Princess Solandadrine's hall is a large square room with bluestone walls and no decorations. The room has four tall and narrow windows, facing in all directions, and unlike the other rooms, there are no heavy curtains on the windows to block the light, because Solanda does not like to obstruct and obstruct, she always faces the harshest sunlight. In the center of the hall was a huge long table carved from the finest obsidian, with a table-sized sand table showing all the rivers and mountains, fortress city-states, lakes and forests of the Olops continent, and so on.

At the end of the long table, the man who was fiddling with the Sand Cavalry was dressed in a tight leather jacket and brown cotton trousers, his face expressionless, for all his expressions were obscured by his thick black beard. As soon as Solanda entered the door, he raised his head: "I just received news that they transferred him to the Wolf's Tooth Fort and increased the strength of two hundred-man teams there. ”

"Yes." Clearly, Solanda's attention wasn't on the sand table, "Here's our chance, Koeman." "Opportunity is coming, that is to say, trouble is coming. Coman looked up at his princess, what had happened to her again? "I pushed Vanessa off the ruined tower, trying to kill her like I had killed my father, but she disappeared halfway through, and I tried to push Elija, but the girl cried like a hen waiting to be slaughtered, and I lost my interest."

"Have you been seen?" Coman frowned, "You shouldn't be left alive. ”

Solanda glanced at Koman: "No corpse, it's not murder, I don't need to kill another sister's mouth." ”

No, Coman thought to herself, she will betray you, just as your mother betrayed you, "So, what does this have to do with our poor 'chance'?" ”

Solanda ignored Koman's teasing, went to the end of the long table, poured herself a glass of fermented mare's milk wine, and drank it all: "I threw a knife in the tower before leaving, it was the knife of the Sand Rider Country, with a silver sheath with a curved handle. Vanessa shouldn't dare to show up in the short term, she knows that I'm waiting for her, and this is the time when we can make a big fuss about saying that the Sand Rider Country has kidnapped the princess of the Midsummer Country, which is enough to provoke a war between the two countries. She glared at Koman's beard, "When I lead my troops across the Misty Forest, I'll cut off your ugly beard with my own hands." ”

Coman touched his beard: "I swore that I would never shave until I rescued Phoenix." "He was born with broad shoulders, strong limbs, and the body of a warrior, and his skin was hard as iron from long exposure to the scorching sun, and although he was not yet twenty years old, he was already taller than the average knight.

Hearing this, Solanda's eyes were filled with sadness for a moment, and her tone was full of tenderness that she had never felt before: "Phoenix." Of course, I love him too, but in a different way than you," she said, looking at Coman with a slight reproach, "and you always complain that I don't go back to save him, but this is not in a hurry." ”

"I'm not like you. You've got a mother, you've got a family—though you've almost killed them all—but you've got the Blood Wolf Knights, you've got an army, you've got the subjects you're going to rule, and all I have is Phoenix and you. ”

"Come on." Solanda waved her hand impatiently, as if to soothe a lingering fly, "I don't have time to listen to your children's affections. If we want to save Phoenix, we have to follow me to my mother, time is pressing, we have to strike first. ”

"The queen is entertaining the guests of the Wine Valley Kingdom in the Hall of the Longbow, and so are the princes of Neverwinter." Coman was accustomed to the princess's arrogance, and reminded him with a blank face.

"That's best, those damned jazzes don't like me, but they love my stupid sister to death, and if I start a war in Vanessa's name, I'm sure most of them will be on my side. Tell my Blood Wolf Knights to get ready, it's time to show your fangs. ”

I'm the dividing line*******

The welcome banquet for the envoy of the Land of Wine Valley had been going on for three full hours, and the Longbow Hall of Neverwinter was filled with the smell of roasted meat and freshly baked bread, and a singer was playing the harp and singing a ballad in the hall, but his voice was inaudible under the clashing of wax saucers and the clamor of drunkenness.

