It's Better This Way

Princess Rizelle slowly opened her eyes and found herself in her new chamber.

What happened?

She shut her eyes again and tried to recall something. The last thing she knew was herself having dinner with her husband until she was out of breath and her vision turned blur. Then she opened her eyes again and slightly turned her head to the right where she saw Fina.

The maid was sitting on the floor while her head and arms were placed on the bed. Though her eyes were opened, she didn't move at all as if she was lost in her thoughts. The sight drew a little smile from the Princess's lips. "Fina."

Still, there was no movement until the maid abruptly lifted her head and when her gaze landed on the Princess who had woken up now, her eyes grew wide. "Your Highness." She hurriedly pushed herself up. "You're awake?"

Rizelle calmly nodded. "I'm fine now. Don't worry."

In a split second, Fina's eyes turned all red and it made the Princess laugh.

"Do you plan to be a crybaby?" She jokingly asked yet her voice was still low. "I said I'm fine."

"If I had told the chef about your allergy sooner, this won't have happened." Fina was on the verge of sobbing but when she saw the Princess trying to push herself up, she quickly bent down and helped her. "Be careful, Your Highness."

"It's not your fault," the Princess said to her maid, calmly. "Who would have thought that nuts would be included on my first meal here in the Candor Palace? I don't consume much and I'm fine now. So, don't think too much."

Fina was now sitting on the bed beside the Princess and she tightly hold onto the latter's hands. "I'm so glad that things didn't become serious, Princess. When I saw you lying unconscious on the bed, I was so scared."

Princess Rizelle only flashed a calm smile and now that Fina was convinced that her Princess was feeling better, she was slowly back to her normal self.

"I think the Prince act quite strange, Your Highness," the maid said to the Princess with a hint of confusion on her face. "When you lost your consciousness, he appeared anxious, thinking it was poison. But when the royal doctor confirmed that it was an allergic reaction, he told me to look after you and leave right away. He doesn't come back since then. I think he's out of the palace."

"Are you bothered with that?" the Princess simply asked her maid with an amusing smile plastering her face.

"Are you not?" Fina asked her back and Rizelle shook her head.

"I already said before. It's best for us not to interfere in each other's lives." The Princess's expression was just calm when she talked. "It's better this way."

Fina already heard this from the Princess many times but... she still couldn't get used to it.

Was she really thinking that way?

Did she have no desire to live a happy married life?

Considering how she and the Prince got married, it won't be easy but... she can still give a try.

Why was she so sure that this was better?

* * *

The Kalan Forest was a vast yet less frequented forest located in the west of the Esriven capital. From the camp of the Vamieres Army which was located in the central part of the capital, almost two hours were needed to reach the Kalan Forest.

It was the same place where the Varian Guild settled for now. As the guild was composed of members whose existence must be kept a secret, they frequently moved and never stayed for long in one place to lower the risk of getting caught or spotted.

Even now, they settled in the deepest part of the less frequented forest where there was rarely a passerby. If anyone outside the guild happened to spot them or locate them, they were only left with one choice - to kill the person.

If not, the whole guild will be in danger. In the worst-case scenario, the King will hear about them and hunt them down. After all, King Hamon was their reason for living such a life and also why their existence must be a secret.

Inside the tent which was located in the middle of the place where the Varian guild settled, Prince Nicien Vamieres was with Rafe and some leaders of the guild, discussing some matters.

"Are you sure that no movement was made yesterday?" Nicien Vamieres asked Rafe who was standing a few steps away on his right. "I still find it hard to believe that."

"I know it's strange but it's the truth, Master. We scattered all over the palace before the wedding ceremony and even waited until sunrise today but nothing happened," Rafe responded. "We don't see anyone suspicious either."

Sitting on a chair, the Prince appeared quite troubled and it didn't go unnoticed under the keen gaze of the guild leaders.

"The ceremony and the feast were wrapped up peacefully," one of the leaders who appeared to be in his 50s spoke up. "Isn't that a good thing? What bothers you?"

"This is unlike the King," Nicien Vamieres muttered with his gaze on the man who asked him the question. "It's getting harder and harder to read him. Right now, I can't afford to keep my guard down even for a split second."

Though the leaders there still struggled to understand why their Master agreed to fulfill the alliance marriage, they didn't dare to mention it again, except for one person.

"It's still hard to understand," one man who was standing in the Prince's left spoke up. Just like the one speaking before him, he also appeared to be in his 50s. The man's gaze daringly met the Prince's gaze when he continued, "You know that the alliance marriage will only put you in a difficult situation, Master. Why must -"

"I thought that I already make myself clear in this matter," Nicien Vamieres interrupted in a cold voice. Annoyance was written all over his face as he continued, "You sent Imayne the night before the wedding and I'm sure that you will already know my stance in this matter. Will you keep on doubting me and question my decision?"

"I don't mean it that way," the man quickly clarified. "We are only worried -"

"That's not your place to say."

Everyone, including Prince Nicien, darted their eyes to the entrance of the tent when they heard a familiar voice. And in no time, a woman who must be in her late 20s made her way inside the tent, making Nicien raise a brow.

She's here? Why wasn't he informed of this?

Wearing a black hood, the woman took each step with confidence and halted right before one of the leaders who questioned the Prince just a while ago. "Don't you value your life, General Migo? How dare you question my brother!"