Eternal Sim Stories

Some of you may not have known that the latest chapter of The Merfolk Legacy: The Weight of the Name and the Crown Part 1 to 3 is now live. You'll find the link to that at the bottom.

What About Jacob?

I know that some of you are wondering why Jacob Dagon from my Sims 4 Character Spotlight wasn't in this chapter. Well, don't worry, he'll be in the next chapter that I am currently working on.

I am glad that I have made this decision to split the story idea in my head into three separate chapters. You can see why.

I might have to stop playing my game for a little bit just to crank these out. But right now, I want to take a small break from it.

If you haven't had the chance to view the Sims 4 Character Spotlight, here's your chance to read Jacob Dagon's. Although, I have to let you know that his macabre trait changed to Cheerful in the game.

But if you do want to read The Weight of the Name and of the Crown, you do so here. However...

WARNING: Part 1 does have violence in it.

If you are not into anything violent, you can skip to Part 2 here (Even though it is mentioned in the Summary of Part 1).

Hope you all enjoy reading it!

Chapter: The Weight of the Name and the Crown Part 3

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Back in the water, as all the other merfolk splashed around him, Holden floated on his back, staring up at the sky, and lost in thought. He thought of his family’s past and future. Would he be the next target of something malicious? He still had that private sex club he and Summer had been running. Although, lately it’s been less often now since Michelle and Colt were born. And they have another one coming up in the next couple of weeks.

The thought made him uneasy, wondering if someone there might be jealous with malicious intent. Maybe he really does need to hire a bodyguard for himself, for Summer, for the kids. Even though Summer is a spellcaster, both of them know that no magic could protect against that kind of danger, either.

---

Back at the patio, two matching white sofas sat facing each other on the deck. Summer settled into one, while her mother and brother, Emmett, sat across from her on the other. Her other two brothers were lounging at a nearby table, talking with Amari, who was in his wolf form.

Meanwhile, Gwendolyn and Michelle were darting back and forth near the edge of the patio. Their laughter rose and fell with whatever game they’d invented between themselves.

Queen Ashlee adjusted the frame of her glasses and gazed out toward the water before she spoke.

“Thank god that I remembered to wear my glasses today,” said Queen Ashlee. “I broke my last one on the day of your father’s funeral. I had to memorize that whole eulogy before presenting it. I didn’t want to look like a fool squinting the whole time up there.”

Summer’s chest tightened a bit at the mention of her father’s funeral. The memory of that day was still fresh enough to sting even now, at another one. But she reached out and briefly touched her mother’s hand.

“Mom,” said Summer to the Queen. “How have you been since Dad died?”

The Queen’s expression softened, and something heavier settled behind her eyes.

“Well, Summer,” said the Queen. “Even though there are butlers, maids, assistants, and bodyguards, it still feels lonely without him by my side.”

“Well,” said Summer. “Why don’t you stay with me, Holden, and the kids for a little while.”

The Queen hesitated, as she glanced out into the water, waiting for the answer out there somewhere.

“I don’t know,” said the Queen.

“That’s a good idea, Summer,” said Emmett as he leaned forward with his arms rested on his knees. “Mom, you do need to get out of ruling Glimmerbrook every once in a while and be happy.”

“Emmett,” said the Queen as her expression tightened slightly. “You know that the spellcasters there need me, just as much as the merfolk need Holden as their king.”

Summer reached for her mother’s hand again, and held it a little firmer this time.

“But you do need a break, Mother,” said Summer. “Why don’t you stay here for a while, maybe a week? I’m pretty sure that your butler or assistant wouldn’t mind. It’s for your own good.”

“Oh, all right,” said the Queen as she let out a small sigh. “But I do need to get back to my own duties soon.”

Summer smiled as relief settled on her face. “It’s a deal.”

---

Back in the ocean, the merfolk gathered in a loose circle around their king, Holden. Now it was his turn to lead the siren song, which was meant to carry Lloyd’s spirit off with the tide. But the words or melody couldn’t come out of his tight and angry throat.

