1110 AD, specifically in March
Five months after the capture of his son, the Caliph, in the Kingdom of Deutschlade, the entire world was surprised by the news of the Arabs' occupation of both the Kingdom of Flora and the Kingdom of Aurora, neighboring the Kingdom of Frank
After the occupation of the two kingdoms, the Black Army, led by Prince Abdullah Al-Saffah, advanced towards the Kingdom of Deutschlade after winning the Battle of the Pyrenees
The historic victory achieved by the Arabs in occupying the two fortified kingdoms had frightened the entire world
What frightened the world was not the fact that the two kingdoms had fallen at the hands of the Arabs, but the fact that the two kingdoms had fallen after a siege that lasted only three days under the leadership of the Black Army of the second prince of the Caliphate, Abdullah Al-Saffah, son of Abdul Rahman III
Abdullah was penetrating the Greenfer Forest with his army of seventy thousand soldiers
"Your Highness, will you negotiate with the Germans? Or will you wage war with them?"
The Arab soldier asked the prince curiously
"My father asked me "Negotiate with them, but if I don't like their demands, I will just kill them."
Abdullah said in a soft, masculine voice as he calmly led the way on his purebred Arabian horse.
He was wearing a black turban and old black Arab men's clothing.
The color he was wearing symbolized his army, which was known in the East as the Black Turbaned Men, while in the West it was known as the Desert Wolves.
"How did they manage to capture Princess Laila in the first place?"
"Yes, how did they manage to do that!?"
"I heard that the city of Lasbon, where the princess lived and studied, was stormed by the Crusaders, which resulted in her capture before Prince Marq managed to free Lasbon from them."
"The third prince Marq, I heard that he prefers meditation and study over using the sword. Who would have thought that someone like this would be able to free Lasbon from the Crusaders at such a young age?"
"He is a descendant of Al-Nasir li-Din Allah, ruler of the Seven Seas and subduer of the Vikings, master of the East and the West, Caliph of the Arabs and Muslims, Abd al-Rahman III. Of course he will be a military genius."
"May God protect our great Caliph."
The soldiers whispered among themselves as they crossed the forest.
The army was heading to Deutschleide for the purpose of holding negotiations between the two parties regarding the captive princess.
_____
The next morning, after a sleepless night filled with disturbing dreams, Gabriel woke up early from his bed.
He usually woke up hours before this time, but his heart was still troubled and aching from the previous day with Laila.
He splashed his face with cold water and performed a quick morning prayer before leaving the small monks' rooms.
As he made his way through the hallway, he heard the voices of other monks around him, some talking to each other or doing their morning duties. He tried to remain calm and composed, but inside he felt a mixture of unease and uncertainty.
He couldn't stop thinking about the previous day. Laila's angry words echoed in his mind.
"You are a weak and unmanly monk who allows some scum to threaten him."
"Pitiful."
Those words echoed in his head and stung him like a hot knife stabbing his heart.
He felt pain when he heard her describe him as weak and unmanly.
He had always tried to do his best to be a good monk and follow the will of the Lord, but he couldn't help but feel frustrated and humiliated when he heard Laila's harsh words.
He tried to put his thoughts aside and focus on his duties as a monk, but when he entered the main hall and saw the usual scene of monks performing their morning duties, he couldn't help but feel uneasy and anxious inside.
Wherever he looked, he was surrounded by other monks who seemed to be doing their routine duties with ease and calm.
And there his heart and mind were in a tangled mess of anxiety and confusion, with no one to help him untie the knots in his heart.
