The dark dungeon was damp and dreary, and it seemed completely isolated from the outside world, with not a single breath of fresh air entering the dungeon. The dampness had made the walls moss, and the grass on the floor had not been changed for days, giving off a strong smell of urine.

Vladimir doesn't know how many days he's spent in this dungeon, there is no day or night. So he couldn't count the days, and he tried to ask about the time through his communication with the jailers, so that he could ask about the outside world. But the jailer who delivered the meal seemed to be a mute and never paid attention. Or, he didn't want to pay attention to this dejected man who had been thrown into a dungeon and never seen the light of day, in short, Vladimir had not received any information from the outside world since Pavel left. Every day the jailers would come and bring food and water to their father and son, but there were no other faces, no other voices.

In the dark, people will experience the taste of loneliness and loneliness. When the father and son had finished talking about all the topics, there was only silence in the empty dungeon, a dead silence. They repeat what happened yesterday, and there is nothing else to do but eat, sleep, and.

Vladimir instructed his son Boris to pray to the bear god Ersun, but no miracles occurred. Only occasionally does father and son feel a moment of peace in their hearts. It's just that no one knows whether this is a compromise after a struggle or a miracle of Father Bear's arrival.

Vladimir only felt sorry for his son Boris, who was still so young that he should have made great achievements in his career, overcoming obstacles and achieving great things in an army of millions, instead of hiding here with himself and becoming a prisoner. This hardship was not something that a person of his age could bear, as a nobleman......

Many times, Vladimir wanted to ask his son if he hated himself, hated this unruly father, but every time the words came to his lips, he swallowed them again. He just put his hand on his son's shoulder, and his eyes showed concern and self-blame. And Boris seems to understand, he looks at himself quietly in the dark, there is no resentment in his eyes, only unyielding resistance to fate.

Sometimes, Vladimir dreams of his past years in his sleep, when he was a prominent nobleman in Kislev and the commander-in-chief of the Snow Eagle Legion. He had a huge financial power, a soldier and a legion who supported him. He has brilliant achievements and fame. He wielded his sword on the battlefield to kill the enemy, commanded thousands of troops and horses, and galloped across the country. When I woke up, I found that everything was just a dream, and the glory and fame of the past were like clouds of the past, and they were no longer there.

Another time, he seemed to be sick. Continuous coughing, high fever does not go away, and the jailer does not care at all. His son, Boris, angrily denounced the indifference of the jailers, but in exchange for three days of cold food and filthy sewage...... Vladimir doesn't know how he survived, and he doesn't know how his son survived. He didn't expect to go out, maybe in his lifetime, this dungeon would be his grave. The glory of the past is gone, Vladimir lamented.

"Vladimir!"

There was a faint light coming from the corridors of the dungeon, and Vladimir faintly heard someone calling him.

Auditory hallucinations? he said to himself, then turned his face away and continued to lie on the bed and fall asleep.

"Vladimir!"

He heard the call again, and it was more pronounced than the last. When footsteps also appeared, Vladimir finally knew that what he was hearing was not an auditory hallucination.

"Who's there?"

Vladimir turned sideways and asked his son Boris. Boris lay on the edge of the bar, staring in the direction of the sound and the light source.

"It doesn't seem like a jailer. ”

Boris replied.

Soon, Pavel led a group of knights to the door of the dungeon. Without saying a word, a fat knight picked up his axe and slashed the lock of the cell door.

"Vladimir. ”

After the crisp sound of metal cracking, Pavel pushed open the door of the dungeon and stood in front of Vladimir and his son, dressed in military uniform. There was still blood on his face, and Vladimir knew at a glance that something was wrong, but he couldn't guess what it was for a while. The dungeon was dug so deep that it was completely insulated from all movement from the outside world.

"Your Royal Highness. ”

Vladimir got down on one knee and saluted politely. Pavel raised his finger and motioned for them to get up.

"Looks like you've lost a lot of weight. Well, the situation is urgent, not much more. Vladimir, now I need you. ”

Pavel stood up straight and said to the old nobleman with a serious face.

"Your Royal Highness, what's going on outside?" Dream Chinese

Vladimir only felt that something was wrong, and he slowly got up, like a stubborn and unyielding pine. His eye sockets were deeply sunken, but they were still bright.

"The Legions of the North are besieging the city, and I have opened the gates for them. And now, the Marksmen and the remnants of Caterina are fighting the Northern Army and my men in the streets of the city. I need you, Vladimir, I said that one day, I will release you, I mean what I say, and today is the day when your father and son are free. ”

Pavel pursed his lips and continued—

"There are still soldiers of the Snow Eagle Legion who are locked up in this dungeon, and there are others who have been sent to other places, and I know where they are. Vladimir, you are the general of the Snow Eagle Legion. Only you can re-lead and rally them. Come on, overthrow the bloody Katarina, I need you. Checkmate. ”

Pavel said seriously and seriously.

Vladimir understood, understood what was going on with the blood on Prince Pavel's body and face. It seems that he personally participated in this mutiny. And these knights and armed civilians around him are probably underground armed forces that have been plotted and planned a long time ago.

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness the Prince. ”

Almost without a thought, Vladimir agreed to Pavel. During the time he was locked up in the dungeon, he had already figured out which side he should turn to. What Rod said at the beginning was right, but he didn't accept it. And now, I can't be wrong. Take up arms and rebel against the vampire queen, there's nothing to think about.

However, Pavel's words were not finished. Prince Kislev paused, looking at the shipwrecked father and son with a strange look.

"But, Vladimir, I have a request. ”

Pavel said.

"Your Royal Highness, please speak. ”

Vladimir respectfully returned.

"After the overthrow of Katarina, I am the Czar of Kislev. So, I ask you, to be loyal to me. ”

"Immediately, immediately. ”

Pavel emphasized.

Vladimir was a little surprised, but when he saw the group of knights armed with hammers and swords behind Pavel, Vladimir also understood what was going on. He knew that the freedom given by Pavel was not unconditional. His requirement was to swear allegiance to the new Tsar. Although he is not yet a tsar, as the first heir, nominally, he does have the most inheritance rights. So, what about Rhodes...... Vladimir did not think any further, he did not have a choice, either, now swear allegiance to Pavel, or, this group of knights with large swords will not give themselves a good look. No one will ever know what happened on this day, in the depths of the gloomy Kislev dungeon. That's all he can do......

After a moment's deliberation, Vladimir fell to his knees and bowed to Pavel.

"And him. ”

Vladimir looked up and saw the prince pointing at Boris on the side.

Boris is obviously unwilling, but Vladimir knows that there are not so many willing and unwilling in the world, and sometimes, people do not have a choice......

"Boris ......"

He shouted. Boris knelt in front of the prince with a cold face.

"Oath ......"

Pavel emphasized.