caged robin

"That handsome golden retriever seems to have been here for a long time."

"Keep down, he might be a nobleman, don't call him 'boy'."

"It frightens you, but no lord would come to our wretched place."

"..."

Sean pretended not to hear the whispers of the two black-haired dancers behind him, and took a sip of the ale. Although it wasn't as bad as he imagined, it wasn't much better, and he felt his stomach burning.He sat uncomfortably on a row of wooden benches outside the circus, where free ale is provided for early guests, of course it is not a good wine, it is probably the kind that you can buy a large barrel for 5 copper coins in the market Bad ale.The circus is building a simple stage and has entered the finishing work. A few big men in torn shirts are fixing poor-quality copper frames and ribbons on the outer shed. This is the main entrance of the circus. It looks very simple during the day, but candles are added at night. Don't have a lively fun with fire.

"Would you like another glass, sir?" A thick, grizzled man was walking towards Sean with a wooden barrel in his arms, and Sean quickly put down the glass and waved his hands.

The big man carried the bucket to the wooden table on Sean's right. A little black cat jumped onto the table and licked the big man's hand. He took off his dirty coat, opened a water bag hanging from a tree, filled his hands with water, and roughly rubbed the putty on his face.Sean looked away in a little embarrassment, and looked at a large bouquet of roses on the left beside him. This was a gift he had prepared for "Mockingbird". The white rose is just like her white feathers, and the red rose in the center is the "blood" on her chest.

He originally thought that he could spend more time with "Mockingbird" by coming early, but who would have thought that when he got out of the carriage in a nervous mood, it was a messy venue, and the circus people were busy building the venue, He has changed into the simplest clothes, but he is still so eye-catching among those who are working hard for a living.Finally, he got the disappointing information in all kinds of suspicious eyes:

The robin hadn't arrived yet.

"But the performance must be on time at night." The blond girl with a black snake wrapped around her waist added with a smile, and her light eyes stared at him furiously.

Xiao En looked at the rose in a daze, and suddenly felt that the rose was far less bright than the one just wrapped in the morning. The edges of the red petals were a little black, and the white petals seemed to be covered with a layer of dust.

How about coming again next time.

But there are very few performances of "Mockingbird". When will the next time be?

You are the crown prince, you can order her to dance for you alone in the Duolun Palace.

No no, your attitude is too arrogant.

Do you think she will accept you if you have a good attitude?Maybe "Mockingbird" was a kid.

Damn you shut up.

You're here to be laughed at, and if you're recognized, you're waiting for the bard to sing you like a dandy.

Hell, please shut up.

Xiao En was completely sluggish, retreated, and felt that he was really ridiculous. He knew that the ladies of the prince's family were all beautiful, so why did he go to this wilderness to find someone who had never seen her face before? "Robin"?Knowing that it is almost impossible for him to marry her, why did he act so tough in front of Abner?

"Young man just likes to fantasize. When I was your age, I wanted to drag out the monster from 'Death Island' and beat him up." Sean suddenly remembered the words of his uncle Nero, Duke Margery. Uncle's face Always flushed with alcohol, exuding a melancholy atmosphere, and finally died in an unseemly way, the whitened corpse was soaked in the sour wine barrel, and there was a fishy smell.

Ah, fantasy, lad, death, ale...

damn it.

Sean took a sip of ale, his stomach was on fire again, and then he stood up violently, holding his breath.

"You sirs are really interesting." A broad palm was placed on Sean's shoulder, and he sat down again involuntarily.

The person who came was still the big guy just now. At this time, he had already put on a clean shirt with a little gold decoration on the neckline. It should be the performance costume for tonight. His putty face was also washed clean, revealing his copper-colored skin , with drops of water on his thick beard.

"Who are you giving these useless thorny flowers to, boy?" The big man whistled at the rose, and the little black cat just jumped into the big man's arms.

It was the first time in Xiao En's life that he was called "boy" to his face. He gave him a look, stood up and turned to leave.

The big man looked at his haughty back and said thoughtfully: "You remind me of another Sir."

"what?"

"But he's wearing blue thorns."

"It's not called a thorn flower."

"What does that matter?" The big man shrugged, seeing Xiao En's interested expression, he smiled smugly.

"..."

"He took away the most beautiful girl here with blue thorn flowers, and I never saw them again until he brought the girl's body back." The big man's eyes drifted into the distance, as if trying to Capture the figures of the two in memory.

Sean's breathing was a little short, "I know who you're talking about."

