"Big Brother Zack, I like your style of comfy! Give me one! I want to sleep that way too!" Gloomy called out, his eyes fixed on Zack sleeping peacefully on Mother Ariana's lap with his blankets rolled around him.
Gloomy disappeared then appeared from somewhere with a blanket clutched in his hands. He rolled himself up from his upper body, copying Zack's exact style with careful precision. He lay down beside Zack, settling into position.
Zack noticed the movement and opened his big blanket wide without a word, pulling the whole of Gloomy inside with him in one smooth motion.
"Waaa!" Pure bliss washed over Gloomy's entire being. His face lit up with a smile of absolute contentment as he drifted off to sleep, completely unbothered by all the noise surrounding them.
"Geez, who even likes half-covered blankets? I like FULL coverage!" Sio declared as she also brought one from nearby. She covered herself completely in the normal way, wrapping the fabric around her entire body. She settled down on Mother Ariana's other side, resting her head on her other thigh opposite from where Zack lay.
"Geez, am I a bed or what?" Mother Ariana's sweet smile remained despite the battering and exhaustion her body had endured due to working a lot in the shop of Oliver in the early morning. She looked down at the children resting on her lap and gently patted their heads, her touch tender and filled with motherly warmth.
.
.
"Um, is it really okay for us not to go?" Mother Silja's voice trembled slightly as she spoke. "You don't have to worry about us. I can do it!"
She tried to sound confident, mustering all the strength she could gather into those words.
"Yes, yes, Mother Silja is the best, but nope!!!!!! We decided not to go, so stay here with me." Sasha spoke gently as she held Mother Silja's arm and placed her head on her shoulder, snuggling close for comfort.
"Queen, sorry to come here without informing you." Chieftess Anihoa and Maid Nima spoke together as they bowed in apology. They sat with straight posture on one of the sofas, their backs rigid with the formality of unexpected guests.
"Don't worry! Since you've become friends with our kids, feel free to come whenever you want." Queen Mother responded with genuine warmth radiating from her voice. "This palace is just in name a 'Queen's palace.' These brats come and go whenever they like anyway."
Her smile was beautiful, welcoming them without reservation.
"Wow, Queen is so beautiful!" Maid Nima muttered from the side, gazing at Queen Mother with sparkling, admiring eyes that shone with genuine appreciation. "But our Chieftess…"
Maid Nima rolled her eyes dramatically as she glanced at the glaring Chieftess beside her.
"What are you looking at? Do you want me to poke out your little annoying eyes?" Chieftess Anihoa glared at her.
"Haha!" The others laughed at the playful dynamic between the two, the sound lightening the atmosphere.
.
.
"Hmm?"
Queen Mother suddenly noticed Oliver and the others entering through the doorway. She got up instantly and walked swiftly across the room, reaching out to grab Grandmother's hand with both of hers.
"Grandmother! It's been such a long time! How are you doing?" Queen Mother protested cutely, her voice taking on a childish quality that stripped away years of queenly composure. "You don't come see me so often! I even told your little girls to call you, but you never came to meet me!"
She brought Grandmother over with gentle insistence and made her sit comfortably on the best seat in the room, fussing over her comfort like a cautious daughter.
"Ho ho, Malina, you want this old woman to go back and forth at such an old age?" Grandmother spoke gently, her voice warm with affection. "I hear about you from my girls and am happy to hear that you guys are safe and well."
"Geez, still, you rarely come here! I miss your cooking so much." Queen Mother spoke while sitting beside Grandmother and adjusting the cushions behind her back with care.
"You've become so big, but there's still your rowdiness remaining deep inside." Grandmother observed with a knowing smile. "Now I realize why your daughter is so tough and headstrong."
"Hmm, how do you know? When did you meet her personally?" Queen Mother's expression shifted to confusion, her brow furrowing slightly. "And why are you girls here and not with Nat?"
She looked at the four expert guards with questions written all over her face.
"Ah! That, Queen, we… I…" The four guards stuttered, unable to find the right words to explain themselves.
"I will tell you what happened." Oliver came forward and began explaining everything clearly. How the meeting went, the confrontation, the slap, about Nat's anger burning hot in front of everyone. All of it laid out without embellishment.
