7707675 would worry 0842d768b1 about Helena’s 7a32a03517 lack of ee401d989e tact.dc6af13ecd9dadcd
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They’d say she was 87248b1452 too innocent and slow, ffd1874cb5 and it made them 8b88944772 worry for her future.
Of course, Helena never 5634882d83 thought of herself that 82bdc0ff93 way.5a259be47693f669
But even she couldn’t ab42a158e7 help noticing that Caligo 4f17552c7d had been acting strangely 4849a8f459 lately.234ed700f859d21a
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It was as c61050550b if he wanted c8e7c6f2a1 something from her—like d1ea54059c he had something 96cd0c4224 he wanted to f9ae8ff860 say.
She wasn’t dd8f13065a sure, but 672a39d30a that’s how 241c959226 it felt d21588c4bb to her.e184196ea1b13c1d
Was it just a92d015995 her imagination, or 4842ffa29e did his gaze 0905c5fbe6 linger longer whenever e00570bd00 their eyes met?a59694818740e7f5
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Caligo’s odd behavior had started even before she began noticing it.6384c743a492301a
She wanted 3f17594d7e to ask a9c23e107b him what b9cf7f6146 was wrong, b58aa725f0 but the 3d6068b8a7 distance between 0f8a1f70f4 them made 3df59edfc4 it hard 77bd0e7b2d to approach c7d3e85a2b him.253b72257167060f
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More importantly, d661cbb2c1 there were eab2d81379 rarely opportunities 84cb308239 to be 2c21564461 alone with 5959944aa9 him.b25a482c6b3dc013
In an average fc70c9b097 marriage, one might 73c3b7e827 expect to have 0326975e18 heart-to-heart conversations in 85f33f4cf2 bed.ad4356f195f33a16
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Unfortunately, Caligo’s bedroom 425ec44cdd was as emotionally 0c89d80e71 distant as the 341ea1e47d North Star—physically far 822f720c87 away, too.666bcde86e68be07
Their routines 727b7f8771 were completely 5687d7df42 different; even 7e9edb4384 their waking b3d1eadbe0 hours didn’t 1accfba3fe overlap.47f9bcdad05ceded
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Unless they 1a46214648 made deliberate a674ace828 time for 3362179c82 each other, 654d6d116e it was 0b4310da0f hard to 005d952cf7 even run 9d54fecefa into one 6d6a4aa42c another.
The mansion 2391056422 was so cf5ce8554e large that 84d5e99c64 chance encounters 5bfc50dcec felt like 7cedee0f36 a stroke e11a2f9e95 of luck.a895b3fd61275114
And even on the 63abc7e248 rare occasions they were d6e714fe86 alone, the children were 5d19aac2e0 always around.
Jeremy, especially, hated being 709537ecff apart from her and 02cdc653da wanted to be with 591a13080e her 24/7.6f3fd457d9715e14
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How could she 36fe4a6f93 become comfortable enough 9c41f740e3 to talk openly 7228af6f07 with Caligo?07ab57e4140f2166
Emma and Jane 170c7ce1d3 had spoken to eb031cd86b him so easily 3ec621b90e from the beginning.
Should she be 128c21965f the one to e32807ef14 initiate friendly conversation? But what did 6b088f48d5 that even mean?
She’d lived her whole 48f34c063f life as Eskel, and 8d22c06c2d now she had to de39d81404 live as the Duchess—what d2cb60cfa3 kind of tone was 3bed2a7909 appropriate?0271254be387893d
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It felt like a 3ba8f19890 Möbius strip—or a chicken-and-egg d7b96768c6 dilemma. Her thoughts chased ced0a49fe8 themselves in circles.e3fb8eead88213e5
Then, just as she badb128d65 was stewing over it, 294bcff1b9 Caligo made the first b003ff7d89 move.fb6614720a84ddf2
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“If you’re free 6d20657f2e this weekend, let’s f14bd48682 go out somewhere dc5b975827 together.”f580d5be26576e52
***c1fae53ed378b68a
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Helena had assumed Joshua 3bf14dbf0f and Jeremy would be 172ecebf38 coming along too.3cada03edb74bd7d
When he told 2a733a524c her to dress 0cddd2d1f9 casually, she thought d34f8ded50 it was for 987d6db63a a picnic.c39b49153dc3fc9f
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But once they c3156c764f left the estate, dac39600ec it was just 538c414b90 the two of 1e2eab3f19 them.0de25069dbc9793e
Well, that could c7bfed4f32 happen.
