The meeting place was at a royal estate on the banks of the White River.
If Emperor Lute came in person, then Roland's welcoming team should have arrived at the city gate. But only his younger brother came, so the location became the Roland royal family's manor, but in order to show his respect for Prince Arthur—and his importance to future allies, Roland set up a colorful tent on the lawn by the White River.
The flags of the royal family and nobles fluttered with the wind on the slope, and roses planted in stone pots were placed on both sides of the road. The orchestra had already started playing, and the elegant melody fluttered along with the sound of horseshoes.
When Prince Arthur got off the carriage, he saw the other party standing in front of the splendid tent, and he didn't intend to step forward.
"I need you to see the queen." The accompanying officer reminded softly.
"Alright alright."
Prince Arthur complained a few words, raised his hand and tugged at his lapel covered with delicate lace, deliberately looking unrestrained, and then walked forward alone.
The Roland people used roses in stone basins to lay out a path to the queen. Prince Arthur broke a rose and held it casually in his hand. Holding the rose, he walked along the road of roses, and at the same time raised his head to look at his future sister-in-law—hope she wasn't too unsightly.
Otherwise, he would really have to take pity on his elder brother.
The moment he raised his eyes, Prince Arthur suddenly felt that the world stood still.
At the end, among all the well-dressed people, stood the most dazzling and slim one.
She stands with the backlight, and the midsummer sun outlines the radiance of an angel of judgment around her. Her silver hair was blown by the wind, and the tips of her hair reflected the blurred light. The red dress was her battle robe. She looked down on all living beings from the end of the world, and all living beings threw away their helmets and armors in front of her.
A very strong premonition enveloped him.
Artists are often clouded by this premonition. Before the muse descends, their heart beats faster, their blood rushes, and they find it hard to be themselves. Prince Arthur hangs out with artists as a disguise, but also because he is one of those madmen.
That figure, the proud, god-made figure...
He forgot everything, held the rose, and walked forward step by step. He heard his heartbeat getting higher and higher, and he heard the blood rushing and roaring in his blood vessels.
As the distance got closer, Queen Roland's face became clearer and clearer.
The aroma of roses in the air became very strong, every step he took was like stepping on a dream, in the shadow of the backlight and the brilliance of gems, her cheekbones, sharp long eyebrows, beautiful eyes... all the lines merged to form a beautiful A painting that transcends reality and dreams.
When Prince Arthur came back to his senses, he had already stood in front of the queen for a while.
There was low laughter from all around, Roland's people mocked the performance of Prince Root's loss of soul, and at the same time felt extremely proud of it.
Adele Roland's beauty has always made the empire proud, and they can arrogantly declare that "except for Roland, there is no other such beautiful rose."
There was an abnormal flush on Prince Arthur's face, and he stood in front of the Queen, just like all young hairy boys. Amid low laughter, the Queen held out her hand, and Prince Arthur knelt down on one knee, placing a soft kiss on her white glove.
"This is dedicated to you."
Prince Arthur put the rose in the queen's hand. His cheeks were thinner, and the flushing when he was emotional could not help but bring a sense of nervous fanaticism.
"Please forgive my negligence, I would like to find the best gemstones and create you a rose worthy of you."
The queen picked up the rose, put it under her nose and smelled it lightly, and smiled sweetly: "Thank you for your kindness."
In Prince Arthur's blue eyes, the vague sense of madness became more and more intense. He stared at the Queen as if he were staring at a perfect artistic icon.
... ... ...
After the meeting between the queen and the prince, they were quickly ushered into the king's tent.
Although the alliance has been determined long ago, according to traditional etiquette, Prince Arthur still has to represent his brother to launch a series of superficial pursuits to the Queen. At the banquet, Prince Arthur sat next to Adele. Adele leaned on the armrest of the throne, half-supported her chin, and smiled while listening to him tell anecdotes about the Root Empire.
She listened with special concentration. After all, although the Root Empire is an ally at the moment, it may become an enemy one day, and there is never enough understanding of the enemy.
On the other hand, Adele did care a little about the young prince in front of her.
Arthur Lester.
The century-old history she obtained when she was reborn mainly focused on Roland, but also involved some information about the Root Empire. Among them, there is a little bit about Prince Arthur. The Leicester family has a long tradition of inbreeding, and Prince Arthur is one of the tragedies of this deformed marriage.
—He has a family hereditary mental illness, but he has tried his best to hide it.
Later, the prince did more and more outrageous things, and was even called the "Prince of Sin" at one time.
