Chapter 23
Five days later, Linden received his orders and set off for the front.
He gave Lena a large bag of pine nuts and told her to eat one handful a day, promising he’d return before they were gone.
Lena couldn’t help but tease him. “They’d spoil if you left them that long.”
So Linden leaned in seriously and pressed his forehead against hers.
“Then I’ll be back before the pine nuts go bad.”
Lena nodded and watched him slowly disappear into the distance.
About a month or two later, on the day of Flora’s execution, the jailer sent word that she wished to see Lena one last time. Knowing Flora was locked away and no longer capable of harm, Lena agreed to visit.
She entered the damp, gloomy prison and hadn’t seen Flora in a while. She hadn’t expected to find her in such a state. Once a beauty, Flora now had tangled hair and dirt–streaked clothes. She looked as if she had been severely mistreated and her mind seemed lost. The jailer explained:
“Miss Vivian found out she was pregnant some time ago, but this place isn’t fit for carrying a baby. She miscarried soon after, and since then, she’s been like this. Today, she suddenly regained some clarity and insisted on seeing you.”
Lena nodded and approached the barred cell, calling out, “Flora, now that it’s come to this, is there anything you want to say to me?”
At the sound of her voice, Flora’s dull eyes brightened suddenly. It was as if she remembered everything at once. She lunged forward, her gaze full of hatred and bitterness.
“It’s all because of you! You ruined me! Did you also get reborn? Ethan and I were so happy in our previous life, but you had to come and ruin everything. Otherwise, how could I have ended up like this now!”
“My father hates me, my stepmother mocked me, and Ethan died twice because of you. You’re a princess–you have everything. Why did you have to compete with me for Ethan? He was the only one I had!”
Her words soon gave way to uncontrollable sobs. Honestly, Flora’s past was far more tragic than Lena’s. She had been an overlooked daughter, constantly suppressed. The only person who had ever shown her kindness was the man chosen to be the princess’s fiancé. Yet Flora had many paths she could have taken—she didn’t have to resort to harming others.
One’s birth was beyond choice, but the future wasn’t.
Lena didn’t pity her. She believed Flora’s downfall was the result of her own actions.
After listening to Flora’s tirade, Lena gave no reply and quietly walked away.
The next day, at noon, Flora was executed. It was said she cried for a long time beforehand, expressing regret, but still accepted the price for her choices.
With no one left harboring ill will towards her, Lena began counting the days, waiting for Linden’s return. She had finished all the pine nuts on the first day. Her lips were sore from eating so many, but since Linden had peeled them by hand, she could never bear to let them go to waste.
By the third month, Linden still hadn’t come back. News from the frontier said the enemy was fiercely resisting.
By the fourth month, there was still no sign of him or any news. Lena went to see her father, whose face had grown grim.
By the fifth month, Linden remained absent. Lena overheard her father say that reinforcements, had been sent.
By the sixth month, spring was nearly over. Lena thought to herself that she was glad she hadn’t taken Linden’s advice to save the pine nuts. Otherwise, they would have sprouted on the table by now.
Every day, she kept the window open, waiting for any news, but none came.
Her thoughts drifted to her previous life. She regretted not having been firmer about going with the army. Even if she had died, at least Chapter 23
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they could have died together.
She rested her head on the table and quietly shed tears before falling asleep without realizing it.
When dawn came, Lena woke slowly. She instinctively tried to move but found she wasn’t sitting on a cold chair. Instead, she was cradled in someone’s arms.
Her eyes reddened immediately. She turned sharply and finally saw the face she had longed for day and night.
“You’re awake? What a good sleeper. I peeled pine nuts for you all night. Now you can eat them,” Linden teased with a roguish grin.
The shadow of her past life finally lifted in that moment. Lena threw shyness aside and hugged him tightly.
“You’re back… Linden.”
His strong arms held her close, warm and familiar, just like before.
“I’m back, Lena.”
Chapter 23
