Chapter 542: Are You Married To The Prince?

Chapter 542: Are You Married To The Prince?Oriana returned to the guest mansion, her heart heavy with anticipation as she made her way to her grandfather’s room. She couldn’t help but wonder what must be going through his mind after waking up, and how he was coping with the daunting situation they found themselves in. Today was the day she planned to share the news about her and Arlan, dressed not in her usual attire, but in clothes befitting the Crown Princess.

Taking a deep breath, she gently pushed open the door, revealing her grandfather seated quietly in bed, his back against the headrest lost in his own thoughts.

"Grandpa," Oriana said softly, drawing him out of his reverie.

His gaze shifted towards her, and his dim eyes widened with surprise at the sight of Oriana - not just Oriana, but Oriana in women’s clothing. It struck him, a man who had never seen his granddaughter dressed this way. His Ori, his precious and beautiful granddaughter, could never be just like any other young woman, and the realization pained him deeply.

"Ori," he murmured, as though he wasn’t greatly taken aback, almost as if he had been expecting to see her like this sooner or later. After all, she was a woman.

Sensing the affection in his gaze rather than sheer surprise, Oriana approached and asked, "How do I look, Grandpa?"

His lips quivered into a gentle smile, his eyes glistening with emotion. "You look beautiful, Ori."

"Thank you, Grandpa," she replied, taking a seat in a nearby chair. "I’ve instructed the servants to prepare a meal so that finally, after a long time, we can eat together."

Philip didn’t feel much of an appetite, but seeing her desire to share a meal with him, he simply nodded in agreement.

"Grandpa, what’s on your mind?" Oriana inquired gently.

"Nothing," he responded, shaking his head in resignation.

"Well, while we wait for the meal to arrive, there’s something I’d like to discuss with you," she continued.

"Go ahead."

"Grandpa, aren’t you curious why we’re allowed to be here and why I can live so freely instead of being kept in prison along with you?" Oriana asked, her voice tinged with hesitance, unsure of how he would react to the revelation that she was now a married woman.

"Did you marry the Prince?" he interjected, his gaze unwavering as he locked eyes with her.

Oriana was taken aback by the directness of his question. She hadn’t anticipated him probing so directly, but she realized she had underestimated her grandfather’s wisdom. After all, he had once been the king of one kingdom.

"Did someone tell you, Grandpa?" she inquired, curious about how he had come to this conclusion.

"No. I just guessed," he replied calmly, accepting the truth without much surprise. At the same time, he couldn’t help but think about Arlan, who had visited him earlier at dawn. ’No wonder the Prince is so protective of Oriana. Seems like he truly values her.’

"Do they treat you well, Ori?" Philip asked, concern evident in his eyes.

"They treat me as their own, Grandpa. If you’re worried about me, I assure you, there’s nothing to worry about. I am the Crown Princess of this kingdom, and everyone has accepted me without question," she reassured him.

Philip could see the sincerity in her words and let out a sigh of relief. As long as she was safe and sound, everything was fine. But there was something else which was more important- her happiness.

"Are you happy?" he asked.

"Yes, Grandpa," Oriana responded without hesitation. "I wanted to talk to you about Arlan."

He offered her an approving nod, eager to hear more.

"Grandpa, you’re aware he’s not an ordinary human," Oriana began, her tone serious. "You must be wondering what he is and why that witch was after him, tormenting him for two decades."

Philip nodded once more, his expression pained. "I feel sad for him and find our family responsible for his suffering."

"I feel the same, Grandpa. I will make up for the harm we caused him," she assured him. "But know that he’s a good person. To protect me from that witch, he almost sacrificed his life. He’s not a threat to humanity, nor is he greedy for any kind of power. He simply wishes to live an ordinary human life."

"I believe what you say," the old man commented softly. "Because I know my Ori wouldn’t misjudge a person."

"You can trust my judgment, Grandpa," she said, moving to another part of the room. "The golden lotus we had, it was hiding a divine soul of a Dragon within it. That’s what we were supposed to protect, and now that soul resides in Arlan’s body. He is..."

"...a divine Dragon?" Philip finished her sentence, understanding dawning in his eyes.

"Yes, Grandpa. He’s a divine Dragon, and I am a Black Witches. We both are born of darkness and equally powerful, but we both wish to live as humans. If you believe that I am not a threat to anyone, then Arlan is the same. You don’t have to worry about failing to carry out the responsibility given to our bloodline. I am here to fulfill it, and I will always stand by his side."

"I understand," the old man said quietly, his gaze distant.

"Grandpa, let’s leave the past behind, alright? Everything is fine now..." Oriana began, hoping to offer him some solace.

