Chapter 22

It was early morning when Ayla woke up. She opened her eyes only to see, on her blankets, the ugliest creature she had ever seen in her life. The said creature was pink, with no eyes, instead of ears, two holes on each side of its head, and two big front teeth, like a rabbit. The creature was bigger than a house cat. And dead. Very dead.

Ayla screamed and jumped from her blankets. Her muscles still hurt, but she was too disgusted by the ugly creature to notice.

Someone started laughing.

Ayla turned around only to see the King, who was laughing so hard that tears were falling down his face.

The others were trying hard not to laugh but failed.

"What? Scared of a molerat?" the King asked once he calmed down.

"They are inoffensive creatures," Gorn said.

Ayla could care less about how inoffensive the disgusting creature was. What did the King call it? A burn-it-until-nothing-is-left-of-it-rat.

"You put that ugly creature on my blankets!" Ayla accused the King.

"Ugly? I think it reminds me of you when you get angry," the King said, and the others laughed.

Ayla kicked the creature towards the King, hoping to hit him in the face, but the creature landed a few feet away.

"I would not let go of the molerat if I were you," the King said. "It makes a perfect broth."

Kerra snatched it and ate it before Ayla could tell the King what he could do with the ugly thing.

"At least someone appreciates my gift," King Rhobart said.

Ayla was boiling with anger, and while she was preparing her things for traveling, she was thinking about how to get back at the King for the 'I-never-want-to-see-one-in-my-life-ever-again-rat.'

When her fingers touched her messenger bag, Ayla grinned.

The rest of the day passed without any other incident, and soon, they were at the next camp.

Like the previous night, Ayla had to fill the pot and the kettle with snow. Tizgar prepared the food while the King and Gorn prepared the wood platforms for sleeping.

It was after dinner when Ayla offered the King a cup of tea.

"Tea?" Ayla asked.

"Yes, and thank you! I am first to stand guard, so a warm drink will be welcomed," the King said and took the cup from Ayla.

Ayla sat next to him and waited in silence for the King to finish his tea.

He drank half of the cup when he looked at her.

"What did you put in this tea, woman?"

Ayla shrugged, "Worm-rue."

"You little – " the King said before rushing into the forest.

Milton, who was sitting across from her, shook his head, "I am starting to think you want to get in trouble."

"He will be breathing fire when he returns. I would hide if I were you," Gorn advised her.

"Worm-rue, huh? I am glad that I got to know you, Princess," Tizgar said.

Ayla was starting to think it wasn't her greatest idea when she decided to put worm-rue in the King's tea.

King Rhobart returned after an hour. Ayla was sitting on top of her blankets, waiting for him. She wanted to make sure he was alright.

"You!" the King said in a voice full of anger.

Ayla stood, "I can explain."

While King Rhobart advanced toward her, Ayla walked backward until her back hit the woodshed. He put both hands around her head, trapping her between the shed and him, and stared at her.

"What the fuck are you going to explain?"

"Rhobart! She is sorry," Milton said.

"Stay out of it, Milton. This is between her and me," The King said while his eyes never left hers.

She had never seen the King so mad. She swallowed hard.

"Did you ever stop to think what would have happened if someone would have attacked while I was busy shitting because of you?"

"I–" Ayla started saying.

"I wouldn't have been able to lift my pants to fight."

"You could have shit on the attacker," Tizgar suggested.

"Death-by-shit," Gorn said.

"Shut the fuck up!" the King said to the Paladins. And to Ayla, he said, "I am going to spank you until you learn how to behave!"

"Rhobart, don't! She's your–" Milton said.

"I know damn well who she is! She is a spoiled princess, and she needs someone to teach her what happens when she puts another in danger."

"Don't. Please. It won't happen again. I promise," Ayla begged, her heart hammering in her chest.

"We can do this two ways: the good way or the bad way. Either way, I am going to spank you."

Ayla looked into his eyes, inhaled deeply, and said, "The good way."

The King nodded and pointed to a log, "Bend over it."

Ayla went to the log and bent.

"What are you doing?" the King asked.

She gritted her teeth, "What you said."

"First, you pull your pants down, then bend over the log," the King said.

Ayla looked at the King and then at the other men.

"Does it has to be in front of them?"

The King looked at the others, "Turn around." And they did.

"There! Now pull your pants down! Or I will!"

"Rhobart –" Milton started.

"Don't worry, I will only wound her pride, " the King said.

Ayla stood and pulled her pants to her knees.

"Do I need to do the same with my undergarments?" she asked.

"No! Now bend!" the King said.

She took a deep breath and did as instructed. When the first spank came, Ayla breathed through the pain.

"Never again put a laxative plant in my tea!" the King growled while he spanked her.

A second spank came, followed by the third. Her ass felt like it was on fire.

'I am going to kill him! From nightshadow, I can make a powerful poison. Too bad I can't find this plant in Nordmar."

…Nine, ten.

At ten, the King started spanking the other half of her ass.

One, two…

'Or I can use a sword. That way, I can look into his eyes the moment I stab him in the chest.'

… Ten.

At ten, the King stopped and backed away. Ayla stood, lifted her pants, and looked at him.

"I hate you!" she yelled at him.

"The feeling is mutual!" he yelled back.

Then Ayla went to her sleeping platform and muffled her crying with the blankets. When Kerra came to sleep next to her, Ayla hugged the snowcat and fell asleep listening to Kerra's purrs.