She began to be lulled to sleep by the droning noise of their trip.
An hour passed by when Neil noticed her struggling to sleep comfortably. Oriana was leaning her head against the fra of the carriage and she would be jostled awake every ti their carriage hit a rock or a pit.
"Orian, if you can’t sleep comfortably like that, you can keep your head on my shoulder."
The mont he said it, a certain soone from the principal carriage opened his eyes, the usual calm ocean blue color turning stormy.
His hearing sense tended to always lean towards his little pet whenever she was around, and even the smallest details concerning her would catch his attention.
Hearing Neil’s offer, despite it being a gesture made out of goodwill, struck a raw nerve for Arlan. His attendant said sothing he should not have.
’You better not use his shoulder.’ Arlan narrowed his eyes and heard her say, "It’s alright, Neil. I am fine."
"You sure look tired, Orian. During morning al you didn’t eat much as well. That’s why you look tired. You should eat more. Are you feeling sick?"
"Not really. I will be fine after so good rest."
"I heard you just ca back from Wimark?"
"Yes, I did."
"You are ridiculous. You traveled an entire week with no proper rest," Damien said.
"Ah, I am used to it. Don’t worry."
"You should try getting decent sleep tonight, or else, you will fall sick," Neil said goodnaturedly. "You remind of my younger brother. Don’t be shy and use my shoulder. Or if you want, you can lay down and use my lap as a pillow—ugh!"
Suddenly, all the carriages stopped, causing those within the carriages to be thrown dizzy while so of those on horseback almost got thrown off their horses. All the horses halted in unison as if they encountered a fearso monster.
Instinct to survive. The horses dared not move under that suppressive force.
The beat of their hooves disappeared as their bodies froze, locked in a mont of paralyzing fear. All the knights pulled out their weapons, thinking that a daring group of bandits had appeared. The scouts dismounted from their paralyzed mounts to check their surroundings.
Imbert, whose horse was next to Arlan’s carriage, jumped off his mount and opened the door of the prince’s carriage, only to see his liege sitting inside with a grave expression, gold scales flickering on the exposed skin of his hand and neck before disappearing entirely.
The Crown Prince’s guardian knight imdiately understood.
"Your Highness, would you like to have a breath of fresh air?" Imbert asked.
Wordlessly, Arlan stepped out of the carriage, and Imbert announced to the entourage. "Until the scouts determine the situation, we camp here for a while."
Everyone obeyed his orders. Oriana and the other two attendants stepped down their carriage as well, only to et Arlan’s cold gaze. The three imdiately lowered their heads, wondering what happened to bring about their master’s bad mood.
’Did bandits really dare target a royal entourage? How bold—no, suicidal,’ Oriana could not help but think, unaware of the real cause of the horses’ fear.
"Knights, do patrols in pairs! Servants, set up the tents! Coachn, stabilize the horses!" Rafal ordered those under them. "Your Highness, would you like to take the spot near the river?’
Arlan simply looked in the direction of the river while Imbert spoke, "Set His Highness’s camp there."
Rafal nodded and walked away to disseminate the order.
Arlan walked towards the river with Imbert faithfully following him.
Neil lightly coughed. "Damien and I will prepare refreshnts for His Highness. You can go and attend to him, Orian. Ask if there’s anything more he needs."
Nodding, Oriana followed the prince in a hurry. Looking at his back, she could sohow sense sothing was not right with him.
’What happened? His eyes at that ti looked like he would punish us. What’s the use of venting your anger on your innocent attendants? You should go punish the bandits who caused this in the first place.’
Arlan stood on the banks of the river, closing his eyes in an attempt to regain his composure.
Once again, because of Oriana, he ended up using his powers— and to quite a large extent this ti. The more he tapped on that power belonging to that creature, the worse his mind was disturbed. That power belonged to the one was constantly in a battle with him for his body’s sovereignty.
He closed his eyes and let the cold breeze calm him. Oriana stood a few steps back, not saying a single word, accompanying him in silence.
’His mood swings sure are crazy.’
In a while, Neil and Damien brought tea and snacks for him. Oriana joined them and lifted the cup of tea from the tray that Neil was holding.
She went to him. "Your Highness, would you like so tea?"
Arlan looked at the source of today’s trouble. This very woman could help him control that thing inside him, but at the sa ti, she was the main reason he always ended up unintentionally using what didn’t belong to him.
An unaccounted factor, that was what Oriana was.
Her existence itself made him realize how terrible and unreasonable it was to wish to possess and dominate a person. It was instinctive. Not just him, but also what was inside him wished to possess and dominate her as well.
For the first ti since their coexistence, both beings agreed on wanting the sa thing—no, sa person. The desire to have her close, to keep watch on her, to protect her... or to monopolize her.
Not just Arlan, but that nasty creature seed to be interested in her as well, it bothered him.
At this mont, he wanted to tell her—-stay by my side, do not look at anyone else, do not even dare think about anyone but . He wanted to dominate her, to thoroughly possess her but...
All of these thoughts could only remain in his mind. After all, she was a person, not an object. She was just his servant, a tool he needed during his weakest monts.
Seeing the prince ignore the teacup she offered, Oriana lifted her head to look at him. Did she do sothing wrong?
The mont their gazes t, she got the answer. The way he looked at her, he was accusing her of sothing, as if she had committed a sin she should never have. It puzzled her.
She lowered her head, feeling nervous under the mysterious maze of thoughts.
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