[Music Recommendation: The wolf and Yhe Moon ~ BrunuhVille]

Jasmine’s wails echoed throughout the room, a stark contrast to the composed demeanor of the guard, Rowan.

Oriana, unsure of what news they were to expect, didn’t want to think of the worst. Instead, she rushed to hold the princess, trying to console her.

"Princess Jasmine, shh," Oriana soothed, placing a comforting hand on the princess’s trembling shoulder. "What happened? Tell me slowly." But the Princess continued crying without saying anything.

Adric couldn’t bear the delay. With a curt nod to Rowan, he brushed past everyone, a sudden urgency replacing his playful demeanor. "Let’s go," he instructed Rowan, his voice clipped but not unkind. He then strode toward the King’s chambers.

Oriana found herself following Adric at a discreet distance. Despite the news, his steps remained steady, betraying no outward sign of the turmoil within. She tried to catch a glimpse of his face to see if he was worried or if nothing really bothered him.

Reaching the King’s chambers, Oriana peeked through the slightly ajar door. The hair on her body stood up when she saw blood pooled on the marble floor, with a body lying on it. On the King’s bed was Adelaide, blocking Oriana’s view. She turned to see the Queen sitting by the window, tears streaming down her face.

"What happened here?" Adric’s cold voice turned the room deadly quiet.

Adelaide finally raised her face; she was also crying. "Father was attacked. I don’t know by who. But there was an attempt on the King’s life, in his own palace," she muttered.

Oriana didn’t understand what was going on; did the body on the floor belong to the assassin, also does it mean the King was still alive or not. She waited in silence.

Adric looked at everyone in the room; he trusted no one except himself. "An attempt on the King’s life," he drawled.

A maid bowed deeply, "Yes, Your Highness. If it wasn’t for Princess Adelaide who showed up... it would have been..."

Adelaide sobbed, "I tried all I could, but Father was already unconscious before I could get here. I’m sorry, everyone..." she sniffled back her tears.

Jasmine stood at the door and cried, "Father, please don’t go yet. Please," she sobbed.

"I just spoke to him. Who could have done this? Who?" Gwen asked, looking at everyone in the room.

Adric walked toward the body and stared at it for some time, then he looked at where his father was resting. "Everyone, leave," he said curtly.

"W-we should leave?" Jasmine pointed at her chest, then her sister and mother.

Oriana pressed her lips together, knowing Adric was as sad as his sisters but asking them to leave when they were also family seemed harsh.

"Now," was his curt reply, his eyes still on his father.

Adelaide used her dress to clean her eyes. "Brother Adric, don’t you think now is the time to stay together as a family?"

"You can take everything from me, but not my husband too. I’m going to stay beside him at the point he needs me the most, what if this is my last moment with him," Gwen argued.

Oriana held her gown tightly, worried the family would fall apart with the King unconscious. She also worried about Adric and how he would handle the situation. When Adric turned to look at her, she froze, his brown-red eyes piercing into her soul.

"Rowan, everyone should remain in their rooms until they are asked for. I will visit you all, but for now, leave," Adric repeated, going toward his father’s table. He raised a cup and looked at it.

Jasmine was the first to leave, after another crying episode. She quietly left the room, followed by Adelaide who was holding their mother.

Oriana turned to leave first, not wanting to be the last person.

"Oriana, stay."

Oriana paused in her steps, "Me?"

"This is absurd! How is a stranger going to stay beside my husband while I can’t? Adric, you are—" Gwen didn’t finish talking because of the cold glare she got from Adric. She looked at Oriana for a second before leaving the room.

Oriana held her gown firmly, unsure of what was going on but most importantly not wanting to be caught in the crossfire of a family feud.

"Rowan," Adric called his personal guard, "Get the trained guards to stand at every corner of the palace. No one, including the maids, gets to leave their rooms except I say so."

"Yes, Your Highness," Rowan bowed and left the room, closing the door.

Adric pointed at the door, "Lock it."

With no further hesitation, Oriana pressed the knob and a click sound was heard indicating that the door was locked.

Adric walked toward his father’s bed and sat there in silence, looking at him.

Oriana noticed how soft Adric’s demeanor now looked. An indication that no matter how carefree anyone was, they still had a soft spot for their family. In Adric’s case, his father was the only person he regarded as family. She stood there in silence, waiting to know why she was asked to stay behind. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

"When you were coming to meet me, you passed the King’s chambers," Adric started, his eyes still on his father.

Oriana gulped. Was that why he asked her to wait? Because she was the prime suspect or something? How could Adric possibly think she would hurt any of his family members?

"I didn’t do it," Oriana muttered. This was the first time she was being accused of something this big, and it scared her.

Adric turned to look at her. "Didn’t do what?"

"Anything you think I did," she replied. "I know you think I hate you, but I don’t have such ill intentions."

Adric raised his brows, "Why would you even think of that first?" he asked, now turning his face to look at her.

"Y-you weren’t?" she stuttered. "I thought you asked me to stay because amongst everyone in the room, I’m the only one who openly said the hate word to you."

Adric scratched his brow slightly, "That’s why you’re here. You’re the only one whose true intentions I know. Also, you were with me all along."

Oriana nodded, "That’s true," she heaved a sigh of relief. For a moment there, she thought she was the actual suspect.

"Princess, I need you to tell me what you saw on your way. You must have passed the King’s chambers," Adric said again.

Oriana touched her hair gently; she was someone who didn’t pay attention to details except if it concerned her. When the maid had called her to report to Adric, all her mind was on the price she was going to pay for helping Freya and Louis, and she didn’t notice anything else.

Adric touched his father’s hand, covering him properly. He walked toward Oriana, who in turn took a step back.

"I’m not going to hurt you," his voice calm and his eyes cool. "Tell me what you remember."

Oriana looked at the room, then at where the king was resting.

"The real perpetrator was in this room earlier, but we failed to notice." Adric said, "You are the only one who saw the person, just you."

The realization dawned on Oriana: she had seen something she wasn’t supposed to, and worst of all, she didn’t remember.