"Hey! How much longer do I have to WAIT????!!!! MY ASS IS HURTING FROM SITTING IN THIS CARRIAGE!!!!"
Little Man emerged from the carriage and approached the two husbands who were sitting outside on the grass, relaxing peacefully in the afternoon sun.
"Hmm, then sit here with us. It's much cozier."
One of the husbands patted the grass beside him invitingly, not even bothering to look at him.
"Why would I do that?! Just let me go inside!"
Little Man tried to move closer to the door, but the two men shifted to block his path without seeming to move at all.
"I don't think I would dare go inside right now.... Because it's full of women. IT'S REALLY DANGEROUS IN THERE!"
The husband spoke seriously, his tone making Little Man actually shiver.
"But that Big Guy is in there!" Little Man suddenly remembered, pointing at the door.
"Oh, that guy is fine. He's more of a girl than a boy at heart, leave him be. If anyone's in danger, it's the women's souls!!!!"
The husband spoke from obvious experience, shaking his head with amusement.
"Tsk!"
Little Man huffed in frustration and walked away, going back to the carriage to suffer in uncomfortable silence.
.
"Sighhhh..."
First Husband lay down fully on the grass, watching the clouds passing slowly overhead. The afternoon was warm and felt very peaceful.
"These kids sure are living their lives to the fullest."
He spoke quietly, almost to himself.
"If we had a kid, they'd be around the same age as them, right?"
"Don't start this again."
Second Husband sighed heavily, knowing exactly where this conversation was heading.
"I'm just... a little sad, that's all."
First Husband's voice carried a weight of accumulated disappointment.
"Of course I don't hate Mikaela for it.... I just feel like time is passing us by swiftly. In few years, we'll be entering the age where our bones start to deteriorate, where our bodies will start giving up on us.... It's getting too late."
He stretched his fingers, examining them in the sunlight. They'd become rough and weathered from all these years of work.
Second Husband was quiet for a moment, then spoke carefully.
"She's reached this position in the city after so much struggle and sacrifice…... She can't just give it up like that. Maybe when her position stabilizes a bit more, then she'll..."
He didn't have the energy to finish the sentence. They both knew it was a hope they'd been clinging to for years.
"You know... I was approached by a woman recently, HAHA…"
First Husband laughed, but it sounded hollow.
"She liked me a lot and wanted to be with me. She even said she was ready to birth my child."
"Was she hot?"
Second Husband smirked casually, the corner of his mouth twitching up.
"Yeah, she was….. But not like our Mikaela, so I rejected her."
First Husband closed his eyes against the brightness of the sky.
"But I won't lie...…..I thought about it for a second.... Really thought about it...."
"Don't tell Mikaela that. She'll skin you alive."
Second Husband laughed then also laid down close beside his partner, closing his eyes against the warm sun.
They lay there together in comfortable silence, two men who'd chosen love over legacy, wondering if they'd made the right choice.
.
"This is my third time changing the dress today. I think this one is cursed. Should I send you to bring a new style?"
Natalia touched the fabric with her palm, feeling the intricate flower designs woven into the cloth. As her fingers brushed over a section of the chest, the decorative patterns slowly raised up from the fabric, transforming into sharp, thorn-like tentacles ready to strike anyone who got too close, a defensive mechanism built into royal attire.
She pressed it back down gently, returning it to its natural flowery beauty.
"No thanks! I'm not moving!"
Emmy still acted haughty as she worked on braiding Nat's hair, her fingers moving with precision.
Nat caught Emmy's reflection in the mirror and spoke thoughtfully.
"Actually, you may not know this, but Oliver also has a cute lovable woman at his side, who loves him very much. I've met her several times and she is completely head over heels over him and…she is quite good….."
She paused, choosing her words carefully.
"She's the complete opposite of you. Her words and actions both speak louder than anyone else's. She's like a very close friend to him, and I'm sure he has a soft spot for her…. Though he never acknowledged her...."
Nat smiled slightly, thinking about those two and their easy dynamic.
Emmy's fingers suddenly trembled a little then stopped mid-braid, for few seconds she just got frozen...Then she looked up, meeting Nat's eyes in the mirror.
"Why are you telling me all this now???? Even though I was hurt back then by your words, I still don't intend to go back to him. I've fully rejected him."
Her voice was carefully controlled, emotionless.
"Whether he gets together with her or someone else, I don't care..." She muttered slowly but her fingers were fidgeting a lot.
"Yes, I don't care! Stupid SHAMPOO BASTARD!!!!" Emmy's mind roared silently.
"If you didn't care, then you wouldn't have felt bad about it."
Nat's voice was gentle as she smiled a little watching her reaction.
"What I said before was true, but I'm sorry for the way I said it. I know you can handle any situation given to you. I won't say much more since I'm not the right person to tell others how to love someone."
