Fallen Radiance

The early summer sun fills the hills outside Ophelia's palace, and the breeze blows through the trees, bringing fresh smells of vegetation. Elena stood in front of the carriage, her fingers gently touching the hilt of her sword, and her look was a little uneasy.

"Elena, no practice today, no etiquette class." A familiar voice came from behind, with its usual lightness and mischief.

She turned and saw Reno approaching, his silver hair gleaming in the sun, leading two tall horses. There was a warm smile on his lips, but a sly gleam in his eyes: "Today, we want to give the busy palace life a holiday."

"A holiday?" Elena frowned slightly. "Your Highness, is it right for us to leave like this?"

"Leave without permission?" Renault smiled and handed her a maroon bridle. "You're my escort. It's your job to protect me, isn't it?"

Elena reluctantly took the REINS, but could not help laughing out: "Your Highness really has his own logic."

"Of course." Renaud jumped onto his horse and winked at her. "Well, come on, it's a fine day."

Winding mountain roads, birds singing flowers. The two rode side by side through the woods, pausing occasionally to point to a landscape and remark casually. He always had a way of making a simple scene interesting, and Elena occasionally chuckled.

"Look over there." Renaud pointed to a waterfall with a gleam of anticipation in his eyes. "Have you noticed that there is a faint rainbow in the mist of this waterfall?"

Elena squinted and, sure enough, spotted a rainbow of light and shadow looming near the waterfall. She nodded. "It is beautiful."

"Beauty is beauty, but more beauty lies behind it." Reno pulled the REINS and motioned for her to follow, "Take you somewhere more interesting later."

The two men rode to a secret mountain flat, where the grass was green, a few large trees swaying in the wind, scattered under the trees, like a picture of heaven. Renaud jumped off his horse expertly, tying the REINS to a tree trunk beside him.

"Come down. This is my secret base." He smiled and waved to Elena.

"Secret base?" Elena raised her eyebrows and followed in curiosity.

Renaud took a small blanket from his bag and spread it on the floor. He also brought out some simple snacks and fruit. "If you're out playing, it should be a little picnic."

Elena looked at his busy figure with a soft look in her eyes. "Your Highness is quite experienced in these things."

"Don't call me Your Highness." Renaud looked up at her with a hint of disapproval on his lips. "We're friends today. Call me Renaud."

Elena slightly startled, then nodded: "OK... Renault."

Renaud smiled with satisfaction, sat down on the blanket and patted his place next to him: "Come on, taste these things." I picked it out myself."

As they sat side by side on the grass, Leno told funny stories that made Elena laugh.

"Once Kane and I went to steal jam from the Royal kitchen and got caught by the cook." Renaud took a bite of the apple, deliberately lowering his voice, "The cook threatened us by stuffing us into the bread oven and baking us into a snack." And Kane almost cried, and I said, 'Well, make it nice, I like strawberries.' '"

Elena can't help laughing, raising her hand to hide the smile on her lips: "You were very naughty when you were a child."

"As a child?" Renaud looked at her with mock disapproval. "Are you saying I'm bored right now?"

"No, I didn't mean that." Elena waved her hand quickly, but her face could not hide a smile.

Renaud looked at her smile, a little softer in his eyes. He stopped laughing and asked in a low voice, "Elena, what do you think life would be like away from the palace?"

Elena took a moment to think seriously: "Should... Will it be free? I don't have to be bound by rules. I can live as I please."

Raynor listened quietly, his eyes flashing with complexity. He leaned against the tree trunk and said softly, "If one day I leave here, will you go with me?"

Elena looked up, looked him straight in the eye, and then nodded. "I'll walk you anywhere if you need me."

Renault gave a warm smile. "That's good."

The sun is slowly sinking in the west, and the glow of the sunset is spreading over the mountains and staining the whole sky. Two people sitting on the grass, looking at the distant scenery, the heart actually some reluctant.

"Elena, what if we fight later?" Renault asked suddenly, his tone relaxed with a hint of seriousness.

Elena started for a moment and then whispered, "You think we're going to fight?"

"Of course, everyone disagrees sometimes." Renaud looked sideways at her with an irrefutable seriousness. "So we have to figure out a way to make sure no one is willing to bow."

Elena thought for a moment and looked up at him: "Then we have an agreement." If you have a fight, write to each other and say what you want to say. Then no one has to argue face to face."

With a gleam in Renaud's eye, he held out his hand. "It's a deal?"

Elena looked at him with a smile on her lips and took his hand. "It's a deal."

The sunset pulled the shadows of the two of them very long, and the clasped hands appeared particularly warm in the light. At that moment, their smiles were sincere and their promises were real, as if all the shadows of the world could not touch them.

However, Elena knows that all this can only exist in the past. Before her eyes, she saw the garden and mountain scenery of that day again, and all the warmth and sweetness finally dissipated into a blur of light and shadow.