A/N: Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out. I've been busy with college among other things; plus, I'm almost done with Young and Beautiful and I should be starting on Diamonds are Forever right after that. (Meanwhile, I'll get back to work on Time of the Season by the side.)
Well, here we are now. I hope to return to work on this fanfic one day, but for the moment I won't be finishing anytime soon.
"Wow..." Rose could only say in amazement.
"I know." Kermesite beamed. "She's truly a very stunning specimen."
"I can see that." Nephrite added. The former chancellor kept staring at the supposed Garnet's pineal eye. "You wouldn't happen to know any other Garnets with a third eye, would you?"
"Well, I'm not sure we even know what their civilization is like," Kermesite shrugged. "So how would I know if there are Garnets out there with more than two eyes?"
"Point taken." Pause. "So where exactly did you find her?"
"I met her right outside the Spodumene border while I was on a pilgrimage."
"Is that right? It seems pretty coincidental to just come across her like that."
"Yeah... it does. It's almost like it was meant to be."
Meanwhile in the Chalcopyrite palace, Zoisite was approached by a Pearl with white skin and long frizzly peach-colored hair. She appeared to have a wild look in her silver-gray eyes and what looked like mascara trickling down her face. Tagging along with her was her daughter who looked just like her, except thinner and with bright blue eyes.
"Can I help you?" Zoisite asked as mannerly as possible.
"I've come most carefully upon the hour." Pearl answered cryptically. "I'm here to pay a dowry for my daughter's hand in marriage."
Zoisite eyed the clearly trembling young girl and smirked devillishly. "Of course you are. Did you, by any chance, discuss this with your husband before you left?" he asked the mother.
"Well, 'tis bitter cold where I am and I've grown sick at heart."
"That... doesn't answer my question."
"No, I didn't tell him. I hoped to wait 'til he returned from his military trip."
"I see. Well, I'm already committed to my beloved Queen, but how much are you willing to pay?"
"Two acres of forest, an old scrap doll, a statue of the god Orthoclase, my servants Anhydrite and Népouite, and some Calaverite persca pits."
"Sounds like a good deal to me. Let me just keep her until my Queen leaves the current marriage. Meanwhile, you better have your payment ready for next time."
"Thank you." With that, the mother made her exit.
Now the Chancellor and the little girl were alone. He looked at her and said, "Today's your lucky day, little Pearl. Your mother just sold you to one of the most sophisticated and erudite Gems to ever enter politics, not to mention the newest Chancellor."
"She recently stole a tortoise-shell ostrich from a barn, too, but I didn't hear anybody brag about that." the young Pearl snarked.
"What does that have to do with...?" Zoisite stopped himself before he could say anything compromising. "Well, anyway, since I'm already married, how about you work for me until I can find a way to end the marriage?"
"And what's this talk about ending your marriage? Do you even love your wife?"
The Chancellor thought about it for a minute. "Well, I did at first, but now I don't even think of her that way." He sighed for a moment and then looked at the girl again. "That's why I plan to get rid of her. It should be easy to pull off and by the time you and I are married, she'll already be gone."
It was then that the young Pearl started to bemoan her fate.