Ship Wrecked

Chapter 9: Days Go On and On

They began to swim. Emrys had to stop occasionally to stop and pull Jules along. "This is so hard. I should've stayed back there." Jules complained as she was being pulled by Emrys. "Will you be quiet?" Emrys called over his shoulder as they progressed forward.

Maribella laid on the makeshift raft; shivering. Emrys heaved Jules up on the board. She scrambled over to her mother. "Mom. Mom." Jules shook her shoulder. The queen fluttered her eyelashes and her eyes got big. "Jules! I thought you were dead! Oh my sweet girl," Maribella replied as she pushed herself up. Maribella flung her arms around her only daughter. "Jules. Who's this?" Maribella acknowledged Emrys who was kneeling beside the king.

"This is Emrys. He saved my life."

"Hello Emrys. Thank you so much!"

"It was my pleasure. Who killed the king?"

Jules threw her head towards her knees and screamed, "Don't ever ask that question! He was killed by a horrible man named Nick! He is a no-good, dirty, good-for-nothing, captain of the Midnight!" Maribella started sniffling, but sucked in the tears.

"Yes, Emrys. Nick killed my husband."

"Nick, the captain of the ship!"

The two girls nodded their heads. Emrys sighed.

"We can't have a carcass lying on the boards. Sharks, birds, and we will even eat him."

"I can't let go of Charles!"

"You need to let him go! Put him down in the water and let him sink. Do you have a portrait of him at the castle?"

"Yes, but that won't be the same!"

Maribella started to sob uncontrollably. Emrys saw the king's wedding ring on her finger. "Here. I can place the wedding ring of his on my finger so we won't lose it." Maribella nodded and slowly took off the ring. "Here." Emrys placed out his palm and placed the ring above his wedding band, which was made out of hay.

..................

"Do you two want to say any words to Charles Edward William Wakefield Ⅲ?" The two royals nodded their heads in unison. "I will go first," Jules stated.

"Father, I remember when you would throw me in the air when I was 4. My short blonde hair flying in the wind. You would take my tiara off my head and run around. I would chase you around the gardens. Then when I was older and I wanted to learn how to dance, you would teach me. You told me to step on your toes and you would make sounds that said you were in pain. Father, I never thought that you would leave me this fast. I wanted to make you proud and I wish you were here to walk me down the aisle," tears started to leak from her violet eyes, "I wanted you to see your grandchildren running around. I want so much to hear your laugh, to see you smile, to dance with me, and to give me a kiss on the cheek every night before I go to bed. I wish I could hear your voice again. Fatherdy, you shouldn't have left now. I miss you Father! I love you with all my heart." Jules curled up in a ball and began to cry. "Bye, Father!" Maribella took a deep breath and began.

"Oh my dear Charles. I fell in love with you when you were out in the village with your parents. I was visiting, of course, and when you saw me, you smiled. We spent as much time as we could with each other. Then marriage happened and after a year, we had a beautiful baby girl. I would always watch you be kind to your people and you were never ashamed of me. You always gave me a kiss every time you saw me. I can't do this without you, honey. You are my world! You are my everything! I will never stop loving you and will never forget you. Charles, I love you." Maribella had tears trickling down her cheeks. She leaned down and kissed his lips for the last time. Jules gave her father a kiss on the cheek. The queen and princess gave the king a hug.