第八章：希望与联盟

Chapter Eight: Hope and Alliance

威廉的失败并没有结束战争。

William’s defeat did not end the war.

在苏格兰各地，人们仍在低声谈论他的名字。

Across Scotland, people still whispered his name.

英军以为恐惧已经重新笼罩这片土地。

The English believed fear had returned to the land.

但他们错了。

But they were wrong.

威廉重新集结幸存的战士。

William gathered the surviving fighters once more.

他们伤痕累累，却没有放下武器。

They were wounded, but they did not lay down their weapons.

威廉告诉他们，这不是为了仇恨。

William told them this was not about hatred.

而是为了不再被随意践踏的尊严。

It was about dignity that could no longer be trampled.

与此同时，苏格兰的贵族们开始动摇。

At the same time, the Scottish nobles began to waver.

他们害怕失败，却更害怕失去人民。

They feared defeat, but feared losing their people even more.

有人秘密派人去见威廉。

Some secretly sent messengers to meet William.

他们试探着问：是否还能联合？

They cautiously asked if an alliance was still possible.

威廉并不信任他们。

William did not trust them.

他知道，权力常常比自由更重要。

He knew power often mattered more than freedom.

但他也明白，战争不能只靠愤怒。

But he also understood war could not be fought by anger alone.

为了苏格兰，他选择继续前行。

For Scotland, he chose to move forward.

新的联盟在不安中形成。

A new alliance formed, fragile and uncertain.

有人是真心追随。

Some followed with true belief.

也有人仍在等待机会背叛。

Others waited for a chance to betray.

但只要希望没有熄灭，自由就仍然活着。

As long as hope remained, freedom was still alive.