Against Heaven's Will

"You want to stay with us?" Xuefeng repeated the question, wanting to understand her request more clearly. Traveling with them and being with him were two different matters. 

"Yes. I don't really have anything better to do right now and it would fun to travel in a group. I'm usually wandering on my own but I realized it's better to have someone who can cover for you in case of an emergency," Pearl explained with her face full of expectations. "What do you think? I promise I can be useful." 

Xuefeng glanced at everyone's faces, trying to figure out their position in this matter. Bella was expressionless but when their eyes met, she shook her head. Drakos didn't seem satisfied from the start, staying grumpy this whole time as he stared at Pearl's back. 

"Look, it just happens that we won't be traveling much in the near future, so you won't have much fun staying with us," Xuefeng began, trying to reject her as nicely as possible. 

"Oh, where are you going later then?" Pearl questioned eagerly. 

"We will visit Spirit Land Capital and then stay in the House of Dragons, making use of their facilities to Cultivate. Only boring stuff," Xuefeng answered honestly. "If you really want to come with us, I don't really mind it but we will separate in the Spirit Land Capital."

Counting all the members of his group, it was a lot of heads to worry about and Xuefeng really didn't need another one. Hearing daily arguments between the cousins and the rest wasn't exactly his hobby either. 

"Good enough for me," Pearl accepted happily, "I just want to make new friends before I need to return to the Dragon Realm. I'm sure my parents are already worried about me."

"If you wanted to make friends, why was I getting shit from you by just breathing?" Drakos asked as he rolled his eyes at her response. 

"Because I was trapped in a cage, stressed and starved for a week? How do you expect a fragile woman like me to act normal in those conditions?" Pearl countered, acting pitiful. "I was already on the brink of my limits. If not for Xuefeng, who knows what would happen." 

"Talking about being starved, I'm hungry. I will go hunt for something to eat first," Pearl added as she glanced at Golden Queen. "Cousin, would you mind coming with me? There is something I want to talk to you about." 

"I think we already said everything that needs to be said. I'm not in the mood for another argument," Golden Queen rejected, but Pearl only smiled, flying away while turning herself into her Dragon form. 

"It's a shame then. I was sure you want to discuss something, Katherine," Pearl called out casually without turning back. 

When Golden Queen heard the name, she froze, squinting her eyes at Pearl. She glanced at Xuefeng with a complicated expression and excused herself. 

"I will be back soon. Don't leave without me." 

"Alright, take your time," Xuefeng replied, with a wave, not stopping them at all. 

They were big girls who could take care of themselves. He would only hesitate if they were his wives which didn't have high chances of happening. 

'Could it be that her real name is Katherine?' Xuefeng thought casually but quickly ignored it, focusing on the beauty in his arms. 

"My love, do you want to sit on the edge of your flying ship and tell me how were you the past weeks? I heard you were in danger?" 

———

"Hey! What was that?" Golden Queen called out as she chased after Pearl. 

"What? Is something wrong?" Pearl asked back with a chuckle as she dove from the sky, catching a large grass eater from the ground. 

Her claws pierced through the beast's belly but it was the high-altitude that eventually killed the beast, becoming food for the hungry Dragon. 

"That name is only reserved for my husband," Golden Queen argued as she landed next to Pearl. "Even he doesn't call me that anymore." 

Pearl ripped a big chunk of meat, swallowing it whole. 

"Oh, really? Watching you two cuddle and hug so passionately, I thought he must be your new lover already. To think you still didn't tell him your real name," Pearl commented before giving Golden Queen an amused gaze. "Does your husband know that you are cheating on him?"

"I'm not cheating on anyone. Xuefeng is helping remove a Curse for me and my husband knows about it. He was the one who insisted on it anyway," Golden Queen countered before squinting her eyes. "Anyway, this has nothing to do with you. You should mind your own business." 

"You think I am blind? I could see right through you from the very start," Pearl pointed out, ripping off another leg. "You had the same look on your face when you fell for your husband. You thought he is the best in the world." 

"I don't know what are you talking about," Golden Queen shrugged. "If you think I'm going to admit to anything then you are mistaken. I'm not at fault anywhere." 

"Maybe you are not just yet, but I know you well. You are slowly planning an attack and when you do, the prey doesn't escape from the net. You did it once and you will do it again," Pearl noticed. 

Golden Queen didn't comment, causing Pearl to continue on her own. 

"Don't get me wrong, I can actually see why are you doing this. I only just met Xuefeng and he already got me hooked. If I was in your place, I would also change ships." 

"Where are you heading with this?" Golden Queen asked, not giving Pearl any information to work with. 

"I was lying when I said my engagement is over. It's far from over," Pearl confessed, suddenly turning herself back into her Human Form. "He is the reason why I don't want to go back to the Dragon Realm. Once I return, he will probably lock me out of jealousy." 

"What do you mean? I thought he is nice?" Golden Queen asked confused. The last time she left, the two were great together. 

"Yeah, 'were'," Pearl emphasized. "He changed right after you felt. I couldn't talk to any other men else he would get mad and beat them up. I was finally fed up with him and ran away. This whole time in Heaven Realm I was actually searching for a man who can protect me, just like you got Liu." 

"Xuefeng is not the one," Golden Queen informed defensively. 

"I know. I figured it out by the way he treated me," Pearl admitted with a shrug. "I thought I can move him but I guess I'm not good enough. That's why I thought of something else." 

"What is it?"

Pearl smirked, biting on her lip. 

"If you like Xuefeng so much, how about you give me your husband back?"