Chapter 31: Rejection and Happiness

"I should take you in as my lady," Clamentine said as she smiled.

"It was a nice offer, but I do not desire a rank that's not worthy of me," Ayla replied.

"Oh, right! I forgot my task, and there he is in front of me," Clamentine said as she watched him walk closer to them.

"What task?" Ayla asked, shocked to see the King of Losman walking towards them.

"My mother summoned me here to get wed to King Luke," Clamentine said, which made Ayla a bit sad about it.

"But King Luke specified that the woman is not limited to nobles," Ayla whispered.

"Yes, but the King and Queen opposed his idea and that he should be wed to a noble, princess, or a queen to match his rank," She replied to Ayla. Clamentine went forward about a meter away from Ayla, but King Luke just passed her and went to Ayla.

"Ayla~ I have been looking everywhere for you," King Luke said as he smiled at her. Ayla felt herself getting hotter as she saw Clamentine's reaction. She was mad, but she did not let it show.

"Your grace," Ayla bowed at him.

"What are you doing?" He said as he grabbed her arms.

"We're friends, are we not?" King Luke asked, but Clamentine's face was dark this time.

Ayla pushed his hand away from her.

"A commoner like me shouldn't be friends with a King. I am a maid with no money in me, I serve, and you are as high as the stars that I couldn't reach and never dream to reach," She said as she kept her head low.

"What's wrong with you?" He said as his face turned dim.

"King Luke?" Clamentine grabbed his arm, but he never bothered to see her.

"I see now," He said as he turned to Clamentine.

"Princess, it was nice seeing you here," He said.

"You just walked past me a while ago," She replied.

"My bad," He said as he faked his smile and stole one last glance at Ayla.

Ayla kept her distance and followed where King Luke and Princess Clamentine were going. King Luke was so conscious of Ayla's presence, but she never dared to ruin their quality time together.

"Ayla~ There you are," Carlyle said as he ran towards her.

"Carlyle! Shhh~~ They are having a moment, and don't ruin it for your sister's sake," Ayla said as she immediately covered his mouth.

He removed her hand and held it.

"Hey! Clamentine! Can I borrow Ayla for the day?" Carlyle shouted as the two looked at them, and she just gave him a go signal.

"Let's go~" Carlyle said as he pulled Ayla to his horse.

"Where are we going? Don't you have anything else to do than to bother me all the time?" Ayla said as she lifted her skirt up to run properly.

"Away from the castle," He said as he showed her his beautiful black horse.

"Woah! What did you name her, though?" She asked.

"Is it important to name animals?" He replied.

"Poor thing~ You have no name? Let me see~~ We should call her... hmmm... Is Moly okay?" Ayla asked as she put her hand before her and waited for her response.

"Okay. Moly, haven't been trained to do that," Carlyle advised, and Ayla slowly took her hand back.

"Moly is your black horse, and I have my Maya; she is very well-trained to respond to everything I tell her," Ayla boasted. 

"Can you even afford to buy a horse?" Carlyle said, and that made Ayla shut her mouth.

"Should we go, or let us just stand here for the rest of the day?" He said as he rode on his horse.

"You should let me go first before you. How can I possibly climb your horse?" Ayla said as she crossed her arms.

"You're brave to command me to do stuff like that," Carlyle said as he smiled and put her on his horse.

"Put your hands on my shoulder, and when I lift you up, the---" He was shocked when Ayla suddenly climbed his horse without any worries about the side effects. Moly suddenly took the opportunity to take her off her back, but Ayla has excellent horseriding skills; she controlled her as she did not fall even though Moly tried so hard to stay on her two feet.

"Moly woah~ woah~ calm down," Carlyle said as he still couldn't believe Ayla could control his horse better than him.

"How can a maid know how to control a horse like no other" Carlyle commented as he continuously brushed his horse's head.

"Well, get on now," Ayla said as she moved forward.

"You lead the way," she said, giving him the bridle.

"Oh! And please make sure to let us come back at lunch~" She said, and he agreed on her terms.

Carlyle brought her deep into the woods and passed the valley. It was pretty far, but it was worth it as Ayla enjoyed the view of the very vast valley, and they arrived at a small castle at the edge of the cliff.

"Woah~ I never knew Serdruan has a lot of wonderful places," Ayla said as she got off the horse and ran to the small three-story castle. It was more like a view of the shining waters of the ocean.

"I thought you were a Serdrian," Carlyle said as he followed her from behind.

"I am not," She replied as she forced her smile.

Carlyle didn't mind her nationality as he enjoyed watching her lovely smile, her wavy hair as the breeze blew her hair, her hazel eyes, which he didn't know if it was brown or green or both, and her overall appearance.

"Gorgeous," He told himself, and he was smiling from ear to ear.

He was shocked when she removed her shoes and let her feet mingle with the grass. He noticed her left foot was bandaged but did not dare disturb her happiness. She went inside the little castle and onto the third floor with a beautiful ocean view.

"AYLA!! YOU ARE DOING GREAT SO FAR!! I HOPE WE WILL BE HAPPY AND LIVE OUR OUR LIVES JUST LIKE THIS!" Ayla shouted as she smiled from ear to ear, overjoyed.

"What are you doing?" Carlyle asked as he went to her side.

"My father said that if I'm happy, sad, frustrated, or something bothers me. Shouting them to nature will help me ease my mind," Ayla shared as she looked at him straight in the eyes.

Carlyle's heart was beating so fast, and he couldn't control it.

"You should try it," Ayla told him as he pulled him even closer to her.

"Okay~" He replied.

"Then have a deep breath and shout with all your might," She said excitedly.

"I wish I would be someone who is just a simple boy without a rank or anything! Just a normal boy!!!" Carlyle shouted, and that made Ayla feel sad for a moment.

"That feels better," Carlyle said as he was breathing so fast, and he smiled at her with his purest smile.