The "romantic" deeds of the Duke of Apocassery are enough for bards to sing for a lifetime.

The big man stroked his beard and said with a smile: "I thought you guys didn't understand anything at such a young age. Sorry, people like to chat with people when they get old."

"..."

The two were silent for a long time, and Sean asked, "Then is he sad?"

"My lords, I don't even recognize him as a lord."

"Then you...do you hate him?" Sean asked cautiously, as if he felt that the relationship between the big man and the girl was unusual, and he glanced at his sentimental side face.

The big man was silent for a long time, his purple lips slowly trembling:

"Do not."

In the evening, the gate of the city gradually became lively, and there was an endless stream of people coming in and out. A small market in a town not far from the city was harvesting the last wave of business.

This small market is on a long street called "Makuli". Although it is a "long street", it is actually not long. At a glance, you can see the fancy glass lamps and fluttering red ribbons of the "Red Pavilion" brothel at the end. .On one side of the long street is a stone wall, and on the other side is a row of small wooden houses. The wooden houses are not big, and they are full of farm goods. There is only a simple bed. Usually, the small farmers will go back to the village two miles away to sleep.The long street is not wide enough to allow a noble carriage to enter. The road surface is full of large gravel, and it is even more muddy in rainy days.

When you first enter the long street, the stalls at the entrance are full of lively trout. The peddlers who smell like fish are enthusiastically introducing how their fish has attracted the stomachs of the kings. An old woman with a white turban is discussing A trout that wasn't fresh enough.Continue to walk in for a while and you can smell the pear fragrance. It is the season to eat pears. You only need to spend 4 copper coins to buy a pack of big fragrant pears.

"Son, you only want 4 copper coins. You are giving too much." An old man with white beard tremblingly put the [-] copper coins back into Abner's hand.

Abner put the copper coins back on the wooden table, picked up a fragrant pear, wiped it, chewed it until his mouth was full of fragrant juice, and said while chewing: "This is my deposit, and I will reserve the next season's kumquats."

"That's still two more copper coins." The old man tremblingly picked up two more copper coins.

Abner suddenly raised his head and looked at the young girl behind the old man. This girl had been secretly staring at him since just now, and the two red clouds on her cheeks were like shadows.

"Is the beautiful lady behind you your granddaughter?" Abner smiled slightly at the girl, who lowered her head shyly.

Hearing this, the old man turned around slowly again, "Ah...it is..."

"Your Majesty, Miss is so beautiful, I will come back another day."

"Ah..." The old man turned around slowly, and found that the handsome young man just now had disappeared, "Son, your money—"

"I'll return it!" A black-haired little girl took the copper coin and rushed towards the place where Abner disappeared.

Abner walked swaggeringly, holding a cloth bag in one hand and nibbling a pear in the other.Hearing the sound of hurried footsteps behind him, he paused, bit the pear in one bite, put one hand on the dagger at his waist, and turned around quickly.

It turned out to be a child.

"Brother, I will pay you back your money!" The child looked him up and down with rolling eyes, and then stuffed the money into the pear bag.

Abner was stunned for a moment, then took out another copper coin from his wallet and gave it to the child, and said in a low voice, "Don't tell others, just buy candy and eat it."

Holding the money, the child hesitated, staring at Abner's clothes with big black eyes. He was clearly wearing a long robe and breeches and a thick leather belt like the people in the village. "Brother, how are you?" money."

"..." Is there money for buying a piece of candy?

"But you can't seduce my sister even if you have money!" The little girl suddenly widened her eyes like a little wolf.

"..."

"I'll marry you when I get rich!"

"??" Abner choked on the pear juice all of a sudden, seeing the possessive look on the child's face, he rubbed the child's head and said, "Okay, okay..."

Abner continued to walk forward and found that the child was still following.

"Why do you keep following me?"

"protect you."

"Protect?"

"This place is haunted."

Abner smiled.

Feeling slighted, the child twisted Abner's arm angrily.

"Hiss—he's quite energetic."

"Let me tell you, there was a female ghost in red lying on my cart last night."

"Oh?" Abner was careless. Although he had heard that Silver Bow City was haunted, he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, so he didn't dare to jump to conclusions. What's more, a little girl at this age loves to listen to ghost stories more or less. Less likely to distort the facts.

"Her head was cut off by a ghost."

Abner frowned: "What?"

Seeing that Abner finally became interested, the little girl said even more excitedly: "Really! I heard with my own ears the members of the Knights in Swords. They all rode black horses, wore black cloaks, and black boots. , the uncle at the front is so pretty..."

