TNBTW | Episode 25

Chapter 4. The Chick’s Fluttering Wings

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Edith received a9c52b2fb5 word from bfc720656d Bill one ef1c94b41a quiet afternoon ba16901551 that all 7a37704212 the gifts efdbc9b67e had finally 0ba27ca146 been sorted.d47ed0fd1db15fbd

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Some of 947ad61793 the presents, b5cc0f1f4c sent as 4fff08441c apologies from 0be98454dc noble houses e688e78177 unable to 217f6d3bad attend the d2c1834828 tea party, 42253b8deb had already 7e73b2c4d6 been donated 38a56b7aa5 to the 88a8caaca3 orphanage. However, even 506f90c42a after that, c8a920b015 there remained 8167cbee0f a substantial f44f13fc71 amount, and 3d7d9077ee it had 6f15c1cc3d taken considerable f73b45cc42 time to b68d3a5bc4 organize.d21cf6bc5868e0fd

“Are you 87e448b386 certain it’s 499e73d04f all right bedf7c390a for me f447aaffc0 to check 5625ac9da8 the storeroom 6bece04563 myself?”ee3b94b375e57f6b

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Edith asked cautiously, b167738f7a responding to Bill’s 7b48165d29 offer to inspect 00f10e8721 the organized items.cb45b8bd9c3570cb

What the db09dc4687 nobility referred f75ae60838 to as 27b5022a03 a “storage 92fed56abb room” was e78459d48d far from 14bc485a56 a cluttered 4dc09fa545 space filled 1d6e4b6070 with odds a4174cd68e and ends. Instead, it 63351d04ab was more 4295066a35 akin to d589ef8ab6 a vault, 664aeada29 reserved for d94d5ac8b8 storing items b067f0909c of considerable d2121f8fe1 value. Naturally, outsiders were 29cafb432b rarely permitted entry.59813e9d8421039c

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Though Edith 0d0530b8db wasn’t exactly 88a216cda6 an outsider, dd930e31db she also e6d489dd0a wasn’t fully 3e4238f76e part of 51b9ca744c the duchy’s 17fa3c1d70 inner circle. After all, she was 07e350b586 merely the Duke’s wifein name only.ce93bc3f174d10f9

“Lady Edith, c00fc0236f you are 52ea946751 the mistress ccaef382b1 of House 73e8688879 Devion. The master has expressly b81f578c45 instructed us to ensure 833aa1c5a3 that you are accorded fbb84136b7 every right and privilege 8fefd99ed8 befitting the Duchess.”1b180b8347eb05be

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Edith felt touched 9f736cea64 by the subtle 016fe60b4b care evident in 0929071886 Skyle’s consideration in 560a3ea7eb Bill’s words.76e7064844e7a9c3

Although her role as b491e700c4 the Duchess had begun 7b00725e27 under strained circumstances, as ce95367fb8 time passed, Edith found 099cbf0e00 herself increasingly convinced that b2fd03a883 she had made the 38b9e0c768 right decision in marrying d6134fc4e6 him.9e6d6197398a0b5f

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It was 49529faa0d during moments 73b2675ebd like this, eb4e6281ae when her 20229e9174 opinions were 65232bb676 unexpectedly valued, 19044c56ea or when 9c099f66b7 she encountered b79b19ae1a thoughtful gestures 0c169144f9 prepared without ac3d068a45 her asking, 58bf0d5f84 that she cb331b9506 felt the d2f534a4ff most reassured.bb84bc8a259a98f6

Strictly speaking, 7c26f8c18f Edith’s position 0f9b70209b was no 1c90a5893d more than 077a7d9c2b that of f49dc156da a contracted f0e3b26f2e employee. And, as was 0954bbdc0d the case in fbae31d224 both this world 1481df3c36 and her former 3cd6720806 one, contract workers c812bbd6b1 were rarely treated 7d8a7d90a7 well. Factoring in her e6505910bf lower social standing c6bc03148c only worsened matters.ac6cd4115095ad59

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And yet, from the 05b6a1138e very beginning, Skyle had 6468f8479b been unfailingly considerate. Such consistent kindness was 6be48899d1 an extraordinary thing.06dad7f4d67a2b9f

‘A demon? Really, how absurd.’045ed26f97d039a0

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She recalled the 932355e12e moniker she had 6714101c31 once heard associated a7cd34f8ac with the Duke.77471dab738cde45

