Snow Burial: Secret Love Poems from Winter

Norlins' cracked lips lightly touched the spine of Karlan's sword, letting the cold blades on both sides scratch the corners of his mouth.He could clearly taste a sweet metallic smell—but he didn't know if it belonged to Karlan's sword or his own blood.

There was a flash of thought in Karlan's eyes, but the momentary hesitation could never be categorized as a shock or a moving expression similar to hesitation - he is a nobleman from the White Bay collar, heir to the blood of the snow lion, he has never been It is allowed to show a little bit of mercy and sympathy to the enemy.

But Karlan did draw his sword away.Not because of understanding what Norlins did, or having any unspeakable feelings for him, but because of a deeper obsession that has been brewing for many years.

"I won't kill you." Karlan turned around, turned his back to Norlins who was still kneeling on the ground, and put the iron sword back into its sheath.There was a series of trembling sounds when the metal was struck. "Bring them back to the fortress camp, I have other plans." This sentence was said to the officer standing not far away.

So, Norlins (together with Mora and others) was escorted into the prison car.It was not until they had crossed the border north and settled in the stronghold south of White Bay that Norlins was able to speak to Karlan again.

He knew very well that he was just a defeated under Karlan and a prisoner who could be executed at any time. The people of Baiwan chose to interrupt the war, and it was lucky that the Star Watching Tower, which had a history of several centuries, was spared from the flames of war.

When he was being escorted to the north, Norlins, who was standing in the prison car, had been watching Karlan at the front of the queue from a distance. The picture from five years ago, mixed with the cold light of the White Bay Iron Sword, flashed alternately in his mind: Karlan Lan looked the same as then, except that his hair was longer, leaving him with a blurred back when riding a horse.

The wooden fence on the prison cart creaked as the wheels rolled, and Norlins in the prison cart was restrained by heavy handcuffs and shackles, and the space to move was only within a meter.Perhaps because of Karlan's order, the soldiers of the White Bay collar did not abuse Norlins, who is the lord of the giant lake, but it was impossible to give him any good looks.

Four days later, Norlins was taken to the fort prison in the south of White Bay.

The dark cells had at least one advantage over the dungeons of the Watchtower: it wasn't so humid here, and the dry and cold climate of White Bay collar allowed Norlins to fight only the lower temperatures.Of course Norlins doesn't have any decent beds. The rough thatch and branches are his "nest", and the food that can be swallowed is even more pitiful.Through the fence, he could see Mo La who was locked in the opposite compartment. The alert man who always came to his ear for advice was so quiet that he almost didn't look like himself.

Knowlins did not last long in prison. On the night of "Landing", a man wearing a black cloak and a hood covering most of his face walked into his cell with a lamp, and a bunch of prison keys hanging on his belt collided with each other while walking, making a crisp sound.

Without the other party showing his face, Norlins could recognize that the man was Karlan by his figure and aura, even though they hadn't had a few decent face-to-face encounters.

Karlan stood in front of Norlins, examining him without saying a word; Norlins was still sitting on the ground, looking up at Karlan's face illuminated by the oil lamp in warm tones.

After a while, Karlan said in a low voice, "Come with me." His voice was still cold and stiff, but compared with five years ago, calmness and indifference had long replaced panic in adversity.Norlins got up slowly, and the shackles on his feet dragged across the ground, making a muffled sound.

Carlan held the lamp and walked ahead without looking back, as if knowing that Norlins would obediently follow behind—although Norlins did.Mora and the others were also locked nearby, holding the fence in their hands, and looked at the Baiwan nobles who suddenly appeared in bewilderment, but Karlan seemed to have never seen them at all, almost with a kind of arrogant arrogance.

The heavy iron chain slowed Norlins's pace a lot, but he still followed Karlan in an orderly manner, just wanting to know what the other party's plan was as soon as possible.The Baiwan soldiers guarding the prison looked at them curiously, but Karlan's status prevented them from asking any questions.

It wasn't until he walked into the tower of the camp where Karlan was staying that Norlins found a chance to speak: "I thought you would kill me in prison." He grinned, suppressing his anxiety and pretending to be relaxed. under the expression.

Callan didn't unshackle Norlins, just glanced at him, then turned and closed the door.He put the lamp in his hand aside, and put the cloak he had taken off on the back of the chair.The room on the top of the tower was chosen by Karlan himself: it wasn't spacious and luxurious, and it had all the simple furniture. On the wall was an old map of the entire empire, as well as some old antler decorations.Just one oil lamp is enough to light up most of the interior of the room, just like a brazier is enough to warm every corner.