However, the prince with a bad reputation has the temperament of a bard, and his stories are romantic and vivid.
Seeing his performance, the other accompanying envoys of the Root Empire couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. However, what made them a little anxious was that Prince Arthur's conversation deviated from the topic, and he didn't mention anything about his brother at all.
Most of the messengers blamed this on the prince being too young and negligent.
Only Prince Arthur's confidants looked at each other in blank dismay, feeling that something was vaguely wrong. They knew very well that their master was... a... alas! God bless there will be no terrible scandal.
"I bet she made him swoon..."
Dalton was also in the team to welcome Ambassador Root, and he had single-handedly facilitated this marriage-bound alliance. But at this moment, he was sitting in his seat with his face sinking like water.
"... what a noble union."
Someone whispered praise.
The status, power, and glory brought by the bloodline can often surpass many things.
Dalton had known this for a long time, but after hearing too many rumors about him and the queen, he couldn't tell whether he had ever had such an unreal extravagant hope in his heart. Sitting in the king's tent at this moment, listening to the praises, Dalton couldn't help feeling regretful.
He held the wine glass, and the light and shadow cast under his high and thin cheekbones. The undulations of bones and muscles made his expression more ruthless.
Inadvertently, Prince Arthur next to the first seat glanced at him.
The richly dressed, golden-haired young Lute dynast raised his glass to him, and Dalton didn't miss the malice that flicked across his lips.
Root's bat cub.
This thought flashed through his mind, and Dalton returned his glass expressionlessly.
Adele took this brief confrontation into perspective.
She held a round fan made of white peacock feathers in her hand, and occasionally used it to half-cover her face when talking with the prince. She cleverly switches between the queen and the woman, sometimes majestic, and sometimes showing the shyness of a woman who is about to enter the palace of marriage.
"My noble goddess, who is he?"
Prince Arthur asked in a low voice, and he deliberately leaned closer to the queen, looking ambiguous and intimate.
"He..." The smile on Adele's face disappeared in an instant, but she quickly raised her round fan to cover up her unnatural expression, "He is Robert Dalton, my Marshal, a very Excellent general."
"I heard that he put down the July rebellion for you?"
"It's thanks to his contribution." Adele said lightly, and then changed the subject, "I also heard that your elder brother is young and promising, but you know that marriage is not child's play, so although everyone is asking me Praise of his virtue still haunts me with apprehension."
When she mentioned King Root, although Prince Arthur still had a smile on his face, the color of his eyes seemed to deepen a lot in an instant, and suddenly changed from the sky to the deep sea for a moment.
Adele seemed not to notice the change in him: "However, after seeing you, I feel relieved... After all, he has a brother as eye-catching as you."
Prince Arthur blinked and smiled broadly.
"I can't wait to paint you."
He said.
The night after the banquet, the Root embassy.
"Your Highness, I think you should..." The clerk accompanying the negotiation chased Prince Arthur through the long corridor with a bitter expression, "I have obtained a lot of information these days, I think Adele..."
"stop."
Arthur stopped abruptly and turned around.
In the shadow of the colonnade, his face showed a terrifying look that was completely different from that of the day, and those eyes, which the ladies called "the sky after the rain", were like a sea with violent storms. His pale complexion showed a sickly shade, and his hand was already pressed on the hilt of his waist.
"Who allowed you to call her by her name directly?"
Prince Arthur asked coldly.
The clerk took a step back in fright, and broke out in a cold sweat.
He had no doubt that Prince Arthur might stab him with a sword at any time.
Because, Prince Arthur, he's a—
madman!
In his palace, artists from all over the world gathered, as well as assassins and poison masters. In private, the clerk felt that Prince Arthur was like a bat in its dark lair, relishing chaos.
"Her Majesty the Queen has unbearable rumors with Dalton and Heinrich, and her loyalty and purity have yet to be verified. Such a woman is not a good choice. And... and she will be your brother's..."
wife.
"Companion with notoriety... God, she is more beautiful." Prince Arthur sighed like a poet, and sent a sword into the clerk's heart like lightning, "I don't need you to remind me of the gap between me and my brother. "
The clerk fell to the ground.
Prince Arthur stepped directly over the corpse.
His thoughts had already flown to the matter of painting for the queen, countless compositions flashed through his mind, and then he denied them one by one. His inspirations are endless, and each one is a masterpiece, but he always feels that something is missing... Her beauty should be able to be expressed better...
better... more perfect...