“Greece, right?”

“Well yeah, but legit our first day here? We spent the night out at sea, on a yacht!”

“Ohhh! The Night Prince, right? Where’s my pen…. Ah, here it is.”

“Yep, the Night Prince!... What's the pen for?”

“It’s just to remind myself to book that yacht when it returns to the UK… For a new makeup reveal party!”

“Wait, it doesn’t stay in Greece?”

“... No? Have you not seen the captain and the staff?”

“Now that you mention it…. They speak perfect English.”

“Now you know. He uses that boat for most sea work duties. He just so happens to ship it around.”

“Wouldn’t it be easier to hire one in each country?”

“I’m sure that you would know by now darling, that our man does NOT do things simple. If I ask him to get me an ice cream, he would get the one an hour away rather than the one a mere two minutes walk away, because the one further away is better for me.”

“Hmmm…. Well, you aren’t wrong.”

I had the pleasure of knowing that attitude of his a lot. He was always looking for what was best for others. However, I also noticed that he just made do with anything if it was for himself. Did he not know how to treat himself? Hmm….

“But….” Ruby’s voice alerted me that we were still in the call. “How’s it going out there?”

“Not bad. It’s quite lovely here.”

“Hmm…. You haven't told him anything yet?”

What should I say? Should I tell her? I mean I’m sure she would love it. But the only problem is that I wasn’t even sure what it even is yet. So maybe I shall tell her when I get more concrete answers.

“Not yet.”

“Awww girl! Naughty! Oh, by the way, please make sure that you are looking after your nails.”

And she’s back to nagging me again, as per usual. I looked at my nails and, thanks to Ruby’s treatment, I noticed that they have been starting to grow. In truth, I always had really short nails, but Ruby seemed to get offended by that, and gave me an intense course on how to fix them. SHe even gave me a nice hand cream to use, however, I wasn’t going to tell her that I actually left it back in England…..

“Hang on….” Ruby seemed to realise something. “You’re alone. Out at sea. With ‘him’... Oh, how scandalous.”

“Really, Rubes?”

“What?” She sounded shocked. “Nothing really exciting is happening back here, in jolly old England, so I have to get my kicks out from somewhere!”

“Thanks, I guess?”

Ruby laughed and then turned sad. “Oops. Customers. Tootles girlie!”

“See yah!”

We ended the call and I put my phone back in my bag. Ruby was always such a joy to talk to, but now I wasn’t so sure about what I should do next. Sighing to myself, I just ended up wandering back outside and laid on the sofa. 

As I laid there, with my arms crossed over my face, my mind was everywhere. All because of the fact that he hasn’t said anything about what we are now. How long do I have to wait? I mean, technically, we have only been ‘something’ for a few hours, but still….. As I sat bolt upright, I quickly realised that my patience was growing quite thin. I had to find out!

As I headed out the room, I knew that I had a mission. A mission to first find Nocte, but where would he be? As I searched the lower decks, I noticed that I could hear his voice. I mean I have been so alert by his mere presence, that I could most definitely pinpoint his voice in a music festival. But, as I got closer, it sounded like he was talking to someone? As I poked my head around the corner, I saw that there he was, crouching down on a lowered part of the boat, stroking what looked like a dolphin from this angle. Do I call out? Or not?

“Have you come to spy on me?”

Oh. Nevermind, I'm busted anyway.

“Sorry….” I stepped out from my hiding spot.

“I mean you were probably curious…” Nocte said, not even turning around, as he just continued to stroke the dolphin. “But, since you’re here, do you want to stroke him?”

“Well, when you stroke one, you’ve stroked them all, right?”

That was when he turned around, and stared right at me. “Everyone is different, so come…”

In truth, I didn’t want to get THAT close, in case I fell in. But I gingerly took a few steps towards him and crouched down next to him. As I did, he took my hand, and the instant touch gave me a jolt. But, instead of him holding it, he placed it on the dolphins head. As I began to stroke him, I realised that this one felt different from yesterday's one.

“See?”

“... Now that you mention it..”

Nocte laughed. “I told you.”

As I smiled to myself, I continued to stroke the dolphin but, after a few moments, he moved out of the water, and gave me, what I reckoned was, a kiss on the cheek. As the dolphin then flopped back into the water, he swam backwards, and made the usual  ‘eeeEEEeee’ sounds that these animals famously made.

“Stay out of mischief!” Nocte called out as the dolphin swam away.

“Oh….” I sighed. “I came and he went off.”

“In truth, I was going to send him on his way just before you came.”

“Is he all good then?”

