Eagle’s Glory

June 1, 1835

On this day, the countryside on the outskirts of Vienna is ushering in one of its most vibrant days of the year.

Early in the morning, an earthy scent reverberated in the woods with the breeze. Fresh air is like a medicine that refreshes the lungs. It rained last night. The cool rain drove away the sultry summer heat and brought a refreshing feeling to the morning. The air was filled with the fresh fragrance of grass, and the sky after the rain was as blue and translucent as a gem.

The sun is rising on the distant mountain peaks, and the golden morning light burns the small half of the sky to yellow, sending ordinary and brilliant blessings to the earth.

It was also at the time of the rising of the sun, who was lying on the cot, and slowly opened her sullen eyes.

This child who has not yet turned 8 years old is snooze like almost all her peers. However, this luxury happiness did not come to her. Her blurred vision slowly focused, and then she saw a man in a maid's costume in front of the bed. figure.

"Miss, you are awake, breakfast is ready, please get up."

Although her tone was very respectful, Kristel knew that this was actually an order.

Kristel immediately closed her eyes in disgust, then grabbed the quilt tightly to express her dissatisfaction and protest.

However, the maid immediately stepped forward, ignoring her struggle, forcibly tore her hands and the quilt away, and then carried Corristel out of the bed,

Then, she took off Kristel's pajamas and put on a beautiful dress for her.

In all fairness, this maid is not ugly, but her always cold and serious expression, as well as her stern attitude towards Kristel, made Kristel hate her very much, and she would deliberately provoke her from time to time. anger each other.

Corristel is still a child, she doesn't know how to evaluate a person's quality, she can only judge by the instinct of a child - so she hates this who keeps telling her to do this and that and not allowing her to play. administrator.

However, each of her protests and resistances will be defeated as easily as today, in the past and still today.

And just like that, Kristel started her new day sulking.

After changing into her dress, Corristel washed her hair under the care of the maid, and then brushed her hair.

In the mirror, this child has a slender figure, his skin is as white as snow, his blue eyes are as clear and clear as lake water, and with his long silver hair, he is like an elf who has traveled through the world.

It's a pity that Kristel doesn't know whether she is beautiful or not, because she has no peers to compare with.

Next, she finished her breakfast, which meant the busiest part of her day.

She was only 7 years old, and she had been assigned many courses a few years ago, and these courses increased as she got older.

She has to learn German, French and Latin, as well as vocal music and dance, and has even started taking a history class, so heavy that her schedule is so full that she has almost no breathing room - of course, Kristel She doesn't know how her peers live, so she can't make comparisons.

As long as she can remember, Kristel has been living such a life, spending the day in this kind of study every day, and it is not until evening that she can rest and have a little play time.

Even during this play time, she can only move in a very limited space. The maids in the manor are watching her every move and strictly limit the range of her running. Once she approaches the fence outside the manor, She will be forcibly dragged away and brought back.

Therefore, in her impression, these fences are the boundaries separating the world she is in from the other world, which cannot be crossed, and even touching it will bring disaster.

It's time for a French class.

Corristel hated grammar class the most, because the teacher's bearded face was uglier than that of the maid, and at his age, his lifeless voice and deliberately distanced respect made Ke Listel was deeply bored, but no matter how boring she was, she could only listen obediently and deal with the teacher's questions, because if her answer did not satisfy the teacher, the maid would punish her.

Two hours later, Kiristel managed to get through the grammar class.

Next comes the vocal class, where she will have a short break.

As entertainment, Kristel casually picked up an unfinished fairy tale book on the shelf, and read it from the bookmark.

Since she became literate, Kristel has read a lot of fairy tales, and now she is reading the story of Sleeping Beauty.

She envied the princess who was awakened by the prince, not because of the love she didn't understand, but because the prince took the princess away from the castle tightly surrounded by thorns, so that she could live freely outside.

Sometimes she would wonder, could she be a princess herself, so she was treated like this?

However, even she would find this idea very ridiculous.

Time passed quietly, and the rest time of Kristel was about to end, and the maid walked slowly into the room.

"The time is up, ma'am," she urged Kristel calmly.

Corristel, who was interrupted from reading, glared angrily at the other party, but reluctantly put down the fairy tale book.

"You are as annoying as a witch." She scolded the maid coquettishly.

"Then you are as cute as a princess." The maid did not get angry at the child, but calmly put away the book and put the bookmark. "Okay, miss, let's go, don't make the teacher wait for a long time."

"Then can I really become a princess?" Kristel whispered, as if she hadn't fully come out of the atmosphere of the fairy tale book.

