The next morning, after the early morning prayer, Gabriel left the church and headed to the royal palace as usual to check on the princess.
Even after what happened yesterday, Gabriel did not want to neglect his duty, which the king had entrusted him with, to watch over the princess.
Gabriel was walking through the corridors of the Dresden Royal Castle with quick steps.
While he was walking towards the side where the princess's room was supposed to be, he heard a familiar female voice.
"Stay away, I'll go down alone to understand!!"
The female voice was very familiar.
"Let me help you, miss, you might fall like this, the tree is very high."
The male voice was also familiar.
This was definitely Edward's voice!!
Gabriel's heart beat violently when he heard Edward's voice
He suddenly quickened his steps and felt scared as he approached the source of the sounds
"No"
He whispered to himself and increased his speed even more
"No no no..."
He couldn't let his half-brother get close to her, he had to get to them first
Gabriel didn't want his brother, the famous womanizer in all of Germany, to meet the little princess
His heart was pinching him painfully at this moment
Layla should never get close to a man like that!!!
Gabriel felt an unjustified sense of danger at the thought of his half-brother Edward approaching the princess.
His heart was pounding violently at this moment.
Gabriel's steps quickly accelerated towards the garden.
As he approached, he could see the figure of a young man in the prime of life with golden blond hair and a bare chest standing under one of the tall trees in the garden while his eyes were fixed on the top of the tree.
At the top of the tree and on the hard branch of the tree sat a beautiful girl wearing a yellow German dress with a beautiful white belt.
Her braided black hair fluttered down to the end of her waist in the wind while her golden earrings sparkled from this great distance.
"I said get away, you crazy man, do you understand?"
Layla shouted at the blond man who was looking down at her.
"You're going to fall like this, miss."
Edward said as he threw the wooden training sword in his hand onto the green grass of the garden.
"Come down, I'll carry you."
He said as he opened his hands
The princess raised her head and looked down from the tree branch.
She didn't look afraid, but an expression of annoyance was clear on her face.
She said angrily.
"I don't need your help. I can go down by myself. Do you understand?"
Edward laughed as he looked at her
He said in a cheerful male tone
"Your neck will break if you try to get down the branch is too high just jump I'll catch you"
"I said I don't need your help you blond bastard get out of here before I hit you"
Layla said angrily
Edward laughed at the beautiful girl's threat
He said as he tilted his head
"Oh you're fierce then? You can hit me as much as you want but I'm not going anywhere"
He smiled arrogantly as he continued to extend his arms towards her
"Crazy bastard just get away for God's sake"
Layla said angrily as she waved her hand at him nervously
Just at that moment she lost her balance
Edward's sarcastic smile faded as he saw the girl lose her balance he took a step forward ready to catch her
He said with worried eyes as he raised his arms up
"Oh my god I told you to be "Careful"
Layla fell from the tree branch and in an instant, she crashed into Edward's arms
He took a few steps back but his strong arms instinctively encircled her slender body, preventing her from falling.
Layla instinctively held onto Edward's bare chest to catch her breath after falling. The warmth and firmness of his body under her fingers surprised her.
She said with a slightly trembling voice.
"You caught me."
"Of course you did."
Edward replied with a smug expression and tightened his arms around her waist.
"Did you really think I would let you fall? I told you I would catch you, didn't I?"
Laila was looking at the blond man in front of her in astonishment for a while as if she was trying to comprehend that she almost died minutes ago or broke one of her body parts due to falling from the tree
"....."
Meanwhile, Edward was watching the girl's facial features in his hands absentmindedly
The beautiful girl or woman in his hands was so charming that he felt that his stomach was at war at this moment
She had long, braided black hair, attractive, tanned wheat-colored skin, large, charming brown eyes, precise, drawn facial features, and thick black eyebrows
The yellow dress looked very beautiful on her
He looked at her facial features with admiration
Her beauty was strange and rare. He had never seen a woman with this kind of charming and seductive appearance in his life
Her facial features looked more beautiful up close
He was training with the knights in the training yard near the garden, had he not heard strange sounds in the garden of a sharp cat meowing, he would not have bothered to interrupt his training and come here
Who would have expected to find a beautiful woman stuck in a tree instead of a cat?
Even her scent seemed strangely familiar
This scent of musk and jasmine.....
