The shuttle glided swiftly back to my parents' house, but my mind drifted between two contrasting worlds. The palace, with its opulent halls and graceful arches, felt like home—a sanctuary where I truly belonged. Yet as I stepped onto the rich, loamy soil of Earth and inhaled the crisp, familiar air, a different kind of warmth enveloped me, one that spoke of childhood memories and unspoken dreams. I was no longer the carefree child who once sprinted through these sun-dappled fields, who scraped her knees while chasing after the neighborhood boys, desperately trying to squeeze herself into a mold that had never quite fit.

In those days, I yearned for the delicate allure of the dresses my sisters wore, their twirling skirts dancing in the breeze, while I envied the porcelain dolls they cradled, so intricately crafted and perfect. The weight of the expectations placed upon me felt like an anchor, holding me down as I dreamed of a life that celebrated my true self.

Still, I had always cherished this place. The invigorating scent of pine lingered in the air, mingling with the sweet, earthy aroma of the forest floor. The gentle rustling of leaves in the afternoon breeze played a soothing melody, while the sun's golden rays cast a warm glow against my skin, invoking a profound sense of nostalgia that wrapped around me like a soft embrace.

As I stroll through the vibrant yard with Minsha trotting happily beside me, I take a moment to soak in the beauty surrounding us. The scent of freshly bloomed flowers mingles with the crisp air, and the golden sunlight dances through the leaves overhead, casting playful shadows on the ground. Just as I start to fully embrace this peaceful ambiance, the distant sound of laughter and conversation shatters the tranquility, reminding me of the world beyond this serene escape.

“I don’t care, Brian! Those freaks better not come near me or Gabby again,” Hannah’s sharp, venom-laced voice carried through the air. I stilled, my heart pounding. “Are you really buying that story? That... that thing was once your faggot brother? He died, and good riddance. He was crazy—thinking he was supposed to be a girl. Why couldn’t he have just died as a baby? It’s what he deserved.”

A wave of anxiety churned in my stomach, twisting it into tight knots. My breath caught in my throat, trapped by a sudden, unexpected shock that felt as though I had been struck by a bolt of lightning.

Brian’s response came in a hushed, strained voice. “Hannah, keep it down. We have to be careful. I was only being nice for Mom’s sake. We can’t upset her right now, or she won’t give us the money for the house. We just have to put up with it a little longer, or we lose everything.”

A cold wave of realization washed over me.

I should have known.

Their smiles, their sudden warmth—it had all been a lie.

Minsha shifted beside me, sensing my tension, but I couldn’t look at her.

My fingers clenched into fists, nails biting into my palms as I swallowed the lump in my throat.

I wasn’t sure what hurt more—the words themselves or the fact that, deep down, I had wanted to believe they had changed.

I froze mid-step, my heart tightening as the words sliced through the crisp evening air. The fragile warmth I had just begun to feel here—shattered. Hannah’s voice, dripping with venom, wrapped around me like a noose, suffocating, squeezing. My breath hitched, my pulse roaring in my ears.

Beside me, Minsha’s grip tightened, her fingers pressing firmly against my own. She had felt the shift in me, the way my body tensed at the sound of that hatred, so familiar yet still sharp enough to wound.

Slowly, I turned to her, searching her golden eyes. “You heard that too, didn’t you?” My voice barely carried above a whisper.

Minsha’s gaze darkened with fury. “I did. And I do not like the disrespect they have shown you.”

I swallowed against the lump in my throat, forcing my breathing to steady. “Neither do I.”

For the briefest moment, rage coiled in my chest, hot and demanding. A part of me wanted to storm inside, to throw their words back in their faces, to make them see how little they mattered. How dare they? How dare they smile to my face while spitting poison behind my back?

But another part of me—one forged in the fire of countless battles, in the weight of ruling, of standing before councils and commanding entire fleets—knew better. What would confronting them accomplish? Hannah wasn’t worth my fury. Brian wasn’t worth my time.

If anything, their words only confirmed what I had known all along. Their kindness had been a lie, a brittle mask to keep themselves in my mother’s good graces.

But what hurt the most wasn’t their hatred. It was the fact that, despite everything, I had still let myself hope.

I had wanted to believe that family—my family—could see me, truly see me. That they could accept me.

Maybe some of them did.

But not Brian. Not Hannah.

Not the ones I had grown up with.

Minsha’s hand squeezed mine again, grounding me. Her voice was soft, but firm. “We can leave if you wish. You do not need to endure this, Kara.”

I exhaled slowly, forcing the fire in my chest into a smolder instead of a blaze. Then, I let out a smirk—small, sharp, edged with something almost amused. “No, love. We stay. They think they can break me with whispers? They have no idea who they’re dealing with. I have stood before the most powerful beings in the galaxy and they did not shake me. Do you think the bitter spite of a coward and a leech will ruin me?”

