RLQ - Chapter 9
Chapter 9: Water Nymph
The ultramarine forest stretched into the distance. At the end of a stream, winding like a ribbon, lay a clear lake. The August sun spread across the surface, shimmering like a divine sea of mercury. As the horses galloped past, patches of soft white dandelions by the lake lifted into the air... The Queen, draped in a dark blue cloak, was helped off her horse by the young General. When she looked up, her face merged with the interplay of water and sky, like a nymph emerging from the water in a painter's brushstroke.
How skilled she was at riding, and he had taught her himself.
His role as Adele's mentor originated from a partnership of interests. At the time, the Heinrich family had lost ground in a power struggle and were cast out of the center of influence. They carefully selected the neglected Princess Adele Roland as a pawn to regain their peak. His father didn't hesitate to send him, the heir, to instruct the Princess.
Everything has a price.
That was the Heinrich family.
But, the memory suddenly became clear.
When she was sixteen, he gave her that silver horse as a birthday gift. The Princess, wearing a red dress, sat sideways on the horse's back, called out "Sir," and then lightly jumped down. The scent of summer roses filled the air, and her cheeks were radiant with the glow of sunset, dazzlingly beautiful. He opened his arms and caught her steadily.
In that instant, he realized the little princess he had first met was gradually growing up.
"That's not good."
He admonished.
"Why?" The Princess, holding up her skirt, stepped onto the grass. "Couldn't you catch me, Sir?"
It wasn't because of that... it was...
Because of what?
Heinrich gripped the reins tightly, the rough rope digging deep into his flesh, but he didn't notice.
Dalton sensed someone watching, twisted his head sharply, raised his hand, and shot an arrow towards them. The arrow flew fiercely. Heinrich spurred his horse forward, and the arrow grazed his cheek, leaving a thin red mark.
"Ah, Mr. Heinrich."
Dalton still had his bow aimed at Heinrich, showing no intention of lowering it, nor any intention of apologizing for nearly shooting Heinrich through the forehead – judging by his expression, he seemed eager to shoot another arrow.
"How rare. Instead of worrying about your family's vineyards, you're strolling in this forest?"
"I came to report some important matters to Her Majesty, and..." Heinrich glanced around, his eyes falling on the brown bear carcass carried by the attendants. "I will submit my opinion to the National Assembly. I believe the Empire will find it hard to trust that a Knight Commander who is negligent even during a hunt can be competent enough for the Queen's security."
Dalton narrowed his eyes slightly, his pale, slender fingers resting on the quiver.
In that moment, the surrounding attendants wished they weren't present – both Heinrich and Dalton had colossal forces standing behind them, one representing the old nobility, the other the leader of the new elite.
Ordinary people caught in such a vortex would only be crushed to dust.
"What matter is so important that you've gone to such trouble to come here?"
Adele stopped observing. She pulled the arrow from Dalton's hand and tossed it aside.
"I don't believe Dalton would be negligent in anything important. You can certainly raise this at the Privy Council meeting."
Dalton raised an eyebrow, glanced at the Queen, then scoffed and looked at Heinrich: "Let's hear Mr. Heinrich's urgent matter then."
"The Yage Kingdom has sent someone to propose marriage to you."
Heinrich said, his face expressionless.
Adele's expression immediately turned cold.
This was indeed a very urgent matter.
"I thought wine and roasted meat would be enough to fill my dear brother-in-law's stomach."
Adele, accompanied by Heinrich and Dalton, quickly returned to the Summer Palace. As she walked along the corridor, her cloak billowed, revealing her anger.
"It seems he doesn't even care about religious doctrine."
Adele made no secret of her disgust for the King of Yage.
In fact, the monarch of the Yage Kingdom, John VI, was now close to fifty years old. His greed was as notorious as his cruelty. When Adele's sister, Princess Anne, married him, she was only seventeen. During the conflict between Roland and Yage, he didn't hesitate to imprison her.
No one knew what the poor Princess Anne suffered during her imprisonment.
It wasn't until the Roland Empire achieved victory, forcing the Yage Kingdom to sign a treaty, that Princess Anne was released by her brutal husband. Despite this, she became exceptionally thin and haggard, and "died of illness" less than a year later. There had always been rumors that she was actually killed by her husband's hand.
But this was the plight of women at the time. Even princesses or queens of noble birth could hardly avoid harm from their husbands, let alone ordinary women?
