She denounced Carl

They were stunned and gave Carl a look of disbelief. There's no way they would go to Morana(Everton and Neptune) and come back alive. King Luther was surely going to murder them.

"Carl, you have to reconsider. You can't just match to Morana with five thousand. It's suicide_ King Luther is not someone you can easily defeat even if you take your five thousand men and the whole of Azrael's force.

Carl scowled deeply. "Then should I just sit back and watch King Luther brutally murder my people," he rasped, sending shivers down the spine of everyone present.

They could tell that Carl was not the same man from eight months back, he was someone else. Someone with a lot of anger and pain inside, so even king Alan and Queen Lyarra filtered their words before they spoke.

"That's not what we mean Carl, but now is not the right time to go to Morana. King Luther did not just merge Everton and Neptune, he has Nedal and Crystal-Ville at his palm. They are subject state now, and they answer to him. So even with Azrael, Nival, and Greenville forces altogether, it will be difficult to defeat him," King Alan explained, hoping that Carl would see his point.

Carl sneered, curling his fist into a ball. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place and there was nothing he could do. His mind was blank as a piece of paper, with no idea, and he was burning with curiosity to know how things were in Morana.

Sighing, Carl said, "I will sneak into Morana, to know how things are, and maybe I'd know what to do after that."

They all gasped, and queen Lyarra said, "Carl, you have just recovered, you should at least rest for a while." Although she was also eager to know what was happening in Morana, she didn't want Carl to risk his life.

"Mother, I've been asleep for eight months, and for eight months, my queen and my people suffered in the hands of King Luther. it won't be right for me to rest, knowing that each day that passes, they are suffering. So I've decided to go to Morana and see for myself. I want to see how my people are faring," Carl retorted, his voice laced with a lot of determination.

Seeing that they could not talk him out of it, they agreed with him, but also convinced him to take a few soldiers and go in disguise. 

        IN MORANA (Everton and Neptune)

King Luther made sure that Zara was treated and fed well just for the big day when she would denounce Carl and disavow every claim of ever loving him.

The people of Everton were also fed well after all their queen was soliciting for them. she was ready to give up everything. Her happiness, her pride, and her very reason for living, just for them.

Although Zara was given better treatment and no longer tortured, she felt worse than ever. She knew that after denouncing Carl, they would still suffer at the hands of King Luther, but doing this might lessen the suffering, and she was okay with that...

For two days, things seem to change for the better for the people of Everton. And they were happy, little did they know that their few days of enjoyment was going to end soon, and things would get worse even more than before.

            TWO DAYS LATER

Zara was clothed and adorned with a beautiful silver-colored dress, and silver ornaments. Although was pregnant, she looked like the goddess of beauty, and anyone who saw her admired her.

A huge smile was plastered on Zara's elegant face, and she seemed to be happy, but deep down, she was shattered into a million pieces.

Zara walked slowly toward the throne room, with some maids and guards trailing behind her. It was the day when she would give her people a better life or at least so she thought.

When she entered the throne room, King Luther sat proudly on his throne with two naked women beside him as he addressed his council. The women beside him looked like slaves, and they didn't look ashamed or the least bothered by their appearance. if anything, they seem to enjoy it.

On the other hand, Myla also sat beside her father with her head held high in pride and a proud smile played at the corner of her lips. After all, she's the daughter of the most powerful and ruthless king in all of Mercury. And she also aided in the victory of their war. That is, If it wasn't for her, her father(King Luther) might not have been successful in taking over Everton.

In slow stride, Zara walked toward King Luther and his daughter Myla, her angry and hateful gaze focused on his, defiantly, making sure to convey her hateful feeling toward him.

It was because of him, that she suffered for eight months and almost lost her life. it was because of him, that her people are suffering and dying each day.

Yes! He took over Everton, which happened to be his enemy's kingdom, but it doesn't mean he had to brutally kill and torture the people, after all, they were not his enemy, their king was.

"Zara, you are here! You look marvelously beautiful," King Luther said while standing up from his throne. He walked toward Zara in a quick stride and when he got to her, took her hand in his.

King Luther's councilmen gawk at the beautiful pregnant woman before them in admiration. They have heard about Zara's beauty, but they have never seen her until now. 

"Indeed, she is beautiful," they murmured amongst themselves.

