Chapter 99 - Fate And Choices

*Sigh* "That kid almost choked me off." Ash said as he coughed.

"That was a nice try but stopping your breath for so long...that's not good for your body." His Holiness said as he walked towards Ash who was still sitting on the floor.

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"Your Holiness!" Ash said as he looked at the tall figure in front of him.

"Don't sit on the floor, you will get cold." He said as he offered his hand which Ash gladly accepted.

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"Thank you, your Holiness," Ash said as he bowed towards him.

"No worries although I think that needs to be taken care of." His Holiness said as he pointed towards the wound on his leg.

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"Ohh, I must have got this while I fell..." Ash said as he touched his wound. 'It's a merry scratch but because of the cold weather it feels painful.' Ash thought as he hissed.

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"Just a second." His Holiness said as he kneeled and then used his power to heal his wound.

"Oh, thank you but you didn't have to do it," Ash said with a little uneasiness.

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"...Are you feeling uncomfortable with me?" His Holiness asked as he looked at the kid's face which showed true emotions without fail.

"...A bit...although that's because except for my sister no one has ever treated me like this," Ash said as he looked at his Holiness.

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"I see but kid that doesn't explain the reason as to why we're you running so carelessly?" His Holiness asked as he touched Ash's head.

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"That I...*Bits his lips*...I did a mistake so I was running hoping that if I run...I might think of something else but I ended up like this." Ash said as he looked downwards.

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"Mistake you to say? Then can you tell me what type of mistake did you make that a young kid like you didn't even cry after hitting the floor so hard?" His Holiness said with suspiciousness in his eyes.

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"Holiness...do I really need to say that form my own mouth...don't you know it yourself too...the fact that because of me the empress..." Ash said as he clenched his fist. 

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His Holiness looked at him for a while and then patted his head as he sighed, "Don't blame yourself....the empress already knew what she was doing. So what happened was not your fault." He said as he smiled at the boy who had tears in his eyes.

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"But...But she died while saving me...if only she didn't save me...if only I never got kidnapped...if only I was strong enough...maybe then all this would not have happened...." Ash said as the guilt jerked in his heart and squeezed out every bit of pain he had.

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"Then do you really think if all this never happened the empress would have been alive?" His Holiness said as he looked at the sky whereas Ash looked at his face with a perplexed expression. 

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"Well looks like your conception is wrong here, no matter what happens, but the fate you have will never change. And the empress knew that her fate was to die while saving you, so she did it without any hesitation." His Holiness said in a Calm voice as he walked to the other direction.

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"Fate..." Ash murmured as he looked at his holiness who disappeared within the hallways.

"Fuuu....for a minute I thought my cover has blown away.." Ash said again as he touched the right side of his chest.

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"Even though everyone says it's not my fault and it's all upon fate...I still need to get stronger so that I can protect the ones I love and fight against any power that harms them be it was a witch or fate." Ash said as he clenched his fists.

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'Become strong...I see.' His holiness who was able to hear his words thanks to his abilities thought as he smiled and then looked at the second Prince who was losing every bit of him and was drowning in deep sorrow.

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"Prince please call me whenever you need help."

"Pricne you must stress the crown prince then the empress would be proud of you."

The people around the second prince with friendly faces and dirty minds.

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'The second prince *sigh*. Even though unlike the first prince he is more favoured by people but....all of them are just there for their benefit...the prince must be so frustrated.' His Holiness thought as he walked towards him to console him and to take him away from the toxic people who were filling him up with negativity.

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But before he could reach him, someone else took his hand and pulled him out of the crowd. And the thing that was more shocking to see was that the person who did that was no other Rose.

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The Rose who cares less about people forget their feelings. That Rose today was breaking all the norms she had been following just to break him free form their clutches.

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'Well looks like things are going smoothly although it's still worrisome since some of them are still missing.' His Holiness thought as he looked at them going towards the balcony.

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With Rose And Alfred,

The crowd that was sad for the empress stood their silently wiping thier tears and the ones who even in such situation thought only about thir profit sucked up with the second prince who was not in his senses and had no idea of his surrounding and the only thing he was searching for was the warmth and touch he lost.

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"I can't believe those people! How can they be so selfish!" Rose said as she fumed with anger.

"Lady Willson???" Alfred who had no idea of why she was angry said as he looked at her with his red puffy eyes.

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"...I am sorry...I shouldn't be angry like this but your highness please control yourself. Your weakness can be easily used by those power hungry people. And I am not telling you to consel your emotions but male sure to take note of where and with whom you are." Rose said as she touched his eyes with her cold hands.

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"Mmm, this feels nice." He said as he closed his eyes.

"I know..." Rose said as her cheeks turned a little red.

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"But Lady Wilson...Don't you find me pathetic?" Alfred asked as he sat down along with Rose on the swing located there.

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"Pathetic? Pardon but why would I ever find his highness as pathetic?" Rose who didn't understand his words said as she looked at his face which didn't had the same shine as before even though he was smiling but his smile looked kinda suffocating.

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"Its doesn't suit you.....that smile I mean it's suffocating...." Rose said as she looked at him right at eye.

"Ohh...no wonder I was feeling hard to breath..." He said as the smile on his face disappeared and the sadness that could tear your heart apart was shown on his face.

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Silence filled the room as Rose kept looking at him with a balnk mind and Alfred stood there without a motion.

"You look more surprised than I thought you would be." Alfred said as he turned to face her and instead of a reply he received a hug.

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On that winter noon when the second prince was losing every bit of him, the prideful lady Willson gave him her warmth and patted his back with the words that were simple yet more trustworthy then the ones said outside.

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"Lady Willson you know....my mother the empress died right before my eyes and my powers didn't work on her..." Alfred said as he held onto Rose hand.

"Then the reason for you being like this is beavuse you are guilty?" Rose asked as she looked at him.

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"I am not guilty beacuse mother has already told me and I am also aware of the fact that what's written on fate can't be changed but what's worries me is that...Fate is cruel and we never know what will happen next...and there is no way that everyone can just give up peacefully like mother did and it makes me anxious." Alfred said as his grip on Rose tighted a bit.

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"Anxious?" Rose asked as she looked at him.

"Yeah, I am anxious of this fate that bought all of us here and where it can take us." Alfred said as he let go her hand.

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"I see...but your highness is fate really everything? Beacuse as far as I think the reason I am here is because I made those choice and the reason I am taking with you is beacuse I want to. So for me fate is what I chose and I am sure that we will be like this even tomorrow and the days after tomorrow too." Rose said with confident eyes which made even Alfred heart beat up.

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" I guess you are right.." Alfred said as he looked at Rose and then at the sky as a blue spark touched both of their shoulders making them jump a little.