Chapter 53

Ayla followed the servants who took her to another building that was close to the Clan Hall. The entrance was spacious, with sofas and coffee tables close to the walls, leaving the center free.

Two women and a man came to greet Ayla and the servants.

"She is Lady Ayla, a special guest of Chief Ulfr. He asks you to prepare her for the alxa-lotx ceremony," one of the servants said.

"With will be our pleasure to get Lady Ayla ready!" the male said in a feminine voice. "Follow us!"

"Call me Ayla," the princess said and followed the two women and the man to another room.

Ayla was taken to a room with big baths, bigger than the one from the castle. The two women had the princess take all her clothes off while the man left to prepare the clothes that Ayla would wear at the ceremony.

The women scrubbed and washed Ayla with soaps and oils and plucked all her body hair. Ayla tried to protest when the women plucked even the hair from her intimate part, but they said that men in Nordman preferred women like that. So Ayla stopped struggling and sat in silence until they finished their task.

When they finished, they applied creams that left Ayla's skin as smooth as that of a baby. After that, she was taken to another room where she was dressed in a beautiful blue dress. Beads and intricate patterns of flowers were sown on the dress. A white cloak came next. Ayla put the dagger that Nixx gave her around her waist. She always had it with her.

Last was her hair. The man brushed it and braided it, adding colorful beads and flowers to the braids.

While the man worked on Ayla's hair, the women tried to wash Kerra. The snowcat hissed and growled at the women, but the women didn't stop until the fur of Kerra shined with cleanness.

When the women and the man finally finished, Ayla and Kerra were taken to look into a mirror. She looked very beautiful, and she wondered what Rhobart would think when he would see her.

"You look like a real princess," the man said.

Ayla chuckled. 'I am a real princess,' she thought.

Kerra hissed at the mirror, and Ayla looked at her. A red ribbon was around the snowcat's neck.

"I think you are the most gorgeous snowcat I have ever seen!" Ayla said, and Kerra snorted. "Come on, Kerra! We have a soul-bond ceremony to attend too!"

Before she left, Ayla thanked the two women and the man for helping her. When she returned to the entrance, a servant was waiting for her. When they got outside, Ayla saw that it was already dark.

The servant held a magic crystal in his hand and took Ayla and Kerra to the Church of Fire, then bowed and retired.

Ayla went inside and looked around, but she didn't see anyone familiar, so she decided to wait close to the entrance while looking around the Church. Ten big stained glass with images describing the fight of Inoss and Beliar, or the Wars with the Orcs, made Ayla look at them with fascination. While she stared at the stained glass, the Church quickly filled with people. Soon the benches and the chairs were fully occupied, and more people had to stand next to the walls.

Next, Ayla looked at the altar– which was made from a red stone, and at the statue of Inoss–which was made from white marble. The statue had a torch in his left hand, while in his right hand, he had a sword with a big red ruby on its hilt.

A hand touched Ayla's shoulder, and when she looked to see who it was, she saw Eude and Hudde. Both of them whistled.

"Why can't we be this lucky to find a woman so beautiful to call ours?" Eude asked his twin, and Ayla blushed.

"We say we kidnap her once the ceremony is over," Hudde said.

"It's the bride that it's supposed to be kidnapped, but I would kidnap the princess any time!" Eude replied.

Ayla frowned, "Hello to you too! Have you seen Rhobart? Or Milton?"

Hudde put a hand on his chest, "Although it hurts me to say this, we are not here to kidnap you. Unless you want that. But we are here to escort you to Rhobart. He is pacing like a lion in a cage because he can't find you, so he sent out his loyal Paladins to find the missing princess."

"No kidnapping," Ayla said. "But I would much prefer if you took me to Rhobart."

"At least we will receive a reward because we found you first!" Eude said. And looking at his twin, he added, "We should kidnap the bride and ask for a big reward from her n'alxa!"

Ayla shook her head while she tried not to laugh.

The twins led Ayla to the front of the Church, where she finally saw Rhobart sitting on a chair next to the Chief.

When Ayla was close to him, Rhobart stopped talking, turned his head, and looked directly at Ayla. It was as if he felt her presence.

His eyes, two pools of darkness, looked at her from head to toes. Then he moved his gaze and looked Ayla in her eyes. He stood and when to her, while he never stopped looking into her eyes.

The King was wearing a simple white tunic and black trousers with black boots. A black cloak sat on his shoulders. His beard was shorter than the last time Ayla saw it. His hair was braided in a simple style.

"We found her!" the twins said, and the King nodded, but his eyes never left those of Ayla.

"I will see you at the party," Rhobart said, not looking at the Paladins. "You are the most beautiful woman on Aylarra, and I am the luckiest man alive to call you mine!" Rhobart said to her in a low tone, as if it was meant only for her to hear, and Ayla blushed.

"Thank you! And you are also very handsome!" Ayla also said in a low tone.

"Let's sit. The ceremony is about to start," Rhobart said and guided her to an empty chair next to his chair.

Rhobart took Ayla's left hand into his, "The ceremony will start in a moment."