"Um… is Zack coming or not? He's late—or at least, I think he is." She frowned, glancing at the sky. "It's still technically afternoon, but what does late afternoon even mean? Is it now? Or later, when the sun starts to cool and sink lower?"
She hesitated, thoughts spiraling. "So when… when exactly is it supposed to be?"
Princess Natlia walked back and forth quickly across the big room, her footsteps creating a rhythmic pattern on the polished floor. Her hands were clasped together anxiously as she waited for Zack to arrive, her eyes darting to the window every few seconds to check the sun's position.
"My, oh my! Look at my daughter worrying like a young wife waiting for her husband! Haha, he will come soon, dear." The Queen Mother laughed warmly, her voice full of affection and amusement.
She turned to address the other ladies gathered in the room. "Thank you, everyone! You have all done such great work today." She patted Little Princess's head gently, her fingers running through the young girl's hair with motherly care. Then she patted Maid Emmy's back softly while nodding approvingly at Kyra, who stood nearby with a respectful expression. Tyra, the little floating creature, was also mimicking Natlia's anxious pacing, floating back and forth in the air playfully, her tiny movements bringing smiles to everyone's faces.
"Motther, donnt teaseee meee!" Natlia pouted in anger, her cheeks puffing out adorably. She wasn't in the mood for jokes right now. Her mind was still completely occupied with trying to figure out what Zack had meant by "late afternoon" when he'd said he'd come visit.
Suddenly, she heard footsteps echoing from the hallway outside. Her head snapped around, and she saw Zack walking slowly toward them through the entrance. Her heart leaped.
"ZACCKK!" Natlia's face lit up instantly, and she ran forward without hesitation, throwing her arms around him in a tight embrace.
"Ouch, ouch! Easy there, princess!" Zack smiled despite the pain shooting through his battered body from her enthusiastic hug.
"Huh!" Natlia suddenly realized something was wrong. She pulled back slightly and actually looked at him for the first time. Her eyes widened as she took in how much of a bloody, bruised mess he was. His uniform was torn and stained, his face was cut and swollen in places, and he was clearly favoring his ribs. "Zacckkk! Yoouuu! Grrrr! Coommee wiiitthhh mee!!!"
Princess Natlia's voice rose to a roar as she grabbed his arm and started pulling him away from the others with surprising strength.
Zack, feeling thoroughly embarrassed, just let her drag him along while he managed to nod apologetically at the other ladies standing there. They all smiled back warmly, understanding completely. The Queen Mother called out loudly after them, "Be fast! We haven't eaten anything yet! Treat him quickly and come have lunch with us!"
"Okkkkay!" A fast, slightly breathless reply came from Natlia as they disappeared around the corner.
.
"Sigh... Zack, how many times do I have to tell you to take care of yourself properly?"
Zack, now with his upper body completely naked, sat there on the edge of Natlia's bed while several palace doctors worked carefully to treat his various injuries. They cleaned wounds, applied healing salves, and wrapped bandages around his torso. Natlia stood nearby, arms crossed, and kept nagging at him continuously. Zack listened to her quietly, not arguing back, just letting her vent her worry and frustration.
After a while of treatment, the doctors finished their work and bowed respectfully before leaving the room, closing the door behind them. That left both Natlia and Zack alone together.
But Natlia didn't stop nagging. If anything, she got louder now that the doctors were gone. Her voice filled the room as she lectured him about being more careful, about not taking such stupid risks, about how worried she'd been. Zack felt his irritation growing with each passing second, his headache intensifying under the barrage of words. He shook his head firmly, trying desperately to control his emotions and push down the anger bubbling up inside him.
He stood up abruptly and reached for his shirt to put it back on, wanting to leave before he said something he'd regret. But his hand was immediately grabbed by Natlia, who stepped directly in front of him and blocked his path. She looked up at him and said in a loud, accusatory voice, "ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME, ZACK? WHY DO YOU KEEP GETTING HURT LIKE THIS? AND TODAY, ALSO, YOU STUCK TO THOSE FILTHY WOMEN DOWN THERE? WHAT IS YOUR REASONING TODAY? HUH? TELL ME!"
Natlia's raised voice made his already pounding headache worsen dramatically. Something inside him snapped.