Queen Chloe sat on the throne, her long brown-red hair sparkling with a crown encrusted with jewels. The queen is over thirty years old, with a rich forehead and raised corners of the mouth, which makes her look noble and benevolent, the finger marks of the years wipe her face, shave off the childishness and tenderness, add a mature charm, the queen is a person of good taste, knows how to decorate herself, at the moment she wears a long silk dress with exquisite texture, which is elegant and luxurious but not extravagant, especially the jade necklace around her neck, which matches her bright blue eyes flawlessly.

I'll never dress like that. Every time she saw the queen sitting on the throne, Solanda felt like she was stung by a sand scorpion, once, how attached she was to her mother, but now, she hated her to the core, what kind of mother is she, she gave her beauty to Vanessa, gave her well-behaved to Elia, and left me only betrayal.

Mother, Mother, you will receive my gift too, soon.

Solanda pushed aside the guards, rushed to the throne, curtsy to the queen, and then shouted anxiously in a voice that everyone could hear, "Your Majesty, Vanessa has been captured by the Assassins of the Sand Knights!" ”

The queen was raising her glass to salute the envoy of the Land of Wine Valley at the end of the long table, and when she heard this, she almost threw away the silver cup in her hand, "What did you say? ”

The hall fell silent. Immediately afterwards, someone burst into laughter, it was Sir Seydrick: "Have the gods sent our good princess to tell jokes?" The Sand Riders are separated from us by an impassable barrier, and if the shields on our side are not opened, they will never think of coming, my princess, have you forgotten? ”

"Oh yes, how could I forget," Solanda forced Sedric's eyes, "My good father was taken from the edge of the Misty Forest by the Sand Riders, and they can not only get by, but also bring back a little dessert or two!" Her teasing made Sedric shut up in embarrassment, and she said to everyone present, "At the beginning, the magicians used all their mana to set up the shield of the Misty Forest, and in the end, even the venerable ** master Camio paid with his life, but as a result, the shield was long enough but not high enough that even a small pigeon could easily fly over. Now, who can guarantee that the bandits in the Sand Riding Nation will not build more advanced flying planes to steal your livestock, children, women, and even thrones! She glared at the Queen.

"That's enough," Queen Chloe tapped the silver cup on the armrest, "what the hell is going on?" ”

"We found this in the corner under the watchtower," Solanda handed the scimitar to the queen, "and the guards said they had last seen Vanessa in the watchtower, and they heard an argument and a fall of masonry from the top of the tower. ”

Some in the crowd began to shout curses, more whispered conversations, and apparently, some people began to believe.

"A knife doesn't prove anything." Queen Chloe looked at Solanda calmly, neither anxious nor angry in her voice.

"yes, and besides, the country of sand riders doesn't even have a decent wizard, they only have sand and scorpions, what do they use to make flying planes?" Sir Seydric's face flushed in agreement, and his red face and ripe watermelon-like belly made him look like a clown in Scambray City.

"There is gold in the sand!" Solanda yelled, "Don't forget that they have a river, and it doesn't flow with water, but gold!" Think about it, such a small piece flying in the sky every day, in less than half a month, is enough to buy the soul of a magician and turn our lovely Princess Vanessa into a cute little mouse! ”

"Solanda, what do you want to do?" Queen Chloe smiled and asked, knowing this daughter well, when she had ever cared about the well-being of the other family members.

Solanda looked at her mother's face, anger burning in her heart. The woman on the throne always seemed to be able to see through her intentions, which made her feel very uncomfortable being teased, but she still raised her head and stared into her mother's eyes and replied loudly: "I want justice, I want my sister - I want war!" "And your crown!

Everyone exclaimed, and a moment later, whispers rang out in the hall again, and some of them couldn't hold it anymore, slapping the table and shouting "Go to war!" "Go to war!"

"Stop!" The queen raised her hands and smiled kindly as a diplomat, "Ladies and gentlemen, today's banquet is quite informative, and I hope you can see our sincerity, but I still have some family matters to take care of, and I'm sorry I have to leave for a while, and the attendants will bring sweet cheese and hot orange pie later." "The Queen stepped down from her throne," Solanda. She called her.

