[MUSIC RECOMMENDATION: FOR WHOM THE FIRE BURNS ~ PHILDEL]
Oriana walked outside the inn, with tears lingering in her eyes. It wasn’t every day she fully remembered her grandmother and the times they spent together. Today she just missed the woman this much.
"Nana.." she muttered to herself, walking aimlessly to the side of the inn where nobody would find her. Oriana sat on the grass and sobbed softly. Was she really destined to become a shame? Was she not supposed to be born? Was she not normal? All these questions she asked herself but found no answer.
"I’m still waiting to see you tomorrow, Nana... I lost the only gift you gave me." She muttered to herself as the tears moved down freely on her pale face.
"Princess Oriana?" The voice of Madame Rosalie was heard from behind.
Oriana quickly dried her tears and placed a smile on her lips before turning to face the woman. "Madame Rosalie," she waved, standing up to dust off the grass on her dress.
"Is the inn not to your liking? Do you want me to make some changes?" The woman asked, noticing the redness on the girl’s eye rims.
Oriana waved it off, "You did just more than enough, and I must say your inn offers a fairly good service."
Madame Rosalie bowed slightly, "It’s an honor hearing that from a Princess. Please do well to visit often; I’ll make sure you’re treated like the special guest you are."
"Thank you," Oriana replied with a smile, walking back toward the room when the inn owner said to her.
"Did you get the elephant knocked out?" The woman asked.
Oriana remembered the reason she had even left the room in the first place. And her annoyance grew times two, "No, I knocked out a seabird instead," she muttered, with a tired look on her face. How was she supposed to explain everything to Sophie when she wakes up? Another punishment was brewing for her because Sophie would never let it go.
Madame Rosalie chuckled softly, "You’re very funny, Princess Oriana." She paused, "Prince Adric can be quite a headache sometimes, I know, but most of the ladies around here still can’t get enough of him. It’s more like his snarky attitude leaves them wanting more,"
Those ladies must be more twisted than Adric, Oriana said in her head. Who would want more of someone who acts like the empathic side of his brain was fried during a festival? "Thank you for your warm welcome, Madame Rosalie," Oriana finally said, leaving the place. She walked around the inn trying to clear her head before going home. If she was going to report to her family about her crime, then she needed to get her head in order.
The next person Oriana saw was Bessie, who was standing close to a pillar looking bored.
"Bessie!" Oriana waved at her maid. Slowly, the young girl was beginning to grow on her.
"Princess Oriana!" Bessie’s face lit up with excitement on seeing the princess. "How’s everything going?"
Oriana rubbed her temples tiredly, "Bessie, nothing is working according to my plan. If I should be banished, will you stick close to me, Bessie?"
Bessie took a cautious step back, "I am the breadwinner of my family," she said, bowing slightly.
"That’s a no," Oriana sighed deeply. Though she was trying to joke about it, this was no simple crime. She had clearly written a fake letter inviting a kingdom twice their own for marriage.
"Why will you be getting banished?" Bessie asked, seeing the solemn look on the princess’s face.
Oriana closed her eyes briefly. "The Crown Prince isn’t going to marry Sophie. He’s just playing around because it’s ’fun’," she tried to mimic the manner at which Adric said it. Kicking the air angrily, Oriana huffed for air. She had never met a man like Adric in her whole life. He was bluntly annoying, and she couldn’t find the perfect word to place him under. The man lived in a world of his own.
Bessie’s brows knitted as worry creased her face. "What are you planning on doing, then?"
"I couldn’t let him win; I said I’ll tell the King and turn myself in." Oriana said with a tone of finality.
Bessie shook her head, "You won’t... no, you can’t.." the maid shook her head, afraid of the type of punishment the princess would be subjected to again if she should expose herself.
Oriana sighed deeply, "I have to. I can’t let him keep playing with my head," she muttered.
"Think about it," Bessie started. "If His Majesty, should know that you tricked the entire royal family. Flogging won’t save you this time; also remember your mother. Her Majesty won’t take it lightly, and then there’s Crown Princess Sophie, she might even rip your face apart,"
Oriana held her face, imagining Sophie with a small knife ready to tear her face out for making her look like a fool. The princess shook her head, pushing the memory away. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮
"But still.."
