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Story Synopsis: Mommy Influencer: The Road to Becoming a Teenage Toddler (Volume 1 of 3) Eighteen-year-old Paul Goldhawk is a gifted actor whose dreams are quietly crumbling. College rejection letters stack up, the girl he loves slips away, and his father’s new marriage to glamorous influencer Lilly has turned their once-comfortable home into a place where Paul feels like an unwanted stranger. Lilly, chasing the last sparks of her fading spotlight, never imagined she’d be raising a resentful stepson who refuses to simply “grow up and leave.” The tension between them is raw, unspoken, and electric. Then Paul’s hidden struggle erupts. Overwhelming stress triggers something deeply private and humiliating he can no longer hide. Incontinence, panic attacks, and crushing shame force him into the one place he finds safety: gentle, supported regression. Thick diapers, pacifiers, and the comforting structure of “little space” become his lifeline — not a kink, but the only thing keeping him from breaking apart completely. The diapers and comfort items come from Lilly’s dearest friend Kim — better known as Mama Kim — whose steady wisdom becomes the unexpected bridge that pulls the fractured family together. What begins as Lilly’s reluctant, camera-ready attempt to manage the crisis explodes into something profoundly real. Suddenly the woman who wanted Paul anywhere but under her roof finds herself becoming the fiercely protective caregiver he desperately needs. Meanwhile, Bryan — Paul’s father and a successful Hollywood executive — finally admits the truth: the industry hollowed out his relationship with his son. Paul’s condition offers Bryan more than a crisis — it gives him a second chance at fatherhood, the chance to trade red carpets for rocking chairs, long shoots for bedtime stories. And quietly entering their world is a new presence — a young woman whose devoted care and quiet intensity bring Paul both unexpected comfort and hidden complications he’s not yet ready to name. Surrounded by an authentic cast of real-life supporting characters who refuse to turn away, Paul begins the long, painful journey back toward the stage he was born to stand on. Tender, cinematic, and unflinchingly honest, Mommy Influencer is a three-volume saga about unconditional love, the healing power of safe regression, and the courage it takes to rebuild when the world tries to break you. Chapter One: Lilly stared at the mirror, meticulously smoothing her platinum blonde hair into flawless waves, each strand gleaming under the vanity lights. At thirty-five, she'd painstakingly built an empire, one glamorous, curated post at a time. Once, Lilly's name dominated social media’s glamour spectrum; her extravagant travel vlogs, couture-filled closets, and meticulously staged selfies commanded millions of followers. Every endorsement deal had been a glittering jewel in her digital crown, each more luxurious than the last. But today, as her perfectly manicured finger scrolled through analytics, the steady decline in followers felt like tiny needles prickling her porcelain skin. Anxiety flickered in her carefully charcoal-outlined eyes as her reflection grimaced back at her. "You ready, Lilly?" Kim called from downstairs, her voice echoing with the unmistakable cheer of someone whose influencer career was effortlessly thriving. "Coming!" Lilly forced brightness into her voice, quickly swiping away her dwindling follower count and smoothing out her silk blouse. Descending the marble staircase of her pristine Sarasota home, Lilly’s smile tightened at the sight of her influencer friends—each glowing, effortlessly chic mothers expertly juggling toddlers, diaper bags branded with luxury logos, and carefully positioned smartphones. Her stomach knotted when Kim, cradling a squirming, giggling two-year-old, flashed a triumphant grin. "Seriously, Kim, your engagement lately has been insane," Tiffany gushed, adjusting her own baby’s organic cotton bonnet, her voice tinged with admiration and envy. "Mommy content is the new goldmine," Kim said smugly, bouncing her child gently on her hip. "Audiences adore real parenting struggles—it's authentic, relatable." Lilly felt her lips twitch involuntarily. Authentic. Relatable. The words tasted bitter in her mouth. Her polished lifestyle—luxury vacations, elite fashion events, exclusive skincare routines—once her currency, now seemed hollow beside the charming chaos of motherhood. "What's it like, Kim?" Lilly found herself asking, genuine curiosity softening her voice despite