HOW TO SERVE TEA

[MUSIC RECOMMENDATION: YOU DON'T OWN ME ~ LESLEY GORE]

When Oriana stood up, the minister and his wife were surprised with how the princess was dressed, but they decided to keep quiet about it. Everyone in the kingdom had already heard about the girl's crude attitude; they would just bear with it until she was married into the family, then they would straighten her out.

"We won't be long," Oriana bowed gracefully, and this worried the governess who knew very well that the princess was never up to any good, and this was not the real her. Either something hit her head, or she was just preparing them for the main storm.

Oriana walked out of the dining room; behind her was the young man who now dropped the composed expression he had earlier. He now looked at Oriana with disdain.

"Why did you call me out?" Arnold asked as soon as they stepped out of the palace, standing at an open space that was used by the royal family for relaxation.

Oriana, whose back was facing the man, inhaled softly. "What was that earlier?" She turned to ask him, at the same time she noticed the smug look on his face.

Arnold frowned, "What was what?"

The princess sighed; she raised her hand to remind the boy. "I saw you lick my hand earlier on; I'll forgive you if it was a mistake and you apologize sincerely."

The young man's next action surprised Oriana, as she saw him laugh heartily. She turned around to see if a clown was passing by, but it was just the two of them and the chirping birds.

"Me? Apologize to you. Why? Like you did not enjoy it," Arnold said with a smug expression, like he was doing the girl a favor.

Oriana pointed her chest, "Me? W-hat is this one talking about?"

Arnold waved his hand to dismiss the girl's words. "You can drop the act now; it's just us here. I heard all the interesting rumors about you and how wild you are. Have you not already been taken to bed by men? Isn't that why you dress the way you do, because all your innocence is gone? Also, I'm doing the royal family a favor by accepting to marry you; I heard your body is already scarred, and no man would agree to even keep you. You're no longer untouched, and the best you can do is relax."

Oriana was stunned by the words she heard the man speak, someone who was singing her praises a while ago. She couldn't believe the manner in which people switch up character, camouflaging who they really are waiting for lights out to show their true color.

The Minister's son huffed, "If you had even noticed, I have eyes on your sister. The crown princess..." his voice trailed dreamily. "I'll prefer to keep her as a wife, as she acts like a lady. Oh, how my hands would feel on her body. She is more of my type than you, but I'll just take what I'm given as my father's status is not that high to wed a crown princess. But I hope I get an opportunity even after marrying you. We can have our room beside the crown princess, so she can hear how I bed you; maybe that way she would want me."

As he was talking, Bessie walked to the place the princess was with a tray filled with tea and cookies ready to serve the princess and her guest.

"Princess Oriana, I brought tea," Bessie announced.

But Arnold didn't stop talking, "If you don't mind, we can go behind the garden there and...I mean it's nothing ne-"

"Fuck this!" Oriana cursed out loudly, grabbing the jar that had hot water in it she smashed it on the man's neck.

"Argh!!" Arnold screamed out loud in pain, as the hot water soaked his entire face and body steam evaporating from his face, evidence of how hot the water was.

Bessie gasped, "Princess!"

Oriana didn't blink, "You have more to say before I chug the remaining water down your throat, you son of a gun!"

Arnold held his face, "You damn whore! I'm going to ruin you." He cursed out, forgetting his facades.

"Is that the best you can muster? A peacock with less display and half the wit!" Oriana tutted, raising the jar to strike one more time, but the royal lunch was already disrupted when the loud scream was heard, and now everyone was running towards them.

Oriana sighed; she knew she was in big problem. Why not finish off what she started? She dropped the jar on the man's head as she held her hand over her mouth.

"Oops! It slipped."

Arnold writhed in pain, as he struggled to stand. "Mother!!" He called out.

"May your bowels loosen faster than a runaway horse!" Oriana cursed with a scowl, and when the young man finally got his balance, she kicked his back with her leg, "Back to your mother you go!"

Bessie's eyes widened with the curses the princess was raining on the man at the moment. But she didn't pity him one bit as she heard a bit of their conversation, the maid nodded internally as the man deserved it and more.

"Mother, look at what she did to me," Arnold said, as soon as he got to his mother.

Mrs. Cavendish frowned, "What did you do to my son, oh my!" The woman huffed trying to control her anger as she was still in the palace and with the royal family.

Lady Adeline sighed; the storm finally came. Maybe she would send her resignation letter this time and retire quietly. The woman thought to herself on seeing the scene in front of them.

"Oriana what is this madness?" Queen Saline asked, walking towards her daughter she delivered a heavy slap on her face.

Oriana's head moved to the side when the slap fell on her face, causing her hair to cover her face. When she raised it, she looked more like a ghost ready to haunt them all,

"I did everything right because that scoundrel deserved it. He was talking about me in a-"

Oriana's words hung in her throat when her father slapped her from the other side, causing her to fall.

Everywhere became silent; Queen Saline turned to their guest and said, "Please accept my heartfelt apology. I promise the royal family would take responsibility; we will get our personal physician to take care of him. Make sure nobody outside hears of this," the queen tried to handle the situation, with her soothing words.

Mrs. Cavendish scowled, "How could she do this to my only son?" The woman said, holding her son's face.

"Let's leave for now," Minister Cavendish suggested as they left there with their son.

Oriana held her face where her father had slapped her, she tasted a metallic taste in her lips it was her blood.

"Stand," she heard her father's voice, and without saying anything, she got on her feet only to be slapped again.