When they arrived in a side hall, the queen waved her hand to dismiss the guards, and her tone finally brought anger: "Solander, what are you doing!" Why do you always want to provoke wars? With a flick of her wrist, she showed the scimitar-handled knife and asked, "This knife is yours, you've been carrying it with you since you came back from the Misty Forest, and you robbed Vanessa and blamed it on the Sand Riders, just because you wanted a war!" ”

Hmph, you're finally willing to ask.

Solanda unhurriedly untied the sword belt, threw the sword on the ground, and untied the cow tendon rope of the soft leather armor, followed by the breastplate, shirt, and obscene clothes, revealing her bronzed skin, and the queen's eyes suddenly widened - the back that should have been as smooth as a mirror was covered with large and small, shocking scars, they were squeezing and pressing each other like living creatures, and they had turned purple and black over time, and the bright red tender flesh that had just scabbed outward turned out, like sexy red lips, and silently shouted: "Look, That's why I want a war! ”

"Oh my God!" Queen Chloe trembled her hands and couldn't believe her eyes, "What have they done to you?" She tried to touch the scars, but Solanda stepped forward and pulled her shirt back over her shoulders. Sue me, my daughter, who did this, I swear I will make him pay! ”

Solandar snorted, "If the oath works, what do you need a sword for?" She fastened her breastplate and bent down to pick up the matching sword, "Give me an army, open the shield, and I'll pack up the gold of the Golden Sands River and bring it back." ”

At the hearing of the word army, Queen Chloe was visibly calmer, "Listen to my child, if you want to take revenge on those who have committed crimes against you, I have no objection, I hate those who hurt my daughter more than you; But starting a war is another matter entirely, what you consume is not just an army, a war deep into the enemy country will drag us down, the people will become poor, the poor will riot, and then the situation will not be controlled by a bag or two of gold. ”

"And how are you going to carry out your punishment, huh? Let the carrier pigeon tickle them with a feather in its mouth? Don't worry, there will always be a few people who will die laughing. Solanda scoffed.

"War is not the best way to solve problems, that's why we need to build shields, we are both tired of endless border wars, and since we can't live together peacefully, we simply don't talk to each other. But if you break the shield at this time and return to square one, our people will be plunged into a painful border war. ”

"So I'm going to kill them and solve the border problem that is giving you headaches forever." Solanda clenched her fists, "In front of the bandits, your soft policies are like pouring hot oil on a fire, not only do they have no restraining effect, but they have whetted their appetites. I've been there for two whole years, and I know what they are," Solanda's teeth gurgled as he gritted his teeth, "and they dream of even a ten-year-old stable boy running over to the shield to rape our women, and the first lesson of all apprentices is to be determined to take our land." Even if I don't start a war, sooner or later they will find a way to fight them, and by that time, will your people hate you, or will they love you as they always have? Sorenda stared into the Queen's eyes.

"I'd rather they kill me and take my throne than let you risk crossing the shield." The queen looked directly at Solanda, undaunted.

"Oh, for a moment I was almost moved, thank you Majesty the Queen for caring so much about your eldest daughter." Solanda walked over to the table and poured herself a glass of ale.

"No, you're wrong, I don't care about your safety." The queen sighed, "I'm worried about my people. Don't you understand, although the sand riders are brutal, but they know how to maintain water and grass, with them, the desert is always rich in water and grass, once you lose the country of sand riding in the north, the wild sandstorm will blow directly to our land, the land is eroded by yellow sand, crops stop growing, people can't eat food, and livestock grab grass seeds and water, then the country will be ruined, and the rule of the Delin family for a hundred years will be destroyed in your hands. ”

Ah, end this ridiculous conversation, I can't talk about her. Solanda sipped the ale in her glass to hide her lack of reasoning, and then she put on a fake smile: "My good queen, your people are millions, as long as you replace the sandriders with ours, sandstorms are a?" ”

"The green land is pampered by people, and they don't have the ability and are reluctant to go to the bitter cold land." The queen stretched out her hand and pointed to the far north.