TSK! "DON'T SHOUT SO MUCH, NATLIA! WHAT'S WITH ALL YOUR NAGGING? DO YOU HATE THE SMELL SO BAD? TSK! HERE, SMELL IT THEN!"
"Kyaaa! Zacckk!!" Natlia's eyes went wide with shock.
Zack suddenly pushed Natlia backward with force. She stumbled and fell onto the bed, her body bouncing slightly on the soft mattress. Before she could react, Zack was on her—he grabbed her wrist tightly, his fingers digging into her skin through the black-striped cloth covering her arm. "Here, smell it!" he said harshly as he brought his naked upper body close to her face, forcing her to breathe in the scent of sweat, blood, and the underground tunnels that clung to his skin.
"Zack, what happened? Why are you acting like this? I didn't even say it that loudly! Why are you so mad at me? Zack, stop, please!" Natlia tried desperately to free her wrist from his iron grip, but she couldn't break his hold. Fear started creeping into her voice.
Zack, with a deep frown etched on his face, moved his knee between her legs, spreading them apart. He placed his other knee beside her belly and leaned forward with his naked upper body. His muscular chest was now hovering only slightly away from her breasts, his strong presence pressing down on her, trapping her beneath him.
"Zack, stop! You're scaring me! ZZACCKKKK!" Natlia shouted for real this time, genuine fear flooding her voice. Tears started forming at the corners of her eyes.
"UGGHHH!" The sound of his name filled with terror cut through the haze of anger clouding Zack's mind. He woke up from his violent trance as if someone had thrown cold water on him. He looked down and saw Natlia's face—her eyes were wide with fear, and slight tears were beginning to roll down her cheeks. The sight hit him like a punch to the gut.
"Ugghh..." He immediately released her wrist and moved to the side, kneeling perpendicular to her on the bed. He put his head down heavily on her shoulder, unable to look at her face anymore.
Natlia was shocked at first by the sudden change. She lay there frozen for a moment, then slowly turned her head sideways to look at Zack kneeling beside her with his head resting on her shoulder. His body was trembling slightly. Then she heard him say in a broken voice, "I AM SORRY! SORRY! I DIDN'T MEAN TO! I... I... I FEEL LIKE I'M NOT MYSELF LATELY! I AM SORRY, NAT!!!"
Hearing the raw pain and genuine remorse in his voice and a name, that made Natlia immediately forgot everything that had just happened. The fear vanished, replaced by concern. She suddenly sat up with full energy, her tears gone, her eyes gleaming with determination and love. She gently brought Zack's face upward with both hands, cupping his cheeks tenderly. She looked directly into his eyes and smiled sweetly, warmly. "It's okay, Zack. It's okay. Your Nat is here for you. It's okay. Don't worry about it—just tell me what happened. Tell me everything."
"NAT, I... I..." Zack's voice was hoarse as he slowly began telling her everything that had been happening from that day onwards—the strange feelings, the violent urges he couldn't control, the headaches, the confusion, the fear that he was losing himself.
Nat listened closely and intently, her full attention on him. She continuously patted Zack's head with gentle, soothing strokes as he gradually lay down and rested his head on her lap. He kept talking, pouring out everything that had been weighing on his soul while she provided the comfort and safety he desperately needed.
"Nat, I didn't mean to hurt you or scare you. I am really sorry." Zack's voice was pained as he clenched her thighs tightly, holding onto her like she was his anchor to sanity. "I should just go away from here. Until I can control this thing inside me, I don't want to hurt you or the others. I couldn't forgive myself if I..."
Nat shook her head gently but firmly, cutting off his self-destructive words. She said softly, "It's okay, Zack. It was because of me that you're in this condition right now, so it's my duty to help you through it. So don't worry and just do things normally, okay? I am here—your Nat is here for you. Always." She kept calming him down with her words and her touch, running her fingers through his hair lovingly.
Zack was quiet for a moment, then continued with a different topic. "Nat, I want to try treating Mr. Jorri as well. I don't know if I can actually heal him, but I want to try something—I think I might be able to help him somehow."
He clenched his fist where it rested on her leg, his expression becoming firm with determination despite the emotional exhaustion he felt.