Just at that moment, Layla screamed as if she finally understood the situation and pushed Edward forcefully as she got up from his arms
"Wait what-"
Edward was surprised by Layla's sudden push. He almost lost his balance
But he quickly regained his balance
He looked at her with a mixture of surprise and confusion. His arms were still hanging in the air where her body had been a moment ago
Layla was now standing a few feet away from him, her chest heaving with anger and embarrassment
"You stupid yellow man. You said I could get down on my own. How dare you touch me with those two hands, you yellow, gray bastard!!"
Edward was annoyed by the insults of the woman in front of him and his initial surprise turned into annoyance.
"Okay, watch your words."
He said as he roared harshly.
"You're the one who fell into my arms. I just saved you from breaking your neck and this is how you thank me."
"I didn't ask you to help me, you bastard!"
Laila said angrily while pointing her finger at Edward accusingly
This was all happening right in front of Gabriel who was standing in the middle of the garden while watching the two argue as he clenched his fist until his knuckles turned white
The two were so busy arguing that they didn't notice his presence
"Edward Deutschland!!!"
Gabriel said in a loud masculine voice
"....."
Edward froze when he heard the familiar voice
He turned to see Gabriel standing a few meters away, his face twisted with anger and a bit of jealousy
Edward said with a touch of caution in his voice
"Gabriel.."
"The monk?"
Laila said in astonishment
"Edward Deutschland!!!"
Gabriel said sharply and angrily as he advanced to stand in front of Laila
"Are you raising your voice at me?"
Edward said sharply
"You...!!!!"
Gabriel bit his inner lips in an attempt to suppress his anger that was erupting like a volcano at this moment
He was blinded at this moment by feelings of anger and strange feelings of jealousy
He took a look at Edward's bare chest and felt a strange feeling of jealousy mixed with anger filling his heart
He grabbed her while he was bare-chested!!
He grabbed that body that he didn't even dare to think of touching!!!
Gabriel felt his anger rising
"You touched her..."
Gabriel said through clenched teeth
"You put your hands on her, on her slender waist..."
"You held her in your arms... Her slender body in your arms... You held her close to your bare chest..."
Gabriel mumbled in a low voice with words that seemed incomprehensible to Edward
Edward couldn't hear what Gabriel said because of the low tone of his voice but he could see the anger on his face. He frowned confused and somewhat worried
Edward said looking at Gabriel with a mixture of anger and confusion
"I just helped her down from the tree that's all"
He said in a calm male voice while looking at his brother's face that was starting to turn red with anger
"You held her in your arms..."
"You touched her with your bare hands..."
Gabriel said through clenched teeth and his words were barely discernible
Because of her proximity to Gabriel who was standing directly In front of her, with his back to her, Laila could barely make out the words he was saying, opening her mouth and saying in a sharp feminine tone while instinctively placing her hand on Gabriel's back, wanting to take cover behind his back.
"Yes, monk, that gray-haired man dared to touch me. Teach him how to respect people."
Edward's face turned when he heard the woman's words, and a look of anger mixed with annoyance appeared on his face.
He said angrily.
"Damn you, woman. I was only helping you!!! If I hadn't helped you, you would have fallen from that tree and broken that thin neck of yours!"
"How dare you talk to me like that, you gray-haired man!!!"
Laila said angrily.
"You're the one who's being rude!" "I just helped you get down from the tree and you're acting like I committed a crime!"
Edward said, his voice rising in annoyance.
"Stupid, stupid monk, scold him."
Layla said as she pulled Gabriel's black monk's robe.
Layla brought Gabriel out of his rage when she pulled his robe. He looked back and saw her holding his robe with a childish expression.
He forgot his anger and frustration for a moment when he looked at her holding his robe.
Seeing her acting like this, she didn't look like the girl who made him cry yesterday with her harsh words.
Gabriel turned to Edward to look at him with his sharp turquoise eyes.
"Edward, take your sword and leave before something happens that you won't like."
Gabriel wanted Edward to leave at all costs at this moment.
His anger was still there and the jealousy was eating away at his bones from the inside, barely suppressed. The crazy desire that gripped him at this moment to punch his big brother in the face
"You dare try to throw me out of the garden, my dear little brother?"
Edward laughed in amusement
"Little brother?!!!! Are you the brother of the monk prince!!!"
