Chapter 68

Minutes later, Rhobart guided Runner to the road that was to his left. Ayla, Milton, and the twins did the same. Kerra walked next to Spirit.

Earlier Ayla asked Rhobar how long it would take them to reach the Monastery. Five days Rhobart has told her. He also told Ayla that the Monastery was in the Fire Clan, and it was different from all the other Clans. When Ayla asked why the Fire Clan was different, Rhobart smiled and said that it was something she had to see with her own eyes. The princess was curious about the Fire Clan and hoped that the five days would pass quickly.

The road led them through an old forest. Tall mountains could be seen to the left.

Rhobart looked at the trees, looking for runes that would let him know how far the camp would be. When the King saw runes on a big winter oak, he frowned and looked at the sky. Grey clouds covered the sky, and Rhobart could not see the sun.

"The next camp is at five hours distance from here. The night is coming fast, and we should hurry," Rhobart said.

The horses ran, getting the riders closer to the camp.

Ayla forgot how tiring a day of riding could be. By the time they made it to the camp, she felt like she hadn't slept all night long. But when she got down from Spirit, the princess knew that she had to help prepare for the night.

While the twins went to the woodshed, Ayla first grabbed the pot and filled it with snow, then the kettle, and took them to Milton, who had already lit a fire.

The Fire Mage looked at her and smiled. When Ayla helped Milton prepare the food, shock could be seen on his face.

Once camp was settled for night and dinner was ready, Ayla and the others gathered around the fire and started eating.

"You know," Eude said, looking at Hudde, "I think I am a little jealous."

Hudde narrowed his eyes, "How so?"

"Someone will have his furs warm all night long, while others will shiver with cold. How is that fair?"

Milton choked with the food while Ayla felt her cheeks burn.

Rhobart looked at the twins with angry eyes. He was about to say something to them when his eyes fell on Ayla's messenger bag, and a smirk appeared on his face.

"T'xoria, do you still have your special tea?"

Ayla cocked her head to a side, trying to understand what Rhobart meant. It took her a few seconds to figure it out, and she smiled wickedly, "I am sure I can prepare a delightful tea for the twins."

"Wonderful!" Rhobart said. "Can hardly wait for that tea!"

"The princess will make tea for us?" Eude asked. "I will drink every drop of it!"

The Fire Mage looked at Ayla and asked, "You still have–?"

"Maybe," Ayla said quickly. "Perhaps I added a few leaves. You know, for good luck."

Ayla and Rhobart started laughing so hard tears were coming out of their eyes, while Milton tried to hide his chuckles. The twins looked at them as if they had gone crazy. Even Kerra, who up until then was eating in silence, hissed in annoyance.

After they ate, Ayla prepared tea for everyone. When she gave the cups to Eude and Hudde, she smiled sweetly at them. "Hope you like it!" she said before sitting next to Rhobart and picking up her cup of tea. She drank from it while she looked at the twins.

The Paladins put the cups on their lips and drank. When they stopped, the cups were almost empty. Seconds later, they started sweating.

"Are you feeling alright?" Rhobart innocently.

Milton almost choked on his tea.

"Perfect! Isn't it right, Eude?"

"Right, brother. But I think I might have to take a walk into the forest."

"I will come with you!"

The twins rushed into the forest while Ayla and Rhobart laughed hard. Even Milton laughed.

"Are they going to be fine?" Milton asked.

"Yes. I only put a tiny bit from," Ayla explained.

"Then with me, you used more," Rhobart said, and Ayla tried to hide a smile, but the King already saw it. "How much did you put in my tea back then?"

Ayla sipped from her tea, looked at Kerra, who was licking her paws, and said, "A whole leaf."

"An entire leaf? No wonder I feel like shit after that!"

Laughed erupted around the campfire.

By the time the twins returned from the 'walk,' Ayla and Rhobart were already under the blankets, with Kerra next to them. Milton was first to stand watch, and he was sitting in front of the fire.

