152: [Bonus chapter]Forever Slave

[Bonus chapter]Forever Slave

3As Arlan reached the platform, along with others, Oriana straightened their bodies to watch him kneel in front of his father.0

"I, Arlan Cromwell," the handsome prince announced, "am honored to represent the kingdom under the blessing of the Almighty Oak that shelters our motherland."

"You may rise," the King said in return.

Oriana remained suspended in disbelief. 

'This can't be true, right? All along…the cruel Crown Prince from the rumors…?'

Under the gaze of the most important figures of the kingdom, Arlan remained standing by the King's right side, a symbolism of Ailwin's immense trust on his firstborn son, making it clear to everyone that Arlan's position as the next king was unshakeable. In fact, even without this gesture, most members of the royal court could feel the King's intention to soon pass down the crown to the prince. He had already started handing over important matters to Arlan about a year ago. 

Meanwhile, Oriana was trying to deal with the shock of her newfound discovery.

'Crown Prince…?' She felt like crying. 'This perverted brat is the next king?! He is not a good-for-nothing prince? Ahhhhhh! I am in big trouble for sure.'

No wonder she felt like something was wrong the moment she saw Lenard. Lenard was younger than Arlan, and he was the Second Prince. Wasn't it only natural that Arlan, being the older sibling, was the First Prince, the Crown Prince?

'So I was serving the next king himself? Can I…can I still quit? If I escape, will the borders be locked down? Will he send the royal army to pursue me? Ahhhhh! How foolish! I am so foolish! I should have investigated the royal family before accepting an offer to work in the royal palace? Ahhhhh!'

She wanted to dig up a grave for herself, and if not for her being surrounded by people, she would have loved nothing more than to scream her lungs out in frustration.

Panicked thoughts flooded her mind in a matter of seconds.

'But how could I have known? How am I supposed to know who he is when no one around him addresses him as the Crown Prince? Damnation,  no one in the Palace of Thistle even dared say his name! 

'How could I have guessed his identity when our initial meetings involved him acting like a spoiled young master? He acted like a prodigal son who could not pay me for touring the marketplace and he even forced me to meet in a tavern, a lowly place for a noble, much less a royal. 

'Was misunderstanding his identity solely my fault? Where was the dignity and arrogance of a Crown Prince? There was none! Wait—did I not stab him on our first meeting? And he totally recognized me later on, that was why he used my knife as bait. He probably knew it all along, and planned to use my actions to force me against my will later on. Does that mean I cannot escape his clutches? The moment he exposed all my crimes…ahhhh! I don't even want to think about them.

'Am I really forever bound to be his slave? Ahhhhh!'

Fortunately, no one could hear the internal chaos in Oriana's head.

Once the short formal ceremony was over, the Cromwells left the platform, with Ailwin saying a few short reminders for Arlan. Julien symbolically gave a handkerchief she personally embroidered with an oak tree for her son. 

"It's a long journey. Do take care of yourself."

"Mother, it's not like my brother is going out for the first time," Lenard commented as he smiled teasingly, "but you won't stop worrying for him, will you?"

"It is Arlan's first time personally heading the delegation for the alliance. Such a grand event is not without danger."

"Mother, seems like someone is jealous," Arlan commented back as he looked at his younger brother. 

"Why would I be? Once you are gone, I will have all of my mother's attention."

"You already have such a fine lady to pay attention to you," the Queen teased. "Do not bother this old lady now."

Meira, who was standing next to Lenard, smiled shyly. 

"By the way I heard something about your servant creating a mess at Miltons. Can I see that special personal attendant of yours. I heard he is someone new who relived Roman from trouble of serving you."

"You do not have to be interested in my servants. You better take interest in where you should or I will make sure to send you somewhere far on random mission."

"Spare this newly married brother of yours, Your Highness." Lenard said smiling sweetly but then narrowed his eyes at his brother, 'Something seems off. I need to see who is that servant to make my brother step in personally at that very moment without having to set proper investigation team of the appointed people.'

While the members of royalty were casually teasing each other, Oriana and the people serving Arlan made their way back to their carriages. The officials who were part of the entourage, headed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, also bid farewell to Ailwin and the rest. 

By the time Oriana snapped out of her daze, the entourage had already passed through the gates of the royal palace, where their parade was witnessed by the cityfolks of Karlin. 

Oriana, who happened to glance outside the window, noticed the people on the roadside humbly kneeling before the passing carriages. 

'So much respect for royalty.'

Neil and Damien didn't pay attention to the commotion as it was nothing new for them.

The royal entourage soon left the capital city. Due to the royal knights clearing the way, the paved roads were empty of private carriages and merchant caravans. Hardly any humans were around once the entourage hit the dirt roads, crossing a number of barren fields and  deserted forests suffering under the cold spell of winter. 

Such a peaceful sight would normally make  Oriana crack a wistful smile. The forest was akin to her second home, and the sight of farms would make her imagine starting her own herbal garden. 

Outside the palace, outside the city, there were no sounds of people greeting the prince, only the rustling of tree branches and the liveliness of wildlife. However, the sounds of nature accompanied by the noise of rolling wheels and trotting horses ruined the mood for her. 

Traveling. Traveling once again.The word 'traveling' was making her sick. 

She chose to be quiet while listening to the talk between Neil and Damien, which was mostly about the palace officials chosen to join the entourage as well as their families. The two young men were akin to walking genealogy registers, able to name and recognize seemingly even the most distant relatives of the current officials. 

'Unlike me, the ignorant country bumpkin.'

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