Chapter 40

Ayda gave up on her baking career before it even started. She decided that she baked more than enough for an entire lifetime and when the young maid came up to her with an excited smile she immediately said:

"No."

The maid stopped in her tracks, perplexed:

"What do you mean no?

-I am not baking a heart shaped cake.

-But... Her Ladyship loved your baking last time..."

Ayda sighed. She couldn't give in to those puppy eyes. Not again. She had to admit that the maid's idea was the one that worked the best until then but she just couldn't bring herself to bake again. She hated it more than her genetrix.

Therefore Ayda started following Nifsara around and complimenting her again and again. She knew that she already used that approach but she thought things would be different once Nifsara thought Ayda loved her. She couldn't have been more wrong. When she noticed that Nifsara wasn't phased, she had to quickly come up with a solution. She picked up a rock on the way and gave it to Nifsara. Seeing her do so wasn't even shocking to the knights anymore. They were used to the weird dynamic Ayda and Nifsara had going on.

"Here."

Nifsara looked at the rock for a bit before taking it:

"Thank you, Lady Ayda. I will treasure it.

-Won't you ask me what it is?

-What is it?"

She was so obedient, like a little dog. It was pissing Ayda off. Would she bring the rock back if she threw it? That vision made Ayda smile for some reason.

"I read somewhere that some animals give pebbles to their loved one and if they accept it then they are married for their entire life.

-It isn't far from humans gifting precious rocks to each other."

Ayda had to admit that Nifsara had a point but it wasn't the moment to have that conversation:

"You accepted it, which means we have to get married now."

Her genetrix would have been very proud of Ayda if she had married Nifsara. Proud if she had married anyone actually. She would finally have gotten rid of Ayda and she would have even gotten money for it. Just the more reason never to get married. But of course, Nifsara didn't have to know that. She had to think that Ayda was dead serious.

"It would be dangerous if it were that easy."

Ayda frowned:

"But it is a very interesting story. Thank you for telling me, Lady Ayda. I apologize but I am rather busy today. I will see you in the afternoon."

She wrapped the rock in her handkerchief, put it in her pocket and just like that she was gone. Ayda turned around and looked at Nifsara's back. She hated that sight. How dare she turn her back to her? Ayda didn't have time to think that she was already running after Nifsara. The latter heard Ayda and turned back the second before Ayda grabbed her arm.

Ayda had no idea what to do anymore. Nifsara wasn't mad when she hurt her, she wasn't mad when she complimented her, she wasn't mad when she declared her feelings to her, she wasn't mad when she was joking about marriage or giving her dirty rocks... What did she possibly have to do to annoy the hero? Did she have to kill all her knights? Would she finally frown then?

Ayda looked at the knights that had agglomerated when they saw Ayda grabbing the Commander. No. She couldn't kill innocent people. She wasn't ready to pay that price and she had no idea how to kill someone in the first place. Moreover, it would have been very annoying if she could kill someone easily but still couldn't die after so long.

"Lady Ayda? Did I say something wrong?"

Something wrong? Everything she ever said was wrong! The knights noticed Ayda's frustration and quickly rushed closer, scared that Nifsara would worsen the situation:

"You should give up, Lady Ayda. It isn't your fault. Our commander doesn't wish to get married in the first place. I am sure that if she did, you would be the first person she would court."

Ayda didn't care at all if Nifsara wished to get married or not. All she wanted was for her to get annoyed by Ayda clinging to her.

"That's fine. I don't want to get married either. But we could still live together forever.

-I would be honored for you to stay here for as long as you wish."

Ayda froze. What the hell was Nifsara talking about? Did she really like the idea of them living together forever? Or was she just being polite? It must have been the latter. No one could like someone eating their food for free for the rest of their life.

"I would love that! I could just move in here forever and we could grow old together."

Seeing Nifsara's nod ticked Ayda off:

"Be careful with what you say. In the end I will really stay here forever.

-I could go to the Maganti mansion and bring all your belongings here."

Ayda had no idea what to say at that point. She wanted to see how far Nifsara would go. She had to get bored of her at some point. She couldn't just follow everything she said without end. That was inhumane.

"That would be amazing!"

Ayda knew that Nifsara had a lot of work therefore she asked:

"Could you go right now?"

She thought that Nifsara would find an excuse but she didn't waste a second. She went to the Maganti mansion and she came back an hour later. When she came back it was with a lot of dresses and make-up items. Ayda looked at them with a frown. It seemed her mother had to give her own things to Nifsara for her not to find out how little Ayda really had. Had her mother ever bought Ayda makeup? Not that she remembered. Even the dresses she wore were bought with her own money. They weren't as fancy as her mother's but they were more than enough for Ayda.

Ayda didn't feel like using her mother's things and she felt disgusted just looking at them. Fortunately, Nifsara bowed:

"I am sorry Lady Ayda, it seems your dresses got soiled during the trip. I wasn't careful enough, so I apologize. I would feel way better if I could get you new dresses instead.

-Oh... You don't have to... I don't want to bother you.

-I insiste."

Nifsara looked different from usual and Ayda couldn't help asking:

"Are you okay?"

Nifsara paused a bit before saying:

"Am I right to think that you don't wish to marry me Ayda?

-Of course! Why? Did my mother say something?"

Nifsara pinched her lips:

"It's not important. If you don't wish to marry then that's all there is to say."

And that was when Ayda got her illumination. Her whole body calmed down and it just felt perfect. She knew exactly what to do. Nifsara didn't want to get married. She didn't even have time to think and said:

"I never wanted to get married. The mere thought makes me nauseous. But... If it's you... I wouldn't mind getting married."

Seeing Nifsara freeze made Ayda ecstatic. Finally! A negative reaction out of Nifsara. It felt a bit weird seeing her like that but Ayda was just too excited at the idea of her own death:

"Think about it. Marrying a noble would be very good for you. You could finally become a noble too."

Nifsara became very silent and that made Ayda even more satisfied. If Ayda wanted to marry Nifsara, she wouldn't have a say in it. Being a noble, Ayda could force Nifsara to marry her and Nifsara was of course aware of that fact.

"I fell in love with you as soon as I saw you, Nifsara. I changed my mind about marriage. I want to marry you as soon as possible."