11. It Was Like That After All
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It hurts! That pesky, mean-hearted, fat prince pushed her to the ground. He began to turn bad when the king adopted him.

Before he was her playmate. He often comes to their garden to eat her cakes and snacks!

Just wait and see, once she grows up Fatty The Jerk is going to pay.

 

[Little Lady Doesn’t Love To Cry]

 


 

The little days in the cave passed in peace and Clayton also gradually grew accustomed to Ayan's occasional bout of strangeness whenever she pulled things out of the fairy ring. A cooking pot there, comfortable reclining chair here, some novel snacks for the children or a good set of clothing he has not seen before. 

Ayan has stalled off revealing the real origins of these items to her nominal husband simply because he did not show any inclinations to ask. Although he would pause and admire them, he would not go beyond prying. It should have been a great relief but it had the opposite effect on her instead and one of the methods she used to alleviate the guilt she felt was to find some useful employment to keep herself occupied. 

"Do you feel unwell, madam?" 

Ayan felt her heart shudder when his deep voice called her such. 

She was helping him into a sponge bath when his wide, rock hard torso came into full view. Her cheeks went up in flames causing him to ask the question about her health. 

"Ah? I, I am not." She stammered out. 

"Pray, why is your face red?" Clayton's eyebrows furrowed. "I have not infected you, have I?"

"Certainly not, sir. I am in perfect condition." 

Ayan paused. Her manner of speaking was completely from the one she was accustomed to! Strange and it came naturally too. She glanced at Clayton secretly and thought, perhaps because this man uses polite language that she somehow mirrored it. 

Clayton might not have infected her with a flu but he infected her with politeness instead? The thought made her grimace.  

On the third day of taking care of the sick, at the excuse of making lunch, Ayan threw herself to the task with vigour. Alas, she nearly sliced off her finger when she heard Coco's frantic call, "Ayan, there is an artefact near you!"

"Coco,  will it kill you to speak normally?" 

"I'm sorry, I was too excited," Coco murmured pursing his lips. "I have been feeling it for days."

"What happened?" Clayton quickly moved to her side when he heard her sharp hiss. There was a small cut on her forefinger still dripping with fresh blood. "It must hurt."

He pulled a tissue from the pack she placed near his pillow and pressed it to her wound. 

"Are you planning on adding a finger to the menu?" He asked drolly. 

Ayan glared at him, "Alas sir, my meat is very expensive." 

A faint smile flashed across Clayton's face. Ayan's eyes widened. 

Did he just…?

She then became acutely aware of the warm hand holding hers. Embarrassed for some reason, she tried to draw back but he gently exerted force to keep them. "Are you afraid of blood?"

"No, not in the least. Who told you so?"

"No one in particular. I just notice you—"

"Hush, I am not. Never will be." 

Her peevish reply amused him then chose to clamp his mouth shut and just continued to help stop the bleeding. 

Inside the fairy ring, Coco excitedly ran in the wheat field. "I felt it, you made contact with one not long ago."

"I have not touched anything in these few days though."

"You have, try to remember it." 

Since coming back to the cave she had not come across anything foreign, the only thing she held was Clayton's— could that be? Her mind turned. 

She also held his cane. Yes, that's it! 

Clayton looked at her expression changing from chagrin to confusion, her cheeks then blushed until it later switched to surprise. He never thought that her expression could be so rich it was amusing. Just what is she thinking? 

"Quick, touch it again!" Coco urged. "You have to touch it and wake it. That thing is very important!" 

Ayan made a face, "Err, let me calm down first. He might think my behaviour was strange and refuse to let me borrow it!" 

Coco calmed down as well. "You have a point, lass. The marquess is a smart person, he might notice something odd." 

"What would happen if I touched it? Will it break? I can't do that, what will Clayton use? Besides, it's an heirloom of the Rozenberg family."

Coco quickly appeased her, "No, the cane will be fine but I will have to absorb the essence and fuse it with the fairy ring. There might be changes as well because it's an artefact but I assure you it will not break."

"Alright." 

Clayton saw her in a daze and called softly. When he was not answered, his nerves tightened as he could not be more familiar with this image. For five years it was what he constantly saw on her face! 

Will she change again?

Will that indifferent, lifeless porcelain doll return?

Clayton could not explain what he was feeling. Dread. Anger. Loss? 

"Why did you get up?" Ayan recovered and resumed frowning at him. "Haven't I told you to rest?"

She walked back to his bed and arranged the dishevelled covers, fluffed the pillows and patted the mat. 

"Hurry up here. I will allow you to move after a full day's rest but as long as this day is not finished, you stay in this bed. Understand?" 