As he sat on one of the seats in the main hall, he tried to Focusing on prayer and meditation but his mind remained distracted and his thoughts in a state of chaos
He was unable to concentrate and images and memories of Laila and his last conversation with her kept appearing in his mind
He closed his eyes and tried to focus on his breathing, but his heart was agitated and he could not calm down
The image of Laila's sharp eyes and her violent expression when she called him unmanly and pathetic came to him like a dark cloud in his mind
Yesterday too…
Yesterday he committed a shameful act and a great sin unbecoming of a monk who dedicated his life to serving the Lord…
He could not believe that he had committed such a shameful act as he asked her to borrow her embrace and then slept on her soft thighs with his head on her lap like a child begging for comfort
It was a moment of weakness and madness that he could not forgive himself for
She must have felt shocked and insulted by his behavior
He couldn't stop imagining her angry expression and the look of disapproval in her eyes as he shamelessly slept on her lap
His heart trembled with humiliation and embarrassment every time he remembered his actions
He was a monk for Christ's sake!! His actions were truly unbecoming of a monk, and were a sin for which he must repent.
That's right.
He was a monk, and his goal in life was to follow the will of God and live a life of piety and discipline.
But he committed such a shameful act with his head resting on Laila's lap, like a child in need of comfort and warmth.
The memory of his shameful act kept spinning in his mind like an endless wheel that he couldn't stop.
Gabriel tried to suppress the blush that began to creep onto his face.
He felt the heat of shame creeping onto his face.
Just remembering the scene of him sleeping on Laila's lap made his heart beat strongly against his chest.
He could still feel the warmth of her thighs and the softness of her skin as his head rested on her.
His hand crept into the pocket of his black monastic garb to pull out the handkerchief with the golden Arabic inscriptions.
Laila's handkerchief...
The handkerchief that he should have returned to her a long time ago.
Gabriel smelled the scent of musk and Jasmine still stuck tightly to the handkerchief
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, letting the scent of jasmine and musk envelop his senses and take him back to the moments he spent with Laila
He felt like a drunk drowning in the intoxicating scent of his forbidden love....
Could his feelings for her be love?
Impossible!!
This is a sin
These feelings are a great sin that he should not even dare to feel
He tried to expel the forbidden thoughts that filled his mind
He knew that his feelings for Laila were wrong and a great sin
These were not the right feelings for a monk to have towards a young woman
These were the wrong and sinful thoughts that he should not allow to enter his mind...
The hall of the monastery was filled with the quiet voices of several monks doing their duties and suddenly one of them called out to him saying
"Brother Gabriel, may I speak to you?"
Gabriel looked up from his thoughts and saw another monk standing in front of him
He tried to compose himself and act calmly
"Yes, what do you need, brother?"
The monk looked at him for a moment before replying
"Brother, I was lost in thought. Is something bothering you? I can tell that something is weighing you down."
The young monk looked at the handkerchief in Gabriel's hand
Gabriel realized that the monk's gaze had landed on the handkerchief he was holding in his hand
He quickly put the handkerchief back in his pocket in embarrassment
He cleared his throat and tried to appear indifferent
"Ah, nothing is bothering me. I was just lost in thought."
He said, trying to keep his voice as calm as he could
The monk nodded, but his eyes remained fixed on Gabriel for a moment, as if he sensed that there was something he was trying to hide
Gabriel tried to avoid looking at him and hoped that the monk would not ask him any more questions
He did not want to reveal the troubled thoughts and feelings he had towards Laila
"Monks are people who have decided to leave the worldly life and devote their lives to serving God in this holy church."
The young monk said calmly
"....."
"But that doesn't prevent us from making mistakes, we are ultimately human beings who make mistakes. So if you have sinned, go and repent, my brother, because your eyes reveal a lot."
The young monk spoke as if he could read Gabriel's soul.
The young monk's words were like a punch to the stomach.
He felt as if his inner struggles had been exposed before him...
The words of his fellow monk, "Your eyes reveal a lot," echoed in his mind.
He realized that he had committed a grave sin, and that guilt and shame were burning like hot iron in his chest.
He tried to remain silent and maintain his composure, but it was difficult.
The feeling of being exposed and weak was suffocating.
The young monk's words about repentance were ringing in his ears, but he felt torn and internally conflicted.
"....."
A moment of silence prevailed between them, as if the young monk was able to see all of his thoughts and feelings.
