My Princess~Malachi Barton

☆"I cant lose you"☆

**Laura POV**

The sun hung high in the sky as Malachi and I arrived at the beach, the sound of crashing waves and the salty breeze instantly soothing my frayed nerves. We strolled along the shoreline, barefoot in the warm sand, enjoying the freedom of being away from the palace its stifling expectations.

"Thanks for bringing me here, Malachi," I said, feeling the weight of my earlier conversation with my father slowly easing. "I really needed this."

Malachi grinned, his eyes reflecting the brightness of the day. "Anytime, Laura. Sometimes you just need a little escape to clear your mind."

We found a secluded spot and spread out a blanket under the shade of an umbrella. I kicked off my sandals and wiggled my toes in the sand, relishing the sensation of freedom.

"So, spill the tea," Malachi teased, pulling out a couple of sandwiches from his backpack. "What's the latest drama in the royal household?"

I chuckled, unwrapping a sandwich. "Oh, you know, the usual. My father still thinks he can decide my entire future without consulting me. And then there's Zack, who's always trying to play detective."

Malachi raised an eyebrow. "And what about Floura? Is she still covering for you or did she spill the beans?"

I sighed, taking a bite of my sandwich. "She spent the whole day with Zack yesterday, so who knows what she might have let slip accidentally."

Malachi nodded sympathetically. "Sounds like a lot to deal with. But hey, at least you have Amelia on your side. She seems like your little guardian angel."

I smiled warmly. "Yeah, she really is. Kids have a way of seeing things more clearly sometimes."

Malachi rummaged through his backpack and pulled out a small jar of glue and several vibrant packets of colored sand.

"What's all this?" I asked, intrigued by the assortment of supplies.

Malachi grinned mischievously. "Ever tried hand painting with sand and glue? It's a fun way to get creative."

I chuckled, feeling a sense of childlike excitement bubble up within me. "No, I've never done that before. Show me how it's done."

He handed me a jar of glue and gestured towards the sand packets. "First, you squeeze some glue onto your hand in a pattern or design. Then sprinkle the colored sand over the glue. It sticks to the glue and creates a colorful design."

I watched as Malachi demonstrated, squeezing a swirl of glue onto his palm before sprinkling blue and yellow sand over it. The colors blended together in a beautiful abstract pattern.

"Your turn," he said encouragingly, offering me the jar of glue.

I hesitated for a moment, then decided to dive in. Squeezing a small amount of glue onto my hand, I carefully spread it out with my fingers, creating a simple flower shape. Then, with a bit of nervous excitement, I sprinkled pink and green sand over the glue.

I grinned, feeling a sense of satisfaction wash over me. "It's actually quite fun. I can see why you enjoy this."

We spent the next hour painting our hands with different designs and patterns, laughing and chatting as we let our creativity flow. Malachi created a sunset scene with oranges and purples, while I experimented with geometric shapes and swirls.

As we worked, the occasional seagull swooped down nearby, adding a touch of seaside charm to our artistic endeavor. The gentle sound of waves lapping against the shore provided a soothing background rhythm.

"This reminds me of when I was younger," I mused, finishing a star-shaped design on my palm. "I used to love painting and drawing, but royal duties took over."