Hearing all this, everyone's faces changed dramatically. The atmosphere in the room grew heavy with tension.
"THAT STUPID GIRL IS TAKING THIS TOO FAR! HOW DARE SHE HIT HER OWN PEOPLE?! AND THOSE GIRLS HELPED US! WHY DID SHE!!!!"
"CALM DOWN, MALINA!"
Queen Mother was ramping up in anger, her voice rising to a near-shout that filled the entire space, when Grandmother spoke in a loud, commanding voice that cut through the chaos. Everyone immediately looked down, properly chastened by the authority in her tone.
"She is a little kid, and she's doing better than you at her age." Grandmother said firmly, her words carrying weight. "Don't blame her. Rather, it is your fault. I never heard of her being in the public eye before this. You clearly were way too protective of her growing up.... I don't blame you for how you raised her after the wreck you were in during your time of rule, it is understandable that you were cautious"
She paused, letting her words sink into the silence.
"Natalia has grown up quite mature with a stable head on her shoulders. She's doing well despite her faults, and it was my girls' fault to bicker with her in front of all those people during an official meeting."
Grandmother glanced at her girls, who shivered under her gaze and swiftly bowed deeply in response.
"WE ARE SORRY, QUEEN!"
Queen Mother slowly calmed down, her breathing steadying back to normal rhythm. She raised the girls up gently with her hands, her expression softening with understanding.
"Grandmother, don't be so harsh on them. I get it now."
Queen Mother talked more with Oliver, learning all the details and trying to piece together the full picture of what had transpired at the meeting.
.
.
Sssiiiiggghhhh....
Nat, is that the path you have chosen???... Forget it, don't think too much about it right now. This is way too early to judge her properly.... I will wait for her.
Zack muttered in a low voice, his thoughts churning beneath the surface.
Yes, trust your Nat!!!
And those two….I should meet them and apologize, but I don't know where they live!! Agh! I'll have to wait until they come to meet me. And about her… Hmm, now that I sense carefully, there's a very little residue on her body.
Zack muttered again under his breath, his brow furrowing with concentration.
"Big Brother Zack, will you be okay?" Gloomy suddenly turned around inside the blanket and spoke while yawning, his voice muffled by fabric and sleepiness.
"Hmm, I'll be fine. Don't worry about me." Zack spoke while getting up from his comfortable position, leaving behind a sad-faced Gloomy who watched his second layer of blanket being taken away with visible disappointment.
"Big Brother… I'm sorry." Sio's voice came out soft, her words edged with guiltiness. "I didn't like it when those girls flirted with you..... while you also didn't push them away. And because of that I said cruel things about you. But after hearing what Big Sister Nat is doing... the same kind of thing... I don't know how to feel anymore. At first, I thought she was a victim. Now… I'm not so sure."
Sio spoke sadly as she tried to hide behind her mother's body, speaking slowly with guilt weighing down each word that left her lips.
"Hmmm, come here." Zack said gently, opening his arms a little and raising his blanket up slightly in invitation.
Sio slowly crossed over her mother's legs and sat in front of Zack. He wrapped his arms around her small frame, hugging her gently while the blanket enveloped them both.
"It's okay. I was not right in not pushing them away properly, so it's fair to complain about me. And what Nat is doing is also not good, so you can complain about her too." His voice was patient, talking with her in full understanding of her thoughts. "Make sure to correct your big brother and sisters when they make a mistake, okay??..... Just don't hate any of us. We're family. We can fight and disagree, but never break off, okay, my cute sister?"
Zack gently patted her back, his touch reassuring and warm against her spine.
"Umm, yes, Big Brother!" Sio smiled brightly as she raised her head from Zack's chest and looked up at him with shining eyes full of renewed happiness.
"Hehe, then all good! Curse her as much as you can until you feel better!" Zack laughed a little and got off the sofa, standing up.
Sio nodded heavily, feeling the weight lift from her chest.
"Ah, blanket!" Gloomy stretched out his hand and grabbed Sio's blanket, pulling it over himself without hesitation.
