隆冬之際,白龍前往赤龍山與年長的母龍會面,當牠抵達時,剛進食完畢的母龍正攤在花叢裡曬太陽,母龍瞥見小白時微微昂起了頭以示招呼,小白在牠身邊蹲坐下來,兩人在慵懶的午後望著身邊的龍來來去去,龍群的生育率低,今年已經沒有幼龍了。246Please respect copyright.PENANABOHghjpY06
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『妳之前說,』小白的魔力波將半瞇起眼的母龍喚回現實,後者睨向前者,『失去才是最痛苦的。』246Please respect copyright.PENANAB0Ea6FuXbZ
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『是啊,你不這麼覺得嗎?』246Please respect copyright.PENANAOE7Sv8suA6
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『那要怎麼做才不會失去呢?』246Please respect copyright.PENANA9FuAGhKqTC
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母龍眨了眨眼,看向身側仰望天邊的小白,以理所當然的口吻回應:『那是不可能的喔,不管是什麼東西,總有一天都會消失的。』246Please respect copyright.PENANAD2bkuVF8hd
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『可是這樣不對呀──』小白慢吞吞地說,似是在整理自己的思緒,也似是想藉著自言自語得出所以然,但半天也釐不出頭緒,『明明「擁有」的時間才一點點,失去的時間卻比擁有的時間多那麼多……這樣不是很奇怪嗎……』246Please respect copyright.PENANAoIjhqHNpCY
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『這樣說吧。』母龍用前爪戳了戳腳邊的月牙花,『你吃東西的時間多,還是沒吃東西的時間多?』246Please respect copyright.PENANApazJjQ9jar
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小白毫不猶豫地回答:『沒吃東西的時候多。』246Please respect copyright.PENANA7LTOqHZJZi
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『沒吃東西的時候肚子會不會餓?』246Please respect copyright.PENANA9LLDE4k8RG
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『嗯──我很少餓肚子呢,因為涅澤爾大人的塔裡總是有很多花。』246Please respect copyright.PENANAumLbCQaKJM
246Please respect copyright.PENANAqwWq2gAHoU
『這樣嗎,你是幸福的孩子吶。』母龍伸了個懶腰,隨後又換了姿勢側躺回草地上,『但是,總有過肚子餓的時候吧?』小白點頭,母龍續道:『吃完這一餐,肚子過一段時間又會餓了,你會因為吃或不吃之後都一樣會餓,而不吃東西嗎?』246Please respect copyright.PENANArYmnt8LPs9
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『不會。』246Please respect copyright.PENANAGWpVfXIlJH
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時至下午,又有更多龍回到赤龍山上,許多龍都或躺或趴,今日的風不強,柔和的微風吹向山頂,蒼穹萬里無雲,一頭頭龍皆瞇起了眼,享受冬季難得的好天氣。246Please respect copyright.PENANAGawGK4dS3d
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母龍站起身來,一口吞掉面前的月牙花,『這朵花吃完了,但你肚子還餓,這時會做什麼?』246Please respect copyright.PENANAcdjIlQIoHU
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『去吃下一朵花。』246Please respect copyright.PENANAofFfZTmz5k
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『這不就對了。』246Please respect copyright.PENANA9xwXrQ4ey3
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「波可──你找到了嗎?喂,我是要你找松露,不是要你挖兔子洞。」246Please respect copyright.PENANA4bPPhIlGuj
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黑髮少年朝拼命對他搖尾吠叫的中型獵狗走去,小狗白底的短毛上錯落著幾片褐色斑塊,少年在草叢裡蹲了下來,他無奈的捧住狗兒的長臉,「你到底知不知道什麼叫松露?我每天給你的松露香腸都是白餵的嗎?」246Please respect copyright.PENANAF4lTDXWzpU
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「汪!」246Please respect copyright.PENANAMcoAyYr0h6
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「就是你這副德性,每年的狩獵祭我才會老是墊底。」少年用力揉了一下狗腦袋,站起身來,「打獵不是挺好的嗎──挖什麼松露啊──」246Please respect copyright.PENANAHmlz483ra7
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一人一狗於樹林間穿行,少年對今年的戰績已經不抱希望──不,不只是今年,只要他帶著波可這條狗,那麼不管明年、後年、大後年,他估計都只能與小表哥角逐倒數第二名的位子,去年還是表哥的狗食物中毒他才險勝的。246Please respect copyright.PENANA3Buib0HcQj
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黑髮少年乃羅蔓沃居國唯一的王子.霍金,望著波可蹦蹦跳跳一有點風吹草動就拼命追逐雀鳥的模樣,他就認為這要是真正的打獵,自己老早就大獲全勝了。246Please respect copyright.PENANAw2hO54LC2m