"No, Ori," he interrupted her gently. "I am happy that they have accepted you and that you will lead a better life, but I am yet to pay for my sins. Even if they forget the past and decide to forgive me for your sake, I am still a sinner of the Royal family. If it weren’t for protecting you from that witch back then, I would have surrendered right then and there and accepted the punishment for my crimes. Now that I know you are safe, I care for nothing. I am ready to accept my punishment."

"Grandpa," Oriana’s eyes welled with tears, anxiety tightening her heart, "Arlan said you’ve paid for your crime when he stabbed you and tried to kill you. You don’t have to—"

"He’s being generous because you’re his wife. But even if he forgives me, I cannot forgive myself. I must pay for my crime," Philip interjected firmly.

"Grandpa, I believe it was a setup by that witch. You’re innocent," Oriana insisted, her voice fraught with worry.

"I’m not. I did indeed go there to kill someone," he admitted with a heavy heart.

"Grandpa, please don’t be reckless. I don’t want you to spend the last days of your life in prison. I... I will try to uncover the truth. I will do anything..." Oriana pleaded desperately.

Suddenly, Philip recalled Arlan’s warning that Oriana intended to uncover the truth and might seek out the witch’s soul.

"Ori, you don’t need to seek anything," he said, urgency creeping into his tone.

"No, Grandpa, I can’t let you be punished for something you may not have done. I will—" Oriana began, her voice trembling.

"Wait, calm down," he interrupted hastily. "I will listen to you. But calm down first."

Oriana wiped away her tears and made an effort to compose herself. "Grandpa, please stay with me, alright? You can talk to the King and Queen and ask for their forgiveness, but you can’t ask for punishment. I will take care of the rest. If you instead of paying for a sin, I will be the one to accept punishment, not you," she pleaded earnestly, "Grandpa, you might not have more days left now. Please stay with me."

"Alright," he agreed reluctantly. "But promise me you won’t seek any kind of truth. Let things stay buried as they are."

"As long as you listen to me, Grandpa, and stay with me."

"I will. I promise," Philip affirmed, his expression serious as he considered Arlan’s concern for Oriana.

She was stubborn, willing to put her own life in danger for the sake of those she cared for.

Ana arrived and informed, "Your Highness, the meal has been arranged."

Oriana nodded, turning her attention back to Philip. "Grandpa, let’s go," she said, rising to help him stand.

"Where are we going?" he asked, puzzled.

"We’re not having a meal here in a closed chamber," she replied, urging him to come with her.

Deciding to grant her every wish before he took his last breath, Philip complied. They made their way to the garden of the guest mansion, where the meal was arranged in the gazebo, surrounded by beautiful scenery.

"Staying inside all day must have tired you, Grandpa," Oriana remarked as they walked, assisting him. "Seeing more colors, brightness, and lively weather might help you feel better."

After enjoying a hearty meal and spending some time together outside, it was noon.

"Grandpa, I’ll help you get inside. You still need to rest more," she offered, to which Philip agreed. He knew he couldn’t keep her busy with him the entire day, as she had her responsibilities as Crown Princess to attend to.

After leaving her grandfather to rest, Oriana headed to the Oak Palace to visit the King. Upon reaching the King’s study, she found Ailwin already awaiting her arrival after returning from the royal court session.

"Greetings, Your Majesty," Oriana bowed respectfully to the king.

"Please, have a seat," he gestured toward the chair in front of him.

"Thank you, Your Majesty," she replied, taking her place.

"As you are family now, you can address me like my other children," Ailwin offered kindly.

Oriana felt a twinge of hesitation. This was a significant change, and she had never called anyone ’Father’ before, so the word felt foreign to her.

Seeing her uncertainty, the King spoke reassuringly, offering her a light, "You can take your time to adjust to this change. We’re not in a hurry."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Oriana responded, indicating her willingness to adapt to the new dynamic.

"I believe you’re here to seek answers to the questions you asked me before," he said, already anticipating her intentions.

"Yes, Your Majesty. I seek certain answers from you," she confirmed.

"Then shall I begin with who you are and information about your family?" he inquired.

"Your Majesty must be aware that my grandpa is awake," Oriana began.

"Yes, I am. I have not visited him yet because I believe you and Lord Philip might need some time," the King responded.

"Thank you for your understanding, Your Majesty," Oriana said, feeling grateful for the understanding shown by her new family members. "Grandpa has already told me about my family. From you, I seek answers to why you insist on Arlan and my marriage despite Arlan claiming my grandpa had killed his mother. I believe marrying me was necessary for Arlan’s future as a King, but I think that was not the only reason. You wouldn’t easily forgive the family that is said to have caused the death of your dear wife."

The King studied her for a moment, inhaling deeply before responding, "There is indeed another reason."

"I would like to know. It might help me find answers to something that I am looking for," Oriana insisted.