The Devil's Betrothed
Chapter 532: Stay Away From The Prince

Chapter 532: Stay Away From The Prince

As Oriana approached the door to Philip’s room, the clamor from within reached her ears. "Where is my Ori? Where did you take here? Bring her to me," though weak, the voice brimmed with both anger and worry.

"Lord Philip, please calm down. She will be here soon," the servant was trying to calm him.

Understanding her grandfather’s concern at her absence, Oriana hastened inside. "Grandpa, I am here."

The old man was struggling to stand up, a servant by his side was attempting to support him so he won’t fall down. However, Philip seemed lost in his agitation, oblivious to the servant’s efforts. Oriana’s absence had stirred fears within him, evident in the tears that welled in his eyes upon seeing her.

Moving swiftly to his side, Oriana supported him on the other, urging him gently, "Please, Grandpa, sit down first. Your body is still weak."

Reluctantly, he acquiesced, allowing himself to be led back to the bed. With great care, Oriana and the servant settled him into a comfortable position, propping him against the cushioned headboard. She fetched water for him and instructed the servant to prepare a light meal, mindful of her grandfather’s fragile state.

"Ori, where were you?" he inquired, his voice laced with worry. "You scared me."

"I was in my room, Grandpa," Oriana replied, offering a reassuring pat on his wrinkled hand. "I’m sorry for not being by your side when you woke up."

He clasped her hand tightly in his own, seeking solace in her presence. "This palace can be a frightening place. I feared... I feared something had happened to you."

"Grandpa, trust me. We’re both safe here. It’s been over a month since you’ve been lying here unconscious. If something were to happen, wouldn’t it have happened by now? I’ve told you, His Majesty, King Ailwin, is watching over us. All you need to do now is listen to me and focus on getting better," Oriana reassured, her voice filled with conviction.

The old man continued to gaze into her eyes, his expression unreadable. Despite Oriana’s earnestness, he couldn’t shake the unease that gnawed at him. They were traitors, and in the court of King Ailwin, traitors faced dire consequences.

"That Prince... where is he? Did he try to harm you?" Philip inquired, his concern evident.

"No, Grandpa. Could anyone dare defy His Majesty’s orders?" Oriana responded, a mixture of truth and evasion in her words. Initially, King Ailwin had indeed provided them protection despite Arlan’s attempt on Philip’s life. "Grandpa, though the Prince may have harmed you before, I believe he won’t now."

"He..." Philip hesitated, torn between honesty and protecting Oriana from harsh realities. Would she be angry if he revealed the truth?

"What is it, Grandpa?" Oriana prompted, sensing his hesitation.

"You are betrothed to that Prince," Philip spoke cautiously, avoiding the full truth. "The King wouldn’t allow any harm to befall you because if the Crown Prince doesn’t marry you, he can’t secure his reign."

"I understand, Grandpa."

"But you can’t marry him. The Prince despises us, and he would never accept us..." Philip trailed off, unable to articulate the full extent of the Prince’s animosity. "...He’ll only marry you to secure his claim to the throne, and afterward, he’ll put you in grave danger. We must find a way to escape. We cannot remain here, especially you. You must flee. Never come near that Prince, and never set foot in the Queen’s palace."

Oriana grasped the depth of Philip’s concern, but she knew initiating a meaningful conversation with her grandfather, disclosing everything that had occurred during his unconsciousness, required a composed mind and a nourished body.

"I will heed your advice, Grandpa. But let’s calm down now. Have a nice meal, take your medicines, and freshen up. You’ll feel better, and then we can talk in peace. What do you say?" she proposed gently.

Philip nodded in agreement. With the assistance of servants, he was soon ready as Oriana had wished. He ate a meal and dutifully took his medications. Erich, the physician, arrived to check on him, assuring that while he needed rest, he was otherwise stable.

Finally left alone, Oriana and Philip could engage in a much-needed conversation. Servants were instructed not to disturb them, allowing them the privacy they needed.

----

The news of Philip’s awakening eventually reached the ears of the King and Queen. Aware of Oriana’s need for time to converse with her grandfather and apprise him of the situation, they decided against visiting him immediately.

In Oriana’s absence, Arlan buried himself in his duties, immersing himself in work to distract from the tumult of emotions swirling within. Though he received updates about her well-being, he refrained from visiting her, making him wonder if she thought of him even for a moment this entire day or she was simply worried about that old man and the family of that man named Luke.

Kerry, once again, brought news to him. "Your Highness, Lord Philip has regained consciousness, and this time he appears to be in improved condition. Physician Winfield assures us that he is well. Her Highness is attending to him."

Arlan nodded in acknowledgment, signaling for Kerry to depart. With work momentarily set aside, he stood by the window, gazing outward with an unfocused stare as his thoughts grappled with the unfortunate circumstances.

His mother’s killer lay there, awake and receiving care for his recovery instead of facing justice for his crimes. Even more distressing was the realization that the woman he loved was tending to that very murderer. Arlan clenched his fists, struggling to restrain the surge of anger that threatened to consume him. Were it not for Oriana, he would have been out of his study, taking matters into his own hands.

’I cannot go there. If I do, I fear I won’t be able to restrain my sword this time. That criminal deserves punishment, but not at this moment.’ His eyes shut tight against the chill breeze. Opening them once more, he gazed into the distance, his thoughts heavy with one burning question:

’Oriana, why must you be related to that man?’