The weekend arrived, and with it came something foreign to Ethan—family time.
In his past life as King Aldric, there had been no time for such luxuries. His days were filled with war councils, border disputes, and the occasional assassination attempt during breakfast. Family, love, warmth—these were concepts he had only observed from afar, like a man staring at a feast he wasn't invited to.
So, when Ethan's father announced, "We're going on a family trip this weekend," Ethan blinked in confusion.
"Trip?" he repeated, unsure.
"Yeah, remember? That thing normal families do?" Lily chimed in, smirking. "It's called having fun."
Ethan crossed his arms. "I know what fun is. I just—never had the chance."
His father clapped him on the back. "Well, son, you do now. We're heading to the lake."
---
The Lake Trip
The lake wasn't far—just a 45-minute drive. Ethan sat in the back seat, watching his parents chat and laugh in the front. Lily sat beside him, scrolling through her phone, occasionally making sarcastic comments about his "mysterious transformation" over the past few weeks.
It felt… strange.
There were no enemies hiding in the trees. No generals waiting to hand him reports. Just family.
And somehow, that scared him more than any battlefield ever had.
---
By midday, they arrived at the lake. The water shimmered under the sun, and families dotted the shore, some swimming, others picnicking. Ethan's father unpacked a cooler while his mother spread out a blanket.
Ethan sat down, watching Lily run off to explore.
His mother smiled at him. "You're unusually quiet today."
Ethan shrugged. "I guess I'm just… not used to this."
"To what?"
He hesitated, then gestured around. "All of it. Relaxing. Spending time together. I've always been… busy."
His father laughed. "You're a teenager, Ethan. What could you possibly have been busy with?"
Wars. Assassinations. Securing alliances with neighboring kingdoms.
Ethan just smiled. "You'd be surprised."
---
Later in the Afternoon
For the first time, Ethan felt something stir in his chest—happiness.
He helped his father with the grill, listened to his mother tell embarrassing stories about his childhood (memories he didn't share but smiled through), and for once… he felt like part of something more than just survival.
Ethan leaned back against a tree, watching his family laugh together.
"This… isn't so bad," he muttered to himself.
---
But peace never lasts long.
---
Lily had wandered off, as she often did, to explore the edge of the forest near the lake. Normally, Ethan wouldn't have thought much of it.
But the moment he heard her scream, he was already on his feet.
His parents hadn't noticed yet. His father was fiddling with the grill, and his mother was chatting with another family.
Ethan's heart pounded as he ran in the direction of the scream.
Near the treeline, he spotted Lily—cornered by three thugs.
Local troublemakers, by the looks of them. Rough, unshaven, the kind who thought intimidating kids was a hobby.
One of them stepped closer to Lily, grinning. "You lost, little girl?"
Lily backed away, visibly scared.
Ethan's vision narrowed.
---
A king does not tolerate threats to his family.
---
Ethan stepped forward, his voice sharp as steel. "Get away from her."
The thugs turned, sizing him up.
One of them sneered. "Oh look, the big brother's here. What are you gonna do, call mommy and daddy?"
Ethan's eyes didn't waver. "I'll give you one chance to walk away. Take it."
The leader laughed. "Or what?"
Ethan didn't respond with words.
He moved.
---
The Fight
The first thug swung at him—Ethan ducked. A quick jab to the ribs sent the man stumbling.
The second came at him with a wild punch. Ethan sidestepped, grabbing the man's arm and twisting it behind his back before shoving him into the dirt.
The leader, now furious, pulled out a switchblade. "You're dead!"
Ethan's eyes narrowed. A knife wasn't so different from a dagger.
The thug lunged. Ethan twisted his body, narrowly avoiding the blade, and countered with a kick to the man's knee. As the thug staggered, Ethan disarmed him with ease, flipping the knife in his hand before tossing it into the bushes.
"Leave," Ethan said coldly.
The thugs scrambled to their feet and ran, disappearing into the forest.
---
Lily stared at Ethan, wide-eyed. "W-What was that?! Since when could you fight like that?"
Ethan smirked, brushing dirt off his jeans. "Let's just say I picked up a few things."
Lily hugged him tightly. "Thanks, Ethan."
For a moment, Ethan froze.
Hugging wasn't something kings experienced often.
But slowly, he returned the hug.
"Anytime," he said softly.
---
As they walked back to the campsite, Ethan felt something he hadn't felt in either life—contentment.
For the first time, he wasn't just protecting a kingdom.
He was protecting something far more important.