During breakfast, Josephine was sick. She lay on the bed, her body weak, her face pale. Sienna checked her carefully, placing a hand on her forehead.
"She has a high fever," Sienna said gravely. "And due to the depression, it made it worse for her."
"Depression?" Xavi said sharply.
"Yes. Josephine is very depressed," Sienna continued softly. "She is sad, Your Majesty. Maybe it is because of her not having a voice… and her boys too."
Xavi sat beside Josephine and rubbed her hair softly, his thumb brushing her temple with care.
"I will make her happy again," Xavi said firmly.
"Us too," the kids said together.
By noon, Ophelia, Orion, Nadia, Fola, Blaze, Alina, Max, Kelvin, Henry, Jules, Sablea, Emery, Wren, and Lark were working on their project. They were reading about the history of Zephyria when Seliora walked in.
"Hey Ron, you called me?" she said.
"Yes, auntie. You're Mama's guardian, right?" Orion asked.
"Yes. Wanna see my form?" Seliora said.
"Yes please!" Ophelia said excitedly.
Seliora's eyes glowed dark blue. Her body grew a bit bigger, a sea headpiece forming on her head. Her gown had two thigh slits, black jewelry shimmered against her skin, and her hair turned blue.
"Woah..." Fola said as they were stunned.
Seliora smiled, standing proudly in her full form.
"Have you seen your mother's full form?" she asked.
"Not really…." Orion said quietly.
"Maybe in Zephyria then," Seliora said as she patted the twins' heads. "You all go pack up. We leave tomorrow."
She turned and left.
Ophelia had a huge grin on her face.
"Papa!" she said as she ran out and came back holding Xavi's hand.
"What is it, Lila? I'm trying to feed your mother," Xavi said gently.
"Just three minutes, Dad," she begged.
Orion took Vaedor, the baby. Both giggled while Vaedor kicked his little legs in the air.
"How did you meet Mama?" Ophelia asked.
The kids quickly took out a book and pen to write everything down as Xavi sat.
"I was her teacher back then," Xavi began. "Her powers hadn't come yet."
He explained everything to them—her awakening, their marriage, her being the reborn of Hetragon, now Kara, how the twins were born, Adris's blood being changed to hers, the coma, and her returning too.
They wrote everything.
"Wow…." Blaze said.
"So we were orbs?" Ophelia asked.
Xavi nodded.
"Big brother wasn't Mama's son but now hers?" Orion asked.
"Yep," Xavi said.
"Alright, pack up. We leave in the morning. We have a family picnic in Zephyria. All families," Xavi said as he left.
"This is amazing, Ron," Max said.
Orion nodded.
"Why didn't you guys say anything about being King Xavi's kids? You both would've been so popular," Alina said.
"We don't want that," the twins said together.
"We just want to be like other kids, not brats," they said again.
The group nodded.
"Soooo, what now?" Sablea said.
"Games?" Kelvin suggested.
"Yeah, let's go!" Lark said.
"Yep!" they all said as they went out.
Nadia pulled Orion back and kissed his lips. Orion was stunned. She quickly pulled his hand, dragging him away. He smiled at her.
While playing games—
"So Orion, are you gonna be the next King?" Henry asked.
"No. Lila's gonna be Queen," Orion said.
"Why?" Jules asked.
"Exactly what I told him, but noooo, Ron doesn't want to be king like Dad," Ophelia said.
"Too much burden, too much pressure, life at risk… and I hear hearing problems on my left ear," Orion said.
Nadia held his hand under the table, comforting him.
"Sorry, Ron," the group said.
"I like this group. We should all be friends!" Fola said.
"Yeah!" the group cheered.
"We will find a good but dangerous name," Wren said.
"Yeah, so that nobody gets to mess with us!" Emery said.
"YEAH!" they said, laughing.
By nightfall, Xavi cuddled Josephine, holding her tight. He sent messages to Tess, Piere, Callum, Therodora, Kara—calling all families to Zephyria for a grand family picnic. They were already on their way, waiting and making preparations.
In the morning, Josephine's face was still sad.
Xavi dressed her in a black dress with cross ropes at the back. Her red and black hair was braided into two. Xavi lifted her and pulled her into his lap.
"My love, my Queen, my darling… please don't be sad, love. I promise you, in Zephyria this time, you will love," Xavi said.
Josephine gave him a small smile. They kissed.
"Mama!" Novara said.
Xavi lifted her into his arms and carried her downstairs as the kids and gang watched them.
"Picnic!" Novara said happily.
Bluey Roar lifted her onto his back.
"Uhmm… she has a blue mountain tiger as a pet?" Nadia said.
"Yep," Orion said.
They got into the carriage and left for Zephyria.
After an hour, they arrived. Josephine fell asleep in the carriage.
King Hendrick and Queen Sophina were there. Hendrick was now 64, Sophina 58, both glowing with grace.
Piere, Callum, and Tess were there.
Xavi placed Josephine in her hall, covered her, kissed her forehead, and let her sleep as he sat feeding the twins.
