[Music Recommendation: The Night We Met ~ Lord Huron, Phoebe Bridgers]

"It’s now time for the food presentation," the announcement came as maids brought forward the tables filled with trays of various delicacies, setting them in front of the King.

Adric sat in his chair, holding up his face with one hand. His eyes roamed the crowd, looking at nothing in particular. He turned when he noticed his personal guard come to stand behind him.

"You’re late."

Rowan nodded. "I made a little stop somewhere; a rabbit needed a crash course."

Adric chuckled, knowing how twisted his guard was. Though their lives were different in terms of position, Rowan was still a very good friend who understood him most of the time.

"The cooking is about to start," Rowan muttered. "The Princess just arrived."

Adric’s eyes followed Oriana’s movement. She was always skittish, moving as if she didn’t want to be caught. He tilted his head to the side; her hands were covered with white bandages, like she had hurt herself all over.

When the wind blew and moved her hair to the side, Adric also saw another cut on her neck. The girl didn’t know the word "cautious." She treated herself as she pleased, not as a lady should, and that was his only worry. The girl wasn’t one to survive with the way she lived her life like she had spare ones.

Oriana weaved her fingers through her hair, trying to pack it up as the wind kept blowing it to the side, covering her eyes in the process. She finally packed it properly and stood straight, ready to have Adric taste her food. She was so excited because when she had tasted the food earlier, it came out so good, and she was sure Adric would love it too.

Louis, who was standing beside her, was there to help her if she needed anything.

Sophie made sure her own table was beside Oriana’s. "Sister, I see you’ve worked so hard. Your food looks good too."

Oriana nodded. "Yours too. Let the best win." She bowed before turning her face to the other side. She didn’t want anything to ruin her preparation.

"It’s now time for the tasting!" the royal secretary announced.

Oriana brought the small plate forward, dishing out the now very chilled pineapple pudding, then she placed the bean stew, ready to give the biggest share to Adric.

"Are you really going to serve that? Won’t anyone tell her?" Jasmine asked, folding her arms on her chest. "Well, I doubt you can come up with anything right now; it’s too late." She huffed and went to her own table.

Oriana blinked. She turned to look at Louis. "Is anything wrong with the food?" she asked the man, now worried about the looks she was getting from everyone.

Louis shook his head. "Everything looks perfect, Princess. I see nothing wrong with the food."

"You might not see it, but others can," Adelaide said, walking towards Oriana’s table. She bowed slightly. "The food on your table looks great; I must commend, but there’s a slight problem."

Oriana pressed her hands tightly. Adric and the King were almost walking towards them, and she was panicking. "What?"

Adelaide hummed. "It turns out you picked everything Brother Adric is allergic to." A smile crept on her lips when she saw the look of horror mixed with fear on Oriana’s face. "I don’t know how you made this, but it’s going to make everyone think you really want him dead." Adelaide shook her head gently.

Oriana gulped. This was what was written on the list. How could the King not know his son’s favorite meal? There was no way the King would make such a mistake. And it wasn’t a coincidence that she made exactly everything Adric was allergic to. Someone must have switched the list.

Oriana turned to look at everyone’s faces. Sophie was smiling ear to ear, getting ready to serve Adric. Jasmine was talking in a loud voice as she giggled, while Queen Gwen was looking at her with a smug look on her face. And then there was Adelaide standing in front of her.

"I can give you some of my food. I made a lot. Let me help you," Adelaide suggested. "It’s not something to be ashamed of, okay?"

Oriana exhaled. "Don’t worry, I’m good." That was all she said, looking at the food she had struggled to prepare throughout the night just to make Adric smile. It was the same thing that would kill him. How was he going to believe her feelings for him if she couldn’t even cook what he liked, but the very opposite?

With Oriana deep in thought, she didn’t see the frown on Adelaide’s face when she rejected her help. "You’ll be fine," she muttered, nodding her head before going over to her own table.

"What will you do now, Princess? Should I run back inside and prepare something quickly? It looks like yours will be tasted last," Louis asked with a worried tone. He knew how much the Princess had gone out of her way, staying awake the whole night just to make everything perfect.

Oriana looked at Sophie’s table, where Adric was taking a spoon of her food, and he smiled at her with a nod of his head.

Sophie giggled. "I made it especially for you, minced pork and rice," her voice was heard clearly. She turned to look at Oriana, then she touched her hair.

Oriana looked down at her food. She had already lost. There was nothing more she could do. She closed her eyes in shame when Adric finally got to her table.

The King’s bright smile fell when he saw the food on Oriana’s table.

"This is... is not—" he pointed at the table before looking at Oriana, who had her eyes glued to the ground. She was so ashamed of her situation that she couldn’t even look at the King, who had tried his best to help her, and she had disappointed him.

Adric stared at the food, his face bare of any emotions. It was as though he was deep in thought.

Everyone gathered around the table. Gwen was the first to speak.

"Did you make this knowing that the Crown Prince doesn’t eat it? Tsk tsk," she tutted, shaking her head.

Jasmine chirped in, "This is an insult to Brother Adric. Even if you hate him so much, why would you try to disgrace him outside?"

Some of the ministers started murmuring amongst themselves, judging Oriana with their eyes.

Sophie ran to stand beside Adric. "I’m sorry, Your Highness. I’m here now to train my sister better." Her voice was very loud, with great enthusiasm in her words.

Adelaide stood far away with her arms crossed over her chest. "You should have accepted my help while I was being kind."

Oriana pressed her lips together. She wanted to tell everyone that she didn’t know Adric was allergic to it and that her list was swapped, but it didn’t look like anyone would believe her. She really wanted to stand up for herself at the moment, but she was ashamed it was happening in front of Adric. He would only believe she hated him.

The cuts on her hands meant nothing right now compared to the heartbreak she was feeling. She brought her hands together and squeezed them, trying to stop them from trembling.

Nicholas, who was watching the Princess, decided to step in and help her out. He was about to pick up a plate and dish when Adric raised his spoon.

"If my wife made it, then I should taste it." He grinned, taking a spoonful of the bean stew.

"Your Highness!" Sophie shouted as everyone held their breath, watching Adric place the spoon in his mouth.

Oriana raised her eyes to look at Adric. They stared back at each other in that moment.

Adric chewed the food slowly, his eyes on Oriana’s golden eyes as he chewed slowly. He took another spoon without dropping his gaze.

Oriana didn’t know when she started crying. All her walls melted and everyone else now looked faded out except Adric and his peculiar red hair. She tried to wipe her tears, but she still didn’t stop crying.

Adric raised the cold pudding and placed it on his lips, still looking at the Princess who was now crying like a child.

King Fidelis looked at his son and smiled. He raised his own spoon and joined in. "A food that heals my son’s allergy must be perfect. It even deserves a win."

"Look! Auntie cut the peaches into cute stars and hearts. I love it!" Walter clapped, taking the peach to eat. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Oriana couldn’t stop the tears from flowing, the more she looked at Adric enjoying her food. It ached her heart knowing it was something that was bad for his health. She really wanted to stop him, but she found herself crying more and more with the way Adric was looking at her at the moment.