Chapter 3: Talks of Marriage

She slept until noon, which made her mother furious.

"Ayla~ wake up, and your future husband is here in any hour now," her mother said

"The boy in the rays of the moon," she murmured.

"What are you talking about? If there's gossip that you came home past midnight! People will ruin us! Wake up, and let's meet my future son-in-law and your future parents-in-law." her mother said as she grabbed her up.

"Laelya... Prepare a warm bath for Ayla at once," Her mother ordered, and she started removing Ayla's clothes.

"Mother! You're so unethical!" She said as she stopped her.

"Prepare yourself neatly and elegantly," She said to her daughter and left her room.

"I honestly think that I must be the one to choose the person I love in talks of marriage." She said, and she just went to take a bath.

"I am so happy that your mother decided to marry you to a wealthy man," Laelya said.

"What do you call a marriage without love? I do not want a marriage my parents decided for me," she shared her thoughts with her lady.

"But this marriage will bring you security and tons of gold," Laelya said.

"That is not what I want; I just want to marry someone who loves me more than I love him," She said.

"But if I were the one who will marry a noble, then I will grab the chance for a more stable future," Laelya said.

"Then I have an idea," She replied with a very malicious smile.

"Not again, my lady," she said as she was about to leave.

They changed their roles, Ayla became a maid, and Laelya became the general's daughter.

"Then off we go to the Valley where we will meet him," Ayla said as she was so happy wearing a maid's dress as a disguise.

Her mother missed them, and they quickly ran away.

"This is your future, not mine. I will gladly give you my name, but please seduce him so your marriage will keep you in a good and stable life," she said as she hugged Laelya.

"I will never forget your gratitude towards me, lady Ayla," She said, giving her a very tight hug.

"I wish for your prosperous future," she replied and kissed her forehead.

"Make sure to seduce him that even though he will soon know the truth about you and your identity, he will still marry you regardless of your status" She gave her some advice.

"I will consider your advice, my lady," she replied and bowed.

"But now I want you to think that you are a noblewoman, not a maid," She told her.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

Ayla followed them at a distance to guide her maid to fool the nobleman. He was pretty handsome, a man with brown-colored eyes, a round face, straight blond hair, and a beard that perfectly suited him. He is indeed from Belowees, as his suit was knitted with beautiful designs, clearly saying he is a noble man.

"My future husband will soon be a very, very handsome person in my sight. A wise man, a good man, a merciful man, and any good trait will suit him," she was talking to herself.

She followed them in the field of flowers, and it pleases her eyes to see her maid smile from ear to ear.

"I did my job... I just hope they will be together even though he knows the truth," She said to herself as she tapped her shoulders.

"Ayla~ why are you dressed in a maid's clothes?" a man said as he jumped off to her.

"Michael! What are you doing here?! Shut your mouth off," She said as she dragged him away from the soon-to-be couples.

"You are blowing up my cover," She whispered to him.

"But what treachery are you plotting again?" He said as they stayed out of sight.

"I need Laelya to get married to Theodore of Belowees so that she can live a great life," She spitted out.

"But you are scamming him," He said as he glanced at the couple, but he saw them smiling.

"I want to choose my own husband, and Laelya wants to get married to a noble man," She replied.

"This is wrong! I am going to tell him that the real daughter of the general is you," He said as he fixed his clothes.

"Just for once... I wanted to see Laelya's smile after all the years we've been through," She said as she softened the young man's heart.

"Then you should wait for her. I just came to see as I was passing by," Michael said

"Then go on to your journey," She said as she escorted him back to his horse.

"Oh, by the way... Is the peace treaty between Kaastiana and Serdruan going well?" She asked him before he got on his horse.

"About that. Our country held swords to the Serdruan's men who led the King of Serdruan mad. Kaastiana chooses war over peace, but according to the investigations, the queen did not order his men to do it. Still, the queen's mother wants bloodshed and Serdruan itself" Michael carelessly shared the information.

"You are a very good noble man; you share everything with me," She said as she smiled from ear to ear.

"Keep it private," He said, and she just nodded at him.

"I wonder if he was hurt, the man under the moonlight," She told herself and realized that she must go back to the beach border to see for herself.

She did not wait for Laelya to finish her date, but she just recklessly ran off to her home and went immediately to the stables. The workers caught her, but she was riding the horse, and it was too late for them to stop her.

She ran off again; this time, she knew where she was going. She hurriedly went to their first meeting place and got off her horse as soon as possible. She ran to the cliff to confirm if they were still there but sadly, she saw their boats going farther away from her.