A pair of dark eyes glanced in Oriana’s direction, but along with Luke, the others present looked over when her voice rang inside the room. To her surprise, she recognized them to be the sa four morons who harassed her and got a beating from Luke.
Sensing their eyes on her, Luke turned his attention on the group of n, and the next mont, all of them obediently averted their gazes, busying themselves as if they didn’t see her in the first place.
"How have you been?"
Her face radiant, she circled around the sitting man, seemingly admiring his handiwork when in fact, she was appreciating the young man himself. Was it her imagination, or did Luke seemingly beco more handso and manlier in her absence? There was a sweet smile on her lips which showed how happy she was to see him.
"Good," was all he said in response and resud work, forcing himself away from staring at her face. Was it his imagination, or did Orian beco more charming since the last ti he saw him? It appeared that palace life suited the young lad well.
She didn’t mind his one-worded response as he was always like that.
"Did you receive the letter I sent for you? I just ca back to the capital from Wimark."
"I did."
"Won’t you ask how the trip went and how your family is?"
"I am sure you would tell anyway."
"That’s true. So..." She sat down beside him, updating him about his family and village. "....Your mother asked to bring so snacks for you." She pulled out a small box from her bag and handed it over. Luke simply put it aside. "Won’t you check what it is?"
"It must be honey cake and dried nuts."
"You sure know your mother well," she chuckled. "I also wanted to tell you that I will be away for another month."
He stopped working and looked at her, his gaze asking, "Where are you going?"
"Othinia."
"Kingdom of Othinia?"
"Yes." She then proceeded to explain how she was assigned to work for a mber of royalty and that she needed to follow him as his attendant.
Luke sure didn’t like the idea. "Didn’t you say once you get to et your apothecary master, you would return?"
She stared at him, "How co you are asking many questions today?"
"Don’t change the subject."
"Well, there is a certain herb that I can only get in Othinia so I have to go there. Since I will head there either way, I figured it will be more comfortable to travel as part of a royal entourage. Once I am back to Karlin, I will quit palace work and go back to the village. Leaving the royal palace is not easy. Though, you know . I will figure out a plan when the ti cos."
Luke said nothing, his stare causing the smile on Oriana’s face to stiffen.
"Aren’t you going to say anything?" she prodded.
"Will it change anything?"
"No, I will still go."
"Then, there is nothing to talk about."
His response caused Oriana to laugh. It was strange, but Luke’s attitude sowhat helped allay her fears of the future. Luke was her steady rock—no matter how troubleso her circumstances beco, he would remain unchanging.
After spending ti with him, she figured it was ti to leave. Luke ca with her to her carriage to see her off. She sat in the carriage and looked at him through the open window.
"I guess, see you in a month then?" she said with a sigh.
Luke stared at her in heavy silence, as if she was going sowhere really far and wouldn’t get to see her again. Unknown to him, words left his mouth.
"Co back soon. I will..." He stopped, realizing how foolish he was being, the rest of his sentence could only be said in his mind. ’...wait for you.’
"Huh?" She blinked in confusion. "What did you say?"
"Be safe," he said simply.
A pretty smile blossod on her face. "I will miss you, Luke."
It made him freeze in place, his dark eyes unable to leave her carriage until it disappeared from sight.
------
The next day, the entire Palace of Thistle was active before the crack of dawn. In fact, the palace servants and royal knights who were not part of the Crown Prince’s entourage didn’t get to sleep during the night as they were making last-minute arrangents for the trip.
Oriana was awake early, but she did not do her morning chores that day—she was ordered to bring down her luggage to the carriages, before having an early morning al in the servant quarters—thus, the attendants not traveling were assigned to assist Arlan.
By the ti the sun was out in the sky, the prince’s royal entourage was ready to leave.
Luxurious carriages with pure-bred horses, coachn and attendants in neat uniforms, the Order of Thistle in their official armor, half of the knights on horseback in the lead while the other half guarded the rear of the carriages.
Arlan sat in the largest and most prominent carriage, while Oriana sat in another carriage along with Neil and Damien.
"Are we heading out of the capital now?" Oriana asked, a little nervous yet excited at the sa ti.
"No, not yet," Neil said as he adjusted the cuffs of his uniform. "We head for the Central Palace first. You are in luck, Orian. Today, we will get to see the entire royal family in one place."
"True," Damien agreed. "It is rare for servants from other buildings to see even one mber of royalty, let alone the King and Queen."
"Even for a prince’s attendant like us?" she asked in curiosity.
"Especially for attendants like us," Neil corrected. "His Highness is rarely in the royal palace. He keeps roaming the kingdom, and since we follow him around, we don’t get this chance often."
Oriana listened to them chat, especially Neil who used to be Arlan’s primary attendant.
’Well, since he is the youngest prince, I imagine he is always sent away to do the most tedious jobs for a royal.’
"Orian, it must be your first ti to see the King and Queen of Griven."
She nodded, playing along. The health of the King was a confidential matter, and accordingly, the fact she was helping out in King Ailwin’s treatnt was a secret as well. She could not admit that she had seen the royal couple in the King’s chamber.
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