When the Biting Wind Blows — Chapter 2
Dialogue Transcript
Dialogue Transcript When the Biting Wind Blows — Chapter 2 80
IT CANNOT BE TRUE...
I AM STANDING INSIDE...
THE STRONGHOLD OF THAT INFAMOUS WARDEN...*
*warden: A High-ranking Lord Tasked With Holding And Watching Over Banished Prisoners.
THE "DUCAL HOUSE OF SKADI."
"SUBDUE SAVAGES USING SAVAGES-
AGES PAST, THE FORMER MONARCH...
WELCOMED FIERCE TRIBES DWELLING ACROSS THE ICY WATERS,
PLANNING TO WIELD THEM AS A BLADE AGAINST RIVAL TRIBES.
SUCH WAS THE TRUE BIRTH...
OF THE DUCHY OF SKADI.
WHISPERS CLAIM HE STILL CLINGS TO HIS BRUTAL CUSTOMS,
GOING SO FAR AS TO IMPALE HIS DEFEATED ENEMIES...
WITHOUT A DOUBT, HE...
CARRIES AN AURA ENTIRELY ALIEN TO THE GENTLEMEN OF THE SOUTH.
WHILE THE LORDS I ONCE MET RESEMBLED VAIN BIRDS,
THE FIGURE BEFORE ME IS-
C U AHAHA..
Those Are Merely Roasted Fish On Sticks..
YOU WERE TERRIBLY LATE IN ARRIVING WITH ZERO NOTICE,
LEADING ME TO BELIEVE YOU HAD EITHER FLED OR DROWNED IN THE SEA.
INSTEAD, I FOUND YOU CLINGING TO LIFE INSIDE A TAVERN.
IT SEEMED CERTAIN YOU WOULD PERISH IF ABANDONED, THUS I CARRIED YOU TO MY ESTATE.
...SO THAT EXPLAINS EVERYTHING.
THE VOYAGE WAS BEYOND EXHAUSTING, TRUTH BE TOLD...
BRUTAL ENOUGH TO WIPE AWAY THE MEMORY OF THAT NIGHTMARE COURT...
THE ULTIMATE SENTENCE WILL BE PRONOUNCED FOLLOWING A NINETY-DAY STAY OF EXECUTION!
TRUTHFULLY...
ISN'T THIS DELAY JUST A CRUEL WAY TO BUY TIME,
BEFORE ULTIMATELY TAKING MY HEAD ONCE THE NINETY DAYS EXPIRE?
I AM NOTHING MORE THAN...
A LOWLY TUTOR ENSNARED WITHIN A ROYAL CONSPIRACY..
MY INSIDES...
A WAVE OF SICKNESS IS RISING.
BEFORE YOU REACHED THIS LAND,
A MISSIVE ARRIVED FROM A PRINCE OF THE REALM, SOMEONE I DO NOT KNOW.
HE WROTE PASSIONATELY TO SWEAR YOU WERE INNOCENT,
FRETTING CONSTANTLY ABOUT YOUR WELL-BEING.
YOUNG MASTER MAEL WROTE THAT...?
THE WORDS CARRIED FAR TOO MUCH TENDER DEVOTION FOR A NOTE ABOUT AN ORDINARY INSTRUCTOR.
T-TENDER DEVOTION?!
PRINCE MAEL WAS MERELY—
WHAT SUBJECTS DID YOU INSTRUCT HIM IN?
OTHER TONGUES...?
I GUIDED HIM THROUGH FOREIGN TONGUES, ALONGSIDE...
...CLASSIC LITERATURE, REASONING, DEBATE, AND MATHEMATICS.
YOU COVERED ALL THOSE FIELDS SINGLE-HANDEDLY?
THOUGH MY HOUSE HAS LOST ITS FORMER WEALTH,
MY LATE GRANDFATHER WAS A CELEBRATED BARD AND ACADEMIC.
HE PASSED ALL HIS KNOWLEDGE DOWN TO ME SINCE CHILDHOOD...
...COULD YOU DESCRIBE HOW YOU APPROACH CLASSIC LITERATURE?
WELL, I RELY ON THE VOLUME THAT MOVED MY SOUL THE MOST,
LINE OF CONVICTION, AS THE FOUNDATIONAL MATERIAL...
WHAT IS GOING ON HERE...?
WHY DOES THIS CONVERSATION RESEMBLE...
YOU ARE HIRED.
EXCUSE ME...?
I-I... AM HIRED...?
YOUR EYES TOLD ME YOU WERE DESPERATE TO SURVIVE.
DO YOU REFUSE?
N-NOT AT ALL, I ASSURE YOU...
MIGHT YOU CLARIFY WHAT YOU INTEND BY THOSE WORDS...?
H-HOLD ON...
STOP...!
NOT HERE, I BEG OF YOU...!!
...HAVE MERCY, MY LORD!
THAT WAS COMPLETELY UNINTENTIONAL...!
WITHIN SKADI'S BORDERS, NO MATTER ONE'S YOUTH, GENDER, OR BLOODLINE,
EVERY SOUL IS EXPECTED TO TOIL ALIKE.
THAT INCLUDES A BANISHED ARISTOCRAT.
SO THE OFFER YOU MADE MOMENTS AGO MEANT...
PRECISELY WHAT IT SOUNDED LIKE.
SHOULD YOU DEMONSTRATE YOUR USEFULNESS,
I SHALL WIELD MY AUTHORITY TO PETITION FOR YOUR PARDON.
!!
COULD THAT TRULY IMPLY...
THERE IS A CHANCE I WILL KEEP MY LIFE ONCE THE NINETY DAYS PASS-
STARTING TODAY, YOU...
...?
SHALL ACT AS THE MOTHER TO MY LITTLE ONE.
Chapter Summary
In When the Biting Wind Blows, an exiled governess wakes in the castle of the feared Duke of Skadi and faces a ninety-day stay of execution. The Duke explains that he found her at death's door in a tavern and carried her to his manor, questions her letter defending Prince Mael's innocence, and after hearing of her education, reveals that he has hired her. The meaning of the offer becomes clear: if she works and proves her worth, he will petition for her pardon, and she is asked to mother his small child.