The Royal Contract

That was not the plan as she pressed another button, but the television remained off while soft music played, echoing in the walls. She looked around the room, wondering if this house was playing with her.

“What is wrong with you?” She mumbled as she frantically tried to return everything to normal.

She did not want him to think she was trying to seduce him. That was what she would think if she walked into a room like this.

“Wow!” His voice reverberated along with the song. “I did not know that you are this romantic. You did not have to set the mood.” He could hear the teasing in his voice.

“I am not, but whoever designed this place is.” She handed the remote to him since she had no idea how to use it. “So, where is this surprise you are talking about.”

She knew this was it, so she could only expect that it was somewhere out there, on the other side of the house. But based on what she had heard earlier when they arrived, she could expect a gigantic body of water waiting if they went out the glass backdoor.

“Shall we?” He only smiled at her comment but did not respond as he led her toward the door. She was right all along as she heard the waves even before she saw the view outside.

She surmised that they might have traveled to the other side of the beach, away from the crowded tourist destination. She just realized this place must have cost millions.

.....

He guided her to the patio and then a lighted pathway that she assumed would lead them to the beachfront. From her standpoint alone, she already knew this place was already enchanting.

She could not wait to see the rest of his surprise, wondering if it could be better than what she had seen earlier. But how could it be when it was already dark out there?

“I appreciate the suspense and all but is it still safe to be out there when we can hardly see anything?” She could not help but be skeptical as she saw the lights fade away as they continued down the path until they reached the soft sand that slightly buried their feet.

She thought somebody could hide in the shadows and surprise them with a knife. Or they could have an accident or something. She could not help but think of the worse things that could happen to them while out there as she stopped in her tracks.

“You have nothing to worry about since this place is safe. There are hardly any people living around this area. And I know this place like the back of my hand.” He assured her, holding her hands as he gently pulled her toward the shoreline.

Although she was hesitant, she still allowed him to lead the way. Somehow, she trusted him. In all honesty, she was also curious about what else she would find out there.

“But first, we need to remove our shoes.” He suddenly dropped to his knees and slumped onto the sand as he started taking off his sneakers and socks and folding his long pants. “Can I help you with those?”

He pointed at the slip-on she wore. “No, thanks. I can do that.” She declined since she could easily do it herself.

She took it off and folded the bottom of her pants, not wanting them to get wet with the tide. Then, she carried her shoes with one hand as they moved along the coastline.

She felt the water tickling her toes as it glided smoothly along her skin, just like this morning. The only difference was she could barely see where they were going. The tiny sparkling light on the water’s surface was the only thing guiding their path.

“What do you think?” He asked as they continued their stroll on the sandy shore as the tide continuously went back and forth.

“I have to admit that this is interesting.” She could not lie. She was enjoying this simple leisurely walk. She also noticed that her companion did not avoid the water anymore. He did not mind getting his feet wet this time.

Suddenly, he stopped her, slightly making her wary. He held her hand and silenced her with his finger. Then, he pointed at something not far from where they stood.

“I think I saw something moved.” He whispered close to her ears as he leaned down.

“What is it?” She asked, growing more concerned that it could be dangerous, but her eyes could not focus on the object he pointed to since it was still dark. But she noticed something.

“I think it is a turtle laying its eggs.” He told her as he gazed at the dark portion of their path. “I guess we have to wait till she finished. We don’t want to disturb her.” He concluded as if they had no choice.

“Oh!” She sounded a bit disappointed since maybe somehow she had been looking forward to his surprise. “Shall we go back to the house?”

But she was suddenly curious at how the turtle laid their eggs as she looked at the oddly shaped object. She did picture the back of the animal as it gently moved in the shadows.

“No, we don’t have to. We can sit over there.” He pointed to the dry sand just a few meters away from the water. “... and wait till she finished. I don’t think she would take that long.” He added as he pulled her to the dry area.

She seemed to have no choice, so she sat with him as he talked about the gentle ancient creature and how they loved to come here and lay their eggs.

“How did you know all this?” She asked since she did not see him as someone who would be interested in such things.

“I like turtles, so I read about them. I also like dogs and many things.” He added as if it should matter. “What about you? Do you like taking care of pets?” He asked as he turned to look at her.

She could barely see his face, but his eyes seemed to sparkle like the waves on the water as she stared back at him. Somehow, she could suddenly feel the tension building up inside her.

It was as if she was reading his thoughts and did not like them. She quickly blinked her eyes and looked away. Instead, she focused on his question.

Did she like animals in general? She never owned a pet, but she remembered playing with dogs several times at the park. It was fun, but would she own one?

“Does my son count? I love taking care of him.” She believed it was the first time she mentioned him in their conversation.

She did not know if it did not come up in any of their topics or if she avoided talking about him. But why was she telling him now? Was she trying to scare him off? Well, maybe it was for the best.