Chapter 112: Like a Pryster (5)
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“...I told you...” Daisy spoke to her father in a weary voice. Count Hexter sat with a deep expression of concern, not responding.
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“........”
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“...Ugh… I told you...!” Daisy grew increasingly frustrated by her father’s silent response.
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This strained moment between them was caused by a single letter they recently received.
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The letter, sent by Helen, the head maid of the Pryster family, was to deliver news to Daisy, her fiancée.
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It brought the joyful news that they had found Cayden.
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He was alive and, thankfully, without any major issues.
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Daisy, upon receiving the letter, had screamed in a mix of elation and surprise, but her expression gradually hardened as she continued reading.
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While she was ecstatic to learn that he was alive, as her initial excitement settled, she began to ponder the aftermath.
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It was an open secret that the Hexter family, residing not even a day’s distance from the Naita Forest where Cayden had disappeared, had offered no aid.
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Of course, the Hexter domain was battling its own troubles with epidemics and famine, providing some justification. Still, it was a source of unease for Daisy.
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Moreover, she learned that Judy Ice, Cayden’s former fiancée, was involved in his rescue, adding to her anxiety.
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First of all, she decided to meet Cayded. Thus, she spent the next few days preparing to leave for the Pryster estate.
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As the days passed, her anxiety only grew.
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...What if she lost Cayden?
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What about the first time she received flowers from him, the excitement of feeling like a woman, the comfort of being protected when he was her escort, and the affection built through their conversations? Would all these memories become meaningless?
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Judy, his former fiancée, had saved his life, and she had merely been a bystander. She had no right to expect anything to be different.
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Above all, she feared Cayden’s resentment.
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What could she say if he asked what she was doing while he, her fiancé, was missing in the forest near their domain? She would be left without words.
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Naturally, this was not what she had wanted.
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She had tried for days on end to persuade Count Hexter, but each time, he only repeated that there were no soldiers to dispatch.
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Dispatching troops would require not just manpower but also equipment and provisions, and they simply couldn’t afford it.
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Daisy knew these were just excuses. Her father’s unease had grown since Cayden was exiled from his family.
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He feared that Cayden, now a commoner, wouldn’t bring the power of the Pryster family with him, even if he married his daughter.
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If he hadn’t thought so, he wouldn’t have neglected the eldest son of the Pryster family, the man who was to marry his daughter.
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Under different circumstances, he would have found a way to send help.
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Perhaps he was somewhat convinced of Cayden’s death. The initial letter from Benthrock had even mentioned finding Cayden’s body.
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...Now that Cayden had returned alive, Daisy knew nothing could excuse their inaction.
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She dreaded facing him.
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Though overjoyed he was alive, she felt ashamed and sorry for not being his strength in his time of need.
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For the first time in her life, she found herself resenting her own family.
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Why did this dreadful plague have to hit her family? Why were they so powerless that they couldn’t afford to send help?
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...And why couldn’t she persuade her father, no matter how hard she tried?
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She was even haunted by nightmares.
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Dreams where Cayden, who had always been so kind to her, turned away in disappointment because of her family’s decisions.
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Even she, usually so strong and unshakable, would wake up drenched in sweat from such dreams.
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She wasn’t yet ready to be hated by the man she had started to love.
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If the emotions her twin sisters felt for Cayden were anything like this... she could only sympathize with them.
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As she waited, with mixed feelings, for the rest of the servants and soldiers to get ready, Count Hexter finally spoke.
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“........We cannot escape the censure of the Prysters.”
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And at those irresponsible words, Daisy could no longer hold back.
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“...I told you already...”
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“.......”
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“...Ugh, I told you already...!”
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“.......”
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Daisy wanted to blame her father without reservation, but she couldn’t.
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She knew that no matter what she said, nothing would change.
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In the end, she had to leave as soon as possible to appease the anger of the Prysters.
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Daisy was prepared for any punishment.
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As long as Cayden... didn’t push her away. As long as he didn’t ask to cancel the marriage.
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****
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After feeding Asena and Keirsey, my day was far from over.
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I had to meet with my grandmother, Sir Lawrence, Helen, Thein, and various other people from different families, who had gathered to discuss the recent events.
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Sir Lawrence was the most agitated among them.
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Unable to contain his boiling blood any longer, he repeated everything he had heard from me in a voice filled with outrage.
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“...Is that really true, Cayden?”
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His emotions spread like a contagion.
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My grandmother looked at me with a piercing gaze, a look that seemed impossible for someone who had struggled even to stand just this morning.
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“......The Payne family... attacked you?”
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“...This is unbelievable.”
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“A hound biting its master?”
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“Had Lord Cayden not returned, we would have remained unaware of the Payne family’s actions.”
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Not just my grandmother, but everyone present murmured their thoughts, contributing to the discussion.
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“...So they harbored resentment against you and Asena and acted on it?”
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Grandmother sought clarification once more.
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I nodded in affirmation.
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“Seeing me exiled from the family, they must have decided to settle the personal vendetta... It’s more an attack on me than on the Prysters.”
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I offered this perspective to those blinded by anger, providing a different angle to view the incident.
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“.........”
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My words made my grandmother pause, clearly contemplating the role of Asena, who had been instrumental in my exile.
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Just when it seemed she would withdraw from the conversation, she shook her head and, raising her voice, addressed everyone present.
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“That’s no excuse. Regardless, it’s been revealed that the Payne family was harboring their second daughter and bears a grudge against you and the family head, Asena. I won’t just stand by and watch this.”
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Sir Lawrence nodded and murmured in a low voice.
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“It’s war.”
