With the arrival of dawn came the early morning cold breeze, and the village was covered with heavy dew. Oriana rubbed her hands on her body, trying to keep the cold away as she was only wearing her dress without a jacket. The first thing she noticed when she came outside was the trees nearby losing their leaves, and the sweet smell of the beautiful season it was coming with.

In her kingdom, it’s called the Salvon Season, which came with trees losing their leaves and flowers losing their beauty. Oriana loved it; it was her best season. It meant that the old leaves were making way for the new ones. And soon, even a dried-up tree or forgotten flowers would bloom again. The Salvon season always came with good charms for the princess, and for a moment, it made her think that this season was for her. A time for her to bloom again. But it appeared she had to be in her kingdom for that theory to actually work. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Standing outside the tavern were people who were pointing accusing fingers at her. She was still feeling heavy-eyed because of sleep that she didn’t quite understand what they were shouting.

"Look at her! Let’s burn the homewrecker!"

Oriana blinked her eyes, accustoming herself to her surroundings. The noise and crowd that had now gathered made her feel uncomfortable; she rubbed the heavy sleep out of her eyes. She didn’t know a homewrecker slept in the same tavern as them, and the villagers looked really angry. In her own kingdom, women like that were just given warnings by the magistrate of the village. But in this village, it seems like the people took the laws into their hands. Oriana shrugged her shoulders; it’s okay, that was what people call culture shock.

"Look at her, acting like she doesn’t know what we are talking about. Someone bring that temptress; let’s burn her now! Before she corrupts our children," one person from the angry mob shouted.

Louis turned to Oriana, "Take Freya and run!" The man had tried to calm the crowd down when he noticed they had come for the Princess, but he was getting weaker.

Oriana raised her brows, "Run? Why, what about you?"

"They’re talking about you; these people are getting out of control," Louis shouted, trying to hold the small, low wooden gate of the tavern.

The princess was confused; she had been called so many things in her life but never a homewrecker. Whose home did she even wreck? As she was lost in thought, she noticed one of the mobs jump through the small gate, pushing Louis aside.

"Woooahh.." a confused Oriana took a step back, holding her hand forward to stop the angry-looking woman. The princess quickly ran back inside the tavern where Freya was sleeping, "Wake up, Freya, we need to leave!"

The young girl rubbed her eyes when she opened them; she saw how panicked the princess was looking. Without asking questions, Freya stood up, and they both ran out of the room through the back door they left the tavern.

"What about Pa?" Freya asked as they ran with all their strength.

Oriana tried not to talk; she needed to save her strength. "He...will be right behind... us," her reply was breathy. She tied her gown up to her knee, which was a signature way of being comfortable, then she held Freya’s hand. As they ran out through the back door, they noticed the crowd in front, so they tried to sneak without being noticed by anyone, but it was too late.

"Look! The homewrecker is running with her apprentice!" Another person from the crowd pointed, bringing everyone’s attention to where Oriana and Freya were.

Oriana rolled her eyes; now she even had an apprentice. "Fuck me," she cursed under her breath. These villagers have a twisted way of welcoming people. Without looking back, she dragged Freya so they could continue running, but Freya didn’t move.

Louis, who had tried to stop half of the mob, was now being hit mercilessly, yet he struggled to hold one person’s leg, and that was what his daughter saw.

"Freya, quick!" Oriana called, but the girl wriggled her hand and ran toward the direction of danger.

Oriana raked her finger through her hair, "Oh sweet heavens," she muttered. She couldn’t leave the family behind; they were the only people who had treated her like a human these past few moons. Looking around the place, Oriana found a heavy wood close by; it was in another house near the fireplace. She jumped through the fence, dragged the wood out. It still had a little fire in it.

"Come back here! Wood thief!" The owner of the house stepped out to see the girl running with his firewood.

Oriana palmed her face but continued running. Now she was not just a homewrecker but also a wood thief. She turned to the man. "I’m not a thief; I’ll return it," she said before she continued running.

But the man didn’t buy that idea; he knocked on the doors of all his neighbors.

"Quick, outside. I have finally found the one who steals our things at night. Let’s be quick before she escapes," the neighbors went back inside their houses gathering the weapons they had. From pitchfork to rusted shovel, hoes, and even their pots to chase down the thief.

Oriana, who didn’t know the trouble behind her, continued running. When she got to the mob, she waved the heavy wood, and they backed away. Then she used it to chase the people holding Freya and Louis.

"Are you okay?" She asked Louis, but the man was far from being okay. The side of his face was bleeding, and his mouth was swelled up, and it appeared that he wasn’t able to move his hand. The mob had broken it, Freya, who was sitting close to her father, bawled her eyes out.

"What in the name of monsters do these villagers harbor!" Oriana sighed, now turning to look at the villagers.

One of the women stepped forward, "You homewrecker, the news about you sleeping with our husbands has been heard. Now it’s time to face your punishment," the woman pointed at Oriana’s face but took a step back when the princess waved the stick as a defense.

"What husband? I only just arrived in this village yesterday and I’m leaving today. I don’t know anyone here," The princess tried to defend herself.

A short man, half of Oriana’s size stepped forward. "Liar, she seduced me to go to bed with her. And when I told I was married, she said it doesn’t matter,"

Oriana tilted her head, trying to look at the man properly from the side then she burst out with laughter.

"What is funny!" The man asked, but Oriana’s body shook with laughter that she wasn’t able to talk.

"Sorry...I mean, I’m really trying to wrap my head round this accusation. But what’s this? Even if I’m really the seductress or whatever you people say, come on now? Him?" She threw her head back in laughter.

The man puffed his shoulder, "What are you trying to say? That I’m not good enough?"

Oriana nodded, "Really I’m not trying to rain on your parade or anything, but you people can do better with the accusations. Do you not have eligible men, so I won’t feel hurt even if I’m being accused,"

Freya who was crying couldn’t help but join Oriana in laughter. Her father, was shocked at the princess’s reaction, someone who was about to be torn apart by the mob fueled their anger even more.

"She already accepts that she’s a seductress, look at how she moves her body and speaks in an alluring tone to deceive us all!" The man pointed an accusatory finger.

Oriana sighed, "That’s called laughter, except you think I’m beautiful when I laugh. Great compliment, also don’t you all get it? I’m not the whatever you’re accusing me of, if not I would be scared and hiding," she tried to reason with them.