“The water is so warm! I love the ocean!” Mira shouts with joy, splashing in the ocean.

The day is bright, and sunny, with just a small breeze carrying through the air. Each day on the Utopia islands seems like a dream. Every second spent feels as if the stresses of life are being pulled from my body. My muscles have never been so loose and relaxed. As I touch along the nape of my neck I cannot find one single knot.

Laying under the shade of a palm tree, I look around me trying to burn the surroundings to memory. My brother would have loved to go on a trip like this. I could see him roping me into building a sandcastle as soon as he saw the beach. Touching the corner of my mouth lightly, I realize a small smile cracked my expression. Normally thinking of my brother would bring me sadness, but the island’s magic changes my perspective. Now when I think of him, I smile uncontrollably. Not only that, but I have noticed I have been smiling more around the Prince.

He is like a completely different person on the island. After he spent the night in my bed, the anxiety of consummating the marriage disappeared. His assurance that Mira’s report would be enough was a relief. It has allowed me to see Ren from a different view. His hard exterior has been broken down, and I can finally see the man he truly is.

My lips tingle thinking about our kiss. It was unexpected, but every kiss with him tends to be. I am not used to being a wife quite yet. Kissing your husband should be completely normal when you are married, however, under these circumstances things are different for us. That being said, though we are strangers when his lips are on mine… it feels like we have known each other for years.

“Morning.” Esteve’s low voice echoes in my ear. Snapping myself from daydreaming about Ren, I look up to see him standing over me. His iron armor shining brightly in the sun.

“Good Morning, did you sleep well?” The helmet on the knight’s shoulders turns towards me. “Indeed, my Lady.”

While I know that conversations with Sir Esteve tend to run short, the island has given me optimism for something more.

“Do you enjoy the beach, Sir Esteve?” The Knights’ attention turns to my handmaid enjoying the open water. “No.”

“Then what brings you here? Surely you would much rather attend to Prince Galleren’s needs.” A small chuckle escapes from the Knight’s breath. “You are most certainly right… However, Prince Galleren has private matters to attend to and has ordered me to watch over you.”

His disappointed tone spreads to my heart. I wish he could just let loose. Even just for a little bit. It must be exhausting being ‘on duty’ constantly. He is human after all, so he must get tired.

“If you must stay by my side, then I insist you relax-”

“Ahhh!” My heart stopped. Mira’s cries pulled me to her urgently. I stand up quickly, looking out into the ocean. As my eyes dart across the clear blue water I spot her struggling to swim amongst the waves. I look to Sir Esteve beside me, waiting for him to rush to her rescue, but he stands still.

“Aren’t you going to do something?!” I yell pressingly. But in true Esteve fashion, he gives me the silent treatment. “Fine! If you aren’t going to do anything, then I will.”

I push off my right foot into a full sprint across the white sand. Swinging my arms to move my body faster. As I get closer to Mira her screams become louder. “Help!” She pleads

“Hang on! I’m coming!” Holding onto my pendant, I say a silent prayer. Please… let us make it out of this alive.

Without hesitation I run across the edge where the sand meets the sea, diving headfirst into the ocean. At this moment I am thankful for all the swimming lessons my Father taught us growing up.

Breaking to the surface I take in a deep breath. “Mira!” In hysteria, I search around me. “Mira!” I could hear my screams carry over the water, but there was no reply. Did she go under the surface?

With another deep breath, I plunge into the depths of the ocean. Desperately I search, the saltwater burning my eyes. Taking a few strokes deeper, I see the outline of Mira’s body. She was close, but I was running out of air. If I breached the surface again it may be too late for her.

I can’t give up. Determined I race to my drowning friend, trying not to think about how desperately I need oxygen. When I reach her, she is still and lifeless. Quickly I grab her arm and kick as hard as I can to the surface. The tightness in my chest became too much to bear. Any air in my lungs purged out of me, turning into bubbles before my eyes. I am so close. I can do this! With every bit of strength, I have left I swim hard and fast, till the warm sun and fresh air hits my face.

I gasp, desperately catching my breath. Looking to Mira her eyes were closed, with the steady stillness throughout her body. I toss her arm over my shoulder and start swimming to land. “We are almost there Mira! Stay alive!”

Reaching the shore I lay Mira flat on her back. The small waves at the edge of the shore pushing us away from the warm waters. She still hasn’t opened her eye. Bending forward I place my ear near her nose looking for any sign of life. She is not breathing.

“Come on Mira! Open your eyes!” I wail shaking her shoulders. Tears begin to flow from my eyes. I have lost so much already, I can’t lose her too.

Taking my fists I lift them above my head. “Wake up!” With force, I drive my hands into her chest. The hit vibrated through her body, causing her eyes to spring open. Mira rolled aside coughing up a good amount of seawater. Desperately she took in a heavy breath as if trying to make up for the lost time. She is alive!