Minsha’s lips curled into a smirk of her own. “Not in the slightest, my Empress.”

The title, the way she said it, anchored me. A reminder of who I was now. Of how far I had come.

I inhaled deeply, letting the crisp air strip the sting from my mind. “Good. Because I came here for my mother, not them. And I refuse to let them take this moment from me.”

With that, I turned on my heel, walking toward the house with Minsha by my side, my head held high.

Let them whisper. Let them seethe in their bitterness.

I had an empire to build. And their opinions held no power in my world.

Stacy was already waiting on the porch when we approached, her arms crossed, eyes shifting between Minsha and me. “Kara, can I talk to you?” she asked, her voice careful.

My mood was still soured from earlier, and it showed in my tone. “Sure, go ahead.”

Before I could even blink, Minsha’s hand swatted the back of my head—not hard, but enough to make my eyes widen in shock. I turned to her, utterly betrayed. “Hey—”

“Be nice,” she ordered firmly, golden eyes locking onto mine with no room for argument.

I sighed, rubbing the back of my head before turning back to Stacy. “I’m sorry. I just—heard some things earlier that irritated me, and I shouldn’t have taken it out on you. Please, tell me what you wanted to talk about.”

Stacy glanced between us, a small smile ghosting her lips at the exchange before she grew serious again. “Right. Well… I was the one who went to your house when you were gone. I found everything.”

The words hit like a sudden gust of wind, and I stiffened. Everything?

She exhaled, shifting her weight. “I just wanted to say that I’m sorry for not recognizing your struggles sooner. I should’ve seen it. Should’ve understood. I guess I never looked close enough.” She hesitated, then met my gaze with a sincerity I hadn’t expected. “I really want to get to know my sister. The real you—not the mask you wore growing up. I’m not like Dad and Brian. It’s hard to come out in this family, Kara. I know that as well as you do.

She took a deep breath, as if steadying herself. “What I’m trying to say is… are you finally happy being a woman?”

That question caught me completely off guard. For a beat, I just stared at her, blinking, before a chuckle bubbled up from my chest. “Am I happy that I’m finally a woman?” I repeated, shaking my head in amusement. “Yeah, Stacy. I really am. Even with all the trouble I’ve had—dealing with people like Dad, Brian, and Hannah—I have never once wished I could go back to being a man. Not even for a second.”

I sighed dramatically, lifting my foot to show off my heels. “Though, I do wish I was a bit taller. You see these things? This is what I have to wear just so I can kiss Minsha without her bending down so far.”

Minsha hummed, clearly entertained. “It is rather cute, though.”

Stacy laughed, shaking her head. “Yeah, you are quite a bit shorter now.”

I narrowed my eyes at her playfully. “Speaking of noticing things… I caught what you said earlier. Something about coming out to our parents?”

Stacy’s smile faltered, and she sighed, running a hand through her hair. “Yeah. I, uh… I really want to bring my girlfriend over, but I’m nervous about what Dad might think.”

I nodded, my expression softening. “I get it. But hey, bring her over. I’d love to meet the girl who managed to steal my little sister’s heart.”

Stacy rolled her eyes but grinned. “Hey, I’m not little anymore. If you haven’t noticed, I’m taller than you now.”

I groaned, throwing my hands up. “Alright, fine. Rub it in, why don’t you?”

Minsha chuckled beside me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders with an amused smirk. “She may be taller, but you are still the Empress.”

Damn right, I was.

And for the first time that evening, I let myself smile, knowing that at least one part of my family was worth holding onto.

Stacy sent a quick text on her phone, her fingers moving with purpose. I smirked to myself, shaking my head. Looks like I’m not the only woman in the family who likes girls.

Leaning back on the porch step, I let out a slow breath, letting the evening air wash over me. The day had been… exhausting. But in this moment, sitting beside Minsha, feeling her warmth next to mine, the tension slowly began to unwind.

Minsha turned to face me completely, her golden eyes locking onto mine with a searching intensity that sent shivers down my spine. Her expression was soft yet unreadable, a mix of vulnerability and determination. After a brief pause that felt like an eternity, she finally spoke.

"My love, I know this isn’t the best time, but..." She inhaled deeply, gathering her thoughts as if preparing to leap into a profound truth. "When I saw little Gabby playing, it made me realize—I want a baby with you."

Her words enveloped me like a warm wave, soothing yet electrifying. My heart stilled for a heartbeat, and then a slow, genuine smile unfurled on my lips, illuminating my face with a warmth that matched the tenderness of the moment. I reached for her hand, intertwining our fingers, feeling the softness of her skin against mine as I squeezed gently, anchoring her to me.

"Absolutely," I replied, my voice steady and filled with conviction. "As soon as we return to the ship, we'll head to the med bay."