Layla looked at the handsome, bare-chested blond man in astonishment
So this man in front of her was the brother of the monk, then he must be one of the two princes, the first or the second prince
"Yes, I am the brother of the pitiful monk in front of you, and I am the second prince of the kingdom and the second in line to the holy German throne"
Edward said proudly with a raised nose while looking at Gabriel who was still staring at him sharply with contempt
He continued in an arrogant and sarcastic tone
"I advise you, my dear brother, to act like a real monk and get rid of that angry expression on your face. Stop looking at me with those angry eyes that look like they are about to kill me."
Edward said with a cheeky smile, his arms still crossed
"After all, you are a man of God, aren't you?"
Gabriel's blood boiled at Edward's words and he had to hold himself back so that he wouldn't give in to his anger and hit him.
Gabriel said through clenched teeth, his voice trembling with anger.
"You are testing my last patience, brother. One more word and I won't take responsibility for my actions."
"What are you going to do, huh, monk? Do you dare hit me?"
Edward looked at his brother with his bright green eyes that were brimming with defiance and arrogance.
Edward was sure in his heart that Gabriel wouldn't dare hit him.
This wasn't one of the basic virtues of a clergyman to begin with.
Gabriel approached Edward and was so close that their faces were only inches apart.
Gabriel said in a low, threatening tone.
"You are making a grave mistake by provoking me, brother."
He continued while his sharp turquoise eyes shone with a fierce glare.
"I have the patience of a saint, but even saints have a breaking point. Watch your tongue or you will regret it."
"Could this anger of yours be anything other than his?"
Edward whispered sarcastically as his eyes instinctively turned towards Layla who was standing behind Gabrielle
That scent emanating from that woman…
That distinct scent certainly smells like that embroidered handkerchief
"Is that the beautiful woman behind you then Layla? The imprisoned Arabian princess?"
He whispered in a low, masculine voice as he smiled, showing off his distinctive fangs
Gabriel's heart pounded hard when Edward mentioned Layla
He felt a strange sense of possessiveness and anxiety, his eyes widening slightly
He looked in the direction where Layla was standing behind him with slight concern
Gabriel asked with a hint of surprise and anger
"How did you do that…?"
Edward interrupted him with a deep masculine hoarseness
"I never forget the scent of a woman's perfume, especially if the scent of the perfume is very distinctive."
Upon hearing that, Gabriel immediately remembered Laila's handkerchief that Edward took from him in the church and smelled it.
Could he have recognized her because of the scent of the perfume?
"....."
After saying those words, Edward moved away from Gabriel to pick up his wooden sword lying on the green grassy garden floor.
He looked at Laila after picking up the sword from the ground to wink at her with an attractive smile that adorned the corner of his lips.
"See you later, my princess."
And so Edward left the garden
Leaving behind his brother, who was struggling with himself
"Your princess? Go to hell, you impudent scumbag"
Layla said in annoyance while looking at Gabriel's back secretly
As soon as Edward left, Gabriel's body relaxed a little
He closed his eyes for a moment and tried to control his raging emotions that were racing inside him as he felt his heart pounding in his chest
He turned and looked at Layla with an intense and burning look
"What in the name of the Holy Spirit were you doing up in the tree, you naughty girl!!!!"
He said sharply
Layla frowned upon hearing Gabriel's sharp tone and said in a complaining way
"There was a cat stuck up in the tree and I wanted to take it down because it looked very scared"
"....."
"So you don't believe what I say, are you ready to swear by Allah Almighty?"
Only at that moment did Gabriel realize the differences between him and Laila's religions.
(Allah)
He is the God of Muslims
The fact that she was ready to swear by the god she worshipped proved that she wasn't lying
Gabriel raised his head to look at the tree
The tree was empty, there wasn't even a cat's shadow hanging at the top
"Is swearing something normal in your religion?"
Gabriel asked Laila frankly
Laila looked at Gabriel with slight surprise at the question he asked
She said seriously
"The oath in my religion is not a joke. We do not take oaths lightly. We only swear to make sure that what we say is true."
Hearing that, Gabriel sighed before saying nervously
"I understand, but even if there was a cat on top of the tree, you should not have climbed that tree recklessly. You are not a child. You are an adult and sensible girl. Promise me that you will not do such crazy things again."
Then before waiting for an answer, he continued in a calmer tone
"You could have been seriously injured or worse, died."