Bessie, seeing that she was not yet convinced, continued, "Then let’s move over to the kingdom of Avon. They won’t let this slide; they might even decide to turn you into their slave just to quench their anger and pacify their pride. Imagine being a slave for the kingdom, and the crown prince decides to make you his personal slave.."
This particular thought gave Oriana goosebumps. She turned to look at Bessie.
"I might have lost my mind for a minute. Why will I report myself?"
The maid nodded, "You can’t; you just have to endure. People like the Crown Prince leave when they get bored. Don’t give him a reason to stay; be the most boring princess ever." Bessie suggested, and Oriana nodded.
With a new firm resolve, she walked back to the room, where Adric was busy having fun with one of the ladies, and Sophie was snoring loudly.
"Look who is back, our beloved tour guide." Adric said with a smug look on his face.
Oriana counted sheep in her head, finally, she smiled. "Your highness," she bowed deeply. "I must have offended you earlier; please pardon me." Her voice deceptively sweet.
Adric, as if knowing the type of person Oriana was, didn’t buy any of that. He just smirked and continued with what he was doing.
"I’ll like for us to go back to the palace, as it is getting late, your highness." Oriana suggested, without letting go of her smile.
Adric nodded, "I thought so too; we can continue tomorrow then." He said dusting his clothes off before walking towards the door.
"Your highness," Oriana called after him, "Would you mind helping me carry the Crown Princess to her carriage?"
Adric raised his brows, "Why? Do you enjoy people cleaning up after you? You got her drunk; did you forget?" Oriana shook her head, and the Crown Prince nodded before leaving the room.
"This is so hard!" Oriana cursed out the moment Adric left, "I almost swore; whoo....Oriana just for the moment." She said to herself, walking towards Sophie. She got down on her knee and helped her sister rest on her side before dragging her outside the inn.
"Sophie, what do you eat that makes you weigh this much?" Oriana muttered, until she got to the carriage where she tried to help Sophie get inside, but her head bumped on the carriage door.
"Oh my!"
Adric, who was resting his back on one of the carriages, sighed, "Don’t tell me you’re trying to disfigure her face now,"
"It wasn’t intentional," Oriana cried.
Adric twitched his lips, "Was it not? Most times our intrusive thoughts get to win after all." He remarked.
Oriana pressed her lip, sighing deeply, "One sheep wanders closer, another sheep joins the first, the third sheep appears, followed by another, and another....." She counted, helping her calm her nerves until Sophie was securely inside the carriage.
"So have you finally decided when to let the whole kingdom know you tricked them?" Adric said with his hand folded on his chest, looking at the princess.
Oriana quickly raised her face, "About that...."
"Don’t tell me you’re all talk and no action; go for it! Be the freedom fighter you were back inside the inn." Adric encouraged with a daunting smile.
Oriana pinched herself so she wouldn’t cuss him out. Then she replied, "About that, can we just forget about it? I made a mistake by acting childish; please don’t let anyone know. You can dissolve the marriage anytime you want to."
Adric tutted, "You disappoint me, sister-in-law; I was so proud of you back inside there. With your long speech that was filled with enthusiasm, always asking me for one favor after another, you must be a parasite."
One sheep...two sheep...Oriana counted in her head, trying to calm her boiling anger as she let the smile grace her lips. "I’m sorry for being a bother,"
"Aw..look at that, I’m going to consider you if you’ll say it this way, ’sweet brother-in-law, please save me,’" Adric replied.
He didn’t just ask her to call him sweet. Did he? Oriana stared at him to know if he was being serious right now.
"Go on, I’m waiting." Adric leaned closer with his eyes closed.
Oriana raised her hand to hit him hard on his face, and he opened his eyes. She held her hands together and through clenched teeth, she repeated.
"Sweet Brother-in-law, save me,"
Adric clapped, "You’re a natural when it comes to begging. Now I have no choice but to help you." He said, patting Oriana on the shoulder.
"Now hop inside the carriage; I’ll be going alone in the other one. The Crown Princess is about to block my ears with her broken sound." Adric said walking casually to the empty carriage.
Oriana, who stood behind, folded her palm into a fist as her anger now released from her ear.
"Bessie!," She shouted, "Get me a knife; I should really kill someone right this instance."
Bessie quickly ran to hold the princess, "Princess Oriana, please don’t kill anyone; let’s just go home." The maid helped the angry princess inside the carriage before they departed for the palace.
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