[Music Recommendation: Für Elise - Reimagined ~ Alexander Joseph]
With the encounter Oriana had with Adric, and experiencing a pervert lurking at her window, she barely had a wink of sleep throughout the night. But when the first ray of sun kissed Avon, her eyes became very heavy with sleep.
The wood she kept close to her bedside was on the floor, with her leg hanging on the pillow and her head close to the edge. She was almost falling down from the bed when she woke up and stopped herself from crashing.
Oriana sat up on the bed and rubbed her eyes. "It’s morning already," she muttered, with a small yawn escaping her lips. Her eyes looked around the room, and Oriana noticed just how big the room was for someone like her. She didn’t want to sleep all alone anymore, especially now that she knew that someone was watching her. But she couldn’t beg Adric to come back to their room; she had asked him to leave.
"Stupid you," Oriana scolded herself, pointing at her forehead. "You knew you were going to fall for him so quickly, and you asked him to leave?" She continued talking to herself.
A small knock interrupted her self-scolding session. Oriana looked at the door, wondering who it was that had come to visit her so early in the morning. A thought came to her mind: maybe Adric had come to see if she was okay and also apologize for treating her harshly last night.
Though she had enjoyed the way Adric touched her, Oriana grinned, rubbing her palms together, but she still needed to look pitiful so he would hold her and console her. Oriana quickly rushed inside the bathroom to wash her face. She dried it up and applied oil. She paused when she heard the knock on her door again.
"I’m coming," Oriana shouted. After applying scented oil all over her, she looked at herself in the mirror one more time. Then she started walking to the door. She touched the doorknob, ready to open it, but she didn’t.
Running back to the vanity mirror, Oriana wiped the oil off her face.
"This is too much for a morning look; let’s go for natural," she said to herself. Done with her natural morning look, she walked back to the door and pushed it open with a smile on her face.
The door opened to reveal Sophie and her personal maid, Bessie.
Oriana’s smile vanished like it was never there. "Why?" she asked in a calm voice.
Sophie turned to look at Bessie. "Why what? Aren’t you happy to see your sister so early in the morning?"
"Anybody but you," Oriana palmed her face. "Now I’m going to be faced with just ill luck today." Her voice was very low that nobody could hear her.
"What did you say?" Sophie asked, narrowing her eyes at her sister.
Oriana shook her head. "To what do I owe this pleasant morning visit, dearest sister?" she asked through gritted teeth. To think that she had applied scented oil just because of her sister. She wanted to jump inside very cold water and freeze there.
"I was going to ask you what song you’ll be singing today. Also, which instrument are you playing?" Sophie replied, checking her nails out. "I already know you’re very weak when it comes to arrows, so..."
Oriana dropped her shoulders. "This was why you came to see me?" She had always known her sister’s brain stopped developing halfway, but she didn’t know it was this bad. Looking around the passage, Oriana sighed.
"Since you know I’m weak with arrows, you must also know I’m weak with musical instruments. Don’t be afraid, I’m sure you’ll do just great today," Oriana said with false praise.
Sophie nodded. "I thought so too. I mean, after cooking yesterday and treating His high-" she tapped her mouth, "that was supposed to be a secret."
Oriana rolled her eyes. She wasn’t going to hear the end of Sophie taking care of Adric. She would try to rub it on her face, at every given opportunity. "Please keep your secret safe," she bowed.
Sophie turned. "Come, come, Bessie. We should prepare for today’s event. It seems like my sister won’t be winning anything today."
Bessie bowed to Oriana. When she raised her face, she smiled before leaving with Sophie.
Oriana watched the maid leave with her sister. She was yet to forgive the maid for betraying her. Also, the things Bessie had said to her still stuck in the back of Oriana’s mind. She didn’t know what had changed about the girl or why she had betrayed her. Oriana just decided to let everything go and continue with her life.
Oriana shrugged, ready to close her door, when she heard someone call her.
"Princess Oriana?"
"Madame Rosalie?" Oriana’s eyes widened with surprise on seeing the woman who owned the House of Demi-monde now standing in front of her. "Madame Rosalie!" she shouted again, going to hug the woman.
Madame Rosalie smiled, holding the princess closely. "I’m so glad the palace hasn’t changed you."
Oriana moved back. "It’s really you. I had wanted to come back and thank you for that day. But then something happened, and I left Orion."
Madame Rosalie nodded. She knew about everything as she was the one who told Adric about it. "All that matters is that you’re safe."
Oriana stretched her hand forward to hold the woman’s hand. "Thank you so much for everything. Also, you’re here; what about your business?"
"I am also here for business. My girls will be providing entertainment for the ball. The dancers and singers; I came with them, while my assistant will take care of the inn until I’m back." Madame Rosalie replied, looking closely at the princess. So much had changed since she last saw the girl. It was as if she had matured into a full-grown woman, gone was the girl that first came to her inn.
"I’m so glad you’re here, I mean it," Oriana said, looking at the woman.
Oriana stopped talking. She remembered that Madame Rosalie was someone close to Adric, and she must know the type of women he liked since he frequented her inn. She first looked around the passage and said, "Madame Rosalie, come inside quick." She led Madame Rosalie inside her room and locked the door.
"Madame Rosalie, I need your help with something. How do you..." Oriana paused, looking for a way to get her thoughts clearly across. "You know, asking for a friend, how do you make a man fall for you?"
Madame Rosalie narrowed her eyes. She knew the princess was talking about herself. The question came as a surprise because she thought the girl didn’t ever like Adric. Though it was a marriage of convenience, Adric had also saved the girl. If she had gone ahead with marrying the King her family pushed her to, it would have been fatal.
Being the one who sent the letter to Adric, Madame Rosalie felt bad, but it was the only option the princess had since she was already defiled before marriage. Seeing her now happily accept her fate, the woman was relieved.
"It depends, what does your friend want exactly?"
Oriana sat down on the couch, leaning forward. She said, "The man she likes thinks she’s just trying to seduce him. Every time we meet, either I’m naked or something happens, and now he thinks someone put me up to it and I’m trying to seduce him, but it’s not true. How do I prove to him that I really like...I mean my friend really likes him. I’m trying to make you understand that I’m talking about my friend, not me."
Madame Rosalie nodded. "I know. Your friend needs to be forward with her feelings. I’ve been with so many men all my life, and they like women that are bold when it comes to confessing their feelings."
"I’ve tried, but then when I see him, I just become shy!" Oriana raised her hand. "I can’t just say anything in front of him."
Rosalie smiled. The girl was actually talking about her feelings for Adric. It was the right thing, getting Adric to take her. The woman nodded.
"Well, we should start by doing things he likes first. I heard today is the archery and music competition. Do you have anything prepared?"
Oriana shook her head. After the cooking competition, she had given up. "Nothing, but I heard he loves to listen to his mother’s songs. But I don’t know how to play the harp."
"We have to get you ready then. When you’re all set, I’ll let you know how to confess your feelings boldly," Rosalie replied with a smile.
Oriana stood up. "I’m so happy you’re here. I mean, my friend would be so grateful."
"Of course. Your friend," Madame Rosalie winked at the princess.
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