"There are Star's eyes and ears there." Karlan sat down by the bed, looked at Norlins who was still standing in the corner of the room, and replied lightly. "I don't want the following conversation to be heard."

Hearing this sentence, Norlins suddenly felt secretly pleased: Karlan and Starr did not trust each other; on the contrary, Karlan may have a dissatisfaction with his lord uncle, and this can undoubtedly become his own opportunity.

"I want to apologize to you for what happened five years ago," Norlins said, gambling.He thought that the other party might not be willing to mention this matter, and Karlan's distorted expression for a moment also proved this point.But he still took the initiative to speak—this was not to seize the opportunity, but more like some kind of atonement that lacked practical value. "Even if you kill me now, I won't have any complaints."

Karlan glanced at Norlins and replied coldly: "I can't forgive you. Even if I don't do anything now, it doesn't mean that the matter is over. You can live with your own false guilt."

Norlins did not speak, just waiting for Karlan's next words.

As he expected, Karlan didn't bring himself here to settle old scores.The Baiwan youth, with the blood of the snow lion flowing in his body, said straight to the point: "I will put you back to the Juhu Territory, and at the same time order the Baiwan Army to withdraw northward, and the two sides will cease fighting. But there are conditions: first, reopening Frontier Market and Commercial Arbitration Office, the pricing power of rare minerals returned to Baiwanling, and the prices of food and textiles dropped to previous years; secondly, during the truce, it is not allowed to form alliances with Baiwanling's enemies, nor to intervene in other wars; thirdly, As long as I am still alive, it is impossible for the Baiwan leader to pay tribute to the Juhu leader and bow down. I can promise peace on the border, and the price should be reasonable."

"I can agree to your conditions." Norlins' answer was very straightforward, which surprised Karlan a little. "Whether it is an oral agreement or a written agreement, I will never break my promise to you."

For some reason, Karlan sneered twice.

"But I want to know why you avoid Sdar's men—I thought you came here on his behalf. If it was Sdar, he probably only wants me to die, and wants the entire Juhu leader to submit to the White Bay Army. Under the iron heel, or change flags and follow his orders."

To Norlins' surprise, Callan didn't evade the question.On the contrary, he confessed most of his real thoughts simply and crudely, as if the Norlins audience did not exist.

"In addition to the above conditions, I also hope that you can help me with one thing."

"……Oh?"

"It's very simple, I want to get rid of Star."

Norlins' eyes widened in astonishment.

"You don't think I'm absolutely loyal to Star, do you?" Karlan's sarcastic tone matched his cold voice very well. "He killed my father, took away my mother, and repeated to me what he did to my mother. I was even forced to kill my fiancée with my own hands, just because her family was suspected of treason .You think I'll be as loyal to him as a begging dog? I didn't really swear allegiance to him, and I never will."

Listening to Karlan's unreserved statement, Norlins opened his mouth.He wanted to say something, but those powerless words just stuck in his throat, like a mess without beginning or end.

He thought he was jealous of Starr—Karlan, a person as cold as ice and snow, seemed to be forever insulated from the chaotic love history behind the curtain, but in fact he had already been involved long before he met him.Even if he committed the same vicious crime against him, this feeling is different after all.

If he knew all this, Norlings thought, the story would never develop as it does now.He wanted to hug Karlan, but what stopped him was not only the heavy shackles, but also the nightmare he had created for Karlan five years ago.What's even more sad is that he still can't let go of the same unspeakable desire he had five years ago.

So Norlins simply asked, "What do you want me to do?"

Karlan raised his eyes, and his slender, light-colored eyelashes brushed off the dust floating in the light. "You don't need to do anything now, it's not time for me to do it yet."

"But it's not easy to bring down this iron-fisted lord for you. I want to raise the price." Norlins smiled, unable to believe that these words came from his own mouth.He knew he shouldn't have done this, but the inappropriate words overcame his limited self-control. "You know, I'm a businessman at heart."

"I know what you want." Karlan stood up, showing a mocking smile that didn't fit this face—I don't know whether he was laughing at Norlins's progress as a prisoner, or his shameful filth. Dirty means.

Norlins' breathing gradually became heavy.He watched Karlan take off his clothes expressionlessly, his eyes greedily swept over every inch of pale skin exposed to the light, as if he heard the howling wind on the cliffs of the Snow Country.