[MUSIC RECOMMENDATION: DON'T STOP ME NOW ~ QUEEN]
The next morning, Oriana woke up feeling dizzy, her temperature running high, with her whole body aching seriously. She turned herself on the bed until she finally opened her tired eyes.
"Beautiful morning, Princess Oriana," Bessie greeted, moving the curtain to the side so that light could come in. "How do you- you're sweating!" The maid exclaimed, running to sit beside the princess before touching her forehead.
"Heavens save me! Your body is burning, Princess," Bessie exclaimed, looking at her with a face marred with worry. The princess couldn't have slept in this state all night without calling for help, right?
Oriana groaned softly before sitting up on the bed. Her breathing was shallow and suppressed. "It must be because I slept for long," she muttered, trying to stop the girl from worrying.
Bessie shook her head, not buying any of that. "I'll quickly go get the royal physician." She got up and ran towards the door.
Oriana was too weak to even stop the girl; she just closed her eyes and rested her head on the pillow. Her eyes were hurting so much that tears slipped down her face.
When Bessie returned with the royal physician, an elderly woman, he checked Oriana's pulse and gave her a tonic to drink. After drinking it, Oriana drifted to sleep, and when she woke up, she felt a little relieved.
After resting, Oriana moved herself up and walked towards the bathroom, testing the waters with her hands first, she dipped her leg next before settling in it. Done with bathing, the princess dressed up and stepped out of the room only to meet her elder sister at the door.
"Good thing you're here," Sophie said. "Minister Cavendish has decided to bury what happened if you can send the first gifts to the groom's home. It's sealed, your marriage with Arnold." The crown princess announced.
Oriana furrowed her brows, rubbing her temples slightly. "But I don't want to marry him; I can't."
"You should have thought of that before ruining his face. Now who would marry him like that?" Sophie scowled at her sister, who was now suddenly having a choice.
Feeling a little tired to speak, Oriana sighed. "He deserved it, trust me. No maiden deserves to marry someone like him." She said, wishing her sister could listen and believe her.
"Seems the punishment of yesterday was too simple; it was Father who gave this order, and I'm sure you don't want him to come himself and tell you." Sophie said with a tone of finality.
Hearing it was her father, Oriana stopped talking. She turned back to her room and got dressed, getting ready to go meet her soon-to-be family-in-law. All the while, as Oriana prepared, her mind devised an escape plan. It would be over her dead body to be wife to someone like that ingrate. She decided to play along so that nobody would suspect.
Ready to leave, Oriana walked towards the carriage with her maid beside her holding her coat.
"Princess, are you really strong enough? You can tell the Queen about your health and rest for today," Bessie asked worriedly.
Oriana's smile didn't reach her eyes; she turned to look at where The Queen and her sister stood watching as she made her way to the carriage, and she briefly bowed.
"Seems like last night's punishment did the trick," Queen Saline said to her daughter with a smile.
Sophie nodded. "I couldn't agree more. Father always knows how to put a leash on her."
Bessie pulled the carriage door out before setting a stool which Oriana used to climb inside the carriage. Then the maid entered and closed the carriage door.
Oriana remained silent throughout the carriage ride, her nose pressed against the cool glass of the carriage window. The rhythmic clatter of the wheels against the cobblestones provided a steady counterpoint to the symphony unfolding outside. Lush emerald leaves, a vibrant tapestry woven by countless oaks and maples, blurred into a continuous stream of green as the carriage sped onward. Sunlight, dappled through the canopy, danced across the landscape, casting playful shadows on the dusty road.
The endless blue sky served as a magnificent backdrop for this spectacle. Puffy white clouds, like cotton ships on a cerulean sea, drifted lazily across the expanse. A gentle breeze, carrying the sweet scent of wildflowers, rustled the leaves, creating a mesmerizing ripple effect that flowed across the verdant expanse.
A small smile tugged at Oriana's lips. The stifling confines of the carriage, the destination that loomed before her, all of it faded into insignificance compared to the simple beauty unfolding outside. In this moment, the world was a canvas, and the trees, with their vibrant hues and swaying forms, were the master artists.
"Princess Oriana," Bessie said, calling her back to reality. Oriana turned to look at the maid, but she didn't say anything.
"Are you really going to marry Young Master Arnold?" The young girl asked, seeing the princess so quiet really worried her. It was as if the palace had finally broken her.
Oriana's smile widened. This time she moved her eyes away from the window, stretching herself properly with her hand raised in the air, causing her sleeves to fall, revealing her arm.
"Now that you remind me, we have a small stop to make," the princess said casually, raising her gown up.
Bessie quickly got down on her knees to stop the princess from revealing her inner garment. It seems she had just woken trouble from its slumber.
"Princess Oriana, stop! You're raising.." the maid started but stopped when she saw the scar she hadn't noticed until now. "Your leg."
Oriana paused for a second and grinned. "Beautiful, right? Quick Bessie, get ready, our stop is near." She bent forward, removing the extra layers of her dress and placing it on the carriage chair.
"Raise my jacket," she pointed, and when Bessie did, Oriana took the boot she had hidden there, removing her silk shoe. She slipped her leg into the more comfortable boots. The princess pulled out the pins in her hair, letting her hair down. Using force, she tore the sleeves off until they stopped at her shoulder.
Bessie, who didn't have enough layers in her dress, pulled off the remaining as she didn't know exactly what the princess was planning.
Oriana pushed open the window and turned to Bessie. "Watch and learn," she whispered.
Bessie's eyes widened when she saw the princess try to slip through the window. "Princess Oriana... you'll hurt yourself,"
"Hush, hush now, you faint-hearted," Oriana said playfully. First, she moved her leg, then she held the roof of the carriage, and then she brought out her second leg, hanging on the carriage line. When she saw a bump ahead, Oriana let go, rolling on the grassland with her hand over her face, which she used to protect her face from being hurt.
The carriage coach looked over when he heard the loud thud. He noticed someone on the ground and shook his head. "These drunk men increase day by day on the road," he said, shaking his head.
The guard sitting beside him turned to look, and he also shook his head. Soon, everyone had their concentration on the road.
Bessie, on the other hand, who had never done this before, pressed her lips, trying to get ready. When she moved closer to the window, she saw the princess waving at her, but she was too scared to even jump.
Oriana noticed the look of fear on the girl's face, and she palmed her face, seeing the carriage disappear ahead. "I guess I'm going alone," she muttered, walking down to the nearest town.