Ship Wrecked

Chapter 2: Ready As Ever

"Jules, you have slept in! We must get ready to leave," a shrill voice rang through the door. Jules' eyes fluttered open and thought Who and what in the world are they talking about? Jules hoarsely replied, "Come in." Queen Maribella burst into her bedroom with servants right behind her. "Ju-ju, why aren't you dressed! We have to get ready to leave on the Midnight in seven hours! Get out of that darn bed and stop looking at me like I am crazy," Maribella hollered. Turning her head to the servants, Maribella ordered, "I need you to gather her two new dresses, ten nightdresses, twenty undergarments, seven shoes, three sandals, thirteen dresses, brushes, combs, utensils for the bath and for her teeth. Um, her book, The Queen of Arabia, Days Of Our Past, and Jules, what other book would you want?" Jules fell asleep again and snorted awake. "Wh...wh... what! Oh, uh, The Tales From Old! I haven't read that one yet," Jules sputtered out. Maribella nodded her head to the servants and quickly walked over to Jules' bedside. Yanking her arm, the Minuta Queen pulled the Princess clear from the sheets. "Adara! I need you to put Jules in the wash bin and wake her up! Get her the teal ballroom dress I got for her. Make sure she has her hair in an easy low bun. Have her wear her silver heels that have diamond on the ankle straps," Maribella commanded Adara. "Yes, Your Highness. Princess, here. Let me help you," Adara whispered. Jules barely heard, but all she felt was a soft touch on her two shoulders.

Eyes shot open from the heat of the wash bin. "What the heck! I am... where am I," Jules sputtered out. Adara, startled by her reaction, replied hastily, "I took you to your wash room and placed you in the tub. Then I dumped a little water down your back. Are you alright?" Jules laid her head against the cushion that rested her head. "Fine, thank you. Adara, I have a story to tell you."

"Oh, Your Highness. Is it one of your dreams again about something terrible is going to happen?"

Jules has had a lot of these dreams lately. They were mainly about a big serpent destroying a ship that she was on. She never really got the name, but all she knew that many souls died.

"Yes, I did have one last night and it was horrible. I was trying to get away from a big black thing, but something pulled me under and I couldn't get back up. That is an old story though. This one was real, but it did feel like a dream," Adara nodded her head as to tell Jules that she should continue. Jules dazed off to look back to what had happened to her the other night. "Well it was wonderful is all I can say to you," Jules recalled.

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After a long story, Adara looked at Jules with a sincere smile. "Your Highness. I don't know what to say. There are so many words that I could say. Excited, disappointment, happy, and what else is there to say. Two kisses with some of the most handsome men in the kingdom. What would you say, Princess," Adara replied. "Love. That's all I could say. I fell in love with the stable boy, Carter and with Nick," Jules smiled. Jules leaned her head back and let her hands be washed cleaned and her feet. As that was going on, her mind conjured her to go into the past.

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"Father! Can we go look at all the horses?" I saw myself as a 13 year-old and it was a great summer day. "Sure sweetie, but remember to be careful around the warhorses. You know they are pretty mean. I will be talking with the stable master." He called after me as I raced down the hill. This was my first time actually seeing horses in person. I was never allowed to go and see them because Mother was always too protective until Papa convinced her to let me go with him.

I went between the fence posts and snagged my dress on some bark.

"Oh no!"

"Let me help you."