"Look, it’s the Big Dipper," Freya pointed at the peaceful night sky. "It’s not it," her tone laced with disappointment. She brought her hand back down, using it to hold up her head.

Oriana noticed the look on the girl’s face from where she was lying down, then she sat up from the table she was resting on. "Do you want to see something cool?"

Freya’s eyes lit up, "Yes, yes."

"Watch me," Oriana said. She lay down flat on the spacious low table outside, with her eyes facing the sky. Then she put her hands at the side of her face like she was shading her face from something. "When you do this, you block away distractions, and it feels like you can actually reach the sky."

Freya pushed her hand forward to her face and also did the same thing, "Wow..." The young girl was amazed, "I like this,"

Oriana brought down her own hand, but her eyes were still looking at the starry night sky. And somewhere in between, she felt lost, not knowing who she was and what she was made for. It seemed like her life had been paused. Without knowing it, a tear slipped from her eyes.

"I see the Big Dipper now, see, see..." Freya’s voice called her back to reality. Oriana sniffled back her tears.

"Where is it?" She placed her hands back on the side of her face. "I see it too," Oriana smiled.

"It’s so beautiful," Freya blinked. "The stars shine brightest when they’re together, and this is also why people shine the brightest when they find their perfect match."

Oriana chuckled, "You already know things like that?"

Freya nodded, pushing her hand back to hold up her head. "Yes, I read it in one of my books titled ’When Stars Collide.’"

"It’s a nice phrase, quite catchy, but it’s not how life works," Oriana said to the girl, then she further explained. "You don’t always have to wait for your perfect match to shine. Is the book trying to say that those who don’t have a match would never shine?" The princess asked.

Freya hummed; she had never really thought of it that way. "I don’t know," the girl’s tiny voice trailed.

Oriana nudged her gently with a smile, "Was I too harsh?" She ruffled Freya’s hair. "Don’t mind my words. I think, just as every star has its own unique twinkle, every person has their own unique soulmate out there, waiting to be found, and most times their lives are connected."

Freya nodded, "Then that means I also have someone unique out there?" She asked innocently, and Oriana smiled. Then silence returned between them as they continued their stargazing.

The smile on Oriana’s face fell; those fancy words were really for others and not her. She only said them so she wouldn’t kill the young girl’s dream. Oriana didn’t believe that someone like her, who had been rejected even by her own family, could be loved by another. As the saying goes, charity always begins at home, but hers was never there. But that didn’t mean she wouldn’t be happy for others if they found their perfect match.

With the passing weeks, Oriana continued to live her life, already giving up her title as a princess and normalizing her new life. Finally, one day a new project was brought to Louis.

"We will be going to Morado tomorrow; these men have been called to construct a part of the palace. We can cook there and also buy some goods needed. Morado has the freshest seafood." Louis said to his workers.

Freya, who was standing beside Oriana, shouted, "Yes!! Morado! I’ve always wanted to go there."

Oriana smiled, "Really? Why?"

"I heard there are a lot of books there," Freya replied, causing her father to sigh.

"It’s always about books with her; we are going to really work. So everyone pack up the necessary things." Louis announced to everyone.

The next day finally arrived, Oriana didn’t need to pack much. Partly she was excited to travel to another kingdom and already heard a lot about the kingdom. Their carriage left the small town at dusk, Freya, who couldn’t stay up, slept off during the journey. Her head fell on Oriana’s shoulder.

"I’m sorry if she’s a bother; let me come over and sit down there," Louis, who was sitting opposite them, said to Oriana.

Oriana shook her head, "It’s okay, she can stay here." She said with a low voice, trying not to wake the girl up.

"Thank you so much," Louis bowed gratefully. "I know it’s a selfish thinking, but I’m happy to have you here. I was scared of having Freya grow up with those other girls, but since you came around, I’ve been more relaxed."

Oriana looked at the girl who was sleeping peacefully, still holding her book close to her chest. "She’s such a lovely girl. Easy to adore." She touched her hair gently, "Her mother must have loved reading."

Louis nodded, "Freya’s mother loved to read and explore so much. Back when I was still in the palace, I had to sneak out some books from the library to give to her, and one time when I was caught, it was the Queen mother who saved me from being punished. Later, when Freya was born, she didn’t stop reading and extended it to our daughter."

"That’s so sweet," Oriana smiled. She was now feeling her eyelids grow heavy, and her head swayed with the movement of the carriage.

Louis remembered something, "About the Queen mother, did she tell you about your-" he stopped talking when he noticed Oriana’s head move to the side. "She must have been tired, poor princess," the man sighed. He remembered the last conversation he had with the Queen mother before the woman passed.

"Queen mother, she is all grown now. I believe she deserves to know," Louis muttered. He decided to let the girl sleep and continue the conversation the next day.

It was dawn when their carriage arrived at Morado. Oriana was the first to wake up, and she stretched her body. She looked around the carriage, and there was no sign of Louis. She looked at Freya, who was still sleeping. Without waking the girl up, she placed her carefully on the carriage couch and stepped down. There she met Louis arguing with some men.

"How can you tell us to go back? We spent hours coming here, and most of the condiments are perishable. They might go bad before we reach the town," Louis said to the man in front of him.

Oriana walked closer, "What is the problem?" She asked.

Louis rubbed his temples, "They’re saying that the construction has been cancelled," the man sighed.

"Why is that?" Oriana now asked the men who had said this to Louis.

One of the men sighed, "I’m tired of explaining this. The construction was meant to please Princess Kitanna, but I think she’s having a lovers’ quarrel with her soon-to-be husband, the Crown Prince of Avon, so it was paused."

Oriana blinked. Did she hear right? Adric was here, and he was about to get married to the princess of this kingdom. As these thoughts were running through her mind, the gate opened.

"Bow to his royal highness, Prince Adric of Avon."

Oriana turned her back immediately, without waiting to see his face. She jumped back inside the carriage.