Chapter 69

When Rhobart returned to the blankets, Ayla was still awake. She was thinking about what Milton and the King spoke. Her emotions were in turmoil, and she wanted to scream at Rhobart, to demand him to tell her the truth.

She felt so angry at him for hiding the truth from her.

The King pulled her closer to him, and Ayla tried to wiggle away from him. But when Rhobart put an arm around her waist, caging her, Ayla stopped moving. She laid there, under the blankets, with her back pressed to his chest, while she thought. Rhobart and her were n'alxaes. She was happy about that; she knew that much. Also, she was sad about the part that she somehow betrayed him. And she was angry that he refused to tell her about their past. She might not know much about love and how to show her feelings because of all the time she had been locked up, but Ayla knew that she would have told Rhobart the truth if she had been in his position.

She was still awake when it was time for the twins to stand guard. She was still awake when Rhobart finally drifted to sleep. And she was still awake when an owl sounded in the forest. Kerra lifted her head and looked at the forest.

The owl sounded again, and Ayla felt that something was pulling her toward the forest. When Ayla heard the owl for the third time, she tried to pull Rhobart's arm away from her waist, but his arms held her even tighter. The owl sounded even more insistent, while Ayla still tried to get free from Rhobart.

"Sleep," she heard Rhobart's groggy voice in her ear.

"I need to go into the forest, to... you know," Ayla said in a low voice.

Rhobart let go of her. "Take Kerra with you. And don't go too farther in," he said before Ayla rose.

The twins were sitting on a log, scanning the forest. The princess and Kerra passed next to them on their way into the forest.

"Is the princess running away from the King?" Eude asked in a low tone.

Ayla shook her head, "I just need to go into the forest. I will be back soon."

"Pitty. We would have run away with you," Hudde said.

"The two mighty Paladins and the wicked princess taking over the world!" Eude said.

Ayla giggle. She really liked the twins. They always seemed to be of good humor. And she always had so much fun with them.

"Maybe next time," Ayla said with a smile on her lips.

"Promise?" the twins asked.

The owl sounded again, and Ayla turned her head towards the forest. Kerra started walking slowly in the direction of the sound coming from the owl.

"I will be back quickly," Ayla said to the twins and started walking after Kerra.

The forest was mostly quiet, except for the sound of Ayla's boots on the snow and the owl that seemed to keep calling the princess. Kerra, in her battle form, walked silently next to Ayla. From time to time, the snowcat stopped walking and looked around the tees, while she sniffed the air. When Kerra was convinced nothing lurked in the shadows, she resumed walking.

After about ten minutes or more, Ayla stopped hearing the owl. The princess stopped walking and looked around, hoping to see the owl, but she couldn't see or hear anything.

Ayla started feeling a little foolish. How could she believe an owl called her?

The princess turned around, wanting to return to the camp when an owl flew from a nearby tree. The bird flew in circles above Ayla a few times before lowering to the grown, a few feet away from the princess. Ayla let out a small scream when the owl transformed into the Seer.

"I feared that you won't answer my call," the Seer said.

Kerra when to the Seer and rubbed her body on the woman's legs. The Seer looked at the snowcat, and a smile appeared on her face, "Kerra! I haven't seen you in so long! Look how big you are!"

Ayla was shocked by the apparition and looked at the woman for a few moments. " How do you know Kerra? And you can take the form of a bird?" Ayla finally asked.

"I had met Kerra years ago," the Seer said and stroked Kerra's fur. The snowcat settled next to Seer. "The owl is one of the forms I can take," the Seer said. "But I am not here to talk about this. Time is short, and I have much to tell you."

"Why don't you come with me to the camp? We can sit down and–"

"What I have to tell is only for you, Ayla Peace-Bringer," the Seer said.

Ayla sighed, "I am listening."

The Seer looked into Ayla's blue eyes, "It is time to remember your past, Ayla. And you need the bond completed with your n'alxa. The Dark Master has sent his most loyal servants to find you."

Ayla gasped, "How do you know about my n'alxa?"

The Seer, "I know a lot of things, Ayla. And I also know about the King of Nordmar and you."

"Then why haven't you told me about Rhobart?" Ayla asked. "You visited me in my dreams and told me things. You should have said something! And not to mention that for a while, I had no more dreams of you."

The Seer looked at Ayla, and a little blush appeared on her cheeks. She cleared her voice and said, "I was retained, with.... well, other things. But tonight, I was able to get away for a while and see what you were doing. Then I saw that you found out about your n'alxa. I had hoped we had more time. That you had more time. And I haven't told you because it wasn't the right time."

"But now it the right moment?" Ayla asked.

The Seer nodded, "You are already starting to remember."

The princess bit her lower lip. " I don't know why I can't remember about Rhobart and me. Earlier I heard Rhobart and Milton talking, and I am so mad at Rhobart for not telling me."

The Seer laughed, "Men always think they know what is best for their women. But now is not the time to be angry about it. Listen carefully, Ayla, to what I am about to tell you. I am the one that hid away your alxa-lotx and blocked your memories. I also altered some of Rhobart's memories–"

"You did what?" Ayla said in a very angry tone. She thought the Seer was her friend, but what if all this time she had been wrong? The princess grabbed the hilt of her dagger.