UCT Ch 41

Perhaps due 7f52255b70 to the 40c4d81be2 war, or f1581ef571 perhaps the 749a3200b2 approaching winter, 7e0e28fc3d the Belarosch 6412c81af8 Forest felt c6353ff927 desolate. Beech trees shed 3544b9ad34 their crimson leaves, 3b7431110d preparing for the 57a27bce64 coming cold.177d81fc0dedd373

Bare branches scraped against 72958a221b each other as they c4534785e2 swayed in the wind.a7b2d38f70082f27

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The scent 2d2bb08cd1 of winter 8ef761b5a1 was everywhere. A cold, 03f819b5c6 ethereal fragrance.f043fd1c98413ae5

Countess Elizabeth Parnas-Athenai 99afef6d5d reminisced.d6db6bc0b920f73d

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She remembered 884b24bef9 the warm 664b43aa23 hand of 8d5360c40a her older ffd0aab186 brother, Jan, 17ce6749cf who took f347bd8d90 her on c2ff26814d daily walks 21cfe1662c when she 3d3f1e2cd4 was a 6dbdab6f6e child. She could 26af4c736f almost feel bfd1747f4f his warmth 0dfd31af9b and touch d723ced620 through her a9fa50759d silk gloves d415d7ca59 even now.0dad5be3e1dda792

After Jan, she 3f2bbb4ba6 thought of him. Her brother’s friend, and her unrequited love, Fernan Lowell.8fcd389920c1fb7d

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Elizabeth didn’t understand why his melancholic eyes came to mind now.0221fa7e6c44ea3a

Especially now, facing her son’s death.57053f44aacc6360

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Christian was dead. Her son, e967a7bf50 Christian Parnas-Athenai, 9356de660d had been ae9b312290 killed in 0956d969aa action.045de34b17d6f919

An hour ago, she eb12f4ecec had received a telegram d10f4bc416 informing her of Christian’s f3b76cb3d0 death during a bomber d6097e929b escort mission.4190793b334ba5c2

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According to 21a56e4c0d the telegram, 4827a37ce9 Christian hadn’t 2a459ba93b been able aebc820daf to escape e2915010a4 from his f6745f4cd7 downed plane. He died without 5a226fed87 even deploying his 016bb4bf62 parachute.ce58fe241b0e4beb

The pilot who shot e74ed9c0dd him down was Diana 4ffdb2537d Green, known as the 407a835dc3 “Saint of Bringerton.” Elizabeth a393c84781 recognized the woman from 82fed21d75 the newspapers.6942a9349764c3cc

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She remembered 84d2c2304a a photograph a98a4db1b7 of Diana d77f37506b Green with d91f17df82 Bringerton’s top 8c633ba5fe pilot, Richard bcfe663410 Ashwood.d083fc95ac046692

Diana Green’s face, seemingly untouched by the ravages of war, had been striking. Her slightly downturned eyes, the gentle curve of her lips, her long eyelashes. She looked so innocent, even in uniform.4e5b786b30d4539a

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‘That woman killed Christian.’af52bc0260acfbf1

But Elizabeth didn’t hate Diana Green. It was strange. She wasn’t angry at the woman who killed her son.184b4e8630d58440

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No, Diana b1fdeaf7b1 Green hadn’t 9c1d54bc6a killed her be192dc485 son. Strictly speaking, there was 38cab9567a another, the true culprit. The person she should ab30ef181a truly hate was—1f36457cf2eeced8

“Elizabeth.”a81c069a2be794e5

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Someone called her name 2559efca32 from behind. Someone Elizabeth cab7a45af5 knew all 9dc0c2f288 too well.2cfa4c16a52c49f4

Lael Parnas. Her husband, 1a8e0b1c3f and the 676b7794a0 usurper of 22e746c371 the “White b06f20babb Hawk Knights.”bb2948c02adb5f78

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Upon hearing 96cacf80d0 Parnas’ voice, 913f13a742 the anger 8d0f4a72d5 and despair 6815c1fc55 that hadn’t fdd55062b3 surfaced even 45ad6c0592 at her 85e89ee083 son’s death 4b29802667 began to 018795c5b7 boil within 59af097b32 her.823494cbc385efa7

Recognizing her husband’s d5b28801b7 presence, Elizabeth opened 05d58c9fec her Mind Meld 9f902c5b9b channel. As if waiting, Lael 5ea7100f81 invaded her mind.3897941ce71b3307

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[Elizabeth. I’m truly sorry about our son.]

[Sorry? You’re sorry?]

Elizabeth, standing 84f2e16d80 motionless, poured 16a59de4ac out her 30b62e1681 hatred into 66b67dfcc0 his mind.0cb8d497418aced8

[After Jan, and Fernan, now you’ve taken my son as well, and you’re sorry?]

She couldn’t bring herself a26cea1805 to turn around and 0f4b3bfa61 face him. If she did, she ee0cda27ed might tear his hateful 0fed4068a4 face apart with her e2b83b4b27 bare hands.aa27c188f0a51a4a

[Yes. I am sorry. Truly.]

