Young Writers Society

Destiny thought for a moment, laughing quietly. "Hmm. No, maybe you don't want to know why. It'd be nice if Jay could go somewhere without you thinking something would go chaotically wrong."

A fond smile played softly at Natalia's lips as she nestled the last of the mushrooms they'd need into place. "It always seems to tuen out well though, doesn't it?"

"It does." Smiling, Destiny glanced at her before cutting off another shelf of mushrooms from the bark. "We all love Jay, even though he might set a garden on fire every once in a while."

Natalia nodded. She took the last of the mushrooms from Destiny and put them with the others before folding up the basket. "That aught to be enough," she said quietly. She brushed back a bit of her dark hair with her fingers, then looked up at Destiny. Natalia seemed to study her a second, then smiled warmly, her rosy cheeks plumping. "All three of you are special. Michael and I are very proud of you."

Lamarr was playing with Lily. Lily had set up a tic-tac-toe board using a dusty plate because she was creative like that and her author didn't want to explain how they made paper because his brain is full of wet paper. Oops, he just broke th fourth wall. Oh well.

Anyways! (XDD)

Lily was letting Lam win, and this was making Lam mad, so he threw a leaf at her and then she threw the leaf at him, and then he poked her, and then she tickled him until he cried because ily felt like something bad was about to happen so she felt like she should smile while she had the chance.

She knew this well, but every time one of them said it, it always made her feel warm and delighted on the inside. Her soft smile and beaming gaze were aimed at Natalia as she got to her feet. "Love you," she said happily, kissing her mother's cheek lightly.

Natalia stood and kissed Destiny's cheek with a smile. "I love you too, davin." She touched Destiny's strong shoulder and slipped her hand away, laughing because she realized she'd forgotten about the dirt on her fingers. She brushed it away and said, "How about we go get your brother, hm?"

Michael was bored because his brain, too, was made of wet paper. What was he supposed to do now? What was his job? What was his title? He couldn't name one occasion-- not one-- where a former monarch had watched their grandchild become the new leader of Belecthorian society. Maybe... a new name? The Queen Avus-- Grandfather of the Queen. That would make Natalia the Queen Avia... unless...

Would she step down, too?

Thus, Michael entered existential crisis mode as he blankly sat on David's front step, oblivious to the rest of the world.

"...Which brother?" She chuckled as her mother got the dirt off her dark sweater. "I'm going to guess it's Lamarr, but I could be wrong."

SilverNight wrote:"...Which brother?" She chuckled as her mother got the dirt off her dark sweater. "I'm going to guess it's Lamarr, but I could be wrong."

Natalia nodded in amusement. "Lamarr. He's been with Lily since this morning."

"Alright." Destiny nodded, glancing up at the sky quickly before shrugging. "Sounds good to me."

SilverNight wrote:"Alright." Destiny nodded, glancing up at the sky quickly before shrugging. "Sounds good to me."

Natalia smiled a little and lightly touched Destiny's shoulder a moment as they started through the woods heading back. By the time they reached the main road again, emerging from between two log houses, Natalia was chilled through and giggling a little bit at the ripe red color of Destiny's nose and cheeks, trying to figure out whose were pinker without being able to see their own. They were just nearing David's house when Natalia looked ahead again and saw Michael. She smiled at him fondly, but he didn't seem to realize she and Destiny were approaching. Natalia fell quiet as a feeling of concern began to take over and they drew up beside him.

Destiny watched him uncertainly. Her eyes met her father's distant gaze as she put a hand on both of her parents' shoulders. Her breath clouded the cold air, fading away like mist before she spoke. "Everything alright?" she asked him gently.

Michael sat in silence for a few moments until he finally said, "I lost my job." He let that sink in for a moment and then he grinned. "I lost my job. Jaques isn't my problem anymore. MICHAEL IS FREEEEEEEEEEE!"

Hope, who had been sitting silently across the street with her cat who's name I forgot, looked up and said, "Has the King finally lost it, or is it just now showing?"

I don't know, Hope, Destiny thought, blinking at Michael in confusion. Her hair fluttered in the wind as she stood still and silent. The words hadn't quite sunk in yet.

I lost my job.

Not King anymore? What did that mean for him, then? For all of them?

She frowned. Her mouth opened, but then no words came out, and she closed it again, feeling strangely helpless. Destiny knew this news would have come eventually, but she hadn't expected it to be this soon. And she never once would have thought they would be spoken with happiness.

Maybe it had always been a burden. Maybe all she'd seen before was the power, without remembering the price for holding on to it.

She wondered if it would cost them someday for him to let it go.