Leaving the Pirate (Book Three)

5. The Last Day

 It was a warm, but windy morning for late October. The waters were calm and shined under the sun when you looked out the window. It was the perfect day for a beach day.

Everyone was already up by the time I left my room. On any important day in the castle, everyone was everywhere and I felt a certain nervousness growing in my stomach from all of the action. Action in the morning can do that to you.

There would be no breakfast, as I was told and my designated meeting spot would be in the throne room where everyone else would be - everyone but the royal family that is. Apparently, royalty would keep its reputation for being the most important to arrive last. They would be at the beach later, His Majesty said, and we were to go on ahead without them.

When I arrived, I was dressed in loose-fitting clothing with a bag in hand that help my bathing gown. Diane dressed in the same way. Tristan, Jack, and Christopher, however, were already wearing their swimming wear: a short-sleeved tunic with trousers that came to their knees. It never occurred to me how white all of their legs were from covering them so much. It made me smile a little.

"So what are we supposed to do?" Christopher asked, sounding bored. 

"Now that we have everyone, I can lead you all to the beach. Follow me, please."

As Jack led us away, Diane looped her arm around mine. "Isn't this exciting? I haven't been in the water for so long."

"You're a sailor. You don't have time to go in the water?"

"I'm always working, dear. I don't have time. I would go everyday if I could, but you must understand that I have priorities to his Majesty and to Cora now."

"How is she, Cora, I mean?"

"She's doing a lot better."

Jack led us through another maze of twists and turns until we finally came to a door with bright light coming from it. "The beach," Jack said, "is at our disposal. It was almost like a dream. Once he opened the door, the ocean was staring straight back at us. 

"Had I known we were this close to the ocean, I would have gone sooner," Christopher exclaimed. 

We walked down a flight of clay stairs that led to the sand until at last, we were there: feet in the warm sand and face facing the hot sun. I was already sweating. Waiting for us were chairs that looked out of place and a table that looked like it should be in the kitchen, staked high with towels. Another table was placed right next to it under a tall umbrella with food galore ready to be eaten. Tristan raced right toward the table.

"Honey, wait! Don't you want to swim first?" Jack called after him.

Tristan had something already stuffed into his mouth. "Are wu kitting? Dis is to gud to ignore."

Jack rolled his eyes and turned toward Diane and me. "You see that building there?" He pointed to a little shack thing that sat near the water. You can change there and meet us in the water." Jack looked at Christopher and together they ran to the water, splashing each other with water.

Diane and I walked to the shack while watching the men play. "I like seeing him this way," Diane said. "Its like I never left."

I went in first to change. It proved to be difficult with the limited space and little light, but I somehow managed and made my way into the water. I shivered at the touch and thought about swimming to shore, but thanks to the sun, it didn't take long for me to forget that idea.

I swam over to where the two man children were and ended up getting splashed. It was by Christopher. "Ha! My bad, darling. You alright?" I wiped my face.