Instead, he reached down and found a shell resting against the sea floor, and cupped it in both hands. He went up for air, before bringing it to his lips.

He blew into it slowly, as he called on the goddess of the ocean to bring forth rain.

The first drops fell lightly, as it quickly shifted into a heavy downpour. The sound of rain against the waves was almost as loud as the sea itself.

Holden closed his eyes and let it wash over him. Some small part of him was grateful the sky was finally doing what he couldn’t, letting his anger and grief out, a little at a time.

This signaled the end of the funeral rite. Everyone began to move at once, even those without fins: Summer scooped Michelle up into her arms, Queen Ashlee pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders, and everyone else scrambled inside the castle and out of the rain.

Holden lingered behind and watched everyone else go home. Then he decided to slowly follow them. The moment he was on shore, his fins became legs again. He walked the rest of the way alone, with the rain streaking down his face. It was indistinguishable now from anything else he might have been feeling. But his mind kept on going back to the same fear he had been harboring since the murder.

If someone could take Lloyd from him this easily, what was stopping them from taking anyone else he loved? He pushed the door open and stepped into the silence of his own home. The only sound left was the patter of rain against the windows.

To be continued...

Chapter: The Weight of the Name and the Crown Part 2

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Summary of the Weight of the Name and Crown Part 1

Prince Lloyd Sanderson is enjoying a rare day off in front of a game when the doorbell interrupts him three times. When no one else answers, he opens the door and finds Geoffrey Landgraab (a billionaire and former client), whose divorce Lloyd had finalized a year earlier.

Geoffrey confronts him with an accusation that he had been sleeping with Nancy for years. But despite Lloyd’s denial, the conversation turns violent. The two men fight through the living room and out onto the patio, where Geoffrey pulls out a handgun. During the struggle, the weapon fires and kills Lloyd instantly. Landgraab makes sure he’s dead and then leaves the scene of the crime.

Upstairs, King Holden and his toddler daughter, Michelle, were playing when a strange noise interrupted them. His nanny, Tomax, and butler, Louann, ran up to tell him that his uncle had been shot. Holden ran downstairs to find Lloyd’s body and, in shock, asked Tomax and Louann what they saw.

The nanny revealed that he saw Landgraab leave the scene looking disheveled and covered in blood. Tomax also mentioned that he overheard the accusation about Landgraab’s wife, who had an affair with Lloyd.

Soon the police and the press were there, and Holden gave his statement, letting the officers know that Tomax was the main witness.

That night, Summer returned from med school and found out what happened to Lloyd. She and Holden comforted each other, though neither could offer much real solace.

Later, alone in the nursery with his infant son, Colt, the King quietly looked back on his family’s history of infidelity and hoped that his son would not follow the same pattern.

Louann interrupted briefly to update him on the media’s attempts to reach him before leaving him in peace. Later, she returned and helped get Princess Michelle ready for bedtime, and handed Holden a picture book to read to his daughter.

----

The next day, Holden’s shirt was soaked with sweat as he swung again and again at the swordsmanship dummy.

The gym smelled faintly of rubber mats and metal. The only sounds were his own breathing and the dull thud of metal against wood.

He wasn’t thinking about form or technique, he was just letting the motion take away some of the weight still sitting in his chest from the day before.

Then the door burst open behind him, and Louann ran into the room.

“Your highness,” said Louann, catching her breath.

Holden’s chest was still heaving from exertion, as he lowered his sword.

“Yes, Louann,” said Holden, now a little calmer. “What is it?”

She did not answer immediately, but instead, walked over to the counter by the treadmills. Her hands fumbled a bit as she grabbed the remote off of one of the gym counters and turned on the television right in front of where Holden was just working out.

“You need to see this,” she said, her eyes fixed on the TV screen rather than on her employer. She flipped through the channels and landed on one of the news channels.

