[Music Recommendation: A Royal Affair ~ Ruth Barrett]

Jasmine, who arrived the moment Oriana slapped the maid, ran towards her mother with a worried look.

"Was that really Princess Oriana? Did she slap the head maid?" Jasmine asked, her curiosity piqued to the highest level.

A furious Gwen glared at her daughter before pushing her to the side. "Get out of my way," the woman sighed.

Jasmine twitched her lips, watching her mother leave. Then she turned to the maid, "The Princess really slapped you, yes? Why, that was some harsh slap. Can you even hear me?"

The head maid, who was still holding her ears, stood there in shock. It felt as though distant bells were ringing in her head. She had disrespected the Princess earlier because she clearly looked like someone who could be pushed around, but it turns out that was not the case.

"Are you sure you don’t need to get yourself treated? This is so bad," Jasmine shook her head before walking away from there.

Gwen walked straight to her husband’s room, with rage filling up her very soul. She pushed the maid who was standing at the door aside.

"Fidelis!" The woman shouted, "I can’t take this anymore. Adric has yet again embarrassed me. What are you going to say about this?"

Fidelis stood up from the bed he was resting on. "Calm down, Gwen. What is it this time?"

"This time? You mean like I’m crazy and I always make up stories? Fidelis, are you doing this because I am not Charlotte?" Gwen wiped the tears from her eyes.

The King sighed; this wasn’t what he needed this morning. "I am not doing anything, Gwen. Please calm down and talk to me. I’m sure every problem has its solution."

Gwen nodded. "Yes, every problem does. And I’m going to find that solution myself. I don’t need you or even your son." She turned and stormed out of the room.

"Gwen, Gwen..." Fidelis tried to chase after her, but then he stopped, holding his chest tightly, unable to breathe. He fell to his knees, gasping for breath.

"He...lp me...anyone there," Fidelis coughed, trying to reach for the door, but he failed. He noticed a person’s shadow at the door, so he tried to use his entire strength to call the person.

"Who is there..." he asked, with his eyes almost rolling back.

. . .

Far away from the room, Oriana led Freya to the room where Louis was resting.

"Pa!" Freya’s voice was low and calm; she couldn’t believe the state she found her father in. The man’s face was swollen beyond recognition, and his eyes were covered with dark blue and black bruises.

When Louis heard his daughter’s voice, he opened his eyes slowly. "Freya," he said, but he wasn’t able to sit up, though he tried.

"Pa, stay still. I’m fine," Freya muttered, cleaning her eyes so her father wouldn’t see her cry. She turned to the physician who was taking care of her father. "Please save my father, please."

Oriana went to stand beside the girl, holding her shoulder. "You’re safe now, Freya. Your father will be alright."

Freya rested her head on Oriana’s body and sobbed silently. She didn’t want to remember what almost happened to her earlier; she wanted it all gone like a bad memory, something that never happened at all. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

"Thank you so much. You saved my life and my father’s too," Freya said after crying.

Oriana sat on her heels and held the girl’s hand. "You both saved me first," she replied. If it wasn’t for them, when she was exiled from Orion, she wouldn’t have been able to survive the world outside.

"We should let your father rest, and you need to wash off," Oriana said to the girl. "Come, let me take you to your room."

Freya looked at her father one more time. "I will come back," she said, touching her father’s face.

Oriana pushed the door open, ready to leave, when a maid stopped in front of her.

"Princess Oriana, His Highness has asked for you," the maid informed with a bow.

Oriana pressed her lips. She had already forgotten about the bargain she made with Adric. She didn’t know what absurd thing he would ask her to do. Oriana was about to regret her decision when she turned and saw Freya’s flushed face. She did it for a good cause.

"I’ll be back, okay? You see that passage there? Walk through it. The first door is my room. Wait there for me," Oriana said to Freya. "You’re safe now."

Freya nodded. "I’ll be waiting for you," she muttered.

"Take me to him," Oriana said to the maid, who bowed before leading the way.

Freya stood at the passage for a moment. There were more than two passages, and she didn’t remember where exactly the Princess had pointed. She started walking through the path that looked more like it, then stopped because it was very quiet.

"Where was it again?" Freya tapped her fingers on her lips. She started walking back again to where she came out from when she heard someone’s voice. She walked towards the direction of the voice, hoping to ask someone for directions.

"Excuse me, oh my," Freya turned immediately. It was a man and a woman. "Sorry, I didn’t see anything," she said, covering her eyes with her hands, her heart beating very fast.

"Did she see anything? Get rid of her quickly," a female voice was heard.

Freya’s blood froze when she heard this. Did she jump out of the pan to enter the fire properly?

"I swear, I didn’t see anything," she gulped.

The female voice scoffed. "Do you really believe that she didn’t see anything? Who is she even?"

"It’ll be messy if a body is found. Leave. I’ll take care of everything." The male voice caused Freya’s knees to tremble.

A few minutes passed, and she didn’t hear any voice or anyone forcefully dragging her away to kill her. Freya moved her fingers, peeping through. She closed her eyes again when she saw someone standing in front of her.

"You can open your eyes now."

Freya counted before slowly opening her eyes. She was stunned to see the man standing in front of her. He was truly handsome with thick black hair, like the characters in her books. She knew he was a guard with the sword tied to his waist. But then again, she wondered why he was doing it outside.

"What were you doing snooping around?" he asked with a calm voice.

Freya cleared her throat. "I was looking for Princess Oriana’s room. She asked me to wait there."

"Follow me," he replied, turning around to lead the way.

Freya bit her lip before she ran after him. "I’m sorry, but you’re not planning on getting rid of me where nobody will find my body, are you? I’ve read things like this in books, but I promise you, my ghost is no quiet girl. She will haunt you."

"How do you know your ghost is a girl?" he asked, turning his head without looking at Freya’s face.

Freya blinked when she heard the question. She wasn’t expecting it. "Because I’m a girl. Is that not how it works?" She paused, rethinking everything she ever knew.

"There is the room. Stay inside and no snooping around," the guard said, looking at her for a few more seconds before leaving.

Freya entered the room and closed the door. "I’m sure he wanted to get rid of me but got scared because of my threat," she muttered, letting out a deep sigh. The day which started out so messy ended well thanks to the Princess. She went straight to the couch to rest her head before letting sleep take over her.