“Mira! Thank the Earth!” She was shaking, and still catching her breath, but she was alive. Wiping my tears I took her in my arms. I never had a sister, so Mira is the closest thing I have to one. She has become like family to me in Xosta. I don’t know what I would do without her.

Mira didn’t speak. She didn’t have to. The air in her lungs was all that mattered to me. “Let’s get you inside.” Holding on to Mira’s side, I raise her from the ground walking back toward the house.

My hair dripping with rage as I see Sir Esteve standing in the same exact spot I left him. The fury inside my stomach built up like a roaring fire. Each step closer fueling my bitterness. There were a million things I wanted to scream at him. Words of disappointment, and disrespect that he has been asking for from the very beginning. With so many slurs storming in my head all I could do was stare sharp daggers through him as we walked past.

Entering the castle, the servants were hard at work cleaning and preparing a small afternoon snack for the house.

One of the hired help caught my eye. “My Lady, back so-”

“Mira needs medical attention immediately. She nearly drowned swimming in the ocean. Take her to her room, now.” I am usually not this abrupt with attendants, but I was in no mood for formalities.

“Yes, my Lady! Right away!” Putting down his broom he rushed to Mira’s side taking her off my shoulders and onto his.

“Where is he?” I demand. The servant looked confused, and his silence told me that he was clueless about what I was asking.

“The Prince! Where is he?” My bark shook the man to his core. “He is out on the balcony, in his chambers.” His lips quivered as the words pushed through his lips.

Without delay, I marched to my destination determined to explain Sir Esteve’s wrongdoing, and see to his punishment. Pushing open Prince Galleren’s bedroom door with force caused a loud thud to bellow throughout the room.

There Ren stood, among a few of his advisors and attendants. All of which had their eyes on me, dripping wet and covered in sand.

“Arie, what a lovely surprise.” Ren smiled as if trying to calm me down from a distance.

“I need to speak with you. Now.” The blood in my face felt like it was about to boil over. I did not break eye contact for a moment. I am not going to back down.

“Very well… everyone, you are dismissed. Please close the door on your way out.” Maintaining my stance, I waited patiently for the two of us to be the last people present. Once the door closed behind me I stepped forward.

“Did you have a nice day at the beach?” Ren asked passively.

His nonchalant attitude only added kindling to my already raging fire. “I am not here for small talk Ren. Mira almost drowned and Sir Esteve stood there and watched! If I wasn’t there to swim after her, she would have surely died! He is supposed to be there to protect us! She could have died! He must be reprimanded!”

Casually, he walked over to his desk opening one of the small drawers. Taking out a purple vial, he poured the contents into his hands and rubbed them together.

Annoyed I clamor, “Are you listening to me? One of your servants could have died today! Do you want that on your conscious?”

“Shh.” he hushes.

“How can you-”

“Shhhh.” calmly he approaches lifting his hands to my face. Carefully he places each palm over my ears shutting out the sound around me. Once his hands touched my face I could no longer hear the sounds of the ocean, but rather sounds of the forest, much like the ones in Theora. In amazement, I closed my eyes taking in the sounds of the rustling trees, singing birds, and rolling rivers. Any anger that I had seemed like a thing of the past. All I wanted to do was listen intently to the sympathy of the forest.

“Does that feel better?” Ren’s voice called my eyes open.

Not wanting to take away from the peaceful sounds in my ears, I nod softly. Without lifting his hands, Ren pulls me toward him carefully resting his chin on the crown of my head.

“I am sorry Mira’s life was put in danger. You did a brave thing today. You are both safe and that is all that matters. I will talk with Sir Esteve, I assure you this will not happen again.”

Disappointment came over me when the soothing sounds of nature faded away from my senses. I look up to Ren as if asking why it stopped only using my eyes.

“It is only temporary. The longest it lasts is a few minutes.” Releasing his hands from my face, he reaches over to a scrap of cloth lying on his desk. Roughly he wipes any remaining liquid off his hands, making sure to clean each crevasse of his fingers.

“I probably shouldn’t tell you this… but It is one of Sir Esteve’s special potions. He made it just for you if you were in emotional turmoil. He didn’t go into further detail.”

It’s not poison! Just drink it!

The Knight’s words echoed through my mind as the memory of my wedding day flashed before me. I was having a panic attack after the King had visited me when Sir Esteve came to my rescue with a potion.

Looking to Ren level headed I motion to the purple vial. “Even with his kind gesture, there is no excuse for not coming to Mira’s aid.”

“I agree.” Taking the small bottle, he places it back from whence it came. “I will send someone to care for Mira. Meanwhile, I hope that this event didn’t sour the rest of your evening. I have something planned for the two of us.”

“You do?” I was not expecting a gesture like this from the Prince. Yet again, he has been full of surprises on this trip.

Pushing his dark hair back, Ren lets out s quick chuckle under his breath. “Don’t sound so surprised. I think you will enjoy it. For now, get some rest. Our adventure begins at sunset.”