[Music Recommendation: Penetrates Coldly Pain ~ Nam Hye Seung, Jeon Jong Hyun, and Soap]
Oriana blinked. "Bessie... why?" All this while, she wanted to believe that Bessie had been threatened, because the young girl had no reason to hate her. Except someone had lied to her. Oriana decided to hear her out. Walking closer to her, she tried to touch the girl’s hand, but Bessie backed away.
Queen Saline stepped out, holding a small shawl on her shoulder. The look on her face was as if she wasn’t happy to see her youngest daughter. "Oriana, what were you doing sneaking around without coming inside to say a proper greeting?"
"I’m sorry, Mother. I arrived, and everyone was-" Oriana tried to explain.
Sophie scoffed, holding her hand over her nose. "And what is she wearing? Once soaked with commoner’s blood, there’s no washing it off," she turned her face to the other side.
"Sophie!" Saline scolded. Turning to Oriana, she said, "Go and wash yourself and change into something better. Come out after that; we have something important to discuss with you." With this, Saline turned and went back inside.
Sophie’s eyes moved from head to toe of Oriana’s body, and she shook her head. "I hope you didn’t bring the commoner’s lice with you to infest the palace. If I had known earlier, I would have suggested you bathe outside so we get rid of all of those. Anyways, leave," she waved her hands, her tone condescending.
Oriana raised her hand to sniff her dress after Sophie had left. "What commoner’s smell?" she sighed. She was very wrong when she thought that a chance of repentance was in her family. Without saying much, she started walking towards her old room.
"That room is no longer for use. Follow me to your new room," Bessie, who had been standing there, said to Oriana.
As they both walked in silence, Oriana heard the voices of maids who were now awake to prepare the morning breakfast. She was not going to listen, but her name was mentioned.
"I heard Princess Oriana would be back soon," one of the maids said, washing the cabbage with salt and water.
"I wonder how that evil Bessie would live knowing she had betrayed her mistress. All that she did just to become the head maid? Teh!" The maid spat.
Oriana turned to look at the maid for a moment, who was also staring back at her. She didn’t notice earlier the girl’s change of dress, but as they walked towards her room, she noticed the white collar and the purple headband, which was added to her uniform. This was only a dress style for the head maids. It means that Bessie was moved up to the head maid.
"Was that the reason?" Oriana asked after they had passed the kitchen. "Did you really do that because you needed the upgrade of title?"
Bessie didn’t reply to that. She pointed, "This is your new room for now. Get dressed; a maid will come call you later."
Oriana nodded. "If that’s the reason, then I understand. It makes me happy to know that you had your future in mind. I wouldn’t have been able to move you to the position of a head maid, owing to my bad reputation. I really understand."
Bessie finally dropped her hand that was carrying the lamp to the side and chuckled, "If that’s what will help you sleep at night, then you can think of it that way. One question for you though,"
Oriana was shocked to hear Bessie speak to her in such a manner.
"How did it feel? To see someone else act like you, putting up the fake smiles and look of worry," the girl paused to chuckle, "It took me a long time to actually do that, but I finally succeeded. And to think that you fell for it all this while means I was very good at it."
"Wha-" Oriana felt her feet pinned to the ground. Her heart was beating very fast; she wanted to know about Bessie’s motives for betraying her, and if it was because of the head maid position, she would have easily forgiven her. But hearing the girl now scared Oriana.
"Please come off it, ’Princess,’" the young girl air quoted. At the moment, Oriana wasn’t seeing Bessie; all she was seeing was a monster with a slithering tongue as she spoke.
"Life is not how you think it is; there’s more, and you’ll soon realize the havoc you wreck in other people’s lives while living as a princess. You are born to bring only sorrows, death, and pains to people around you," Bessie snarled.
Oriana blinked her eyes. "Bessie..." She muttered the girl’s name.
Slowly, the snarl on the girl’s face changed and turned to a sweet smile. "Princess Oriana, please get ready. I’ll go and make cookies and your favorite juice, then we can talk about Prince Adric," the girl stifled a giggle before changing her entire expression to a frown. She glared at Oriana.
"It’ll be best for you to know that you will never have anyone on your side, ever," Bessie said finally and left the place.
Oriana’s knees gave way, and she crashed, holding her balance on the doorknob. She could feel her legs trembling; she wanted to leave. She didn’t feel safe in the palace. She wanted to really leave; Bessie scared the hell out of her.
The way she could effortlessly change her tone and expression with ease, Oriana walked to the bathroom and sat inside the bath with her full dress. She needed something to cool off her mind. All Oriana could think of was the good times she had spent with Bessie. At first, she didn’t want to trust the girl, but then she proved to be someone reliable and... and..
Oriana’s head sank inside the water. When she tried to breathe, it was difficult; she had to stand up immediately, heaving for air. Then the pain in her chest returned, this time it was worse. Her chest squeezed so badly that she tried to call for help, but there was nobody she could trust. What if someone decides to kill her in silence?
’It’ll be best for you to know that you will never have anyone on your side, ever,’
Bessie’s words echoed in her mind. Oriana gulped. Looking around the room with fear that even the room was going to turn against her and squeeze her tight until she stopped breathing, the princess jumped out of the bath.
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