"Hey, Gloomy! Don't take my blanket!!" Sio roared, trying to pull it back with all her strength.
"A little is fine! My legs are freezing cold! They're hurting from all the standing I did today!" Gloomy protested and held the fabric tightly, refusing to let go for anything.
Sio lay down and tried to roll herself up in the blanket, but Gloomy didn't budge an inch. A full tug-of-war began on Mother Ariana's legs, the blanket stretching between them.
Mother Ariana watched the war happening directly on her lap. She spoke calmly at first, but clear warning colored her tone as she continued:
"IF YOU DON'T STAY STILL RIGHT NOW, THEN I WILL TAKE BOTH OF YOUR BLANKETS!"
"GAH!"
Sio and Gloomy stopped fighting immediately at the threat. They shared the blanket between them, resting quietly on either side of her lap, though they continued bickering in low, whispered voices that only each other could hear.
.
.
Zack walked over to where Sasha sat and saw her looking worriedly at him, her eyes already asking him whether he would be okay. Zack just signalled that everything was okay and pointed with his fingers in a pinching style, indicating a very little amount of residue.
Sasha nodded, visibly relaxing as her shoulders loosened from their tense position.
Tsk!
I will kill that witch! She's got my brother's heart, and now she's bewitching other men too! She's taking me way too lightly!
Sasha's face transformed to anger as soon as Zack turned his head away from her. She fumed silently inside her own mind, but still held Mother Silja's arm gently, not letting her inner turmoil affect her touch.
"Now, now, don't kill your friend just yet." Mother Silja said, trying to calm the anger radiating from Sasha's body, surprising Sasha on why she figured out her thinking. "Would you have done things differently if you were in her place?"
"But Mother, how could she do that to Zack?" Sasha protested, her voice rising slightly. "She was practically glued to that man!!!!! Whoever he is for sure a rotten man!!! HUMPH!! But I can already guess who that man is.... It's probably that boy who follows her around at school constantly. And now Nat is telling everyone he's a potential suitor!" Her voice cracked with outrage. "What about my Zack?!"
Sasha grunted in frustration, her jaw clenching tight enough to ache.
"Oh dear, she's your friend." Mother Silja said gently, her calm voice trying best to make Sasha hot anger temperature go down a little. "She is your friend, so listen to her when she comes to you and tries to explain everything. Don't be harsh with her before you hear her side." She paused, her expression softening with understanding. "She's shouldering the weight of this entire city on her young shoulders, and Zack understands that burden. I can see it clearly. Even though he seems troubled on the surface, his eyes still trust Nat a lot"
Mother Silja patted Sasha's hands gently, her touch soothing.
"Trust me, I've seen many men who come to me over the years. Most of them are married... Some say they hate their partners, some say they love them deeply, some say their partners made their life hell, some say they think they are cheating on him, some say she is not interested in him anymore, this and that…..….. but regardless of what they say, they willingly come to me anyway. But Zack and Nat are not following that pattern. Well, at least not for now…... For now, their relationship is new and they're doing okay considering everything. Just trust them. Whatever happens, you have to look out for them both. Give your brother a little space in his love life, okay, dear?"
Mother Silja spoke with wisdom earned through years of observation.
"But I do give them space already." Sasha spoke in a low voice, feeling a little guilty about the accusation.
"I'm not talking about physically giving them space." Mother Silja clarified patiently. "Everyone says to you that you stick to Zack way too close. They feel that way because you're way too invested in him emotionally, they are not talking about you sticking close to him like a glue, well that in itself can be little problematic, hehe...… Ahmm….. Let your brain relax a little and give him space to act on his own. You're behaving toward him in a doting way. Maybe even worse than Queen Mother dotes on Nat. Hehe, do you understand what I mean?"
As soon as Mother Silja finished speaking, Sasha's eyes shone as if realizing something profound that had been hidden from her view.
"Mother, it seems to be true!" Sasha exclaimed softly, her voice filled with discovery. "I didn't realize it at all!!!! I felt everyone always mocked me for being alone whenever he was not around, but maybe I just never kept my mind off of Zack, so it felt that way to others around us. Wow, Mother, aren't you a smart one! Yes, I will trust Zack on whatever path he chooses! Hmm, what other things should I limit myself on…"
Sasha pondered thoughtfully, her mind already working through possibilities.