Gabriel felt that Trapped and unable to hide his inner turmoil from the piercing eyes of his fellow monk
The fellow monk opened his mouth to say calmly, breaking the suffocating silence between them
"Unlike you, I was not raised as a monk since childhood, but I became a monk of my own free will only two years ago, so I know human feelings very well. You, my brother, are a person drowning in love. Your eyes show it, your look on that handkerchief and the redness of your cheeks. You are drowning in a swamp of love."
The young monk's words hit him with the force of a ton of stones.
He felt as if his heart stopped beating for a moment when he realized how exposed his feelings were in front of the other monk.
The color drained from his face and his heart beat strongly in his chest.
He tried to hide his feelings and deny them, but that clever young monk saw through him like glass.
"You are drowning in a swamp of love."
The monk's words echoed in his mind, making him feel naked and weak.
He could not deny the truth of the monk's words.
He was drowning in love, but how could he? Admit it when feeling such things is forbidden and even sinful??
"Go to repent, confess your sin to the priest and repent."
The young monk said coldly
The young monk's cold words stabbed Gabriel's heart like a sword
He knew that the young monk was right...
He had made a mistake and it was his duty to confess and repent to the priest...
He felt a deep shame filling his cheeks when he thought of confessing his feelings towards the priest
How could he confess his wrong thoughts and feelings towards Laila in front of a man of
God??
It was a shameful and forbidden sin that he tried to bury deep within himself and hide from himself, let alone confess it in front of someone else
"I'm not in love, what nonsense are you talking about? Don't throw false accusations, brother."
Gabriel said excitedly
The young monk looked at him with a cold gaze
"Brother Gabriel, do you think lying will help you escape your sin? Your body and heart betray you and you say that you are not in love? You were looking at that handkerchief like a precious jewel, your cheeks were flushed and your heart was beating like a drum"
"I am not in love, so stop insisting on that"
Gabriel said insistently while biting his inner lips
The young monk raised his eyebrow and looked at him with a skeptical expression
"Brother Gabriel, if you are not in love, then why are you acting this way?
Your body and heart do not lie, brother, you are trying to suppress your feelings, but they are clear on your face"
Gabriel felt his heart pounding harder in his chest as the young monk's words shocked him
He wanted to deny his feelings, but he could not deny the physical evidence of his body that clearly showed his feelings
He felt torn between denying his feelings and revealing them, but the idea of Confession before a priest or a young monk filled him with shame and fear
Gabriel got up from the main chair to leave the church with quick steps as if he was escaping from his reality
The reality he lived
As if he was escaping from the truth
The truth of his feelings
Gabriel felt as if he was escaping from himself and his heart
He did not want to face his feelings or the truth that was staring at him
He wanted to escape from the truth of his feelings towards Laila and his realization that he loved her. He did not want to face the consequences of his forbidden feelings and the weight of his faith and duty
His feet instinctively headed towards the Dresden Royal Palace where Laila was supposed to be confined
The only place she was allowed to sit other than her room was the garden
The place where she usually preferred to sit to read
In that green garden and under that tree that Laila used to sit near to read
Her silky black hair fluttered in the beautiful March spring air
On that day, she was wearing a beautiful green dress with a yellow embroidered belt
Unlike usual, she was not wearing her golden Arabic earrings as usual.
Her captivating brown eyes looked at the thick book in her hand with complete focus and distraction.
She seemed not to notice his presence.
Gabriel stopped for a moment and watched her from afar.
He couldn't help but feel his heart beating faster and his breath caught in his chest as he looked at her sitting under the tree, immersed in reading.
Her silky black hair floated gently in the warm spring air as if it was dancing.
Her beautiful brown eyes were fixed on the thick book in her slender hand and her lips moved as she whispered something silently to herself.
He had actually had a fight with her yesterday, so he went to her now. Wouldn't she give him sharp looks??
He took a few hesitant steps towards her and called her name quietly.
"Layla..."
