FATE #3 *(A ROSE IN BLOOM)*

HENRY, THE NEW PEARL*

GENERAL POV

Sandra consoled her and took her to the palace, Ariana raised a toast to her tears , whereas Pearl ignored and went to get in order, she cried in his room for a while before reminiscing her first day , after a while she stepped out , just then Matrona came and hugged her, they sobbed in each other's arms before Sandra led them out, the kingdom was dead silent.

Few guards accompanied them under Nathan's command, while he mobilized the other generals to be on guard on the borders of Valloany.

everyone mourned their king in their homes , "I don't want to leave like this Sandra, no!" Pearl wept knowing she has wronged Nathan in several ways, taking him for granted all the time, and now, the lie that she had cost him his glory among the realm leaders, " I should have at least said something even if he wouldn't have believed me! please don't send me away!" she was so overwhelmed with guilt, that she took a knee in front of her and pleaded.

"I'm sorry, Pearl! But there's no way I can go against Nathan, I owe my allegiance to him even if I wish you would stay!" she sadly replied before they proceeded, " I know what to do, but promise me, you won't interfere in that, let me carry my burden and the consequence , please!" Sandra hearing the egoistic empress beg on her knees and profess a plea that way, she felt she had a plan.

She camouflaged and made appearance again instantly and the guards couldn't catch that fling, she tapped Matrona's shoulder and she also luminated briefly, Sandra felt the strong spell but couldn't make out what she did they proceeded.

Gary was all alone in Henry's room, silently tearing for his lost when Pearl and Matrona suddenly made appearance in his living room, he wiped his tears after sensing their presence and went out to meet them.

Nathan took a moment to gather his thoughts before taking a stand in between the spires to which they bound his arms, " are you ready now, your highness?" Takie inquired of him before initiating the spell, Nathan took a moment before humming a yes to him.

The boy called upon the thunder god with a spell he was taught on his seat, and the clouds began rattling and gathering until the electrostatic discharge descended unto him, getting to the end of the first twenty strikes, his irises turned crimson red, because he was bottling down the pain, Fabian and his colleagues stack by to watch him breakdown finally and he was trying to prevent that .

Gary heard her out and though her request was hard for him but, was willing to help them out, he directed her and Mat to Henry's room to pass the night so that they can talk the next day, "you want to do it again, isn't it too risky here? anything hardly pass their sight!" Mat showed concern.

" don't worry , I'll make sure none of this affects you! I won't make the same mistake twice Mat, thank you for being with me through it all!" she forced a smile to her, " this is pretty much not about me, Pearl! I'm worried about you, I see you as a sister now, and hoping nothing goes wrong, I may as well suffer with you should anything at all go wrong! " she placed forward when they embraced each other.

Nathan was getting weaker and weaker and the roaring in the clouds got louder and louder to the point that Pearl heard and stepped outside to observe that, she met Gary watching with a glass of blood.

" what's that all about?" she inquired when Gary furrowed a brow! "you really don't know?" he asked and detailed her of the happening, she stared wide eyed in shock , just when she thought nothing could go worse than Nathan throwing her out of his heart. 

She wept praying nothing happens to him, she thought throughout the night, even when the lightning had stopped. Nathan was left weak while the electrostatic discharge still had traces in his system, he lied face down to recuperate from the broken veins and the pain.

After a while of lying down, Lloyd and some other generals came to carry him back to the palace, Ariana shed pretentious tears and came with them to take care of him, she cried and screamed at them to leave him alone, she took it upon herself to take care of him, which she did while crying, she dressed his wounds which were unable to heal, hoping to win him over gradually with her act.

Nathan took about two days to regain his strength, he used his true form subsequently to heal , but every time he switched to that, Pearl felt strength leaving her, the second time she lost consciousness, but didn't understand why, because she bound her soul to his true form some time ago , whenever he transforms , it drains her energy, especially now that she's away from him.

She failed to understand what she actually did that day, for her, Nathan was most definitely going to keep her by his side forever, or until her death.

two weeks on, she initiated her plan by sealing herself in the body mask of Bryan and taking up Henry's identity since no one knew about his death, except his family and Sandra, she thought Sandra will realize what she did when they meet with each other.

Now, a lot had changed in the palace since she was sent away! death was the penalty for all who entered the king's court without him giving permission, by opening his court with a magical Sceptor.  Under the teachings and pressure of Dubey, the king's sixteen heads of the kingdom's provinces came together, thinking their purpose is for the kingdom's benefit.

 Throughout the second week, they request of him to choose a wife for himself, and this time when pearl was  entering the Palace, she  met them at the entrance, going through protocols to meet the king.

She held unto her name tag also as she saw them do and followed their steps, until she was allowed entry,  they all matched towards the king's court, where they met Ariana kowtowing at the entrance, Pearl glared at her fake submission, the doors flipped open instantly and she walked inside, they also took their stand in wait of the king's permission.

Ariana kowtowed and paid her respect to him, " live well, your majesty! " she said, " you may rise, Ariana!" he began, " what do you seek from your king?" he asked.

 " thank you, your majesty! if it pleases the king, I request his presence tomorrow night to observe my first performance, planned for him at the music academy, a night consecrated to his name , to lift up his broken spirit from the recent happenings, it is my promise to you that, you will never be disappointed!" she bowed after her statement, when Nathan took a moment before accepting her invite.

She walked out of his presence overexcited, leaving many curios as to what was up with her, Sandra came by and saw the number of people waiting to see the king, Nathan gave permission to the province heads and they entered his court,  Sandra finally saw Pearl and looked at her twice, she was shocked and worried at the same time, but kept her cool.

Nathan heard them out again without uttering a word, this time they suggested young virgins, their dignified daughters and  intellectual young ladies be given a chance to prove their capabilities and worth to him, so he could choose as many as he will find delight in.