Her Dawning Empire: The Prophecy

Chapter 19

"Yeah, I bet." I answered through laughs before furrowing my eyebrows in confusion at the sly look on Ayla's face.

"What is it?" I asked, my eyes narrowing and she shrugged her shoulders, a look of mischief in her eyes.

"Oh, nothing." She muttered out, a smirk on her face. My eyes narrowed in suspicion and I poked her stomach to urge her to spill.

"Tell me, why do you look like you're hiding something?" I said, poking her repeatedly to which she groaned loudly before putting her hands up in surrender.

"Okay! Okay! I'll tell you!" She said, out of breath and I moved back with a triumphant smile, leaning further into the cushions. I stayed silent, nodding my head to encourage a response and she moved closer, a sly look on her face.

"Maybe the dresses will help entice some potential bachelors." She said tantalisingly before wagging her eyebrows and I blushed at the mention of a potential bachelor for me.

She pushed me hard, laughing.

"Ooh, by the Gods, you're blushing!" She teased and I slapped her hand away before pushing her back.

"What about you? You must have someone on your mind if you want to 'entice a bachelor'?" I retorted teasingly and then it was her who was blushing, using her hair to shroud her face.

I stilled at this, my mouth agape.

"Oh my God, there actually is someone on your mind." I let out the revelation after all the joking had faded and Ayla was still blushing.

Ayla hushed me at this before looking around the room, frantically.

"What if someone hears you?!" She let out, resting her hand against my mouth. We stayed silent for a minute listening for any sound, but when nothing came, I licked her hand to which she yelped, moving her hand back.

My curiosity was at an all time high now and I edged closer, making sure I was whispering this time so that Ayla wouldn't have another fit.

"Who is it?" I asked, excitement building slowly as Ayla deliberated telling me, a look of thought on her face.

"I won't tell a soul." I promise whole-heartedly and Ayla sighed at this, a sad smile on her face.

"What's the point? He doesn't like me back." She muttered and I tutted at her pessimistic tone before slapping the back of her head. She rubbed her head, but her eyes were still sad.

"Any man will be stupid not to like you. And, if they don't then they're missing out, not you." I reassured her and she smiled at my words, her blue eyes lighting up.

She looked around tepidly before moving closer and I rolled my eyes at her antics before leaning in as she whispered.

"I like.. I like Abrax." She whispered out, before she could say anything else, I moved back and squealed loudly in excitement. She smiled at this and I stopped, my mouth agape.

"Oh. My. God. Since when?" I spluttered out, feeling shocked at the revelation. Never in my head did I think that Ayla would like Abrax. I thought it was platonic, but I knew now that my intuition skills were practically non-existent. She leaned a closer, a bashful smile on her face.

"Since I was 17; Abrax was 21 at the time. It was a little over a year since he arrived and, I don't know, he's just so kind and hard-working." She gushed in a whisper, leaning back against the cushions and I nudged her teasingly, thinking about the encounters that I could recall of the two.

When at the village, she was always adamant on going to watch him wrestle as well as being the loudest person to cheer. She wasn't as mean as she was to Emut, Demir or Arun- all of which she constantly found a chance to jokingly berate.