The Crown of Wilted Gold.

19.

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By the end of the day, the entire palace watched and heard about Beatrice's punishment and how cruel Empress Irisa could be.

Beatrice felt sick, she couldn't believe the humiliation that she was made to go through because of Irisa. Her maid was crying next to her but there was no escaping the punishment. Irisa was in her chambers far from public eyes but everyone could see her, they could see her humiliation and nobody was going to help her out of her trouble.

Irisa took the biscuit and shoved it into her mouth. Nancy was sitting next to her, sipping tea. Pearl was opposite her, she didn't like that she was in between both of them. She pulled her dress tightly and placed her hands over her stomach as if to protect it. Irisa glanced at protruding belly.

"Empress Irisa, what do you want? Why are you here?" She didn't bother to be polite. She was going to be most likely banished anyways, she didn't have to be polite.

"I am here to inform you that you are no longer my heiress, you are free." Irisa informed her. Pearl watched her cautiously, she didn't feel like Irisa was going to help her because they weren't close. She might have not stated her opinion about their usurping their brother, but it didn't mean that she loved him.

"What exactly is this! What are you trying to do?" She asked, looking at both of them.

"I will be honest with you, Princess Pearl, my pregnancy is high-risk but you were right." Irisa admitted. Pearl frowned, wondering what she was talking about. "We shouldn't have push the heiress title on you, knowing that you didn't ever want to be heiress. We are going to announce it tomorrow and you are free to be Princess Pearl but..."

Pearl knew it, there had to be a catch, there was something there were not telling her, and with the way they were glancing at each other, she wasn't going to like what they were going to say.

"What is it you want?" Pearl folded her arms, she was ready to hear the worst.

Irisa glanced at Nancy, they knew she wasn't going to be happy but it was better than her dying.

"We know King Dominic is the father to your child," Pearl's eyes widened, and she gripped the handle of her chair tifhtly and looked down. Irisa was surely going to punish her, no wonder she said she didn't need to be the heir anymore. The hatred Kaley had for Silkon Valley was even something she couldn't control or stop.

"I know you are here to inform me of my punishment but I do not regret anything " Pearl let out, still not looking at them. Irisa and Nancy glanced at each other.

"Why did you do it, Princess Pearl?" Nanct asked, she was genuinely furious. Irisa held her hand to stop her.

"It is only my business, I have gotten pregnant, I knew the consequences and I will bare it." Pearl said with determination in her eyes but she was shaking. In truth, she was scared.

"I never intended to punish you, Princess Pearl. I am not your sister but I am your brother's wife and he didn't wish for you to be punished. Pearl, you do not know how bad the punishment is going to be, I do not wish to cosign your death warrant when your brother is already dead."

Pearl watched her with caution, she grew up in the royal court and knew not to trust her. She couldn't trust such words, when even her mother abandoned her.

"Are you saying this just because you do not want to loose the throne, Empress Irisa, you have a child already, you will not loose it."

Irisa scoffed, 'such wishful thinking.' she thought to herself.

"Look Princess Pearl, I am here to help you, if you do not wish my help, then inform me, so I shall leave." Irisa informed. She was doing this because Aaron loved Princess Pearl, he would never allow her to be punished, he would protect her with what he had.