Yes ma'am! He was tempted to answer just like that.

And then, it came over him that his worries were unfounded. Those eyes are still very much alive and warm, with a hint of mischief in them. He had gotten passed hoping and no longer cared. He thought it would be the same as before but maybe this time.. It is truly different.  

"Why do you still stand there?" Ayan prompted him with a reproachful look. "Come to bed."

Clayton quickly got over the murky melancholy as he felt so awkward, being a huge man that he was, being reprimanded by a petite woman. He gingerly followed what she said; he laid back stiffly and watched her hover around him like an anxious mother hen. 

"It might be a little stuffy."  

He curiously followed her movement as she fiddled with two lanterns, but unlike any lanterns he knew, these things emit brighter and purer light. Ayan had no idea that her instant husband got fascinated by a couple of cheap solar camping lamps. She hung them on the walls of the cave making the surroundings bright. At the recesses, she arranged their sleeping area where it was dry and clean with the mattress over a pile of grass and tarpaulin. Although there was no need to use a mosquito net after smoking the cave of its critters, she still hung one over their beds. 

The mouth of the cave is slightly covered with a boulder just enough to let the fresh air in. 

Ayan picked his cane in a natural manner before putting it beside him. Coco was overjoyed and rapidly absorbed its essence. Then flew straight to the giant jacaranda tree in the middle of the lake. 

"Nicely done, Ayan. I have finished my task and the artefact is awake." He said. "Now I have to nurture the tree. Wait for me to clean the lake and you will be surprised by its benefits."

"You can take your time. I'm in no hurry."

Coco stopped abruptly reminding her of something, "A little warning, lass. Do not walk too far from the cave while I am currently occupied."

"Alright." 

When she could no longer hear Coco, she turned to Clayton and decided that today is a good time to have a nice talk, "This heirloom, do you know where it came from?"

Among the many canes that had been customized for him, he chose to bring this old antique with him. 

"This has been with my family for many years. As for its origin, grandfather always told me that it was used to be an ordinary walking stick picked by an ancestor when he crossed the Thornwood Forest during one of his adventures."

Oh, so he chose it merely for its sentiments. Not its worth. Good man. 

Clayton gave her a deep look, "How did you know this is an heirloom?" 

He does not remember telling her about this. In fact, they barely had any long conversations at all after she gave birth. 

Ayan did not hide it and pointed at the engraved rose symbol on its handle; the shaft itself has several leaves and thorn vine patterns. "Only important items can have the insignia of the family."

"Many of my things had roses engraved in them."

Her eyes sparkled, "Oh, but not this one. This is the only item with the Enchantress Rose engraving."

Good eyes. He commended silently. 

Then she showed him the fairy ring on her smooth, well-boned forefinger. It had neither her house's sigil nor the kingdom's. The ring was a delicate gold filigree inlaid with a bean-sized seven colour gem cut like a lotus flower that matches her creamy complexion very well. The gem was so tiny but the details on it were so vivid attesting to its superb craftsmanship.

"This one is not from the Elford house but my mother's clan. That's what my father said despite having never told me more details about her." 

What Ayan said was true, Earl Elford refused to tell her more about his wife whom none in the society has seen. All they know is that she must have been a woman of great beauty to produce such an exquisite daughter like Ayan out of the earl's homey countenance. Plus, the fiery red hair is not a native of Lattice or that of its allies.

"I do not know who she is or where she came from. People always say that my mother is an unknown commoner enticing father with her face but according to what I saw from father all these years, that is not the case. Are you aware of the story?"

Clayton nodded his head. In the upper circle, there was an old rumour. Earl Elford though has a title, he has little to no wealth. It was only after the arrival of his daughter that their house recovered. 

"My father is not wealthy; he had sold most of the family's possessions and was ready to return his title. Everything came from my mother's side. The riches and including this ring. Regarding this, not many know of the story and everyone has always associated our family's wealth with my father's title." 

Ayan took the cane again and put it in his hand. 

"How many houses back in Lattice do you think have this heirloom like yours?" 

Clayton noticed the catch on her voice. "Very few."

After saying that, it was as if his mind had broken through several layers of restraint. Last year, Grace house fell. A year before that, the quiet Darcy family was sentenced to rebellion. Coincidentally, these two families came from very old lines and have their treasures. 

In this year, two families fell, Rozenberg and Elford. All their properties are seized. He still does not understand a few things though. Sure the other three families are known for their heirlooms but Elford House has none, what does it have to do with their fall?

Ayan gave him the answer right away, "My ring. These are not just ordinary keepsakes, though I am not certain if the other families have the same, I am sure that my fairy ring and your cane are special."

