"Aren't you going to go and talk to her?"
The maids standing nearby seemed to be frustrated with her just watching from afar, so they urged her on. They all seemed anxious to see Barcas up close. Some of them looked at him with longing that went beyond simple admiration.
Ayla turned a blind eye to their presumptuous intentions. They were free to do so because she knew that Barcas would not even look at another woman.
'Of course, he never gave me a single heated look...'
She gave a bitter smile.
To begin with, Barcas could not feel such emotions.
He entered the palace at a young age and was brainwashed into becoming a loyal subject of the Empire by fanatical fundamentalist priests. In the process, he lost most of his emotions.
When her mother learned of the harsh discipline that Archduke Sheerkhan's son was receiving from the priests, she tried her best to protect him, but the young boy had already lost most of his basic human desires, not to mention joy and sorrow.
Ayla's face clouded as she recalled the first time she had met him. How frightening the boy with his empty eyes like an insect's skin had been at first.
Barcas looked like a doll made of hardened wax. He was so quiet that he rarely spoke more than two words a day, and he would neither eat nor sleep unless someone told him to. It seemed that he had been so thoroughly controlled by his desires for so long that he had lost the desire to eat or even sleep.
Compared to those days, the current Barcas seems much more human.
'Maybe things will get better from now on...'
She looked at her fiancé with hopeful eyes. She had promised herself many times not to expect too much, but she couldn't help but feel a twinge in her heart whenever she saw him.
The beautiful boy who had always been by her poor mother's side...How could one not long for the man who had now grown into the most perfect man in the entire Roem Empire?
Although Ayla knew that many women who had embraced him had suffered the bitter pain of heartbreak, she felt that she was in a much better position than they.
Although the marriage was arranged to strengthen a political alliance, she would soon become his wife and one day give birth to his successor.
If she continues to show affection for each other throughout the long years they will be together, won't his frozen heart melt someday?
Ayla approached him cautiously, embracing such a wish. Barcas, who had been standing with his back to the light, turned his head toward her, perhaps sensing her presence.
In that moment, Ayla felt a chill run down her spine. It was a cold face, as if it were mocking all her dreams and hopes.
The man who had been giving her a numb gaze straightened his head again and let out a low voice.
"What's going on?"
She pulled herself together and consciously put a bright smile on her lips.
"I came out to see if your travel preparations were going well."
"It's almost finished."
He answered in a flat tone, lightly brushing the horse's sturdy neck.
"I'm worried because the preparation period is longer than expected. It's going to be a tough trip as the weather is getting hotter."
"There's nothing we can do about it. It was Gareth's stubbornness that caused the schedule to change."
Ayla spoke cautiously and looked at her fiancé. Thinking about her brother's immature behavior made her feel embarrassed and unable to raise her head.
Not only did Gareth interfere with the trip, but he also acted as if he had decided to pack up the entire palace and take it with him. He insisted on bringing dozens of servants to serve him, as well as a jester to entertain him during the journey, a person at cook, and even a tailor.
She was once again amazed at Barcas's patience in silently accepting all of the stubbornness and whining without raising his voice.
She looked guilty.
"I'm just sorry for causing you trouble."
"Your Highness, this is not something you need to apologize for. It was something you had to pay for eventually."
He added absentmindedly, handing the reins over to the stable boy.
"You're acting more politely than I expected. It's okay to be this angry when you're sending off your precious sister."
Ayla's face clouded. The worry she had been trying to ignore rose to her head at his words.
Looking up at the magnificent castle, shining in pure white, Ayla clutched the hem of her dress tightly. Her heart was breaking as she thought about leaving her brother alone in this palace filled with sad memories.
Moreover, isn't there an evil demon living here who is after Gareth's place? Can the fiery-tempered younger brother stand up to that cunning woman on his own?
"If it's not a burden to you, I would like to visit the palace periodically even after we get married. Is that okay?"
Barcas, who had been studying another word, turned his gaze to her. Ayla, who saw a faint wrinkle forming between his straight eyebrows, realized that she had made a foolish request and blushed.
As a Grand Duchess, managing a vast territory in the East and leading hundreds of vassals was no easy task. Now that she was married, she had to put the affairs of House Sheerkhan above all else.
However, Barcas, who was looking at her with pensive eyes, nodded as if it was nothing.
"If the long journey is not too much for Your Highness, you may come and go freely whenever you want. Wasn't this marriage originally arranged to give strength to His Highness the Crown Prince?"
Ayla's face clouded. It was a purely political marriage for him, but not for her. For a moment, she felt a little disappointed, but Ayla tried to look happy.
"Thank you for understanding."
Barcas nodded slightly and went back to examining the horse's teeth.
Ayla swallowed a sigh and placed a hand on her fiancé's forearm, forcing him to look at her.
"I know you're busy, but could you spare me a moment? There's something I want to give you before you leave on your trip."
The man who had been looking at her with a puzzled look soon turned around. Then, he gave instructions to the horseman standing next to him to move all the horses that had been inspected into the stables and escorted her to a relatively quiet place.
Thanks to the maids' tactful stepping back, Ayla was able to enjoy a walk alone with him.
She placed her hand on his strong forearm and walked along the well-kept path. A soft breeze caressed their faces as they entered the wide flower garden.
The palace gardens were in full bloom. The flowerbeds, carefully tended by the servants, were filled with brightly colored summer flowers, and the perfectly manicured shrubs were covered in lush emerald leaves.
Ayla took it all in with a sad expression. This scenery always made her heart ache. But as time went by, the palace filled with Senevere's traces became a part of her daily life, and her mother's garden gradually faded from her memory. This fact was the hardest to bear.
"What do you want to give me?"
Ayla, who had been lost in regret, turned around and looked up at Barcas.
As a child, he spent a lot of time in Bernadette's garden, and Ayla knew that he found some healing in his devastated mind there.
She suddenly wondered. Does this man also miss her mother's garden?
Ayla, who had been staring at the expressionless face that showed no trace of emotion, soon let out a sigh of resignation and took out a handkerchief from inside her coat.
"I tried embroidering the emblem of the Sheerkhan family."
The man's gaze fell on the neatly folded cloth. Suddenly, his mouth felt dry.
Ayla began to speak in an exaggerated tone, as if trying to shake off the tension.
"It's a tradition to give your fiancé a handmade handkerchief before leaving on a trip. Of course, we're going on a trip together..."
"What a precious gift."
The man interrupted her rambling and took the handkerchief. A faint smile played on his dry lips.
Ayla felt her heart pounding. She was somewhat ashamed of herself for being so concerned about this man's every move, but she was more glad that Barcas, who was known for being stingy with his emotions, had smiled.
"I will treasure it."
He said, tying the handkerchief to the handle of his sword. She smiled shyly.
At that moment, urgent footsteps were heard from not far away.
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