Over Dinner

Exactly as Iza expected, Bruno immediately asked about Natalia.

The girl took a sad, embarrassed tone.

"To tell the truth, I'm not sure," she announced. "Natalia is not a weak one and when she found out about the rumors about her, she took it well. She mentioned that she wanted to change the environment for a few days, but I didn't expect her to disappear without a word. She took some of her things and just like that ... I thought we were really friends. Doesn't Natalia know how I worry about her? But I understand that she wanted to disappear for a few days. It's my fault, I should have reacted to what was happening earlier, but I really thought that for such stupid and unfounded rumors it is not worth noting that they will pass by themselves. "

Bruno looked worried.

"Yes, we should have reacted sooner," he agreed. "But it's not your fault. I don't know Natalia as well as you do, but I was even outraged by the absurdity of these rumors. I should have stood up for Natalia. All her friends and acquaintances should, not only you. "

Bruno is not only handsome, intelligent, but also very noble, thought Iza. Can you dream of a better boyfriend? If people started talking badly about her, would he plead for her, defend her?

"There were less rumors today," the girl announced. "It seems that as expected, they are self-expiring. Maybe it's good that Natalia decided to take a few days off? If she disappears from people's sight, maybe they will just forget about her? "

"I hope so," he smiled but looked unconvinced. His caring, kind heart is exactly what many women dream of.

"You know, maybe we should do something about it," suggested Iza.

"What do you mean?" Bruno got interested immediately.

"Maybe we should join forces and watch the situation. Step in if the hate persists. You know, clean the environment for Natalia so that she can come back easily. "

"You know what," he rejoiced. "It's a really brilliant idea. One person may not be much, but if we join forces ... "

Iza felt a rush of triumph. She will start slowly as a good friend, start by fighting for a good cause together, and then slowly overnight she will get close enough to Bruno that he starts noticing her as a woman.

The strategy was good.

Well, there's nothing bad that won't turn out to be good.

***

The huge, round table sagged under the food. Natalia had never seen such splendor on the table. Roast meats, fish in jelly, all kinds of bread and fruit so exotic (and so tasty that she drooled just at the sight of them) mixed with all kinds of pates, desserts and salads. Although the clothes of the people of this world resembled those of the Far East, the lavishness of the table was in the style of the famous feasts of ancient Rome.

"Do you eat like that every day or is it a special occasion?" Natalia asked Ulariye.

"Not every day," she admitted, "but you said you were hungry."

"Can anyone eat more than they weigh?"

"I do not know what you like."

Her disarming honesty made Natalia feel guilty.

"Actually, I'm not picky," she announced. "That's all, it's a bit too much."

She didn't want to say it was a waste. She did not know this world and its customs, and Ulariye only wanted to show her hospitality. Well, in Natalia's world, such tables are only seen in costume films, because even in the world of the richest, no one has to organize such feasts.

"Don't worry," said Zack, smiling as usual, and took his seat at the table. He immediately reached for some roast bird, which was clearly smaller than a chicken, and tore off its leg. "The big sister is very rich and the leftovers are always given to the poor, so you don't have to worry. I have been to your world several times and have seen this and that. " Zack bit into the roast meat and did it with such enthusiasm that if Natalia were the cook who made the food, she would be delighted.

Yes, it was clear that Ulariye was not poor. Her white house was huge, as big as a palace. The floors were covered with beautiful mosaics and by the walls of the dining room there were pots in which beautiful, yellow water irises grew. The owner of this house could not be poor.

"Zackocuki", the woman said, "why are you talking as if money matters?"

"They have in her world," he explained. "Did you know that in her world people pay for garbage disposal, for polluting the air, and even for water and energy?"

"Don't make fun of me."

"I am not kidding. But why are you standing there? The food is getting cold! "

Natalia was really hungry and the food smelled so delicious it was hard to resist. She didn't have to do that anyway. Since the food was already prepared, she, as a hungry man, should feed herself.

"What are these little birds?" she asked.

"Quail" explain, Zack. "Excellence. Their meat is very tender. Drink with the juice of heavenly apples. "

"Um, really delicious!" Natalia admitted delighted. "I've never eaten something so good in my life!"

"Right?" Zack handed her a pickle, "The food in your world is similar but not the same."

"Not the same," she agreed. Although, who knows, maybe the rich ate such delicious things every day?

Ulariye shyly sat down next to Natalia. The woman was dazzlingly beautiful. When she attacked Natalia to make her stay, she seemed as imperious as Archer, but from the moment Natalia agreed to stay, Ulariye began to show a more subtle side of her nature.

"Thank you for staying," she said softly. "I know it's all so sudden for you. For us too, but ... thank you for sacrificing yourself for his good. "

"Not at all," Natalia immediately denied. "I am not sacrificing myself for anyone. I'm doing it only for myself! "

"Of course," Ulariye smiled.

"I'm not joking!" Natalia assured. She was not as noble as she was accused of. After all, she was driven primarily by the fear of her own reality, but she couldn't admit it. That's why she blushed up to her ears.

"You probably had other reasons, too, but can you honestly say that you didn't even think about Hugoarno for a moment?"

"Well," she admitted, "maybe for a second. But I certainly didn't stay for him! Anyway, who are you? "She decided to change the subject." You know a lot about me, but I don't know anything about you. "

"I am Ulariye, née Ula. He is Zackocuki, née Zack. We have both been friends of Hugoarno, the eldest son of our lovingly reigning Hugoyoran, since childhood ... "

"Wait a minute" Natalia choked on the juice Zack handed her. "Are you telling me that Hugoarno is a prince? A real prince? Firstborn? "

"Yes," Ulariye clearly became sad and suddenly it occurred to Natalia that being a prince after all is not as beautiful as they say in fairy tales.

Or maybe it's like in fairy tales, but not those from the Western world, where the prince meets a princess and after some idiotic romantic adventure they lived happily ever after? Maybe it is like in those eastern dramas, where the emperor has a dozen sons from different wives, concubines and lovers, and each of them fights mercilessly for the throne? Here, being the eldest son did not guarantee the throne at all. Even if he was the youngest, the son of the queen became king.

But wait a minute, this is a completely different world where nothing is the same as in her world. Natalia shouldn't make any assumptions yet.

"Is it bad to be a prince?" she asked without hiding her concern.

"Not at all," said Zack as he continued to stuff himself. "It's bad to be Hugoarna."

"Shut up!" Ulariye screamed so loudly that glasses and plates rang.

"What, maybe I'm lying? I might be wrong?"

"Zack, I'm telling you to shut up!" Ulariye stood up and her eyes flashed lightning.

"Let him talk," they heard a hard metallic voice coming from the entrance. "I, too, would like to know why it is so bad to be me."