{Music Recommendation: Für Elise (Reimagined) ~ Alexander Joseph}
The fire torch lingered on Oriana’s face, but she closed her eyes, her whole body shaking with fear. At that moment, she wasn’t sure if it was her body or Freya’s that trembled. The point was, they were afraid. Going back to the palace after trying to escape was a different type of suicide. Adelaide and Gwen might just punish them, but she wasn’t sure about Nicholas.
The man was now like a monster, a shadow of himself. Someone Oriana could barely recognize, and she didn’t want to go back to find out what else he was capable of. Locking even Fidelis up spoke volumes of the extent he was willing to go just to have the throne.
"Come see them,"
Oriana slowly opened her eyes, looking at the man in front of them who was holding the torch. There was something odd about the way the man was dressed; she narrowed her eyes. He wasn’t dressed like a palace guard or a soldier. Oriana raised her eyes when she heard the soft footsteps of the person that was called to come see them.
"They are here, my lady," the man moved the torch to the side, casting light on the path the lady now walked through.
Oriana noticed the lady’s dress; it was one that belonged to a person of the upper class, but it wasn’t a royal silk. She raised her eyes to get a clearer view of the woman. It wasn’t the face of someone she recognized from the palace or anywhere. Oriana slowly stood up from her hiding position. Now, looking at the woman’s face, she wondered why they were hiding from someone they didn’t even know.
"I thought you said the thieves were men," the young lady asked, sizing Oriana and Freya up, "It’s just one man here, and the ladies don’t look like thieves."
The man holding the torch cleared his throat, touching the back of his neck. He chuckled nervously, "I saw them running and trying to hide. So, I thought..."
The young noblewoman sighed, "You just tagged them as thieves with no proof," she said, scolding her coachman.
"I am so sorry, Lady Jenna. I thought... Please forgive me." The man bowed deeply, feeling bad for his actions.
Oriana listened to their conversation, looking from the young woman to the coachman. If only they knew how grateful she was that it was them who found her rather than Nicholas and his guards. Oriana never knew a day would come when she wouldn’t be offended for being mistaken as a thief.
The noblewoman called Lady Jenna turned to Oriana and bowed, "I’m so sorry. Some of my workers stole some things, so we were after them. Do not be offended."
"No, no, not at all... It happens," Oriana replied with a small smile, when she felt a pain below her stomach. She grimaced, biting her lower lip.
Lady Jenna noticed this, looking at the two young women and the man behind them. She asked, "But why were you hiding if you did nothing? I mean, you should have just stood your ground and defended yourself instead of hiding."
Oriana smiled, touching her forehead as if she had forgotten something. She didn’t know whom she could trust, and if the woman in front of her was also working for Nicholas. So she lied and said, "We were... um..."
Oriana paused, looking at the woman in front of her. She seemed smart enough to catch on easily, and lying to her might not be a wise decision, neither was telling the truth, so Oriana replied,
"Our master has been unkind to us, so we decided to escape. This is my sister, and he is our elder brother," Oriana lied smoothly. She remembered in the past when Adric had asked her to stop lying or she would become a chronic liar, but the situation she was in at the moment required a little lie. Rubbing her stomach, Oriana prayed her child didn’t hear her lie.
Lady Jenna nodded, looking at the three of them with pity. Her eyes lingered on Oriana, who was dressed in fine silk.
"This?" Oriana quickly caught on to what the woman was going to ask. "Please look the other way. I just needed something we could sell when we leave."
The noblewoman inhaled softly, "That’s fine. I know how wicked most masters can be. You should report to the Crown Prince. I heard he is King now, King Adric. Was it?" Lady Jenna hummed thoughtfully.
Oriana squeezed her hand tightly when she heard Adric’s name. It appeared that most people outside the palace were yet to find out what was going on.
"You know my..." Freya squeezed Oriana’s hand, reminding her that they were supposed to be servants, and servants don’t know the king personally.