herself. "Being a mommy, I mean?" Kim's eyes lit up, face animated with a warmth Lilly had rarely seen. "Exhausting, messy, nonstop. I haven't had perfect nails in months because I'm always elbow-deep in mashed peas or diaper cream." Kim laughed warmly, kissing her son’s forehead. "But honestly? I wouldn’t trade it for anything. It's pure chaos, Lilly, but it fills you with so much love, you forget about everything else." Lilly’s heart twisted, an unfamiliar ache settling in her chest. Could she ever feel that way? Could motherhood really become her new platform? "Lilly, maybe you should consider it," Kim teased lightly, casting a glance around the elegantly childless space. "You've got Paul already—instant teenage content! Teenagers can be just as relatable." Lilly forced a laugh, masking her irritation. Paul. Bryan's gangly, withdrawn eighteen-year-old son from his previous marriage. Their interactions were mostly limited to polite avoidance, marked by awkward silences and sidestepped glances rather than genuine familial warmth. Just days ago, they'd argued awkwardly in the kitchen over something trivial. "Paul, have you seen my phone charger?" Lilly asked, her tone sharper than she'd intended. Paul barely glanced up from his cereal bowl, his voice a monotone. "No." "Well, it's not where I left it," she pressed, irritation rising. "Did you take it to your room again?" He sighed heavily, eyes narrowing slightly. "Why would I? I've got my own." "Because you've done it before," Lilly snapped, crossing her arms defensively. Paul shoved his chair back, frustration clear in the tense lines of his body. "Just forget it, okay? I'll buy you a new one if it's that important." The tension between them had thickened into a quiet resentment, their coexistence fractured into strained silences and terse exchanges, punctuated only by Bryan’s occasional interventions from afar. Hours later, as her friends waved cheerful goodbyes, Lilly sank onto her velvet sofa, her mind racing. Bryan, as always, was miles away on another endless business trip, leaving her alone in their pristine yet eerily empty home. Paul, hidden upstairs, absorbed in video games or whatever else consumed teenagers these days, seemed worlds apart. She'd never wanted children—babies were messy, noisy, an inconvenience to her meticulously curated existence. Yet now, desperation gnawed at her. The allure of revived success flickered temptingly, brighter than her long-held reservations. Chapter Two: Lilly woke the next morning surprisingly energized, slipping effortlessly into her brand-new Lulu Lemon leggings and Skechers slip-ons. A smile played on her lips as she recalled Kim's absurd suggestion about creating "parenting content." Parenting Paul, the teenage wastoid? Utterly ridiculous. But then again, perhaps borrowing Kim's adorable toddler Sammy occasionally—"Auntie Lilly" videos could provide the fresh content she needed. As she descended the stairs for her morning run, she paused outside Paul's bedroom door, compelled by an unfamiliar curiosity. Quietly pushing open the door, Lilly was momentarily startled by the sight—Paul lay sprawled across his bed, uncovered, vulnerable, and oblivious. Suppressing a giggle, she noticed Paul's immature frame and whispered to herself, amused, "Well, there's certainly one thing you didn't inherit from your daddy." Shaking her head lightly, she gently draped a sheet over him before silently exiting. Paul stirred awake shortly afterward, his skin prickling from embarrassment and unease. Had Lilly been in his room? Heat rose in his cheeks, shame tightening his chest. Quickly, he forced himself through his morning exercises—sit-ups, push-ups—trying desperately to shed his anxiety. Showering hastily, he avoided eye contact with his own reflection, feeling overly self-conscious about his youthful build. His mother's absence was palpable, the ache for her nurturing presence always a quiet pain. Andrea would have made mornings easier, warmer somehow. Entering the kitchen, Paul sighed at its emptiness. No breakfast—no renewal for the meal service, a subtle neglect. He envied Amber, whose mom made legendary breakfast nachos for her and her friends. Just as his thoughts spiraled darker, Lilly breezed in from her run, glowing and energized but clearly distracted. "Good morning, Lilly," Paul attempted a polite smile. "Good run? Want breakfast?" She paused, assessing him skeptically—his messy hair, childish Ninja Turtles shirt. "No thanks, Paul," she replied lightly, hiding amusement behind politeness. "Shouldn't you get going? You have school." Paul