"Maybe try to say 'I don't care what my brother says or does with others.'" Chieftess suddenly came over and sat beside her, speaking in a hushed voice meant only for their small group.
"Maybe think of another man and look around a little bit and see who's handsome or not." Maid Nima also came and sat beside Mother Silja, speaking in a low, conspiratorial voice full of suggestion.
"Hey! Don't teach your filthy mindset to Sasha!" Chieftess roared in a harsh whisper, glaring at her companion.
"Huh? What? I'm just thinking about you! If your friend is more talented than you at getting men, then you'll learn how to get a man yourself! And I can be free to choose many men for myself! Hohoho." Maid Nima drooled as her imagination ran completely wild, her eyes glazing over with fantasy.
"No, Sasha, think of learning new things instead." Chieftess interjected quickly. "Remember how I was learning to fly? It's scary but fun at the same time. You have to busy your mind with other things to get unattached from always worrying about Zack every second."
"No, that just means you're a loner and a scared little animal!" Maid Nima spoke from the other side, smirking with satisfaction.
"Shut up! Don't disturb me! I'm running my brain at full speed here! Your voices are distracting me from thinking!" Sasha roared in a hushed tone, her face scrunched up in deep concentration.
"Um… girls, you can talk a little louder, you know!" Mother Silja said with embarrassment as they continued to bicker quietly around her.
.
.
"Hello, Grandmother. My name is Zack Carney. It's a pleasure to meet you." Zack said warmly as he came forward and knelt on one knee on the ground before her, looking at Grandmother with genuine respect radiating from his posture.
"Oh, that old man's child! I saw you as a kid but look at you now, grown up to be such handsome lad." Grandmother spoke with delight, her eyes twinkling with recognition. "You little ones have grown up into such healthy children. I'm happy to see that with my own eyes."
She reached out and patted Zack's head affectionately, blessing him with her touch.
"Thank you, Grandmother." Zack said sincerely before continuing. "I head what you have gone through and….. And I can feel that weird thing inside your body... Why not let me make you healthy? I have a way to remove that weird thing from your body. Then you'll be cleaned out and feel all good, and Miss Experts won't have to worry about you anymore. Can I do that??.... And don't worry at all. It's a very little amount. I won't even break a sweat while treating you."
Zack spoke warmly, his voice genuine and caring without any hint of boasting.
"Hmm…"
Grandmother looked behind her and saw that Queen Mother and the others had stopped their conversation entirely. Her little girls were staring at Zack with eyes brimming with tears of hope, their expressions desperate yet trying to remain composed.
"Sighhh."
"This old woman is blessed with such amazing people surrounding her." Grandmother said softly, her voice thick with emotion. "Thank you, little one. Please treat me."
She nodded slowly, giving her full consent.
Zack began treating her with careful movements, placing his hands gently on her arms. Energy flowed between them, barely visible to normal eyes but palpable to those who understood what was happening in that moment.
After a few minutes passed, everything was done. Zack didn't feel any pressure while sucking out the weird energy. It had been as easy as he'd promised from the start. He sat beside Grandmother, checking her condition carefully with focused attention.
"HO HO! I FEEL GREAT! HAHA! I FEEL MY MIND CLEAR UP COMPLETELY, AND MY PAIN HAS ALSO EASED UP SO MUCH! YOU ARE A GREAT BOY! HOHO!"
Grandmother laughed with all her heart, her voice ringing through the room with pure joy that seemed to make the very air lighter. Her face appeared years younger than moments before, the lines of pain smoothing out from her features.
WHOOSH.
The four expert guards suddenly came forward in perfect synchronization, kneeling on one knee on the ground before Zack. They gave their full respect to him, their heads bowed low, their posture absolutely perfect and reverent.
