[Music Recommendation: TATTOO ~ LOREEN]
Oriana held her chest, still sitting on the couch after Adric had left the room, her eyes staring blankly into space. Oriana’s mind was thinking of so many things at the same time. Adric was the last person she thought she’d have feelings for. He was the opposite of what she wanted; he spent time with women and always said things without mincing his words. His actions were so ungentlemanly and crude, he even talked about things that shouldn’t be heard in broad daylight.
Was it because she had given up on life? Was that why Adric now looked attractive to her? Or was it because they had done it... Oriana pressed her lips, bringing down her hands to place them on her lap. Her eyes were on the candlelight, and she didn’t look up when Freya entered the room.
"Princess Oriana, I heard about what happened, but I waited outside because you were with..." Freya stopped talking when she noticed the princess wasn’t listening to her. She quickly ran inside the bathroom to draw a warm bath for her before bringing out dry clothes. When she returned to the room, she walked to stand beside the princess.
"Princess Oriana, your bath is ready." Freya’s voice was barely above a whisper. She wondered if the princess was still shocked by the earlier incident. She didn’t witness it as she was taking care of her father, but the servants already had the clear story about it all.
Oriana blinked, turning her eyes to meet Freya’s. She stared at her for a second before asking, "Freya, do you feel something in your stomach?"
Freya furrowed her brows. She didn’t know what it was all about or how to even answer. "I- I don’t understand."
Oriana sighed, dragging Freya to sit beside her. "I want to test something. Look at me like you care and you’re worried about me. Go ahead, now."
Freya touched her neck before staring at the princess in a way she didn’t even understand because the request itself was odd.
"It’s not working," Oriana bit her lips. "Here, use this towel to dry my hair."
Freya took the towel, helping the princess dry her hair in the way she always did.
Oriana waved her hand for her to stop. It wasn’t working either. "What was it? Hm?" She turned to look at Freya as if she knew what she was talking about.
"What was what?" Freya asked, now worried about the princess. Maybe she hit her head when she fell from the horse.
Oriana pushed her head back, her eyes closed. When she opened them, she clapped her hands together like she had just witnessed a revelation.
"I know it, I know. Freya, tell me, I mean, say to me: ’You’ll protect me if I stay beside you.’"
Freya took two steps back. This was beyond her work description, and she had no intention of saying it.
"It sounds absurd, right?" Oriana noticed the look on the girl’s face. She sighed, resting her back on the couch. "Why would he say something like that to me? Is it normal for a man to say that to just any woman?"
Freya couldn’t keep her thoughts to herself anymore. She bowed, using the most polite voice, "Princess Oriana, should I get the physician?"
Oriana raised her eyes, looking at Freya without saying a word. It was a look that had no emotions, so Freya took it that she had crossed the line and bowed again.
"I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to—"
"The physician!" Oriana snapped her fingers. "I should see the royal physician because why is my stomach moving when I’m not hungry?"
Freya exhaled softly. "You should first change the dress so you don’t catch a cold."
Oriana finally stood up from the couch. Her legs wobbled at first as she still had the trauma that affected her, but her thoughts quickly replaced with Adric’s words. She walked straight to the bathroom, getting inside the bathtub. She slid in, staying quietly underwater to gather her thoughts on what it was about Adric that made her heart flutter.
This feeling was different from what she thought she felt for Nicholas. It was almost as if in front of Adric she couldn’t think or use her brain. Not that she couldn’t, but she didn’t want to. She wanted to just listen to him. When did it start? When? Was it when he came to take her on the horse or when he held her waist or when he...
"Princess Oriana!" Freya tried to help her up from the water as she had stayed there longer than expected.
Oriana gasped when she stood up from the water. The thoughts were beginning to drive her crazy. How could everything she believed in be washed away in just one night—no, minutes? With just a look and a word. She needed help, serious help.
"Princess Oriana... I’m worried about you," Freya’s voice was laced with fear and worry.
Oriana stood up from the bathtub, drying her body. She changed into her nightdress. If she couldn’t get answers to her new worries, then she needed to see a physician.
"Freya, let’s go see the royal physician," Oriana suggested, raising her dress gently as the hem ruffled on the floor. Freya trotted behind the princess quietly.
They were almost leaving the passage that led to Oriana’s room when Nicholas intercepted them.
"Princess Oriana," Nicholas bowed, the side of his hand now tied with a white piece around his neck.
Oriana bowed. She was happy to see the prime minister. It was better to test the theory she had been thinking about.
"Lord Nicholas, thank you for today,"
Nicholas smiled. "You’re welcome. I’m glad you didn’t hurt yourself. Earlier I was so scared, I didn’t consider the possibility of you falling from the horse."
"No, you did what you had to," Oriana replied. This was it, someone showing her kindness, but why was it sounding so plain?
Nicholas’s eyes moved down to see that a part of Oriana’s dress had a loose thread hanging out on her neck. He reached out to help her with it, but the princess took a cautious step back.
By reflex, Oriana stepped away from Nicholas, almost knocking into Freya behind her. She turned to hold the girl before turning to look at Nicholas, whose hand was still hanging in the air.
"Sorry—I was trying to pull the thread out," Nicholas pointed, retracting his hand back to his side.
Oriana nodded with a small smile. "Thank you, I’ll do it myself." She muttered, touching her neck. This was a serious case. In the past week, she would have been more than happy to have Nicholas touch her. Was it because Adric would get furious again and maybe kill someone? No, it wasn’t. It wasn’t the reason.
"Your highness," Freya bowed on seeing the Crown Prince.
On hearing Adric’s name, Oriana felt her heart stop beating. She clenched her fist at her side to stop her heart from making so much noise.
"Princess, are you okay? Your face," Nicholas pointed.
Adric, who had just arrived, turned to look at Oriana, whose face had now turned red like she ate something hot.
Oriana, seeing that everyone was looking at her and there was silence, started laughing.
"Haha.." she didn’t want her heartbeat to be heard by anyone, most especially Adric.
"Is the princess not feeling fine?" Adric asked with a brow raised. He reached forward to touch Oriana’s forehead.
Unlike when Nicholas tried to touch her, Oriana froze on the spot. Her body trembled. She needed to do something fast, or everyone would catch on to her newfound emotions that she was yet to understand.
"Hahaha... Is the weather not too cold? I should run back inside before I freeze?" Oriana finally found her voice, her words faster than normal.
Everyone turned to look outside. The night was very hot, and there was nothing cold about it. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦
"Inside? What about the physician?" Freya whispered from the back.
Oriana turned. "What physician? Let’s go inside and sleep. Haha." She ran back inside her room without looking Adric in the eyes. It was certain whatever she was feeling for Adric right now was an incurable case of love that she didn’t know when it started. There was no antidote for it.
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