The maid's expression instantly became very strange, like a wry smile, but also pity.

Kristel couldn't understand such a complicated and wonderful look, she just stood there blankly, looking at the maid in doubt, she didn't know if she made a mistake again and angered this terrible adult.

However, instead of reprimanding her harshly, the maid leaned down gently, put her hands under Corristel's armpits, and gently picked her up.

Then, Kristel was shocked to find that her face and the maid's face were getting closer and closer, and the maid's hand didn't stop until the two could look at each other face to face.

"Yes, Miss is the cutest princess." Then, the maid said to Kristel in a serious tone with unquestionable confidence. "And always will be."

The sudden compliment made Kristel instantly fall into surprise, but her surprise didn't last long, and the maid's face instantly returned to her usual seriousness.

"However, because of this, the young lady should be more strict with herself and work hard to learn the proper knowledge and etiquette, so as to be worthy of the glory of the princess."

Kristel couldn't understand what the other party said about the glory, but she knew that it meant that she would continue to be strictly controlled by the maid, and she only had a little time every day to play freely - even this kind of play would have maids around. Watch around.

The child's heart suddenly filled with anger.

"If I really become a princess, I will definitely let the guards catch you up and take you away!" She pouted angrily, then looked around subconsciously, as if some guards would really appear.

Her threats not only did not frighten the maid, but made the maid laugh out loud.

"Maybe that day will come, I will wait quietly, miss."

After she finished speaking, she gently put Kristel down.

And just as the two were about to leave the room, there was a neighing sound from the window.

Corristel's originally puffed expression was replaced by ecstasy. She hurried to the window, then stood on tiptoe and looked downstairs.

In Kristel's memory, the sound of this sound in the manor only meant one thing—mother was here.

Sure enough, just under her gaze, a noble lady walked down from the carriage. She was wearing a simple skirt and a wide-brimmed hat on her head. Updo.

But for Kristel, that was enough.

"Mom!" she cheered loudly from the window, then hurried out of the room and down the stairs.

Of course, the maid didn't stop the girl's actions, but just followed quietly and looked at her back with pity.

Soon, Kristel rushed downstairs and hugged her mother tightly.

"mother!"

"Koli..." The lady was also very excited, leaning down and hugging her daughter tightly.

"Mom, I miss you so much..." Kristel closed her eyes with joy, and then kept dawdling in her mother's arms, in order to feel her mother's breath, and her mother gently stroked her Face and back, enjoying the tender time between mother and daughter.

As long as she can remember, Corrister's mother has only come to visit her once a month, and every time she is in a hurry, she only stays for a day or two at most.

But this not only did not wear down the feelings between mother and daughter, but instead made Corrister closer to her mother. Every time her mother came over, it was her happiest time. She stayed by her mother's side whenever she had the chance, She confided everything she had encountered recently.

After hugging for a while, Madame finally put down her daughter, and then she looked at Corristel carefully.

"My daughter, you are getting more and more beautiful."

Being praised by her mother, Kristel was so overjoyed that her eyes narrowed with laughter.

But the mother quickly changed the conversation, "But looks are not enough, you also have to have the talent you should have. How have you been in class recently?"

Before she could answer, the maid behind her quietly spoke.

"Miss's studies are very good. The teachers praise her for being smart, but sometimes she gets tired of studying and resists studying. We have to supervise her with tough methods. Other than that, everything is very good, Hall... lady."

"As expected of our daughter... that's how smart." After hearing the first half of the sentence, the lady laughed with relief, and then she excused her daughter, "After all, she is still a child, it's normal to play fun, I'm just like her. She was even more tired of studying than she was when she was older."

The maid did not refute the lady's words, but just lowered her head.

After a moment, she sighed softly. "Miss is still too short of playmates, so sometimes she is very lonely"

After hearing the other party's words, the lady's expression suddenly became a little sad.

"You've done a great job so far, thank you..."

Then, she patted Kristel on the head again. "Keli, you must be obedient and don't make it difficult for the people who take care of you, okay?"

Kristel could only nod obediently.

"Okay, go back to class. Mom will accompany you at night." The lady nodded.

The maid immediately stepped forward, and Kristel obediently followed behind the maid, and the two walked back to the mansion together.

Although she was reluctant to part, Corristel knew that this was what her mother wanted her to do, so she must do her best.

In the following vocal and dance lessons, her learning was full of motivation, and she meticulously followed the teacher's instructions to play and dance, because she knew that her mother was waiting for her in the room.

Time passed quickly. After finishing her heavy schoolwork during the day, Kristel came to the dining room. After the mother and daughter had dinner together, they came to her mother's bedroom together.