"Awww, look—Kaelric has Jojo's face," Callum said.
"Yeah, his little nose and mouth, like when she was a baby," Tess said.
Tess was 44 years old.
Callum was 48.
Nyx was 53.
Piere was 42.
Raden was 56.
Noah was 48.
Callum and Nyx had Lucien and Lioren, twin boys now 12, Alaric, Calyxa, and Aethan, an 8-month-old.
Piere and Raden had Aureth, 12, Kairoth, Obryx, Zeiron, and their 1-year-old Orynth.
Tess and Noah had Auriel and Kheed, twin girls, Ravessa and Ravixa, and their little 1-year-old Eldric.
Therodora and Ruby had Ezra, Malric, Lior, Sisko, Doro.
Kara and Oliver had Thane, Asne, the twin boys Abyss and Void, and their little baby girl named Thalara.
They all sat at the grand table and had breakfast together.
By noon, the group sat in Josephine's throne room. The throne was glowing.
"Woah, the aura is so powerful!" Alina said.
"Right," Wren agreed.
They kept writing on their project.
Orion heard Vaedor crying. Nadia took him and patted his little back.
Orion snapped his fingers at his baby brother. Vaedor stopped crying and blinked at Orion, trying to go to him.
"V, big brother is busy…." Ophelia said as she kissed his cheeks.
Vaedor giggled and grabbed her hair.
"Hey!" she said.
The group laughed as Vaedor giggled loudly, pulling her hair.
Orion stepped forward and kissed Vaedor's forehead. Vaedor released her hair. Orion took him in his arms, patting him to sleep as they continued working. Eventually, Vaedor slept.
In the morning, Josephine woke up.
"Good morning, darling," Xavi said.
She gave him a weak smile. He kissed her lips. She took a hot bath with Xavi. He massaged her body, and she relaxed in his arms. She got dressed, Xavi did her hair, and took her downstairs.
She saw everyone there.
Xavi held her hand.
"HI JOJO!" the family said.
Tess hugged her tightly. Josephine hugged her back—she needed it.
"Hey baby," Piere said as he kissed her forehead and hugged her. "It's okay, love. We're here."
Josephine's tears came down.
Callum patted her head and hugged her. Josephine cried as they held her tightly.
During lunch, Tess fed Josephine while Xavi fed the babies. Nova sat with Bluey eating. The castle was calm.
Meanwhile, in another castle—
"MOM!" Ash burst in, making the room flinch.
Queen Roxy turned to him with a smile.
"What happened, my child?"
"I AM NOT YOUR CHILD!" Ash shouted, his eyes glowing dark green.
"Why did you do this to me? Why, Mom? Why!"
"What did Mother do?" his sister asked.
Ash had three sisters—Ravixa, half-elf half-demon witch; Isenra, demon witch; Solthia, an elf.
"She made the biggest lie of my life. You played with me, you hurt and betrayed me, Mom. Why did you lie about Karesse!" Ash shouted.
Queen Roxy's eyes widened.
"H-H-Huh? But she is dead, love."
"NO SHE'S NOT! SHE IS ALIVE! I SAW HER! SHE SAW ME! YOU LIED! YOU DESTROYED MY LIFE!!"
Ash lifted the table and threw it out the glass window, destroying everything in the room.
"ASH, CALM DOWN!" Ravixa cried.
His form broke out—eyes dark green, body growing bigger, skin turning red.
Kestera walked in, hands in his pockets.
"Ash," he said calmly. "Calm the fuck down for K."
Ash stared at him, breathing heavily, until he finally calmed. Tears streamed down his face.
"Why, Mom? Why did you ruin two lives? Why did you separate two soulmates? You knew how much I love Karesse."
Queen Roxy's tears fell.
"I am sorry. She wasn't good for you. She wasn't fit for you."
"YOU THINK SHE ISN'T? SHE WAS THERE FOR ME WHEN I WAS ALONE! WHEN YOU PUSHED ME AWAY! WHEN I WAS NOTHING! YOU NEVER TREATED ME AS YOUR SON! SHE WAS THERE FOR ME! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND YOU DID THAT BIG LIE!"
His sisters lowered their heads.
"You all knew she was alive. You all saw how I went to someone else's grave thinking it was her. I was going to end my life just to be with her in the afterlife."
Kestera held his shoulder.
"I will never come back here again. I cut ties with this family. I disown you all. I never want to see any of your faces again. I hate you, Queen Roxy. You are a batshit selfish evil woman and don't deserve to be called a mother. You are the most disgusting woman ever. No wonder Dad died—because of your stupid needs, how you sucked his wealth while sleeping with different men. Who knows if any of them are Dad's real children or just bastards."
Ash said coldly and walked away.
Queen Roxy fell to her knees.
"ASH!!!!!!!!" she screamed through tears.
The girls were too stunned to speak.
Ash covered his face as Kestera handed him a bottle of water.
They set off to Zephyria.