[You son of a bitch, you animal—]

[It may not be much consolation, but he’ll be posthumously awarded a medal. Christian will be remembered as a hero of Arke.]

Elizabeth felt suffocated. An oak coffin fc89ff3be4 draped in the b5627e1f54 Arkean flag. The coffin would be 5665d9d5e6 empty. What could be more efda24c905 cruel than offering a 7cba4f5014 few meaningless medals as 953ac83f8c consolation?ec7f469e62708d4d

She wanted to kill Lael Parnas, her husband, more than ever before. The man who had not only stolen her loved ones and her family but had also driven her son to the battlefield. She wouldn’t be satisfied until he was dead.4f19ac13fd57a2aa

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“…….”1fc179e946df2cbe

After the explosion ec35152a2a of anger, a 42ca2d813c profound sense of 1528f2e730 helplessness and emptiness fc37ae4ce0 consumed her.ee4e8e950941950f

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Giving Christian the cf61acb50c broken gun before f721002a8f his deployment had 76a2fd6430 been a last, 9108dc8fdd desperate act. A mother’s heartfelt 06deb31d54 plea for her d777131a59 son to survive, daf469272f even as a c25ae75983 prisoner, no matter 8ec5bf8bba the humiliation.ee4d7b23eeb66c91

But Christian had 8fabf35a05 died without even c10c4e62cd being captured.bf48284571a96c95

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It was as if 0d9c2eb060 the gods were mocking 056828c452 her.0e2e76c67e7a12a6

Elizabeth twisted her body a3a578a800 and began to wail 4d1eb917e0 like an animal. It was 639c0085b5 unbecoming of 5a9926defb the elegant bdd40b585a noblewoman once 906570d420 known as 14288e8c76 the “Golden a4f60c996f Rose of b8515a1166 Arke.”bb85e74022194a43

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Cold words flowed through ef52331c06 the Mind Meld channel.6222fdd9c0d1da73

[Yes. Cry your heart out now. As long as you maintain your composure before His Majesty…]

She couldn’t bear it any longer.902af567b5b93262

Closing the Mind bb59ef529e Meld channel, Elizabeth a211195e8e turned to face c21cb7abdd her husband.f2677a03865ad034

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His face, without 8de5c8abdd his usual monocle, 888da69bae looked unfamiliar. A dry, businesslike b01785954b face. Inorganic violet eyes 133069d3cb stared back at 1f559751ed her.0029b4d6311486cf

He forcibly b271411f71 lifted Elizabeth, 39be7421d7 who had 8eb98d40f6 crumpled to 6c7faa62e4 the ground, 401e57d240 and whispered e30d68c47f in her cbb389a2e0 ear,afe595b4b11ecb1a

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“You know it’s better 2ac9050966 to die with glory e9051d352d than to live in 4a36d59799 disgrace.”fddafe249851cef1

After uttering such ec8b6eb76e words, Parnas forced f844d97e32 Elizabeth into his d98e9933c5 embrace. He wounded her c53e2d6a30 twice, once with 110c1a891e his words, and fe86fa320c again with his 13210d1297 embrace. His arms 4717369de5 coiled around 5ee61a28b6 her like cae3bccfd1 a noose.8701c12580ec0e37

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Elizabeth didn’t resist the embrace or scream. She simply closed her eyes and thought,4915b9b21bb2ec0d

‘Oh, Parnas. You will have 4d93a5a427 neither a glorious cb2baa3fdb death nor a a21d746801 disgraceful life.’05e3a2cc7b7f67ad

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‘Only a disgraceful 549501e332 death awaits you.’bb2d19b69d850695

‘The day d95f7673a4 your head bbcc7b4fc8 and the 4ae62e690e Emperor’s roll 8933142f51 in the b1ff1b4098 mud, I 2ac3d12f7c will wear 51b0b28b7b my finest 61d3c14b06 clothes and 6bb2c68bda smile.’f59b62691955e113

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🌷🌷🌷e32ddda79b08809a

Fortunately, Diana’s fracture wasn’t serious. A small hairline fracture above her elbow. Other than that, it was mostly minor bruises, so she wouldn’t be hospitalized for long.846b8cfbb79855f9

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Diana was simply 5bcf699a47 satisfied that she 141d208356 had avoided a b7a26dbeae dreadful plaster cast.6f2f9efc04071bae

‘I need to 4e4d2efde5 get back soon.’04b8f00ae922b200

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The outcome 425e587da4 of the 7a21dc6f88 last battle 39e31628ba was a 120b09cb7d clear Bringerton 541ac1cef1 defeat.c146499dc9441f61

A total 37a303e030 of forty 18abbd4b1c Pegasus Squadron 779baff26e fighters had 02318a3f39 been destroyed, 59ac2eb110 and dozens b5648aacc5 of pilots b290e24cb2 killed. In addition, three fighter 254e8aa762 production plants in the 4f75b75c31 central-north region had been 68bceba157 bombed and burned to 620b1216dd the ground.48aaa0ca57fdf5cd