"....."
Layla looked with her big brown eyes into Gabriel's turquoise green eyes that shone with a strange glow
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Layla, it is not among the virtues of a woman to act in such a barbaric and mischievous way. You are not a boy, but you continue to cause problems like a naughty little boy."
He said sharply while looking at her with a cold look
"I am not a boy. I am a beautiful girl, complete with femininity and coquetry. How dare you call me a boy!!!"
Layla said excitedly in a loud voice
Gabriel suddenly approached her to extend his hand and put it on her head, which made Layla jump in surprise
He muttered one of the words of the Holy Book in a soft, masculine voice
"What are you doing??"
Laila said in astonishment as she looked at Gabriel's hand placed on her head
"May the Lord Christ bless you and keep you...."
Gabriel whispered as he placed his hand gently on her head and his slender fingers caressed her braided black hair
"I ask you again to promise me that you will not do anything foolish like this again"
Laila removed his hand from her head to say in a feminine, complaining tone as she turned her eyes away from him
"You scared me anyway, how do you want me to promise you? Do you want me to swear not to do that in the Islamic way?"
He said frankly and without hesitation
"Actually yes, I want you to swear (by God) not to do that again"
"Why should I do that??"
"Because I don't want you to be exposed to a situation like this again."
He said between his teeth angrily
Honestly, he didn't want her to be exposed to a situation like this so that a bare-chested man playing the role of a chivalrous knight wouldn't come and grab her again
"....."
"Just do it."
He said in a cold voice and his eyes were full of determination
He knew that it was wrong to interfere with her religious beliefs but he didn't care at that moment and he knew that the only way to stop the girl from doing this foolishness again was to make her swear to God that she wouldn't do it again
"I'll think about doing that"
Layla said as she instinctively turned towards the tree again
She felt light movements coming from behind the tree and rushed there quickly
"What are you doing-...!"
Gabriel was about to catch Layla before she ran but failed to do so
As the girl approached the tree, a small black cat with unique white fur came out from behind the tree
Gabriel raised the corner of his eyebrow in disbelief
It turns out that Layla was right from the beginning about the cat!?
"I finally found you. You were hiding behind the tree the whole time."
Layla said with a sweet smile as she approached the fat cat cautiously.
The little fat cat seemed scared of the strange woman approaching her.
The cat tried to run.
But Layla was faster and caught her.
The moment Layla held the scared cat in her arms, she started gently petting the cat's head to calm it down.
"It's okay, my love. I won't hurt you. Calm down, okay?"
Layla kissed the cat's head tenderly as she petted it gently.
Seeing Layla petting the fat cat, Gabriel approached to say in a gentle and compassionate tone as he looked at the fat cat.
"It turns out that this is the cat that almost broke your neck because of her."
Gabriel reached out his pale, masculine hand to pet the cat that Layla was hugging.
"Look at her, how "Come on, fat and cute"
Layla said with childish enthusiasm
Gabriel raised his head to look at Layla seriously
"You were really stupid to think about saving this cat without thinking about the danger you are putting yourself in"
Hearing Gabriel's scolding tone again, Layla grumbled in annoyance
"Stop scolding me, it's starting to get annoying"
"Stop acting stupid and doing stupid things then"
Gabriel replied in a serious voice
"You always put yourself in danger and act without thinking twice"
"I put myself in danger, it's none of your business, I'm strong and I know what's best for me, who are you to talk to me like that?"
"You may be strong"
Gabriel said firmly
"But you are still vulnerable and you may be in danger because of your foolishness"
He leaned closer to her and whispered in her ear in a low voice
"No matter how strong you are, you need a man to protect you and prevent you from falling into danger"
Laila moved away while hugging the cat tightly in her lap for fear that she would fall.
She looked at him with her brown eyes sharply from bottom to top before turning her back to him and going to sit under the tree with the fat cat with the beautiful black and white fur.
Gabriel sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration as he watched Laila move away to sit under the tree with the fat cat.
He knew that he angered her but he couldn't help himself. The safety of the foolish girl was his priority.
As Laila sat under the tree holding the fat cat, she began to gently stroke the cat's back while she refused to look in Gabriel's direction.
He couldn't see her face clearly but he could feel the anger emanating from her.
Gabriel sighed deeply as he approached her slowly with measured steps.
