Chapter 61

Chapter 61 Integration

  "Mom, look how much this place has changed!"

  Natalie held her mother Nora's arm, looked around with her vivid purple eyes in excitement.

  "It has really changed ."

  The mother and daughter walked on the flat stone road of Eagle Island in trance , looking at the busy savages passing by, as well as the neat wooden houses, towers, and castle that was rising from the ground as if they came to a lively city.

  It's hard to imagine that just a few months ago, this place was just a barren and inhabited valley.

  Natalie wanted to see the castle, which had its foundations laid and walls about three feet high, but was dragged away by her mother to the orphanage.

  The yard was not big, it was simply surrounded by a fence, and there were more than a dozen wooden houses built inside. Hundreds of children gathered in the square surrounded by the houses, the older ones were eleven or twelve years old, and the younger ones were only three or four years old.

  They were all dressed in shabby animal skin clothes, shaking their heads and singing:

  "Hear my prayer, O Seven,

Thou who art seven-fold,

Seven times the beauty of the world,

Seven times the light that we behold.

Guide me in thy wisdom,

Thou the gentle mother of the seven-fold shield,

Protect me and show me mercy,

Thou the father of the seven-fold heaven.

Thou who art the stranger,

Thou who art the warrior,

Thou who art the maiden,

Thou who art the smith,

Thou who art the crone,

And thou who art the mother of dragons,

Grant us your mercy and hear our prayers ."

A woman stood nearby as she tenderly caresses the little children;

  "a warrior stands before the enemy..."

  Nora knew that this was the song of the Seven Gods.

  For this, she was not surprised. After all, the lord was a knight of the Seven Gods, and he would definitely spread the belief of the Seven Gods in his territory, which is understandable.

  Moreover, the other party did not use strong means to force all the citizens to convert to the Seven Gods, which was already very kind.

  There were many elderly people around this group of children. Some of them sang along, some bask in the sun with squinted eyes, and some do simple handicrafts... However, these people face's were full of smiles .

They were happy for this peaceful life.

  After the song of the Seven Gods was sung, the children skillfully changed another song.

  Nora hadn't heard this song before, but after listening to it for a while, she realized that this was actually a song praising the young lord, and the lyrics were quite explicit, thanking the lord for giving them food, thanking the lord for giving them shelter and they will always be grateful...

  "Mother, this lord is shameless ! He actually asked someone to write a song for himself." Natalie whispered in her mother's ear.

  Nora also wanted to laugh, but she still defended the other party: "However, he is not bragging. These old people and children have been well taken care of."

  Natalie pouted under the veil but not refuting.

  After watching for a while, the mother and daughter left the orphanage and headed towards the lord's cabin.

  "Lord Caesar."

  "Haha, Lady Nora, I have been eagerly anticipating your arrival for quite some time!" Samwell warmly stood up and welcomed therm.

  He glanced at the little girl next to Nora who was almost a copy, and said clearly,

  "This must be your daughter, right?"

  "Yes, this is my daughter, Natalie."

  Natalie bent her knees and bowed to Samwell, and then retreated behind her mother, only curiously looking at the young Reach nobleman in front of her with her vivid purple eyes.

  Samwell smiled gently at the little girl, and then asked Nora:

  "Lady Nora, have you found the Ghost Grass I wanted ?"

  Nora nodded, and handed over an animal skin bag: " We found a total of fifty-four grass this time."

  Samwell took it quickly, opened it and saw that it was indeed the kind of ghost grass that he had eaten before that can increase spiritual attributes, nodding in satisfaction he counted them. Then he took the corresponding silver deer's and handed it to Nora.

  Nora took the coin's , thanked him again and asked,

  "Lord Caesar, there is something I wanted to discuss with you."

  "I'm listening ."

  "I want the elderly and children of the Raven tribe to stay in your orphanage. I wonder what price we need to pay for that?"

  Samwell smiled and said: "The orphanage is for my citizens, so , as long as you become my subjects."

  Nora pondered for a moment, then shook her head in embarrassment: "Sorry, my lord, it's not that we don't want to submit, but that the Crows tribe have always served the old gods, so...but, we can Pay money, or ghost grass, animal skins, dried meat..."

  Samwell interrupted: "surrendering to me does not prevent you from continuing to serve the old gods, you should know that I have never forced my subjects to convert to seven God's , you can even continue your old way of life, as long as you pay taxes to me on a regular basis."

  Nora's eyes were still struggling.

  Seeing this, Samwell said again:

  "If you really don't want to submit, there is another way."

  "What way?"

  Samwell pointed to the little girl who was shrinking behind her mother: "Let your daughter stay behind too." In this way in Eagle Island, I can safely accept the elderly and children of the Raven tribe into the orphanage. Don't worry, I will treat her like my own sister." Natalie was dumbfounded when she heard this .

  Tightly clenching her mother sleeves, like a frightened deer.

  Nora hesitated for a moment and said, "Lord, I need to think about it before I give you an answer."

  "Umhh." Samwell nodded, "I will leave for Starfall City in three days, just give me an answer before then I'm gone."

  When talking about Starfall City, Samwell stared closely at Nora's eyes, and then he really noticed a well-hidden fluctuation.

  It seems that this Nora may really be Ashara Dayne, and her so-called memory loss is probably just a lie.

  But then there was a question - since Ashara didn't lose her memory, why didn't she go back to Starfall City?

  Are mountains more comfortable than castles?

  "Okay, I will give you an answer as soon as possible." Nora turned around and left the hut with her daughter as if nothing had happened.

  After going out, Natalie hugged her mother's arm and shouted:

  "Mother, I don't want to stay here! I want to follow you all the time!"

  "Stupid child. How could you keep following me?" Nora's eyes flickered With a lonely expression, she pointed to the castle under construction in front of her, "Didn't you always wanted to live in a majestic castle? You can't always follow me."

"Then I will live in the castle with you too! "

  " Natalie, listen to me." Nora's expression became serious, "We have been taken care of by the Raven Tribe for more than ten years, and it's time to something give back to them. Besides, it's better for you to stay in Eagle Island than to follow me. It's better to run around in castle than in the mountains..."

  "I won't ! I will always follow you around!" Natalie's voice was already crying.

  Nora stretched her hands to wipe away her daughter's tears, but she didn't expect to wipe more and more.

  Still, her tone was strong: "Natalie, you are different from me. You do not belong to this mountain forest, but should soar in a wider world. I once heard the whisper of the gods under the werewood , He will treat you better and there are other arrangements."

  Natalie threw herself into her mother's arms, weeping uncontrollably.

  Nora stroked her daughter's hair and looked up to the northeast—

  Her gaze seemed to see a castle , flying the purple flag across the vast bay.

  Complicated emotions filled Nora's heart, making her silent for a while.

  She just said silently in her heart -

  I can't go back, but I hope...

  you can go back...

  　[END]