watched her retreat upstairs, irritation simmering beneath a veneer of indifference. Muttering "Dumb bitch," under his breath, he grabbed a Sunny D and protein bar, resigned to another lackluster morning. At school, the familiar anxiety knotted Paul's stomach. His solace lay in Drama and English, but everywhere else he was painfully average. Zach and Mitchell greeted him enthusiastically at his locker. "Hey man, your stepmom’s newest post is fire," Zach teased, elbowing him playfully. Paul grimaced, forcing a laugh, "Dude, that’s gross." It was humiliating having Lilly admired openly by peers. His embarrassment deepened as Amber and her cheerleading squad walked past. Paul’s breath caught, heart hammering. Amber's silky black hair cascaded over her shoulders, her emerald eyes sparkling as she laughed with friends. He daydreamed briefly about holding her hand, walking proudly beside her, hearing her whisper secrets just for him. Reality crashed back when she passed without even a glance, leaving Paul feeling utterly invisible. In gym class later, Paul dribbled the basketball awkwardly, his lanky limbs betraying him. Marcus and Dylan, star athletes, mocked openly, jeering loudly. "Hey, Pauly, pee-wee leagues are that way!" Dylan sneered, causing laughter to ripple through the class. Flustered, Paul felt heat rise to his face, humiliation making his hands shake. Suddenly, a shove sent him sprawling, and in a sickening moment of panic, he nearly lost control of his bladder. Mortified, he stood quickly, feeling his face burn red as he whispered to himself, "Great, still dribbling at 17. No girl's ever gonna want this." Back home, Lilly’s mind raced after her Zoom call with Kim and Mindy, jealousy simmering. Mindy's Huggies deal echoed in her thoughts—a five-year partnership because followers loved "real motherhood." Lilly stared at her declining follower count, resentment twisting her stomach. A spark of inspiration struck suddenly, an idea blooming. She remembered the awkwardness in Paul's demeanor, his shy uncertainty. What if she embraced teenage motherhood content instead? She could dominate a fresh niche, revitalizing her career. Yes, Paul was her ticket back to the top. "I'll My-Fair-Lady him," she whispered excitedly to herself. "Turn him into someone confident, someone followers will root for." Smirking, she considered how she'd charmed Bryan—through his stomach. Cooking Paul's favorite meal, peppercorn steak with twice-baked potatoes and steamed lemon-infused garlic green beans, would soften him up perfectly. That evening, Paul walked in warily, immediately struck by the tantalizing aroma. Lilly, standing poised in the kitchen, smiled warmly. "Hungry, Paul?" Her voice unusually gentle. "Yeah," he answered cautiously, taking a seat. "Smells incredible." The meal was undeniably delicious, each bite softening Paul's defenses slightly. Lilly watched carefully, sensing her opportunity. "Hey, Paul," she began carefully, voice gentle yet persuasive. "Would you… want to film something casual with me?" Paul hesitated mid-sip, skepticism clouding his expression. "Film what exactly?" "Something simple, maybe a day-in-the-life type of thing, or testing new products together," she proposed smoothly, attempting to mask her desperation with calm sincerity. His brows knitted suspiciously. "Why me? Isn't that what your friends' kids are for?" "Exactly," Lilly admitted, smiling with calculated authenticity. "Family content is really popular, and technically, we’re family. Could be good for us, Paul." Paul eyed her critically, thoughts racing. Finally, he sighed, nodding reluctantly. "Fine, just don’t make it weird, okay?" "Great!" Lilly exhaled, surprised by the genuine relief she felt. "It won’t be weird, Paul. It'll just be… authentic." He rolled his eyes softly but surprised himself by continuing the conversation casually. They shared stories of their day, Paul opening up cautiously about his humiliating gym class experience and the persistent ache of feeling invisible. Lilly found herself genuinely laughing and sympathizing, forgetting briefly her calculated intentions. As dinner ended, Paul, feeling oddly content, suggested hesitantly, "Maybe we could catch a movie sometime. Together, or separately if you prefer." Lilly smiled warmly, nodding. "I'd like that, Paul." Upstairs, Paul lay awake, conflicted. Lilly was manipulative—controlling—but tonight had felt almost…normal. His father's words echoed clearly: "Respect Lilly, but you don’t have to call her Mom." Paul hadn't, wouldn’t. Still, as he drifted off, he admitted begrudgingly