The screen rolled footage of tons of news reporters and paparazzi flashing their cameras around Geoffrey Landgraab. He was being led out of his house in handcuffs by the police. Suddenly, the anchor’s voiceover cut in:

“Police today arrested billionaire Geoffrey Landgraab in the slaying of Merman Prince Lloyd of Sulani. Just a day ago, a nanny saw the entire event unfold in the Sulani castle. The prince will be laid to rest tonight in a merfolk funeral ceremony at home. It will be a private funeral for family, noble friends and members of the merfolk community.”

The voiceover paused for a moment and continued on: “And King Holden did release a statement over on Social Bunny that no cameras will be allowed at this ceremony. However, no court date has been set on Landgraab’s sentencing.”

Holden just stared at the screen, with his jaw tight, and a strange combination of relief and fury came over him all at once. The murderer, who his uncle had trusted, was finally caught. That was the relief. But the anger towards Geoffrey was still there.

He was also glad that his Social Bunny message to the world had gotten through to the public. It felt great that his words had reached people the way he needed them to.

But he still felt sorry for Tomax, who had seen the crime and was being hounded by the press for it. That nanny had not asked for any of this. But he had done the right thing, and Holden wouldn’t forget that.

He was aware of his family’s scandalous history, with all the rumors that had plagued the Sandersons for generations. But he couldn’t understand why Geoffrey believed it enough to kill someone for it.

And then there’s a part of him that fears for his own safety, a thought that crept in quiet and uninvited. What if someone wanted him dead too? Or worse, his own wife and children?

---

Later that night, Holden stood near the front in the stateroom on the second floor. He was now too familiar with leading funeral memorials. First it was his father, then his mother, and now Uncle Lloyd. He stood near the coffin, as he watched all the other mourners pile into the room.

Those who attended to pay their last respects included his sisters, Madeline and Kendra, along with Madeline’s boyfriend, Evan. His aunt Phoenix was also there with her boyfriend, Amari, and his cousin, Gwendolyn.

Also attending this funeral were Summer’s mother, Queen Ashlee, and all three of her brothers. Queen Chloe of the vampires of Forgotten Hollow and the merfolk of Sulani came, too. Their presence was giving the room a quiet and solemn weight.

Only his two children were not in the room. Michelle and Colt were still too young to understand anything about death and grief. They were upstairs in the playground with their nanny.

As soon as everyone sat in their seats, there was a hush that settled over the crowd. Holden waited a few more minutes before he began the memorial.

Then he stepped up to the podium, gripping the sides with his hands as he looked out at the faces waiting for him to speak. He cleared his throat once, and then paused a second before he spoke.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” said Holden. “Thank you all for being here tonight, for my uncle.”

He paused as he steadied himself. “I know most of you have already heard what happened. It’s been all over the news since this morning.”

There was a strain to his voice. “My family is glad that justice was served so quickly. But it doesn’t change the fact that he’s gone.”

He paused and looked up for a moment at the back of the room. “First off, I would also like to thank Tomax the nanny for helping to catch my uncle’s killer. But he’s not in this room now. He’s upstairs looking after my two kids. Nonetheless, this shouldn’t have happened, but it has. And now we are here to mourn the death of my fun loving uncle Lloyd. He taught me a lot of things as I was growing up in this castle. In his later years, Uncle Lloyd moved back here to help my father with whatever legal matters a king needs looking after, like treaties, disputes, and other things I still don’t fully understand myself. When my father passed and I became king, Lloyd stayed on to help me through all of it too. I don’t know what I would have done without him.”

A silence fell in the room, as the weight of his words hung over the audience. Holden continued to speak of the good things about his uncle, although he knew Lloyd was not always an angel.

After his speech, there was a moment of silence. Then his aunt Phoenix rose from her seat and made her way to the front to give her eulogy.

