Chapter 152: Imprinted Like A Duckling

Katie had several excellent ideas about how to handle the diplomatic side of things, including sending a small delegation back with him. Her second brother—or at least, Catherine du Pont's brother—didn't have much to do at the family estate because he was the younger son and their father was still alive.

He had studied politics at a prestigious academy for noblemen and would know how to behave. He was also unofficially seeing a woman his parents didn't approve of who was quite well-versed in politics and functioned as one of King Franz's aides.

Marcy Grandin was a friend of theirs as well and would likely be willing to go. All that left was an actual member of the Kanta clan to be sure their interests were properly represented.

Blaise was impressed by the ingenuity of the plan. Shibatsu was already in an alliance with Annalaias so sending two of their citizens along who had ties to both the royal family and the Kanta should make this easier.

The problem would be finding a clansman willing to make the journey. Most of them had traveled very far to get here and even the first to arrive had only been in their homeland for two and a half years.

"The ideal candidate would be unmarried so they wouldn't leave behind a family to support," Katie mused. "And would have at least basic knowledge of the customs of Shibatsu. How many families fled there after the raids?"

"If I remember correctly, three. Two of which are in Raisha. Most of them ended up in Annalaias or Rowenhilde," Alamar said with a frown. "Out of those families I am fairly certain there are only four or five people who aren't married."

His wife nodded as she thought about it. "Right…we'll have to track them down. I'm sure we could find a volunteer unfamiliar with Shibatsu somewhere but let's try them first."

He sighed. "I was planning to go to Raisha next week anyway. I can move it up to tomorrow."

It took nearly three hours to get there on a horse, hence the infrequency of his visits. They were a formality to make sure everything was going alright and helping implement some of the programs and technologies that Katie had come up with.

Alamar had mentioned it earlier while they were waiting for Katie to come back, before he starting trying to probe into Blaise's feelings. They wanted all of their people to experience the same opportunities equally.

Originally there weren't enough people to warrant a second settlement. But as the returning refugees came in droves many of them decided to rebuild another old town closer to mines that held different materials.

The Kanta were a very holistic, community-oriented culture. They all believed in contributing to the greater good instead of focusing on their own interests. There had to be someone willing to travel far from the home they barely reclaimed in order to protect its future.

With the plan as put together as it could be without formal acceptance from the potential delegates, Katie began asking questions about the journey from Shibatsu. Blaise was distinctly uncomfortable because he had a feeling that her thoughts were scarily in line with her husband's.

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Did these two share a brain or what? How had they both managed to see through him when no one else had?

Once again, he was spared from further questioning by someone returning. Abby and Adam chattered happily as they blew in the door. They were holding hands and her eyes sparkled with genuine enjoyment. Apparently she had fun with her only nephew.

Blaise's heart constricted. He had never seen her look so beautiful. This was the difference that being around her family made. It would be too selfish to ask her to leave it behind even if it was in the distant, far-off future.

She was never meant to be his. He would clarify the laughing at her issue to clear the air and end things cleanly with no guilt.

"Mama! I played wif Hagan n' Iida in da sandbox and Aunt Abby showed me Simba!" Adam exclaimed as he rushed at his mother's legs. "I wanna kitty too. Hagan n' Iida have kitties."

Katie tickled her son under the chin to make him laugh with a bright smile on her face. "Hagan and Iida have a barn; we don't. But it sounds like you had a lot of fun." She turned to her sister. "You seriously have a cat named Simba?"

Abby blushed. "…I accidentally adopted a lynx kitten and couldn't think of any other names. I don't even know if it's a boy or a girl."

Alamar snorted so forcefully that he leaned forward. "How do you accidentally adopt a wild animal?"

"By feeding it a piece of jerky. It imprinted on me like a duckling."

They howled with laughter as she offered a sheepish grin and Blaise watched the scene in confusion. Why was it okay when they laughed but not when he did it? That wasn't fair at all! He wanted to be able to laugh at her antics freely too.

It might be because they were family…or she simply hated him and all gestures of friendship on her part had been imagined. No. That wasn't possible. They were definitely friends. All of those precious moments on their journey had to be sincere.

Blaise could understand it being okay when Katie did it to an extent. They were closer than any siblings he had heard of. But why was it okay for her husband, who Abby met only a few hours ago, to do it but not him who had known her for months?

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