158: [Bonus chapter]Vulnerable And Fragile 

[Bonus chapter]Vulnerable And Fragile 

It was a gentle touch at first, but like fire melting ice, it was all Oriana needed at that moment. A single ray of light amidst the suffocating darkness.2

"...ian?"

In her dream, she heard another voice, seemingly calling for her. The nightmare began to lose its potency, the sinister voice fading, melting, back into the darkness, leaving only angry roars in its wake.

'Who dares?! Who? No!' that hollow voice shouted angrily. 'Esmeray, do not leave…Esmeray, no!'

"Oriana, wake up!"

A profound sense of relief washed over her, like a drowning person's first gasp of air. 

As if on cue, her eyes snapped open, hazel eyes brimming with tears, her entire body trembling in shock.

"Are you—" 

His question was cut off in the middle because the frightened young woman had embraced her savior, hugging him so tightly as if clinging onto him for her dear life. 

Vulnerable and fragile. 

Those two words perfectly described Oriana's condition. She was scared to her bones. Her breathing was shallow and rapid, her heart racing, her sweat cold and body trembling. She continued to hold onto him as if he was the only hope she had left. 

At this moment, she didn't care who Arlan was and only sought for his warmth and comfort.

Though startled, Arlan let her hug him. He patiently listened to her muffled sobs as she cried with her face buried against his chest. 

Time passed by quietly in that room, filled with only the sound of her sobs.  Arlan wondered what could have possibly reduced his brave little attendant into this frightened mess.

'For her to react in this way…a memory? A traumatic experience like mine? Back in that inn in Jerusha, she had a nightmare too, but it wasn't this bad.'

He could relate her situation. No matter how strong or formidable a person appeared on the surface, he or she would have a core weakness, and once touched, it would shake the core of their very being. 

'She slept in my chamber many times, but I never saw her having nightmares. Did something happen during the day that triggered it?'

The front of his robe was soon soaked in tears, yet  Oriana still showed no signs of calming down. He could not help but wrap his arms around her trembling form. Even in the cold weather, she was sweating. 

"It is over," he said simply. "You are safe."

Realizing the identity of the voice's owner, Oriana slowly loosened her arms around him. He too took that chance to distance himself from her. He looked at her lowered head. "Are you alright now?"

She nodded lightly, slightly thankful for the darkness in the room that helped hide her expression. "Apologies…hic!" She tried to speak, but her hiccups kept interrupting her. "I was just—hic!"

"We are even now," she heard him respond, causing her to look up at his face. Without light, she could not make out his expression. You do take care of me when I have nightmares, so this makes us even."

She wiped her eyes with the back of her hands. "T-Thank you, hic, Your Highness."

There was a sudden silence as both didn't know what to say, but then Oriana realized they were inside her room, not his. 

'Did he come to my room because he tried to summon me? Instead, he discovered me in the middle of a nightmare…'

She wanted to apologize, but her mouth only let out another hiccup.

Arlan stood up from the bed. "Stay seated."

Her face full of guilt, she watched him walk towards the table in the room. On it was a standard oil lamp, as well as a pitcher of water she brought back with her from the kitchen servants of the inn. She saw him light the lamp, causing dim illumination to spread within the dark room.

What she witnessed next caused her to stop hiccuping.

The prince—the arrogant Crown Prince of Griven—  poured water into a glass and brought it to her. 

"Drink."

She was literally in shock. "For…me?"

"Who else?"

Hesitantly, she accepted the glass and slowly drank from it, her mind finally calm enough to understand the strangeness of the situation.

'I would have believed it if someone were to say this is a dream too. A prince serving his servant…'

Once she emptied the glass of water, he even took it from her and put it back on the table. 

"What was the nightmare about?"

"I am not sure…" She didn't wish to talk about it. 

"And you were scared for nothing?" he asked as he turned to look at her, his blue eyes trying to see through her.

She lowered her gaze immediately. "I just know it's scary," she muttered under her breath. 

"Nightmares are meant to be scary," he said back, but seeing her unwilling to say anything more, he no longer demanded an answer. "You can rest for the night. I am still working anyway."

She looked at him. "Didn't Your Highness come here to make me run an errand?"

He could not tell her the truth and there was no other excuse as to why he came to her room. Thus, he merely nodded, before saying, "But I changed my mind. You are allowed to rest."

"I am fine now. I can work." She stepped out of bed. After drinking water, her body stopped trembling. She would rather distract herself with work than go back to sleep.

"You should accept my generosity when I am showing it to you." He was about to turn to leave when he saw her face turn anxious, her fingers gripping the lower hems of her coat.

She clearly feared the thought of being left alone. 

"Scared?"

Instead of the denial he expected, Oriana nodded.

"I…don't…I don't want to be alone…please?" she said in a barely audible voice, her eyes stuck to the floor as she was embarrassed to admit the truth.

It was the first time Arlan saw her put down her walls. She had always been bright and strong, wily and proud, uncommonly so for a commoner, and seeing her weak and vulnerable like this, he was reminded that she was also a young woman, one with real fears she kept locked inside her.

Giving her a deep gaze, he stepped out of the room. 

"Come to my room," his voice reached her ears.

Oriana immediately followed him after extinguishing the sole lit lamp. She didn't wish to be alone in that room. 

pqdm.com