Chapter 58

"I am glad that you and Rhobart are together," Milton said. "I never thought a day would come when I would see him so happy. You make him happy."

"He makes me happy, too!" Ayla said.

"I am glad. After all, he's been through; he deserves to be happy. You too!"

Ayla bit her lower lip, "He told me he had a n'alxa but that he lost her during the war."

Milton stopped walking and looked at her, shock written all over his face.

"He talked about what happened?" he asked.

"No, he didn't tell me much about her. To be honest, he refuses to talk about her. What did she do to break his heart so badly?"

Milton resumed walking, "I can't tell you too much about her, as I don't know all the details, but I will share what I can. He met her when they were children. He was only eleven at the time, but he knew from the moment they touched what she was to him. She was younger, and she didn't feel that Rhobart and her were soulmates until two years later. But in the end, she chose her family over him and broke their soul-bond. Rhobart was devastated. For years, he was just half alive. He would just fight and sleep. He would only eat when he remembered. But when he is with you, Ayla, he is different. When we danced at the party, he was truly happy. And I hadn't seen him this happy since he was eleven and told me all about his n'alxa when he came to see me at the Fire Mage Monastery."

The Fire Mage stopped walking for a second time and looked at Ayla, wanting to say something. He looked at a shop, swallowed hard, then looked back at Ayla, "Don't break his heart, Ayla. If you do, I don't think he will recover this time."

"I won't," Ayla promised. "His n'alxa, she is still alive, isn't she?" the princess asked, fear creeping in her heart.

"She is–"

"Stop gossiping like you are old maids in the middle of a marketplace!" Rhobart's voice came from their left, startling Milton and Ayla.

When Ayla looked at Rhobart, she saw that his eyes were burning with anger. Godefray was with him, and the Paladin looked at Ayla with hatred.

"I told you I need time, Ayla! And you go on and ask things behind my back. Things that I still can't talk about! You want to know about her? I will tell you. She told me she loved me, made promises to me, and then broke all of them. We had our n'alxa-lotx ceremony, and she broke our bond! Do you know how it felt to have your soul-bond broken? It felt like my heart and soul were being ripped apart from me! And even after all this time, her betrayal still hurts!" Rhobart bellowed.

"Don't take it on her! It's all my fault," Milton said.

"I thought you knew better than to talk about my fucking life!" Rhobart said to Milton. "I need to calm down. Otherwise, I will say things I will later regret," the King said and left.

Ayla felt tears prickling her eyes. She didn't want to make him mad. She was just curious.

Snow started falling from the sky as she watched as Rhobart disappeared into a crowd of people.

"If my n'alxa had done that to me, I would have killed her," Godefray said.

"Then it is a good thing that soulmates can't kill each other," Milton said.

Godefray snorted and said in a tone full of poison, looking at Ayla, "I would not have received her back in my life. Once a betrayer, always a betrayer."

Ayla wondered for a thousand times why the Paladin disliked her so much. And what did he mean by receiving her back in his life?

"I didn't mean to make him mad," Ayla said in a broken voice. "I need to talk to him, to explain."

"Explain what?" Godefray asked.

Milton looked straight into Godefray's green eyes, "Stay out of it! It has nothing to do with you!"

The Paladin wanted to protest, but Milton took out a rune from his robe, and a fireball appeared in his left palm. Godefray put his palm in the air, "Fine! I will shut up!"

The fireball disappeared from Milton's hand, put his rune back in his pocket, and then looked at Ayla, "Let's go back to the Clan Hall. I am sure we will find Rhobart there."

Milton started walking with Ayla, leaving Godefray behind.

While they made their way to the Clan Hall, Ayla kept thinking about Rhobart and his n'alxa and what he said.

"Milton? Isn't a soul-bond permanent?" Ayla asked.

"Yes, it is."

"So it can't be broken?"

"Technically, no. Once two souls are merged, and Inoss accepts the bonds, there's no going back. But..."