"Our King?" Oriana corrected herself immediately with an awkward smile on her lips.
Lady Jenna smiled, "Well, you can say that, but I’m not so close to him. I know his friend, whom I do business with. So Chief Cortez is-"
"Cortez!" Oriana exclaimed. She remembered the name clearly; the young man had come to her wedding with a girl, and they were really good friends of Adric. When she realized she had just shouted the name, she covered her mouth.
Lady Jenna furrowed her brows, "You know Cortez?"
"He came for... I mean, my master introduced me to someone named Cortez before... so I just thought," Oriana bit her lip. This was the consequence of lying, and now she didn’t know what to do.
Lady Jenna shook her head, "Cortez isn’t one to hang around wicked men like your master because he is also kind. I’m sure it’s someone else," the woman remarked.
Oriana exhaled, not knowing what else to say, she just nodded in agreement. "I guess so."
Lady Jenna sucked her teeth, "I feel bad for scaring you earlier. Is there any way I can be of help? Maybe give you a ride in my carriage—"
"Yes!" the physician interjected happily, "We would love to join you in the carriage."
The kind noblewoman gestured for them to follow her, "Please, this way."
Oriana looked at the carriage, then at the woman. As much as it was a tempting offer, she hadn’t been truthful with the woman since their conversation started, and going in the carriage put them at risk of being exposed because Nicholas would be searching for them in every carriage.
"Thank you for your offer, but no," Oriana smiled. "We’ll be fine walking, maybe we can settle in one of the villages."
The noblewoman stopped, "It’s okay, you know better, and I wish you good luck. Let me offer you help in the way I can. It might not be much, but... Kilgan! Bring the money pouch," she shouted a person’s name.
Immediately, a very tall young man stepped down from the carriage holding a small purse.
"Here it is, Lady Jenna."
Freya narrowed her eyes when she saw the young man. She tapped her fingers on her lips, trying to remember where she had seen the face. Then it clicked; the handsome thief she met in the market.
"You!" Freya pointed at him, and everyone turned to look at her.
Oriana nudged the girl gently, "Do you know him?"
"Yes! The most handso-no, the thief I told you about. I met him at the market."
Both Oriana and the noblewoman widened their eyes, looking surprised. The noblewoman was the one to reply,
"You must be mistaken. Rhane would never steal from anyone. He is just..." the woman paused, "simple-minded."
As she said this, the young man smiled as if he were out of his mind. Even Oriana felt bad that he was accused of stealing.
"I’m sorry, my sister must have mistaken him for someone else."
The noblewoman shook her head, "It’s okay. We already did the same to you. Here, take this and find an inn to rest tonight," she said, handing over to Oriana a pouch that contained money.
"Thank you so much for your help," Oriana bowed slightly. She was very grateful to see someone kind. Living in hell for the past few days, she almost forgot that kind people still exist, even in the elite class.
The young woman waved as she walked back to her carriage. "Take care, and I wish you well," she entered her carriage, and which now started moving.
Freya’s eyes didn’t leave the carriage as she continued to shake her head. "It was him. I’m very sure. The handsome thief I met."
Oriana sighed, "I agree the young man we just saw is very handsome, but did you not hear the lady? The man isn’t in his right mind; someone like that wouldn’t be a thief. Wouldn’t you agree?"
"What if he’s lying? He’s a thief after all," Freya added, sure of what she was saying.
Oriana looked around the forest, "If only we weren’t on the run, I’d say let’s look into it more, but right now, we are being chased ourselves," she replied.
"I’m sorry," Freya mumbled with sagged shoulders. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺
Oriana shook her head, "No, no... I also wouldn’t want the kind woman to be with a thief, so let’s just hope he wasn’t the one at the market." Freya nodded without saying anything else.
"Good, let’s go there. I see a light; it must be an inn. We need somewhere to rest for the night," Oriana said, rubbing her stomach gently. Soon the trio were on their way to the inn to rest, so they could continue their journey the next day.
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