"Son, are you sure you are doing the right thing?" Fidelis asked as soon as he noticed his son’s presence in the room. He stepped away from the window and went to fill his empty cup with wine. "I saw the look in the girl’s eyes."

Adric sighed, sitting on the couch. He stared at the table blankly without touching anything. Then he replied, "I did see it too."

Fidelis looked at his son for a minute. "You know, the wedding wasn’t done properly. You can choose to bring back the other princess. We don’t need someone who would betray you one day," the king suggested to his son.

Adric’s mind went back to the wedding earlier. According to the kingdom’s tradition, it was supposed to be canceled since the bride did not show up for the first ritual, but Adric used his influence to skip all of that, even though Gwen tried to use the ministers of the court to stop the wedding from happening.

"Does it really have to be Oriana?" Fidelis asked his son. He knew there was much more than met the eye, especially with his son standing firmly on marrying this particular princess.

Adric stretched his hand forward and took hold of the wine jar and then a cup. He poured it slowly into his cup. "There was once a story about Orion, where the late Queen Mother was forced to marry the then King," his voice sounded a little distant. Fidelis sat on the empty couch and listened.

"The Queen was a free bird who didn’t accept that women should be subdued in court, but her husband refused, trying every means to get her under him," Adric said, now taking a sip from his drink. "But she didn’t stop there. She created an army loyal to just her. They are hidden and only summoned by the Queen Mother herself. But now she is dead, who do you think is in control of this army now?"

"Definitely not the king," Fidelis replied, and his son nodded. "That was why you allowed us to invite them here. When you asked him to go back, that war was looming. If he had this secret army, he wouldn’t have panicked," the king concluded the whole story.

Adric nodded with a smile. He loved talking to his father. Though he was no longer as fit as he used to be in the past, his old man was still witty and very sharp.

"If the Queen Mother did not hand over this secret army to her son, who then is capable?" Fidelis continued, with a sudden realization. "Oriana?" But Adric shook his head.

"Not yet confirmed, but she is someone who always talks about her grandmother. I assumed their relationship would be very strong, but then again, would the Queen Mother leave something huge to someone careless?" he muttered. Adric remembered the very first day he met Oriana at the fair. He had only started his training as the Crown Prince, so he read so much about other kingdoms, even passing rumors. That was where he met the youngest Princess of Orion. All the girl did was talk about her grandmother at all times.

"Who else knows about this story?" Fidelis asked. They needed to keep it hidden until it was confirmed.

Adric hummed thoughtfully, "I don’t know, but we need to be fast before someone else picks interest in it."

"And you are not yet sure it is this Princess," the King sighed.

Adric shook his head. "We are desperate, father. Let’s just hope I made the right choice. Let’s just hope Oriana is the one," the Crown Prince muttered. If it was not her, then there would be so much trouble.

Fidelis exhaled, picking up his cup. He drank the remaining content. He knew that his son never made a move without thinking. The only problem here was the princess who was being used. He pitied her, but for the protection of their kingdom, it was necessary. "Son, instead of being forceful, which might scare her, why don’t you try to make her fall for you? Every woman has a weakness."

"That won’t be necessary. I have other options for her," Adric smiled. Oriana was not the girl who was easily moved, and they already started out on the wrong foot. Also, faking to love her just so he could use her was the worst thing that could happen to anyone. Adric preferred to let her know the kind of person he was and what she was going to expect, which was nothing. That way, he wouldn’t feel any guilt. Once he gets what he wants, he would grant Oriana what she had wanted her whole life; freedom.

Currently, inside one of the rooms inside the palace, Gwen sat with her leg crossed and a drink in her hand.

"You mean Adric did not sleep together in her room tonight?" the Queen asked her personal maid, who was her informant.

The maid nodded, with her head still bowed, "Yes, Your Majesty. He left the room as soon as he entered."

"Any idea where he went?" Gwen asked, looking at the flickering candle.

"His Majesty’s chambers," the maid informed with a small voice. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Gwen nodded, waving for the maid to leave. "Adric, you did not consummate your wedding? What would the court do when they hear of this interesting story? Were they scammed with a wedding?" the Queen swirled her drink.

"I should get to work," pushing herself up from the couch. Gwen walked out of the palace to a particular room. When she got there, the head maid bowed.

"Your Majesty, what brings you outside? Your beautiful skin would freeze with the harsh wind," just like every other servant, the head maid tried to be on the Queen’s good side by sugarcoating her words with false praise.

Gwen, on the other hand, did not fancy such as she used to be a courtesan and knew how they gossiped about the royal family. "Enough of that, show me the girls."

The head maid bowed and walked inside to bring the girls. Among them was Freya, who was now dressed in fine silk.

"Nice, I love what I see," Gwen touched the girls like they were goods set on display. "Get them ready for tomorrow, and send a letter to the four high ministers. Tell them a new package is here; they will understand." As the Queen turned to leave, Freya rushed to hold her dress but was pushed back by the head maid.

"You ingrate! How dare you touch the Queen," the maid tried to slap her.

"No, don’t do that," Gwen stopped the maid from ruining the girl’s face which was a prized piece, going to stand in front of Freya. "Little girl, if you still want to see your father alive and in one piece, keep that fierceness for another day," she used her finger to push the girl’s forehead. "Take them back inside, and keep a close eye on that one so she doesn’t cause trouble."

When the Queen mentioned her father, Freya stayed calm. She didn’t want to do anything stupid that would cost her father’s life. At the same time, she did not want to remain in this place.