He stopped a short distance away.
"Laila, don't be angry with me. I'm scolding you because I care about you, not because I want to control you or belittle you."
"Why are you talking to me without titles?" Honorary?? "
She said coldly while ignoring him and continuing to pet the fat cat in her hand which started to make soft, cute purring sounds
"I said that because I was worried about you. Do you know how my heart sank when you fell from the tree? I was going to die of a heart attack because of you"
Gabriel said annoyed while looking at her with his turquoise-green eyes
"You worry about me? Why would someone like you worry about me? Did you forget my identity??" "I am practically your enemy, monk, and you are my enemy as well, and enemies do not worry about each other."
Layla snorted sarcastically while her eyes were still fixed on the cat in her hands.
Hearing her say that, Gabriel bit his inner lip.
He did not consider her an enemy.
He did not consider him an enemy or the son of the enemy kingdom, but she considered him her enemy.
Even after what happened yesterday, Gabriel could not feel negative feelings towards her, although the wound of her words still remained.
He did not want her to be hurt or exposed to any harm.
But he knew very well that if he tried to say that he did not consider her an enemy, she would not believe him, and would defend his idea of them being enemies fiercely, judging by Layla's character that he knew.
So Gabriel decided to express his feelings to her in his own way as a committed Christian clergyman who strongly believed in the teachings of the Bible.
He knelt on one knee to place his hand On her head gently and cautiously
As soon as she felt his hand on her head again, Laila's body shook in disgust as she raised her head and looked at him sharply
"What are you doing?"
Gabriel ignored her sharp question and muttered in a gentle male voice
"The sun shall not smite you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve you from all evil. He shall preserve your soul. The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore."
(Psalm 121:5-8)
Laila looked at him in surprise and it was clear that she did not understand what he was doing, but before she could say anything, Gabriel added in a low and firm tone
"The Lord will watch your heart and he will watch your spirit. The Lord will watch your coming and going, night and day from this Today to the eternal day"
It seemed as if he was trying to express his feelings for her in his own unique way
Laila was silent the whole time while looking at him with her big brown eyes in pure amazement
When he finished reciting his strange prayer in Laila's eyes, he removed his hand while looking at her with great mercy and kindness
"Promise me that you will not do anything dangerous again"
Gabriel spoke in a soft and gentle tone befitting a religious man
He did not want to argue with Laila or anger her, but he was worried about her safety and wanted her to avoid doing such dangerous things again
Hearing him talk to her in this tone, Laila's cheeks turned red with embarrassment and she said in a low feminine voice while looking away with her eyes
"I promise you, but I will not swear by God"
Finally, she promised him and he felt relieved, but he was not satisfied yet for some reason, he still felt uneasy in his soul and heart
Gabriel looked at Laila's red face Who looked so feminine and gorgeous
"I don't need anything more than a promise"
"Anyway, tell me what did you do a moment ago?" When you put your hand on my head and said those words what is the name of this thing you did "
Her voice had a hint of curiosity
"I prayed for the Lord to protect and preserve you"
Gabriel answered patiently
"So... then"
She muttered with understanding while looking into his turquoise eyes with her big brown ones
"We have something similar to that in Islam and it is called fortification"
Upon hearing that, Gabriel was a little surprised. He knows that Islam and Christianity differ in many aspects, but he also knows that they share many things as well
He wanted to know more about Islam and the similarities and differences between it and
Christianity
He sat next to her under the tree and asked her with great curiosity
"Can you explain to me the meaning of fortification?"
"Since you fortified me according to your religious beliefs, I will do the same to you"
Layla said ignoring his question and placing her hand on His head
When he heard her words and felt her hand on his head, Gabriel was stunned. He did not expect her to imitate the movement he had made before.
He looked at her with wide open eyes in surprise and felt a strange mixture of shock and affection.