"What a wicked, wicked princess!" Eude said.

"Too bad she belongs to our King! She would have been perfect for us!" Hudde said, and Rhobart growled. Loudly.

"Next time, you have to do it to Godefray!" Eude said.

Ayla laughed, and Rhobart groaned, "I think I created three monsters!"

The Paladins laughed while they went to their blankets.

Rhobart pulled Ayla in his arms; she put her head on his chest and closed her eyes. "Sleep well," Rhobart whispered into her ear. The princess was asleep seconds later.

Ayla didn't know for how long she had been sleeping but woke up when she felt Rhobart getting up from the blankets. She was about to ask him where he was going and to tell him to return next to her when she heard Milton's voice.

"Can't sleep?" the Fire Mage asked.

"I tried to fall asleep since we went to bed. Having her in my arms for so many hours made me think of all kinds of things. Sleep is the last thing I have in my mind."

"That bad?" Milton asked.

"You have no idea," Rhobart said.

Milton chuckled for a few moments, then said, "I think I understand. But you still haven't completed the bond."

Ayla almost stopped breathing when she heard what Milton said. She wondered what bond was Milton talking about. She waited for Rhobart's reply, who kept quiet a few moments before speaking.

"Have you looked at her?" the King asked.

"What do you mean?" she heard Milton replying with a question.

"She is so small, Milton. I am afraid I am going to hurt her."

"You are jesting, right?"

"You don't understand. When I think about being inside of her, all I want to do is put her on her knees and hands and fuck her merciless. I know I have to be gentle for her first time, but at the same time, I want to fuck her until all she can remember is my name."

Ayla was shocked by Rhobart's words. She thought that what she did with him was just that, and pleasure is another word to say fuck.

Milton was silent for a few moments before speaking again, "What are you really afraid of, Rhobart?"

Rhobart sighed, "I can never lie to you, can I?"

"You have been my best friend since I was five, and you were six. I think I have learned to read you by now."

Rhobart chuckled softly. "I guess you are right," he said to Milton.

"So, what is really holding you back from completing that bond?"

"How will I explain it to her, Milton? And we will have to have another ceremony."

'What ceremony?' Ayla asked herself.

Milton clicked his tongue, "I told you a lot of times that the alxa-lotx is still there, but you are too stubborn to listen."

Ayla was confused. They appeared to talk about her and, at the same time, about the soulmate of Rhobart.

"You know the parchment she sent me. And everything she told me she would, she did."

"I know about it, Rhobart. You showed it to me various times and various times; I explained that both of you would have died or gone crazy if the alxa-lotx had been broken."

"Then why can't I feel it? Why can't she feel it? And all her memories of us are gone. Well, I am not sure of everything. Yesterday she remembered something from our past."

Ayla's heart was drumming in her chest. They could not say what she thought they were saying. Rhobart and her had known each other in the past? But why hasn't he told her anything about it? Why could she not remember anything?

She wanted to get up and demand Rhobart to tell her the truth, but Rhobart kept talking.

"You want to know what I am really afraid about, Milton? I am afraid of losing her again. I wake up at various times at night only to make sure she is still next to me. Deep down, I am still that thirteen-year-old that lost her. My Ayla. My n'alxa. And when I saw her again in that room, next to Galian, she looked at me with so much fear. You have no idea how much it hurt me. But also, it angered me because it made her betrail so much real."

She was his n'alxa? Ayla wanted to get up and scream at Rhobart in frustration for lying to her but forced herself to stay still so she could listen to what else the King would say.

"Tell her the truth, Rhobart," Milton advised the King.

"But you said that you don't know how it will affect her since you can't sense what type of magic was used to break our alxa-lotx and to erase all her memories. Besides, it does not matter if she remembers or not; we will make new memories."

Ayla felt so angry. And she will make sure to show Rhobart how angry she was. Oh, she will show him new memories.