Chapter 42: Vulnerable Position
Soleia paced around the campsite, idly rubbing her arms in a bid to keep herself warm. Despite being the lady of the household, none of Orion’s men bothered to offer her any help― whether it was a spare blanket or gruel from their breakfast.
Soleia tried not to take it too personally. Their breakfast portions were miserly enough to begin with. She guessed that Orion must have wanted to ride for the palace almost immediately that he hadn’t managed supplies properly.
Instead, she decided to wait for Sir Ralph’s return. She needed to relieve herself, but she wasn’t comfortable going off alone and unguarded to do it, and she didn’t trust the guards enough to be left with them in such a vulnerable position.
So she waited. Soleia rubbed at her palms and held the sunstone in her hands. It had long gone cold. Idly, she wondered what Sir Ralph was doing. Perhaps he had also gone to relieve himself, but then he froze to death. Perhaps he had been mauled to death by wolves.
Either way, his presence was sorely missed. Soleia shifted her feet as the pressure she felt grew.
She couldn’t wait any longer. With one last careful glance at the encampment, Soleia hurriedly ran towards a relatively deserted spot, far away from any men’s prying eyes. As a princess, powerless and neglected as she was, she had never been forced into such a dire state of having to relieve herself in public! Lily would have been beside herself with horror if she found out.
But beggars couldn’t be choosers. Soleia squatted and hastily dug a small enough hole with the sunstone, before relieving herself. She closed her eyes as the pressure inside her finally abated.
Then, she heard the sound of crunching snow. It sounded like footsteps.
Immediately Soleia stood up and tidied herself, her eyes darting around to find out who was approaching.