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話說如此,年僅十七歲的霍金從來沒真正打過獵,他曾經聽說過,在他尚未出世的年代,某次在綠鷹森林舉行的狩獵祭發生了意外,害得他素昧逢面的爺爺與伯伯姑姑全都過世了,於是在那之後,狩獵祭就從捕獵真正的野獸、改為尋找松露這般和平的活動。246Please respect copyright.PENANAtA9nM9VJs9
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獵狗追丟了小鳥又跑回霍金身邊,繞著他不停來回跑,見狀,霍金不免有些氣餒地想,就算真讓他們去打獵,他的狗也未必能叼隻老鼠回來──唔啊,不行!他要對自己的狗有信心啊!246Please respect copyright.PENANAE84E45C6B1
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「波可!坐下!」246Please respect copyright.PENANA0DjOhLU2Zd
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「汪!」246Please respect copyright.PENANARj1QrpQI9G
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狗兒立刻照辦,霍金接著又下達命令,牠也一一遵從:「翻身!起來!握手!」246Please respect copyright.PENANAwHV17N64ar
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看,他家狗狗還是很聰明的嘛!霍金一邊說著「好乖」一邊摸摸波可的頭,又從口袋裡掏出零食塞到狗嘴中,獵不到松露有什麼大不了的嘛,反正狗又不吃松露,不如說對松露沒興趣的狗才是正常的狗吧!那些專門訓練來找松露的狗全是邪魔歪道!246Please respect copyright.PENANAYmNchosR07
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霍金如此自我安慰,看著波可屁顛屁顛地再次跑遠。246Please respect copyright.PENANAM1EDRjsBVU
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「汪!汪汪汪!」246Please respect copyright.PENANAzZU2hfMBbr
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不久,狗兒的狂吠自不遠處的草叢後傳來,聽來好似發現了什麼,霍金立刻小跑過去,只見波可對著一塊大石頭不停狂叫。246Please respect copyright.PENANAdOobJCxrYr
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純白巨石離他們尚有一段距離,遠遠看去這石頭不甚圓滑,但表面卻像是上過漆一樣地反射陽光,瞧它底下草皮的色澤,這石頭像是才剛壓上去沒多久的,然而附近卻沒有山壁之類可能掉落石塊的地形。246Please respect copyright.PENANA4kwnz9Y3Oc
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見主子來了,獵犬馬上朝巨岩跑去,就在這時,大石頭竟然動了!246Please respect copyright.PENANApZbZc7Vm07
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「波可,回來!」246Please respect copyright.PENANA4sgwo9zihV
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小狗聽話地奔回少年腳邊,白石頭轉過身來,霍金連連倒退數步──不是說翠鳥林是國內最安全的林區,狩獵祭才改成在這裡舉辦的嗎!為什麼會有龍?!246Please respect copyright.PENANA7xU3bCfqen
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龍這種魔獸,霍金只有小時候在圖畫書裡見過,對生物研究沒多少興趣的他根本連真正的龍有什麼習性都不曉得,更沒想過會有親眼目睹的一天。波可在他腳邊狂吠,霍金幾乎是本能反應地搶先拎住狗兒的頸子,免得牠傻得衝去找龍挑釁。246Please respect copyright.PENANAbkbvGqBvnn
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巨龍頎長的頸子往他們的方向伸來,霍金立馬將狗放到身後,手指著龍的反方向:246Please respect copyright.PENANAhmJENcd3Z2
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「跑!」246Please respect copyright.PENANAMxWyEwE6pm
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獵犬如離弦的箭般衝了出去,霍金才正欲拔腿跟上,龍爪就踩到了他面前!246Please respect copyright.PENANAkgFXI5KMA8
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「你是亨利先生的兒子,對不對?」246Please respect copyright.PENANASeOPmKOfRs
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突然聽見人話令少年目瞪口呆,他還以為會說話的龍只是拿來騙小孩子的故事,此刻他真有點後悔以前沒多涉獵點生物相關知識,龍到底是吃葷還是吃素啊!246Please respect copyright.PENANASWbM4fOtX5
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巨龍的影子籠罩王子相較之下矮小無比的身影,獸瞳居高臨下地俯視人類,「我剛剛還在想要怎麼找到你呢……結果你就自己跑來了,真是謝謝你。」246Please respect copyright.PENANAp9NRPvXx8N
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「什、什麼,你找我幹嘛?」246Please respect copyright.PENANA2XoWG2uVzV
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霍金冷汗直流地與巨龍對視,龍爪揮下,少年反射性地雙手抱頭,下一秒,他便被巨龍捧在腳爪裡。246Please respect copyright.PENANAA5lb7VDV3n
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「為了涅澤爾大人,就麻煩你陪我回去吧,亨利先生的兒子。」246Please respect copyright.PENANAzCXAQnn57H