“Good evening, everyone,” said Phoenix to the crowd. “As you all know, Lloyd was my twin brother. And like all twins, identical or fraternal, we did have our share of fun. I remember one time when Armando was a teenager and Lloyd and I were just kids. We were all watching a movie together. Armando was eating a can of chips and wouldn’t share with either of us. I got up to grab myself something to eat. When Armando finished his can of chips, he asked Lloyd to go get him another one from the kitchen. And that’s when Lloyd got the idea. He rigged the new can with a balloon full of water before we brought it back out to him. Armando popped it open right there on the couch, and water went everywhere. Lloyd and I just laughed at the sight of his reaction.”

A ripple of soft laughter passed through the room. Phoenix continued on. “I also remember when I had my first plastic surgery done as a young adult going to university. He wanted one himself and asked which doctor did mine. So I referred him to that surgeon, and a few weeks after he recovered from it, he felt like a new man. To me, as his sister, he was handsome.”

The room warmed with each memory Phoenix eloquently shared, as she went on and on with her lighthearted eulogy.

After that speech was over, the two round tables in the middle of the stateroom filled up with dishes prepared for this occasion. And people lined up to get their fill of food.

---

Then it was time for all the merfolk to get into the ocean to swim in Prince Lloyd’s memory. Holden came out onto the beach, looking so regal in the moonlight. He reached the shore, and the lower half of his body transformed into a fin, as soon as he was waist deep in the ocean.

---

Summer brought out Michelle to the patio. Her mother, her three brothers, Evan, Amari, and Gwendolyn were also on the same deck watching the merfolk swim out from the water below.

Both Michelle and Gwendolyn played together. Their laughter was a strange comfort against the quiet of the ocean beyond them.

To be continued...

Chapter: The Weight of the Name and the Crown Part 1

WARNING: This chapter contains graphic violence.

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Lloyd sank into the kitchen sofa in the kitchen and living room area of the castle, cheering on his favorite sports team. This was his day to relax from his high pressure job. Being a lawyer was hard enough on its own. But doing that, and also helping his nephew, the King of the Merfolk with legalities, added a weight to it that never fully went away.

The doorbell rang just as he leaned forward and shouted at the screen over a blown call. He then froze, glanced toward the hallway, and waited for someone else to answer it. At the moment, the only one around was Louann, who had also volunteered to be the King of the Merfolk’s assistant, and there was no telling where she had wandered off to. Lloyd sat back down and decided that it could wait.

The doorbell rang again, and this time Lloyd hauled himself off the sofa with a groan. He turned the TV off as he got up. He checked the front hall, and then the family room. He didn’t see Louann anywhere, and found no one else except the nanny,

Tomax Collette, with the King’s new infant son, Prince Colt. Tomax also looked after toddler Princess Michelle, but she was upstairs somewhere playing with her father. The nanny was humming a low tune under his breath, with one hand resting on the edge of the crib where the infant slept.

When the doorbell rang the third time, Lloyd stood in the hallway a second longer than he needed to.

“What the hell,” Lloyd said as his hand hovered near the door handle.

He leaned toward the window and went still when he saw who stood on the other side. It was Geoffrey Landgraab, in his blue and white checkered shirt and beige dress pants. He was waiting with his hands folded in front of him.

A few years back, Geoffrey had built his own AI company on top of the handful of other companies he already owned. Landgraab had also been one of Lloyd’s clients, most recently when he and his wife divorced a year ago. It was a case that had dragged on longer and gotten messier than Lloyd cared to admit, even with that doxing threat he got from it.

Lloyd paused for a moment before he opened the door.

“Hi, Geoffrey, good to see you again,” said Lloyd, faking a smile.

Geoffrey didn’t smile back. His jaw was set, and his eyes moved past Lloyd for a second before landing on him again.

“Hello, Lloyd,” said Geoffrey in a serious tone. “Mind if I speak to you about something personal?”

“Come right in, and make yourself at home,” said Lloyd.

He let Geoffrey in and walked over to where he had been watching sports.

As they stopped at the living room area, Landgraab went forward and sat in the armchair. While Lloyd lowered himself onto the sofa across from him.