to himself that dinner had felt comforting, like a glimpse of family he'd long missed. Meanwhile, downstairs, Lilly checked her phone eagerly—her initial teaser post about "teenage step-motherhood" had exploded in views. Her heart raced, excitement building. "This could work," she whispered triumphantly. "Maybe, just maybe, I've finally found my way back to the top." Chapter Three: Kim’s kitchen buzzed with warmth and the aroma of homemade applesauce as Lilly stepped inside, a gentle breeze following her through the open door. Kim was at the center of it all, apron splattered artistically with fresh applesauce, a picture of motherly charm as she attempted to feed her squirmy two-year-old, Dylan. The toddler giggled, smearing applesauce everywhere except his mouth. "Lilly! Come in, grab a seat," Kim greeted cheerily, dodging Dylan’s tiny hands. Lilly slid onto a kitchen stool, eyes sparkling with excitement. "So, guess what? I'm finally doing it—the teenage makeover series! Paul has reluctantly agreed to be my first victim." Kim clapped excitedly, nearly dropping the spoon. "Oh my gosh, this is exactly what you needed! Teens are so hot right now. Maybe something like 'Stepmom Style Rescue' or 'Teen Transformation Tuesdays'?" "Perfect! And maybe a ‘Date-Night Disaster’ episode," Lilly laughed, enthusiasm spilling over as they bounced ideas back and forth. Their excited chatter halted abruptly as Dylan spat out applesauce, giggling at the mess he'd created. "Oh, great," Kim sighed dramatically, wiping Dylan's chubby face. "This could definitely go viral." "Careful, Kim," Lilly teased gently. "Don't expect compliments from any clean eaters. Paul stained his shirt with spaghetti last night. He's 17, not 17 months." Kim laughed loudly. "Paul’s always been adorable. Maybe your teenager needs a teenage-sized bibby!" Their laughter echoed through the kitchen, Dylan joining in gleefully at the sound of their voices. Later in the day sunlight danced over the clear blue water as Paul, Zach, and Mitchell splashed around Paul's backyard pool, passing a basketball between them. Paul leaped, throwing a wild shot that missed spectacularly. "You going FIU for sure, Zach?" Mitchell called, expertly snatching the rebound. "Pretty much set," Zach said, sinking an easy shot. "How about you, Mitch?" "University of Miami," Mitchell replied, puffing his chest out proudly. "Already got my acceptance letter." Paul's stomach twisted. "Cool," he shrugged, attempting casual confidence. "I'm thinking LSU, TCU, or Maryland State." Internally, Paul winced. If only they'd hurry up with those waitlist decisions. Don't blow your cover now, man. "Good luck getting into any of those," Zach teased playfully. "Unless Amber's going with you. Then you might have a shot." "Dude, totally," Mitchell laughed. "No chance in hell," he added, dramatically humming Vince McMahon’s theme song. "Shut up, guys," Paul protested weakly, cheeks reddening. "Amber and I totally held hands once." "By accident," Zach countered immediately, mimicking awkward hand fumbling. Mitchell doubled over laughing. Humiliated, Paul's embarrassment morphed into a mischievous impulse. He launched the basketball hard, unintentionally catching Zach squarely in the groin. "Dude, what the FUCK was that?" Zach shouted, collapsing dramatically into the water. "Language!" Lilly’s voice sliced through the laughter sharply. The boys turned, instantly quiet, captivated by Lilly casually walking toward the sauna. Her white bikini top hugged her curves perfectly, emphasizing her slender waist and gently accentuating her graceful neckline. The matching white bikini bottom sat elegantly on her hips, highlighting her toned legs and shapely figure. Each step she took was confident yet casual, effortlessly drawing attention with a gentle sway that emphasized the natural elegance and allure of her figure. Paul blushed deeper. "Sorry," he muttered. "Remember, Paul, we're filming today," Lilly said breezily. "Play nice." Mitchell helped Zach stand, leaning close with a teasing whisper, "I hate when your stepmom leaves, but love watching her walk away." "Hey, Paul," Zach called weakly, recovering slowly. "Is today's video X-rated or triple-X?" The boys erupted into laughter again, splashing water playfully, while Paul's embarrassment smoldered beneath the surface. "Hey lovelies! Welcome back! Today I'm sharing essential tips for parenting your teenage stepchild!" Lilly chirped into her phone camera as Paul walked reluctantly into frame, visibly uncomfortable. "Can we just not?" Paul groaned, tugging at his shirt