He could feel her warm hands on his head, but he could not say or do anything. All he could do was look at her with his wide open eyes
He was curious to know what she was going to say and felt strange to have a woman's hand on his head
Layla closed her eyes and mumbled the words quietly
She said in a soft and sweet feminine voice
*"Bismillah Al-Rahman Al-Raheem"*
(In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful)
Gabriel felt a shiver run down his spine when he heard her mutter these words. He did not understand Arabic but he was deeply affected by this action
Then Layla continued to say other words that Gabriel did not understand but he could tell from her soft and gentle tone that these were supplications or prayers to Allah
The moment was incredibly intense. It was as if time had stopped. Gabriel could feel his heart beating in his chest as he listened to her
He could feel her hand on his head. It was soft and warm and at the same time he could hear her soft and gentle voice as she recited the prayers in a different language
There was a feeling of familiarity and closeness between them despite their different beliefs. It was as if she was protecting him just as he had tried to protect her earlier
After a while Shortly, Layla opened her eyes to remove her hand from his head
"I protected you so we are even now"
Gabriel was still stunned by what had just happened. He remained speechless for a moment but then managed to say in a stuttering tone
"Yes... Thank you..."
He couldn't believe that she protected him in her own way by praying according to her faith. It seemed strange but also... strangely touching
"..."
After she protected him, she returned to playing with the fat cat in her lap quietly
Gabriel watched her with his turquoise-green eyes silently
Despite his surprise and conflicting feelings, Gabriel couldn't take his eyes off Layla
He watched her silently as she played with the black and white fat cat. He found her expressions and gestures very feminine and delicate
Watching her without saying anything was a strange form of satisfaction for him
He opened his mouth to break the silence that had been between them
He wanted Her question about something that caused him to not sleep well last night as well
He said in a deep masculine voice
"Do you really hate me so much?"
Hearing his question, Laila raised her brown eyes to look into his turquoise eyes that were shining at this moment with a beautiful sparkle similar to the sparkle of expensive diamonds
"Yes, and I consider you an enemy, but an enemy with whom I have a peace treaty."
She said in a soft, confident feminine voice
She was in the enemy's den, besieged and imprisoned. Everyone here was an enemy to her, but the enemy with whom she had a peace treaty was different from the enemy with whom she was at war
She summarized her relationship with Gabriel on this basis
Gabriel expected to hear an answer like this from her, but he couldn't. Despite his expectation of this answer, he prevented the pain that stabbed his heart every time he heard the word "I hate you" from her mouth
"Do you hate Christians to this extent?"
He said while biting his inner lips
"Why do you link my hatred for you to the fact that I hate Christians?? I don't hate people because of their religion. There are many of my people who follow the Christian religion. The reason I hate you is because your kingdom is in a military alliance with other kingdoms against my kingdom and because I am imprisoned here on this basis."
Layla said with annoyance
"Then why do you hate me then?? I am not the one who imprisoned you here or harmed you, Layla. Why are you directing all this hatred at me? I do not consider you an enemy and I do not look at you as the princess of the enemy kingdom. I only consider you, Layla, my friend Layla."
Gabriel said with a trembling voice
"Don't deceive yourself and don't forget the truth. How can I consider you a friend? How can I trust you? You are my enemy and the son of my enemy. If we ever meet on the battlefield, you will fight me with your sword and may kill me without mercy. How can I forget these facts and consider you a friend, monk?"
Laila said harshly while staring at him with her brown eyes sharply
Her words were the bitter truth of their situation
"I am a monk, born and will die, serving the Lord in the church. Nothing like our meeting on the battlefield will ever happen, and even if it did, I would never point my sword at you. A true, faithful monk never breaks his promise."
Gabriel said insistently while his glowing turquoise eyes looked at her
Laila shook her head and said angrily
"I will never believe you! You may just say nice things to gain my trust and then use me in the future for your benefit or for the benefit of your kingdom. You cannot expect me to believe such words because you are a monk."
"You are free to believe it or not. I would rather cut off my hand if it would cause you harm in the future."
He said insistently
"Do you know how many false promises like this I have seen in my life? They swear in the name of God and then stab others in the back. Do you think I will believe you when you tell me that you Would you rather cut off your hand than hurt me? Her brown eyes pierced his turquoise eyes like daggers.
Hearing her say such words made Gabriel's heart ache.
The more she spoke, the more pain he felt in his heart. He tried to convince her, but she kept rejecting him with harsh words.
Suddenly, he felt a strong desire to grab her shoulders and shake her to ask her.
(Why do you hate me so much... despite my attempts to show you my sincerity?)
But he managed to suppress his desire to do so.
He opened his mouth to say in a low voice.
"You are free to believe that or not because I am really tired of trying to convince you, Laila, but know very well that I am an honest man who does not lie because lying is not one of the qualities of a true monk."
