When Ayla thought about when she would have to serve King Rhobart's dinner, she imagined he would be eating alone. But as she entered the dining room, she saw how wrong she had been. At a long, big table, King Rhobart sat together with his paladins. Food and wine were in the middle of the table, but no one was eating. Perhaps because no servants were around to fill the plates and the goblets. Ayla sighed faintly. She hoped there would be at least one servant to help and show her how to serve the food. Back in Myrthana, she was rarely invited to eat with her family. She wished she had paid more attention to her father's servants and slaves. She prayed she would not anger the King with her lack of skills. King Rhobart and the Paladins were talking in low voices, and Ayla clenched her hands to hide her nervousness while studying them. It surprised her that King Rhobart wasn't seated at the head of the table. He was sitting in the middle of the table and talking to the Paladin
King Rhobart took a calming breath while he kept looking at Ayla. And his eyes turned an even darker shade of black, if that was possible. “You look….” he started saying but stopped mid-sentence. “Would you join these buffoons and me for dinner?” She blinked. He wanted her to dine with him and his men? She did not know how to reply, so she gave him a curt nod. After the King helped her with the chair, he sat next to her and grabbed her plate, and started putting food on it. The King was serving her? That couldn’t be right. She was supposed to serve them. Him. To her utter shock, the Paladins started filling their plates with food. Milton, who decided to sit at the head of the table, coughed, and Ayla thought she heard him say dress between coughs. King Rhobart paused for a moment. “The dress fits you nicely,” he mumbled before adding more meat to her plate. Ayla blushed, realizing for the first time that the dress came from the King. “Thank you for it! It
She did as the King asked. While she ate, Ayla kept wondering what this dinner was about. She came prepared to serve but instead, she was sitting at the same table as the King, next to him, eating from the food he put on the plate for her. And the Paladins. On the way from Myrthana to Nordmar, they avoided her like the plague. She thought they hated her, but here they were, smiling and joking with her. The only one that seemed not to like her was Godefray. His green eyes seemed filled with poison each time he looked at her. Even the King seemed different. He wasn’t exactly happy with her being in his home, but he was less angry. Maybe she could survive Nordmar. If only she knew what the King’s plans for her were. “Wine?” the King asked her. She was never allowed to drink before. “Yes?” “You don’t seem too sure you want wine,” King Rhobart said while reaching for her goblet with his right hand. Ayla’s eyes tracked his hand, and to her shock, she saw a banda
That night Ayla dreamed of her grandmother. They were sitting on a bench in her little garden she had in Myrthana and talking. A blanket of snow covered the garden, and white bell flowers rose nervously above it. Ayla was older in her dream. Her eyes were those of a person who had seen too much. Around her left wrist, she had tattoos of golden runes that Ayla did not recognize. They went all around her wrist like a bracelet. Her grandmother was telling her something, but Ayla was too distracted by the runes and did not hear what Grandmother Anza was saying. There was something about the runes that made her uneasy. They seemed important, and yet she did not know what they meant. Her grandmother kept talking, and Ayla knew she had to listen, but she could not take her eyes off her left wrist. The dream changed, and Ayla was a nine-year-old again. She was still in the garden but now with her mother. Queen Lavia brushed Ayla's hair while teaching her about herbs and plants. An o
When they entered the library, Ayla stopped breathing. It wasn’t her first time in a library. She spent time in the royal library of Myrthana. But the Royal Library of Nordmar was at least twice as big as the one in Myrthana. Shelf after shelf of books and more books, from the floor to the ceiling. Sofas and armchairs, tables and chairs were close to the bookshelves. Furs covered the floor, and magic crystals were placed around the library. Men and women, rich and poor, occupied some sofas and armchairs, reading. A few children sat at some tables, writing or drawing. In the middle of the library stood a round table made from marble with a map on top of it. Ayla’s mouth must have dropped to the floor because the King chuckled. “What do you think?” he asked. Not taking her eyes off the books, Ayla replied, “It is... breathtaking.” “I agree,” the King said, his voice low. “What do you want to see first?” Ayla looked around, and her eyes fell once mo
After the King left, Ayla paced around her room for a while, thinking about what she had said to him. She knew it wasn't his fault that the ice wolves attacked Milton and her or that she had been sick, but she was so furious with everything that had happened to her since she was a child. She hated Galian for using her as leverage to save his life, but she hated King Rhobart more for accepting it. All she ever wanted was freedom to do as she wished. Instead, she became a slave to a cruel king. She started biting her nails but stopped the moment she realized what she was doing. Ayla took a deep breath and sat in a chair. She knew she should apologize to the King the next time she saw him. Around noon, a maid came to bring her lunch. “You are not allowed to leave your room unless the King summons you,” the maid informed Ayla after putting the tray on the table. Ayla could not believe what she had heard. He was locking her up in the room? She tried to breathe, but no a
Ayla kept staring at him until the King finished his training, sheathed his sword, turned, and looked straight at her, his eyes full of anger. Was he still upset about what she had told him the previous day? She got away from the window as fast as she could. She could not believe he caught her staring at him like she was some kind of Peeping Tom. For the remainder of the day, Ayla kept her distance from the window, scared that King Rhobart would still be in the Royal Garden. So, she sat on the bed and read or napped. The next day, when the maid brought her breakfast, she also brought a book. Ayla picked it up, excited to read it. She wondered if it was full of stories about Paladins and dragons or princesses that went on adventures. The maid left, leaving Ayla alone. She sat at the table, smiling until her eyes fell on the title—”Manners and Etiquette: A guide for proper ladies.” ‘How dare he? Bastard!’ Ayla thought before throwing the book across the room. She forg
Ayla couldn’t believe she was thinking about it, but this was the perfect opportunity to get close and listen to the conversation. She needed to know about Myrthana. The King clenched his jaw, and Ayla knew he was angry. Too bad. ‘We are Longthorn, and we bow before no one. Better dead than serving another,’ her father’s voice echoed in her head. She almost snorted. Galian sold her on the first occasion he had. Ayla was a Longthorn, and she…. She was King Rhobart’s slave, after all, and his guests wanted more wine. Ayla walked fast, and before she had a chance to think about what she was doing, she was already at the table, grabbing the pitcher. Gorn stood and pulled a chair. Tizgar choked on his wine. Milton’s eyes widened when he noticed what she was doing. “What are you—?” The King stopped Milton before he could finish his question. “Let her do what she wants. She is bored and wants to draw attention. Sit down, Gorn.” Ayla wondered what would happen to
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