At that moment, suddenly, a blond-haired man dressed as a crusader appeared.
"I picked some roses for you, my princess." Edward said in a hoarse, masculine voice as he offered the red roses in his hand to Layla who was sitting under the tree in the pose of a noble knight.
Gabriel looked at that scene in complete amazement.
He watched Layla look at the man with a gentle smile.
He saw her perfect pink lips curve into a smile as she accepted the roses from the man's hands.
Gabriel felt his heart beat faster in his chest as his fingers involuntarily clenched into fists.
"You really are...."
Layla said with a gentle smile as she looked at Edward Bode.
"So rude."
She finished her sentence and threw the roses at his face violently.
Instead of getting angry at her reaction, Edward exploded. With laughter
" Feurige Wüstenstimmung "
(Fiery desert mood)
He said with pure amusement in his harsh German accent
He could see Layla looking at Edward with a sharp look as the roses she had rejected fell to the grass at his feet
Gabriel felt his heart beat faster as he watched the interaction between Layla and Edward
He couldn't understand why Layla would reject the roses so suddenly but Edward seemed to find it amusing rather than offensive
For some reason Gabriel felt an inexplicable anger at the sight of Edward's blonde hair and his unjustified interaction with Layla
The anger was literally eating away at his bones at the sight of Edward's provocative smile as he skillfully flirted with Layla
Once again those dirty and worldly human feelings began to eat away at his bones and heart in a painful way
Damn jealous feelings....
Without any self-awareness Gabriel moved based on his feelings for the first time in his life
"Edward Deutschleid!!!"
He shouted in a loud male voice, confirming his presence to the two people in front of him
Layla's eyes widened in surprise when she heard Gabriel's loud voice calling Edward's last name
She had never seen Gabriel act like this before
Edward was also surprised and his facial expression changed from a flirtatious smile to a confused look as he turned towards Gabriel
"The third!!"
"The monk?!"
The two said at the same time
The voices of the "Third" and "Monk" echoed between Layla and Edward at the same time as their voices expressed their simultaneous surprise
Gabriel took a step closer and closed the gap between them and focused his eyes on Edward
He had never felt such anger and jealousy towards another man in his life but now it was like poison in his veins...
His hands unconsciously moved to grab Edward's golden hair tightly
"You... God damn you"
He uttered those words in a moment of anger as he pounced on Edward to throw him to the ground while he climbed on top of him to beat him up
His hands were trying to pull Edward's stunned hair forcefully and violently
The anger and jealousy that had been building inside him exploded in an uncontrollable way as he jumped towards Edward and wrestled him to the ground
He didn't care about the consequences or the fact that he was a monk he just wanted to hurt the blond man in front of him
His hands gripped Edward's hair tightly Trying to pull him away violently
His clenched fists and clenched teeth showed the anger that was burning inside him
He felt the anger and jealousy driving him as he attacked Edward with all his strength and anger
His heart was pounding in his chest and his mind was completely immersed in anger
His hands continued to pull Edward's hair trying to hurt him as much as possible
He wanted to punish Edward for his interaction with Layla and the anger inside him was like a raging fire out of control
"May the saints curse you, you wicked, immoral person, you dare to flirt with her?? "Huh?"
Gabriel cursed with all the holy curses he knew as he punched Edward who was still in shock.
Layla was frozen in place watching the scene in front of her with wide eyes.
She couldn't believe what she was seeing.
Gabriel, the gentle and calm monk she knew, was attacking Edward with such fury and violence.
She could see the anger in his eyes and the force of his punches landing on Edward's face.
"You...you...monk what are you doing?"
Layla said in astonishment as she got up to grab his shoulder while trying to push him away from Edward.
Layla's voice pulled Gabriel out of his violent anger and he slowly stopped attacking Edward.
