“This is one of the places I go every time I need 	to relax,” he corrected, watching her face as one foot touched the ground then the other. Was she amazed, disappointed, or perhaps the experience was not entirely new to her? The princess elect’s reaction was not the reaction he envisioned, but there was nothing new to that. In their less than twenty-four hours of being acquainted, he had learned that Ms. Black was prone to reactions that was opposite of his expectations. Instead of exclamations and wide-eyed excitement, she was staring quietly at her feet asking questions. To which, his default answer would have been [i]‘It is none of your business,’[/i] but instead the prince just shrugged. He did not want to spoil his afternoon by picking a fight with Rhiane, which he knew based on experience, was something she would not back down from. 

“My sister nearly convinced me to tell her where I am disappearing to whenever they couldn’t find me,” he admitted, watching her sink her fingers into the white powdery sand. “I could have brought her here, except that I didn’t because then somebody would know where I go whenever I don’t want to be found. And if you knew Cally, you’ll know what I mean. I love that girl, but she is not good at keeping secrets from mother.” She would keep their secrets from everyone else, but not from the queen. The queen confirmed that the rumor about her son and Sophia Keller was true because of the princess. He clearly remembered opening his suite’s door to a crying Calista the night that she admitted that it was her who told the queen. Then again, it didn’t stop him from sharing most of his secrets to his sister. She was the only person in court that he could really trust. “Besides,” he added, turning his attention to the waves gently reaching up to the beach. Just its sound was enough to calm his head. “If even just one person spoke about this place to another person, even in confidence, there is a high probability that the news will reach the media. And if people knew where I fly off to during my free time, it will be an instant tourist destination, then I will have to look for another spot where I can brood in peace.” 

Luke offered his arm to her. “Come on, let’s have a walk. Forget Godzilla. I’ll be your Prince Charming this afternoon, princess.” She might that it was a little more difficult to walk on sand than on solid ground, and her ankle might take more strain than it should. The doctor would certainly not approve, and Luke was definitely being selfish by asking too much of her given her condition. It might be the reason he was being nice to the farmer girl. “How did you know about Godzilla?”

He walked beside her slowly, patiently. The wind blew his hair away from his face, its smell was of salt and sea that he loved. Once he was ready to retire, he thought, he would build his home on that island. It would have the best view of the sunset and the kingdom he served all his life. He would sit on the beach and watch the sun on its final descent turning the sky into hues of yellow and orange, then slowly merging into purples and dark blue and gray, until finally the day would succumb to the night and stars would light the sky. Stars were more numerous in number away from the bright city lights. He looked forward to the day when he would once again be able to camp for a night away from the capital.

The sand was wet beneath their feet. Some of the granules clung to their toes. Luke led them on until the cold water touched their toes. It sent a jolt of awareness to his brain, a sensation he relished for a moment. “Was it modest of me to suggest that we should not go swimming naked?” He asked remembering her earlier comment when he recounted the reasons why they could not go cliff diving that afternoon. “You’d like that, won’t you?” Smirking, the crown prince turned to her face as the water retreated into the sea. “Don’t worry your pretty head, you will have the chance. That is one of the non-negotiables in this arrangement. But I’m in the mood for a swim if you are.”