"Huh?" Nat's eyes glowed brightly for a second with hope at the mention of her mother closet friend, but then the light dimmed down as reality set in. She knew how dangerous that could be. "Zack, I know I can't stop you when you've made up your mind, so do whatever you want to do. If you can fix him, if you can bring him back to us, then I and Mother will be eternally grateful to you for the rest of our lives. But..." Her voice became serious and worried. "Don't die on me, okay? Promise me you won't die."
"Hmm, don't worry, Nat! I WILL NOT!!!" Zack declared with fierce conviction. His voice was strong and confident despite everything else.
As the emotional weight of the conversation finally caught up with him, Zack's eyes began to close. The exhaustion from the fights, the emotional turmoil, and the comfort of Nat's presence all combined to pull him toward sleep. He slowly drifted off right there in her lap.
Nat watched him fall asleep, then carefully and lovingly covered his bruised, battered body with a soft blanket. She made sure he was completely comfortable before settling in to keep watch over him. Her hand never stopped gently patting his head, a loving smile on her face as she looked down at him.
After a few quiet minutes passed...
"Hmm, what do we have here? I thought you two got busy with each other, but he's just sleeping, while my daughter can't stop staring at him with those lovesick eyes."
The Queen Mother's amused voice came from the doorway as she quietly entered the room. Little Princess poked her head in curiously from behind her mother and saw her big sister sitting there like a statue, completely focused on the sleeping Zack.
"Hmm, big sister, you feel weird lately. It feels like you're becoming more and more like Mother!" Little Princess said casually while walking over to the bed. She reached out and poked Zack's cheek playfully, then giggled at how peaceful he looked.
"Huh? What do you mean by that?" Nat smiled softly but didn't take her eyes off Zack. She gently caught Little Princess's hand and stopped her from poking him again. "Go on, both of you. I will eat with him afterwards. Let him sleep for now—he's really tired and needs the rest." Nat spoke gently but firmly, making it clear she wasn't leaving his side.
Both the Queen Mother and Little Princess exchanged knowing looks, then went away without argument. The Queen Mother glanced back one more time before leaving and smiled sweetly at the touching scene. She closed the door quietly behind her, giving them privacy.
Some hours passed away slowly, but Nat didn't even flinch or move from her position. She just sat there without complaint, making absolutely sure that Zack's sleep wasn't disturbed or hindered in any way. She kept looking at him with soft eyes—sometimes playing gently with his hair, running her fingers through the strands, sometimes reaching out to touch his face but stopping herself at the last moment and giggling quietly at her own behavior.
As she was still playing with Zack's hair and lost in her own thoughts, she suddenly heard several footsteps approaching from the hallway. Multiple people were coming. She sighed quietly.
Sigh... I guess our peaceful time is up!
The voices reached her ears before the door even opened.
"Hey, Maren! How many matches did you win today?"
"Two!"
"Hmm, only two? Did you get scared or something?"
"Uh, what do you mean, 'scared'? If it wasn't for my mother stopping me, then I would have made Fia fight 24/7, winning 100 matches in a row! Hahaha!"
"Don't do that to my sister, She'll die!"
"My fingers are hurting so bad! Agh, my poor, cute fingers are completely ruined from all the stitching and drawing!"
"Don't cry, Sio! I was way more tired since Mother used me as her test subject for the entire day. I want to sleepppp!"
"Hahaha, you totally deserve it! At least you're useful in some way, Gloomy!"
"Hey, why is no one asking about my day? I worked really hard for tomorrow's big sister's big moment, alright! Miss Emmy, tell them how hard we worked!"
"Yes, yes! We certainly did work very hard!"
The door burst open and Sasha's loud voice filled the room.
"ZACCKKK!! Where are you, my little broth—GUUAAA!! NATLIA KIDNAPPED MY LITTLE BROTHER! GRRR! YOU WITCH! WHAT ARE YOU DOING? GET DOWN FROM THERE RIGHT NOW!"
Natlia's expression transformed. She looked up with a serene, gentle smile and spoke in the most delicate, refined voice she could manage. "Ara, who is this? Oh, big sister Sasha, please do come in. Zack is sleeping right now, so please keep your voice down." She kept her hands positioned delicately on her cheeks like a proper noble lady.
"Huh!!" Sasha's mouth dropped open in shock.