He looked at Layla's face, her eyes reflecting surprise and confusion
His chest was shaking and his breath was coming out in ragged gasps
He looked at Edward who was lying on the ground, his face bruised and bloody from his attack
Gabriel's heart pounded in his chest as he tried to calm himself down and catch his breath
Gabriel looked at his hand in surprise and noticed the strands of blonde hair that had fallen from Edward's head
His mind slowly came back to reality and realized what he had done
He had allowed his anger and jealousy to completely get the better of him and attacked Edward in a primal and violent way
He felt a wave of shame wash over him as he looked at the blonde man lying on the ground, his face looking horrible
"....."
This was the first time in his life he had ever hit a human
The first time he had ever cursed a human
He looked at Edward who was lying on the ground and spat some blood from his lips
His face was bruised and bloody and his hair was in a state of Chaos
Gabriel felt a twinge of guilt at the sight of him and suddenly realized what he had just done
He let his anger and jealousy get the better of him and committed a violent act that was completely out of character for him
He knew he had to apologize and take responsibility for his actions
Gabriel carefully got up from Edward while panting tiredly
As he was about to open his mouth to apologize, Edward said while his bright green eyes were fixed on Layla
"See, my princess, how this monk bullied me?" "He punched me and even though I'm twice as strong as a knight-trained person, my manners as a gentleman prevent me from hitting the clergy."
His handsome facial expressions looked at Laila like a poor injured puppy while wiping the blood off his lips.
He didn't even miss such opportunities to try to look noble and cool in front of her.
Gabriel felt uncomfortable when Edward spoke to Laila trying to play the role of the noble victim.
He could see the manipulation in Edward's green eyes and the way he downplayed his strength in order to make himself look weaker.
Gabriel gritted his teeth trying to hold back his anger and jealousy as he watched Edward try to portray himself as a victim in front of Laila just to gain her sympathy.
"Are you... okay?"
Laila said embarrassedly to Edward while scratching her hair nervously as she looked at the scary bruises on his face and his beautiful golden hair that had turned into disheveled hair that looked like a bird's nest.
He smiled Edward to Lily through his bruised and bleeding lips trying to play the wounded hero
"Oh, my princess I'm fine just a few scratches"
He said with a tone of fake pride even though it was clear that his face was swollen and bruised
His beautiful golden hair was now a mess due to Gabriel's violent actions and he tried to wipe it away with his hands
"You...are you sure you're a monk?"
Lila asked at that moment to Gabriel who was still glaring at Edward furtively
Gabriel turned his gaze away from Edward's damaged face and turned to look at Lily, his face devoid of any expression
"Yes, I am a monk."
He answered calmly, his voice betraying none of the anger and jealousy he felt moments ago.
Gabriel was trying to calm himself down and regain control of his emotions, but he couldn't completely hide the jealousy that was still burning inside him.
"Why are you acting this way? Didn't you tell me before that the virtues of monks are mercy, compassion, and devoting their lives to serving God? Then what is the explanation for your actions that defy common sense, monk?"
Layla said frankly as she sat down under the tree nonchalantly, holding her thick book that had fallen on the grassy ground.
Gabriel's heart tightened in his chest when he heard Layla's words.
He knew she was right, his actions contradicted the virtues that a monk should uphold.
He clenched his hands together, then relaxed at his sides, trying to find the right words, but the words seemed to slip away from him.
He looked at the ground, feeling a mixture of shame and guilt for his loss. Control
"I… I lost control of my emotions I…"
He stopped talking, unsure of how to explain himself
Edward interrupted him as he stood up from the ground in his knights' armor bearing the cross emblem
"He's just jealous, my princess"
"Jealous?!"
Layla looked at Edward with a raised eyebrow
Gabriel clenched his jaw at Edward's words and felt his anger build up inside him once again
He could see the haughty look on Edward's face as he stood up and the way he addressed Layla as his "princess" greatly upset him
"I'm not jealous!"
Gabriel protested vehemently, his fists clenched
"The ascetic monk is jealous, my princess. He is jealous of the fact that I can flirt with you as I please while he cannot because he is a monk."
Edward laughed with mockery and disdain as he glanced at Gabriel with indignation from the corner of his eye.
