novelsmap Chapter 13 Snow Burial
Chapter 13 Snow Burial
When Karlan led his troops back to Neverwinter from the giant lake, Norlins prepared the highest etiquette for him, second only to welcoming the royal family back then.And this is also the last glory of Bai Wanling.The erected military flag extends northward along the road, and the vehicles with the coat of arms of Baiwan collar and Juhu collar are waiting outside the watchtower for the order to set off.Karlan dressed in a formal suit and bid farewell to Savy who was about to stay in the Great Lake Territory.
Letting Savi stay is a decision made by Karlan after careful consideration-for Savi, who is no longer likely to become the lord of the White Bay Lord, this is the safest place.Several centuries later, the land and people of Baiwan Territory are still there, but the name of this territory, together with the iron-blood family that created it, has finally disappeared under the wheel of history.
Karlan had known for a long time that Baiwan College would usher in such an ending.
He looked at his cousin who was seeing him off, and wiped away the wet tears on his face.
This is his last blood relative in the world, and what is extremely ironic is that Savi still has the blood of Sdar that he hates flowing on his body.After a long silence, Karlan took off the pendant on his chest and put it on Savi's neck with his own hands.The lion's head family crest inlaid with blood-red ore can no longer reflect the cold light of the snow-capped mountains and glaciers, leaving only a disjointed and incomplete elegy.
Finally, Karlan patted Savi on the shoulder, turned around, stepped on the stirrup and jumped onto the horse, and gradually walked out of Norlins' sight amidst the fluttering flags and the desolate silence.
Fate's end, accomplished in extreme form, did not free Karlan.On the contrary, the nightmare that has never left since childhood and the guilt that destroyed Baiwan collar endlessly tormented him.Karlan woke up from a dream more than once, and his father and Starr's phantoms were all in front of his eyes. The brothers who had turned against each other because of power pointed their swords at his heart at the same time.
Cleaning up the mess for Bai Wanling is even more torture.He numbly signed the final government decree, personally burned the confidential documents that should not be kept, and watched the city of Neverwinter become empty little by little, just as his lamp of life was extinguished little by little with madness and despair, and sealed in the thick white collar of Baiwan. Under the coffin.
Before a certain evening in early winter, Karlan went to the Temple of Isola.After returning to Snow Lion Castle from the temple, he shut himself up and locked himself in the study.It wasn't until the next morning that the maid opened the door and found Karlan's cold body and his suicide note.He was lying in front of the table, the blood on his chest had already congealed, and his right hand was still holding tightly the handle of the dagger that was exposed outside his body.
It was this dagger that Karlan used to take Stall's life many years ago.
The news of Karlan's suicide in Snow Lion Castle soon spread to the Great Lake Territory.The guards who serve the Scarlet Vulture in the Watchtower know that Lord Norlins' room has been lit all night.
Before the end of winter, Norlins went to the north with the severe cold.
Along the way, he saw many vagrants who migrated south with their families, and the border towns became their temporary resting places.The towers and passes are unguarded, the heavy city gates are wide open, and the north wind, carrying snowflakes, pours into every dilapidated house that has lost its owner.
The same is true for Neverwinter.The capital, which was once decorated with bright flags like a warm spring, is now extremely desolate, and the golden iris flag flying on the top of Snow Lion Castle has long since disappeared.After Karlan's death, it's not that the old nobles who were not completely liquidated didn't plan to change their banners and re-enter Snow Lion Castle as vassals of other territories. It's just that without the undisputed name of Snow Lion in the local area, they still couldn't save With sufficient authority, he dispelled such thoughts.
Snow Lion Castle has almost become an empty tomb, burying Baiwanling's centuries-old conspiracy and tragedy.Norlins and his entourage were not even stopped when they entered it.A neglected house always grows old very quickly, and the dried grease in the extinguished brazier is covered with ashes.Except for the suicide note handed to Norlins by the old servant who was about to leave, they couldn't find half a piece of paper that Karlan had left for others.
The recipient's name was clearly marked on the suicide note - Savi.
It's not that Norlins didn't want to open it, but he finally held back.
The servant told him that Karlan, like the rest of his tribe, was buried in the family cemetery further north.When Norlins arrived, the ancient cemetery surrounded by huge stones was immersed in the cold and oppressive polar night of the Northland.So, Norlins leaned against the newly erected tombstone and watched the aurora all night.When he left, he left only a bottle of wine from the south, but he took with him an indescribable sadness that would occupy his heart for a long time.
When returning to the Great Lake Territory, on the road south of the Old White Bay Territory, Norlins met the Captain of the Neverwinter City Guard who had met once.The former soldier has returned to civilian attire, with his family members beside him, and a retired war horse in his hand. The luggage bag on the horse's back is bulging, and it seems that he has also become a member of the migrating army.
Norlins jumped off his horse and greeted the former captain of the guard; the latter then led his wife and children beside him to salute Norlins.
Norlins took the opportunity to ask some questions about Karlan—he had already heard a general outline of the incident from the servants of Snow Lion Castle, leaving only some details that he cared about: "The Snow Lion family has believed in the ancient empire for generations. God Isola, this sect should not allow suicide—killing each other is allowed and condoned."
