书斋小说网>《蛮族之花 > 第 15 章（第1页）
第 15 章（第1页）
ChapterFifteen—TheChoice
Thepalacewasstillbusythefollowingm。Thethree-daypetitionhadended，andthetribeshadgatheredinthegreathallonceagain。Allthewarriorsstoodalongthewallswhiletheyoungwomenwhohadtakenpartintheselewaitedtogetherheterofthehall。Suyuanstoodquietlyamongthem。Heranklehadbeened，andshewasstilluoroperly。TheKhansatupontheraisedwoodebehthetribalbanners。Besidehimwereseveralchiefsandeldersfromthevisitingtribes。
Aftertheformalgreetings，theKhanfinallyannouheresult。“ThreeprinceshavebeenchosentoformmarriagealliancesfromYounis。”Amurmurmovedthroughthehall。Threeprinces，meansthreebrides。Thenamesoftheselectedwomenwereannouncedoeranother。SuyuanlistenedwithoutmuterestthentheKhanturowardthevisitingprinces。“KhasaroftheKharuntribehasmadehischoice。”ThehallbecamequietandKhasarsteppedforward。HiseyesmovedacrossthegatheredwomenbeforestoppingonSuyuan。“IchoosePrincessSuyuan。”Foramoment，Suyuansaidnothing。
AyaoseyeswidenedevenTarkan，standingamongtheYounisnobles，couldntsitstill。SuyuanlookedatKhasar。“Yourechoosingme?”Khasarnodded，“Yes。”Shehadspentthreedaystryingtolose。Shehadchosentheworsthorse，missedtargetsthatwerealmostimpossibletomiss，andtributedaslittleasshecouldwithoutmakingherrefusalobvious。Apparently，noneofithadworked。TheKhangaveasatisfiednod。
Suyuanloweredhereyes，therewasnopointarguinginfrontofeveryone。Somethiwrong，shehadexpectedtobeoverlookedinstead，shehadbeenchosen。AndKhasarhadchosenherdeliberately。BythetimeSuyuauroOrchidCourtyard，thenewshadalreadyreachedNannyZhang。
“TheKharunprincechoseyou?”
“Yes。”
NannyZhanglookedatherforseveralseds。Suyuansatdowncarefully。
“Itriedtolose。”
“Iknow。”
Suyuanlookedather，andAyaoimmediatelyturnedawaytohidehersmile。BeforeSuyuancouldanswer，acoughcamefromiheroomandbothofthemstopped。Suyuansexpressiongedandsheimmediatelywentinside。Shuranwassittingagainsttheheadboard。Aclothrestedinherhand，shehadjustfinishedcoughing。Suyuanwalkedtothebedside，“Mother。”Shuranlookedather。“Iheard。”Suyuansatbesideher。
“Khasare。”
“Iknow。”
Shuranwasquietforamoment。Thensheasked，“Doyoudislikehim?”
“Ibarelyknowhim。”
“Thatisnotananswer。”
Suyuanthoughtaboutit。
“No。”
Shurannodded。
“Thatisenoughfornow。”
Suyuannoticedthathermothersbreathingwasdifferent，it’sslowerandmorestrained。Shereachedforherhand。
“Mother，youreworse。”
Shurandidnotdenyitthistime。
“ThewintercameearlierthanIexpected。”
Suyuanlookedtowardthewindow。
Outside，thefirstfrosthadsettledoverthecourtyard。
“Howlong?”
Shuranseyesremainedonthewindow。
“Idontknow。”
Suyuanwaited，thenShuransaidquietly，“ButIdontthinkIwillseespring。”
Thewordsweresimple，therewasnodramaticpause。Suyuansimplystaredathermother。Shehadknown，shehadknownformonths。Hermotherhadknowntoo，SuyuanloweredherheadandheldShuranshandmoretightly。
“Thenwehavewinter。”
Shuranlookedather。
“Yes。”
“Wellgetthroughit。”
Shuransmiledfaintlyhersmileremainedforamomentbeforefadingwithexhaustion。NannyZhangbroughthermedie，andSuyuanstayeduntilShuranhadtakenit。Laterthatevening，whenhermotherwasasleep，Suyuansteppedoutside。Thecourtyardwascold。ShestoodbehthebarebranchesandlookedtowardthedistantlightsoftheYounispalace。
Themarriagehadbeendecidedandhermotherwouldnotsurvivethewinter。Suyuanhadspentyearslearninghowtosurviveinaplacethathadneverwantedher。Nowshefinallyuoodsomething。Ifshecouldnotsavehermotherthenshewouldbringeverythingtoruin。
Shereturoherroomandopehesmallwoodenboxbehherbed。Insidewereseveraldriedherbs，smalltainers，andthingsshehadquietlycollectedovertheyears。Shelookedatthemwithouttouganything，shehadalreadymadeherdecision。Whenhermotherwasgone，shewouldnotleaveYounisquietly，SuyuanwouldmakesuretheyrememberedShuran。Sheclosedtheboxbutnooneoknowherpla。Fornow，shewouldacceptthemarriage。Shewouldwaitforthewioe，shehadlearnedlongagothatthecoldestseasoheohatrequiredthemostpatience。
