[Music Recommendation: Für Elise - Reimagined ~ Alexander Joseph]

After knocking countless times on Adric’s door without a response, Oriana finally gave up and turned around to leave. She walked out of the place, her mind occupied with why Adric would want to marry her instead of Sophie. By norm, men don’t like to take loose women as their wives; in a natural sense, she was a woman who gave her body without thinking twice, and also in terms of beauty, she was nothing compared to Sophie. Except Adric had something else in mind; maybe he wanted to tease her again but marriage was too extreme a tease.

Oriana’s finger mindlessly touched her lips, and she winced. "Ow!" She scrunched her face. Remembering Adric’s words to get herself treated and how both of them had gotten injured, she sighed. The princess paused in her steps. When she fell, she knew she had landed on something, perhaps Adric’s hand? She turned to look in the direction of Adric’s room.

"He must have sustained even more injuries than me," Oriana muttered, then shook her head. "He isn’t someone who would risk himself that far for others," the princess nodded. Adric had only helped her because his nephew was in danger, and also because... Oriana paused. Because... She couldn’t complete the words. She turned to walk back to Adric’s room. Maybe he really hurt himself while saving her.

"Is something bothering the princess?" Nicholas intercepted Oriana before she could take any step further.

Oriana bowed with a small smile. "You," she said, happy to see the young man again.

"Lord Nicholas," Nicholas nodded, stretching his hand forward to hold Oriana’s.

Subconsciously, Oriana took a step back. She didn’t know why, but before she could realize her action, Nicholas already noticed and brought his hand down.

"Sorry if my actions don’t sit well with you. I thought we had become friends," Nicholas bowed with his hand on his chest.

Oriana shook her head. "No, no. You didn’t do anything wrong," she remarked, wondering why she had done that. "And yes, we are friends," she nodded.

Nicholas gave her a smile. "I’m glad we are. So, as friends, can I ask you what happened to your lips?" he pointed.

"I fell," Oriana replied. She wasn’t going to give the long story of how she fell from a horse and landed on Adric’s hands just for their lips to...

Nicholas cleared his throat. "If you don’t mind me saying, I’ll suggest you get it treated before it gets infected." Oriana nodded in agreement.

"I was going to do that, just haven’t seen where to," she muttered under her breath.

The young prime minister smiled. The girl’s free spirit and honesty were what he loved so much. "Since we are friends, maybe I could help, yes?"

Not seeing anything wrong with it, Oriana nodded. "Sure." Nicholas showed Oriana to a tree where they both sat on a bench. The prime minister brought out a small cup of ointment and gave it to the princess.

Oriana used her index finger to take the ointment. She tried to place it on her lips but failed every time, scared it would sting.

"Let me help," Nicholas said, not rushing to take it from Oriana but waiting patiently until she gave it to him. "It won’t hurt if you don’t think about it."

Oriana nodded. "Is there something you would want me to think about?"

Nicholas hummed. "Okay, let’s do it this way; tell me what’s your favorite memory," he said, taking the ointment and giving Oriana time to think.

Oriana pressed her lips. "My favorite memory, let’s see..." She tapped her feet on the ground. "A refreshing question...um..." She remembered the nights she spent with her grandmother. Those were the favorite and best memories, and also when she escaped the palace just to breathe and live like an ordinary person, and also... Oriana paused. What? Why was she thinking about Adric in all of this? He was the least of her favorite memories; he wasn’t even... Oriana remembered moaning his name, and her face turned red.

"Ow!" She winced when Nicholas finally applied the ointment, bringing her back to reality.

Nicholas brought his hand down. "So sorry, did it hurt?" Oriana shook her head, turning her head away to stop herself from blushing.

"What memory did you remember that has got you so red?" he asked, seeing the faint blush on Oriana’s cheeks.

Oriana cleared her throat. "What do you mean red? Except I’m starting to feel cold," she replied. That would explain all of this. If not, why else would Adric come to mind when favorite memories were mentioned when he should be on her list of nightmares?

"If you say so. Then tell me, what’s your best memory?" Nicholas asked, now turning properly on the bench to face forward.

Oriana smiled. "The days I spent with my Nana."

Nicholas turned with his brows raised. "Nana, like your grandmother?" And Oriana nodded. "You remind me of a little girl I met so long ago. She also called her grandmother Nana."

"Really?" Oriana twitched her lips. "Staying with Nana was the happiest time of my life. When she left, she took my stars with her," her voice became distant.

Nicholas now turned to look at Oriana. "You really sound like the little girl. She said her Nana told her she was special and different."

Oriana turned to look at him. Could this be the young master she had met years ago but forgot everything about? Because her grandmother had said the same thing to her. "Really? Tell me about this girl."

Nicholas smiled, remembering the fond memories. "She was quite a handful, the girl, but she also wanted to be free, from what I remember."

This really sounded like the same person she met, but she couldn’t remember his name or face as they were young. What if? If so, was this person her soulmate? Oriana pressed her lips. But then she was no longer pure; would he still accept her? Trying to verify everything, she asked:

"What is your stand on a lady who has already been touched by another man before marriage?"

Nicholas moved his head to the side. "I don’t really have a take on that, so I don’t know what to say," he turned to look at Oriana. "All I can say is, if the woman I love had been touched by another man, I can’t really judge the circumstances which she must have found herself in to indulge in that. So, I wouldn’t hate her or push her away, I’d love her. I mean, I haven’t been living a perfect life myself. This is just my opinion; I can’t say the same for others."

Oriana blinked. His words really resonated with her, but she still felt like something was missing. She felt like she was supposed to be connecting to another person. But if this was really the young master she met years ago, then there was every possibility they were meant for each other.

"What about a man who tries to marry a lady just because they had a good time in bed, but there’s no love between them?"

Nicholas furrowed his brows. "That’s peculiar. I wouldn’t know because I’ve not been in such a situation, but all I can say is both would end up being hurt. Imagine if they fall in love with other persons while in marriage, and they already have children."

Oriana nodded. "You’re right..." Her voice trailed off. She didn’t want to be in a marriage with no love, and living with someone like Adric, whose debauchery was known in all seven kingdoms, was a nightmare. She needed to put a stop to this marriage.

Nicholas finally pushed himself up from the bench. "I’ll be leaving now. I’ll have my servant bring you the ointment tomorrow morning. You can apply it on your own."

"Thank you," Oriana bowed with a smile. As they both parted ways to their respective rooms, all Oriana had in mind was a way to stop the marriage with Adric and prevent herself from getting hurt in the future, especially now that she had met the young master from when she was young.