"MASTER ZACK, THANK YOU!" they said in powerful unison, their voices clear without any hint of resistance, echoing through the space. "WE ARE SORRY TO NOT FULFILL YOUR INSTRUCTION, AND DESPITE THAT, YOU TREATED OUR GRANDMOTHER! WE WILL NEVER FORGET ABOUT THIS! OUR LIVES, AFTER QUEEN MOTHER, ARE YOURS TO TAKE! WE WANT TO SERVE YOU WITH ALL OUR HEART! PLEASE ACCEPT OUR FEALTY TOWARDS YOU!"
The four expert guards roared with their determination, the sound shocking everyone present in the room. The air itself seemed to vibrate with the weight of their oath.
Queen Mother's eyes widened in shock seeing this display. Suddenly, her gaze darted toward Zack's back, her mind racing through implications, her eyes sparkling with realization and something deeper. Pride, perhaps, or recognition of something truly significant unfolding.
"A warrior giving their loyalty, their strength, their heart and soul to a person… Wow, such great honor! Your brother is amazing, Sasha!" Chieftess looked at them with sparkling eyes, deeply moved by the traditional display of fealty.
"Umm, yes!" Sasha smiled wide, seeing this moment unfolds, her chest swelling with pride for her brother.
"Ah! Miss Experts…"
TAP!
As Zack was about to say something in response, Grandmother tapped his hand gently and smiled at him with approval shining in her eyes, nodding her permission.
Zack looked at the others in the room who nodded back at him telling him to respect their decision. Zack after thinking for a while stood up slowly, and bowed slightly back to them with dignity befitting the gravity of the moment.
"Raise your heads, Miss Experts." He commanded gently, his voice carrying natural authority after standing tall.
WHOOSH.
All four of them raised their heads with perfect precision, standing straight respectfully, their movements synchronized as if they shared one mind.
"Thank you. I will accept your fealty towards me, but remember this clearly." Zack paused to let his words carry weight. "Queen Mother is your top priority, and so is her daughter. I know she was not good towards you today and I am sorry about that, but please treat her well regardless. And regarding me, I will respect your decision to serve. The only thing I ask is that you can be at ease when you're with me, okay?"
Zack smiled as he looked at the expert guards, who were all significantly taller than him. Despite the height difference, his presence commanded their respect absolutely.
"Yes!" they answered back in unison, their voices firm with commitment.
"Oh, then why not ask them to show their faces, Zack? They won't refuse you now, you know." Oliver came over with a smirk playing on his lips, standing beside Zack and putting his arm on his shoulder casually.
TWITCH TWITCH TWITCH TWITCH.
The expert girls' eyes all twitched simultaneously at hearing this suggestion, their bodies going rigid.
"HO HO HO! Do you want to know why they hide their faces? This grandmother can tell you the story." Grandmother said with clear amusement dancing in her voice.
"Grandmother, please let us know! I'm very curious now." Oliver said as he swiftly got on the ground and began gently massaging her legs with skilled hands, his movements fully giving off the vibe of caring for elders but his smirking face tell a different story.
"Ho ho, good lad! I like your spirit and your manners!" Grandmother enjoyed the massage thoroughly, her expression relaxing even more with satisfaction.
"NO, GRANDMOTHER!" The girls came forward quickly and gently placed their hands over her mouth, stopping her from speaking and revealing their secret.
"MASTER ZACK! We… we…" The others hesitated and fidgeted tremendously, their faces turning red with embarrassment beneath their masks, clearly visible in their body language.
"Hahah!" Zack laughed warmly and signalled them not to worry about it, waving his hand dismissively to show he wouldn't push the matter.
The mood became warm and comfortable as everyone talked and laughed together for quite a while, the earlier tension dissolving completely into nothing. The room filled with the sounds of conversation, laughter, and the comfortable noise of family and friends enjoying each other's company without reservation.
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END OF CHAPTER
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Author Blabbering
"GGGUUAAAAA!" the author screamed in terror as he felt his stomach growing softer with each passing day. He considered going for a run, but in his mind, his readers were begging him to keep writing, or at least that is what he chose to believe. So he gave up on the idea for now, though he promised himself he would soon follow the path of fitness influencers and become someone who could look dashing in front of beautiful women, if they even spared him a glance.
For the moment, the author settled for a non alcoholic drink and prepared to go to sleep.
Byeeesssss!!!
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