A proud smile played at the corner of King Luther's lips when he heard their praises and he said, "Queen Zara here is the most prized possession I obtained during the war, and she's going to be the key to uniting the people of Everton, that they may serve and honor me as their king," King Luther declared boastfully.

Zara scowled deeply, her fist clenched into a ball, as she heard this. He was talking about her like she was a thing or a piece of trophy one obtains after a competition. But there was nothing she could do.

The council hailed and showered king Luther, with praises, for acquiring such beauty. 

"Zara here is going to become my queen immediately after she denounces her late husband Carl," King Luther announced, and once again the council cheered.

"Come, Zara, the people of Morana( Everton and Neptune) await you," King Luther said while leading the way, and Zara followed behind...

When they got to the terrace,  Zara could see millions of people, some in chains and tattered clothes, while some were free and well dressed.

She could tell that the people in chains were the people of Everton, while the people without chains were the people of Neptune. Although King Luther combined the two nations after the war, he still divided the people into two parts.

The people of Neptune whom he still called Neptons, were the free folks, which means they were not slaves, and the people of Everton whom he called Thralls, were slaves, and they were Zara's people.

Zara was heartbroken, and tears trickle down her eyes when she saw her people. Some could barely stand as they had been beaten to a state of limpness.

They all looked like living dead and the glimmer of hope that was once in their eyes was no longer there. Instead, it was replaced with pain and sorrow. 

Zara sighed as a feeling of guilty surge through her. she felt like she's not just going to betray Carl but mankind as a whole. Today she would be telling her people to kiss the feet of their enemy, just to live. She would be telling them to become cowards and forget their very purpose of living. But what other choice do they have?

...

"People of Morana, both Neptons and Thralls, we are gathered here today to witness the beginning of a new era, the beginning of a new life for the Thralls(People of Everton). A new life which will be given to you by your queen and my soon-to-be wife, Zara," King Luther spoke in an audible voice so that everyone could hear. 

Once the people of Everton heard Zara's name and they saw her, it was like their Messiah had arrived. Their eyes shone with happiness and hope, as they knew she was there to save them.

They also noticed that she was pregnant and well cladded. And since no one knew she was pregnant for Carl, they all thought that she was pregnant for King Luther. Although none of that mattered to them, they didn't care if she was pregnant for king Luther or Carl. They only cared that she was alive and healthy since it was the first time they were seeing her after eight months.

King Luther urged Zara to come forward where the crowd could see and hear her clearly. "Speak now, Zara, Denounce your late husband," he told her.

Sighing, Zara shut her eyes tightly to suppress the tears that were threatening to come out.

"P...people of Morana," she shuttered, glancing around like she was searching for someone.

"Speak Zara," King Luther, gritted impatiently. 

Zara curled her fist into a ball, reassuring herself that it was for her baby and the people. As long as she's able to save them, she is willing to sacrifice her love.

Zara rid her face of any emotion, keeping a blank expression as she spoke. "People of Morana,  Neptons, and Thralls, I Zara, daughter of King Alan and queen Lyarra of Azrael, widow to the late King Carl, hereby denounce my late husband Carl. I Zara, renounce any claim of loving him. He was never and never will be worthy of me or any of you. He was incapable and fail to protect both his queen and his people. He failed as a king, a husband, and a father. He failed in every aspect of life. so why should we hold on to him? Carl is never coming back, and even if he did, of what use will he be?I say we move on with our lives and follow a strong and true king, a king that will lead us to great heights, a king that is unstoppable and wouldn't fail like the late king Carl did. Denounce Carl and live. Join King Luther as he builds a new future for all of Morana."

As Zara said this the whole crowd went into a state of uproar. Zara felt like she just stabbed herself in the heart after denouncing her husband. She was heartbroken. 'I'm sorry Carl, I had no other choice,' She mulled, batting her eyelashes to prevent tears from falling. What's done is done! There is no going back now.

 Amongst the crowd, two pairs of Sapphire blue eyes watched the scene in pain. His heart was broken into a million pieces, although he wasn't supposed to feel that way since he knew that she was probably forced to say those things, he was still hurt. And seeing her pregnant with another man's child didn't help matters at all.

Carl clenched his fist to suppress his hurt and anger. He arrived in Morana earlier in disguise, and he hear everything Zara said. 

In anger, Carl left Morana. Maybe Zara was right. He was of no use to them and if he wanted to be, he would have to become as powerful as King Luther, first he had to get back at his enemies. Both the ones who betrayed him and the ones who have been against him from the start.