Chapter 54

An old Fire Mage who was carrying a beautiful wooden box went to the altar. Milton accompanied him.

"I didn't know Milton would help with the ceremony," Ayla said.

"He is standing as a witness of Inoss for the ceremony."

Ayla was very curious to see how a soul-bond ceremony went.

Minutes later, a beautiful young woman with blonde hair and green eyes, wearing a white dress with hundreds of colorful beads and a white cloak, and an equally handsome man with blonde hair wearing a red tunic and black trousers walked to the altar.

The people in the Church of Fire turned their attention toward the couple and the Mages.

"Hammer Clan," the old Mage started speaking, "today we celebrate with Seff and Kassidy! Today two halves of the same soul will become one!"

Milton opened the box and took out a piece of red ribbon and a bone-carved knife that had a red ruby on its hilt.

Both the young woman and the man put their left hands with their palms up in the air.

"Two halves of the same soul and fate brought them together!" the old Mage said as he took the bone-carved knife in his hand.

"From the moment they saw each other, their hearts sang, and their souls recognized each other as n'alxaes!" the Mage said, and then he cut across the couple's palms.

Ayla felt a cut on her left palm. She let go of Rhobart's hand to look at her palm, but nothing was there. She even touched her palm with her fingers, and Ayla thought she felt something like a scar in her palm, but she couldn't be sure.

"Everything alright?" Rhobart asked.

Ayla nodded," I just thought I had a scar on my palm, but I was mistaken."

Rhobart nodded and took her left hand in his once more as Ayla continued to look at the ceremony.

"Seff, take Kasiddy's hand so that you can receive Inoss' blessing!" the Mage instructed.

The man took his young bride's left hand into his left hand, and the Mage tied the red ribbon around their writs.

Ayla felt the fantom touch of ribbons around her left hand, and when she looked at it, a memory of her, of when she was very young, appeared in her mind. She was with an older boy, and they had their left palms joined, and a red ribbon, a blue one, and a white one were tied around their writs. Also, flower bracelets were around their left wrists.

Ayla frowned and tried to concentrate on that memory because it was impossible she would remember such a thing happening to her. And who was the boy? But the moment she tried to see the older's boy's face, she felt as if knives were stabbing her head.

A little hiss of pain escaped her lips, and Rhobart squeezed her hand.

"Are you feeling alright?" he asked her.

Ayla let the memory vanish from her mind, and with it, the pain also disappeared.

"I am fine," she said and smiled.

The princess focused back on the ceremony.

"This red ribbon represents the alxa-lotx!" the Mage said to the couple. Then the Mage looked at Milton, "Does Inoss approves the union of these two souls?"

Ayla watched with fascination as the ruby from the Inoss statue glowed, and a red light descended until it reached the couple's joined hands.

"Inoss sees and approves the union!" Milton said.

"You are blessed for eternity!" the old Mage declared, and a second later, every person inside the Church erupted in cheers and hand-clapping. The young couple kissed.

Soon the cheers stopped, and the people started leaving the Church.

Ayla and Rhobart stood. While they waited for more people to leave the Church, Ayla asked Rhobart, "What happens next?"

The twins' voice came from behind her, "Now they are going to fuck so that they can get their real alxa-lotx! And while they fuck we celebrate!"

Ayla and Rhobart turned in time to see Gorn smack both twins in the back of their heads.

"Ouch! What did we do this time?" both of them complained.

"You need to learn how to speak inside a Church of Fire!" Gorn said.

Ayla saw all the Paladins standing behind Rhobart and her. They were dressed in celebration clothes and, like Rhobart, had their swords with them.

Even if she spent more time with Gorn and Tizgar, Ayla was glad to see that all the Paladins were well.

She smiled at them and made a small bow. And apart from Goderay, who didn't even look at her, all of them returned the smile.

"Ready to party?" Eude and Hudde asked Ayla.

"Yes! I haven't been to a party since I was a child!" Ayla said.

To her surprise, the twins grabbed her by her arms and dragged her fast, far away from Rhobart. Kerra ran after her.

Ayla looked behind her, hoping to see Rhobart, but some people blocked the view.

"In the end, we decide to kidnap you!" Eude said and laughed.

"Wait! Where are you taking me?" Ayla asked.

"To the party, of course! We have to arrive accompanied by the most beautiful woman that this Kingdom has ever seen," Hudde said, and Ayla blushed.

Ayla smiled, "If that is the case, dragging me won't do!"

The Paladins stopped walking. "What do you have in mind?" they asked her.

Ayla linked her arms with their arms and said, "Now we can go to the party!"

"Ayla!" the princess heard Rhobart calling her.

"See you at the party, King Rhobart!" she said in a loud tone before stepping outside the Church together with the twin.

All three of them walked as fast as they could towards the Clan Hall. Kerra never lost sight of Ayla, not even when she entered a Clan Hall full of people.