But as soon as they sat down, they were both quiet. The silence between them seemed to stretch longer than it should have for the both of them for a while.

Then Geoffrey was the first to start speaking.

“You do remember me hiring you to finalize the divorce with Nancy,” he said in an even voice. But there was something underneath it that Lloyd could not name yet.

“Yes, I do,” answered Lloyd, his hand resting on one sofa arm. He kept it there, gripping the fabric a little tighter than he meant to.

Geoffrey let the quiet sit for a moment before he spoke again.

“Well, I ran into her this past weekend,” said Landgraab. “And you know what she told me?”

“What did she tell you?”

“Well, we were mostly talking about the past and about the divorce.” Geoffrey’s fingers tapped against the arm of the chair, like he was choosing his words with care. “And then she told me that you slept with her for years behind my back.”

Geoffrey was dead serious when he said that.

Even though Lloyd kept his face still, his chest felt tight. As a lawyer, he’d been trained in the art of deception.

“That’s not true,” he lied.

“Don’t lie to me,” said Geoffrey as his voice dropped lower. He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. “I trusted you with everything, our finances, the divorce, and all of it. And this whole time you were sleeping with my wife.”

“Geoffrey, I understand you’re upset. But this isn’t what you think…”

“Knowing your family’s scandalous history,” continued Geoffrey as he slowly got out of the armchair. “I don’t believe it.”

Lloyd also stood up too, but more out of instinct than choice. He felt cornered as Geoffrey closed the distance between them. He started to walk backwards as his hand brushed the edge of the sofa he was sitting on. “Let’s talk about this like responsible adults...”

Geoffrey’s fist landed in his stomach, which drove the air out of him.

Lloyd doubled over for half a second before instinct took over. He swung back as he punched Geoffrey across the cheek.

Landgraab staggered back a step, shook it off, and drove his knuckles into Lloyd’s jaw hard enough to snap his head sideways.

His ears rang and the room tilted for a second before he found his footing again. Lloyd threw another punch, but this time missing Geoffrey’s ribs and catching his shoulder instead.

Then the two men grabbed at each other’s collars and stumbled sideways into the side sofa. Lloyd grabbed and yanked the wig off of Landgraab’s head.

They stumbled sideways into the glass doors leading to the left patio platform. The doors violently swung open as they both hit the floor punching each other.

They still kicked and punched each other as they both got up. However, that was when Geoffrey pulled a handgun on him.

“It’s too late, Prince Lloyd,” said an angry Geoffrey. The gun in his hand trembled slightly in his grip despite the steadiness in his voice. “You’re going to meet your doom one way or another.”

Lloyd’s eyes locked on the barrel, as every instinct in him screamed to move. He lunged forward and tried to grab the gun away from him. His fingers closed around Geoffrey’s wrist as the two of them wrestled for control of it.

The gun fired before either of them really understood what was happening. A sharp and sudden crack split the open air. In less than a second, the bullet ricocheted off the metal doorframe behind them. Then it veered off its original path, and tore into Lloyd’s skull before he even had time to react. He was already dead by the time his body hit the patio floor.

Geoffrey stood over him for a moment, with the gun still in his hand. He nudged Lloyd’s leg with the toe of his shoe and then waited a bit. When there was no response, he kicked the body harder the second time. But Lloyd lay still, motionless.

Blood was also on Landgraab’s shirt. He looked down at the wig still clutched in his other hand. Then he left without a word, his footsteps fading back through the castle and into the dark.

---

On the third floor of the castle, Holden sat on the playroom floor with his daughter, Princess Michelle, now a toddler. They were playing tea party at a child sized table with some stuffed toys and a teapot set.

Afternoon light spilled in through the glass walls, catching the little painted flowers on the teacups as Michelle poured imaginary tea for a stuffed rabbit propped up beside her. He was having fun with her, until a sound from the lower two floors broke the stillness of the room. It was a faint and incongruous noise.