“Yep! The tag still works, his old wounds are just mere scars, and he’s as happy as anything.”

“So we came all the way out there for a ten minute job?” I looked at his face, searching for an answer, but he was still staring at where the dolphin swam off too.

“Well, that isn’t all of it, y’know.”

“Oh?”

Nocte then turned to face me, and I remembered that we were still crouching and I was quite close to him, to the point that, if I moved my arm, I could bump his arm. As I looked at him, I noticed that the corner of his mouth twitched and it turned into a smirk.

“You.”

“I… What? Me? What?”

As he continued to smirk, he moved in closer towards me and, since I was still flabbergasted by what he said, I fell backwards.

“Ow….”

“Such a graceful gazelle.” He joked.

“I don’t need to be a gazelle, I’m just me….” I mumbled, trying to defend my dignity.

As he looked at me, he laughed again and, as he stood up, he held out a hand for me to take. 

“Here.”

I pouted a little as I took his hand and, in one swift easy movement, he pulled me up, and I went head first into his arms, and the smell of strawberries went right up my nose. Ok. Lexi? Do not get swayed, you have something to ask him. As he lifted up my chin and I stared into his green eyes, the question that I wanted to ask him totally disappeared.

“Did you have a good morning?” He asked me in such a gentle tone, it did kinda make me swoon.

“As much as one can do on a boat in the middle of the ocean….”

“Hah. That is true….”

As I looked into his eyes, I noticed that my eyes had started to wander downwards, towards his lips, and I could NOT stop myself from biting my lip.

“You’re easy to read….” He pointed out, whilst giving a small smirk.

“Eh?”

My eyes widened as he closed the gap between us and planted a kiss on me. Wait, I’m easy to read? That isn’t, that wasn’t… God, who was I even kidding? Yes, I was. He knew what I wanted just by me giving him a look. I couldn’t help letting out a moan, as one of his hands reached round to the back of my head, and another ran down my body. I felt my legs buckling from under me and I had to lean more into him to support myself. But, sadly, this make out session didn’t last long. Nocte pulled away after what sounded like a loud cough. As I turned my eyes to check, I saw that there, standing a small distance away, with a big grin on her face, was the Captain again. I stepped away from Nocte, and dusted myself off. Somehow, I felt rather embarrassed that she saw us.

“Sorry to interrupt….” The Captain’s face changed, and I noticed that she looked serious. “We kind of have a situation.”

I looked at Nocte and I noticed that his demeanour changed as well. He, too, looked serious. “What situation?”

“Follow me.”

As she turned on her heel, she walked off, and Nocte started to follow her. As I wasn’t sure what to do myself, I followed along. The captain led us to the cockpit of the yacht, walked over to a monitor and tapped the screen. Nocte walked over and leaned down, looking at the same monitor that she just tapped.

“The beep, what is that?”

“From the size? It looks like another boat. I did call it in, but there have been rumours of poachers.”

“You’re kidding….” He stood back up, now looking rather annoyed.

“I wish I was, sir.”

“I see….”

“Wait….” I called out. “Can’t we call someone?”

It looked like both of them forgot I was there.

“Sadly not, miss….” The Captain answered me. “The waters we are currently in? Is out of the jurisdiction of a government body.”

“So what do we do?”

“We can’t really do anything.”

“.... Are they after the dolphin?”

“Your guess is as good as mine. There are other sea creatures in these waters, so they could be after something else.”

But poachers in general were just bad. I looked towards Nocte for reassurance on the matter as I noticed that he had been quite quiet, but he had a hand to his chin and was deep in thought. But the captain called him.

“Shall we try diplomacy, sir?”

“It’s probably the best bet….” He finally spoke, and he turned to me. “Lexi? Head back to your room.”

“You sure?”

“Yes.”

I originally came out of my room to get an answer from him but, once again, it looks like I’m not going to get it. 

“I hope it all works out.” I gave them my best smile.

“My dear?” The Captain walked over to me and placed a hand on my shoulder. “This man….” She points, with a thumb over her shoulder, towards Nocte. “Is one of the most charismatic individuals I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. It will go swimmingly.”

As I smiled at her, and then looked towards him, I saw that he gave a small nod, and I turned to walk off back.

It felt like it took me a little longer to get back to my assigned room. Somehow, I just felt… Down? When I finally got into my room, I was greeted by a short lady, in a maid outfit, standing stuff up on a small table. As she heard me come in, she turned around and gave me an innocent smile.

“Oh! Welcome back! Sir called ahead to give you these.”