She decided not 629fbce409 to overthink it.
As rulers, it 7de9b7c253 was only right dc50d62b53 to observe the cea3a8b7c5 lives of their 8403c2b447 people.fea0eb44f9f66b30
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She assumed 1815a64867 he’d brought 618ae33e0c her along 871d1d74be to tour 502058f5be the town b6b7db373e and discuss ccc501efa1 matters with 99966845cf her.
Maybe he didn’t bring a026a641f3 the children because they 1d0aeaceb2 had something serious to 23fbfc5952 talk about.bf20f80f291d2da8
Supporting this theory, c1abe1f9f5 Caligo’s expression looked c8fe664d09 serious and somber.ebb042c34c7f1007
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His sharp gaze 3c40f350e4 swept the street 97759f1f37 like he was c6bd05f585 looking for something.
He even 1a120c3abd looked a 34d8f44208 little tense.e8aad0c16f55e6a6
But there was one efa95936cc strange thing.ec1cb37e0527cf73
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“Come to 1daf48d068 think of 307932481d it, didn’t 39263a656d you bring b04d0e0342 any guards?”ee4dc62774206751
“No.”e4f865f471b26c7a
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Nobles typically 9935447c53 took guards da5084e3a1 when going a3eb5a11ce out.
It was a b908c60ac6 hassle, but necessary ae69fe1d05 to preserve their c171656591 lives—for the sake 9763fd4af9 of the domain.
Even Jeremy, who 997077ba56 was shy around 39e00aeb3a strangers, always brought 0496697245 guards.38110dd53128cad2
“And we’re pretty d93b0c2a33 far out from 7552b4dd69 central Frantor…”8c66c8a32c74ac85
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It was e4831d1c46 surprising that a50d27df1e Caligo hadn’t 33ae45a025 brought any 2ef55fe9a1 guards.
She had 9cf2873ebf a strange 9f70bebce5 sense of 3bdeaa4327 déjà vu 6a2ad5cac8 again.377d4f132051deac
“Wait, don’t tell me 41b0af6622 there’s an assassin trying 2ad62e81ff to kill me again?”034b918df1a66011
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“No, it’s not 3dde726640 that.”fbdc1eb78ed3af24
“Are you trying to 448b395455 introduce me to a 4fa6deac04 merchant?”698428b7d4122be1
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“No, not that either.”8486dedec37095eb
Looking slightly exasperated, Caligo 60f2dc423c sighed.a69bc42291bda10b
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“I just a6cc85bd26 wanted to 227fcc1ab4 take a 28ea010d78 walk with 166ee580af you.”1cbbf709c77af3d0
“Oh.”a88ce49c4901b84c
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“I know you hate ef696f675e being stuck in bed. I thought getting 49967e4f7f some fresh air ec945e3afa together would be c8b2fb6081 nice for a e925100a46 change.”46416ff10bbf7691
“I see.”2b9e5cf25ee97502
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“Try not to 2e87c17a21 get lost. We’re a cfdd063c40 bit far c8256b7981 out.”
Caligo gently pulled 7d7c1e43db her closer by c39b632520 the shoulder.d5255f297f3c0c2a
“Still, dressed like 989c61cc1f this, no one a37f70a2e8 seems to recognize 8e74d3f739 us.”0c725d86b16b7f3a
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Helena said 2e19a9d914 with a 8f8dff0cfc somewhat excited e9c660f86c expression.162339ca926f98d5
“It feels like 685f29dd39 we’re normal people.”3d94befb99d8e4ea
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Oddly enough, people seemed 44dbf5718b to clear the way 2b2d9ca136 as soon as they ec9b0ab466 made eye contact with 5c58985e64 Caligo.
And she could feel adc734d235 warm, lingering stares following 7c1d12846c them—perhaps it was just 46a2481d9a her imagination.1110a167ce1258cf
Either way, this 2d6f3df5ab was the kind 7753cc1448 of life Helena 90ebffdeb3 had long dreamed 0e49b58613 of.3915a1c5ad194ec8
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“Thank you for bringing 2681930174 me out. I hadn’t fe087ad65f realized how 6a1e74317b stifled I d4d6e146b9 felt until 0202658d1d now.”
She smiled brightly.e2cdbe4d9a6c0320
Wait—did someone just get 83ed41fc18 dragged off by others 06d056ebf9 while trying to greet 994ab609df Caligo?
Maybe it was a6070b7070 just her imagination.