“More tea, Daddy?” Michelle asked as she tipped the little teapot toward his cup.

“Just a little bit,” said Holden, and handed his cup to her. “Careful now and don’t spill like Mr. Rabbit did.”

Michelle giggled and gave the rabbit a stern look. “You’re a bad rabbit. No more tea for you.”

Holden laughed despite himself, though the knot in his chest from the strange noise never fully loosened.

“Sweetie,” said Holden to his daughter as he rose up. “Daddy heard something strange downstairs. You stay here and be a good girl.”

“Okay, Daddy,” answered Michelle, already turning her attention back to the rabbit and its teacup.

Just as he was about to leave the playroom, he saw both the nanny, Tomax, and the butler and assistant, Louann, come running towards him, in a worrisome state. When they stopped in front of him, they both took a moment to catch their breath.

“Your majesty,” Tomax’s voice cracked with urgency. “You’ve got to go downstairs, quickly. Your uncle’s been shot!”

“Really?” answered Holden, moving toward the door as the word left his mouth.

“Follow us, and you’ll see,” said Louann. “I’ve already called the police, and they’ll be here as soon as possible.”

----

Holden followed his employees as they all bolted down two flights of stairs. His legs were moving faster than his mind could keep up with. That was until they reached the kitchen and living room area, with a door that stood open leading to the patio platform.

He cautiously approached the open door as the afternoon light caught on something dark pooled across the concrete floor.

He saw his uncle lying underneath the table, with one arm bent beneath him at a wrong angle. The blood around the body soaked through the fabric of his shirt and spread slowly outward.

Holden moved a step closer, then stopped; his hand pressed hard against the doorframe as if it might keep him upright. If only he could do something, anything. But his legs wouldn’t carry him any further, and he sank down where he stood. But before he could stop himself, tears came rolling down his face.

Then he lifted his head and looked at his two employees.

“Did either of you see what happened here?” he asked as his voice trembled.

“I kind of did,” said Tomax, his hands still trembling at his sides.

“I was in the living room putting Colt to bed, and I heard someone fighting with your uncle. I checked, and it was Mr. Landgraab.” He paused as his mind tried to piece together what he had just witnessed. “I overheard that it had something to do with your uncle sleeping with his ex-wife.”

“Shit,” said Holden under his breath. He dragged a hand down his face as the weight of it settled over him.

“I went back to looking after your son until I heard a gunshot,” Tomax continued, his eyes staring past the shoulder of Holden as if he were seeing it again. “I got up to check what was going on. Then I saw Mr. Landgraab walk out the door, without hair and blood all over him.”

Louann shifted her weight, with her arms wrapped around herself.

“And I was just coming down to see what happened when Tomax told me all about it,” answered the butler. “I then called the police and told them what had happened. They’ll be here any moment now.”

Then the three of them sat for a time, none of them knowing just exactly what else to say. Holden kept his eyes on his uncle’s body, and unable to look away for long. Meanwhile, Tomax and Louann waited nearby for something, anything, to make the moment less surreal.

They all waited for what seemed like an eternity, silently, until they heard a sharp and official sounding knock at the door.

Louann got up, left the patio, and went into the kitchen and living room before she disappeared, entering the main hallway. Minutes later, she returned with the police and a few media reporters in tow. Their voices overlapped with each other, while cameras were flashing, before they even reached the room.

“Excuse me!” said one of the cops as he turned to look at the reporters, holding an arm out to block them. “This is an active investigation. Please leave the castle while we sort out what happened here.”

The reporters were disappointed but still wanted to get the scoop on the murder. Some of them craned their necks for one last look before the cops closed the doors behind them. But the two other cops that were there pushed them all the way out and ignored the questions being shouted over each other on the way.

Holden got up and wiped his tears from his face. His hands were unsteady as he tried to pull himself back together in front of the officers now filling the room.

“Your highness,” said one of the cops, his tone was careful but direct. “Can you please explain to me what happened?”