The captain of the guard who returned to his civilian status shook his head: "Master Karlan went to the temple to remove his Christian name and membership before committing suicide. This means that he has officially escaped the control of God and can commit suicide as an 'innocent'."
After listening, Norlins shook his head with a wry smile.He changed the subject and asked casually, "Do you want to consider taking a position in Juhu? I respect a loyal and capable soldier like you."
The captain of the guard smiled and didn't reply. He just straightened the luggage on his back and continued walking on the road under his feet.
After returning to the Observation Tower, Norlins summoned Savy, who was living in the Great Lake Territory, and handed Karlan's suicide note to him in person.Looking at the dagger hanging on Savi's belt, Norlins saw at a glance that it belonged to his son Gwenk, and he guessed a little bit of it, and unexpectedly felt a little bit of teasing in his heart.
"Do you still want to know how much I know about Karlan?"
Norlins smiled, and stretched out his hand to Savi's pale and delicate face, planning to caress that face that was very similar to Karlan's.But the young man quickly avoided him as it should, and his face was not very good-looking.
"I don't want to anymore....My lord." Savi replied awkwardly, as if he couldn't hold back the urge to leave here.
Norlins guessed right—the sole heir of the Snow Lion family crest was indeed very similar to Karlan, if not more extreme.If it hadn't been reduced to a vassal of the Juhu Territory, the sensitive and nervous successor of the former Baiwan Lord Lord would have been more aggressive, for example, directly stabbing himself with the dagger at hand.
——You must keep him by your side, or you may be killed by someone who doesn't like it one day.
With a bit of selfishness and calculations, and obsession with this face and this tragic bloodline, Norlins has already made up his plan to keep Savi in the Watchtower, but Savi has nothing to do with it Know.
Not long after, Norlins summoned the painter Brahe to make a portrait of Callan.Although Brahe was puzzled, he completed the task perfectly.
Norlins hung the painting beside his bed.
One morning, Mora, who was still on Norlins' bed, couldn't help asking curiously, "Do you love him?"
As if hearing a superfluous question, Norlins glanced at him and replied lightly: "Love. He is the most precious thing I don't want to give up."
Mo La asked: "But if he really wrote a distress letter, would you send troops?"
"No." Norlins replied with a smile.Mora couldn't tell whether it was a wry smile or something else.
"You are such a ruthless man, my lord." Mora's smile was harmless and sweet, between teasing and flattering.He moved closer, intending to ask Norlins for a kiss.It's more of a test of the boundaries of their relationship than a flirtation.
But Norlins pushed him away.
"You are just a little clerk, and there are some things that you cannot mention." The lord's voice was dangerous.
Mora tactfully backed away—he was really just a clerk, and his motivation for sleeping with Norlins far outweighed his emotional needs.Mora knew that for Norlins, he was just one of several alternatives compared to Karlan, and there was absolutely no need for him to lose his life because of a dead man.At the same time, Mora also knew too much, from the atrocities in the hunter's hut in the border forest that year to the signing of the treaty, he almost witnessed everything.
Norlins ignored Maura, who was still lying on the bed, fiddling with the glass paperweight.He walked to the window, and the smell of cedar wood incense reminded him of the fireplace and guards of Snow Lion Castle, and the young Karlan who suddenly appeared in front of him many years ago.
If they were not the masters of the Juhu collar and Baiwan collar, but two ordinary businessmen, hunters, or even poor people who couldn't eat enough, maybe they wouldn't have such an ending—but if this was the case, there might never be a relationship between them. There will be no intersection at the beginning, let alone comedy, tragedy and farce.
If he hadn't shot Karlan at the beginning, what would have happened in the end?
Outside the warm Star Watching Tower, there is a cold winter that is rarely seen in the Juhu Territory.There are no swimming fish in the lake, replaced by solid and thick ice and the footprints of wild animals on the thin snow.Only at this moment, the cedar forest by the lake is completely silent, which is not at all the situation in spring and summer when it is full of vitality and noisy with birdsong.The cold winter at the northern end of the empire is like a silent poet, born from all things and returning to tranquility.
Norlings thought that no matter what the other party thought of him, he might still love Karlan, but the answer was no longer important.In the most stupid and reckless young age, they all paid the price for their actions, and prematurely gave up the impulse to set aside reason for emotion; and when they gradually realized the weight of fate and responsibility, love seems to be It has become a small embellishment that cannot be compared with the territory.Just as it all began with the snow and fog in the forests bordering the Great Lake Territory, so it all ended in this silent winter where the White Bay Territory ceased to exist.
Across the snow-wrapped bushes, the low fence by the lake, and the frozen iron-like surface of the lake, Norlins saw an egret land on the snow—it is not common for egrets to stay around the watchtower this season.Its fur color almost blends with the snow, only the long and thin feet and long black beak roughly outline the shape of a bird.
The lonely egret seemed to have discovered Norlins who was observing him, and turned his head in the direction of the star tower.Of course the egret would not know that this man was dominating the ground beneath him—in his eyes, he was just a strange creature who might hunt him down with a bow and arrow or a bird net.
One person and one bird stared at each other for a moment.Immediately afterwards, the egret flew up again.The distance was too far, and Norlins couldn't hear the sound of its wings flapping. He saw the white figure rushing towards the forest, and then disappeared into the black and white shadows of the trees.