Abner thought that this matter was indeed serious. The black clothes of the Knights in Swords represent the highest level, and generally they would not be present in person.He pondered, his face slightly serious.

Seeing that Abner didn't respond for a long time, the little girl hurriedly tugged Abner who was in deep thought, and blinked at him attentively with her big eyes.

"But brother, you look better."

"..."

"Before that, the kitchen suddenly exploded. I secretly saw a white-haired uncle inside. He was standing in front of a bowl of water and doing strange movements. Later I realized that he wanted to pick up the bowl and drink it, but the hand always He passed through the bowl, which means he is a ghost," she paused, as if she wanted to use a strange voice to exaggerate the horror atmosphere, "I went there the next day and found a lot of blood on the ground!!"

Abner glanced at the little girl, wondering if she was telling some ghost story.

"Aren't you afraid?"

"I'm not afraid!" the little girl proudly patted her chest, and continued, "Besides, that ghost is pretty good-looking..."

"..."

The little girl was still talking about those ghosts, and Abner saw that the "Red Pavilion" was about to arrive, and a prostitute wearing a light green suspender was courteously soliciting customers at the door.He didn't know how to push the little girl away for a moment, but suddenly the little girl closed her mouth, grabbed his robe and hid behind him.

Abner turned around and glanced at her, her eyes were full of horror, disgust, and nausea...

"Smelly toad." She cursed.

Abner turned around, and the person who came was actually the chief historian of Silver Bow City? Earl Fernando, who was in charge of leading the historians to write the history of the city. He usually wrote documents for the king, and occasionally lived in Dublin for Abner and Sean. The young masters of Lun Palace talked about the history of the Four Kingdoms.

Hell, Abner falls asleep every time he listens.

When Aubrey saw Abner, his eyes dodged slightly, but it was only for a moment, and soon he regained his composure, his gray eyes were full of unpredictable smiles, and his beard was shaved smooth. , with thin cheeks, clean face, slightly raised lips, slightly red shoulder-length hair, fluttering softly in the wind.

"Good afternoon, Lord Aubrey Fernando." Abner bowed politely.

Aubrey nodded slightly, his gray eyes scanned Abner's civilian attire, and the corners of his mouth raised slightly, "Master Abner, Master Apocatheri, what are you wearing?"

Abner shrugged, chewed another pear, and said inarticulately: "It's convenient to go out and buy pears, there are many more, do you want to have one?"

Aubrey, with irony on his ever-smiling face, turned to leave, and as he passed Abner, said contemptuously, "'He will be destroyed by fire'." The young dragon's warning to stupid humans in the Red Dragon Bible, he knew that Abner had memorized the book messily.

Abner laughed lightly, the pears in his mouth were still not chewed, and he muttered: "Then you really have to pay attention, after all, the girls in the 'Red Pavilion' are so hot."

Aubrey frowned and glanced at Abner, and Abner's eyes swept over his neck indistinctly, he tugged at the collar in a little panic, and left uncomfortably.

After Aubrey left, Abner laughed unconsciously. He glanced at the little girl, who was still cursing "stinky toad" and "****" at Aubrey's back.

Abner pulled her back, "It's alright, it's alright, let's talk about him behind the scenes. Besides, he's pretty good-looking."

"But he keeps harassing my sister!"

"..." Abner didn't know the difference between "harassment" and "seduction" in her eyes.

"Could it be that you want to marry him too?"

"Do not!!!"

【At the beginning of the world, there was endless chaos, the spirits of all things were sleeping silently, and the soul of the Son of God was mourning in the mud.

"My son, my son, why are you screaming?" The voice of God passed through the chaos, and the eyelids of all things trembled violently.

"My father, my father, I am afraid of the dark."

God split that chaos, and light traveled through the cracks.All things wake up and cry, and God names all things one by one.The soul of the Son of God mourns in the mud.

"My son, my son, why do you cry?"

"My father, my father, there is nothing in my belly."

God sowed the seeds of all things on the mud, "You can eat whatever is named, but you cannot eat what is not named, because their soul is the same as yours."

The Son of God plucked fruits from the trees, caught fish from the river to satisfy his hunger, and fell asleep when he said he wanted to sleep. 】

The first act ends and the fire goes out.

It was dark on the stage, only rows of weak candles below the stage illuminated the faces of the audience, those faces seemed to be sleeping but not sleeping, dreaming but not dreaming, staring at the black hole stage, breathing shallowly, waiting The "birds" in their hearts appeared.