Nat smiled and took her hair from Emmy's hands, beginning to braid it herself while thinking about how she might change her hairstyle in the future.
Emmy just stood there, contemplating her own tangled thoughts and feelings.
.
Natalia came into the dining hall and sat down to eat the food Big Guy had re heated. The meal was simple but incredibly delicious.
While eating, a realization suddenly surfaced in her mind unbidden.
She saw Zack clearly, always standing in front of a crowd, but the way people positioned themselves around him was different from hers.... They never surrounded him in a tight, suffocating circle. They never stood in a rigid straight line either. Instead, they formed a soft semi-circle, making themselves feel close and engaged while maintaining a respectful distance.
Then she saw herself in contrast, either at the front of a crowd demanding attention, or trapped in the middle of a tight circle, completely surrounded.
She sighed while thinking about this fundamental difference.
"I guess Zack is a natural leader, while I just... well, let's learn from my man!"
She looked up at the trio of faces in front of her who were eating their own portion...Big Guy, Emmy, and Miss Expert Sister... She thought for a second then asked a question that took everyone by surprise.
"You guys know I made a mess in the 3 rocks district.......So, I want your help!!!!... what should I do to make myself better?"
The question hit the ears of the trio and made them exchanged glances, and they could see the surprise in each other eyes. They have seen Nat over the years and know her style of working, it was dominant, to the point, while rarely asking for any help.
But right now, they could see in her eyes that she has accepted herself as a failure and was ready to learn from her mistake. The trio smiled and gave her a nod.
Miss Expert Sister spoke first, sipping juice professionally through the opening in her mask while tilting her head. Big Guy tried to sneak a glance at her face but failed miserably.
"Go with the intention of making things better for everyone. Not someday in the distant future, but by tomorrow..... Don't think about the grand, long-term future of the city. Think about tomorrow. Think about the people who are living in this city right now, and how you can give them a better day when they wake up."
"Hmm... for tomorrow..."
Nat's mind started racing with possibilities.
"You took your position for granted and because of that you haven't really made a plan on how to make this city a better place and because of that you subconsciously supported the Top Crown people more rather than the city people itself" Emmy spoke without any pleasantries.
AGHH!... "Yes you are right I am sorry….. I was the only contender for the position so I truly did take the position of Queen granted.... All I did was learn what is necessary to become a Princess but never applied it in real life"…siigghhh...Nat slumped down thinking what she has done all her life.
"Don't worry Big sister Nat, Brother Zack is …..OW OW!!" Big guy words were interrupted by sudden pain in his legs, Big guy looked toward glaring Emmy as he awkwardly laughed and continued " I mean to say you should learn from Brother Zack, he was always helping Queen mother in her work and he has more knowledge at ground level!!!"
Nat went into flashback and recollected her memories of Zack coming to her but he was always busy with one thing or another. Nat slowly remember his doings and her attitude towards Zack, she was about to cry again but calmed down by Emmy.
"I guess Zack was worried a lot, so he done his best for me…..AGH!....I am sorry Zack for all the things I have done" Nat sadly thought.
"Big sister Nat in my opinion just think you are Brother Zack and tackle the problems like him, with your knowledge and his way of doing thing I am sure you will become the best Princess this city has even seen!! hahahha" Big guy laughed as she gave a thump up. Nat also laughed and nodded while clearing her tears "This is not the time to be feeling sad, I have to learn and make sure I don't do anymore mistake! " Nat encourage herself in her mind trying to shake off her sad feelings.
"Hmmm…If we are talking about mixing then…..don't you think if you mix both of them then their Kid would be the best leader in future? " Miss Expert spoke casually while eating but her eyes were shinning in delight.
PPUUFFFFFFFFF!!!
Nat face got super-hot instantly and her mind instantly stopped working and she went into the dreamland…. The others try to bring her to reality but it was a failure.
Time passed as everyone discussed more things and Nat listened everything with keen hearing making sure at least for her remaining consort she can do her job well. After a while she finished her food swiftly, then stood up.
She was about to walk away when she suddenly stepped back. To everyone's shock, she picked up her own plate and began cleaning it, she also gathered the leftover dishes, and wipes down the surfaces, doing the mundane work of clearing after a meal.
Her expensive attire got a little wet from the dishwater, but she didn't mind at all.
Everyone sat frozen, shocked at seeing a princess doing such ordinary, humble work with her own hands.
Emmy recovered first and smiled, stepping forward to teach Nat the proper technique for washing dishes efficiently.
Natalia listened attentively, absorbing every small detail, and completed the work with Emmy's guidance.
.
After everything was finished and cleaned up, she and the others stepped outside together, leaving the house behind.
Fresh air and warm sunlight hit Natalia's face immediately. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, smelling the surroundings rock surface, the small grass, the faint scent of flowers, the particular smell of this district. She rose up on her tiptoes and gave herself a slight stretch, her body extending gracefully, working out the tension from sitting.
