Be Prepared

When Oriana woke up, it was still dark outside, the sun yet to rise. Seeing Arlan sound asleep, she straightened her clothes before tiptoeing out of the prince's bedchamber. 

She hurried towards the servant quarters, wanting to bathe in the communal washroom before the other servants woke up. The event from last night continued to flash in her mind but she did her best to not think about it. 

Back in her room, she proceeded to dry herself while laying out a fresh set of uniform on the bed. However, a glimpse of herself in the mirror made her drop the towel she was using to dry her hair. She walked closer to the mirror to take a better look, her eyes wide in disbelief. 

Her neck was covered with discolored patches. 

'Spirits be damned!'

Her breath suddenly turned shallow at the realization of what those were. Her determination collapsed and last night's intimate moments flashed vividly in front of her eyes.