"Then whip them!" Solandar finally couldn't hold it anymore, and she roared at the queen, "Whoever doesn't go will skin him alive!" In the Wolf's Tooth Castle, in the Drinking Horse Spring, in the middle of all the Sandrider settlements, there are stepped skinning racks, and the skins of the rebels are drawn into red ribbons and wrapped around them, not to mention how beautiful it is—we will also build a peeling tower, hang up those who dare to oppose me, skin and dry, and then distribute the meat to the poor, perhaps," she pointed to her mother with her glass, "and I will leave you a fine cured ham." ”

The queen covered her mouth with her hand and muttered something for a long time: "Oh my God, Solanda, what have they done to you?" ”

Solanda didn't answer, she didn't need to roll up her trousers and sleeves anymore to show her mother the skin she had left on those skinning racks, she gasped and whispered, "Whether you agree or not, I will send troops." As she spoke, she drank the ale in her hand and slammed her glass to the ground. Twelve black-clothed men in light armor and armed blades were suddenly crowded into the small side hall, and the last one was Blackbeard Coman.

Queen Chloe was startled by the sudden intruder of the samurai, and immediately regained her composure, she touched the jade necklace around her neck, and wanted to make one last effort: "Solanda, you are too young to know the rules of the game, personal grievances cannot affect the fate of the country, this is the common sense of the ruler, if you can't control your temper and yuwang, how will you take my place in the future to govern the country of Midsummer?" ”

"Ho, it's finally time for the throne." Solanda sneered contemptuously, "I know, you never thought of passing on the throne to me, you only love your husband, and you betrayed me like an animal in order to get your little liver back from the Sand Riding Country." He's dead, he doesn't love you at all, he'd rather jump from a fifty-foot-tall collapse tower and fall to pieces than live under the same roof with you, a hypocritical femme fatale! ”

"Shut up! Say no more! The queen waved her arms in front of her, trying to block the words that hurt people like a sharp sword, and it took a long time for her to raise her teary eyes, "I know that I gave you to the Sand Rider Country as a hostage in exchange for your father, and this incident hurt you deeply, but I also know that you are stronger than anyone in the Delin family, although the Sand Rider Country is hard, but as the heir to the throne of the Midsummer Country, you will at least live, and your father is different, he is not a king, nor does he have a title, and the people of the Sand Horse Country will not value him, they will only abuse him to death." I thought you would understand what I was doing when you grew up, but I didn't expect that my decision led you down such a paranoid path. I'm sorry, Solanda, mom is sorry for you. ”

"Excuse me?" Solanda stepped forward, "That's disgusting. If you chose to give me birth, why did you ruthlessly abandon me and give me to the enemy? You keep saying that you want to rule your subjects with love, and you give all your love to others, but you don't give it to me," she pointed to her chest, "My blood is full of fire and wild sand, and I feel a thunderous fury every day when I open my eyes, and you give it to me, so don't say anything sorry to me, I don't accept your apology." ”

"I know there's an irreparable rift between us, but that's a family matter, give me a little time and I'll make amends for the mistakes I made." Solanda stretched out her hands in pray.

"You are not committing a mistake, but a sin." Solanda waved away her mother's hand, "If you want to atone for your sins, give me the talisman." ”

The queen buried her face deep in the palm of her hand for a long time, and when she raised her head again, her eyes were resolute and resolute, "I will never allow you to send troops unless you step over my corpse." ”

"As you wish." Solandar tilted her head and motioned for the Blood Wolf Guard to make a move.

"Who dare!" The Queen's gaze was majestic and sharp, and at this moment, she was no longer the weak mother who begged her daughter for forgiveness, but more like a thunderous and angry god. This is Chloe's magic – deterrence. Within fifty yards, all would submit to her majesty.

Something wasn't quite right today, however, when the queen felt a wave of heat rush toward her, blocking her magic and immobilizing her like cinnamon frozen in a pudding. Her magic was limited, and even the emerald necklace around her neck, which had been blessed with countless magical blessings, lost its ability to protect it, and the queen watched as a rippling sword pierced through her long dress, golden armor, skin, and muscles, reaching her thigh bones. Her helpless hands clung to the jade necklace, and she inhaled in pain until she could no longer support it, and fell to her knees, her right leg bleeding like a spring. But she still didn't speak, she didn't scream, she just looked at Solanda, her daughter, in pain.

