"Heinrich."
The queen looked at him only slightly sideways.
Her voice was soaked in the morning mist, with a slight chill and a slight dampness. Heinrich knew why, she always looked like this when she was thinking about something important. A habit so subtle that she didn't realize it herself, she kept it since she was a child.
"His Majesty."
Heinrich leaned forward slightly, and at the same time skillfully collected trivial thoughts, which was originally what he was best at, but recently it became more and more frequent and difficult.
Since Reef City, since that unfortunate belated mistake.
He could only try to avoid appearing directly in front of her as much as possible, hiding himself in the deep darkness, but her voice was still everywhere. Just like a snake wandering through the forest, no matter where it sneaks, there will be wind like snow flakes approaching from all sides, taking away its breath little by little.
"Elmia's merchant ships will arrive at the scheduled port in half a month. The new Gurion has fulfilled his promise, and Saran has built the first trading post in Aish Harbor in Elmia. The free commercial city The trade line with us has been cut off, the merchants are not optimistic about the war, and I think it is time to announce the new trade zone."
Heinrich stood neither far nor near the queen.
His black robe hung heavily, with the embroidery of a double-headed snake coiled on it. It was a dull silver color, just like this family used to hide in gray shadows. The only exception is his wrist under the cuff. His bare hands and wrists were marble-cold and dead white in the dusty beams of sunlight slanting through columns carved from holly, laurel, and coiled maidenhair.
Heinrich frowned slightly.
Leaning against the beam posts, the Queen caught a glimpse of the look on his face.
… Just like a snake with cold blood suddenly exposed to sunlight, it will reflexively be vigilant.
He always does.
Either on the corridor, or under the shadow of a tree, or behind the door, he always stands in a dark place, as if he is a gloomy image of the old castle. There are traces of many things from such an early age, but it seems that they will never be discovered until very late.
She calmly brushed away the fleeting thoughts, which barely left a trace in her mind.
"I received your reply to resign from the post of military command," the queen interrupted Heinrich before he reported more things. She raised her eyes slightly, her face was not softened in the morning mist, but was still delicate and tough. "Why?"
Heinrich avoided her gaze, and his gaze rested on her alabaster fingers.
"This is not a good choice, Your Majesty." He said, "Please allow me to remind you not to forget what a two-headed snake is. And there is only one commander, and Dalton is enough."
"He's a commoner."
"You've been forgetting that all along."
"Attacking the fort requires cooperation, and the nobles of Root will not be willing to obey the soldiers of civilian origin." The queen's fingers are intertwined, and they look very similar to the posture of the monarch holding the scepter in many portraits, "Nor will the knights Really willing to accept his command, Roland needs two commanders, just like a sword has two edges."
"Since you need lords and their knights to fight for you, you should give them what they want."
Heinrich didn't take his eyes off those hands.
"Is that sentence again?" The queen smiled slightly. Under the sun's rays, her eyes sometimes had gold and red flashes in them together, but that color did not give people a warm impression at any time. , just like at this moment, "Everything has a price?"
A moment, or a century.
"Yes," he finally broke the silence, and finally met her gaze, "Everything has a price."
"sounds good."
The queen stood up, and the peacock blue long skirt showed long ruffles, and those pleats gave a soft blue deep shadow due to the morning light.
"Tell me what you want."
She stood there in the misty morning light, with a ray of sunlight on the horizon behind her.
He thought of the falling blood-red sun, the moment when the darkness engulfed the earth, the eyes that were briefly covered, her eyelashes in the palm of his hand were like the wings of a moth gently flapping.
Everything must be...
valuable.
… … … … … … …
The sun only came out for a short while, and it didn't take long for the clouds to gradually lower and press down, and the rain fell from the sky.
Heinrich stood in the corridor alone, watching the released homing pigeons disappear into the gray sky. Gorse, bluebells, and maidenhair ferns mingled in the courtyard, damp and hazy in the rain. Heinrich's right hand was hanging by his side, curled up like a spasm.
His pale lips moved in a self-deprecating smile.
The rain became heavier in an instant.