Minsha's expression brightened like the first rays of dawn, a rare moment of pure, unguarded joy illuminating her features. Her eyes sparkled with an almost ethereal light as she pulled me closer, resting her forehead gently against mine, bridging the space between us.

"I love you," she whispered, her voice a rich tapestry of emotion that wrapped around us like a warm embrace.

I closed my eyes, letting the overwhelming warmth wash over me, the world around us fading into the background. "I love you too," I replied softly.

In the midst of all the bitterness and turmoil that today had brought, this moment—this shared promise—felt like a sacred treasure that belonged solely to us. Nothing in the universe could ever take that away.

Now that our moods had lifted, Minsha and I stepped into the house, warmth from the familiar space wrapping around me. Despite everything, it still felt like home—at least in some ways. I settled onto the couch across from Dad, studying him for a moment before speaking.

“You know, Dad, you’re handling all of this a lot better than I expected.”

He sighed heavily, running a hand through his graying hair. “Kara, when you disappeared, your mom was beside herself. I was angry—angry at you for breaking her heart, for making her grieve a child she thought she lost forever.” His voice softened, almost pained. “When we buried that empty casket, something inside me shifted. I kept asking myself—how could I have treated my own child the way I treated you? I realized too late that I might never get the chance to tell you I was sorry.”

My breath caught in my throat.

He looked at me then, really looked at me, his expression full of something I never thought I’d see—regret, understanding, love. “But now you’re back. I can see you’ve got a good head on your shoulders, that you’re happy. And that warms my heart more than you know. I may not understand everything you’ve gone through, but I want you to know this—I’m proud of you.”

I stared at him, stunned. The words seemed almost impossible, like some cruel trick my mind was playing on me. “Dad, I… I never thought I’d hear you say that.”

He gave a sad, small smile. “I know. I just thank the stars that I’m able to say it to your face instead of at an empty grave.”

His words cracked something deep inside me, and suddenly, I was crying—tears streaming down my face faster than I could wipe them away.

The sound must have alarmed Mom and Minsha because they rushed into the room, Mom already opening her mouth to scold my father. But I stopped her before she could say anything. “Mom—these are happy tears,” I choked out, wiping at my face with a shaky laugh.

Minsha, ever the steady presence, sat beside me and pulled me into her chest. Her arms wrapped around me, one hand stroking my hair as I buried my face against her. She didn’t say anything, just held me until I managed to pull myself together.

Sniffling, I sat up, took a deep breath, and stood. Without hesitation, I crossed the room and wrapped my arms around Dad in a tight hug. He stiffened for only a moment before his arms came around me, holding me just as tightly.

For the first time in years, I felt like his child again—not the disappointment, not the outcast.

But of course, the moment couldn’t last.

Brian strolled in, smirking. “Hey, bro. I saw your little speech today.” He leaned against the doorway with a self-satisfied air. “I gotta ask, what do you really get out of this deal besides minerals? I mean, you’re royalty now, right? So, can you hook up your family with some sweet stuff?”

Minsha and I turned to look at him, our expressions instantly darkening.

Something in me snapped.

I let out a slow, bitter laugh, shaking my head. “Why do you suddenly care about my treasures, Brian?” My voice was sharp, cutting. “You and Hannah don’t want anything to do with me, remember? I’m just your ‘faggot brother who should have died as a baby.’” I mimicked his words, watching as his face drained of color. “Oops! I wasn’t supposed to hear that, was I? I guess that’s awkward, considering the only reason you’re pretending to be nice is so Mom will still give you that money for your house.”

Brian’s mouth opened, then shut—his face shifting between panic and denial as his gaze flickered around the room. Everyone was staring.

“I—Kara, you obviously misunderstood what was being said. You’ve been away from Earth too long, you probably just—misheard.”

His desperate excuse died in his throat the second Minsha lifted her wrist, pressing a small button on her suit. The crisp, clear playback of his hushed conversation with Hannah filled the room.

The damning words echoed around us, and Brian paled further, his jaw working uselessly as the realization settled in. There was no way out of this.

Then, as if summoned by the universe itself, Hannah waltzed into the room, completely oblivious to the tension.

“Oh, hi, Kara!” she chirped, plastering on a sickeningly fake smile. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”

I didn’t even bother faking politeness. Instead, I simply pointed at the recording still playing from Minsha’s suit.

Hannah’s eyes widened. “You—” She turned her glare on me. “You were spying on us?”

I rolled my eyes. “Oh, please. Our suits record everything that happens around us because we’re royalty.” I crossed my arms, watching the blood drain from her face. “We just accidentally stumbled upon your conversation.”

She opened her mouth, then closed it, looking between Brian, Dad, and Mom, her entire demeanor shifting from feigned sweetness to sheer panic.

For once, she had no clever words to twist the situation in her favor.

I smirked. Checkmate.