A moment of stunned silence filled the room, and then—
"Hahahahaha! HAHAHAHA!" Everyone burst into uncontrollable laughter.
"Big sister Sasha, hahaha, now you've become 'big sister' instead of a 'witch'! Hahaha! And big sister Natlia is acting so weird, like some proper old noblewoman! Hahaha, I can't, I can't!" Alfie rolled around on the ground, clutching his stomach as he laughed so hard tears formed in his eyes. The others also chimed in from various spots around the room, supporting the teasing and laughing along.
"GRRR! GRRRR! SHUT UP, EVERRYOONNEE!!!" Nat and Sasha roared in anger together, their voices perfectly synchronized.
"Agh, can you guys please let a man sleep in peace? Uwwwwaahh!!"
Zack woke up with a huge yawn, stretching his arms high above his head. The movement made his ripped, muscular naked upper body clearly visible to everyone in the room as the blanket fell away.
WHISTLE! WHISTLE!
"Yeah, yeah, Zack! It looks like you're getting all manly like me now!" Oliver came forward with a huge smirk on his face, clearly proud.
"Owww, owww! Don't poke my wounds, Miss Emmy!!" Oliver suddenly roared in pain as she suddenly poked him from side.
"Young master, please refrain from talking so proudly about your injuries! They're nothing to brag about!" Miss Emmy scolded him gently but firmly. Then she turned and kindly provided a clean shirt to Zack.
"Thank you, Big Sister Emmy. You've been looking really great lately" Zack said warmly. "Keep laughing and smiling more—it suits you. You look so much more beautiful that way."
He smiled back at her, teeth showing in a genuine, friendly grin.
"Guaa! This brat, speaking such nonsense to me like that!" Miss Emmy's face turned slightly red.
PAATT!
She gave him a light smack on the top of his head.
"Hehe, fine, fine! I won't tease you anymore, big sister Emmy." Zack shrugged good-naturedly as he started putting on his shirt.
Gloomy, Alfie, and Sio all climbed up onto the bed eagerly and helped Zack put his shirt on properly, fussing over him. But Gloomy just plopped down in front of Zack and yawned widely, not really helping at all. Seeing this lazy display, the flying creatures Lurvi and Tyra also floated over and yawned with him, settling down comfortably on Zack's lap.
"Hey there, Zack! I heard some interesting things about you lately. I guess you're getting weaker" Fia came over, stood up straight with perfect posture, and smirked challengingly at him.
"Heehh! You wish that was true! I can still throw you around like a dirty rag you know." Zack taunted right back, matching her competitive energy.
"What about me, brother Zack? Can you throw me too?" Big Guy leaned his enormous face close to Zack's, smiling widely with innocent curiosity.
"Ugh, forget it! You're way too heavy!" Zack laughed.
"Tell us, tell us all the details! Did you find anything useful in those tunnels, my dear slave?" Maren said proudly as she squeezed past Big Guy's massive form and sat on the edge of the bed. She kept one leg on the floor for balance while gently patting Lurvi and Tyra with her other hand.
"Hmm, not right now, but I'm getting close. Soon, all the Crowns who took those weird energies will be out in the open and exposed. This should help Nat at least a little bit to succeed in her ceremony." Zack reached over and patted Nat's back affectionately, making her stop her bickering with Sasha mid-sentence.
Feeling his warm hand on her back, she stopped obediently and immediately smiled beautifully, sitting up properly beside him with perfect posture. She pulled little Sio into her arms and hugged her in a loving embrace, swaying her gently left and right like a treasured doll.
Sasha also smiled warmly at the scene. She climbed up onto the bed from behind and carefully checked all of Zack's wounds with her experienced eyes. Then she placed her hands on his injuries and used her healing abilities to speed up his recovery. After finishing the healing, she wrapped her arms around him from behind in a hug while kneeling. She half-stood up so her head was positioned over Zack's head as he sat cross-legged on the bed.
PAT! "Witch, you better work hard and don't lose to the others!" Sasha smirked playfully while messing with Zack, hugging him tighter and pushing more of her weight onto his back.
"Huh? What do you mean by that?" Nat asked, genuinely confused by the comment.
PAT! "Big sister Sasha, all the best to you too!" Sio pumped her small fist enthusiastically in the air.