When her mother stayed in the night, Kristel did not sleep in her own bedroom, but stayed in her mother's room and slept with her. This was her happiest time. I didn't want to go to sleep until the early morning, and I didn't want to waste this rare time.

"...One day, the prince in the city held a ball and invited girls from all over the city to attend, but the stepmother and two older sisters refused to let Cinderella attend, and kept asking Cinderella to do things. Cinderella also wanted to attend the prince very much. but her clothes were so dirty, how could she attend the prince's dance, so Cinderella cried sadly.

At this time, a fairy appeared and helped her make a very beautiful new set of clothes. She also turned a mouse into a groom and a pumpkin into a carriage. After Cinderella thanked the fairy, she rushed to the palace excitedly. The fairy reminded her before her departure that she should not stay until twelve o'clock in the middle of the night. After twelve o'clock, the magic will be automatically lifted, and Cinderella happily agreed..."

At the bedside, the mother read Cinderella's fairy tale to her daughter in a gentle tone.

Corristel quietly listened to her mother's voice.

"Mom, does that fairy have a name?" she asked.

"Her name is Cinderella." Mother replied safely.

"Does it really exist?" she asked again.

"Of course it exists." Mother's eyes flashed, as if recalling something, "Even your mother was once called that..."

Kristel looked at her mother in shock, as if trying to find a wand from her.

"Oh, don't look at it, I don't have a wand and I can't do magic..." Mother smiled wryly, "After all, it's just a joke."

Although her mother was laughing, Kristel instinctively felt a trace of sadness in it, but she blinked her eyes and didn't dare to speak.

Mother and daughter sat side by side on the bed, allowing time to pass slowly.

After an unknown amount of time, my mother finally spoke up.

"Keli, I have good news to tell you."

"What good news?" Kristel asked.

"You should be able to see your father soon."

"Father..." Kristel said the word stiffly, and it took a few seconds to understand the meaning of the word in her mind.

This word was so unfamiliar in her life that although she knew it existed, she had never mentioned it to her, and no one had told her that she could meet her father.

"Is it... is it Dad?" she asked in a trembling voice.

"Yes, it's your father." There were a few tears in the mother's eyes, and then she nodded heavily.

"Dad..." Kristel repeated the word again, as if chewing.

It stands to reason that she should be more than excited, but at the moment she only feels at a loss.

"Dad, what kind of person are you?" she asked in a low voice.

"Your father is an excellent person, a person who can make your mother fall in love, a hero..." The mother replied with tears.

"Then why didn't he come to see me?" Christel asked again.

Although she was just asking an ordinary question, her mother frowned and managed to hold back the pain in her heart.

She stroked her daughter's cheek, then let out a sigh, "Sorry, he has too many things to do... and there are too many obstacles in front of him, he has always wanted to see you, but he has never had time. ."

Corristel blinked, she didn't quite understand what her mother said.

"Don't worry, my child, just wait a little longer, and soon you'll be at Daddy's side." The mother continued to stroke her cheek, and then went on in a trembling voice, "I'm glad our daughter is so good. You are beautiful, and I can give him such an excellent and beautiful you, and I can have a clear conscience."

"Are you going to Daddy's place with me too?" Kristel asked.

The mother's brows furrowed even more, and she finally shook her head gently.

"I'm sorry, I can't do it for the time being." As if reluctant to let her daughter leave, she suddenly hugged Kristel again, and continued speaking with a crying voice.

"Koli, you are the greatest pride in my life and the testimony of my best memories... Keli, I'm sorry I made you live like this, please forgive me... I love you."

Kristel gently reached out her hand and wiped the tears from her mother's eyes.

"I love you too, Mom. I'm not going, I'm here to accompany you."

"No, no! Don't be silly, child." The mother interrupted, trying to calm herself down, "You must have a status worthy of you, Keli, this is not for you."

Because of her mother's rare sternness, Corristel dared not speak.

Seeing her daughter's fearful appearance, her mother softened again.

"Be patient, my daughter, we will be reunited." She hugged her daughter tightly again.

In her mother's warm embrace, Corristel closed her eyes.

In her young mind, she didn't understand what "waiting patiently" was, but she knew that this was her mother's request.

So she has to do it.

"Okay, Mom."

The mother and daughter hugged each other like this, and after a long time, Corristel raised her head from her mother's embrace.

At this time, the little face looked up at the stars outside the window.

What would it be like to have a father who has never met?

Will he love me?

Corristel couldn't find the answer, but that was all she had to get, for herself and her mother.