Chapter 43

When she got to the waterfall, Rhobart was getting naked. When he put his hands at the waistband of his trousers, Ayla gasped. He looked at her and then entered the pool with his trousers on. Thank Addanos!

"Get in the water!" Rhobart said as he started washing himself, using a bar of soap.

"Can you turn around?" she asked. "And move to the other side of the pool?" she asked, while her cheeks burned.

Rhobart laughed but did as she asked.

While Ayla took her clothes off, she looked at Rhobart to make sure he wasn't looking. When she had only her undergarments on, Ayla entered the pool.

She moaned when she realized the water was warm.

'The cave is indeed part of the Eternal Gardens,' Ayla thought.

Ayla undid her braids and dunked, getting her hair wet.

"Do you need help washing your hair?" Rhobart asked from behind her.

Ayla had so busy with the hair that she didn't hear when he got behind her. She turned to look at him.

Rhobart's eyes fell on her chest, and he glanced away.

"Your – your undergarment," he mumbled.

Ayla looked at her chest and got mortified the second she realized that her undergarment, which was white, became almost transparent due to the water and left nothing for the imagination.

"Gods! Don't look!"

She covered her breasts with her arms and turned. Her face was on fire.

"I am so sorry," she kept apologizing.

Rhobart talked very low, but she thought he said, "I am not," but she wasn't sure.

"What did you say?" she asked.

"I was wondering if you want me to wash your hair."

"But my undergarments!"

"I won't look."

Ayla thought for a minute before slowly nodding.

Rhobart moved behind her and started washing her hair. When he massaged her scalp, a moan escaped her lips. He stilled for a second and then resumed his task.

Another moan escaped her lips, and this time Rhobart groaned.

"You are killing me!" he said, but Ayla didn't understand what he meant.

"What do you –?"

"Time to dunk!" Rhobart said and pushed her under the water.

When she emerged, she turned and said in an angry voice, "Next time, give me a few seconds to prepare myself before pushing me under the water!"

Rhobart looked directly at her chest and rubbed his mouth, "Inoss!"

When Ayla realized what she had done, she put her hand around her chest and turned as faspossiblecould. She had never been more ashamed in her entire life.

"I am going to start a fire," Rhobart said and got out of the pool.

When she was sure that Rhobart was far away and not looking at her, Ayla took the soap and washed herself.

Ayla remained in the pool for a long time, enjoying the water. Before she got out, she realized she had forgotten to bring clothes to get dressed in. She looked at the clothes she had worn before, and to her surprise, Rhobart left the new clothes he had bought for her next to them.

She looked at Rhobart, and when she saw him in front of a campfire, with his back to her, she got out of the pool and got dressed.

Ayla went to where Rhobart was sitting. He looked at her and smiled, "They fit you well."

"Thank you for buying them for me."

Rhobart shrugged like it was nothing, but she could see how the corners of his lips went up.

Ayla sat next to Rhobart on a rock, and he gave her a plate full of food. When she looked at the food, she gasped.

"Where did you get fresh fruits from?" Ayla asked.

"Daya was kind enough to offer us some."

Ayla looked at the tree, "Thank you for sharing your food with us!"

The tree said nothing, but a soft breeze touched her cheek.

When Ayla finished the fruits, Rhobart gave her some sweets in the form of stars and moons made from marzipan and caramel. Her eyes went wide with shock, and she looked at him.

"These are my favorite sweets! How did you know?"

Rhobart smiled softly and said, "Lucky guess."

It was indeed a lucky guess because Ayla told no one about her love for marzipan and caramel because it wasn't a sweet that many ate, and it was usually hard to find. Ayla enjoyed every bite. She even licked her fingers to make sure she didn't miss anything.

While she was still licking her fingers, she looked at the King. He was staring at her hand. She blushed and stopped.

"Sorry," she said. "I forgot my manners."

"A finger," he said.

"I don't understand."

"In another life, I want to be a finger."

Ayla looked at him, and she blushed. Some naughty images flashed in her mind, and when she looked at his lips – she looked away fast.

They stayed in silence until they finished eating.

After Rhobart fed Kerra, he looked at Ayla's hair– it was almost dry. From a satchel, he took out a hairbrush.

"Come here," he said and pointed at a spot in front of him.

"I can brush my hair," Ayla protested.

"I know you can, but I still want to do it," Rhobart said.

Ayla inhaled deeply and went to where Rhobart pointed and sat. While he was working on her hair, a song came into her mind. A song that she used to sing when she was younger.

"A boy and a girl,

Two halves of the same soul

Fate brought them together.

One look, one touch, and they knew

Eternally, their love will be.

Here she comes, your bride to be,

Take her hand and bring her close

And the tree will bless you both."

While she sang, Ayla didn't realize that Rhobart had stopped moving. But when she finished the song, she felt Rhobart shaking.

She turned to look at him. Rhobart was pale, and his whole body shook. The brush fell to the ground. He looked as if he had seen a specter.

"Are you feeling alright?" Ayla asked him, concerned for his health. She didn't want something to happen to him.

"That song!" Rhobart said.

"It's just something I must have learned when I was little. I don't remember from where, but I have sung it for a long time. You are very pale, and I don't like it."

He stood.

"I just need some fresh air, " he said before leaving.

Ayla looked as Rhobart left the cave, wondered what happened to him, and prayed that he wasn't sick.

"That boy was more charming when he was younger. Now he has the temper of a troll that has a stick up his ass!" Ayla heard a woman's voice next to her.

She screamed and stood as fast as she could and looked at the person who was talking to her. To her surprise, it was the tree spirit, or at least that was what Ayla thought.

The tree spirit – Daya, was stunning. Her skin was a light pink, and her long hair was green. Her eyes, in the shape of almonds, were the color of amber. And she was wearing a short dress made from leaves. On her feet, she had no shoes.

"Daya?" Ayla asked.

The tree spirit looked at her, "The one and only. Hello, Ayla Longthorn!"

"How do you know my name?"

Daya laughed – and it sounded like bells.

"I know a lot of things. Thirteen years have passed since I last heard that song."

"You know this song?" Ayla asked.

Daya looked into Ayla's eyes and nodded.

"True love is the answer," Daya said before disappearing.

"To what?" Ayla asked.

But Daya remained silent.

Rhobart returned hours later.

"You are still awake?" he asked Ayla when he saw her sitting on a rock with a cup of tea in her hand. Kerra was seated next to her.

She offered him one cup, "I was worried about you, and I couldn't sleep, not knowing how you are feeling."

"I am fine," he said. "Drink your tea and go to sleep."

While Ayla and Kerra went to bed, the princess glanced at the King. Rhobart was staring into the flame with a sad expression on his face. The cup of tea lay forgotten in his hands.