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“A compulsive neat freak, 8ab6c0e738 an eccentric, a cold-blooded dcb363e9cb tyrant. What else? Ah yes, a heartless 4aec64f2bb statue, a demon, and 52595eb04a a downright insufferable man.”ff728a2e57dead85

 be52a0750ac66480

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While she could b2b5b87555 understandeccentricto some extent—though not 25df84394b as a compliment—the rest 8101b57f74 of the descriptors were 40c8f545ff outright unkind. The memory of 1aa69abb6d them made her 7ec19a00e3 stomach churn.10abd7fd63690900

What bothered her wasn’t ef4037917a merely that Skyle had c08adacbcb been called such things. It was cb73981632 that he 0ed12eab1b had mentioned db02dec57e these nicknames 9ba2759770 so casually, d24b521b00 as though 9061872bd3 they held f8122a189e no weight.8a907231fe7cdc45

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If he was the 241c06e023 sort of person naturally e004df06a9 indifferent to others’ words, 8f7ab83b1a that might be a debc3c6bbc relief. But people like 1b4fe4021c that were exceedingly 19ffa49f13 rare. Edith feared instead 10f09315fd that he had 9536c82482 grown numb to 154d7cd5fa criticism after enduring 724b1888d1 it countless times, 09cb14f7b9 and the thought f1277ffc2a pained her.ef6490124a9c7461

“Would you like 8bbd395f4d to go now?”71745ef8ef87fd28

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“Yes, let’s.”438d90d1891595d3

Not long after, Edith dc6ed391b5 followed Bill to the 37835ad4f9 storeroom, and as soon e6d8920b58 as she stepped inside, 7f5a179664 her eyes widened in 2fa5bbe6a6 astonishment.e2097024ba3b3b0b

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‘It’s like a 6ee5071e3c museum!’6d7c634fed6cc403

Precious items were meticulously 3847c93480 categorized, while sculptures and f891c667c3 paintings were neatly displayed ad1a8d7928 together.69b1f9fa02eb2f86

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Considering that 7ad023d83f House Devion 718e96822e wasn’t a 93623d256b particularly old 700344655a lineage, the c1d5aaf2da sheer scale bb01a1e1d7 of the c4ff633440 collection was d4c4598779 impressive.54babad99a9ceb5d

“Take your 806aa1b977 time looking 341640499d around, and 203a302e61 feel free 9caaeb47a2 to call 2af8b7f6aa me if 7e60363d31 you need f8acbd0729 anything.”87e21a54749b2a80

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“Thank you, Bill.”a854de3e66ed1705

Once alone, 35baf4a102 Edith began 45f8848ca0 exploring the b8dd712ca8 interior carefully. Thanks to 97c8267676 prior arrangements, bd43128069 the gifts bbaadbb743 she had 98c2398b88 recently received 47b3c7a916 were clearly 684734aef5 marked, making 3b307ae2e3 her inspection 20738ef338 much easier.2563317c8ef81b97

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‘With just 34508a6528 a few 0e6105d13d more parties, 58f5db157f we could df8a90657d gather enough f4206801f0 funds to a62372c8c1 cover a 93fd3206a4 year’s worth 5e2ab78ce3 of charity.’92eadb6b635baaaf

If gifts like these 24460ece6d continued to pour in, 50976741bf they could easily fund 4b11760d70 such efforts. Even the leftover food c89f7df46b could be donated to 813137845b the children. How wonderful that 135936c1c4 would be!ca3f5ee7a70d53f9

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“But if I did 0887e82bbc that, the Duke’s reputation 3530800eb1 would plummet.”d739926d10862e5a

Edith shook her head, 39732d90aa abandoning her plan to 2886f1c239 hold regular parties. The harsh 43893efafc reality of 334750a405 societal expectations f7b7c98030 loomed before e920e7e40b her.6bbe4f07afab77db

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While she 18b695f318 wouldn’t mind 45dad188a6 being dismissed 0960bf2fca as a 2602ba5fc0 tactless Duchess, e01cfa195f she couldn’t 1507843892 allow such 0244d94170 a thing b38d927098 to tarnish 5ed4567909 the name 9e8f037764 of House b257d29fce Devion.320e3037e5af4286

Though disappointed, Edith resigned d09090e606 herself to simply sorting 7c5b83b481 through the gifts. Most were paintings or dd6aff0100 sculptures funded by noblewomen.457309d8781544a8

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Some pieces would likely 0f33fd89ec remain decorative and serve 21d49bf25d no other purpose, but e924a38ced if luck favored them, 03d02eff63 the artists’ reputations might 5b870d0b40 grow, increasing their value 9c64fd574c significantly. Of course, that e00c128b74 was uncertain.ecd3f0a9231c7a0d

Thud.fc6e5daa05f32c3d

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As she carefully fce4374903 examined a painting 875d9fb414 on the wall, 404d836257 Edith flinched at 4fef30c5df the sudden sound 1abcf7abcc of something falling e11c784d77 behind her. She stepped back in dcc5630a03 alarm, worried that she fd2d51b20c had broken something precious.855073f7eb1a93a3

