Chapter 20

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,