[Music Recommendation: Manipulation ~ Zevia]

After the meeting with his family, Adric went to his room to rest for the day. He’d wanted to stay with his father and give him the comfort he needed, but Fidelis wanted time for himself. Everyone in the palace was affected in one way or another.

Adric knew just how much his father had been hurting all these years after discovering Gwen’s infidelity and how shameless she was about them.

Gwen, on the other hand, couldn’t handle the shame of being stripped of all her titles and privileges, and her daughters would also feel the shame of having their mother cast away.

What Adric didn’t really understand was why Oriana was feeling bad when she wasn’t even the one who did anything wrong. She clearly helped put a stop to Gwen’s promiscuity, but the girl was sad about it. The only reason he could guess why Oriana was feeling bad was because she was being judged by others, but he didn’t see anything wrong with what she did.

"Your highness," Rowan called Adric’s attention, his voice laced with a sense of urgency.

Adric paused in his steps, his eyebrows knitted with worry. "Rowan, is everything alright?" He noticed the hesitant look on Rowan’s face. Adric knew immediately that whatever he wanted to say needed just the two of them to hear it.

"Inside," he pointed towards his room. As they both entered in haste, Rowan forgot to lock the door properly.

"Your highness, the men at the west borders were attacked this morning. One of them only returned this evening. He’s being treated in the royal infirmary," Rowan announced, raking his fingers through his hair.

Adric turned to look at his personal guard. "What do you mean by attacked?"

"Our soldiers were attacked by another kingdom, and we took a big hit. I’m not sure which kingdom yet, but they left a warning that their next target would be the smaller villages of the kingdom. If they eventually conquer the villages..." Rowan’s voice trailed.

Adric rubbed his hand on his face. Everything was happening so fast; this wasn’t how he planned things to be. Someone must have leaked the kingdom’s weakness. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

"Your highness, we need to act as fast as possible, even before the coronation. What we need is to attack first. No matter the kingdom that attacked, they will need time to recover from their loss, so that’s the only time we need to attack before other kingdoms hear of this," Rowan suggested. He pulled out a map on the table and brought the candle closer for Adric to see.

Adric inhaled deeply. He pointed at the kingdoms close to Avon. "We can’t just blindly attack; these other kingdoms have their fortresses heavily guarded. We need to pick the weakest."

"What about the Queen’s army? Take it from the Princess; there’s no time," Rowan scratched his brows slightly. "I know you don’t want to anymore, but that’s our only hope."

Adric closed his eyes; he was going to finally send Oriana away. The girl had no connection with the army her grandmother used to have.

"The princess doesn’t know anything about the Queen’s army; she’s of no use anymore. I need to send her back to Orion and find another, better option."

"Then we conquer Orion. It’s a small, weak kingdom. We take over Orion and find out their secret," Rowan pointed out, circling Orion on the map. "The Queen’s army can’t just vanish. Conquer Orion and make them bow to Avon, giving out all their secrets."

Adric sighed. "Conquer Orion, holding their daughter hostage. That’s -" Adric paused. Standing at the door was Oriana. The shocked look on her face made him know that she had heard everything.

"Yes, Orion is a very small kingdom; we can conquer them in one night," Rowan continued. When he noticed that Adric wasn’t talking but looking at someone, he turned. Seeing the princess, Rowan bowed.

"I will be waiting outside, your highness."

Rowan didn’t need to be told that the princess would need time alone with the prince, especially after what she had just heard. Bowing one more time, Rowan exited the room.

Oriana squeezed her hands tightly together to be sure she wasn’t in some dream. A beautiful nightmare of some sort where the man she loves so much was driving a sword through her chest but she couldn’t do anything about it. She wanted to hear Adric deny everything she had just heard; it shouldn’t be happening.

"W-hat...about what I heard, it’s not true, right?" Oriana smiled, taking two steps closer to Adric. There she saw the map on the table with Orion circled in red. She looked away from it; she didn’t want to see it.

