Milton was waiting for her in front of the Royal Stables, wearing a new magic robe. A messenger bag was in his hands—a beautiful messenger bag if Ayla was sincere. The servant bowed before making his way back to the palace. Milton gave her a friendly smile. “Good morning, my Lady,” he said. Each time Milton called her lady, she wasn’t sure if he was mocking her or trying to be polite. Perhaps the latter. “Milton,” she greeted him. The Fire Mage extended his arms. “I wanted to give you this before we go inside the stables.” Ayla’s eyes widened. The messenger bag looked expensive, something that someone of a high ranking would have. While she has only caused problems since arriving in Nordmar, she wanted to start working so she could pay her debt and, in time, earn her freedom. If she took the messenger bag, how many years would she have to work for it? “I don’t think I can accept this. This is too much.” Milton muttered something under his breath in old Nordmari
The King approached her. “I always knew you were spoiled, but for you to have never mounted a horse. If you expect to sit in a carriage with your ass on a velvet cushion, then forget about it!” Ayla tried to reason with the King. “I will slow everyone down.” “I am aware, and I am already starting to regret taking you with me. Gorn, bring me her horse.” The Paladin brought a chestnut mare. “Then let me stay in the palace. I will work and....” Ayla said fast. King Rhobart chimed in. “Work? You? You can’t even sew, not even if your life depends on it.” Ayla blinked. Did Galian tell King Rhobart how useless she was? That no matter how much she tried and practiced, her attempts to embroider looked worse than those of a five-year-old child? Her grandma had Ayla sew so much that she now hated doing it. But it still hurt to know how little the King thought of her. But damn if she would let the King show how much his words hurt her. The King kept speaking. “
When they passed close to a place in which at least a battle took place, and bones or broken weapons were still scattered around the snow, Ayla lowered her head, the hood of the cloak covering her face. She felt as if everyone was glaring at her, accusing her, hating her for being King Amul’s daughter. It was almost dark when the King said that they had finally reached the camp. Ayla was so relieved to hear she could finally get off the mare. Even if all she did all day was to be on top of Star, doing nothing, Ayla felt exhausted. All she wanted to do was to curl up under a warm blanket and sleep until the next day. The moment her feet touched the ground, muscles she did not know she had hurt so bad that she yelped. It wasn’t just her legs that hurt. Even blinking brought discomfort. Her legs shook, and she fell to her knees. Tizgar took Star away while Milton called her name, but she was too tired to reply. She closed her eyes, thinking how perfectly happy she would be
Ayla slept poorly that night, not only because her ass felt as if it was on fire but because she could hear Milton and the King arguing in low voices. She wished she could have understood them, but it was a bit difficult when they kept talking in old Nordmarian. It was a strange language with difficult pronunciations, but Ayla was determined more than ever to learn it. When they would return to the Royal Palace, she would spend as much time as possible in the Royal Library studying books in old Nordmarian. Maybe she would find someone to help her learn it. She knew she could always ask Milton for help, but she didn't want the King to learn of her plans. When Gorn and Tizgar woke up, Ayla was still ashamed of what had happened the previous night. But she knew she could not hide beneath the furs and hoped everyone would magically forget what had happened. She gritted her teeth, got up, arranged her cloak and gathered her furs and blanket, and tied them to Star's saddle. After that,
After Ghost left, a parchment from the King in the metal cylinder, the small party resumed the journey. Earlier, the King talked with Gorn and Tizgar about hunting, but ever since he received the parchment from Droyn, he appeared to be worried. Very worried. ‘What could have contained that message to make him this worried?’ Ayla thought while she kept stealing glances at him. Tizgar and Gorn talked in low voices while the King sat on his horse in silence. He kept looking at the trees every five minutes, his brow furrowed. Ayla nudged Star to get closer to Milton’s horse. “What is he looking at?” Milton, who was lost in his thoughts, blinked at Ayla a few times and asked, confused, “What?” “The King, he keeps looking at the trees, then forward, then back at the trees as if they hold the answer to some riddle.” “They do. Well, in a certain way. Old Nordmarian runes and symbols are painted or carved on certain trees, or ropes with knots or colored beads are t
Early in the morning, King Rhobart, together with his Paladins, Milton, Ayla, and Kristoff, went to the barracks to see the war prisoners. Ayla spent many hours on top of Star while thinking about how King Rhobart treated the war prisoners. Many times, she imagined her people in cold cells, without blankets to keep them warm and slowly dying of hunger or because of their untreated wounds. But when she stepped inside the warm barracks and saw beds covered with warm furs and around thirty men that appeared to be in good health, she pondered if she had misjudged the King. Her gaze found his—he stood in the middle of the barracks, next to Kristoff, his black eyes on her. She gave him a curt nod and silently thanked him. He returned her nod as if to tell her, ‘You are welcome.’ The war prisoners sat at tables playing cards or rolling dice. A few of them were reading. “King Rhobart is here to talk to you.” Kristoff said, and the war prisoners rose from their chairs.