awkwardly. "Aw, honey, it'll be quick," Lilly cooed in a soothing, maternal tone usually reserved for toddlers. "Today, we're tackling teen grunge," Lilly continued cheerfully, ignoring Paul’s protest. She began pulling clothes from his closet, her voice dripping with saccharine sweetness. "Let's see what's hiding in here!" Each item Lilly revealed intensified Paul's embarrassment. "Really, Paul? Is this a shirt or a cleaning rag? Oh, these jeans—did you wrestle a bear in them?" Paul’s anxiety grew with each critique, his face heating painfully. Lilly's internal monologue screamed with frustration. How can he go out dressed like this? We need something that screams confidence, not ‘I found this in a dumpster.’ She triumphantly pulled out an outfit from Paul's childhood—a checkered polo shirt, khaki shorts with suspenders, and a bowtie. "Oh, how adorable! You still fit into this!" "Stop, Lilly! Enough!" Paul snapped, voice shaking, embarrassment turning to anger. "I’m not a toddler! Get out of my room!" "Oh, sweetie," Lilly soothed dismissively, gently patting his arm as though calming a child. "Just a little stage fright. It'll pass once you see how popular this gets. Trust me." "I said STOP!" Paul shouted fiercely, stunning Lilly into silence. "Get the hell out of my closet, my room, my life!" Lilly blinked, caught off guard by his intensity, and silently backed out. Hours later, Lilly sat editing footage in her home office, smiling fondly at the screen. She carefully selected moments where Paul appeared adorably frustrated, giggling at his childish protests. Oh, Paul, she thought affectionately. You really are too precious. She paused on the clip of Paul in the childhood outfit, hesitating before deciding it was too good to exclude. Adorable, yes, but we definitely need to upgrade your style. Her eyes drifted to her calendar, counting down—395 days until Paul left for college. Lilly sighed dreamily, imagining a luxurious cruise with Bryan. Just the two of us, no interruptions. God, we need that. "Only 395 days left," she whispered happily. Engrossed, she swiftly reviewed clips, missing one critical segment—a small slip, an accidental comment recorded clearly. She uploaded the video obliviously, unaware that this seemingly innocent oversight would soon send their lives spiraling into an unexpected, unplanned future, far removed from her dreams of a leisurely cruise.

Chapter One Lucas stirred in his sleep as the vague shapes and colours of the room began to form in front of him. His body felt weak and heavy, and his thoughts were cloudy. He mumbled to himself, trying to form words. Something heavy covered his body - warm and soft, he soon realised it was a blanket. He had guessed it must be a mattress underneath him - one of the most comfortable mattresses he had ever slept on. Despite his grogginess, he could tell he was uninjured, and seemed to be somewhere safe. He rubbed his eyes and groaned, a bit louder and more full-throated this time, signifying his waking. “Oh my… Lucas?” He heard a voice from above him. He turned to it, startled, and saw a face staring back. A woman, probably in her mid to late 30’s, whose concern shone through her eyes as they gazed down. Though his vision was quickly returning, Lucas couldn’t trust what he saw just yet. He was sure he had to be seeing things - looking up, this woman appeared to be large. Very large, in fact - the perspective didn’t make sense to him. In any case, he didn’t recognise her, or this place, and didn’t know how she would know his name. When he didn’t answer, the woman reached her hand out and gently caressed the side of his cheek with her finger. He jolted to full alertness - the feeling of her finger against his face felt incredibly real. But again, the finger was enormous - her hand would certainly have been big enough to cover his entire face. This woman seemed to be a giant, and he did not seem to be dreaming as was his first instinct. “Wh-what the…” he gasped as he shifted away from the hand, his body still difficult to move. He felt a stiffness in his muscles, beyond the usual fatigue he would have after waking up, and what’s more, he noted that whatever clothing he had on was somewhat restrictive. Its unusual material made it difficult to move with speed. He thought to check, but given the weight of the blanket on top of him, he couldn’t do much about it. He was more concerned with the woman, anyway, whose face was now showing signs of simultaneous surprise and relief, a warmth emanating from her expression. “Oh dear, it’s alright. You’re safe here, really. You’re