The Prince's Mistress

"Where is that woman!" Popoh paced outside the hall. Several women from the lower-class harem were with her.

Both Popoh and Patra had worried looks on their faces. They couldn't just leave the hall. If they did, then a dungeon sentence awaited.

Patra wrung her hands. She occasionally bit her lower lip. It had been a few minutes, but Ayla had not returned.

"Popoh, is it possible that Ayla got lost?" Patra ventured to ask. After all, for Patra Ayla was the only friend who could make her feel less lonely in the harem.

"What a fool she is!" Popoh snorted in annoyance. "We can't report her missing now. You see, the princes are at a banquet with the nobles. Why take care of a low-caste slave!"

Patra was getting more and more frantic, not realizing that her eyes were dewy again. To Patra, Ayla was more than a friend. The two of them were like brothers.

They were brought from a distant land.

Ayla was forcibly taken from the eastern country called Mur, a very beautiful country with land like a green emerald stone, while Patra was taken from the western country called Atlanta, a country that was no less beautiful even though it was surrounded by snow mountains.

"Ayla, where are you, don't ever leave me alone again." Patra muttered under her breath as she held the tightness in her chest, she was so afraid of losing Ayla for the second time.

While the privileged harem residents were serving the princes and nobles in the hall, the low-caste harem was still waiting for their turn to serve the nobles.

However, if Popoh had brought out the harems, it meant they were no longer needed. The low-class harems had to leave the event.

"You'd better go back to the harems," Popoh invited.

"But, what about Ayla?" Patra asked in a worried tone.

"We'll look for her tomorrow!" Popoh was already furious at having to wait for Ayla's return.

He also seemed to think that the slave girl would easily return to the main palace. Moreover, there was still a forest behind the palace.

Popoh hoped that Ayla would be fine, if she was unlucky, then wild animals would tear her apart.

Popoh began to step out of the hall. The five young women of the harem were forced to follow her into the harem.

Despite her apprehension, Patra was forced to follow Popoh. She would rather wait in the harem while praying that Ayla was okay out there.

***

"You!" The handsome man with caramel eyes removed his hand from Ayla's back.

A thumping sound accompanied by a small hiss split the silence of the forest.

"Aauuggh, why did you remove your hand." Ayla rubbed her butt where it collided with the ground.

"Go away!" Prince Deniz, with his cold gaze while putting the dagger back into its sheath.

"I'm lost, Tu... I mean, Prince." Ayla dared to stare at the cold face with a pitiable look.

Though in her heart, she harbored a sense of awe as she gazed at the beautiful face with a firm jaw and a gaze as sharp as a hawk before her.

'Handsome, handsome, handsome. Why can't they see the prince's good looks. His face may be cold, but the aura of his good looks is mesmerizing' Ayla thought to herself as she lingered and satisfied herself staring at that face.

"What do you want!" That cold gaze again jolted all of Ayla's nerves.

"Mir... Hhmm I mean, just want to go home because I got lost." Ayla corrected her words. She almost mentioned the ruby mirah stone. Her brown eyes occasionally glanced at the sword hanging from the third prince's left waist.

"There's nothing harem girls want more than to chase after princes and nobles!" said Prince Deniz in a cold tone. "You're wrong! There are many other princes and crown princes, you can woo them!"

'What does the prince mean' Ayla's mind wandered. There must be something wrong with that dashing and beautiful prince.

"You're wrong, Prince. I am completely lost. I know you are the kindest prince in all this land." Ayla ventured to touch Prince Deniz's arm.

The man gasped, staring at Ayla's hand as he frowned deeply. Perhaps in his mind, this woman who was near him was very impolite.

"Take my hand away from my arm!" Prince Deniz's order had a cold tone. Ayla quickly moved her tiny hand away from the sturdy arm.

Prince Deniz, without saying anything, walked away quickly. Ayla, who didn't understand, followed and tried to keep up with the prince.

"Prince, wait!" Ayla felt her leg ache again. She grimaced, apparently the slave Elena's legs were really weak. She couldn't even walk a short distance.

Prince Deniz continued to walk away from the forest behind the palace. Ayla cursed inwardly, why was that gallant man so cold. Had he never wanted a woman in his life.

"Prince ...." Ayla ventured to call out to the man softly. "Are we still long."

"I never intended to escort you," Prince Deniz replied dryly. "I'm going back to my palace."

"So, you want to take me to your palace?" Ayla quickened her pace, now right beside the prince.

"Sorry, I've never been interested in taking a slave to my palace!" Prince Deniz's words were quite scathing. Ayla stuck out her tongue for the prince. Mocking. As a sign of her anger.

"Then, why are you walking home now. I only asked to be escorted to the harem. That's all, nothing more." Ayla seemed to urge the prince.

"I never said I would escort you!" The prince's words remained the same, scathing and cynical. "And don't ask so many questions!"

"Is it unbecoming of a slave like me to even ask questions of a prince like you? How can he rule a kingdom and provide prosperity for his people, if you are reluctant to honor a slave?" Ayla's words made Prince Deniz flinch, he stopped his steps. Feeling disturbed by Ayla's words.

"Oouuwwgg!" Ayla rubbed the tip of her nose. Because of the prince's sudden stop, she was unable to control her pace.

"You're a slave, but your mouth is so spicy!" Prince Deniz's words were cold. Ayla gasped as she found herself standing right in front of the prince. Standing tall, Ayla was only as tall as the man's chest, she even had to look up to gaze at the dashing figure before her.

"A slave or a prince, it's just a title. Just different family status. However, both slaves and nobles are still human beings who have the same status in the eyes of God," Ayla replied equally harshly.

Prince Deniz grunted in annoyance, as he seemed to have been overwhelmed by the beautiful and intelligent slave's chatter.

He did not deny that the beautiful slave was able to make feelings stir in certain very sensitive parts of him. For this reason, he tried to refrain from looking at Ayla for long.

Prince Deniz shook his head, he turned his body around again. Without saying anything, Ayla could only follow where the man went.

A few moments later.

"I can finally see the light!" Ayla was excited and walked ahead of Prince Deniz. She was in front of him now. "But where is the harem?"