The End II

Seren, alongside Owen, was fed up with Thad's actions, decided to confront him no matter the results.

They walked steadily, ready for what was to come. They reached the office and pushed the door open.

“This ends now,” Seren said, clenching her hands; her knuckles became white.

Thad clapped and chuckled, “How romantic,”

Owen said, “This ends here.”

“ By the power given to me by the king, I declare you are as a terrorist.”

“ Therefore, I am allowed to do whatever I please.”

He pulled his sword from his scabbard and pointed it towards Thad.

Thad didn't waste any time raising his sword as well. They both launched at each other, as friction or iron made sparks. Each hit, hit, or attack Thad would make Owen dodge, and any attack Owen made, Thad would dodge. This fight resumed for a while till it reached the balcony.

Owen finally cornered Thad, but Thad didn't give up. He saw Seren stand close by, and he grabbed her by the hair and dragged her with him, pressing her against the railing.

“Any wrong move and she's dead,” Thad threatened.

Owen stood there in his place, “Stop this nonsense, uncle.”

Thad’s eyes widened. “So you are alive!” he sneered

“I thought the wolves had gotten you.”

Seren filled with anger and pain, she took advantage of Thad’s attention drifting to other things, she reached and rip his scabbard from his side and with a bang he hit his ribs, causing her to lose her balance and fall but as she was falling, she pulled on his collar, and he fell with her.

“Seren,” Owen cried.

He quickly rushed towards Seren, the air felt like sharp knives entering his lungs, following behind him, Bala.

They found her unable to breathe properly, surrounded but crushed flowers and grass below the balcony. She blinked once, then twice, she closed her eyes.

Thad was alive but had serious injuries, even after being treated. As for Seren, she had minor damages and breaks, but she had been in a coma.

As for Seren’s land, it became even more miserable because with the death of the Marquis and Karim’s dire health, Seren’s coma left the land with no one to attend to and take care of it, and the ruling fell.

Bala took care of Seren during her coma. She cleaned the room, changed the blankets and sheets. She also took an interest in gardening and started growing the lotus flowers. She would put Lotus flowers next to Seren and change them, if needed, and report on seren’s health too.

She wrote what Seren had done in detail, not missing anything, and reported it to the king. The king was pleased by Seren’s bravery and resilience.

He decided to reward her if she woke up.

Her land needed a ruler, and it took a lot of time to decide, so it took time.

Days passed, then months, and Seren hadn’t woken up yet.

Then, one dawn, as Bala was replacing the water of the lotus flowers, Seren opens her eyes, blurry vision, and Seren mistakes Bala for Lotus, since he had long hair now and is wearing more flowing clothes similar to Lotus.

“Lotus…” Seren mumbled.

Bala was holding the jar of water when she heard Seren’s voice. The jar fell from her hand.

“She is awake!” she said lightly.

She tensed her shoulder in excitement and started giggling with a smile, “I swear to god, she is awake!”

She rushed outside to tell Owen. She was yelling so Owen was able to hear her from a distance. He left everything and rushed to her, sprinting to reach Seren’s room, where he found her trying to get up, and he quickly reached out to help her.

“Don’t,” he said.

“What happened?” she asked, sitting up on her own.

“You were in a coma.”

“Not me, to the lands.”

He went on to explain how much her land suffered with no ruler, her father died, and her brother was ill, leaving no one to rule it, and changing regulations takes time, and so they became poorer. So far, it is still unattended, still waiting to give it to the right candidate.

He stood up to leave, and before leaving, he said, “Just focus on recovery.”

She nodded.

Weeks passed, till she fully recovered, then she met with the king.

“You showed great bravery, Seren Helali,” he said.

Then the king offered two options as a gift: she could go back to her land, but she would have to start over as a baron and give up some of her lands, or she could live with what her father left. The decision was up to her. She never wanted to rule or have a noble life, but seeing what nobles do and what her father’s governance made, she felt responsible for the people he had, and so she made her choice to rule again.

After a few days, as she prepared to leave with Bala, she stood with Owen, saying goodbye.

“So, this is the end,” Owen said.

“Not particularly,” she replied.

“I will come back,”

“when,”

“It might take some time,”

“I can't wait,”

“Yes, you can,” she pulled out of her pocket a hairpin and gave it to him.

“Let us meet when the lotus grows again,” she said.

“July?” he asked.

“Till July,” she emphasized, smiling.

Months went by, and it was July again, and finally, Owen and Seren were able to meet again.

they met and had a date where they had a picnic where they first had picnic.

Seren shared that she was able to stabilize the land, and Owen listened to her talk for hours in admiration.

Later that day, Owen got on one knee, “I might have lived a bit longer, but I didn't own my life, so I guess my life starts with you,” Owen said.

Seren's eyes widened, her pupils dilated, her face grew brighter, and she turned around.

“I love you, too,” she murmured.

“Will you marry me?” He said.

She turned to face him, face bright, and roses growing on her cheeks, she nodded.

Soon after they got married, they were blessed by a beautiful little girl they named Lotus.

They watched her grow as they grew old together.