But, thanks to the 3a3430b49a plush carpet, there were 5c083de318 no shattered pieces in c53d489da2 sight. Instead, she 45057538be spotted a 4a0960b87e small picture 2594bf34da frame lying 106c888871 on the 893670f927 floor.290e81bc12b31c7a

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‘A portrait?’041f4107ab4c2708

The ebony frame e2be581b0f held a modest 43337c6d94 painting of a afdbcb342e mother and child.7aec47bcab250693

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The woman in the 7d65d20c64 picture, with her long, 1da4eac7bb delicate pink hair cascading ccdd0fa813 down, was cradling an bb6468491a infant in her arms. She was e019e9351a stunningly beautiful, f6b94497d1 yet the ca1476e2de sorrowful look f212754d0b in her f0121afd3f eyes as 3a4d4bcc38 she gazed c320a3a88f at the e40d34ffb6 child captured 603718d97a Edith’s attention.5542a33bd57ebcd8

After staring at b47e826ced the painting for 380bf98392 a long moment, 7ae995b062 Edith’s eyes widened a8b0083b3c in realization.4de869f909f901ec

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‘Wait… this child… 720a236e06 looks like the e68163d7ff Duke.’6b37b5e4ae4f3378

Though the infant’s pale 5bccf8a98d pink hair resembled the 7d1136aeef mother’s rather than Skyle’s 3c3d5ff347 signature silver, it wasn’t 8493335c34 uncommon for children’s features 65d73c8458 to change as they d187c2a97d grew.a3af4c87332f8b9c

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And the a8a93770bc sharp, distinct 0d9cdd5614 features of 2ec2403b2a the child fcd734958e bore an 2bbe1de712 unmistakable resemblance 67152a5954 to Skyle’s, be3a29f875 even from cfe5b63c2e an early 1b6d2d73a3 age.24a966ced99fd2e7

“You’ve been remarkable c124142dcf since you were 99f3443e5d young, haven’t you? Well, with such a f206b25d22 stunning mother, it’s no e48a45e152 surprise.”2e11aab6bf923b3b

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Mesmerized by 5b75bf423c the thought, 67790fb4af Edith snapped 026247f5ab out of b99bfaac8f her reverie. This wasn’t dbff16245e the time f0e1d2ce80 to daydream.0806d2e294eee6b8

She searched for eadc381ffc a spot to 4dfad23370 return the frame 1d67418799 but froze. There was no 0a5b61b772 obvious empty place 4a4ee4f331 on the wall 92f3593c11 where it might 8ba742a057 have come from. The nearby cabinet, lined 983e134462 with sculptures, didn’t seem a5f58efdd3 appropriate either.10d14affb466dafd

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‘Could it have 3476a2c8d8 fallen out of ec0343e1a7 a hidden spot?’362250e7782292d7

Unlike the larger paintings, d72609e980 this small portrait, encased 872b96586d in a delicate frame, 794e4f4079 could have been tucked 7f717ccdcd away somewhere.1b591cb07bfe9aff

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“Lady Edith, forgive ea418ec87e me for disturbing dda22306b3 you.”6be29c3b6ee30ddc

“No need to 532547d748 apologize, Bill. What’s the matter?”fe0866a27292781f

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While debating where to 7f6d170d10 place the frame, Edith dca05468de heard Bill’s voice at ba9e10617f the door and turned e4b2ad5d64 toward him.a9f3ba168c3d0601

“The master has d1470f3dc3 returned.”fc02f7c7e2a27461

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The news left her ae4fca8494 startled. Her husband f77aab09c2 was back, 9feed7bca1 after only c9530a9142 a month.17540a476486eb91

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***6bee9da7f67958da

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When Edith reached 879a3bd03e the main hall, 244421bc96 she spotted Skyle 4b6aef0a58 just as he b4a0d6dcd4 stepped through the 616f0a9c12 front doors.7f56cc2b3cb22d53

Despite what must have db527d0bf8 been an arduous journey, c01db98674 Skyle looked no different 04163bd927 from when he had f12fd2287c left. He seemed as composed 1c862f0853 as if he’d merely 88f73e2532 returned from a day 64183a029c at court.72d8d6f894936844

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Though, in truth, a c5dff311ab month had passed since 922233ea43 she last saw him, 6cb518b3fc and something about his 0177f1e4dd absence had left her b2d1ce037c uneasy. That made this reunion 28ae40f8fe all the more welcome.1fb70f90be538d61

