Layla's childhood was as ordinary as a daughter's whose mother had passed away early in her life could be. Growing up surrounded by a dominant presence of male figures in her life, she turned into a strong, courageous individual, prepared to tackle...
"Why are you being such a coward? You're running away from your problems, Julian! You ran away from them when you stopped talking to me, and now you still can't tell me what's wrong! Just say it!" Layla shouted, on the verge of crying.
Julian opened his mouth to speak, but shut it, shaking his head. He had a defeated look on his face, and Layla knew he wouldn't spill the beans anytime soon. She wiped the lone tear that managed to escape, put on a fake smile, and said, "I guess it's goodbye for real now, Julian."
With that being said, she ran towards Robin and jumped on his back, ready to go back home without throwing as much as a second glance at the boy she left behind.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The Royal Mark : CHAPTER SEVEN
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Wake up, Sunshine!" Sir Dunkin shouted. It was pretty early in the morning as he opened wide the curtains of Layla's room, allowing the sun to do its job and wake up the young child.
Layla shuffled underneath her comforter and buried her face deeper in her pillow to hide herself from the sun's rays penetrating her room. "I don't want to get up, Father," she mumbled half-asleep.
"Why not? It's such a beautiful day outside!"
"No, it's not. My bed is more comfortable than anything at the moment. Please, just close those damn curtains and let me sleep," she replied, grumpily.
"Are you feeling okay? It's the second time I've seen you in such a bad mood since the past few days. Is everything okay, baby girl?" Sir Dunkin asked, a hint of worry lacing his voice.
Layla knew that her bad mood would end up affecting her father's, and did not want that to happen at any cost. She peeked out of her comforter, allowing her eyes to be seen, and said, "Everything's fine, Father. I was just a bit tired and wanted some extra sleep."
When her words did not seem to convince him, she pulled the sheets off her face and gave him a small, tentative smile to reassure the old man.
"Alright then. Have as much sleep as you want today. I'll be heading for the bakery now, but when you wake up, you'll find breakfast in the oven. See you later, baby girl," he said.
