That night my mind was restless. The Prince wishes to overthrow his Father. His ambitions are dangerous to both of us. My life is already at risk as it is. Despite our differences, I do see why the Prince is so determined. We have both seen what his Father is capable of, and how it has affected the people of Xosta. But if we did succeed, and Prince Galleren would become King, then… I would be his Queen. Just the thought pits my stomach. I am not even ready to be his wife let alone Queen.

Primping my face in the mirror I imagined what it would look like to wear the crown of a Queen. In my imagination I looked the part, but am I ready for the weight the crown brings?

“Are you almost ready Miss?” Mira enters along with two other servants who begin packing some of my belongings.

“Ready for what? Are we going somewhere?”

Mira looked surprised. Clearly I am missing something. “You and Prince Galleren leave for your honeymoon today. Did he not tell you last night?”

The Prince’s lack of communication never ceases to amaze me. He had plenty of time to tell me about our trip yesterday. Perhaps this is payback for trying to use the truth serum on him.

Shaking my head I reply. “No. He neglected to mention that.”

“Well, then there is no time to waste! The carriage is waiting for us.” Looking around my bedchamber the other servants are moving remarkably quickly, packing anything I may need for the journey ahead.

“Come, come! No more lollygagging! Prince Galleren will be displeased if we are late.” Gently Mira pushes me out the door.

Looking back Mira says. “Don’t worry, they will pack everything you may need.”

“Where exactly are we going?” I ask.

A wide smile appears on Mira’s face. “We are headed to the Utopia Islands!”

🜃

I have only heard tales of the Utopia islands. From what I gather, they are some of the most beautiful beaches in the land; given their name, I can only imagine that they are. Mira is very excited about our visit. The entire trip she rambled about all of the fun things we were going to experience. Tanning, looking for seashells on the beach, and swimming in the ocean all sound delightful, so why am I not excited?

Truth be told, it wasn’t till the boat ride that it truly had sunken in… I am going on my honeymoon. My stomach turns into knots thinking about so much alone time with Prince Galleren. The pressure of consummating the marriage is on. If there is ever a moment for me to secure my kingdoms alliance, it is now. I have to be strong for the good of Theora, and my family. I have been thinking about them so much since I have left. I have yet to receive a response from my mother or my brother, which leaves me yearning to hear from them. Mira assured me that both letters were sent and that there was no interference from the King, so I doubt he would withhold messages. Perhaps they are all busy with preparations of the Xosta’s army. Hopefully, I will hear back from them soon.

Docking into the Utopia Island port was a sight to behold. The oceans were a clear blue-green, and the sandy beaches looked like pale white diamonds in the sunlight. As Mira and I walked off the boat, the warm breeze tickled my senses, igniting a sensation of serenity across my body. Soon after we departed the ship, Prince Galleren and Sir Esteve joined us on the dock. The Prince’s dark wavy hair tousled in the breeze as he and his escort approached us. We had not seen each other during the entire trip. I was almost convinced he wasn’t even on the boat.

“My lady,” Prince Galleren takes my hand and lightly kisses it. “I trust you enjoyed your travels.” The touch of his lips on my skin cause my cheeks to run hot. While he and I are not a perfect match, I cannot deny that he is extremely handsome. After all, I am only but a woman.

Clearing my throat I pull my hand away from the Prince. “Yes- your highness. Thank you.” He smiles. “My family has a summer home here on the islands. It is not too far from here. Shall we walk? I would hate to spoil this beautiful day.”

“Yes, your highness.” I bow to him with admiration, but Prince Galleren stops me. Placing his hand under my chin he raises me back to standing posture. “There is no need for that here. This is not Xosta territory anymore. Please, follow me.” No more formalities? Am I dreaming? A non-visible eye roll appeared on Sir Esteve’s armor. Silently he walked past us to the sand. “Ignore him.” the Prince whispers.

When we reached the beach the Prince stopped at the edge of the dock. Bending forward he removed his sandals, carrying them in his left hand. Looking down at my feet, his eyebrow raises. “I insist you take off your shoes Princess.” Faithfully I obey his command. Carefully I lift each foot, sliding off my shoes.

“Mira, will you see to our footwear? The servants and Sir Esteve will be taking a carriage to our destination. We shall be at the house shortly.” Mira was beaming. She was all too happy to assist the Prince. “Yes your grace!” I was slightly disappointed that the rest of them won’t be joining us, but perhaps it is for the best.

Prince Galleren gestures to me. “What are you waiting for?” Looking down at my bare feet, I lightly lift my skirt stepping into the sand. The ground beneath me felt like a warm cloud, I couldn’t help but smile. I have never experienced anything like this before

“It feels marvelous doesn’t it?” The Prince asks. Something about this place ignites joy into my soul. “It’s incredible,” I reply.

The Prince and I walk side by side down the beach. The sounds of the ocean calling to us with each step. I have never seen Prince Galleren smile this much before. There has been a permanent grin on his face since we arrived. Looking at me, the Prince caught my stare.

“Can you feel it?” confused I ask. “Feel what?”

“This island is enchanted. From the air around us to the sand between our toes is embedded with ancient magic. They say that thousands of years ago a group of Mages found these islands and used them as an escape from the stresses of life. They wanted to continue the joy that this place brought to them for others to enjoy for years to come.”

I have heard tales of the old magic. Only little stories my mother would tell me before going to sleep. Not once have I gotten to experience them. We have not seen such magic in these lands for centuries.

“That is a beautiful story. I do have to say since I stepped on the beach I feel… different.” The Prince nods. “What you feel is happiness. Unencumbered by life’s distractions. It is the perfect place to get away.”

He was right. I felt truly happy. All of the pressures of the honeymoon felt like it had been lifted off my shoulders. “I could manage with being here for a few days, so let’s make the most of our time here.”

I nod in agreement. “Okay.”

It didn’t take us long to reach the beach house. What felt like five minutes was more realistically an hour. The aura of this island makes everything around you slower. It lets you appreciate the serene surroundings deeper. I felt more in tune with nature than I ever did on Theora.

I was surprised to see the beach house was no house at all, but a fortress overlooking the water. The beige stone walls were high and strong. The castle was so close to the water that the base was covered in barnacles and sea moss. I suppose compared with the castle in Xosta, they would consider this to be more of a house.

The inside was decorated plainly, much like the outside. Its simplicity was both humbling and comforting. The thin windows allowed the echoes of the ocean to enter the home, giving the illusion that we were still out on the beach.

“My lady, supper will be prepared within the hour. Would you care to change?” Mira looked like she already had enough time to get situated. Both my and the Prince’s shoes were waiting for us by the front door when we entered. Around her mouth were some small crumbs from a potential per-dinner snack.

“Wonderful idea Mira. while you are at it, make sure that there is enough for you and Sir Esteve. We shall dine together.” Prince Galleren’s voice was strong and true. Turning to me he says. “Don’t you agree Princess Ariella?”

I have never heard him speak so casually to me before, let alone the help. Sir Esteve beat up a worker just because I spoke to him, will he act the same with the Prince’s actions?

“Yes, I think that is a wonderful idea.”

With a warm smile, Prince Galleren gazed down to me in reply, “Splendid.”