"But what?" Ayla asked.

Milton looked around, making sure no one was listening, "Let's say there's a Dark Mage. A powerful one, and if one of the n'alxaes wants the bond broken, it could be done. But there's a problem."

"What problem?" Ayla asked.

"It either kills both n'alxaes, or they go crazy because of the broken bond. And as you see, Rhobart is neither dead nor crazy."

"So the bond is still there," Ayla concluded. "But then why does he believe that his n'alxa broke their bond?"

Milton looked around once more before replying to Ayla, "My best guess is that a spell was used to try breaking the bond, but the spell either failed or the bond is too strong to be broken."

"Where is she now?" Ayla asked.

"That is a question I can't answer, Ayla. I have told you more than I should have already."

"What if–?" Ayla started to ask, but she was panicking. She inhaled deeply. "What if he forgives her? What then?"

'What about me?' she really wanted to ask.

"Ayla! You are overthinking things. Just know that Rhobart will never break your heart."

'But what if?' she thought while fear made way in her heart.

We will grow old together.

She would hold on to that thought if nothing else. She knew Rhobart would keep his promise to her.

When Milton and Ayla made it to the Clan Hall, they found Gorn, Droyn, and Tizgar playing cards in the Planning Room.

"Where are the others?" Milton asked. "We are supposed to have a meeting in five minutes."

Tizgar shrugged, "Rhobart came about fifteen minutes ago looking like he wanted to burn down the entire clan. He talked with the twins and Hewe and then left with them. I have no idea where Godefray is."

"Do you know where they went?" Milton asked.

"By the look on Rhobart's face, probably to drink. And with the twins and Hewe with him, don't expect them to be back for another two threes days."

Ayla knew that it was because of her. If only she could stop being so curious. She had to find Rhobart and talk to him.

"Inoss!" Milton said.

"I have to find him," Ayla said.

Gorn, who up until then was interesting in his cards, looked at Ayla, "I don't think you want to go looking for him."

"Why not?" Ayla asked.

"Because if he left with the twins and Hewe..." Tizgar said.

"What about it?" Ayla asked.

"They went to the Three Sisters," Droyn said.

Ayla had no idea what the Three sister was, so she asked, "What's the Three Sisters?"

"It's a place where men go to drink and fuck!" Ayla heard Godefray's voice coming from behind her.

She felt her heart being stabbed over and over again. "He went to be another woman?" she asked in a broken tone. A sob escaped her lips.

Godefray got closer to the table, shrugged, "He needs a good fucking after all yo–"

Gorn stood and punched Godefray in the nose. A crack sound followed.

"What the fuck is that for?" Godefray asked before he covered his nose with his cloak.

"For being a stupid idiot!" Droyn answered Godefray's question.

Tizgar looked at Gorn and grinned, "Good punch!"

"Come with me," Milton said and put his hands around Ayla's shoulders. She was desperately trying to hold her tears in.

Before leaving the Planning Room, the Fire Mage turned and looked at Godefray, "Don't come looking for a healing potion. I have none for you!"

The Fire Mage took Ayla to the kitchen, where he asked the servants if they could boil some water for him. Then he made Ayla sit at the table.

She could not believe he went to be with another woman. Even if the idea of not being with him made her feel like dying, she would not forgive him if he touched another woman.

"If he is with another woman, I won't forgive him!" Ayla said in a low tone, but Milton heard her.

"He won't touch another woman," the Fire Mage said.

"How do you know?"

"I already told you that he will never break your heart," Milton assured her.

When the water was ready, Milton added some leaves to it from Ayla's messenger bag. Then he offered a cup of tea to Ayla.

"Drink it. You will feel better," the Fire Mage said.

After Ayla drank the tea, Milton took her to her room.

"Rest for a while," the Fire Mage said.

Ayla shook her head, "I want to look for Rhobart."

"I will go after him, don't worry about it," Milton said.