Clayton looked at the cane on her hand and fell into deep thought. 

Years ago, both families were still in their heyday and suspected nothing amiss within the kingdom. The biggest scandal might have been Ayan's rebellious behaviour when she allegedly chased after the king's nephew Adelheid. 

What the people knew are only the superficial facts but few are aware that before him, Ayan and Adelheid were old acquaintances. Their fathers have agreed to marry them once they reach maturity, unfortunately, people's hearts are fickle.

Ayan is very outspoken when it comes to her admiration thus when she saw him again during the victory parade, the free-spirited Lady Elford voiced out her appreciation to the young hero. Since Adelheid also never showed interest in continuing the engagement, Earl Elford cancelled their childhood agreement and talked to his father, the Grand Commander, to marry Ayan to him.

Everything was going well until the scandal of Ayan bullying a baron's daughter exploded. The baron's daughter appears to be Adelheid's new sweetheart and also gifted with the rarest holy mana, a Diviner's power.

Her prestige shot overnight, leaving Ayan, the earl's beloved daughter in the dust. Rumours also came one after another about her pestering Adelheid and attempting to break the sweethearts apart. Adelheid himself had spoken against herself discarding the years of friendship they shared.

Thinking about it now, Clayton felt a veil had been removed from his eyes. He had known these facts; it's just that he did not bother delving deeper because all his attention and energy were concentrated on how to manage his new family and tame his headache of a wife. 

It was true that she changed after marrying him. She could not accept how her seemingly stable world crumbled. Her life became a joke. She tried many times to divorce him and used every skill in the book. She hurt him, trampled on his pride and never showed him a good face.

For her, he became her shackle.  

Her reputation is in tatters outside that not even the prestige of the Grand Commander can hold. What is even more ridiculous is that just because she had a conflict with Adelheid and his beloved her family suffered as well. Then her husband's family followed next. 

The kingdom's Diviner is treated as a national treasure, her whim has to be followed. Those who wronged her before had to pay the price. Nothing about it was fair and reasonable. Ayan had every right to be furious but she chose silence. She had withdrawn to a deep dark place no one could reach. Not even her children. He could have given her relief by separating early, but he knew he cannot. 

He made a promise. 

Now sitting in front of him, Ayan was still the same Ayan but, just like him, she became enlightened. 

"Do you suspect that everything that happened had something to do with these artefacts?" he asked. 

Is this the reason why she refused to communicate all this time? 

Regarding his misunderstanding, if Ayan knew about this she would most definitely feel embarrassed because she also had no idea why the other Ayan suddenly became like that. She has a hunch though, but this is not the time to dwell on it. 

"I am not entirely sure if everything had to do with these heirlooms but if it does, then that proves my suspicion. The only reasonable move to get these treasures out of our hands is to take back our titles and power. After all, if the monarch forcibly seized his vassal's property in front of so many people it would cause an uproar."  

Her conjecture is actually in line with his thoughts. Seizing properties back has to have a reasonable cause to convince people. It's just that he could not quite understand why a monarch would go such lengths for old heirlooms. 

What benefit was there that is worth sacrificing his loyal subject's confidence? 

Is there a secret he doesn’t know? 

His eyes went to her. Clayton would like to know more of her thoughts but he refrained from asking. She just got out of the shadow of her tragic experience and is finally willing to share with him without losing her temper. 

"If these things are indeed the reasons, I might have the answer. Do you want to know why?" Ayan was waiting for him. 

"By all means…" 

Ayan smiled slightly, she twisted the ornamental head with a click, then a bright light covered the cane filling the cave. A silver sword appeared right in their eyes. 

Clayton was dumbfounded. "This is…"

Ayan turned the blade away and handed it to him. "I believe this is yours, milord?"

His cobalt eyes turned to her with a look of surprise and… something else.

Ayan could not stand the intensity of that gaze. She felt as if he was seeing her right through her deceitful soul so she turned away. 

Truth to be told although she looked solemn and self-assured but her nerves were in tatters inside. Her surprise was not less than his. The cane turned into a sword! Has anyone ever encountered anything like that???

And darn it was heavy! 

Good thing no one saw her silly face because Clayton became engrossed inspecting the silver artefact. "This is astonishing."

Right… 

"After all this time, this blade is hidden within the cane." He said to her in wonder.  

Ayan squeezed her eyes tight. "Coco, you should really learn to inform me before giving surprises like this. It is not good for my heart!"

"I thought you could manage as much." 

She sighed.  

When Ayan gave Clayton the sword, she thought it would be as simple as that. Oh dear, who would have expected that he would be unconscious for an entire week?! 


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