Then she smiled and looked straight, her gaze found someone as she smiled and walked toward Little Man, who stood outside the house parameter waiting at the front.
As she reached close to him, she bowed deeply to him, her body folding with sincere respect.
"Thank you for everything, Little Man. For all these years."
Little Man's body went rigid with shock. He felt his legs suddenly get weak beneath him. He wanted to say something... Anything.... But felt his throat completely blocked up, all his emotions choking him. It took him quite a while to regain his composure.
Finally, he let out a long, sad sigh.
"I guess I have no place in your life anymore."
His smile was melancholic, carrying years of unrequited feelings but his eyes still looked at her with love.
"We can still be friends! But this time, TRUE friends!"
Nat smiled back, her expression giving the vibe that she couldn't care less about his love, she was offering him the truth instead of the complicated mess they'd had before.
"I think I'll... think about it. Give me some time to give up on you….. But I really love you Natalia..."
Little Man sighed again and brought his arm out tentatively.
"One last hug?"
Nat smiled gently and shook her head. Instead, she bowed to him again, giving him a gesture of respect rather than a friendly hug that she gave tons of time to him before.
Little Man smiled sadly and just waved as he slowly walked away, his shoulders slightly slumped.
Nat watched his retreating back for a long moment, "Little man….you are a good person…. I am sorry for everything…. I hope you forget about me... I hope we can be friends again without any feelings…. Thank you for everything…" Nat slowly muttered and gave him last couple of looks then turned around to face her group.
"LET'S GO, EVERYONE!"
.
"Uncle, I want to walk with the people through the underground area. I can answer their questions as we inspect the district together."
Nat spoke as they approached the meeting area. Most of the gathered crowd were women, with only a few men present scattered throughout.
Leader Mikaela's First Husband nodded and swiftly made arrangements, organizing the group for maximum efficiency and safety with the help of Expert sister.
Natalia walked happily among the citizens, talking with them as they moved through the areas together. She positioned herself in the middle, forming a very short U-shape with the crowd. As people asked their questions, they would move to the back after receiving answers, and others would take their place maintaining a constant flow of communication.
"Princess, we ladies have been having some problems for a long time."
One woman spoke up nervously, encouraged by others around her.
"We can't wear open lower attire when taking the flying boards like short skirts and all. Yes, there are clothes designed not to move much in strong wind, but we still feel uncomfortable since there are always some freaky people trying to peek under our clothing."
Nat thought carefully for a moment, her brow furrowing.
"Carriages are definitely expensive... Boards, hmm..."
She tapped her chin thoughtfully.
"Either we have to create a new mode of transport entirely, or change the board design to be better suited for those conditions. If you ladies have any ideas, feel free to reach out to me. I'll also give this problem to my skilled workers to think about."
She turned to Emmy.
"Emmy, take a note of this."
Emmy nodded and pulled out a small notepad, writing down the issue with haphazard way that only she can understand.
.
Another woman stepped forward wearing well-dressed outfit, clearly a business owner.
"Princess, I'm the owner of one of the luxury clothing shops in this district."
She spoke with professional confidence but also with a heavy concern.
"Actually, we have lots of good clothes returned to us, and some are still good enough to use in daily life. I want to reuse them, but first, we don't have a recycling facility to make them usable again. And if we try to give them directly to others as second-hand items, it's hard to get anyone to buy them."
Her eyes filled with hope as she continued.
"I want to contribute something to the community. Even if I only get a slight profit, I'm willing to provide better quality clothing to everyone, especially those who can't afford new good quality clothes. If something could be done about this, it would be great."
She showed Nat some damaged clothes that could be repaired, along with some perfectly good second-hand items.
Princess Natalia listened with her full attention. She even tried some of the clothes on over her own attire, shocking the people around her by treating second-hand clothing with such respect.
She asked many detailed questions....about fabric types, damage patterns, potential uses…..and finally spoke thoughtfully.
"Not just clothes, there are many things that can be reused and repurposed properly. I'll see if we can create a facility specifically for that purpose. Thank you for bringing this to my attention."
She looked directly at the woman.
"Why don't you help me in doing this? I'll need someone with your expertise."
The princess's invitation brought a huge, happy smile to the woman's face. She nodded enthusiastically, her eyes shining with purpose.
.
TRRRING
The bell chimed as Nat entered a shop.
"Ah! Princess! Greetings!"
The workers immediately bowed in respect, surprised and honored by her presence.
"Hello there! I see you have a beautiful shop. How is everything going for you people?"
Nat looked around with interest, examining the merchandise and the cute layout.
"Princess, we... actually, most things in the shop are fine."
One worker spoke hesitantly, glancing at their colleagues.
