How do you live here? Are you from the Gabriel family?
Palatine had a fever last night and didn’t fall asleep until dawn, but he was woken up by a little boy after a while.
The little boy’s voice was like a spring running tinkling, loud as it was, but not obnoxious.
Palatine opened his eyes and was stunned. The little boy’s eyes were the most beautiful he had ever seen, like the most exquisite sapphire, bright and clean, deep and distant, like the grace of God, even giving the illusion of shimmering lights, and his hair was more dazzling golden than Hill Gabriel’s, shining like the sun in a stone house that had never been sunlit.
Palatine dropped his eyes after only one glance.
He hated this boy.
Golden-haired and blue-eyed, perhaps the heir of the Gabriel family.
When the little boy saw this beautiful brother look at him, the man turned over and went to sleep. The boy was a bit anxious. He turned his head and pouted his mouth. His blue eyes were full of doubts.
Why don’t you talk, brother? My name is Yellian. What’s your name?
It’s noisy! Palatine was so annoyed by the little devil that he did not want to pay attention to him. He lifted the quilt over his head, wrapped himself up, and went to sleep.
Yellian was a little sad, poking hard at Palatine’s back. Palatine could not help but lift the quilt and sit up straight. He wanted to shout at the boy but found that his voice could hardly speak after last night’s fever.
You… What a noise…
Yellian was very happy to get Palatine’s response. Even though Palatine was frowning and looked unfriendly now, beauty always had some privileges. Yellian continued to ask with a smile,
Brother, what are you talking about? I don’t understand very well.
As soon as his voice was spoken, Palatine himself was stunned. It was not his hoarse voice, but that he had not spoken for a long time. The words he uttered were out of tune and obscure. Like a loose-stringed violin, even though once pleasant, now he can only make dull assertions.
I’ll give you nectar.
Yellian saw the man and ignored him. He took out a handful of red wildflowers from his pocket, put them into Palatine’s hands, and pinched another one into his mouth.
Look, take a sip like this… You can eat sweet nectar.
Yellian’s vague voice reached Palatine’s ear and made him pick up a flower, put it in his mouth, and suck it gently.
Sweet…
This sweetness to Palatine was very familiar in his memory, but it was far away. It was like a sumptuous feast hundred of years ago, and only a few records could be seen in the history books.
It’s delicious, isn’t it? I’ll give you all my nectar. Can you tell me your name?
Yellian’s eyes lit up, and the price was on the spot. At last, Palatine would raise his eyes and look at the boy.
My name is… Palatine…
Paladin? That’s what Knights mean, my teacher told me!
For a moment, Palatine was seized by Yellian.
The teacher said I would become a powerful paladin in the future!
The paladin? The heir of the Gabriel family would not become a paladin. Wasn’t this child of the Gabriel family?
You are…
Palatine opened his mouth to ask the little boy for more information, but he saw the little boy standing up in a panic.
Somebody’s here, I have to go. I’ll come to play with you next time!
Palatine reached out and saw the little boy lift a brick at the corner of the door and escape from the small secret passage. Even when he saw the hope of going out, there was no hope in Palatine’s dark eyes – the tunnel was too far away from him, and it was useless for him to go out. Where can he go?
I accept the prophecy on your head today, you know! Priest Carlis said that I would be a paladin in the future!
Carlis? The real heir of the Gabriel family.
Palatine leaned on the bed, flipped through the astrology books at will, and listened to Yellian’s blind coercion. Occasionally, he made some perfunctory remarks about
Uh-huh,
I know,
and
I’m listening.
After that day, the little boy would often climb out of the cave to play with him and chat with him. Every day, he would bring a handful of wildflowers and share the nectar with him.
Palatine did not know where he had found so many wild safflowers, nor what he wanted to do in this stone house all day long. There was nothing that could interest children.
Palatine, you didn’t listen to me at all!
Yellian was not foolish. He heard Palatine’s perfunctory reply and angrily took the book from Palatine’s hand. Palatine looked up and saw that the little devil King, who was fearless in the sky, had two packs of tears in his blue eyes and was turning around in his eyes.
Today is my birthday… You ignore me… Uh…
As he spoke, it seemed as if he felt pity for himself. Yellian burst into tears. This cry made Palatine at a loss. He looked for his handkerchief everywhere to wipe his tears.