Solanda's jaw tightened, not meeting the Queen's gaze, for the first time she didn't dare look directly at her mother. Give way, I've killed my father, stop forcing me to murder my mother. She lowered her head and tore off the hem of her white shirt and threw it to her mother: "Hand over the seal and talisman, I promise Vanessa and Elija are okay." ”

The queen smiled mockingly, "If the oath is useful, what do you need a sword for?" ”

Solanda leaned over and looked at Queen Chloe: "Listen to Mother, from the moment you helped Prince Valentine to turn away from me, I will not be your daughter anymore, so stop playing any ridiculous word games with me, obediently hand over the throne, and I will arrange a hay-covered cell for you." Then she smirked, "Don't say I don't have a loving heart, I'm already begging you to abdicate in order to minimize bloodshed, and if you don't want to smell the corpses of your guards and venerable lords for months to come, do as I say." ”

"Looks like I don't have a choice." Queen Chloe's eyes were no longer sad and painful, replaced by professional cunning and smile, and now, she was the queen of Midsummer Land again, "Although you claim to be my daughter no longer me, I still love you, and I have a request, I will rightfully crown you, and declare your rightful inheritance to all Europs." ”

Solanda snorted, "Want to stall for time? I'm not stupid. Either take me to fetch the seal now, or I'll stab you in the other leg as well. ”

"Okay." The queen immediately agreed, "But I will only take you alone." ”

"Coman has to be with me." Solanda blurted out.

"Aha." Queen Chloe smiled triumphantly, and she said to Corman at the farthest distance, "It is you, good lad, that you are hiding so secretly. I always thought you were just a sand knight, but I didn't expect you to have such a clever spell that can shield other spells. No wonder the two of you were able to cross the shield unscathed, it turned out to be your credit. ”

Coman rolled his eyes, once again worshipping Solanda's IQ.

Solandar found out that she had been deceived, and she couldn't help but be angry, and pulled out the dagger of a blood wolf guard next to her and stabbed it at the queen, who hurriedly shouted, "Okay, okay, let's go now." ”

I'm the dividing line*******

The cell door closes in front of Queen Chloe and Princess Elia, separating them from Solandar outside. Now they were stripped of all their clothing, leaving only a white cotton pajamas.

"No one is allowed to come within fifty yards of this cell, and the food is to be delivered by a noose," Solanda instructed Koeman, "and, in order to make sure that my mother does not have the strength to think about how to escape, she will only deliver one meal a day, and let her realize that her people don't really need much—so I don't need to save money for these stupid civilians, I can wage war against whomever I want." ”

"I have given you the throne," the former queen pleaded, holding her little daughter in her arms tightly, "where is Vanessa?" ”

"Well," Solanda had already turned to leave, and couldn't help but pause when she heard her mother's question, "I'm afraid we'll have to disappear for a while." ”

"You promised to keep them safe!"

"I just make sure they live."

Koman next to him looked at the sky, and said to Solanda, "Your Majesty, the envoy of the Wine Valley Kingdom is still waiting for your summons in the Longbow Hall. ”

"Ah, by the way," Solanda said, deliberately to her mother, "they have come to make marriages, and I intend to promise them." ”

"Will you marry into the Temple of Wine?" Chloe asked suspiciously.

"Of course it's not me, it's my good sister Vanessa." Solanda approached the cell door and said viciously, "That stupid girl doesn't deserve happiness at all, not even an empty one, so I promised her to their second prince, a second son who has no territory, and I heard that he is still a big pervert who wants to be dissatisfied, and Vanessa can marry him to the fullest, ha!" With that, Solanda walked away without looking back.

The Queen's eyes glistened with thunder, her nails dug into the flesh of her palms, and her whole body trembled slightly with anger. In the darkness, Elija tugged at the corner of her mother's coat to stop her impending outburst of shouting, "Don't worry, Mom, Vanessa wasn't caught by Sorenda - she's gone." ”

(l~1`x*>+``+