safe…” “What’s… what’s happening? Am I dreaming?” His eyes were transfixed on the woman, her enormous height, and what she was wearing - an elegant maid’s uniform, with a white headdress and neatly fitted black button-up blouse. “You’re not dreaming, dear. Not now, anyway. My name is Miss Hazel, and you are safe with me. I promise. How are you feeling?” Her words seemed sincere, and her demeanour certainly backed that up. She had a calming presence, a warm tone and deep, brown eyes which invited Lucas to stare into them - not least because of their size. She brushed her brown hair from her face and smiled. “I’m… I feel weak… it’s hard to move.” She nodded in acknowledgment. “Yes, the doctor said that would be the case. It should subside soon. Rest assured, you are healthy as can be, blessings.” “D-doctor? What doctor? I don’t… I don’t remember much…” Lucas began rubbing his head, tossing his messy blonde hair. “That will subside too. I can explain everything. Come…” Hazel then lowered something, a wooden frame at the side of the large bed, one which Lucas immediately wondered how he hadn’t noticed already. It was a set of pale wooden bars which lowered down, allowing Hazel to reach over to him more easily. If he didn’t know any better, he’d think it was a cr- Whoosh! The blanket was pulled away from Lucas, and a cold sweep of air sent a shiver across his body. He was wearing a plain purple t-shirt, and his legs were exposed too. When the sudden shock of the chills passed, he looked down and took a few moments to process what he saw. Between his legs, in place of normal underwear, he saw a heavy, thick mass of plastic wrapped around his waist. Though mostly white, it bore a large printed design of some kind. Though he couldn’t get a good look at it, it was clearly some kind of pink cartoonish image. As his legs shuffled in the cold, the garment crinkled loudly with the sound of plastic ruffling. There was no doubt about either of his realisations - he was sleeping in a giant crib, and wearing a diaper. “Wait, what?! What is this?” He stared incredulously at the diaper, his arms not strong enough to tear it off, though he certainly wanted to. Instead of an answer, he was greeted by Hazel’s two large hands, which tucked under his arms and promptly lifted him high into the air with seemingly no effort. He was disoriented by the sudden movement, his head still a bit dizzy. “I know, I know. I’ll explain everything here, don’t you worry.” They began moving across the room, where Hazel sat into a rocking chair not far from the crib. She placed him sitting on her lap - as a giant, her lap was easily large enough for him to sit on without bending his legs and be comfortable. He looked to a side table and saw a cup of tea and a downturned book, halfway finished. It seemed Hazel had been sitting her for some time when he slept. “Now Lucas, we’ll just go through things slowly, okay?” “How do you know my name?” “We looked at your identification when we found you. I didn’t mean to unnerve you.” “Found me?” Hazel paused and her eyes wandered a bit, clearly in thought. She was searching for where to begin. “Lucas… do you remember ever hearing about the dimension of the Amazons?” With that word, things began falling into place for Lucas, though the realisation was horrifying and he tried not to think about it too much beyond answering her immediate question. “Y-yeah… though I never looked into it too much.” She nodded. “Lucas, there isn’t any easy way to tell you this, but you seem to have had a run-in with a portal - I believe the experts called it a ‘spontaneous spacial fissure’. They open randomly and close just as quick.” “Wait, yes - I remember… I remember seeing a flash of light… I was riding my bike home from work, and suddenly I couldn’t see anything, and my skin felt tingly, and then…” Hazel began rubbing Lucas’ back gently. “It’s alright, dear. That must have been so scary. But you’re safe now, I promise.” Lucas nodded. She seemed to be able to tell he was about to start panicking. He still was on the inside, but her kind words helped stave off the worst of it. The silence prompted her to continue. “Two days ago, we found you unconscious in the garden. We immediately recognised you as a Little - that’s what we Amazons call people from your dimension. We called specialists who gave you a medical check up. Like I said, you’re perfectly healthy, but you’ll feel some after effects of the portal for a few days. We took you in and I’ve been keeping an eye for when you wake up.” “So… why am I wearing… is this what I think it is?” He didn’t