{Music Recommendation: Breathe ~ Lee Hi}
Adric turned to look at Oriana’s face, now filled with worry.
"What is it?" Adric asked the maid with a firm voice.
The servant hesitated, her eyes darting between the royal couple. "She’s... she’s awake, Your Majesty. And she’s asking for you."
Oriana let out a deep breath; she almost thought something really bad had happened to her sister.
"Take us to her," Adric said, taking Oriana’s hand into his own, as they walked behind the maid who led them to where Sophie was now resting, with Galen close to her bed.
The young man stood up and bowed the moment he saw the king and queen.
"Sophie..." Oriana whispered. Leaving Adric’s side, she went to sit beside her sister, who now looked pale and tired. Her lips were blistered and broken.
Sophie gave Oriana a tired smile. "I’m happy you’re here now... I really wanted to see you first when I woke up... That man, Nicholas-I hope he didn’t lay his rotten hands on you."
"He didn’t..." Oriana replied, touching her sister’s face. "Everything is okay now, just get better, okay?"
Sophie let out a dry chuckle. "Getting better? I really wish I could... I feel so weak, and I want to sleep for a long time."
"You don’t have to sleep for a long time to feel strong, okay? Sophie..." Oriana tapped her sister’s face every time she tried to close her eyes.
With a tired smile, Sophie nodded. "I know... I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am. You don’t have to forgive me, Oriana, but I think I need to say the words if it’s going to be my last time here..."
"Then don’t say it! I want to hear you say it when you’re fully recovered," Oriana replied, not ready to lose her own sister. No matter what, Sophie was still family.
Sophie shook her head and continued, "Everything started with me. If only I had accepted you, maybe we would have grown up as perfect sisters, but... I was angry for some reasons... Mother and Father always argued because of you; everyone tried to keep the secret behind your birth hidden... And all of that made it look like there was something special about you. I know it doesn’t justify my actions. I deserve to be punished, so I’m willing to take that punishment now."
"Shh... nobody is taking any punishment, Sophie. If you want me to forgive you, then stay alive," Oriana gently squeezed her sister’s hand.
Sophie blinked, trying to push back her tears. "I have to say it now... my eyes feel very heavy..." The princess moved her gaze away from Oriana and settled on Galen. "Galen, I’m so lucky to have you in my life."
Galen, who was now feeling very emotional, wiped his tears. What made him cry even more was that the princess was going to die believing they were in love. She would never get to know the truth or the real meaning of love, and it was all because of him.
"I’m sorry..." The village charmer pleaded, his voice breaking at the end.
Sophie inhaled deeply, closing her eyes tiredly, then opened them. "You don’t need to be sorry or beat yourself up. You did nothing to me. I know everything..."
"I’m sor-" the charmer paused when he heard the princess.
Even Adric and Oriana furrowed their brows, wondering what the princess was talking about.
"The charm faded the next day," Sophie continued, to the shock of everyone. "But I was too ashamed to return to my normal self. At first, it was embarrassing after everything I’ve done to my sister, I get to confess my feelings for an ordinary man. But after some time, I thought of it as a second chance, a time for me to really be the sister I haven’t been for Oriana all these years. And Galen, you gave that to me. Sorry that I had to keep you here all because of my selfish interest. Even until the end, I still remained Selfish Sophie..."
Oriana rubbed the tears forming in her eyes. "Sophie, please stop talking this way. You can’t leave now. I’m going to have a child soon; you’ll be an auntie." Oriana announced, squeezing Sophie’s hand tightly.
"Really? Tell them that their auntie really loves them... and if they ever make you cry, I’ll-" Sophie couldn’t complete her words as she started coughing. Her body shook terribly.
Oriana sniffled, "Sophie, please don’t say that... you’ll be here to see my children, and I’ll be there to see yours."
"Your Majesty," Sophie ignored Oriana and turned to Adric. "Please take care of my..." Her voice trailed off.
Oriana was about to start crying, but then she heard a strangely familiar sound coming from her sister. She leaned closer to listen in and realized that her sister was now snoring.
"What is going on?" Oriana pointed, looking confused.
The physician in charge bowed, taking a step forward. "The princess is still having a concussion from the herbs given to her. We had asked her to rest, but she insisted that she wanted to see you."
"And right now? Is she..." Oriana asked, looking at Sophie, then at the physician.
The physician nodded with a smile. "The princess is just in a deep sleep. She’ll feel better once she wakes up."
"Oh... oh..." Oriana tried to stop herself from laughing. "She’s really going to choke herself when she wakes up and finds out everything she said. And about the charmer too... oh no... Sophie, dear."
Oriana exhaled. She didn’t know whether to cry or laugh, but right now, she was so happy that her sister was still alive. Though Sophie was going to be ashamed of everything when she woke up, it was better to be embarrassed while alive than dead.
Adric smiled, going to hold Oriana. "I think she’s going to be just fine." He rubbed Oriana’s back.
After watching Sophie sleep for some time, Oriana and Adric finally left the room, holding each other’s hands. It was how they were all slowly healing from their past and becoming better versions of themselves. Sophie was one of those too. She left her past behind just to be better than who she was, and though she was taking slow steps, she was getting there.
Oriana remembered how it felt like yesterday when all she thought she wanted was to leave far away from the royal family, doing things she wanted without anyone stopping her. But deep down, all she wanted was to be loved by her own family while being herself. And she slowly understood that while falling in love with Adric.
The same was true for Adric, who didn’t believe in love or in appreciating just one woman because he was scared she would leave, and like his own mother, the void would never be filled. Now, Adric’s love and gentleness were beyond comparison.
Oriana smiled to herself, and this caused Adric to turn and look at her.
"What is funny?" Adric asked.
Oriana hummed, shaking her head. "I’m so happy to see that we are all surviving it with our family, though the road has been nothing but rough, but it was all worth the ride. We’ve met with the good, the bad, the evil..."
"Your Majesty," Rowan’s voice was heard, "Eridor sent a letter, they’re leaving Valonia and the Crown Prince have also invited you for his coronation."
Adric chuckled looking at his friend, "And the ones who have refused to fall in love." He completed Oriana’s words.
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