"Oh
Marshmallow, he is here. He is on the
island." Skye was beaming as she entered the lagoon.
"Are
you going to tell him?" Marshmallow inquired.
Marshmallow
was her closest and dearest friend, even if she was a dolphin. Marshmallow had been with Skye since she was
a child and knew all of Skye's secrets.
Skye's ability to talk to Marshmallow opened up a special friendship for
the two of them. No two people could be
closer than Skye and Marshmallow. Skye
shared her joys and disappointments with her friend and Marshmallow shared
hers.
"Tell
him? I do not know what you are talking
about." Skye feigned ignorance.
"Yes
you do." Marshmallow replied as they started swimming toward the open
ocean. "You know exactly what I am
talking about."
"When
the opportunity arises I will tell him." Skye answered her friend. "But, maybe I won’t have to. H doesn’t have to see me in the water."
"But
you have to be in the water every day or your grandmother will be angry."
Marshmallow reminded her.
"I
am a grown woman and I know what is best for me. Besides, Grandmother does not need to know if I miss a day or
two." Skye said stubbornly.
"The
Queen Mother knows all."
Marshmallow would say no more.
Skye
and Marshmallow swam in silence except for the occasional comment about
different fish they saw, shipwrecks they passed and pleasantries they
exchanged. They avoided the subject of
the men at the palace or her grandmother.
Finally,
"I think we have been gone long enough.
Let's go home now." Skye told Marshmallow.
"Remember,
you still have to sit in the lagoon." Marshmallow reminded Skye.
"I
think I will skip that today. Mother
may need help with our visitors. And I
do not want to hear anything about my grandmother." Skye said sternly.
Marshmallow
did not say anything but she knew this was not good.
They
made their way back to the lagoon.
"I
will see you tomorrow Mallow."
Skye called as she hurried back to the palace, anxious to see Paul.
Skye
made her way back to the palace in search of the visitors. She finally found them in Queen Daphne’s
private sitting room. Skye was anxious
as she entered the room.
"My
Daughter, you are back already." Daphne sounded surprised when she saw
Skye enter the room.
"Skye,
have you competed your assignment?" Queen Mother Adolphina asked sternly
as she looked directly at Skye.
"Yes
Grandmother." Skye could not meet
her grandmother's stare.
Adolphina
knew Skye was not telling the truth but chose to remain silent. Skye stood before the chair where Paul was
seated.
"I
am sorry to have been so long. Has my
mother seen to all your needs?" she said as she stared into Paul's eyes.
"Yes,
The Queen is a very gracious hostess."
Paul replied as he met her gaze.
"Andre
has informed us they have found the problem but must send to the mainland for
parts. These gentlemen will be our
guests for a few days." Queen Daphne informed Skye.
Paul
and Skye exchanged glances and smiled.
Daphne
and Adolphina exchanged glances and frowned.
Then an angry Adolphina left the room.
Gene and Bruce watched the two queens in confusion. Was Adolphina angry they were there? It certainly wasn’t their fault the boat had
broken down; she couldn’t blame them for that, could she? What did Queen Daphne think? Was she angry with them too? And what was going to happen between Paul
and Skye? So many unanswered questions.
"Since
you are going to be with us for a few days maybe I should show you around the
island." Skye offered.
"I
can have Andre show them around." Daphne sounded concerned.
"I
can do it Mother. Come with
me." Skye took Paul's hand and led
him from the room before her mother could stop her.
"Are
we supposed to go with them or stay here?" Bruce looked at Gene in
confusion.
"I
think we better go with them before the Queen has us beheaded. She does not look happy." Gene whispered back and the two left the
room leaving Daphne alone.
“This
is not a good thing Daughter.” Daphne turned to see Adolphina in the
doorway. "Skye lied. She has never lied to me before."
"I
know Mother.” Daphne responded.
"She
needs to be in the water." Adolphina said stubbornly.
"I
will speak to her Mother."
Changing
her tone, "She likes that one called Paul."
"Mother,
please!" Daphne was frustrated.
She knew her mother was right but she wasn’t sure if this was fair to
Skye.