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Though I had anticipated this conversation would lead to this point, the actual discussion of war in this decision-making setting made me flinch.
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The compulsion not to burden my family, which had deeply rooted itself in my heart, surged again.
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Being of commoner origin, I had infiltrated the family and was now shaking it profoundly. Tens of thousands of people in our domain were affected by our decisions.
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Heads began nodding in agreement with Lawrence’s words.
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“...Let’s set an example.”
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“...A dog that bites its master should be put down.”
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Before the conversation could veer off into an even more extreme direction, I raised my voice.
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“Wait a moment!”
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All eyes turned to me.
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Indeed, if Asena, Keirsey, my grandmother, or even Lawrence had been the ones wronged, I would have advocated for war too.
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They are precious to me, and after all, they are part of the Pryster family.
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But if it’s something that happened to me... I can bear it.
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The cycle of hatred never ends, and though I had also nurtured anger towards Sharon Payne... I can endure it.
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My life is one thing, but the lives of the many soldiers I’ve fought alongside, and even Lawrence here, wouldn’t be jeopardized.
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In summary, while I harbored hatred towards the Paynes and desired war, my concern for the family members and my unwillingness to further destabilize the Prysters outweighed my desire for conflict.
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“.....There’s no justification for it.”
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I spoke softly.
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My grandmother shouted in outrage.
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“How can you say there’s no justification! The fact that you were attacked is justification enough-”
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“-I’m not a Pryster anymore!”
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The meeting room fell into a sudden silence. I continued in the quiet.
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“Don’t forget. Asena exiled me, and I’m no longer part of the Pryster family. Especially in the eyes of other families.”
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“......”
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“Moreover, with family head Asena incapacitated like this, how can we decide on war without her approval?”
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“....Asena would want war.”
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My grandmother spoke.
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Now it was my turn to be silent.
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“....Right. And you spoke well. Without the head of the family, we can’t make a decision… That’s true, Cayden.”
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Even as I felt her take a step back, I was overwhelmed with a strange sense of pressure. I knew the conversation wasn’t heading in a favorable direction for me.
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“.....Then we must find a temporary head of the family. Someone to govern the Prysters in Asena’s absence.”
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She looked at me intently.
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“You shall take Asena’s place as the head of the family.”
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“Me?”
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I stood up, questioning her. How had the conversation led to this?
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“How can I, no longer a Pryster and just a commoner-”
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“-No one here believes you’re not a Pryster.”
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In an instant, I made eye contact with everyone in the meeting. They were looking at me with unwavering gazes.
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“....And if not you, then who?”
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“......”
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“Should it be me, old and weakened? Or the mute Keirsey? Should the knight Lawrence do it? Or Helen?”
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I was at a loss for words.
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Her statements had completely overpowered me.
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“.......”
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“....For the time being, you are the head of the family, Cayden. Understood?”
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I mulled over my grandmother’s words. There was no loophole in what she said.
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Logically, it seemed right for my grandmother to act as the temporary head, but I knew better than to drag her back into the political arena.
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Thus, it couldn’t be Grandmother, Keirsey, or anyone else.
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It had to be me.
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No matter how much I proclaimed my exile from the family, in reality, there was no one else but me.
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“....Everyone is waiting. Give your response, Cayden.”
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In contrast to our private conversations, my grandmother in these meetings was always resolute and charismatic. Following her directive, I scanned the room and saw that everyone was waiting for my decision.
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“.......Only until Asena recovers.”
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I finally managed to answer.
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“Then, it’s war.”
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As soon as I finished speaking, my grandmother declared.
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“....What?”
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This was not what I expected to hear from my grandmother, knowing I had intended to choose otherwise.
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But she calmly stated,
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“When our head of the family has been attacked, which family would just stand by and do nothing?”
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“........”
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“Cayden, do you want our family to appear weak and easily bullied? I know you care deeply for our family members, but now is not the time to think about the losses war might bring. Think about our anger and our pride.”
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“......”
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As I struggled to respond, my grandmother asked in a cold tone.
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“.....Are you scared, Cayden?”
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“What?”
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I could feel the provocation in her question, a clear attempt to stir me.
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But I felt no shame in showing my vulnerability, especially in front of them.
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As she said, I was indeed afraid of the thought of our people dying for my sake.
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“Of course, I’m afrai-”
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“-Act like a Pryster.”
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My grandmother interrupted with a fierce look in her eyes, almost as if she had transformed into someone else.
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“....You’re the head of the family, even if temporarily. So, you must be the most Pryster-like among us.”
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“.........”
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For some reason... her words struck a deep chord in me.
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The weight of being the head of the family suddenly felt very real and heavy.
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She was right. As the acting head, I was the face of the Prysters.
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It was only natural that I should embody what it means to be a Pryster the most.
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“.......”
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In a flash, Asena came to mind. She truly embodied what it meant to be a Pryster in every way.
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Had she been wearing a mask for this reason whenever others were around?
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Was it only in our private moments that she let down this facade and returned to her true self, all because of this reason?
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She must have carried this burden all along.
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“.....Ha.”
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The thought that this was a weight Asena had borne made it feel suddenly lighter.
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If this was the weight I had to carry in place of my sister, I was more than willing to bear it.
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“....Be like a Pryster...”
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...Yes, I couldn’t afford to be afraid anymore.
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My grandmother said,
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“....It’s war, Cayden. Make a firm decision. We all want this war. We must show those who dared to touch you who we are.”
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I lifted my head.
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.....Like a Pryster. I resolved myself.
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“Alright. Let’s go to war.”
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Author’s Note:
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While the story will include war, I plan to keep the depiction to a minimum.
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Just telling those worried about a shift in genre.
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