er the breakfast. When she asked about King Rhobart or Milton, the maid said that Ay

King. The maid said that Ayla will see King Rhobart at dinner. Most certainly to serve him. After all, Ayla w

ch. She was sure that if she ate anything she would end up thr

times in a row. In the end, Ayla gave up reading entirely. Instead, she started pacing around the ro

e was a madman. Woman. *Woma

that! I bet you would be as nervous as me if you would have to

as dead. He could rot in the Eternal Dar

t was something betwee

next to the snowcat

r and started brushing her long hair. It was custom for Myrthana’s women to keep th

room. One of them carried a blue dress. Both looked a

re the door got closed. The black tips of

my?’ Ayla thought when she fou

them talked to her, “We are here to assist y

her father’s castle were the ones to help everyone else. And even if for Myrthana’s slaves bathing was a must, good food or me

er father’s castle, now her brother’s castle, she would have died.

need to bother with me. I am sur

assist you. Don’t make this hard for

ght ‘He really wants to show o

om and started preparing the bath while

bad it looks so unhealthy. By the time I will

ly and let the ma

h of Ayla’s body using oils and herbs until her skin felt like t

front of a wall that had some set of pipes. One of the maids pushed some

a corner, there was a bench, and under the bench, there were some magical stones. She wondered what those stones did. And there was the bathtub. By Adanoss, th

ocks, that reached her calves. The last was the blue dress and a white belt around her waist. A lo

woolly rhino. Or severa

a maid before to help her style her hair. It was her mother that taught Ayla how to braid and do h

hair in different types on braids. Some even dyed the braids, or used oil and herbs. Maybe Nordmarians had a thing for braids and hair. Myrthanians had a thing for silks. Not that she had sil

face, to hide the dark circles and some pink in her cheeks t

nto the mirror,”

ked like a true princess. A slave-princess. But even if she

utely gorgeous,

reflection when she saw that t

balance for a second but avoided the fall in t

ort you to the dining hal

ehind them Ayla snorted. Her eve

a bad habit that she tried to break over and over again, but no ma

could still hear her father’s angry voice. “Galian, come here! This useless, nasty gi

sh her. Galian was as cruel as her father had been. A

se your fingers you know what

ream. While Galian hit her fringers with the crop, Ayla would repeat, in her mind, names of herbs and their p

ied with the punishment he

sty habits? When you are old enough I w

r father. She already knew how

n’t want you to become crippled and have the oth

sh to Saturas to

m the castle, would ask with an accusatory tone. “Biting

ls. Everyone commented and pointed her out. Well everyone except Drax – her childhood friend.

teen he became the on

r father’s time. Instead, she became a prisoner of her room. She didn’t mind i

w people claimed that the King from Nordmar was soulless, cruel and a monster. Others claimed that he worshiped Beliar, and that’s why no one could ever wound him. Other rumors talked about

be true. And frankly, she didn’t want to think a

or snapped Ayla o

and to her relief, M

u, you were a caterpillar and now yo

th complaints. She managed to s

” Milto

e King of No

ou are a guest her

I want?” Ayla asked, ho

and because serious, “Th

round the continent. She would use her knowledge about plants and herbs to gain money while she would travel. And when Ayla visited each kingdom she would move

ope were not for

oots and we can l

he castle. She looked around the hallway expecting to see the signs of opulence and luxury. Instead, the furnit

the castle was warm. Even with her boots

la asked while Milton and sh

oundation of the castle. Once a year, twenty m

Nordmar relayed a lot on th

the dining hall, she tried to memo

ors and two guards opened them, Ayl