In the final question of Chapter 80, Andra smiled, and then Eleanor smiled too…
If Andra weren't a princess of Hetuya, but just an ordinary high school student on Earth, she would probably write in her diary something like, "Today was the happiest day of my life."
How could it not be pleasant?
The sky was azure, the ocean vast, and her lover beside her changed her into a pristine white dress, ready to soak their young bodies at any moment...
All the troublemakers were sent to protect Princess Belle, leaving only the insignificant Thorn, and Manju and Coral who were always by her side.
Andra unconsciously overlooked some of the slaves, who were also familiar faces Eleanor often brought with her, as inconspicuous as the vases that were always placed in the bedroom.
She usually focuses on recruiting talented minor nobles and commoners from Eleanor's group, as these people are most likely to be loyal to Hertuya... or rather, the future king, rather than simply to Norlana.
They ran and played on the shore, and Eleanor, as she ran, tried to build a sandcastle.
Even though it was her first time seeing the sea, just like her lover, she was able to use her delicate little hands to build an exquisite castle bit by bit, until the waves rolled in and easily erased the sandcastle.
Eleanor showed no regret; she just kept giggling and laughing.
After the castle collapsed, they walked together along the coast, picking out shimmering seashells from the fine sand.
Eleanor had Thorn find a trawl net, and with it, they scooped fish from the sea, strung them together with branches, and spun them over the campfire until they turned a delicious, fragrant golden brown.
Sizzle—
She took the spice bottle from Coral's hand, letting the spices fall through her fingers onto the fish's back, releasing layers of aroma.
The girl's smiling face was shrouded in smoke, appearing and disappearing intermittently.
As the sun dipped below the horizon in the afternoon, Andra, holding Eleanor's waist, tumbled down onto the soft sand.
"Shall we go play in the water?" She turned her head to the side as if possessed, her gaze circling around her lover's slender body.
She had waded through the water while fishing, but back then the seawater only reached her ankles, at most up to her knees.
Andra wanted to lead Eleanor deeper into the water, so that their bodies could exchange heartbeats and temperatures in the cool seawater.
She used to be dismissive of playing in the water.
Andra grew up in the vast grasslands and wastelands of Hetuya. Her understanding of water was limited to "the source of life that I drink every day."
Swimming seemed unnecessary, at least not before the war.
She rationally knew that one day she would be involved in battles across bridges, or even fighting at sea from ships.
However, her procrastination and confidence in her athletic talent led her to repeatedly postpone her plans to learn to swim.
Tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow, I will learn to swim someday. It will only take me a few days.
In fact, it took less than a day.
When Eleanor said, "We'll leave in a few days and go to Belé to see the sea," Andra's procrastination quietly dissipated.
She simply couldn't accept the possibility that "Eleanor was in danger that I couldn't handle."
If Eleanor fell into the sea because she couldn't swim and had to rely on someone else for rescue... she could never forgive herself for it.
So one day before his departure, Andra deliberately rode his horse into the mountains and forests, and plunged into the rushing stream under the watchful eyes of his confidants.
Even shallow streams can have deep sections, where water up to waist-deep can pose a drowning danger.
She submerged her head in the icy stream again and again until her breathing and arm movements became coordinated.
That's enough, that's enough.
She examined her hands with a smug look, noticing the water stains still on her palms: if Her Highness were to encounter any danger, she would be able to hold her and float to the surface immediately, then offer her a kiss on dry land.
Eleanor yawned beside her: "...Let's wait a bit. Our clothes will get wet if we go into the water now. I'll have Coral bring the easel over and paint a picture of us playing in the water under the moonlight."
"Sigh~ We still have to wait."
Andra sighed as she looked up at the high sun, and a fluffy little head came closer and softly rested on her shoulder.
"You're the one who said you wanted me to rest a little longer." Eleanor yawned again, clearly exhausted from the past few days of travel.
Andra gently rubbed her cheek with tenderness, then suddenly felt a pang of doubt: Did I say that?
Maybe she did say it, after all, Eleanor has always been very hardworking. She's been rushing around so much these past few days, so she probably mumbled something like that one night.
She put her doubts aside and hugged her lover even tighter.
The sun was a bit strong, so the slaves thoughtfully brought over a large umbrella to shield their heads—this foldable umbrella was also His Highness's invention.
Coral took a handful of sunscreen herbal mud and slowly rubbed it onto Eleanor's body, turning the milky white kitten into a light gray.
"Pfft." Andra quickly covered her mouth.
As soon as she smiled, the little gray cat next to her angrily dug up a big clump of mud with its paw and slapped it onto her back.
After playing around for a while, the two gray cats lay lazily on the beach, their heartbeats pounding in their chests and ears.
Andra squinted to the accompaniment of the seawater and fell into a deep sleep while holding Eleanor.
Splash, splash...
Water splashed on her calves. She opened her eyes and saw the girl in her arms poking her cheek with her finger.
Perhaps it was from being in the sun for too long, but Eleanor's eyes were a little red, which made her feel a tingling, itchy sensation.
Andra lowered her head and gave a very natural "kiss," placing a gentle kiss on the corner of her lover's eye.