“I was on the third floor playing with my daughter when my uncle got shot,” answered Holden, his voice was still a little raw from crying. “That is my alibi. However, the best person I think that you should speak to is my nanny over here. He witnessed what happened here.”

He looked over at Tomax, who was still visibly shaken by the whole experience. Holden gave him a small and silent nod.

---

Later that night, Summer came home from med school. She went into the kitchen to get something to eat when she saw Holden just staring out the window at the patio platform. She noticed the look on his face right away and knew something was wrong.

He slowly turned to look at her and explained how his uncle had died earlier today.

“Really?” asked Summer, as surprised and shocked as he was. Her hand had come to rest on his arm, and for a moment she didn’t seem to know what to do with it.

“I know what it is like losing a loved one, but murdered…” She said as she trailed off, unable to finish the thought.

“I know, babe,” Holden said, and dropped his head into his hands. “And it’s all over the news.”

Summer reached for him, pulling him closer, though neither one of them could give the other much comfort at that moment.

“And poor Tomax, being the witness to all this,” Summer replied, already thinking about the nanny who had to see all this happen.

“Well, at least he knew who killed him,” Holden said, as his voice was flat and hollow. He was staring at some point on the floor as if it might make the day feel less real.

“Did the police arrest him yet?” she asked, almost afraid to hope for an answer she wasn’t sure she’d believe one way or the other.

Holden shook his head slowly.

“I don’t know,” answered Holden. “That’s something we have to see on the news.”

The kitchen around them was silent, with only the faint hum of the refrigerator and the distant waves outside the patio doors.

---

Later that night in the nursery, Holden had changed back into his white tank top and green shorts. He was holding his infant son and looking down at him with a sad look in his eyes. Colt’s small fingers curled loosely around one of Holden’s, unaware of anything that had happened that day.

Louann knocked lightly and entered. She was careful not to break the silence that was in the room.

“Your highness,” said Louann, “I hope that I am not interrupting anything.”

“No,” sighed Holden, not looking up right away. “I’m just thinking about the future of this family.”

“That’s good,” said Louann, folding her hands in front of her. “I’ve been getting tons of calls from the media about the murder. They want to talk to you, but I let them know to leave you in peace during this tragic time. But they don’t buy it, so I shut off the ringer and vibrate function of my phone.”

She paused as she looked at the king holding his son. Her expression softened at the sight. This made her decide to change the subject. “How is the little prince doing, your highness?”

“I did feed him a few minutes ago,” said Holden. “Now I am going to put him to bed.”

“Shall I go get Princess Michelle for you?” said Louann.

“Please do,” Holden said as Louann turned around and walked out of the room. “Thank you very much for all of your help.”

“That’s what you’re paying me to do,” Louann said from the doorway. She paused for an instant to glance at her employer. “But you are welcome, and please stay strong.”

She left the room, leaving Holden alone with Colt.

“Colt,” Holden said to his son as he put him down in his crib. Then he smoothed the small tuft of hair on the boy’s head with his hand. He hesitated as he chose his words carefully. “I know you’re going to inherit something from the men in this family that I know you might not like. It’s the same thing that I’ve really been trying to fight against in my whole life.”

He stopped and shook his head slightly. “None of the other men in this family have succeeded in being faithful. Not your grandfather, not your great-grandfather, not...”

He didn’t finish that thought. “I don’t know how it works.”

He exhaled. “I hope that any of this doesn’t happen to you. I don’t want what just happened to me either. But who knows what life would bring to any of us?”

Then he quietly watched Colt fall asleep. The infant’s belly moved with every breath he took, like waves in the ocean.

“Daddy!” Michelle’s voice cut brightly through the quiet as Louann carried her into the nursery.

Holden put on a happy face just for her. This helped him wipe the last trace of sorrow from his expression.

“How is my little queen?” he asked, grabbing the toddler from the butler and lifting her into his arms.

“Good,” she answered.

“Well, it’s time for you to go to bed,” he said, then he turned to Louann. “Why don’t you get her pjs from the closet and help me dress her up.”

