FATE #3 *(A ROSE IN BLOOM)*

PATH TO RECOVERY *

LUSCIOUS' POV

I understand , that everything is taking a toll on her, but it's weird how her mood just switched .. "um Pearl ... is everything alright huh !" I questioned whiles she pinched a smile and nodded twice in response . " why do you ask ?, don't I look okay huh ? " she responded with a question and laughed it off...

everyone else sat to have their dinner, when out of the blue Pearl began shoving everything on her plate inside her mouth without taking a breath ... " Pearl!'' I called out to her , realising I wasn't wrong after all, she's not okay, ...

I knew I had to do something, the best way I could, rising to my feet , I grabbed her hand and dragged her upstairs to her room, upon our arrival, I swayed her unto her bed as she let out a burp, she puked the food out....

Lowering my eyes at her in a gaze and caressing my hair in frustration , I noticed tears in her eyes while she tried to clean up the mess. I could feel her pain all of a sudden , and , the fact that I lent a hand, to reduce her to this , was bugging me too,

she motioned to the washroom to rinse her face, that was when I heard her whimper , without giving it much thought, I rushed in there, held unto her arms and kissed her in an impulsive manner, initially , she struggled to push me away, but submitted eventually..

This was for the both of us, the only reassuring we needed ,that missing piece which completes our day.

However , I had to break this moment, because it lacked the right beginning, we both didn't agree on that...she walked towards the window and stared at the sunset, without uttering a word, whereas I stood beside the door wandering if I have to apologize for that. In an attempt to pocket, my hand touched the cute box I bought to propose to her.

" let's get married!", wait !, what ?, I blurted, seriously that wasn't what I planned to utter, but I successfully won a stare from her... " I mean .. if it's okay with you , .. !" seriously?, my heart seems to know what it wants .. ..

" no ! .. .. don't , don't take any decision in a hurry, because of my troubles!, I'll be fine in a few days, I'm just struggling to accept myself.., I'm just .. .." she capped her face in her palms and teared ,feeling all sorry , I rushed to her side and pulled her in an embrace.

"I feel so vulnerable and useless, I don't wanna hate myself Luscious!, this is not how I pictured Pearl again !, I used to want to be Pearl again, but now that I am, I feel incomplete and .. .. I'm sorry , I'm sorry !" she wept in my arms .. ..

" shush !, it's alright , everything will be fine !, I know how difficult it is for you , but you'll get through it, I'm super confident about this !, here, come ", I walked her to the bed and tucked her in .. " take a rest!, everything will be all right I assure you !".

I lied beside her and patted her shoulder ,whiles she buried her face in my chest, after a while , I thought of clarifying my initial request .. ..

" I want you and I to paint our very own new picture, .. to begin afresh from the ground up, me and you walking our first steps, in our little house, build our very own family, a painted purple room, and a sea blue apart, twenty little toes,'' I chuckled at that.

" a beautiful baby girl who's just as beautiful as you, and of course, a handsome trouble maker, just like his dad.. .." smiling down to look at her, she was fast asleep.

I hope she heard me !. I planted a kiss on her forehead and whispered, " I love you Pearl !".. .. dipping my hand into my pocket , I pulled out the ring I bought to propose to her, hopefully we can get married soon and plan our family.

KIMBLING'S POV

Devan's restlessness about finding these kids keeps growing by the time, I can't help but to see a second Agyepong in him.. .. it's up to me to make sure this time , not even the wind from their clothes will be felt by him .. ..

he keeps turning to me ,but doesn't know how to ask me about them .. .. driving down south early in the morning , I went to meet up with Lancelot and a couple of trustworthy generals,

I spoke to them for a while and we concluded on how to make sure no one is able to truck their where about, any knight from the palace who will seemingly appear suspicious and or is sent in pursuit of them, will be put to death before they even get to exit the empire.

on my way back to the palace , I sensed someone was following me, I got a strong feeling about it , Devan sent a spy after me huh?, I told the driver to stop immediately , a couple of seconds on, I heard a loud groan and a fall, I stepped down and stumbled upon a knight slaughtered and one of the generals wiping his sword off blood stains, he smiled and took a bow, before I hopped back in the car for us to proceed .

Devan was fuming in my room waiting on me. " where are you coming from?, I know you stepped out of the palace Kim!, so answer me!, where the hell have you been?" he yelled out in anger whereas I took a moment looking him straight in the eye without uttering a word, he walked towards me ,held my arm and swayed me unto the bed..

" I've been too soft on you that's why you take me for granted !, I can be a beast , just like my father Kim, if not worst !, .. I just don't release it out on you because I love you!, I can't bring myself to hurt you so please!, can you do as I command you whenever I do huh?, I'm only waiting till I find those fugitives !,

until then do not take a step out of this palace again?, I can keep you under house arrest you know that right?, don't push me to that limit!" he stormed out after ranting .. ..

"waiting to find my children?, we'll see about that!". I thought to myself .