"...Okay, okay."
Eleanor shyly poked her lips, and the two straightened up from the beach, looking at the bright, setting sun.
The sun became increasingly bright and full as it met the horizon.
"No wonder people in mythology always like to pair Yang with his sister An."
Andra, clinging to Eleanor, began to recount the well-known legend: "It is said that the sun rose first from the river of blood, and with its blazing flames, it parted the heavens to see the eyes of the Mother Goddess—"
"...And An was born second under the caress of the Mother Goddess. She adorned the Mother Goddess's sprawling body with endless darkness, weaving chains of entanglement for her sister's flames, inseparable as a shadow. From then on, the world had black and white, dawn and dusk, light and darkness."
Eleanor's voice then rang out, gently offering her explanation.
Andra didn't need to turn around to know that she was now beaming with joy, the smile spreading from the corners of her eyes and eyebrows to her nose and throat.
"Yes, the chariot of Yang rises from the River of Blood every day. Legend has it that His chariot carries the souls of heroes or children about to be born into the world."
"He showers the world with sunlight, His flame burns eternally—only twilight can obscure the chariot's path, allowing the sun to rest peacefully in the dark river of blood."
They recounted myths and legends one after another, holding each other's hands tightly during their moving chants, until their fingers were intertwined.
The rising tide quickly covered their feet and began to creep up their calves.
Andra picked up her lover, and the girl in her arms suddenly put her arm around Andra's shoulder and whispered in her ear, "Alright, wait here for a while, it's time to draw."
She looked around and sure enough, she saw Coral set up his easel on the shore, seriously mixing colors.
She knew this servant was her fiancée's most trusted assistant, who often designed the patterns on the packaging of the products.
I heard that Coral studied painting with a famous artist, so it would be nice to have her keep a memento.
Besides, Andra never spoiled her lover's mood, so she immediately picked up the princess in a princess carry, a bright smile on her face.
"Okay, then I'll stay in this position?"
“Hmm…” Eleanor hesitated for a moment, then murmured, “Something’s missing.”
As soon as she finished speaking, she shouted towards the shore: "Add some decorations! The scene is too plain!"
Andra grinned and took two steps back with his back to the sea.
Her long, golden-red hair fluttered in the wind, the slightly curled ends dampened by water droplets, clinging to her face in strands like winding vines.
Coral, carrying her easel, took two steps toward the sea. She nearly tripped and fell, but quickly steadied herself by holding onto the wooden support a short distance away.
Her lips trembled—but she didn't say anything, she just gestured with her pen.
Does it mean "it needs to be done a little further"?
The fiery sunset was spreading out behind them, and if they were further back, the figures would blend into the vast scene.
Andra understood and continued to back away, holding Eleanor firmly in her arms, preventing the tide from wetting her lover's ankles.
Rustling, rustling.
Several shabby figures waded through the water and ran over.
It was that group of slaves—and Manju. They were holding many jingling things in their hands, which shimmered with a dazzling golden light in the sunlight.
Oh, these gold ornaments are what Eleanor meant by "decorations".
Andra chuckled helplessly: "Ha~ Do I have to wear those today too?"
The girl in his arms raised an eyebrow and gently pinched him. "Of course, it looks better on such an important day...it'll look better if you wear it."
After Eleanor finished speaking, she twisted her body and gently patted her shoulder and collarbone.
"Put me down, the water's up to my legs. Let's stand together."
"Alright," Andra imagined it in her mind.
The original image depicted her holding Eleanor, with a sun sinking into the sea drawn behind them.
The current scene shows her and Eleanor standing together in the sea. One is adorned with gold jewelry, and the other is dressed in pure white, making them look like a commemorative painting made by lovers before their wedding.
A smile blossomed on her face as she drifted into daydreams, her whole being immersed in sweet honey water.
Once the two are officially married, they can stand with their children and paint another picture, which will then be displayed in a row along the coastline...
No, childbirth is too dangerous.
Andra's lips were still smiling, but his eyebrows immediately furrowed.
As she raised her hand to make it easier for Eleanor and Manju to hang the gold jewelry on her, she couldn't help but imagine what Eleanor would look like pregnant.
Some people say that pregnant women are unattractive, and that the protruding belly button is frightening, but Andra doesn't think so.
In her eyes, all people look pretty much the same. Even if someone is disabled, she doesn't think there's anything about them that needs attention. She just thinks that this person can't work normally and their survival efficiency isn't very high.
The concept of pregnancy still retains its original sense of "sacredness" in Hetuya, or in most countries.
People praise pregnant women and are willing to take care of them as much as possible, provided they can still manage their own lives.
Childbirth is a great sacrifice; many people give up the opportunity for a third development to bring precious new life into this world.
"Andra, how many children will you raise in the future?"
The children on the grassland sat on the earthen slope, legs crossed, daydreaming.
Little Andra pointed proudly at the flock of white sheep and shouted, "More than that flock!"
"Wow—" everyone exclaimed in surprise.
Some children refused to participate, muttering under their breath, "Hmph, I have more than you, I'm going to raise a hundred."
"Then I want a thousand more!"
