Essay on the topic②

"Are you feeling unwell,Young Duke?" The knight commander, who had been keeping a distance of half a horse from Christopher and had noticed him touching his ear with gloved fingers for the third time today, couldn't help but express concern.

Christopher is the child whom the knight commander watched grow up, and even though he has become someone who needs to show reverence and pledge loyalty like a duke, the commander couldn't help but keep a small portion of affection for him.

"Of course not," Christopher turned around and smiled, "Do I look like someone who can't handle the exhaustion of a summer tour? Dad, in your eyes, am I always that kid who climbed to the top of the tower without knowing how to come down?"

The team burst into laughter at the Young Duke's self-deprecating joke, and the wind carried all the things these knights needed to hear. Three years ago, everyone in the knight order believed that the summer patrol was a heavy burden for Christopher. However, unexpectedly, he never mentioned the brutal battle that took his father's life and led to his mother's tragic death during the summer patrol. His eyes gazed calmly towards the horizon where sky meets sea.

"Dad, no wonder they say you're getting old," the young deputy knight captain laughed heartily. "Look at Chris touching his ear, how could it be that he's feeling uncomfortable when someone has been thinking about him all along!"

"This time, there were fewer people laughing. Although Christopher's expression didn't show any dislike towards this level of teasing, only the vice captain of the Knights who had played with him since childhood, Sven Riedel, could joke with him without any pressure."

Everyone in Senoka knows that the young lord of their own territory is about to marry the Marquess Miss. from the north, Renoirca. It is rumored that the Whitmanfamily, who guards the northern snowfields of the kingdom, has hair as white as snow and eyes as red as blood. The subjects are looking forward to seeing how well the future Marquess's appearance will complement that of the young duke with his black hair and deep blue eyes.

And as for the rumors about the background of this Marquess Miss, they gradually disappeared among the nobles in the Senoka territory after the marriage decree was settled, at least on the surface. No one would want to risk offending the future lord by discussing it openly and boastfully at the dining table.

The Lancelot family has always had a harmonious relationship with the royal family, and Christopher himself has maintained a readily accepting attitude towards this marriage from the beginning to the end. Since their engagement, Christopher has never received any letters from Renoirca without fail, to the point where he is accustomed to the teasing remark of 'Today you have also been buried in snowflakes from Renoirca.'

Christopher hasn't received any letters from Lillian Whitman for over a dozen days. Before leaving, based on his understanding of his fiancee, he thought there would be at least ten letters to reply to during the summer patrol.

But shortly after leading the knight order on their journey, he received two letters. The first letter stated that his fiancee was critically ill due to poisoning, while the second letter came from the Young Marquess of Whitman and arrived several days later. Due to his absence at sea, these letters had been held back at the Young Duke's residence and were only delivered towards the end of summer.

The Young Marquess of Whitman briefly mentioned in the letter that his sister's physical condition has stabilized. Towards the end of the letter, he delicately mentioned that there may be some memory issues as a result of possible poisoning after-effects. However, he emphasized that her mental state is very good and expressed gratitude for the concern from the Lancelot family in the south.

Christopher doesn't mind whether his fiancee can recover her memory or not. Although he politely replies to all the letters, it doesn't mean he enjoys the process, and based on those previous snowflake-like letters, it seems that Lilian Whitman has indeed forgotten the fact that they had met before.

.....

"Miss, this necklace makes your eyes even more beautiful, shining brighter than the most exquisite ruby in Renoirca." Far away Renoirca, Lillian finally completed her reply letter and also accomplished today's task: receiving compliments on the color of her eyes from the maid. She stretched lazily and stood up, walking towards the window. The gentle breeze of midday brushed against her face, bringing a warm sensation that made her squint slightly with a satisfied smile.

.....

The wind, carrying the moist sea breeze, blew through Christopher's hairline. Due to a friend's joke, he suddenly recalled the winter many years ago when he embarked on his first long journey with his father. Besides the carefree and completely different winter scenery of watching mountains and rivers pass by in the wind, what left a deep impression on him was that slender girl who seemed like she could disappear in an instant.

At that time, she huddled herself under the snow-covered branches of a big tree, trying to hide from the maid's search by covering herself with her light-colored long hair.

The maids in the mansion were calling out anxiously, "Miss Lillian, it's time to take your medicine!" "What should we do? We've already missed the usual medication time instructed by the Duke!" "Quickly go and find her! Miss Lillian!" "Miss Lillian, please come out. You'll freeze in the yard."

This is the daughter that the rumored Marquis Whitman had lost and struggled to find again. At that time, Christopher, who was also a child, had already started remembering the joking exchanges of information between nobles during social gatherings.

Not just one, but multiple messages from the north are circulating. The girl who was brought back happened to have red eyes, but she is just a commoner with no magical abilities. No one knows why Marquis Whitman would rather claim a child without any magical talent as his own daughter instead of continuing to search for his biological lineage.

He noticed the girl not far away suddenly turned her head and ran to the next corner, clutching her skirt like a wild cat. She only left him with a pair of emerald-like, vivid green eyes. The distant and already blurred memories became particularly clear and vivid because of the presence of his father. The man carefully stored it in his mind again as he looked into the distance.

This year's coastline is as turbulent as in previous years. Storms brewing on the summer sea, along with restless creatures within, have been swiftly blocked by the knight order, a hundred miles away from the coast.

For the leisurely passing fishing boat, the towering waves caused by the turbulent airflow at the intersection of the sky and sea are just a tide that gently lifts it up a few minutes later.

The seagulls that used to gather and make noise near the beach have all gone elsewhere, leaving only soaring falcons with their intense gazes in the clear blue sky. Occasionally, they emit rough cries that can shake the eardrums of ordinary people nearby, reaffirming the control of the Lancelot family over the power of wind and thunder in this area. At the same time, it also pays tribute to the heroes who sacrificed themselves in the deep sea to guard the peace of Senoka border for generations.

They proclaim with a deafening roar to all restless souls: the glory of Lancelot is not extinguished, it shall endure for eternity.