"..."
Thus, silence returned between them as Laila contented herself with playing with the cat silently in response to Gabriel's words.
A wave of frustration overwhelmed Gabriel when he saw her ignoring him.
He felt like hitting his head against the wall trying to Convincing her that he is not evil, but she continued to reject him with a cold attitude.
"The cat in your hands is a female and she is pregnant."
Gabriel said suddenly while extending his hands to pet the cat's head, which seemed to love him as it rubbed its head in his hand in a gentle way while making very gentle sounds
Hearing that, her facial expression changed to one of enthusiasm while her brown eyes that were previously looking at him sharply sparkled with an innocent childish glow.
"She's a female and pregnant??? Really?"
"Yes, I can tell the gender of cats and I have some experience with them as they are regular churchgoers."
Gabriel said in a playful tone as he gently stroked the cat's ear.
Layla held the cat like a little girl, looked at it and stroked it while her eyes were shining with excitement. She then hugged it and kissed its little head and said in a sweet voice.
"Oh my god, I can't wait to see your babies… a little army of cute kittens."
Gabriel watched as she cradled the cat in her arms and spoke to it in a gentle voice. Despite the situation and the tension between them, he couldn't hide his smile. Her reaction was so innocent and feminine, like that of a young innocent girl seeing her favorite animal.
He couldn't help but find himself fascinated by this innocent side of her, especially considering how cold and harsh she had been with him just now. The way she had hugged and stroked the cat, the way she had gently stroked its fur and spoken to it, all of these gestures seemed to bring a soothing warmth to his heart.
For a moment, the tension and hostility between them seemed to disappear when she was surrounded by this soft and affectionate atmosphere, which made him want to reach out to her and stroke her hair, but he immediately shook his head and tried to suppress this urge.
"Are you planning to give her a name?"
He asked in a calm, male voice.
"Hmm..."
Layla looked at the cat in her arms, then raised her eyes to look at the clear blue sky with an expression of deep thought, as if she was contemplating a matter of great wisdom.
After a short while, her eyes regained their sparkle and she said in an excited, feminine voice.
"I will name her Latifa."
The name was strange to Gabriel's ears, which was clearly an Arabic name
"Latifa? What does this name mean?"
He asked curiously
"It's a feminine Arabic name that means gentleness and softness"
Laila said in a calm, confident voice while still gently petting Latifa's cat head
Gabriel felt a little warm when she said the meaning of the name Latifa
"An Arabic name that means gentleness and softness..."
This name was appropriate for the little cat whose eyes were closed and whose small face showed a look of pleasure while Laila's soft fingers petted her
The fat cat was cute so the name seemed very suitable for her
"The name really suits her"
Laila smiled at his words and then said in a gentle voice
"Yes I think it suits her perfectly because she is very soft and obedient"
And when she said that she looked at him with a sharp expression and added
"Unlike some humans"
"What do you mean by some humans huh Laila?"
Gabriel laughed in amusement at her words
"I mean a monk with gray hair like the hair of an old man sitting next to me"
"I'm not old!!! I inherited this hair color from my mother"
Gabriel said embarrassedly while instinctively touching his dusty gray hair
"Well, I still can't believe that there is a young person in the prime of life who has gray hair because he inherited it from his mother. Are you sure that your hair is not the result of premature graying??"
Layla was really curious about that
The hair color of the monk in front of her had caught her attention since their first meeting, and even after hearing that he inherited this hair color, she couldn't believe that there were humans who had gray hair since birth
"I really inherited it from my mother. My mother was a beautiful woman with gray hair and bright blue eyes. Her appearance was so striking that the king had taken her as his concubine at that time."
Gabriel said in a low male voice as he looked up at the sky
"I still can't believe it. Don't try to convince me that there is a human being who has gray hair since birth."
She said in a firm tone like a stubborn child
Gabriel looked away from the sky to give her a gentle look
"This is the truth. Why would I lie to you? I am a monk and one of the virtues of a monk is honesty and not lying."
Layla looked at him in disbelief when she heard his words
She tried to imagine a woman with gray hair giving birth to a child who would also have gray hair since birth but the idea seemed too ridiculous to believe
"I need proof"
"Proof? What kind of proof do you need?"
Gabriel asked with an amused smile on his face
"Something that can really prove that to me..."
