Adric, who was already bored listening to the ministers try to stop his coronation, was surprised to hear Oriana’s voice. He turned to look at his personal guard, who was standing not very far from him. "Check what is going on, Rowan," he said to him.
When Rowan opened the door, Oriana’s mouth was open; she was about to scream again, but then she paused on seeing Adric’s personal guard.
"Your Highness," the guard bowed with great respect, which softened Oriana’s heart. He was the only one who had acknowledged her title among other servants in the palace. She was going to savor the moment, but then she remembered the reason why she came here in the first place.
"How powerful is the Crown Prince in the palace?" Oriana asked, looking at the guard anxiously.
Rowan cleared his throat; it was a tough one. He looked at the other guards before saying, "Your Highness, it depends on what you are asking."
Oriana nodded, "What I’m asking is, who can challenge the Queen’s authority here in the palace?" She didn’t want to make a mistake in her decision. If Adric was not able to challenge Queen Gwen and get Freya and Louis out, then there was no need to make the woman angry. It might cost her a lot. She needed to play her cards well.
"Um..." Rowan started, "I’m not sure what you really want to know, but if this helps, His Highness holds the royal seal, and anyone with that can even change the color of the blood of the entire kingdom."
Oriana counted on her fingers what Adric could do with the royal seal. She decided to put her bets on Adric, hoping to win. "Announce my entrance," she said. Without waiting for Rowan to talk, Oriana pushed the giant door with force and walked in, where the ministers were still debating their marriage and coronation.
".... if the princess won’t have an heir, there is no need for corona-" the minister paused when he saw Oriana step inside the royal courtroom.
Adric turned his face to see who everyone was looking at, and when he saw Oriana, he grinned, "What a pleasant surprise. Have you come to save me from this hellish torment?" he asked.
Oriana pressed her lips. The crowd staring at her at the moment made it difficult for her to speak, so she ran to where Adric was sitting. She climbed the stairs and reached for him. The ministers were surprised by this action, and some of them started murmuring among themselves. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶
Gwen, who was watching, intervened, "What crude behavior is this? Does the princess not know-"
"Mother," Adric interrupted, "You wouldn’t understand the tension between newlyweds; we just can’t get enough of each other. Right?" He turned to look at Oriana, who was now standing beside him. She leaned closer and whispered,
"I need your help."
Adric turned to look at her. He saw the desperation in her eyes, and his lips curled. To the ministers, he said, "Any shred of credibility you held in saying that there is no love between the Crown Princess and me, hence no heir, has been completely washed away. And to that, I say this meeting has come to an end."
He turned to Oriana, "Let’s take this outside, shall we?" He pushed himself up from his throne, and tugging Oriana by the hand, he exited the room. As they were leaving, Oriana bowed slightly to the ministers for disrupting their meeting.
Gwen fumed with seething anger as she watched Adric and Oriana leave the room together like they loved each other. This ruined her entire plan.
"What do you need my help with?" Adric asked with his head tilted to the side as they now stood outside facing each other.
Oriana squeezed her hands together, "Can you help my friends? The Queen has them as her slaves, and I’m scared of what might happen to them if I don’t save them."
"You can go inside and ask the Queen yourself. I’m sure she will be more than thrilled to do you a favor," Adric said nonchalantly, with a bored look on his face.
Oriana tapped her feet nervously on the floor. Time was what she didn’t have; Louis was hanging on by a thread, holding unto his life, and Freya, she didn’t even know where they were taking her. "You and I know the Queen doesn’t like me."
"She doesn’t?" Adric feigned false ignorance, "You must have been a naughty, naughty girl for her not to like you. Sorry, Princess, it looks like you’re in trouble now."
Oriana nodded. She already knew the trouble she was getting herself into by choosing Adric to help her. Maybe she should have gone straight to his father. The King looked like the only normal person around here, but...she was already here, so. "Please, Your Highness, help my friends," Oriana swallowed her pride and begged.
"Why should I help your friends?" Adric smiled, "And why are you asking me when I’m supposed to be your worst enemy?"
Oriana tried to think of a reason because she had clearly told him that she hated him. Did she come off too strong with the hate word? She bit her lips. "I didn’t know who else I could ask," and that was the truth. In the entire palace, Adric was the only person she could rely on.
"You know the kind of person I am," Adric started, seeing how anxious the girl was. Her friends must be very important to her. "I don’t do anything for free, especially when it’s coming from you, a renowned rebel."
Oriana closed her eyes; she was ready to take anything from Adric. "What do you want in return? I will give you anything."
Adric looked around him, "And what do you have? Last time I checked, it was nothing," his words were blunt.
Even though Oriana wanted to retort, she couldn’t because he was right. She left home with nothing, and she had stayed in this palace with also nothing. Adric was right; that was why most of the servants failed to respect her, because she had nothing. Hearing it bluntly did hurt her pride, that she stopped talking.
"It seems you are not really eager to help ’your friends,’" Adric turned to walk back inside the room when Oriana stopped him by holding his shirt.
The princess tried to think of what she could give to Adric. Then she remembered, "The room, we can sleep together!" Adric turned to look at her, then he smiled. Oriana smiled, so happy that she thought fast and smart.
Adric hummed, "Not a bad offer," he nodded in approval but then sighed, pushing Oriana’s hand away from his shirt. "Too bad, I don’t like sharing space with strangers."
"What stranger? I am your wife!" Oriana exclaimed, finding the whole thing ridiculous.
Adric hummed, "Please remind me because it seems I tend to have short memory in the morning," a sinister smile now curled Adric’s lips, "Who hates who? And who asked that we have nothing to do with each other?"
Oriana closed her eyes. This petty Crown Prince, a man she was stuck with for heaven knows when, was someone who wouldn’t even let things go. The princess let out a frustrated sigh.
"So, remind me, what are we again?" Adric asked, clicking his fingers together.
Oriana pressed her lips, "You should understand my situation too; I was forced to get married," she stopped talking. This wasn’t the time to look for pity. "I will do anything you ask me to, please just help me."
"Anything...." Adric drawled, "I like the sound of that. Let’s help your friends first, then we can talk about ’anything,’" he said, turning his back. When he noticed that Oriana wasn’t walking, he added, "Lead the way, Princess."
Oriana bit her lips. She didn’t know the absurd thing Adric would ask for later, but she needed to help Freya and Louis. Without thinking twice, she led him to Louis first, who needed treatment as his life was at stake.
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