Everyone burst into laughter, happily clutching their bellies.
Each of them had drunk the herbal soup, and their concept of children was still that of cute little lambs, which they could whip and play with, or hold in their arms and run around to show off to others.
......
Andra is no longer smiling.
Let alone a hundred, a thousand... she wouldn't dare let Eleanor give birth to even one child.
She would envy other pregnant women who were gaining something when they showed off their bellies, but if Eleanor had an extra piece on her slender waist... she would only worry that the flesh was absorbing her lover's nutrients, and that it might even become a stone blocking her way to survival if something went wrong.
Swoosh, crack.
One gold chain after another was fastened together, quietly locking her beautiful body, which hung heavily into the sea.
Andra's heart pounded, and a dangerous ringing filled his ears.
But now she was holding her lover's soft fingers, her mind completely filled with redundant thoughts.
Hmm... since the throne will be passed to the youngest son anyway, why not advise Eleanor to postpone having children? We can think about having children when we're both old and near death.
"Andra".
Eleanor suddenly raised her hand and gently patted her shoulder.
Andra awoke from her daze, her heart pounding and her cheeks flushed.
She remained oblivious to the imminent danger, for Eleanor stood beside her, tilting her head slightly, gazing at her with clear, moist eyes that seemed to never tire of looking at her.
Andra thought he was standing in the wrong position.
She quickly straightened her chest, put one hand on her hip, and put the other arm around Eleanor's shoulder, striking a dashing pose.
"Oh, you really didn't listen. I'm asking you a question."
Her lover sighed in her ear, pointed to the shore, and asked, "We've been playing all day, look at the shore... have you noticed anything?"
What did you notice?
Andra's smile froze. Many people don't like writing diary entries after a spring outing, such as "Where was the scenery? What did I learn?", and she was no exception.
But she did not refute Eleanor's words; instead, she immediately looked up and carefully scanned the coastline.
Andra automatically ignored the ugly, dilapidated shacks and focused on observing the people Eleanor brought.
The closest to them were the sisters Manzhu and Jingji, who were cautiously standing beside the two men, acting as lifeguards.
It's easy to imagine that if Eleanor were to slip and fall, several hands would reach out and haul her ashore with a splash.
Looking further away, you can see coral with its head buried under the easel and some slave servants.
Does Her Highness mean... that they should also be included in the painting? No, if that were the case, Eleanor would have given the order directly instead of making her guess.
Have the souvenirs left on the shore been lost or increased? Impossible.
Eleanor's problems are mostly related to people... Oh, Princess Baley this morning.
They played all day, and the shore remained calm.
This suggests that King Belial has not yet realized their connection to the princess's disappearance—or perhaps he has realized it but decided not to pursue the matter further.
King Belai clearly didn't dare offend Hertuya... mainly because of Nolana.
Andra's eyes sparkled, and with great confidence, he spun Eleanor around in his arms before gently placing her in the water.
“Congratulations, Your Highness.” She whispered with a smile in Eleanor’s ear, “King Baley is all bark and no bite. We have a lot to do in the future.”
The afterglow of the setting sun bathed her in a brilliant gold, like gold leaf applied to the chest of a nobleman in a coffin.
Eleanor gazed intently at her lover, each glance seeming to gaze into the depths of a lifetime.
There are many small huts on the beach, which belong to generations of pearl divers.
The nobles wanted to occupy this beach and play to their hearts' content, while the common people were naturally herded aside like ducks.
Eleanor had her servants set up a large pot outside the city and cook some meat stew to distribute. She had Andra with her the whole time she did this.
Over the years, she has never concealed her care for ordinary people.
If Andra's answer today had even a hint about these shacks or the common people of Baley, even just a simple "I hope Princess Baley doesn't implicate some poor souls when she escapes," it would have been much better.
Even if—even if she was lying to her, even if she was too clever… even if it was all lies to fool a fool, she didn't want to continue this murder plan.
But......
"The harbor in Felli is really nice, it's a pity for these Belai people."
Andra wrapped his arms around her neck and kissed her affectionately: "Don't worry, I've memorized the route. Unless they completely rebuild within ten years, no one can stop our future procession."
"Hahaha."
Andra laughed, and then Eleanor laughed too.
The girl's face was pressed against her lover's neck, and no one saw her pale face at that moment.
The water was already above her knees, and Eleanor struggled to move her legs, clinging tightly to Andra's arm.
"Let's...let's strike a nice pose."
"What position?"
Andra didn't ask any further questions, because her beloved lover suddenly took off his hairpin, and his jet-black hair flew down, draping over his smooth shoulders like seaweed.
Pat, pat.
The seawater dampened her thin clothes. Eleanor opened her arms, her right hand deftly holding a shimmering silver hairpin.
The girl, like Lilia, the goddess of love who transformed into a mermaid in the myth of Belial, walked gracefully towards her.
Eleanor was petite to begin with, and the tide quickly reached her waist. Her figure as she waded through the water resembled a mermaid swaying her tail.
*Slap*
Her lover crashed into her arms like a big fish, smiling as he tightened his grip on her shoulders—and pressed down hard!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