Gabriel's face contracted in anger as Edward's mockery overwhelmed him.
He felt his blood boil and his hands itched to hit Edward in the face again.
The way Edward spoke about flirting with Layla caused his skin to tremble and he could see the disdain in his eyes when he looked at him.
"Shut up! Don't act like you know my thoughts."
He responded violently and narrowed his eyes at Edward with intense anger.
"My poor third brother, this is not the manners of monks. Do monks usually shout while cursing?"
Edward laughed in mockery and disdain as he pushed back his golden locks that were in a mess.
Gabriel clenched his teeth when he heard Edward's mocking laughter and his condescending words.
Every word he said felt like a dagger piercing his insides.
The way he pushed back his golden hair made him even more angry. Those hairs were beautiful and shiny before, but now…
"You don't know anything about being a monk! Don't you dare lecture me on morals!"
He shouted back, his voice filled with anger.
"My God and my Lord Jesus Christ, save me from this unjust monk. He is jealous of me because I am more handsome than him."
Edward said dramatically as he clasped his hands together in a prayerful position.
Gabriel clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
Edward's words and actions were fuel for the fire that was burning inside him.
The way he acted so piously with his fake prayers, the way he looked at him with disdain, and the way he claimed to be more handsome than him.
It was all so infuriating that he wanted to wipe that sarcastic smile off his face.
"Shut up! Stop acting like an idiot!"
He said sharply, his voice tense with anger
"Look, my princess, how this monk is jealous of my beauty. He is jealous because my hair color is prettier than his ugly hair color."
Edward mocked Gabrielle, sitting on the grassy garden floor while his eyes were fixed on Layla.
Gabriel gritted his teeth so hard that he thought they might break.
Once again, Edward acted like he was better than him because of his beautiful golden hair and good looks.
The way he sat on the ground in front of Layla, trying to attract her attention, made Gabrielle's blood boil.
"And you think... that you are handsome?"
Gabriel said gruffly, his turquoise eyes narrowing as he looked at the golden-haired man.
"Act like a monk, my brother, because your morals are starting to become like those of bandits and criminals."
Edward said with disdain, his green eyes still fixed on Layla, who had ignored the two of them to continue reading her book.
"My morals are not like those of bandits and criminals, you arrogant fool!"He shouted back, his voice filled with anger.
"My God and my Lord Jesus Christ, save me from this unjust monk. He is jealous of me because I am more handsome than him."
Edward said dramatically as he clasped his hands together in a prayerful position.
Gabriel clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
Edward's words and actions were fuel for the fire that was burning inside him.
The way he acted so piously with his fake prayers, the way he looked at him with disdain, and the way he claimed to be more handsome than him.
It was all so infuriating that he wanted to wipe that sarcastic smile off his face.
"Shut up! Stop acting like an idiot!"
He said sharply, his voice tense with anger
"Look, my princess, how this monk is jealous of my beauty. He is jealous because my hair color is prettier than his ugly hair color."
Edward mocked Gabrielle, sitting on the grassy garden floor while his eyes were fixed on Layla.
Gabriel gritted his teeth so hard that he thought they might break.
Once again, Edward acted like he was better than him because of his beautiful golden hair and good looks.
The way he sat on the ground in front of Layla, trying to attract her attention, made Gabrielle's blood boil.
"And you think... that you are handsome?"
Gabriel said gruffly, his turquoise eyes narrowing as he looked at the golden-haired man.
"Act like a monk, my brother, because your morals are starting to become like those of bandits and criminals."
Edward said with disdain, his green eyes still fixed on Layla, who had ignored the two of them to continue reading her book.
"My morals are not like those of bandits and criminals, you arrogant fool!"