“We’ll do, your highness,” said Louann, as she crossed the room and went straight into the closet. She opened the door and rifled through a few hangers before she found one that she approved of. She then went back and put the pjs on the bed.

She then took the princess from her father’s arms and put her on her lap. Louann took off the toddler’s day clothes and put the pjs on her.

Holden pulled back the top two sheets before Louann handed Michelle to him. He settled his daughter into bed and tucked the blanket up to her chin and smoothed it flat.

Louann walked over to the bookshelf to search for a book fit for a toddler. She picked out a bright and colorful picture book and handed it to Holden.

To be continued...

For fear of this chapter being too long, I thought that I might have to split this one into three separate chapters. They all have a theme, I am not going to mention what that is. All I can say is the that first chapter is NSFW.

One I am done editing the first of these chapters, I will post it here and I will continue with the second one.

First off, thank you to those of you who voted. I will add both Charmed to the Bone and Nothing Like the Jones to my list to write. I actually do have an idea what chapter two and three of the latter will be. A hint for one of those, it has to do with the Invention Constructor.

I also learned how to posts better polls in the future.

For the Merfolk Legacy 🧜...

I'm still playing through it before I write it, and this one's taking some extra care behind the scenes.

The first night, I tested a mod I'd never used before, and it took me all night and morning to figure it out. I did make a few mistakes, but I learned from them.

I also ran into some trouble getting a couple of other mods to cooperate. One worked, but not quite the way I needed for a scene. So I swapped it for something similar that got the job done.

Then I hit a snag trying to set up a moment I have planned for this chapter. But that didn't pan out the way I expected.

It all Sounds Ambitious

I know. However, I still have one or two more nights to play the Merfolk Legacy. I don't know how long this one is going to be because it has a few subplots (Or one main one and two or three subs). But this chapter will have a theme.

It'll probably take me an extra week or two to finish writing this chapter. But I hope that you'll like it.

Hey Simmers! Meet the newest character in the Merfolk Legacy: Jacob Dagon.

He is a merfolk with the physique of a bodybuilder. I don't want to talk much about his background because that will be in this next chapter of this series. But his aspiration has a little bit to do with what he will become in this story.

However, a part of this next chapter has one aspect that he is totally into when it comes to anything Macabre. Jacob's into anything that has to do with crime, whether it be cop shows, or a biography of a serial killer.

Jacob is a nosy person who can't help asking questions that aren't his business. Jacob wants to know who said what, who left with who, and what really happened at that party three weeks ago. Ask him to mind his own business and he'll just smile and ask another question.

Underneath all that, he falls hard and fast for anyone who catches his eye. Jacob writes love notes he never sends and remembers small details about people he barely knows. This is all because his heart moves faster than his head.

You get to pick which one moves forward.

You only have one more day to vote for your favorite new story. And there can only be one winner.

Out of these five, which one do you want to see more of?

If you haven't had the chance to read any of them, that's okay. Pick whichever one pulls you in the most.

Here are your choices:

Charmed to the Bone (Spellcaster Romance) - About a sugar baby who never planned on living with five suitors. And she definitely didn't expect three of them to be famous.

Hollow Ground (Slice of Life Drama) - A couple changes their home into a dormitory and lets six university students live with them. All of them are occults, except one lone human student.

Nothing Like the Jones (Occult Comedy) - An alien family arrived to study human social behavior. They soon find we are far stranger than they ever expected.

Power Play (Noir Casino Drama) - Step inside Blue Sky Casino, where Ximena Hunt runs the show and nobody's quite what they seem.

Velvet Venom (Occult Drama, NSFW) - A mother spends her days raising four kids. But every night, she owns and runs the most talked-about club in town.

You have until Saturday, July 11th, to vote for the story you're most excited to see continue.

Curious to read them for yourself? Here are the links to all five stories:

Charmed to the Bone

Hollow Ground

Nothing Like the Jones

Power Play