Ayla woke up to an empty bed. She half expected to see Robart in bed, looking at her with his cold silver eyes. Since they got married, they never spent too much time together, except last night.

When King Robart won the war, her brother, King Galien, expected the worse. ´He is the King of all barbarians. He must be the cruelest of all of them. And now that he won the war, he can do whatever he wants with us,´ Galien said, talking to his Royal Advisors while she was present at the meeting. Ayla expected the worse back then, thinking that Robart would seek revenge. But then her brother had an idea. ´What if there's a way to save our lives? What if we give Ayla to the barbarian King? Maybe if he fucks her, he won't kill us.´ Ayla trembled in fear when she heard her brother say that. She did not know what 'fuck' meant, but it did not sound like something good. And she didn't want to go with the barbarian King.

Ayla always dreamed of falling in love with a kind man, and all she ever heard of Robart was that he was a savage and a killer. When she looked at him, she only saw his cold eyes. She could not see herself falling in love with Robart. The first time she saw him was on their wedding day. He stood in front of her, dressed in his armor, looking at her with an angry face. Robart looked like the King of all savages at that moment. Ayla trembled with fear, and she wished she could run away, but her brother told her he would kill her if he did not marry Robart. Once the ceremony was done, he took her away from her land and family. She wasn't allowed even to say goodbye.'You are my wife now, and you will do as I say,' Robart told her as he dragged her to the carriage.

Ayla stood in bed a little longer until a maid came inside the room. In her arms, the maid carried a royal blue dress."Good morning, Queen Ayla. I am Mylla, your new maid. I will help you prepare for the day," the maid with a voice that gave the impression to Ayla that the maid wasn't too happy to be there.

"Good morning. Thank you," Ayla said in a sweet voice.

Mylla helped Ayla put on the dress and then braided her hair in a crown around her head. Once she was ready, Ayla took a last glance in the mirror before stepping out of the room.

"Are you hungry, Queen Ayla? King Robart told me to show you the Castle after you ate," Mylla said.

Ayla hoped that Robart would show her the Castle, but she also understood that he is the King and has a Kingdom to take care of.

"Yes, I am hungry," Ayla said. Mylla took Ayla to the dining room. To her surprise, no one else was in here. "Am I the only one to eat breakfast?" Ayla asked."The King, Paladins, and knights already had breakfast. They are training now."

"Oh...." said Ayla.

She didn't know too much about knights and Paladins. He father never let her go too close to the training grounds. 'A woman's place is in her room or garden, not next to the knights, distracting them.' So she was mostly in her room or garden, with Cally, her old maid, and her nanny. Ayla missed Cally and was sad and happy when Cally said she is getting married. Sad because she won't be seeing her maid and happy for Cally that she found someone that loved her.

After breakfast, Mylla started showing Ayla the Castle. The maid showed the Queen where the kitchen, throne room, the mages rooms are, and any other important room.

The two women were on their way when Ayla noticed a Paladin in a hallway. The Paladin looked at Ayla with black eyes, full of loath. No one has ever looked at her with so much loath in his eyes. Not even Robart, even when he looked at her with cold eyes.

Suddenly, Ayla wanted to turn around, she did not want to get any closer to the Paladin. But she kept going, hoping the Paladin will let her pass, but to her dismay, the Paladin blocked the path.

"Leave us," the Paladin said to Mylla.

Mylla stood there, frozen, looking at Queen Ayla and then at the Paladin. She wasn't sure what to do. The King ordered her to stay all the time with the Queen.

"Don't make me repeat myself, girl!" the Paladin said with anger.

"It's alright, Mylla," Ayla said.

Ayla felt like a rabbit trapped by a wolf. Her heart was pounding fast in her chest.

Mylla bowed and left, leaving Ayla alone with the Paladin.

"When we won the war, a month ago, I was very happy, thinking I could get the revenge I so desperately wanted. But when we got to Vengard, Myrthana's capital, and we heard that your father took his own life, I was furious. But I thought that we could still make your brother a slave and pass you around until every Paladin and knight fucked you. But Robart had to marry you, King Amul's daughter, the man who took everything away from me. I will never accept you as Queen," the Paladin said with so much anger and spat and her feet.

Ayla was speechless. Paladins are supposed to be good and let their emotions get the best of them as they fight in the name of Innos. And yet, this Paladin hates her. What could she say to him?

"I-I am...." Ayla tried to say something.

She never spent much time around men, so she didn't really know what to say to them, especially to a Paladin who hates her.

"You what?" the Paladin snapped at her.

"Leave her alone, Godefray," Ayla heard a male voice coming from behind her.

"Stay out of this, Milton. This is between her and me," Godefray said.

"I am afraid I can't do that. She is Robart's wife, and you have to respect her," Milton said.

When Milton stood next to Ayla, she could see that he was a Fire Mage. He was dressed in a long red and black tunic, just like any other Fire Mage. His brown hair was cut short. Milton looked to be the same age as Robart.

Godefray spat once more before turning his back at Ayla and Milton and left.

Ayla felt relieved when Paladin Godefray left. She wondered what would have happened if Milton didn't showed up at the moment he did.

"Don't mind Godefray. He is just bitter," Milton said to Ayla.

Ayla was glad that Milton addressed her because she wanted to thank him.

"Thank you for helping me, Sir Milton."

Milton started laughing hard. Ayla got embarrassed because she was sure he was laughing at her.

"I am no, Sir. I am Milton," he said once he stopped laughing.

"But you are a Fire Mage, and I should give you the proper respect," Ayla said.

Fire Mages dedicate their lives to serve Innos. Fire Mages, just like Water Mages, didn't usually get married since they spent most of their lives in Monasteries.

"Milton is more than enough. Let me walk to your room. I thought that Robart assigned a maid to you."

Ayla knew that Milton had to be a good friend of King Robart if he only called him Robart.

"He did but asked her to leave when he wanted to talk me," Ayla confessed.

"It is not wise to remain alone without a maid by your side. Anything can happen in this Castle," Milton said.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Just forget I said anything. Sometimes I talk without thinking," Milton said.

He made sure Ayla got back to her room safe and then went to his tower.