I'm sorry this wasn't up on Saturday, but it's up now! The chapter's length will slowly expand as they keep coming out.

Chapter Thirteen

Natalia felt sick as she stared at her sister's small cottage. It was burned at places, and seemed like it could fall any moment.

Matthew stood beside her, observing the house. He looked to her as she gave the house another once over.

She was going to throw up. She had gotten a letter from this address a long time ago, from her sister. This had to be her house. Natalia swallowed as she pushed open the wooden door that barely hung on its' hinges.

The inside of the house was a mess. There wasn't much furniture, a bed on the left and a few kitchen supplies on the right. Both seemed ancient. Natalia could only observe as Matthew scouted the house, searching for Katyusha. Is this what her sister lived in? While Natalia had a nice home at Kingdom Clubs, her sister was suffering in poverty in a small cabin in Kingdom Hearts. Natalia collapsed to the floor, her heart was beating faster than she could count. Her vision blurred, but she could feel Matthew holding onto her.

Is this what I left Katyusha with? Did I leave my sister to die? Is she even alive? How has she been living?

The last thought was the most powerful of all.

How could I be so selfish?

The world went black.

Bright light invaded Natalia's vision, but she did her best to resist closing her eyes as she pulled herself up. She was… laying – or well now, sitting – on Katyusha's bed.

Natalia swallowed.

Katyusha.

Matthew stood by the door, with a nervous smile, talking to someone. It took Natalia a few seconds to recognize it as the girl they saw Feliciana with. What was her name?

Sakura.

Right. She seemed well and clean for someone caught between a civil war.

Natalia forced herself off the bed as her vision fully adjusted. Natalia zigzagged for a bit before actually walking properly, her balance adjusting as well. As she walked to the duo by the door, she began to wonder why Sakura was even there.

"Ah! Natalia, you're awake!" Matthew suddenly exclaimed as their eyes locked. Sakura faced her, looking a little surprised. Matthew rushed to Natalia's side, but Natalia only pushed him away, grumbling about how she could do everything herself. Even though she felt pretty darn weak.

"Um, not to be rude, but what are you doing here?" Natalia went straight to Sakura, whose eyes widened with surprise. She didn't like Sakura. She seemed… indifferent. She could compromise their mission. Natalia didn't have to really worry about Ivan notifying Kingdom Hearts to look out for her and having the Kingdom put up posters or anything with the civil war going on, so it wasn't personal. It just… was how she felt.

Finding Katyusha…

Natalia swallowed, as Sakura shifted on her feet.

"You came with Feliciana and her brother, and I didn't properly introduce myself last time we met." Sakura murmured. "My name is Sakura Honda, Queen of Hearts. I had to follow you to find you because I needed to know what business you had in the Kingdom, but Matthew explained everything, so… I 'll take my leave now."

Queen of Hearts?! What's the Queen doing out of the castle..?!

Sakura pulled up a smile.

And what the hell did Matthew say?

Natalia turned to Matthew, only to use her strongest glare on him. It would have been amusing to watch him squirm, but right now, she needed an answer. Matthew shrugged with a sheepish smile. Natalia continued to glare.

"Um, so I'll be going now. It was nice meeting you." Sakura bowed, leaving Natalia and Matthew alone in the cabin. As the door shut, Natalia took large strides towards Matthew, eyes shooting darts towards the violet-eyed blonde.

"What did you say?" Natalia would kill him if he shared their plans with a stranger. She didn't care who the stranger was, or if the plan would be effected by the stranger. All she cared about was keeping their plan a secret. It was between them, no third party included.

"I-I just said that we were new citizens of Kingdom Hearts! I-I didn't know what to say, and since our Marks are still our respective Kingdom, and mine is-" Matthew cut himself off, with wide eyes.

What's his problem?

Ooh right, Matthew was an Ace.

No wonder he freaked. He didn't seem to have good relations with Royals of other Kingdoms. After all, he was running from the King of Diamonds earlier. The kid suddenly formed social anxiety or something in from of the Royals.

Kingdom Spades is probably crawling with Diamondian spies.

"It's fine. You didn't mess up." Natalia said. She watched Matthew's stance relax as she made her way back to her bed, falling on top of it.

"Katyusha isn't here." Matthew stated while Natalia's eyes closed. She let out an exasperated sigh.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious." She retorted. She felt so tired, and the bed felt so right, she didn't feel like moving.

Katyusha.

But resting was not an option. She had to find her sister. Her alive sister. Her sister was alive.

She had to be alive.

Natalia pulled herself up from the bed, her body protesting as she stood up.

"We need to find her. She… let's check the main square. That's where many, who don't partake in the war currently reside. She could be there."

"You just passed out, Natalia. I don't think it would be a good idea for you to move a lot right now. You need rest." Matthew replied quietly, from the other side of the room. "I may not be a physician, but I know that you just had a kind of panic attack, and your body needs at least two hours rest, by the very least, to recover."

As if on cue, Natalia's legs gave up on her as she fell on the bed again. Her eyes felt like they were going to droop.

"We need to find Katyusha now. She could be in trouble. She could be…"

Sleep took her away, her resistance fading away.

Natalia feels guilty because she pushed her sister away, and then her sister was apparently forced to live in harsh conditions by herself, without any support.