Chapter 70

"I am not your enemy, Ayla. I had to do it to save Rhobart and you!" the Seer said.

"Why should I believe you? I don't know you!"

"We met before," the Seer said patiently.

"When? I don't remember meeting you before you appeared in my dream!" Ayla said while she tried to think if she had seen the Seer before.

"When you were only nine, Ayla. I know you don't remember, but it is imperative that you listen. You needed the bond with Rhobart so that your soul would be tethered to him. Your father took you to a Dark Mage because he wanted to use you against Rhobart, and he would have succeeded if not for the ceremony with your n'alxa. But I also needed the bond hidden from the Dark Mage because if he had found it, he would have broken it. I had no choice but to use an ancient spell to hide your bond and to seal away your memories so that the Dark Mage would not find them. So that he would not find out what happened at your alxa-lotx ceremony. As for Rhobart, I only altered some of his memories. I had to make him believe you left him willingly. That you broke the bond. Otherwise, he would have come after you, and your father would have killed him. And without the two of you, the war will be lost."

Ayla didn't know what to believe. She wished she could remember everything. And Rhobart–Rhobart thought that she betrayed him. That she left him. He even hated her.

And then there was her father. If the Seer told her the truth, her father took her to a Dark Mage, but she didn't remember anything about it.

"Why don't you tell Rhobart the truth about what happened? He thinks I betrayed him!" Ayla said in an angry tone. "And I don't remember anything about a Dark Mage."

"I don't know why you can't remember about the Dark Mage. I had nothing to do with that. Perhaps you will remember now what your father and the Dark Mage did to you. As for Rhobart–" the Seer looked at the nails for a few moments, then looked back at Ayla, "He might have a grudge against me. That man can be very stubborn."

"What? Why?"

"Long story. I don't have time to tell you all about it right now."

Ayla wanted to pull her hair in frustration, "Then send him a dream or something!"

"His skull is too thick. Even my powers are no match for it!" the Seer said in an amused tone. Then her face turned serious, "I can't communicate with everyone through dreams. Rhobart is a descendent of a powerful bloodline. All those born from that bloodline are protected from those that want to enter their dreams."

"What bloodline?" Ayla asked.

"He is descendent from a warrior snow elf. So are you, but from another line."

Ayla gasped. "I have snow elf blood?"

The Seer nodded, "From your mother's side. And it is easier for me to send you dreams because we are related. We are distant cousins. Our bloodline is of snow elves that can use raw magic. Those born from our bloodline don't need runes or mana to use magic."

The princess did not know what to say. She not only had snow elf blood, but she was also related to the Seer. She never learned much about her mother's family. Her grandmother was originally from a rich merchant family. Ayla's great-grandfather was from Davalon, but he and his family moved to Myrthana when her grandmother was very young. When her grandmother was eighteen years old, she saved the life of a young duke. A year later, the duke married her grandmother. Her mother was born a few years later. And her mother met her father at a ball. Her mother always said that it had been love at first sight for both of them.

Ayla's grandmother told her that it was a tradition in their family that the daughters born in the family were taught all about plants and herbs. And the amulet was passed down from mother to daughter.

"You say I can use magic?" Ayla asked.

The Seer nodded her head, "When your bond is completed, you will have some magic. I don't know how strong your magic will be as you are fully human and only have little snow elf blood in your veins."

The Seer moved until she was standing in front of Ayla. She lifted her left hand and looked at Ayla, "Put your left hand into mine."

Ayla frowned. She did not trust the Seer anymore. "Why?" the princess asked.

"So that I can break the spell I put on you."

The princess did as the Seer asked. When her hand touched the Seer's palm, she felt magic entering her body. Ayla closed her eyes, concentrating on that magic. It did not feel evil. Rather it was warm magic. She felt how the magic worked on her left palm, and then it went up to her heart. When the magic left Ayla's heart, it went to her mind. And there, at the back of her mind, Ayla felt as if something had been opened. She expected a flow of memories, but nothing happened. She still didn't remember anything about Rhobart.

When the magic was gone from her mind, Ayla opened her eyes and looked at the Seer, "It did not work. I still can't remember anything."

"It will take some time to remember as the spell I had used is very powerful. It can come all of once, or it can come little by little. I haven't used this spell before. It was pure luck that I even found it in time."

"You mean that you used something on Rhobart and me that you did not use before on other persons?" Ayla asked and snacked her hand back.

"It had been used before, and I knew how it works," the Seer said.

"What if the spell would have affected us in a bad way?" Ayla asked.

"But it didn't! Now you only have to join your body with Rhobart. Only when your bodies become one will the alxa-lotx be completed."

Ayla frowned, "Our bodies have to become one? How?"

The Seer cocked her head to the side, and a grin appeared on her face, "You really don't know anything about lovemaking."

"Is lovemaking the same as fucking?" Ayla asked.

The Seer chuckled, "Come here, cousin. Apparently, I have to teach you some things."

And the Seer explained to Ayla how people joined bodied. Ayla was shocked in the beginning, and her cheeks burned with shame, but as the Seer explained more, the princess became even more curious and ended up asking a lot of questions.

"Now you know what you have to do," the Seer said when she finished explaining everything to Ayla.

Ayla nodded, "I understand. I will do my part just as you explained to me."

The Seer nodded, "Good."

"Ayla! Kerra!" the Seer and Ayla hear Rhobart's desperate voice.

Kerra ran towards the place Rhobart's voice was coming from.

The Seer looked as the snowcat disappeared behind some snow-bushes and then at the sky. Dawn was approaching fast. Moments later, she looked back at Ayla, "I have to go. I already stayed more than I should have. And grab that bull by his horns!"

Ayla frowned, "I don't understand."

"Just get Rhobart to fuck you. And prepare for a lot of it!"

Ayla giggled, " I will." A question came into Ayla's mind, "What about Rhobart's memories? The ones you altered?"

"I will have to touch him. And I don't think that will happen soon."

"Ayla! Where are you?" Rhobart's voice sounded closer.

"I have to fly away," the Seer said.

"When will I see you again, Seer?"

"My name is Sarya. I will visit your dreams soon. Now go to your n'alxa!" the Seer, and then she turned into the owl and flew away.

Ayla looked after the owl a little longer before opening her mouth, "Rhobart! I am here!"

The princess hurried to find Rhobart and left the place where she talked with Sarya behind.

It took Rhobart a minute to find Ayla. Kerra was right behind him.

The King looked at the princess with haunted eyes, and his troath boobed.

"I thought that something happened to you when you didn't return. I had been looking for you for some time," Rhobart said with a shaky voice and pulled Ayla in his embrace. He was trembling.

Ayla returned the embrace, "I thought I saw a white deer, and I went to look for it with Kerra. I lost track of time. I didn't want to scare you."

Rhobart squeezed her even hard, "I was even starting to think that you le– Doesn't matter. You are here, in my arms."

Ayla pulled back, so she could look into his eyes, "I would never willingly leave you, Rhobart. Never!"

Rhobart fisted his hand in her braids, "Promise me, Ayla! Promise me that you will never leave me!"

"I promise to never willingly leave you, Rhobart! I love you!"

His eyes filled with so many emotions. "Ayla," he breathed and kissed her fiercely.

When Rhobart broke the kiss, Ayla looked into his onyx eyes and said, "Rhobart, we need to have a long talk. There are things you need to know."