Adric’s gaze didn’t leave Oriana. He saw how she was trying to ignore everything that was right in front of her. "What did you hear?"

Oriana raised her eyes. If she denied it, then it never happened. "Nothing, I heard nothing," she replied, staring back at Adric, but her eyes were pleading with him not to say anything else.

"Oriana," Adric’s voice was very calm and steady. The way he called Oriana’s name had her heart racing and breaking at the same time. "Avon is going to take over Orion, and it’s happening soon. I am going to conquer your entire kingdom, making your family bow to Avon."

Adric continued, seeing that the girl wasn’t saying anything. "There is an army that your grandmother used to lead, but the moment she died, all traces of them disappeared. At first, I thought she left you in charge of it. But you know absolutely nothing about it. Avon needs it right now, and I’m sure someone in Orion has the secret. So, by taking over your kingdom, I can have my hands on the Queen’s army."

It dawned on Oriana; the reason Adric always asked her about her grandmother was because of the army. He didn’t save her because he was so kind; he needed something from her. Now that she had proven that she had nothing, he wanted to cast her aside and take over her kingdom. This was it, the heaviness she felt earlier in her heart.

"Was that why -"

Adric interjected, knowing what she wanted to ask. "Yes, that’s the reason you’re here. Avon has been recovering after the last war, but we needed to be ready, and not a lot of people remember your grandmother’s army. I brought you here thinking you had something. And yes, everything running through your mind right now is true."

Oriana used the back of her palm to wipe the tears that were forming in her eyes. She had never loved anyone before, and the one man she finally loved was only using her for his gain. Who was she deceiving to think that someone like her could ever find happiness? A girl like her who only grew up with misfortune. All she would ever be was a bad omen to herself and those around her.

Oriana thought to herself that she was dumb to believe that there was a chance for someone like her to fall in love. Even her grandmother, whom she loved more than anyone on earth, didn’t trust her enough to put her in charge of the Queen’s army that Adric wanted so much.

"If that’s all you wanted to know, you can go back to your room." Adric turned, going to sit at his desk instead of the chair, with his leg crossed over the other and his hands folded on his chest.

"That’s not why I’m here," Oriana’s voice was shaky at the end, but she continued. "I came here because I had something to tell you."

Adric furrowed his brows; he thought Oriana would curse him for using her and also run out to tell her family about the plan for Avon to attack them, but she stood there looking at him. "What’s that?"

The thought of being used by the man she loved so much hurt her, but it would break her even more if she left without telling Adric how she felt. It wasn’t a logical thing any daughter would do, but she couldn’t help herself. It wasn’t like she had the best time of her life living with her own family, but with Adric, she felt safe and happy. The chance to live another life with good people around her might be all a facade, but she enjoyed it while it lasted.

"I was going to tell you...about my feelings for you." Oriana’s words were low, but Adric heard her clearly.

"I love you, so much that it hurts right now knowing that you never felt the same for me. I must have mistaken your actions towards me..." her voice broke at the end. Oriana rubbed her eyes and paused, looking up at the ceiling to stop herself from crying.

"I was never someone to cry in front of people; you make it look so easy," she muttered, hitting her chest gently. "I was going to confess my feelings so well I don’t know why I’m crying right now...wait."

Oriana turned around, raising her gown. She continued drying her eyes until she almost hurt herself. Before she brought down her dress, she saw again the scar on her lap.

She must have lost her mind for a moment after being adored by everyone. This was the life she had come to know. Being betrayed, abandoned, and used by family and friends. She turned to look at Adric; she had really hoped for it to be real this time.

"I love you so much; that is why I have changed recently. Not because I wanted to seduce you, and I wish I really had knowledge of the Queen’s army. I would give them to you if that would make you look at me for once as a woman and not take over my kingdom. Thank you for the warmth you brought into my life. You were the first to treat me like a human, advised me, and corrected me despite my imperfections. You never made me look like I had lost my mind. To that, I say thank you." Oriana bowed deeply. With her head down, tears flowed freely from her eyes. When she raised it up, she quietly left the room.