Don’t cry… Let me tell you a story?
Should children love stories? In the past, when they were in the monastery, the little nuns often pestered him to tell stories.
Yellian choked a few times and pointed to his head,
I don’t want to listen to stories. I want you to kiss me.
Palatine was stunned, but moved to the bedside and pecked Yellian’s forehead.
Yellian got the kiss he wanted, his cheeks flushed, his sapphire eyes sparkled with excitement, and he looked up at Palatine.
The teacher said that kisses on my forehead mean that he cares. Now you care about me.
Is it your birthday today?
Palatine touched Yellian’s blonde hair and felt the smoothness. Even without a trace of hair temperature, Palatine felt as if he had touched a glow of sunshine.
Yellian nodded desperately.
I sneaked out after dinner!
So now it’s dark…
Palatine had some regrets, but he felt it was unnecessary. Day and night had no effect on him. He had no need to know whether it was day or night outside.
Have you ever seen the sunshine?
Yellian pushed his foot in, flipped his shoes off, and laid down in the warm bedding next to Palatine.
I know you haven’t seen it before, so I brought you a present today.
I’ve seen… Gifts?
Did the little devil bring him a gift when Palatine had a high ending?
Yellian, shy, took a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket and said,
This is my first painting. It’s sunshine. It’s for you.
When Palatine opened the paper, he saw only a whole page of yellow paint, which in some places was too heavy to dry.
Palatin:
…
Enough yellow, this work must be zero.
Sure enough, Yellian sighed,
The teacher said that I had no talent for painting. He said he painted shit better than I did. How could he be so rude?
Your teacher was telling the truth.
Palatine could not bear to attack him. He could only collect the drawing paper carefully and praise him unconsciously,
I like it very much… Thank you…
Really!
Yellian was very excited, pulling at the corner of Palatine’s clothes.
Then you have to draw a picture for me, and then you have to hang it on the wall to show your love for me!
Okay.
Palatine’s eyebrows were gentle, and he agreed with a smile.
The next morning, when the Gabriel family guards came to deliver his meal, Palatine made a groundbreaking request that he wanted a drawing board, a picture frame, and some paint for painting. The guard told Hill Gabriel his request.
Give it to him.
So Palatine got what he wanted in the afternoon.
In the evening, when Yellian climbed out of the tunnel secretly again, he saw that Palatine rarely got out of bed and nailed something on the wall. However, just a few strokes, Palatine was tired and sweaty. Yellian looked at the yellow paper on the wall and looked at his Palatine gently after hearing the movement and silence. He felt that something ran into his heart, like his first love. The next time he saw Palatine, it was as sweet as the nectar he ate with him.
Let him be a little flustered, but do not want to pursue the cause, just want to be willing to sink into this sweet forever.
The next day, when the guard who delivered that day’s food saw the words on the wall, he was puzzled and found his companion to discuss the painting.
The man in the closet painted a picture.
How is it? Does it look good?
I don’t understand.
No, it’s my turn to be on duty tomorrow. I’ll go and see it too.
By the time all the guards had looked at the yellow picture on the wall, in turn, they still could not understand what Palatine had painted.
They just didn’t see a line of small black letters in the corner, which was written by Palatine. [Sunshine] Yellian gave Palatine for his birthday.
A few days later, Palatine fulfilled his promise and sent Yellian a picture.
What did you send me to draw? How can I not understand it?
The name of the painting is Yellian’s Hair.
But I can only see a piece of yellow.
Oh, because your hair is like sunshine.
…
Yellian sniffed and began to roll in bed.
I don’t want to… You bully me and make me cry…
Well, I’ll draw you again…
Perhaps with Yelian, Palatine began to feel happy in the secret room, Yelian was like a small sun, sometimes shining, sometimes bright, as never disappearing fireworks, illuminated his withering life. In his sad pain, disappointment, and despair, he appeared in his dying breath, bringing him the warmest memories.
But he will always wither.
No matter how bright the sunshine was, it was impossible to save dying roses. Even if it let him wither in the warm sunshine bit by bit, it was better than eternal life in the darkness, just… The person who owns the rose would be very sad.
But he could only bury his rose with tears and cry.
