Of course Aigron was not willing to miss Princess Sophie's warm invitation. He got up early the next morning, stretched out his body, and followed the princess's attendants to the fountain.
"Good morning, Aiglon!" Princess Sophie, who was ready to go, greeted him with a smile on her face. "Are you ready?"
Unlike her usual appearance in a long skirt, she was wearing a hunting suit today. The tight-fitting clothes and breeches highlighted her slim figure, and her long gray hair was tied behind her head, making her look heroic.
"I'm ready," Aiglon replied.
"Okay, let's go while it's not too hot yet!" Her Royal Highness the Princess waved her hands excitedly.
The weather is beautiful today and it is another sunny day. The weather is very suitable for going out for a long trip. However, it is already early summer after all. The temperature will rise at noon and it is not suitable for strenuous exercise. Therefore, if you want to hunt, it is best to go hunting. morning.
So the two of them stopped talking and walked into the garden together, where the attendants brought the horses. Then they rode horses through the Zoo and Botanical Garden of Schonbrunn Palace, and ran westward to the outskirts of Vienna. In the vast forest.
The two rode side by side, with Her Royal Highness the Princess' entourage following behind. Under the cover of numerous trees, the bright sunlight gradually became much darker. Breathing in the fresh and cool air, Aigron felt relaxed and happy.
"Aigron." In the silence, Princess Sophie spoke softly. "What you... said in front of us last night, was it true?"
Aiglon's heart suddenly tightened.
He didn't know whether Sophie was asking on behalf of herself or someone else.
"When you were talking, I was looking into your eyes." Before he could answer, Sophie continued, "Honestly, your words were full of emotion and emotion. Logically speaking, I should I believe it - but when I see your eyes, I feel that there is a fire burning in your heart...Aiglon, you don't mean what you say, do you? We have known each other for a while, although you always deliberately put yourself I hide my feelings, but I don’t know why, I just feel that you don’t mean what you say, and those words are all lies, Aigron, did I blame you wrongly?”
Aigron remained silent and did not answer.
"Don't worry, these are just what we talked about in private. I will never mention it to the second person again, even to Karl." Sophie turned her head and looked at the boy with a smile on her face, " I just want to confirm whether I have wrongly accused you, and I don’t mean to interrogate you. If you are not happy, you don’t have to answer.”
Now that he has already talked about it, there is not much point in him continuing to explain. It will only cast a shadow on the trust between the two people for no reason. As for silence, there is no point. It only makes you look scared.
"Yes, I was lying." Therefore, he admitted it simply. "I have no intention of becoming a writer or traveler at all. These are just words to fool them."
"Well, it seems that you are quite honest with me. My kindness has not been in vain." Princess Sophie smiled and then asked again. "If that's the case, why do you reject His Highness the Prince's arrangement? Although it must be ill-intentioned, objectively it does help you."
"I know what my fate will be if I obey..." This is of course impossible to answer.
Aiglon lowered his head and looked at the trembling mane on his mount's head, "I actually don't object to joining the army after a while, but I... I can't bear to spend the days with you now. If I go now, There will definitely be fewer opportunities to see you in the future, so I would rather wait for a while."
"Have you learned the coaxing words of a libertine at such a young age?"
Princess Sophie glared at him, then raised her hand and picked up the riding crop as if to give him a whip.
Aigron did not dodge, but looked at Sophie calmly.
Sophie didn't really swing her whip. She lowered her hand again and looked forward.
"You are too short of friends, so you may value our friendship too much."
"There are not many people who are willing to be my friends." Aigron replied in a low voice. "I don't know whose friendship to value except you, because I don't have any in the first place."
After getting this answer, Sophie was obviously a little sad.
"This is really God's trick! Why do you have to suffer this kind of suffering?" Finally, she sighed. "Aiglon, don't be discouraged, everything will be fine. As long as I am here, no one here can bully you."
"Look, you carelessly show kindness to people like me, but at the same time you don't let me cherish this precious time. Isn't this forcing someone to do something difficult..." Aigron looked at the other party with aggrieved eyes, "If you want me to If you change your mind, then it’s best not to treat me like a sister, but just like everyone else.”
"Haha..." Sophie couldn't help laughing, "I didn't realize you were so eloquent. Okay, let's not talk about these unpleasant things and concentrate on hunting!"