gesture, but she knew what he meant right away. “Yes, it was necessary to give you some… protection. You see, Lucas… there’s some difficult things I have to tell you. Portals, from what I understand, are random events - they open and close too sporadically to be predicted. What that means is that you can’t go back to your dimension. You must stay here.” The words fell on him like a ton of bricks. It’s difficult to process the feeling of losing your entire life all in one moment. He began racing through what it really meant - all the people he wouldn’t see again, the places, his job, his apartment - and even more concerning was the realisation that, at least from his perspective, he didn’t think he would actually be missed by anyone at home. “Lucas? Darling?” She shook him gently from his stupor. He looked up at her, eyes pleading for this to be some kind of dream. “I know it’s a lot to take in. Now, the way things work here… well, when Littles come to our world, it’s necessary for a number of reasons to take care of them the same way you would a baby. It’s all to do with the way your body adjusts to the new dimension, as well as the… stronger parental instincts of Amazons. I wish it wasn’t the case, but that diaper is for your own good.” “I can never go back…” “In fact, for your own protection, you’ve already been legally adopted. It’s so you can be properly cared for. It’s for your own good, honey.” Her words were dripping with warmth and clearly intended to comfort, though she knew there was no way to fully soften this news. “Adopted?!” He shuffled in her lap in a feeble attempt to escape it, quickly stopped by her grasp which turned from gentle to stifling. “You’re going to just… keep me?” “Well, not me, per se. Officially you’ve been adopted by their Highnesses.” “High… huh?” “Oh my, yes. How silly of me. Here.” With that, Hazel picked Lucas up from her lap and rose once more, walking across the room to the window, which she pointed Lucas towards so he may look out of it. What he saw was the sprawling field of an estate, encircled by high walls with flower gardens and a hedge maze dotting the lawn. Beyond the wall was a town with tall buildings. In the foreground, just outside the window he saw old stone walls and towers, pristinely carved and kept but clearly quite old. He was in a castle, and a large one at that. “Just there, outside the hedge maze, that’s where we found you two days ago. You arrived in a flash of light and we took you inside. As you were a new arrival, the protocol would have been to hand you over to the Adoption Services, but Queen Charlotte took a quick liking to you. She had been considering adopting for a while, so she thought of your arrival as a happy accident.” “This is insane… don’t I get a say in this? You can’t just adopt me and treat me like a baby without my permission!” She turned Lucas back around to face her, propping her up in her arm and looking at him with deep sympathy. “I’m sorry, Lucas… I know this is a lot to take in, and I wish it was different, but this is how things are here. And… er, well… there is one more unfortunate thing I have to tell you…” “Hazel? Who are you talking to?” Hazel and Lucas swung their heads to the doorway, through which a figure came walking into the room. She was a woman in her 40’s or 50’s, with long, elegant blonde hair and a beautiful ornate gown in light blue. She was dressed immaculately, and immediately in Lucas’ mind it seemed obvious that this was the ‘Queen Charlotte’ he’d heard of. As soon as she laid eyes on Lucas, they lit up with joy. “Oh heavens! You’re awake! Hazel, you didn’t call me?” “Oh, your highness, I was just, erm, explaining the situation…” Charlotte came over, her heels loud even against the carpeting of the room, with joy on her face and her hands outstretched. She quickly took Lucas from her and held him in front of her face, to get a good look at him. He was none too happy about being passed around so casually, and even though he wasn’t keen on anyone in this room right now, he did feel a bit unnerved being away from Hazel and her soothing nature. “Hello there my darling! It’s so wonderful to see you. How is my new baby girl feeling?” Lucas paused. Had he heard right? Was his mind still playing tricks on him? He spoke up to make sure. “Uh… I’m not….” Hazel interrupted and spoke with a grand tone, clearly rehearsed though with a touch of hesitance in her voice as she looked at Lucas. “Y-yes, your highness, allow me to present for the first time, in her official debut to the royal family of Avalir… Princess Lucille.” “W-what?!”