Pearl stood out over the balcony of the honeymoon ship with a glass of red cranberry juice as she admired the sunset. The wedding was a success, as she expected it to be. Now all the honored guests were aboard the ship that would take the two royal couples into their honeymoon. Pearl lazily sloshed her drink around, an act of drunkenness, conducting daydreams of what may come next in the lives of herself, and Coral. 

Pearl already knew what was ahead of her without a doubt. It was predictable that the ship would stop at a port in the town where the duchess’s estate lay. The duke, her husband, would no doubt be waiting with a comfortable carriage at the ready with the finest and swiftest horses to drive it. Then they will reach their mansion just in time for the duchess to give birth. This was in Pearl’s fantasy, but so was the train of events for Coral’s honeymoon with the prince which led them to visiting the entirety of the world and then for them to return with one toddler child and announcing the expectancy of their second.

The duchess hummed happily, downing the remainder of her drink in one full swig. And to think Pearl once thought that the prince’s new friend, Star, would become a threat! In reality, Pearl found the girl to only be a flea, easily squashed. And although the pitiful girl who was quite openly in love with the prince appeared as a guest at the wedding, the mute did what was expected of them and did not say a word to try and stop the wedding. 

Thinking about the peculiar girl, where was she? The duchess knew that the prince had invited the girl onto the honeymoon ship in the same way the Pearl now stood on the deck; as an honorary guest to ride part way. But did that girl accept the prince’s invitation? This, the duchess did not know. But as the duchess wondered where the girl may have gone, Star appeared as if out of thin air on the other side of the horizontal stretch of the balcony. It was now dark and at the brink of night, she could only be seen thanks to the ship's orange lanterns. Star looked even more ghostly in the night. And her tear streaked complexion made her look like one of the martyred saints on the church’s stain glass windows. 

The duchess’s heart skipped a beat with an exciting idea.  Perhaps a reckless next step for the pregnant woman is to do a good deed! She would take this heartbroken girl under her wing, and perhaps even find her a suitable husband. Yes, what a fitting idea, thought the duchess. Perhaps this girl who was useless with manners will be useful with kids. Pearl had yet to assign a nanny for when her child was born. Now feeling feverish with adrenaline running on high alert, Pearl raised her hand and opened her mouth to get the girl’s attention. 

Before  any word could be uttered, Star produced a sharp dagger from her bodice and threw herself off the edge of the ship while stabbing her heart. Pearl’s vision sparked with alarm at what she had just witnessed. Is the girl dead? For what reason did she do that? Was her heartbreak enough to give up life? Pearl knew she should sound the alarm, perhaps look for help on the ship to save the poor girl. But instead, the duchess ran to the side of the balcony where Star stood moments before and peered over the edge. 

The deep blue in which the weeping girl fell were remnants of seafoam.

The duchess laughed.