216: Painful Feeling

Painful Feeling

Her surroundings were covered by a layer of fog. Everything was hazy, and there were no colors, no shapes, only shadows flickering along with the cold moonlight streaming in from the window of her room. 2

For a long, long time, Oriana stared at the empty space in front of her, unmoving, unblinking, her breathing shallow, with only the sturdy door against her back keeping her on her feet. Faint sounds of sobbing reached her ears, and it took her several seconds to understand that those sounds were coming out from her own mouth.

Oriana was crying.

She did not even realize when she began crying.

Her hazel eyes, usually filled with youthful laughter and mischief, were now streaming with tears of sorrow and confusion. Her delicate face was framed by her long, tangled wet mess of hair, its disheveled state mirroring the disarray of her emotions.

It appeared that sometime after Imbert left, the brown fabric on her head loosened and part of her hair cascaded down over her shoulders. She attempted to dry her eyes and fix her headwrap, but as she did so, her shaking fingers failed to properly tuck all the strands in. She tried again and again and again, and in her frustration, all the tears she was holding back came rushing out once more, leaving her headwrap as it is. 

With her back sliding along the closed door, she sat on the ground, curled like a ball, her body trembling with each sob.

As she wept, her chest hurt, and she could barely breathe.

It hurts…

It hurts so much…

She had been strong, she had been trying to be strong all along, but today she could not find even a trace of strength within her. It was as if something inside her broke, despite not knowing what exactly she was crying for. 

His mean words? The anger in his eyes? The disgust in his eyes when he said she stinks? Or that he walked away without even trying to help her, without even looking back at her? 

Maybe, it was the fact he abandoned her. That in his eyes, she meant nothing to him.

A bitter painful chuckle escaped her trembling lips. 

Shouldn't that be obvious? She was nothing to Arlan. She was merely an attendant, one of his many replaceable servants, a commoner who was lucky enough to be favored by a prince. 

Was she crying because she forgot her place? She had no right to cry. She should not feel this way. She meant nothing to him, the same way he meant nothing to her. 

It was so obvious…but then, why did his actions hurt her? 

Why was her heart aching this way? 

What was she started to even expect from him? Just because that night they kissed and he probably don't even remember it or don't want to acknowledge it. Why did it hurt this much?

So many questions with no answer.

Her heart hurt so much she did not even want to think. She only wanted to cry. No, maybe it was better to not feel at all and be numb. 

Yes, if only she could feel numb…

Though her body was drenched and cold, Oriana had no will to get up or do anything at all.

She just wanted this painful feeling to go away.

—--

Time trickled by, slowly, quietly, ceaselessly, with most people oblivious to the pain that a pair of fated mates was going through. 

"Rafal, you should go and rest," Imbert spoke up. 

"I am alright, Captain."

"Do not be stubborn. You need to get better before our journey back to Griven. Go and rest."

"But His Highness—" 

"You know it's not the first time His Highness disappeared like this and there should not be any need to for me to remind it again and again."

Unwillingly, Rafal could only nod and withdraw from the foyer. Only a handful of knights on night duty were awake to guard the premises, and all the servants had already retired to sleep. 

Several hours later, a familiar figure flickered into existence amidst the darkness of the night. Imbert was standing on the front porch like a statue, and when he heard the soft sounds of approaching footsteps, he turned to find an expressionless Arlan walking towards him.

The knight lowered his head to greet him, only to see the prince pass by him without a single acknowledgement. Imbert proceeded to follow Arlan, tactfully reporting to him what happened in the prince's absence despite Arlan not asking him anything.

"I brought Orian to his room. Since then, he has remained inside without stepping out."

Arlan didn't comment. 

The moment he stepped inside the mansion, his sharp senses caught something and he visibly froze in place. 

"What is wrong, Your Highness?"

Arlan's brows creased. Not answering Imbert, Arlan walked in the direction of the servant quarters. 

The knight chose to quietly follow his liege until they arrived in front of Oriana's room. Arlan pushed the door open but it was locked from the inside. He used his powers to unlock the door and enter without any hesitation, while Imbert promptly stayed outside in the hallway.

Before even taking his first step inside, the strong stench of blood hit his nose, causing Arlan to stiffen as if he had been slapped. His gaze landed on the bloodstain on the floor near his feet, before his eyes found Oriana several steps away, lying on the cold, hard floor, curled up tightly with her face showing discomfort and distress. 

It was the scent of blood that had alarmed him the moment he entered the mansion, causing him to hurry to Oriana's side. But along with the unease came an unexpected reaction, one which made Arlan's heart race for unknown reasons.

Something primal stirred inside him, and he found himself getting… excited. Excited over that strong and different stench of blood. 

'No! Not now!'

He got hold of himself and suppressed those unwanted urges.

Worried, he kneeled on the floor and called for her, "Orian, can you hear me?"

There was no response from her. She was unconscious.

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