Aside from the matter of Princess Anne, John VI himself was a detestable scoundrel.
He was obese, lecherous, had countless illegitimate children, and never hesitated to use violence to force beautiful women he desired to submit to him.
"How dare he..." Adele almost gritted her teeth, spitting out the words through the gaps. "How dare he make such a request after causing Anne's death?"
The door to the Queen's study opened, and Adele walked in quickly. Madam Kelly immediately offered her a glass of red wine.
She drank it in one gulp, suppressing the surging fury.
"What is the attitude of the National Assembly and the Privy Council?" Adele sat down, leaning against the back of the chair, closed her eyes briefly, and when she opened them again, there was no trace of anger on her face.
"They have no attitude."
Heinrich said.
Adele raised an eyebrow, not believing him – wasn't she clear about the nature of those politicians in the National Assembly?
From the day of her coronation, those in the National Assembly had eagerly hoped she would marry soon, so that the Roland Empire could have a true King. They hoped that marriage would not only return the country to the "natural order" of male rule but also ensure the Roland Empire would soon have a legitimate heir to the throne.
Heinrich took a letter from his bosom and placed it on the table, pushing it towards the Queen: "The Yage ambassador unfortunately 'fell ill' upon arriving at Roland's port and temporarily entrusted this letter to Councillor Kate for safekeeping. The National Assembly is not yet aware of the Yage ambassador's arrival in Roland."
Dalton interlaced his fingers, his sharp gaze sweeping across Heinrich's face.
This was why he had previously attempted to seize control of the thirteen ports on Roland's west coast. Ports meant information, meant a network. The complex flow of people in ports, if utilized well, could be sensitive eyes and ears. The Heinrich family, relying on their control over these mixed-up places like ports, could quickly recover no matter how great the crisis.
Dalton had no doubt that the moment the "ill" Yage ambassador stepped onto the port, Heinrich received a secret message.
Only –
Dalton scrutinized Heinrich with an unfriendly gaze.
Why would Heinrich intercept the Yage ambassador? Besides his family's commercial conflicts with the Yage Kingdom, were there other reasons – for example, Heinrich remained unmarried until he was thirty, and until the rebellion, people speculated that he was actually plotting to become the Queen's husband and thus the King of Roland.
Dalton pressed his tongue against the roof of his mouth, feeling a subtle sense of extreme displeasure.
Adele read the letter at an extremely fast pace. She was quick to control her emotions, and in an instant, she was calmly analyzing the motives and information hidden behind the letter.
A brother-in-law marrying his wife's sister, especially when there was a significant age difference, would always invite ridicule. But royal marriages only ever considered interests. From the perspective of interests alone, the National Assembly was very likely to support King John VI of Yage's marriage proposal.
The reason was simple:
With the Yage fleet approaching, no one – neither the National Assembly, the nobles, nor the common people – wanted to go to war.
The drought of 1557 and the conflict between the New God and Old God Sects the year before last had left the Empire exhausted, its army scattered, and its treasury empty. In other words, Roland currently had no capacity to bear such a war.
"I want to know your opinions."
Adele said calmly, her eyes lowered on the letter.
Dalton picked up the letter. The words on it reeked of nauseating arrogance. He slowly tore the letter into pieces, then looked up at Adele: "We are not aware that the Yage ambassador arrived. Sea voyages always encounter many accidents, an unlucky storm or something... Let us mourn for that ambassador."
"We don't have enough fleets to meet them." Heinrich looked at him coldly, unable to resist mocking, "Or does Mr. Dalton plan to lead the troops against them?"
"Then, what is your opinion, Mr. Heinrich?"
Adele asked, her tone seemingly no different from before.
"The National Assembly's opinion will primarily be in favor. The Yage Kingdom is a staunch Old God Sect country. An alliance with Yage would not only avert a war but also appease the current tense religious situation domestically..."
Heinrich said.
"Get out."
Adele interrupted him.
This was the first time in over a decade that she had issued such a cold and merciless command.
She looked at Heinrich with no expression on her face, her knuckles white: "Get out, Heinrich."
But we have other options...
Heinrich's words were stuck in his throat. He met Adele's gaze and suddenly couldn't say a word. Those rose-colored eyes, so familiar to him, now held a strange, cold emotion.
"Get out."
Adele smiled and repeated it again.
Heinrich pursed his lips. He stood up, bowed, and then withdrew.
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