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「你在說什麼鬼──」246Please respect copyright.PENANAuj5HYD4vqg
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「霍金!」246Please respect copyright.PENANAFFJ17iFkgJ
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少年因聽見自己的名字而回首,只見母親站在離他們有點距離的樹下尖叫,波可從橙髮女子的身邊跑開、直直往一龍一人跑去,想來是獵狗將王后帶到這裡的。246Please respect copyright.PENANAHVq3KJ8RlW
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巨龍振翅準備起飛,獵狗在王子制止的喊聲中向龍撲咬,龍眼往下看了狗兒一眼,索性將小狗也一把抓起,飛上天際。246Please respect copyright.PENANA6V9vBwfUHQ
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今天上午,掃帚突然說想出去外面透氣,因為以往也不是沒有過這種先例,涅澤爾便帶著它出門了,但現在想來,這或許是將他從巫師塔支開的藉口。246Please respect copyright.PENANAdEy2L14lKh
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一返回高塔,白龍便向他報告自己帶回了新的王子──見小龍殷殷期盼的眼神,以及那帶點期待又混雜著不安與關心的情緒,涅澤爾實在是罵不下去,他不曉得小白是如何做出這種簡直能說是「上一個王子走了,那就再抓一個新的王子回來就沒事了」的荒謬結論,但無論怎麼說,牠的動機終究是為了他。246Please respect copyright.PENANA9zJI5hZScN
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綁架王子可不是小事,巫師不可能把這麼嚴重的罪名丟給白龍擔,就算現在把那小鬼放回去,綁架的行為也是罪證確鑿的事實……不管理由為何,當著王后的面連半句解釋都沒有、更不顧當事者的意願就把王子帶走,這無疑會被算作綁架。246Please respect copyright.PENANAJthdW4KzdK
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涅澤爾站在巫師塔外圍的城垛上,沒有進到塔內,他忖度著上次看到那小鬼都是好幾年前的事了,也不曉得那傢伙是怎樣的人、直接放走會不會惹麻煩。246Please respect copyright.PENANA90APqrv2gw
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要不要跟亨利聯絡呢?246Please respect copyright.PENANAWfhpZ1AkBE
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想到這個,涅澤爾就頭疼,多年不見,一見面就是這種場合,天曉得亨利會作何感想。246Please respect copyright.PENANAq8JDBsFRkG
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如果跟亨利好好說明情況,他或許會原諒小白吧?但要是他兒子的說法與自己不同,亨利會相信誰呢?思至此,涅澤爾心底一涼,恍若回到了當年的狩獵祭、他惶恐亨利與其他人一樣不信任自己的那時,何況他對現在的亨利根本一無所知。246Please respect copyright.PENANAfBLhTfyP5W
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他熟識的是十多年前的那個男孩,那個會依偎在他身邊的懦弱少年,而非遙不可及的王。246Please respect copyright.PENANAxEqlIuwI1N
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涅澤爾背靠到城牆上,夕陽在他身後緩緩落下,靛藍逐漸渲染面前的天空,他閉上眼,腦海中勾勒出曾經的三王子瘦小的身影。246Please respect copyright.PENANAPJ6XoqHuUR
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想見他。246Please respect copyright.PENANATMfcAzt9CU
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不想見他。246Please respect copyright.PENANAq52mKBORNq
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不敢見他。246Please respect copyright.PENANAMoq33d9Q77
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必須見他。挾持王族的罪名非同小可,現在不是感情用事的時候……涅澤爾睜開眼,翻身飛離城牆,前往王宮。246Please respect copyright.PENANAyTlKElOG9h
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碰!246Please respect copyright.PENANAyxAoKbTJDN
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無論怎麼踹怎麼推,老舊的木門都文風不動,霍金氣喘吁吁地坐到房內的床上,忍不住咒罵:246Please respect copyright.PENANAwUYuRyBjUF
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「我去你的破門,這到底是什麼鬼地方──」246Please respect copyright.PENANAW9HmXXcSmV
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黑髮少年所處的臥室簡陋得可說是家徒四壁,除了一張床外什麼都沒有,空間也比他的寢宮小得多,唯一的窗戶雖然沒有上鎖、亦沒有欄杆或玻璃僅有窗洞,但他剛被關進來的時候就朝窗外看過,這裡離地至少有十層樓高,根本不可能跳窗逃走。246Please respect copyright.PENANAOzlatreuYV
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「可惡……你說怎麼辦啊?波可。」霍金望著走到床邊坐下的獵犬,突然靈光一閃,「對了!你的項圈不是母后從寶物庫裡拿的嗎!」少年立刻跪到狗兒身邊,匆忙解開狗頸上閃閃發光的金鏈,鏈子上串著數枚刻有字母的金屬片,「我記得……這個好像可以傳遞訊息?就把今天發生的事傳回宮裡……」246Please respect copyright.PENANAHBPVesH6Ez