After finishing speaking, she picked up the shotgun and pointed it at the quail flying in the forest.
"boom!"
With a loud noise, smoke filled the space between the two people, but unfortunately the princess's shooting skills were not very good and she missed the hit.
The sound of gunshots awakened the forest, and various birds in the forest jumped up one after another.
Aigron also raised his shotgun and aimed at the birds flying in the distance.
Because there were thick trees in the forest and the light was dark, the shooting field of view was not good, so he could only do his best.
"Hit!" Sophie cheered, as if she had hit the target.
As she spoke, she controlled the horse and ran in the direction where the prey fell, and Aigron naturally followed behind her, while loading the shotgun with bullets.
"Aigron, your marksmanship is pretty good." Looking at the dead quail under the horse's hooves, Sophie looked at the young man with approval.
"It's just good luck occasionally." Aigron pretended to be modest.
"Look how proud you are!" Sophie was unconvinced again and picked up the shotgun again and loaded the bullets, "Look at me!"
She raised the shotgun to aim again on horseback. After aiming at the prey, she slowed down her breathing, and then pulled the trigger, all in one movement.
"boom!"
With a loud noise, this time an unfortunate turtle dove fell to the ground.
"Hit!" Sophie cheered for herself this time, then rode her horse and ran over, ready to admire her victory. Aigron also raised his shotgun and fired a shot in front of him, but because of the cover of the trees, he did not No prey was shot down.
"I beat you this time." Sophie said happily.
In this way, the two men rode horses through the woods, shooting from time to time, competing to see who could catch more prey, and time passed in this leisurely and warm atmosphere.
"Aiglon, it seems that you are still better than me." After a while, Sophie calculated the results of the two people and said regretfully.
"This is just my good luck." Aigron replied humbly.
The two people were chatting while walking down a slope. Because this horse was not his daily mount, he did not ride very steadily on the downhill road, and the horse bumped violently, so he carefully controlled the horse while chatting with Sophie.
"Aiglon, can you promise me something?" Sophie said suddenly.
"Please tell me." Aigron replied immediately.
"No matter how successful you are in the future, you must remain rational and don't spread your hatred to everyone. Although the Austrians are on guard against you, they also have their own difficulties, and most of them have no regard for you. Disgusting feeling..."
"No one can tell what will happen in the future, but of course I will not let hatred blind me." Aigron replied briefly, "If you ask me to do this, then I promise you, I will."
Sophie looked into his eyes as he answered, and when he finished she nodded happily.
"Great, I believe in you...Aigron, this is what I want to see in you most..."
She didn't expect that just when she was overjoyed, sudden accidents and disasters would come here.
The hoof of her mount hit the wooden stake hidden in the grass hard. The sprained horse let out a mournful cry, then its upper body fell down and its lower body suddenly lifted up.
"Yeah!" Sophie screamed as she was thrown upwards.
Oh my gosh!
Aiglon felt his blood freezing.
Neither he nor the original soul in his body could imagine the next scene.
He immediately reached out his hand, grabbed Sophie's body hard, and then pulled hard.
It was a subconscious reaction, he was making a decision for himself at this moment.
Fortunately, he caught Sophie and pulled her off her mount, avoiding the disaster of being thrown off the horse. However, just as he pulled Sophie, his violent movements also caused his mount to Out of his control.
He suddenly fell off the right side of the horse, landing on his right shoulder first, his forehead touching the ground at the same time, and he lay there on his side.
Sophie was in his arms and fell to the ground with him.
"Egglon!"
Sophie, who was already stunned, suddenly let out a scream, then knelt down on the soft soil regardless of her manners, and held his head. "Are you OK?"
Seeing the scratches on the young man's forehead and face, as well as a small amount of blood, and the slight twitching of the corners of his mouth, tears flooded her eyes and then overflowed.
"Aigron, are you okay?!" she called in a tearful voice.
"I'm fine, Your Highness." Aigron looked at Sophie and couldn't help but smile, but the blood foam overflowing from the corner of his mouth made this answer unconvincing at all.
"sorry Sorry……"
Sophie apologized while crying, and then she raised her head and looked back with shame and anger that could almost set the entire forest on fire.
"Someone come quickly!"
