[Music Recommendation: A Royal Affair ~ Ruth Barrett ]
Adric nodded, "Sure, why not?" He started walking in front.
Oriana swallowed hard. She wanted to walk fast and keep up with Adric’s pace, but it was as if her two legs were stuck in one place, trembling with goosebumps all over her hands.
"What’s the problem again?" Adric asked with a tired sigh.
"I’m really sorry, but I’m trying to walk, but I can’t," Oriana said, feeling really stupid at the moment. She didn’t want to keep asking Adric for favors, but it was just like the odds were against her.
Adric twitched his lips. Walking back to where Oriana was, he lifted her up from the ground and continued walking.
Oriana wound her hand round his neck to keep herself steady. She didn’t say a word of protest. In fact, she was very grateful towards him. "T-hank you,"
"I’m surprised," was Adric’s nonchalant response. He carried Oriana up a little to balance her weight on both hands, then he continued walking.
For some reason, Oriana didn’t feel repulsed or angry by him. She stayed calm, bringing her head closer, listening to his heartbeat. Then she inhaled deeply, her nose familiarizing itself with Adric’s murky, fresh scent that reminded her of dancing under the first rain inside the thick forest. From the position Adric carried her, she could clearly see his face. His sharp jawline and straight nose. Oriana hadn’t had time to look at him properly because every time they met it was always an argument, but right now she couldn’t deny that he was strangely handsome. His red hair moved with the wind, covering a part of his face, and with every movement of his lips, his dimples appeared.
Adric found the girl’s silence suspicious. He brought his face down to find her staring at him. "You like what you see?"
Oriana quickly diverted her gaze. "Are we not there yet?" She cleared her throat.
"Do you want to take the walk by yourself?" Adric asked, ready to bring her down, but Oriana tightened her grip on his neck, unwilling to come down. "I thought so too," he remarked.
The guards and maids in the palace bowed on seeing the Crown Prince and his new bride. Everyone tried to concentrate on their work, but the sight in front of them was too mouthwatering that they had to steal a glance. They needed something to gossip about later.
Adric didn’t mind them. He continued walking with Oriana in his arms until he got to her room. "Open the door," he said to Oriana, and when she did, he pushed it open with his feet, then closed it back the same way. Carefully, he dropped her, steady on the ground.
"I’ll return the jacket later," Oriana muttered, but Adric didn’t say anything; he just hummed, reaching for the door.
"Wait!" Oriana called him. She had almost forgotten what she heard that had her in this messy situation. She darted her eyes left and right, wondering how to tell Adric that both their parents were having an affair. It was embarrassing enough for her. She didn’t know how Adric would take the news, or would he even believe her.
Adric turned, his head tilted to the side. "Don’t tell me I have to draw a bath for you too,"
Oriana waved her hand, "No! Why will-" she stopped talking when she noticed Adric’s lips curl up. She scowled. Someone like him was insufferable, and a piece of news like this wouldn’t even faze him. But still, she was scared. It was a big secret, and she wasn’t sure how to handle it herself.
"Um... How will you feel if... achoo!" Oriana rubbed her nose, which now turned red at the tip. "Sorry, can you keep a secret?"
"Do you have your gold buried back at Orion?" Adric asked, his eyes having a glint of mischief hidden in them.
Oriana rolled her eyes, "Not that. I heard-"
"If it’s not that, then I can’t keep a secret," Adric replied. "You should take care of yourself first before you worry about other people."
It took Oriana a few minutes to understand his words, then her eyes widened in realization. "Y-you knew about it?"
"Like I said, take care of yourself first." Adric replied.
Oriana blinked her eyes, holding the jacket close to her chest. "You already knew..." her voice trailed. She remembered the first night Adric had visited Orion; he already knew that his mother was the woman she caught with her father that night. Was that why he stopped her from going in? If he knew about it, then why would he keep it a secret for so long?
"Why are you not saying anything? Why are you not telling your mother to stop?" Oriana asked, puzzled. She heard that boys love their mothers so much, so hearing such news was supposed to hurt Adric. Is he that twisted that he didn’t even care about his mother?
Adric grinned, "My mother would never."
Oriana knitted her brows. What was he talking about? What did he mean by his mother would never... except Queen Gwen was not...
"You’re a little too slow, aren’t you?" Adric asked, now walking forward, closing the distance between them. He used his hand to cover properly Oriana’s jacket. "The royal family’s secrets run deeper than you can imagine, and the earlier you learn to close your eyes to a lot of things, if not everything, the better it is for your survival," he said, looking at the girl who was yet to witness the darker and dirtier sides of the royal family, both his own and hers.
Oriana held her breath with Adric in her breathing space, his large hands gripping her shoulder. It was difficult for her to move her neck.
"Whatever it is you think you heard or you might see in the days to come, make sure to keep it to yourself. Nobody is to be trusted around here," Adric said, looking at the girl. Then a smile escaped his lips.
Oriana craned her neck to look at him. "What’s funny?" She asked, her lashes fluttering.
"You look like a half-sized peanut with golden feathers," he replied, shaking his head when Oriana pushed him away.
The princess glared at him. She thought he was going to say something serious.
"Remember, Oriana, mind who you talk to around here and keep everything you hear to yourself. For your own good, that is," Adric said, finally turning to leave the room.
Oriana watched him leave the room. She wanted to know more and ask when it all started. Was it during their first visit? Who else knew about it? All these questions worried Oriana, but more than that, she wondered how Adric could be so calm in situations like this. He looked like someone who was crazy, but at the same time, he was calm too. Staying in the palace made her see a side of him she didn’t know existed.
Oriana walked towards her bathroom, removing her shirt when two maids walked inside the room to help her bathe. Her mind was still very occupied. If what she heard was correct, it means that her family would arrive in Avon tomorrow. She wasn’t sure if she was ready to meet her father, but then she would find out the truth then. With her mind elsewhere, Oriana didn’t notice the maids exchange looks between themselves as they helped her bathe.
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