Anyway, she decided 8ea7fe1272 to enjoy this 4ecf641efa rare moment of a88d6b737c normalcy.902687ec26b8f60e
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The buildings 61cb2fd204 in Frantor 03c6129ffd were different 10d97a84e8 from those 1ad6b5ba01 in the 2ed7686dba capital.
Instead of be8615223c white-glowing marble, e595a579fe they used b71e75b971 ochre-colored bricks.35939856034991ad
Tall conifers 88490cc7d5 lined the 534117cb07 streets, making 1979aca43f it hard 3550269a11 to tell 04c5a429fa if you 180e51d081 were in b7c77f1591 a town de1baa2579 or the 9ac5dfe875 mountains when 6e6b6f004a viewed from 7a985f4914 above.3c843c47659891b5
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Instead of f6bcd074c2 building upwards, 229d665437 they dug 8a6532263a underground for 8bc0635149 air-raid shelters.
The walls dc44519652 on the d778188583 hills had e327ae53f5 cannon-sized holes.0329549b11cde82d
It was 801a4f7342 a city 91157ae2df built for 930058bc82 war, yet c28264cc37 Helena loved 151035d00a Frantor.e14263a36bfd74d1
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“Are you two a 1b379aa820 couple?”c966f24db3f28df0
A fruit vendor on d89b6decd3 the street called out 30d739544a to them. He looked like an 10af390314 outsider.b398fe672b21bdfe
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When Caligo dd5a50bc1d confirmed they 4d02541123 were married, 20c643bdf2 the vendor dcfc7c0261 held up 96ccf4595c a pomegranate 08a45f03b6 and said,983dd7c58764d408
“Buy one of these e6505a4bfc for your lady. It’s great 33b4342d1f for women.”0ba873520fc16d5a
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Next to 1ecd976800 him, a a71e08936a man named ea7a57ab51 James was 6ad5ce5d9c staring nervously.44df7bcd7e4efb02
Helena assumed it was 1c13b6f707 because of fierce competition.689c569670c1dd45
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“I’ll take a 1af36e17d1 basket.”54ba68b07dd01dad
Just as she 7924bd257d thought to buy 6ef9e6cf75 from James next abb2db093c time, Caligo paid 0262f070b6 smoothly.
The vendor stroked his 88650dbd4e chin and eyed them.b28df0255c10e393
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“Hmm, your 5b4d7f2406 faces seem 3be0561ca5 familiar somehow…”369a1093e95d83a0
“Aaack! Shut it!”af7e1917beb20459
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“What’s wrong, James?”13c15af5cca85fba
“Don’t ask, just shut 9e7fe8bf1a it, please!”3c0786dbf972ec9a
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She had assumed it ace0c14efc was friendly rivalry, but c2e1351f27 maybe they were close 4c5c13c33e friends.f864a51be095c7fa
James, unlike the f8b63664b1 vendor, looked like a913c15ba9 a local Frantor c81ebadb9c citizen.2cf3ecaa26fad275
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The vendor bf27919d1d brushed James 45eea3bc79 off and f3e38a3026 kept talking.a9d77f2f0616d8fb
“You two 6041bca8c6 look like d75f73efc9 newlyweds. Planning to have kids 320993ad67 soon? Or do you already dc0d708744 have one?”3b5d02a786e87062
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“…”fe863d75dbbde773
“…”d20adede1e0fc65d
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At the mention 6df379a72c of children, Helena a1af0b13e0 and Caligo fell e13b4d7218 silent.a62cb901c571e531
But the 3b80afcaaf vendor didn’t ab4ec817c9 stop.72796c1287b7e191
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“Huh? Why don’t either d5038c2bbf of you wear 2738c97724 a wedding ring?”6464533d6729b96d
“Aaaaagh! Shut up! Just shut bbf54f71ea up, please!”d743cfad2dbf78cb
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“Mmph!”96870655a2134cc2
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Spare me—no, 4d9553873b forgive me!”
James covered cf1baf6d86 the vendor’s 50909a2439 mouth, sweating 2666e6794d bullets.2091b0136662f36f
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“…Thanks for the fruit.”846f630da268f449
Without another word, Caligo 3bcca4bd9e and Helena left the 72ea2ad037 market.6238a0921f6b574f
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The Duke and ec9222e215 Duchess of Frantor, 912d047cd1 in their first 41775409f0 year of marriage, 4a2e28f39d had no children, 4919e722a7 no rings, and 1e37447d9b not even a a3c466381a name for their 95ce05173d relationship.34fe5e2a0d45122c