WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Malfoid
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◈ Fragments of Thorns and a Cradle ◈
Chapter 38
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Content Warning: underage sexual exploitation.
Marie, who had been eating cookies on the bed, turned her head and watched the uncomfortable standoff between mother and son with a blank expression.
Endymion drove Lucrezia away and went to Marie. She was chewing a cookie studded with dried raspberries like a squirrel.
He habitually picked up the round little girl and wiped crumbs from around her mouth. Marie blinked her large eyes and buried her face in his chest.
His shirt would smell sweetly of cookies, but he did not care.
Anything Marie did.
Anything caused by Marie.
Nothing else mattered.
"What if the horse eats me?"
"Horses only eat grass."
Marie mumbled.
Endymion enjoyed the way frightened Marie clung to him, but he also wanted to get her down quickly. He snorted.
He always felt this way when he saw Marie. Extreme, contradictory emotions swallowed him and left him unable to understand what he wanted to do.
It annoyed him because it scattered his thoughts. But at the same time, he was amazed by himself, by how helplessly he collapsed before this little girl.
"Come here."
They stopped before the castle gate. As Endymion dismounted, a servant came forward to take Marie.
"Do not touch what is mine."
Endymion pushed away the servant reaching for Marie, then lifted her down himself.
As always, Marie tucked herself into Endymion's arms. Carrying her, he entered San Arzok.
The immense castle, the most imposing in the west, was beautiful as well as ancient, with a history as deep as its scale. Its spires rose so high they seemed to pierce the sky, smooth and severe as vertical blades. Beyond the arched gates lay lavish interiors filled with decorations extravagant enough to rival a royal palace.
It was overly splendid for a knightly house.
Held in Endymion's arms, Marie blinked up at the magnificent ceiling.
"You will hurt your neck."
When they entered the bedroom, Endymion set Marie down and spoke.
Marie tangled her fingers together and watched him cautiously.
"...You know."
Marie looked timid now that they were in the bedroom. She had something to say but could not bring herself to say it.
Endymion looked back at her.
Marie stared at him, then came closer. When she saw him taking off his outer coat, she seemed to remember her duty.
"Should I hang it here?"
She took his coat and toddled over to the wardrobe. The maid in charge of cleaning would come and collect it later.
Uncertain, Marie asked him again and again. Endymion nodded each time.
"Come here."
Marie hung the coat in the wardrobe and looked at him. Standing there stiffly, she resembled a rabbit crouched in the grass.
Endymion opened his arms to hold her.
It was habitual. Since receiving Marie, he had always wanted to hold her. He thought that even when he had a daughter someday, he would probably not hold her this often.
"Only call me oppa when we are alone."
"But we were alone..."
"I know. The same goes for calling me by my name. In front of other people, call me Sir Endymion."
"Lady Lucrezia told me to call you Master."
Marie whispered with a pout as she wrapped her arms around his neck. She seemed to like calling him oppa.
[Non-graphic summary of underage sexual material: Endymion restrains an inappropriate impulse toward the child. Lucrezia warns him not to encourage expectations inconsistent with the future sexual-servitude role imposed on Marie.]
Do not make her expect too much.
Lucrezia's voice echoed in his ears. She had told him to discipline Marie's habits instead of imagining a future that had not yet arrived.
Endymion frowned slightly and drove her image from his mind.
Marie would always belong to Endymion. A female slave was the most private and personal possession a knight had. No one, not even his parents, had the right to interfere. She had belonged to him from the moment he took her in.
The kind of woman he raised her to be was his decision.
"You are mine. I am your master."
He answered Marie's words with a gentle gaze, though he tried to be a strict master. When he looked at this harmless little girl, white as a lump of sugar, his heart could only melt.
Marie moved her lips as if she wanted to say something, then turned away. Her eyes, like pieces cut from lush summer greenery, were beautiful as jewels.
[Non-graphic summary of underage sexual material: Endymion expresses inappropriate romantic affection toward the child.]
"Do what you want only when we are alone."
"Why?"
"That is how husbands and wives are. You do not show affection when other people are there."
Marie looked at him blankly, then asked:
"Then am I your wife?"
"Yes."
Endymion knelt and pressed his nose against the girl's neck. She smelled sweetly of grass.
Marie lifted her small hand and combed through Endymion's hair. Though he knew it was disrespectful, he let her play with it.
Suddenly, he remembered he needed to see whether she had done her work properly today.
"Did you finish all the studying you had to do today?"
He lifted his head and gave her a stern look.
Marie nodded under his sharp gaze.
"...Really."
Marie nodded again, pouting. She used honorifics, then slipped back into casual speech, but Endymion did not care. He did not want to push Marie any further.
Nobles had to distinguish private matters from public ones. But Marie was not a noble. She was a semi-free child born between a commoner and a slave, and she was still spoiled.
Endymion took Marie's hand and led her to the piano.
Marie saw the pure white piano and beamed up at him. He released her hand and leaned against the piano.
Marie placed her hands on the keys.
It had been two weeks.
After Agnes died and Endymion took Marie in, he had not only fed and clothed her. He had devoted himself to teaching her. Not the things an ordinary village woman learned, but the things daughters of nobles were taught. He had hired tutors to teach her the accomplishments expected of a young lady from a great house.
Of all those things, Marie showed the greatest interest in piano and singing. He did not yet know about sewing because she had not learned it, but she clearly had great talent with instruments.
He had been told that after only two weeks of study, she was already playing three songs from memory. Even an amateur could see it was remarkable.
Marie looked at the songs, which were not short and seemed quite complex, with shining eyes.
"Play."
"What would you like me to play?"
"Whatever you want."
Endymion looked at Marie fondly.
Marie flushed bright red and smiled broadly.
As her piano teacher had taught her, Marie began to play. It was a song called "Mother's Song." It was one of the most common songs in Kailak, sung by people of every station. Its melody was simple but warm and sweet.
Because it was the first piece beginners learned, it was easy, simple, and soon ended.
"You should sing too."
"I have not memorized all the words yet..."
"You memorized the whole score, but not the lyrics?"
Marie nodded.
Marie could not read. Perhaps because of that, she had said she had not memorized the lyrics to any of the three songs she had learned over the past two weeks.
Yet she played without sheet music.
Is she a genius?
Endymion stared at his little wife. Marie seemed to think his gaze meant she was being scolded, so she bowed her head deeply.
He studied the child who was showing an unexpected talent. If her gift was truly this great, she might play at royal balls someday.
It was not an exaggeration. After finishing Marie's first lesson, her piano teacher had excitedly said she had great talent. He had insisted he was not merely trying to please Endymion. In all the children he had taught, he had never seen one so clever and gifted. Properly educated, she could become a musician of whom the kingdom would be proud.
A musician the kingdom would be proud of...
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