"But sometimes drunk people come by and cause a lot of problems for us. They harass customers, break things, make everyone uncomfortable..."
Nat nodded seriously, her expression full of understanding.
"Didn't City guards took care of them?"
"Actually…. They usually come when the city is going through something…. Like some huge event, or festival, or any huge party, or attacks on border, or large-scale crop harvesting and so on….. And as you know these kinds of events keep happening time to time and then they take the chance to bring trouble…. Some even try to use some force…. We get really scared Princess…. Even yesterday a woman came with her group and created lot of trouble…."
"I guess we need to create another batch of guards specifically for these kinds of problems, guards that can be present all day in shifts to protect businesses and citizens during times like these….. I'll make sure they'll be deployed soon enough."
She smiled sweetly, making everyone's hearts flutter.
The workers watched her wave goodbye and leave from their story, even after Nat left, they were still slightly dazed.
"She's so beautiful... it felt like my whole body relaxed instantly."
A male worker spoke in admiration, his voice dreamy.
"Yes! She has such a beautiful voice. I was mesmerized the whole time she was speaking."
Another agreed, still staring at the door where she'd exited.
.
Nat continued her tour through the district, visiting shop after shop, talking with citizens, taking notes of problems and potential solutions.
Then she arrived at a particular establishment in a dark corner.
Many people in the crowd frowned immediately upon seeing it, their expressions turning sour.
Nat looked at the shop and smiled sadly.
"The hole in our system that was created due to our negligence."
She bowed deeply in apology to the gathered citizens.
"I don't know how much time it will take for me to create a system where places like this aren't required to exist. But I can't let it remain standing while I work toward that future."
She looked up at them earnestly.
"I hope you won't hate me for this."
She nodded toward Miss Expert Sister, who immediately took several guards and raided the establishment. Within minutes, they'd turned it into an abandoned, sealed-off place and arrested many people inside, those who were running the illegal operations in the name of helping citizen.
The citizens watching felt immediate relief wash over them. They bowed deeply in gratitude.
"Princess, thank you! We don't want them here! They're more bad than good!"
One elderly woman spoke for the group, her voice shaking with emotion.
"We couldn't do anything because they have strong powers backing them. But we are sure you could deal with them."
Nat nodded solemnly, understanding the weight of their trust.
They left that dark corner behind, and slowly, Nat covered the whole underground area, doing many small things immediately and planning for larger changes in the future.
After a long, exhausting day, she stood near her carriage and bowed to all the people gathered, showing her respect and gratitude for their time and honesty.
Then she climbed inside while listening to the cheers.
.
"Phew... I hope I helped them at least a little today."
Nat gently brushed her hair behind her ears, feeling accomplished but very tired. She looked out the window toward Queen's Palace, wondering what was happening there.
TAK TAK
A knock on the carriage door.
"Hmm? What is it?"
Miss Expert Sister opened the door, her expression serious beneath the mask.
"Orders from Queen's Palace. We're stopping your consort's advance.... WE'RE TAKING DOWN THE 1ST ROCK DISTRICT RIGHT NOW!!!"
Miss Expert Sister smiled wickedly under her mask, clearly excited about the military action.
"HUH? WHAT? HOW? WHY NOW?"
Nat looked completely confused, her mind racing to catch up with this sudden information, she don't understand what was going on but she trusted her mother so she instantly spoke.
"If they're planning to attack her, then I can be bait! I can help!"
She suddenly stood up, ready to throw herself into danger.
Big Guy and Emmy were about to protest when Nat suddenly thought of Zack.
"What would he think if I did that?"
All she could picture was Zack's angry face, disappointed in her for being reckless, for throwing away her safety without thinking things through.
"Miss Subordinate Woman and Miss Rugged Woman wouldn't rush in stupidly either. They'd be for sure talk with Zack, they will for sure not don't do anything that would make Zack life hard, especially that Subordinate woman, she will not move an inch without talking to Zack…."
Nat shook her head firmly and sat back down peacefully.
"I'll wait for them here."
Miss Expert Sister nodded approvingly as the carriage lifted off, flying back toward the 2nd rock district. It landed and stayed in one secure place, then just waited there…..
Nat slowly started getting anxious despite her resolve. Her fingers fidgeted nervously with the fabric of her dress, twisting and untwisting the material while thinking about Zack,
"Calm down, Nat. No matter what happens, you have to say the truth.... Don't fear the consequences."
She spoke to herself quietly, placing her hand on her chest and feeling her rapid heartbeat.
"Geez, only half a day has passed, but I'm so nervous about seeing Zack again."
PPPhhhheeeeewwwwwwww......…..
She closed her eyes and whispered the truth.
"I MISS YOU, ZACK…... AND I LOVE YOU...."
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END OF CHAPTER
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Author Blabbering
I love my rea....I love MYSELF!!!!!
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