The expression on Heinrich's face suddenly disappeared, he turned around abruptly and drew out his sword, pointing to the end of the corridor.
"Peeping is never a virtue."
He said in a deep voice.
After a while, there was applause, and then a figure came out from the shadows at the end of the corridor: "Please don't pull the bowstring, it's not something suitable for joking."
Heinrich didn't put down his sword, nor let go of the sleeve crossbow hidden under his black robe.
The person who stepped out of the shadows was wearing a coat embroidered with golden lilies. His facial features were vaguely similar to those of Orsis and Prince Arthur, and he was a little older. He nodded to Heinrich with a smile on his face: "Good morning, Mr. Heinrich."
"This is not the weather for walking, Duke of Leicester."
Heinrich's voice was steady.
The Duke of Leicester, who was supposed to accompany Orsis to deal with affairs at this time, shrugged: "I guarantee my honor, unless you stand here with a pair of hound-like ears, you will not be able to hear your conversation at all."
He keenly noticed that Heinrich's wrist didn't waver in the slightest.
The kind of utter killing intent made the Duke of Leicester instantly decide not to talk nonsense—this is really rare, when will the Heinrich family be willing to do something that they know there are traps hidden
He couldn't remember when the Heinrich family had a love affair.
"I'm here to seek cooperation. Given that some rumors have already caused people to be overly worried." The Duke of Leicester said, "I don't think you would want the Heinrich family to become a civilian general in this war and completely seize the empire." It’s a backing board for military power.”
"I'm not stupid enough to assist Root in weakening the power of the empire." Heinrich replied indifferently.
"How touching!" sang the Duke of Leicester. "I should be able to hear a Heinrich who takes the national interest so seriously. This is..."
He originally wanted to say "the power of love", but the glimmer of the tip of the crossbow arrow under the sleeve of Heinrich's robe made him wisely give up.
"It's a pity that you care about it, but it doesn't necessarily care about you and your family. Otherwise, there are so many nobles with enough status, why did she choose you as one of the commanders of the army? You also know that you are the commander of the army. It was designed to make up for Dalton's lack of status as a commoner. Do you think the Heinrich family will disappear quietly because of this war? I almost admire your generosity."
The Duke of Leicester sincerely invited: "Cooperate, I can help you solve Dalton's troubles, you will become the only commander, and the Heinrich family can grow stronger in this war. And you only need Do one thing—let your Majesty the Queen know that it was Emperor Root who got rid of Dalton."
"It was Orsis' intention to get rid of Dalton." Heinrich looked at him indifferently, "But I don't think Orsis didn't ask you to let the Queen know whose will it was."
The Duke of Leicester laughed: "As expected of the head of the Two-Headed Snake family. Yes, His Majesty the Emperor did not ask for that, so this is my cooperation with you, a small, secret cooperation. You have also seen it That ring—after all it is so bright and bright, so crimson it could set the eyes of every keen eye on winter's day."
"It's a too dangerous signal." The Duke of Leicester spread his hands, "A young, full-blooded monarch, who can be sure that he won't have romance in his heart? Today he is willing to find someone for her." A ring that has been forgotten for more than ten years may not accommodate Root's interests to her tomorrow."
"It is the duty of a courtier to try to prevent things before they get too bad."
After a pause, he added meaningfully:
"I heard that she gave Dalton a golden rose...An ambitious person will do everything he can to get what he wants. He can burn himself up to pursue her. How many people in this world can Really resist this kind of reckless warmth? Let me tell you, your rival in love is much smarter than you and my respected majesty."
"To the Queen, you are only a traitor now, and are you willing to remain so forever? You need to prove your allegiance—and what better way to erase the past than when a new traitor arrives and you play the tough knight?"
"Don't you like her? Don't you want to do something to bridge the gap with her?"
Heinrich deflected the Hidden Blade and retracted it into its sheath.
The Duke of Leicester bowed slightly, his smile deepened, revealing the certainty of victory.
"Then," Heinrich's voice faded into the thin coldness of the rain, "Does Orsis know about your accomplice with Prince Arthur?"
The smile on the Duke of Leicester's face suddenly disappeared.