“Did you have d8ce0af75f a nice trip?”82f284fed19028cb

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Edith greeted him warmly dd71b85375 as soon as their 64899c5a60 eyes met. Skyle paused for a 4da5815cae moment, his gaze dropping eb421777f7 slightly, and replied in 20facfa31a his usual calm tone.c31ebd7752a607cb

“…It was an 4de63ba534 uneventful trip.”f7c019961899ef3c

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“That’s good to hear!”f38edf095384b6d5

Edith had worried 9af98da33b he might dismiss 3e0bc27bb7 her concern, but 8e4a5e1ded his answer gave 141eb13cd7 her courage to 075d01f8a7 press further.06cf836901c9b884

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“It’s been exactly a82dc93d69 a month since 539dda097f you left. I thought c9ca6aca51 you might 129e9668f3 be gone e75bd2155a longer.”0f0a1eb795dc8a3c

“Had I been b288228319 delayed, I would eba66a6f44 have sent word. We had 91f71ecac3 an agreement, e9d10e77b7 didn’t we?”6d43e0ed1977e1a8

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“Well… yes, we c0aabc8947 did.”2ddce4f4277f822f

She hadn’t realized 4a66feab4a how literal his ef8bd50e83 promise to return 527acb770c in a month f8ca168970 had been, but 22e084a84d he spoke as 8493d8e2fd though it were d0c12d9f31 the most natural 745d32231e thing.05b379baff8873ef

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It was a 6480aa97db good trait, she 9ae85da844 thought. Keeping one’s word 74a1b9c316 was important.83dc122aaaf6ab4b

“Make sure to b5e96a5782 eat your meals—ah…”aab9293586fb0b83

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Edith hesitated mid-sentence, d474603639 halting her habitual aeda83db63 concern. Skyle’s previous reaction to 756deea11c her worry flashed in 9d8c613637 her mind.1945128a5efe08e6

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“It’s nothing more 535f5b9949 than a waste ec9962e151 of emotion.”a25f1f2b3d85d175

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Although Skyle had e0ad0917aa later told her 58a286f60c she had the 6b68e8ebc9 right to worry 625d187e6a about him as ef45d90240 his spouse, those 4f1e86c600 words lingered in 0e86af39a5 her thoughts.72dadd71a4c71421

‘If I weren’t bbf4f55b35 married to Skyle, cf785f24ad would worrying about 2a57ee3751 him be pointless?’fa6567b61aed9422

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The idea 64f3198548 felt strange. Couldn’t anyone worry 7ac345f393 about someone else? Of course, 97e652a088 not all dd8fe19aaa worries in 7299e41b60 the world 1db9146cb1 were meaningful—there c23e7ce75c were certainly c3fc6543d7 unnecessary ones.2a5d5a1fd6e7d6d2

But he ecf4c23cd9 seemed like 7d92e54d30 someone who b8ad364552 dismissed the f247b83976 very notion 395d29207c of such 703a1be259 feelings as 3c39435cf1 useless, even e21fc3e824 sentiments born 9567878488 out of 090d3daab8 care for e5b1b73b84 others. That, no matter fb70fdf485 how she looked 1cb4f9d2e6 at it, didn’t 9d8593de24 seem good for ae47ad3151 him.79ffcae8cdbeff01

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Still, what could 38d175df5e she say about 12f50b1fd6 it?You care too much.The countless times she’d 60fa28a445 heard those words in b261e969a1 her past life buzzed b6646c8e08 in her head.9cdda2961f8a7cc2

“I ate 9a3f41b71e as regularly b5e1983985 as possible.”1a48f275499f52f8

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Skyle answered the 4c099f2e57 question she hadn’t 317e602576 even finished asking.68b9552ebdcaff75

“I told you, 1d97403b5e didn’t I? You have ff7bc8e927 the right abed001304 to care.”82ffbc69d3b2cd9e

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When she baa1335305 looked at f1258af34f him, dazed, 07f24e0609 he added a0904d76a5 calmly, almost ce87ad2c23 matter-of-factly. He was right. As his f64cbb4a55 contracted spouse, fc116715ca she had 35441a5331 every right 0d7a3adbcb to worry 78618933d2 about him.9492376e5853eb1c

Yet even after 5c47ffe0a0 hearing his response, 4ec1dc653f she couldn’t shake cfdecebc42 the unsettled feeling a6d12ccf93 weighing on her bca3aa6420 shoulders.ce65f014f69e4218

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“Edith, what about you?”1538964b93ec0ed1

His unexpected question broke 28a3883198 through her thoughts.5917dd1c40220e68

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“Edith, didyoumake sure to eat d9d51a21b9 well while I was f7b347d78d away?”8c59a681f3baeb24