“Milton!” No reply. “Tizgar!” Still nothing. “Gorn!” No one shouted back. “Kerra!” When not even Kerra appeared, a sob escaped her lips. “Anyone?” Her voice was barely a whisper. She was panicking, for she didn’t know what to do. Star kept advancing through the blizzard, and Ayla tried hard to calm her nerves. How could she have gotten lost in the snowstorm? She thought she was right beside King Rhobart. What should she do? She did not know where the camp was or how to get there. She was lost and alone in Nordmar. Fear crept into her heart. What if a wild animal attacked her? She had no weapons. It would not matter if she had weapons, for in Myrthana, women were not allowed to touch any. She never learned how to fight. Ayla inhaled deeply until she felt she was in control of her emotions. Star kept walking, and Ayla had no idea in which direction they were heading. Should she stop the mare and wait for the
Strong arms wrapped around Ayla's torso, her back pressed against a man's chest. The hair on the back of her neck stood up and she tried to slam the heel of her boot on top of the man's foot —Drax taught her how to do it when she told him her dream of being free and traveling around the world—but he hit the back of her thigh with his knee, making her hiss in pain. He covered her mouth and nose with a gloved hand, muffling her screams, and something sharp dug into her ribs. “If you don’t want to end up as food for the ice wolf, I suggest you stop struggling,” the man snarled in her left ear. The ice wolf stopped close to where they were standing, sniffing the air, and Ayla stilled. Her heart pounded so hard she was sure the beast would hear it. Ayla had few regrets in life, but she wished she had told King Rhobart that she did not hate him when she had the chance. Sure, she had been angry at him and might have thought she hated him, but he managed to gain her respect when sh
Hi everyoneThe book is not abandoned, neither is the story, but some things are happening with the story, the world.There is another story that comes before Frozen Heart - no need to read, but I am focusing to finish that one first, before I go back to Frozen Heart. Once Wolf Heart is done, I will finish this story as well.I just ask all of you to be a bit patient until I finish what I have planned.I also want to wish everyone a happy new year.you can find me on FB as well - Amy T Stories is my group and I will post news there pretty soon
His long hair was braided, and he wore not only a cloak identical to that of Rhobart—mottled grey, green and brown but also his tunic and trousers had the same colors, making him hard to be seen in the forest.“Who are you, female?” he asked.Rhobart took out his sword and put the tip against the Elf’s neck. “Put the bow down, or else I will remove your head!” Rhobart growled.But the Elf’s eyes were still fixed on Ayla, and he did not appear to have heard Rhobart. Rhobart nicked his skin, a few drops of blood ran down his neck.“Don’t release more arrows!” the Elf yelled, lowering his bow.Two more Elves jumped from the trees—a female and a male, both blondes—landing close to Kerra before moving closer to Rhobart and Ayla. The male had a sword in his right hand, while the female had a whip on her left hip and a short sword on the right one.“She looks identical to you, Taeral,” the female said. “Except for her ears, which are human.” She sniffed the air. “But she is only part human.”
The forest felt so silent Ayla could hear her heart pounding against her ribcage. Rhobart straightened himself in the saddle, his fingers brushing the pommel of his dagger. Ayla reached inside her to that strong spring of magic—her gift from her mother or father, or perhaps both.Kerra sniffed the air, her two tails whipping violently.“We mean you no harm,” Rhobart said, his voice strong. “We are just passing by!”“Where to?” the man asked from a different tree.Ayla wondered when he moved so fast. Or so silently.“Far away from Myrthana. I advise you to do the same!” Rhobart replied.“You lie! I see you wear the cloak of a hunter while the female has a black one, like those used by mercenaries. You had your chance to leave, but I am afraid your time is up,” said the man. Ayla tried to say something, but he went on, “Release the arrows!”Kerra growled and got in an attack position.A few leaves rustled, Ayla put her right hand in the air, and a magic shield appeared around Runner and
“Runner knows you. Trust him and me. Grab the reins,” Rhobart said before handing the reins to Ayla.Rhobart put his left hand under her tunic, his thumb brushed over her peak, while his right hand drew circles on her stomach. “Rho!” Ayla moaned when his hand went down, two fingers slowly circling and pressing her throbbing core. She felt as if she would melt. Pleasure started building in her lower stomach.“Are you wet and ready for me, Ayla?” asked Rho, his voice coated with desire.Oh, she was. Rhobart’s fingers kept moving, and his lips went up and down her neck. Tension kept building inside her body.“Yes,” Ayla forced the word out of her mouth.“Had you been wearing a dress, I would have ripped your undergarments, spun you around, and have you sit on my cock. I would have Runner gallop fast, and I would fuck you until we reached the rebel camp,” Rhobart said into her ear as his fingers moved faster. Rougher.‘Oh, Gods!’ Ayla thought.“Would you like that, t’xoria? To be fucked o
