FATE #3 *(A ROSE IN BLOOM)*

WITH ODIUM*

GENERAL POV

Sandra stood wide eyed , watching the duo ( Pearl and Gary) talk out like mates, without Gary seeking reverence for his age .. " a hundred? Even the witch holds a claim hundred and twenty years ahead of that !" he replied when Sandra scoffed before divulging " all hail the grey man with an active mind! A cheek of it, I bet you still remember your in laws huh!" .

her reaction got the two humans looking at each other in confusion before paying attention to his all white long hair, brows, lashes, and beard, they knew something was up between the two , " never mind! " Gary began, " you read and let me know your thoughts on it !" he ended.

" are you both related, in anyway?" Pearl asked when Sandra scoffed again, " we don't birth witches !" Gary stated and pinched a smile at her at the end of his statement,

" I'm a sorceress grey man,.. and you know what ? we rule in places that none of your people could ever step a foot, even you couldn't change that in all your pathetic seven hundred and ten years Gary!" she spoke with rage getting the humans dumbstruck as they stared, with blazing eyes and anger, Gary grabbed her throat as his hair stood on edge .

The aura around them automatically switched to fog, Sandra didn't flinch knowing he wasn't up to anything, but Pearl feared something unpleasant was about to happen, she was lost for words , knowing none of them was too young to do the right thing, and that Gary ran through seventh generation of her ancestors!.

It's the last stage of dusk, with shadows standing long and hard, Nathan and his knights were few hours close to the battlefield, the horses gaited after Nathan's as he conversed with Lloyd, "earlier, I noticed Sandra's stoicism which wasn't quite working , what was the problem ? did she say anything to you?" his question got Lloyd astounded because he didn't plan to talk about it before they arrive .

"um!, yeah she only reminded me what day tomorrow is.. the lunar night, you know she was greatly concerned about Pearl and her friend!" his confession had the king aggressively pulling the rope, his horse neighed to a belligerent halt.

he stared wide eyed at Lloyd who stood in confusion , as he was sure the chary manner with which he spoke wouldn't spark a detrimental reaction from him.

" now I get it, Yezskhetc plans to wave their red flag tomorrow before dusk, but we can't let them take that chance, we will wave our red flag tomorrow morning and fight through to the night! as for Pearl, Gary loves himself too much to allow any harm come to her!, besides I have to hurry with this so that I can return to her on time"

Lloyd sighed with relief whiles they continued their journey, he was equally happy that they figured out the plans of their opponent.

in the palace the two guardians were still at each other's throat, well technically, Gary was the only advantageous one , he let go of her immediately and walked back to his seat!, Sandra looked smugly at him whereas he felt mortified, she suspected there's more to his recent action and planned to investigate.

Gary buckled his arms behind whiles standing in front of Pearl, " Nathan left you in my care, he's going to be away for few days, until that time comes, you must exercise social distancing with each and everyone here , I decide who you can talk with or be around, please make my work easier for me!," he instructed , " shall we go for a walk then?" Pearl's innocent proposal got him staring at her face the longest, there was something about her that pricks a sensation in him.

he nodded in approval before they walked out , it was completely dark out there and the compound of the palace was still so active. the silence felt awkward , Gary felt to say something about what ensued earlier between himself and Sandra but had no idea how to go about it.

"that was quite intense, but you handled it maturely!, there's so much hate around you two , I'm only twenty - one, any grandchildren?" Pearl broke the silence , "mm! only a few! my last child is a hundred and five,.. they were twins but I lost one and the other, .. is dying from the trauma!" Pearl noticed the pain with which he spoke when his irises blazed crimson..

" sorry !, but how did he die?," she pushed further when he fluttered his eyes until they were normal again .. " Nathan killed him, his woman framed my son and, that witch decided to conceal it! she saw it all but couldn't tell Nathan his dubious woman, was framing him!" he spoke with rage in his voice as if the incident happed the day before.

she stared at him in disbelieve , she looked confused and eager to know more, "how many years now?" she probed getting him to halt , "twenty- four years now!, seeing you brought back memories of him ,Bryan was his name, he was so innocent and full of life, he loved causing trouble but light ones , all he wanted to be was the king's knight, his amour bearer and be around him all the time." he began,

" he joined the knight squad at age eighty and worked really hard half a year to get to where he got to , one of those days he reported to me how he caught general Dubey, Nathan's cousin and his woman making out in his chamber, my son used to serve Dubey, though he was troubled with what he saw, he didn't know how to tell the king!" he continued whereas Pearl felt a surge of anger within her.

" I advised him not to , it is their own family issue , but he was too willful to listen to me and visited the palace to meet with Nathan, that's when he met his cruel demise instead. I carried out an autopsy on him and found a concentration of a crocus plant in his bloodstream, they poisoned my son, they altered his behavior and framed him of attempted rape!".

His narration had Pearl cussing at Nathan and raging to the fact that they had their ways so easily, that he uses his power and throne ruthlessly against his own people to his benefit.

She apologized to Gary for bringing back such memories, she vouched to get vengeance for his son. " will you let me meet your other son just once, please!" she requested Garry who couldn't refuse her that.

Matrona silently walked behind Sandra while leaving the king's Chambers.

" Be careful as I told you earlier stay in your room and make sure to close every openings !" Sandra cautioned the second time whereas she only hummed in response. She stood akimbo and watch Matrona enter her room! " good night!" she voiced while Matrona took a moment to look up at her face,

" yeah whatever!, goodnight to you too!" she retorted and slammed the door to her face, Sandra fluttered her eyes three times surprised at her action.

" so rude!, what else can you expect from a friend of Pearl anyway!" Sandra's soliloquy was heard. " you realize I can hear you right?" Matrona yelled from inside, " just lock up and sleep before you turn food, kiddo!" Sandra yelled back and walked away.