I felt confused as I walked over to what she was fiddling with and I saw that there, on the table, was a box of chocolates, a drink and what looked like a selection of…. Bath bombs? I picked one up, checked it over and confirmed with myself that it was a bath bomb.

“He phoned ahead?” I asked her.

“Yep.”

“When?”

“A few minutes ago? He told me to get these sorted asap.”

“I see... Well, thank you.”

“You are very welcome, miss.” With a bow, the short lady exited the room, and I noticed that she was speaking, once again, in perfect English. But, as Ruby said earlier, it makes sense.

As I looked down at the ‘gifts’, I wondered why he got them for me. As I picked up the chocolates and the drink, I headed outside again and sat, once again, on the sofa. I liked to watch nature sometimes, so this was as good a TV as anything. As I slipped one of the chocolates into my mouth, I could not help moaning. Man. So good!!! What was kind of amusing was that the drink was non alcoholic. Somehow, that fact made me laugh. 

I wasn’t sure how long I sat there, munching on the chocolates, and sipping the drink but, after a while, something not natural came into view. As I put down the chocolates, I walked to the side of the boat so that I could see over and, sure enough, a small boat was slowly getting closer to us. It must be the one from the monitor, right? As the boat finally stopped quite close to us, I saw both Nocte and the Captain emerge from something out of my line of sight. I saw that they were standing on the side of the boat and, from the other boat, a large man came out of it, getting shadowed by two other large men. I couldn’t help noticing that the Captain shrinked slightly, but Nocte? He seemed to be unfazed by the appearance of these three large men. I watched as the new group joined Nocte and the yacht’s captain, and as they started to talk amongst themselves. I had no idea what they were talking about, as the sound of crashing waves dulled any voices. I noticed that they were talking for a moment or two, and I saw Nocte lean into the Captain's ear and, after that, my eyes widened. I saw him walk onto the other boat, and be led, by the others, down below.

“What?” I said out loud, feeling rather shocked. Why would he?

I looked down at the Captain, but she wasn’t moving and, after what felt like forever, there was movement from the other boat. The first movement was one of the large men from before, followed by Nocte, and when Nocte clapped a hand round the other man’s back, I blinked. The large man looked intimidating earlier, but now? He looked as cheery as anything! But, as they walked back onto the yacht, I noticed that the other two men from before did not join him. Ummm…. I was rather confused and, as I leaned over to try and get more out of what was happening, I noticed that all three of them had disappeared from my line of sight.

“What?” 

I was now way too curious for my own good, and I ran out of my room to try and find where they went. Sadly, I didn’t really know the layout that well but, luckily, I ended up bumping into that maid again.

“Oh, hello miss.”

“Have you….” I leaned on my knees, to get my breath back. “Seen the Captain and Nocte?”

“Hmm?”

“Have you seen them?” I straightened up.

“Oh, yes. They went to the main dining area.”

“Oh, great… But, erm, where is that?”

“Down that corridor….” She pointed ahead. “And then to the right.”

“Thank you!”

With a smile, I headed off, following those directions. Eventually, I came across a door that said ‘dining hall’, and the sound of voices kind of alerted me that this must be the room. As I took a hold of the handle, I opened the door. But, as I took in what was in the next room, it surprised me. I didn’t let go of the handle as I stood there in the open doorway, but I saw both the Captain and Nocte with the man, from before, sitting around, and chatting quite merrily. It almost looked like the man spotted me, because he started to address me.

“Oh? Whose is this little young filly who has graced us with her presence?”

There was a slight tinge of an Irish accent that I could hear.

“Oh… Um… I’m Lexi….”

“Lexi, huh? Where have you been hiding her?” The man hit Nocte playfully, but he brushed him off.

“In safe keeping, away from men like you.”

The man let out a snort. “Oh, I do like you.”

“Ah ha…. Sorry for interrupting.”

“Oh no, no! It’s quite alright, come in, come in.” The man beckoned me to come in, and I looked at the others for help. The Captain shrugged at me, and Nocte? His face showed nothing.

“Actually….” Nocte called out. “She came here to give me something, so if you’ll please excuse me.” 

As he got up, he strolled over to me, and took me by the arm. At that point, I let go of the door, and we headed out the room. When the door closed, he looked straight at me.

“What are you doing?”

“Me?”

“Yes.”

“... I got worried. I could see what was happening from where I was, and…”

Nocte let out a sigh, and that was when I realised that I couldn’t finish my sentence.

“I can take care of myself, more than you can ever know but, when I say ‘you go’? You go.”

“...” I lowered my head.