The commotion settled as quickly as it arose. Jasmine and a few maids helped carry the Queen inside her chamber.
"Mother, please stay with us," Jasmine ran inside, her two sons running behind her.
The youngest princess, Adelaide, stayed behind, looking at Oriana with no expression on her face. After some time, she turned and joined others inside the palace.
Oriana, who stood beside Adric amidst the throng, her face etched with worry, didn’t notice anything else; she just wanted to be sure the woman was going to be fine.
"Are you alright?" Adric asked, his voice softer than Oriana expected.
She chewed on her bottom lip, her eyes flitting nervously. "Your mother... is she going to be alright?" 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂
Adric shrugged, a hint of amusement lingering in his eyes. "She has a tendency for dramatics. Rest assured, she’ll be back soon, fuming but very much alive."
Oriana wasn’t so convinced. Gwen’s reaction was far more extreme than mere dramatics. It spoke of a deeper-seated loathing, a recognition that chilled Oriana to the bone. She knew the woman didn’t like her right from the first day they met, but with her reactions, it spoke volumes.
"Maybe... maybe this is a mistake. Maybe you should just... let me go," Oriana stammered, her voice barely a whisper. If she could get Adric to return the marriage chest, then she would be free. Living the rest of her life with Gwen as her mother-in-law. No.
Adric turned his face properly to look at Oriana, "What other rules are you going to break, Princess? Now you want to live as a woman with a failed marriage," Oriana pressed her lips together, she could survive that. She has survived more than that.
Adric’s amusement vanished, replaced by a steely glint in his eyes. "Letting you go is not an option, Oriana. You’re in this game now, whether you like it or not. But," he softened slightly, "surviving it? That much is entirely up to you."
The princess tightened her grip on her gown. This wasn’t the life she envisioned. She wanted to live freely, meet a man who would love her. It didn’t have to be someone from a royal family; then they would live happily ever after. But all that changed when she met Adric. Yes, Adric was the red sign she should have avoided, but now it has engulfed her. She left her home with the expectations of leaving this whole world behind, only to jump into fire. Now Oriana had her survival to think about, beside a man she held no single romantic emotions for, if not just pure hate.
"What about me? I have no intentions of being your wife," Oriana started, she needed to explain to Adric that they were not even in love to live as a couple. That should be considered as paramount, and she had no such feelings for Adric or even the near future intentions.
Adric stared at her without saying anything. "Then we are good, I won’t have anything to worry about."
"What about me, I-"
"You should have your bath and get ready for the family dinner; it’s one that will welcome you into the family," Adric cut her words off, snapping his fingers. Two maid servants came to bow before him.
"Take her to her room and get her ready before dinner," he ordered without waiting to hear Oriana talk. Adric walked towards his horse.
"Your Highness, please this way," the maids bowed.
Oriana looked from the maid to Adric, she didn’t retort. She followed them inside quietly, her eyes turned to look around the palace at intervals. She was sure Adric’s mother would scream her voice out if she found her inside. When she finally got to her room, the maids helped her undress and drew a bath for her before leaving to get her dress ready.
Sitting inside the bathtub, Oriana’s hand played mindlessly with the water. She felt relaxed; earlier, when she was on her way to get married to the king of Valonia, she was scared. But for a moment, when Adric appeared, she was relieved. Like she had seen a friend, but in her case, Adric was just a familiar enemy.
After bathing, Oriana dressed in a peach-colored gown, with her hair tied up, revealing her shoulder. As the time for dinner drew nearer, she felt her hands shaking.
"You can do this, Oriana," she said to herself, "Just act along with Adric."
The maids who had been assisting her came back when it was time for dinner, leading her to the dining room.
"I’ll take it from here," Adric stopped the maids with a small wave. He walked to close the distance between them. "You look beautiful."
"When am I going home?" Oriana asked him. She noticed he had also changed his clothes and now had a fresh smell of something fresh and spicy.
Adric hummed, "You still don’t get it, do you? Fine, let’s do it this way. If you impress me during dinner, there will be room for us to discuss this whole marriage on your terms."
This sounded like a plan for Oriana, "Tell me what you want me to do."
Adric smiled, "One thing, be Oriana. Everyone in that room will be waiting to tear you apart. I want you to be yourself, and if you do really well, we can talk things out."
Oriana nodded, "Very well then," she interlocked her arm with Adric’s. "Remember to keep your promise later."
Adric’s brows arched with surprise, then his lips curled. "Shall we?" And Oriana nodded.
The door to the dining room opened, and the newly married couple walked inside, where every member of the royal family was already seated, including Gwen, who was looking pale.
"You’re going to let her eat with us?" Gwen turned to ask her husband, "Even after I told you that seeing her affects my health?"
Fidelis inhaled deeply, "Let us hear them out, and we can all do that while we are eating as a family."
"Exactly," Gwen hit her hand on the table, "She’s not a member of this family. This is the same girl who lied to us and her entire family. She would leave until we are done discussing. Guards!"
Two guards rushed inside the room immediately, "Your Majesty," they bowed.
Oriana turned to look at Adric. Was he going to let her get dragged away? And when he asked her to be herself, what did he mean by that? Wait, maybe she was supposed to fight the guards or something. No. This was a golden opportunity; if the guards should drag her out, she would bolt from here. It would be bye-bye Avon. Oriana smiled; she couldn’t wait for the guards to escort her out.
"Take that imposter to her room until we are sure she didn’t try to seduce Adric," Gwen ordered.
The guards looked at the Queen, then the Crown Prince. They were in the middle of a royal power tussle, and they didn’t know who to obey.
"What are you waiting for? Drag that girl out now!" Gwen’s anger was evident in her voice, which cracked at the end.
The two guards looked at each other, then walked to where Oriana and Adric were standing.
Oriana was so excited; slowly she tried to remove her hand from Adric, so it would be easier for them to take her. All she needed to do was follow them quietly and find Freya and Louis, then they would live in hiding, maybe a mountain together forever.
"Y-your highness," the guards bowed, "We-"
"How do you greet your future Queen?" Adric asked with a small smile.
The two guards got on their knees with their foreheads touching the ground, "Long live the future Queen of Avon," the smile on Oriana’s lips vanished.
But more than that, Gwen hit the table angrily, her blood boiling with profound anger.
"Gwen, relax; at this rate, you might die before me," Fidelis tried to calm his wife down.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