PAT! "Hehehe..." Alfie smirked knowingly, sitting cross-legged beside Gloomy and Sio, positioned right in front of Nat and Zack.
PAT! Gloomy gave a firm thumbs up, though he had to put all his weight on Alfie to reach high enough to pat Nat's shoulder, who sat beside him. "Gguuhh, get off me, you heavy bastard!" Alfie groaned.
PAT! PAT! Nat's right shoulder was patted enthusiastically by both Fia and Big Guy. They didn't say anything, just smiled encouragingly at her.
PAT! PAT! Her back was patted by Oliver and Miss Emmy from behind. "I don't really know what this is all about, but it's actually pretty fun!" Miss Emmy nodded her head heavily in agreement. "Hehe!" Oliver smiled and winked at her playfully.
PAT! Nat's feet were tapped gently by Maren from below. "If you want any tips or advice, you can come to this beautiful woman anytime, okay!"
"Siighh, big sister, please don't let me down tomorrow!"
PAATTT! Little Princess patted Natlia's cheeks with both hands as she stood up on the bed, bringing her face level with her older sister's. This only made Nat's expression more confused.
"HHUUHHHH! WWHHATTTT! WHY IS EVERYONE PATTING MEEE!! STOOPP ITTT!!!!! GGRRRRRR!!!" Nat roared in frustration and confusion as everyone immediately started laughing at her adorable reaction.
One bed was now completely surrounded by many people and animals all jumping around, talking over each other, and creating cheerful chaos. Zack smiled genuinely seeing this warm scene unfold around him. He let himself relax completely and lose himself in the midst of everyone bickering and joking. The weight he'd been carrying seemed lighter somehow.
He shifted closer to Nat and—
PAT! "Keep up the good work, Nat! Hehe!" Zack smiled warmly as he patted her lower back affectionately.
Nat turned to look at him, and her face softened completely. She smiled back, genuinely enjoying this precious time with everyone she cared about.
"Ara! What is all this commotion? When will you people actually eat? Come now, everyone—the food is ready and getting cold!" The Queen Mother's voice called out loudly from the doorway, though she was smiling the entire time at the beautiful scene before her.
"Huh! Well, we're definitely hungry for sure!" Everyone nodded in agreement, then smiled and said together in perfect unison, "BRING IT HERE!!! HEHEH!"
They all laughed together as the servants slowly brought platters of food into the room. They ate right there on the same bed, sharing plates with each other without any regard for proper etiquette. They fought playfully over the best pieces, teased each other constantly, and also talked seriously about some of the dangerous things that had happened to Zack in the tunnels.
Sasha kept feeding Zack directly with her own hands, not letting Nat have her chance to do the same. Nat pouted but didn't really mind, just happy to be here. All these different elements mixed together—the laughter, the food, the warmth, the caring, the teasing, the serious discussions—created a truly beautiful image that would stay in their memories forever.
A family, not bound by blood but by choice and love, sharing a simple meal together.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
END OF CHAPTER
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author Blabbering
Aaah… family.
"Blood is thicker than water," they say. Family is supposed to be everything. And for many people, it truly is. But for some, family doesn't always feel very family-like.
Our society is deeply driven by the idea of family—so much so that even when family members make serious mistakes, we're expected to forgive. Sometimes that forgiveness comes at a heavy cost, even when it slowly damages our own lives. It's hard to blame them, and it's equally hard not to blame ourselves. The emotions are tangled, and there's no clean answer.
Even within families, there is often an unspoken struggle—small rivalries, quiet comparisons, unnoticed competition at different stages of life. Love exists, yes, but in some families, it feels conditional or complicated. That's why, for many people, the idea of finding a "family" outside their bloodline feels so comforting. A place with less judgment, more trust, shared learning, and emotional safety.
Of course, not everything outside is perfect either. This world is messy, wherever you go. But learning to identify what is good for you and what is not—that part matters deeply. Whether it's family or friends, whoever you choose to trust and keep close should be chosen with care. Connection should heal, not constantly hurt.
Family can be where you're born.
But belonging is something you build.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And if you like what you're reading and these small reflections resonate with you, consider supporting me on PAT**ON. Your support helps me continue writing and sharing these thoughts.
Thank you for reading.