Rhobart looked at Eluvene, his eyes turning cold as the stark winter. “He will never lay another finger on her again! But I need to know everything about King Amul. He is more cunning than I thought.”Eluvene’s green eyes went to Ayla. “King Amul accepted what Ayla refused,” said the Dark Mage, winking at Ayla. “I don’t know much about King Amul. He mostly spoke with King Galian and with my former Master. But since he accepted the Crown of Darkness, he stopped being a normal human.”Rhobart frowned. “What did Ayla refuse and when?”Eluvene shrugged.Between the prophecy, the Seeker, the forgotten book, and the attack on the Fire Monastery, Ayla had forgotten about her vision with Beliar. When she saw that crown on her father’s head, she hadn’t made the connection with the one she was wearing in her vision. “Nothing important,” said Ayla. And it wasn’t. “I chose you back then, and I will choose you always!”Rhobart’s gaze lingered on Ayla for a heartbeat before turning his attention to
Milton returned from the river and grabbed a bowl of porridge. “Rania is a Fire Mage novice, and Sylvar is a Snow Elf. They are n’alxaes, but the twins fucked Rania. I am still wondering how Sylvar permitted you two to live after touching what is his.”“We did not fuck her!” Eude protested.Rhobart snorted. “You only deflowered Rania... as you did with Skurja! Don’t think I forgot about my cousin!”Ayla had missed the bickering between Rhobart and the twins. When she heard the twins and Rhobart fighting for the first time, she was afraid for the twins, but as time passed, she came to understand the brotherly affection Rhobart, Milton, and the Paladins had for each other.“We might have plucked a petal or two, but nothing more!” Hudde said. “And Skurja had many petals gone by the time she was on top of me!”Rhobart folded his arms. “You mean you ripped all of Rania’s petals! And talk about Sjurka like that, and Ayla won’t stop me again from challenging you to a duel!” He looked at the
After Ayla and Rhobart completed their alxa-lotx, when she remembered the prophecy, Milton had been the first to suggest that Fire, Water, and Darkness could refer to mages. Ayla and Rhobart had spent many hours discussing it, trying to understand everything. In the Fire Monastery, when Ayla found the forgotten book, they searched for clues about Uzriel and the prophecy, but the book had yet to reveal all its secrets to her. The forgotten tome was still in her bag, together with Eude’s sketchbook, which she would burn, sketch by sketch, so that Rhobart wouldn’t get any new ideas from it. Or embarrass her with it.In the Black Tower, when Ayla and Godefray gradually started to become friends, they talked about the prophecy. Ayla had hoped the dragons would appear again in her dreams, but the last time she spoke to them had been before the fight with the Seeker. There were many things Ayla still didn’t know and wanted to learn before sailing to Korinus Island.Milton picked up a flat pe
Hudde pointed at the burning tent. “I was in the tent, sleeping with Eude, Hewe, Tizgar, and Gorn. The tent was not big enough for all five of us, and my ass was almost sticking out of it. I could have slept better, but someone refused to let me use his tent. Anyway, I was dreaming about… never mind that, when Milton set it on fire and burned my ass in the process,” he complained while turning around to show Rhobart and Ayla his burned trousers. Ayla covered her mouth and hid a smile while trying to look shocked. “This was my last clean pair too!” Thick smoke was coming from the burned tent, making Ayla’s eyes fill with tears. She flicked her index and middle finger, and a soft breeze swept through the forest, rustling the leaves of the trees, carrying the smell of smoke away from the camp. Ashes jumped on the two remaining tents, and they caught fire. Kerra came out of Rhobart’s tent with a big bone in her mouth. Drax took out a magic rune, and small grey clouds appeared above them,
Rhobart kept walking, and Ayla looked around the forest. While in Nordmar lived many dangerous beasts, Myrthana’s woods were quieter, and the animals were smaller. Even the shadowbeasts were not as aggressive as those that lived in the cold forests of the Northern part of the continent.“Earlier, when I was hunting with Kerra and Gorn, we stumbled upon a small cave. It hasn’t been used by wild creatures for some time, and furs and blankets are inside. Even some wine. I think the lumberjacks used the cave to wash because there’s a small pool inside. Would you want to go there? And while we wash away the dust from our bodies, we can also spend a few quiet moments.”It did not matter if it was only a lonely rock, as long as she was with Rhobart. Ayla nodded against his chest, his scent soothing her. “I don’t know if I told you, but I’ve missed you terribly,” she said as the sun began to set. Rhobart tightened his arms around her. “I was afraid I would never see you again.”“I will never