Gabriel responded, offended by the comparison to those bastards
He looked at Layla and noticed that she ignored their exchange to continue reading
A mixture of frustration and jealousy flared in his chest, wishing he could be the one to catch her attention instead
He knew that feeling this way towards Layla was wrong but he couldn't help it
Just seeing her sitting there with her head buried in her book made him feel an attraction towards her that he couldn't ignore
And knowing that Edward had no reservations about flirting with her made him even more uncomfortable
Gabriel clenched his jaw and struggled to control his emotions but it was difficult
Edward ignored Gabriel to look at Layla with interest
"A delicious desert beauty, I've never seen such a unique kind of beauty in my life"
Edward's comment drew Gabriel's attention back to him
The way he looked at Layla with a mixture of interest and desire made Gabriel's body tense with anger and jealousy
Hearing him talk about her beauty in this way, as if it was some kind of The strange reward to be enjoyed made his stomach churn
"How dare you…"
He practically growled, his eyes narrowing in anger as he looked at Edward
He was barely suppressing the strong urge to pluck that blonde hair
The desire to rip Edward's blonde hair out was almost overwhelming
The way he looked at Layla with such desire made Gabriel's hands tremble as he resisted the urge to pull out the golden locks
Instead, he clenched his teeth and forced himself to look away
"You shouldn't be looking at her like that"
He said through clenched teeth, his masculine voice harsh and low
"Look at her the way I want to. What is it that bothers you so much, monk??"
Edward looked at Gabriel from the corner of his eyes in annoyance
He was annoyed with his half-brother at this point in an annoying way
His mouth was still hurting from punching Gabriel
Seriously, that hard fist was more like that of a knight than a monk who had never held a sword in his life
Edward thought seriously as he looked at Gabriel
The fact that Edward had the audacity to look at Layla with such desire and act as if it was no big deal made Gabriel's blood boil
The way he spoke indifferently and indifferently as if he hadn't done anything wrong, made him boil with anger
Gabriel returned Edward's gaze, his eyes cold and harsh
"She's not just a piece of meat for you to look at her like that"
He said harshly, his voice sharp as the edge of a sword
"You're really starting to get on my nerves, monk"
Edward said in a harsh tone as madness oozes from his bright green eyes
They were They're about to hit each other at this point
"You two are starting to annoy me. Is it so hard for you to shut up a little!!!"
Layla screamed in anger and annoyance as she looked at the tense atmosphere between the two brothers.
Gabriel and Edward froze when they heard Layla's voice.
They were so engrossed in their discussion that they forgot about Layla.
Her sharp and frustrated voice brought them back to reality.
Gabriel took a step back, his heart pounding in his chest.
He suddenly realized that their discussion had gotten out of hand and felt a twinge of guilt for bothering Layla.
"I...I'm sorry...I didn't...I didn't mean to bother you."
Gabriel muttered awkwardly.
Layla looked at the two men, her eyes shining with annoyance.
She was enjoying a moment of peace with herself before their argument interrupted her peace.
When Gabriel muttered his apology, Layla's expression softened slightly.
"It's okay."
She said with a sigh, her feminine tone slightly less sharp.
Gabriel felt a wave of relief wash over him when he heard the words Layla
The fact that she had softened her tone even just a little bit made his heart beat faster
He was glad that she wasn't mad at him but he still felt guilty for ruining her moment
Gabriel looked at her with a regretful expression
"I'm sorry we took it a little too far"
"I get it just shut up and let me read"
Layla said coldly while her eyes were fixed on the book in her hand
Gabriel nodded at Layla's command and felt a mixture of guilt and disappointment
He wished he could say more, apologize more, explain himself, but he knew it was best not to pressure her when she was upset
So he stood there silently, feeling frustrated and a little embarrassed
Beside him stood Edward also quietly, looking the same reprimanded
For the first time the arrogant knight had nothing to say…
"..."
The silence stretched between them, heavy and uncomfortable
Gabriel shifted slightly and moved His weight on his feet
He looked at Edward who was also silent and looked a little regretful
He didn't like seeing Layla upset but at least she wasn't screaming anymore
Gabriel took a deep breath and tried to clear his mind he knew he needed to control his emotions better in the future