Allure Of The Witch

The Enemy Appears Again

"My Lord, you can't treat a lady the same way you treat a knight."

Maxim advised as he saw Rayan's despair filled eyes.

Rayan looked away from Aria's room and stared at him. He didn't say anything but Maxim understood the meaning behind that stare.

His master was blaming him.

If it wasn't him, he wouldn't have to scold Aria and none of this would have happened.

Maxim's lips twitched at such an illogical thought but he controlled himself.

Perhaps because he knew how people behaved when they were too emotional and according to his observation, his master was also going through those highs and lows of his life without even his own knowledge.

So he as the elder stayed generous and advised

"My Lord, a lady's heart is different from that of a man. You must give her a good explanation behind your recent behaviour and also assure her that you won't behave like that in future again."

Rayan didn't say a single word but Maxim knew that he was listening and even pondering on whatever he said.

After finishing his words, Maxim picked up his sword and walked away from there while Rayan standing there looked at the closed door of Aria's room again and cursed himself countless times.

The thought that she might be crying inside the room bothered him a lot.

She saved his life, she had helped him so many times, she was giving shelter to him and his knights and that's how he had reciprocated the kindness.

It was against the ethics of a knight.

Rayan's thoughts were interrupted by the hurried footsteps of Tristan and Magnus.

"My Lord!"

The panic in Tristan's voice could be sensed easily and Rayan turned around to look at him. Looking at Magnus' sombre expression and Tristan's panic filled eyes, Rayan's face went emotionless.

"There were five Ulrik soldiers on the hill...of course, looking for us. I and Magnus killed them but..."

But more might come soon.

Rayan's cold eyes flashed with an icy glint.

It was now confirmed that they had a spy in their group. Someone sent the message to Ulrik soldiers about him and his knights being here on the hill's other side.

Maxim, Eden and Lenn had also gathered in the courtyard when they had heard Tristan's loud voice.

Now all of them were standing there with grave expressions on their faces.

The knights looked at their master, waiting for his decision and Rayan finally said

"We shall leave."

.

.

.

Aria had been inside her room. She had stopped crying eventually but she missed her grandmother.

In the past few days, the grief had lessened somehow but today, it flooded her like anything. The memories of her grandmother continuously occupied her mind.

Especially her constant warnings...

'Never leave this hill, Aria.'

'People out there are different from us.'

How? Aria used to wonder. But her grandmother would never answer such questions. Hence, she had been living with the unknown knowledge of the outside world.

Aria came out of her thoughts when a knock sounded on the door and she looked towards the door.

"Aria..."

The voice sounded and she knew it belonged to Rayan.

She hesitated and then climbed down the bed to open the door. As she opened the door, her head stayed lowered only and she didn't look at him.

Rayan had been staring at her when he couldn't see her eyes, he didn't like it at all. But did he have any right to see them after making her cry?

He would surely apologize to her countless times for this but right now, there were many things to do.

Hence, Rayan held Aria's hand and then led her to a certain place.

As they passed the courtyard, Aria looked at the busy knights, who were tieing some things. She frowned in confusion but didn't have the chance to say anything as Rayan dragged her outside the hut.

Once outside, Rayan picked a wooden branch and then started drawing something on the sand.

Aria looked at him and then at the figure.

She saw him drawing a hill and then drawing six figures.

After drawing, he looked at Aria and finally saw her eyes. Seeing them red and swollen, he felt a faint ache inside his heart but suppressed it.

Right now, he really wanted to ask her something so he looked at her to see whether she understood what he was trying to say through these figures and drawings.

And Aria did.

She understood that he and his people were leaving.

She immediately felt herself going completely stiff and a sinking feeling inside her chest.

They were leaving.

He was leaving.

Rayan, who was unaware of her turbulent emotions, now drew a hut and then another figure.

Aria's attention was immediately at him again.

When he drew a line connecting that one figure to those six figures, her lips parted slightly and she looked at him swiftly.

This...did he mean to ask her if she would accompany them?

Rayan looked at her with raised eyebrows as if asking her but only he knew how much he wanted her to say 'yes'.

So many days had passed and no one came here to see her.

The hut had two rooms but he never saw someone so at this moment, he could only think that she was living here alone.

So he didn't wish to leave her here. That was the explanation Rayan gave to his mind and heart.

But in the corner of his heart, he knew he didn't wish to leave her behind regardless.

On the other hand, Aria was now sure that he was asking her if she would like to go with them.

Her heart thudded inside her chest as she looked at him and then at nothing in particular.

That outside world.

Her grandmother's warnings echoed in her mind again and Aria's lips parted and closed. A few moments passed as she made no movement.

Rayan felt more anxious with every passing moment but his nonchalant expression never showed anything.

Still, when Aria took the branch from his hand and drew a seventh figure beside those six figures, relief had washed all over his body.

If someone would have noticed closely, they would have seen a slight upper movement of his lips.

He had been smiling. He was happy with her decision.

On the other hand, Aria told herself again and again that she made the right decision.

'Aria you must live a happy life.'

Her grandmother used to say that as well.

And she was not happy here anymore.

So she will leave.