Layla said seriously
"How can I believe that humans are born with gray hair? It's ridiculous and unbelievable"
"Well that's the truth, God created me with gray hair. I have nothing to prove it to you"
Gabriel said while trying to stifle his laughter
A look of annoyance appeared on Layla's face when Gabriel answered her like that while trying to stifle his laughter
"You're making fun of me, aren't you?"
She said in a sharp, annoyed tone
"Okay seriously, you're really funny. Why would I lie about my hair color? It's not like it's a nice color."
Gabriel laughed out loud
The sound of his masculine laughter rang out in the green palace garden
"Laugh and mock me as much as you want."
Layla said as a look of annoyance and anger appeared on her delicate face upon hearing the sound of his loud laughter
"I still don't believe you and I will never believe that someone is born with gray hair."
"You don't really have to believe that anyway. What hair color do you prefer? You seemed really fascinated by Edward's appearance when he saved you from falling from the tree."
Gabriel finally opened up to the main topic he wanted to bring up from the beginning
"That gray-haired man?? I'm fascinated by him?"
Leila laughed sarcastically when she heard Gabriel's words, her eyes widening in disbelief.
"Isn't he handsome in your eyes? Edward, the second prince of the kingdom, is the most famous man in all of Deutschland."
Gabriel's heart beat violently as he looked at her, waiting to hear her answer seriously.
Edward was a handsome man with golden blond hair, bright green eyes, and a strong body due to his upbringing since his early childhood as a knight.
He was incredibly popular not only in Deutschland but in all of Europe as a handsome and promising young knight.
Even if he didn't win the throne, he would be crowned the Grand Duke of Uldenburg due to being second in line to the throne.
He was a man that many saw as handsome, and many German women dreamed of getting a glimpse of him.
Even if Leila preferred the most handsome standards in the East, it would be strange to find Edward a handsome person.
Gabriel felt that those ugly feelings that were not befitting of a monk had begun. Growing inside him
This ugly feeling of jealousy, which was a shame and a sin to grow in the heart of a man who devoted his life to serving God
He clenched his fist secretly while looking at her expectantly, waiting for her answer impatiently
"Seriously, are you starting to go crazy, monk? Do you find that blond-haired man handsome? He is extremely ugly and he is also excessively white for a man"
Layla said sarcastically
"Do you find Edward Deutschleid ugly??!!!!"
Gabriel looked at her in disbelief and astonishment upon hearing her answer
"Yes, he is ugly and his hair is yellow, to be honest, I do not like men with colored hair. I prefer men with black hair, tanned dark skin and a thick beard"
"....."
Gabriel looked at her silently, speechless.
Did she think of Edward Deutschleid as an ugly man?
And she had just said that he was too white for a man.
Compared to Edward's healthy skin tone, Gabrielle had a pale white skin tone.
Somehow her words rubbed salt into the wound.
"....."
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
Laila said sharply while teasing little Latifa who was meowing softly
"Seriously since you came here, have you been attracted to anyone's appearance? Or was everyone ugly in your superficial opinion, Laila?"
Gabriel asked in a suppressed male voice
"Everyone is ugly here, I haven't seen anyone beautiful so far, honestly, you're the only one who was a little pleasing to the eyes."
Laila said frankly while continuing to tease Latifa's fat belly (the cat) gently
"Do you find... my appearance pleasing to the eyes?"
He muttered in a low voice while looking at her in surprise
Honestly, he expected her to group him with all the ugly people she had seen so far because he didn't literally match the standards she considered beautiful
If she found Edward Deutschleid ugly, then what about him?
She expected him to call her ugly too but unexpectedly she seemed to find his appearance pleasing to the eyes
"Yes, your appearance is pleasing to the eyes because I like the color of your eyes. It is very beautiful. When I return to the Alhambra, I will order a jewel with the same color as your eyes."
Laila said with blind confidence
She was sure that she would one day return to the Alhambra and even ask for a turquoise jewel
"....."
Hearing her compliment, Gabriel felt that the feelings of jealousy and negative feelings he had previously felt had evaporated in the wind
He found his heart beating violently and his face gradually started to heat up
He turned his eyes away from her while covering his face with his hands trying to hide the redness of his face
"For Jesus Christ's sake this is too much..."
He muttered in a low voice while biting his inner lips tightly trying to hold back his surging emotions