THE SECRET (The Power Of Love Conquers All)
THE CHAPTER 24

It took another two days to reach the Stewart Kingdom's land. They spent the night before in a very beautiful forest called Glannden Falls.Birch trees, spruce, and so lush growing in the area, the, so that the horses could barely penetrate the path that looked so narrow. The blowing fog is more appropriate if it is called white than gray and almost waist-high in some places, floating around greenish, giving a magical atmosphere to the paradise-like area.

Jacelyn was so fascinated. The girl walked into the mist until the mist surrounded her body completely. Ailean observed the girl's every move. Jacelyn turned her body, looked at Ailean who was observing her, and whispered in a voice full of admiration that it was the most beautiful place in the whole world that Jacelyn had ever met.

"This is the kind of paradise I imagined, Ailean," Jacelyn told Ailean.

Ailean looked surprised, the man looked around carefully, then very arrogantly replied to Jacelyn's words, "Maybe."

It was clear that the man had never taken the time to enjoy the beauty around him. Jacelyn told that to Ailean. Ailean looked at Jacelyn carefully, from the top of her head to the end of her boots. The man moved forward and gently touched the side of Jacelyn's face, then said, "I'm watching her."

Jacelyn could feel her face had blushed. Ailean's words clearly referred to him, of course. Does that guy really think she's pretty? He was too embarrassed to ask that. However, Ailean distracts her by telling her that Jacelyn can take a proper bath in this beautiful place.

Jacelyn was overjoyed when she heard him. The river water flowing in the valley felt very cold, but he was too happy to get the opportunity to be able to rub his entire body so as not to mind the invading cold. Jacelyn washes her hair. The girl had to braid it in a humid state, but it was also no problem for her.

Jacelyn wants to look really good when she meets her best friend. Jacelyn was a little worried about her encounter with Ainsley Callista. It had been almost four years since their last meeting. Will his friend think if he has changed a lot, and if so, does Ainsley Callista think he changed better or worse?

Jacelyn did not let herself think much longer about the meeting. In his heart, he believed that everything would be fine. His excitement soon grew once he managed to get rid of those stupid worries from within his mind. And by the time they finished dinner, he was pacing back and forth around the campfire.

"Do you know that Carmous's wife stayed up all night cooking for us?" Jacelyn did not ask someone specifically which meant everyone who heard her words could answer her.

"He sent Shaista his favorite sweet biscuit. But, he also made enough for us."

Azril, Garfie and Sgaire were sitting around the campfire. Ailean leaned against the large birch tree while observing Jacelyn. But no one responded to Jacelyn's comments about Margaretha.

Jacelyn was so excited. Not a single thing could dampen his spirits. "Why are we making a bonfire tonight? We never made it before?" jacelyn asked curiously.

Garfie answered that question. "We're on Stewart Kingdom land now. Not previously."

Jacelyn flinched with Garfie's reply. "This beautiful land is yours?" jacelyn looked at Ailean.

Azril and Garfie smiled. While Sgaire frowned. "Are you able to stop walking back and forth? You make my head hurt just by looking at you."

Jacelyn threw a smile at Sgaire as she passed by the man. "Then don't look at it" he suggested.

Jacelyn wanted to provoke Sgaire a bit of emotion, but the man made her surprised with a wide smile.

"Why are you walking back and forth?" ask Ailean.

"I'm too excited to face tomorrow, and I can't keep quiet because it's been a long time since I last met Ainsley Callista and there's so much I want to tell her. My mind was too busy with it. I'll bet you, I won't be able to sleep tonight." Jacelyn was so dramatic.

Inwardly, Ailean secretly bet that Jacelyn would sleep well tonight. And sure enough, Ailean won. Jacelyn was truly like a dead man once the woman closed her eyes.

As morning approached, Jacelyn refused in a hurry. The girl warned the knights that she would make the most of her time. And as the woman returned to the encampment where Ailean and the others waited impatiently on horseback, Jacelyn looked just as beautiful as the surrounding nature. The woman was wearing a light blue dress that perfectly matched her dramatic eye color. The woman's hair was in the booth, and her thick curls hung gently over her shoulders as she moved.

Ailean's chest felt tight. It was obvious that the man was unable to take his eyes off Jacelyn. Ailean shook her head in the face of her humiliating reaction, then furrowed her face towards the woman who had managed to get her attention distracted.

Jacelyn arrived at the field and stopped. Ailean did not understand why the woman was hesitating until she turned around and saw that all her men had reached out to Jacelyn. Each man gave a signal for Jacelyn to advance towards them.

Slowly, Jacelyn moved beside Ailean. "I've warned you that I need more time today. So, you shouldn't be so upset."

Ailean sighed. "It would be inappropriate for a woman to speak in such a tone to me" he explained, causing Jacelyn's eyes to be wide-eyed.

"What kind of tone?" ask Jacelyn.

"Taking."

"I'm not demanding."

"You shouldn't argue with me either."

Jacelyn did not even attempt to hide her annoyance. The woman's hand was ruffled. "Ailean, I know and understand that you are an Emperor in this kingdom, so you are used to ruling others. But..."

Jacelyn could not finish her explanation. Ailean leaned over her body, grabbed her waist, and lifted her up onto her lap. Jacelyn shouted softly. Ailean did not hurt him. No, it was the astonishing speed of movement that made Jacelyn gasp in shock.

"You and I have to make a deal" Ailean said in a firm and non-playful tone.

Ailean turned towards her men. "You go first" he ordered. "We'll catch up."

While Ailean waited until her men were away, Jacelyn attempted to twist her body over Ailean's lap so that she could make eye contact with the man. Ailean squeezed Jacelyn's waist, voiceless message for Jacelyn to stay in place.

Jacelyn pinched the man's hand so that Ailean would let go of her grip. Ailean watched as her men had left, waiting so that she could talk to Jacelyn without anyone else going to listen. Ailean let go of her grip. Jacelyn immediately stopped struggling.

Jacelyn turned to look at Ailean. The man didn't shave this morning. He looks a little wrinkled and very masculine.

Quickly, Ailean returned her full attention to Jacelyn. Their eyes stared at each other for quite a while. Ailean wondered how she could leave Jacelyn alone once they got to her house. Jacelyn wondered how Ailean's figure could be so flawless. Jacelyn exerted her attention on Ailean's lips. He seems unable to breathe. For God's sake, he'd love to be kissed.

Ailean would love to kiss Jacelyn. However, he forcibly withdrew the control of his bouncing mind.

"Jacelyn this attraction between us may arise because we are forced to be close together for more than a week..."

Jacelyn immediately commented with a choice, Ailean said badly. "You feel like you're being forced to be close to me?" ask Jacelyn.

Ailean ignored Jacelyn's interruption. "When we get to the fort, everything will of course change. There is a specific chain of commands. And everyone in the Clan as well as the Stewart Kingdom is bound by the same rules."

"Why?"

"There is no chaos."

Ailean waited until Jacelyn nodded before continuing. He tried not to look at Jacelyn's lips, which looked so sweet.

"Rules that we all follow, or can be called, chains of command, are set aside on this journey for reasons of interest. But, once we get to our destination, we will no longer have relationships without this kind of structure."

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