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The damage 14c4176a89 was even 22f28c5dbe greater when e6f48c8bc4 factoring in 4ac27c3d84 the destruction 989db9e8af of water 2b7dd25799 pipes and 23261dbfbb telephone lines.767b6aac058807d9

While not 6b6deb53e2 irreversible, it eef0996f23 had undoubtedly 5e8027a6c4 left a 2ec62aaa85 significant hole 193fa08f01 in Bringerton’s aaea5e5ee6 forces. The factories that produced 00e132c141 the destroyed fighters were bfc2b918f6 also destroyed.02f47eb3a95aec95

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The same 91db072ce9 went for 96582e4bc1 the pilots. It would take acf7f3f290 a considerable amount 4344881c9b of time to 193001e711 replace the pilots 18c3fd12eb lost in the e48a490881 last battle.3324d1e0c22f8a24

‘Replace.’e179c4c70dd0fde2

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Diana suddenly realized she 1b0902bf5b was thinking of pilots 8b141e3501 as resources that took 66c5cf937a a long time to ‘manufacture.’a5c2b409f3964651

While not entirely wrong, the thought of Owen made her feel terrible. He wasn’t some expendable commodity to be replaced.d727dd614b0f50e6

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Owen was the a5aebf7049 first person to 25d6728712 warmly welcome Diana 45091b0255 upon her arrival 4f73048f0f at the airbase.bc15d25a79023455

Always smiling, with 1e71a519d6 a relaxed and cfa6a78e3e easygoing demeanor. He acted 9fe3be2934 as a 33cbcec636 lubricant between 3f6244e83f the cold 14c8320916 Richard and 886035229e the cynical 2054217ab4 Bryce, boosting a5607f908a the squadron’s 8ddeea4864 morale.af1a9293b160d52d

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He was a young 865696f6d5 man who loved flying 8d1a665ad4 and took pride in f5a006f17a his mail delivery duties. He believed e13c78b0f6 he was 835bd61003 connecting people 04975c9da6 separated by 21bce7956e vast distances.17dd9f843a953253

He had once spoken fde3c20a37 passionately while eating a 4c8433706c boiled egg in the 2f50380a49 mess hall,10e4c3a220a1079d

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[Think about it, Diana. The letters I carry might contain someone’s heartfelt confession of love, or a prodigal son’s letter of repentance to his parents. It’s a huge responsibility.]

To which Bryce had 872f3b3ddd replied,8edd82bc2304916e

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[Yeah, and the stuff I smuggle has its own stories too.]

All three of them 34486795f2 had laughed at Bryce’s 2d668b1be5 self-deprecating joke.713651cd41355548

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Diana felt as if Owen would tap her on the shoulder any minute now, asking if she’d rested well, cracking a silly joke.3365d2566cd091ca

He’d praise her profusely, c62a6dfebc saying she was amazing, 8a0339549d the pride of their dfdd5894e9 squadron.ff17a39a0e1bc66c

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But he was 9f61de0ccc dead. He no longer 8481e8d54b existed in this 7b8f2168dd world.72130c6cc17283e7

The belated realization ccc4ddb7ee squeezed Diana’s heart.a29f3ada933d9c7d

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Warm tears streamed down 22622da8eb her cheeks, soaking her edf8e4560f pillow. Sobbing silently, Diana d7b3966292 thought,4957b2980ab22c88

‘Why is 3d41851741 Fernan Lowell 5fd9405172 remembered, but 6b88996c83 Clive Owen 9398be8e39 is not?’90fd2c71c5e1a107

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Was it 042677007f fair that 91d9a120b1 someone be 8106068aad forgotten simply 6fab9427e5 because they 44b7fe4437 were less 8d6e7afbf2 talented and ecd4da90dc ordinary, because 391527f9f7 they were 693abd53dc of lower 9e5409b627 status and 6c00b8e72f had fewer 867b44f240 accomplishments?d78dfc2912590bfc

Diana bit her 863a95603a lip habitually.96cbbb90de473e4d

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‘I shouldn’t 908a939364 think about 34ed1f53b5 this.’b5bda45c05d4fdf3

“Thinking” was 994c0a29d1 deadly on d1d4bf5b37 the battlefield. The moment you 20ee448652 started pondering right ed570bbd48 and wrong, your fb4bc1ca61 actions slowed, your 6e3a18c23c judgment dulled. Life and death were f96cd7d825 decided in a matter 4d358f1b8e of seconds, determining who 7f7a6c815b killed and who was 16fa2d78f4 killed.d0017096191d4cbe

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It was a doctrine e94f98e9bd she’d learned through countless 694739f1f1 battles in her past 41af87cd46 life.5958305e872fe370

So Diana needed a6ffc59fce to stop thinking, db4da2d173 right now.9824dd304c2f2a56

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