The sun resided in the middle of the sky by the time Kyungsoo pulled the boat back into the docks. He was always one of the last ones to come back. He made sure that his net was filled with enough fish to make a decent amount of money in the market for his grandfather. Taura helped unload some of the extra supplies before she stepped off the boat. Kyungsoo looked down at her as he took the fishing poles and noticed her eyes were on the beach where the other people from town played. He looked in the direction of Taura's gaze and saw them twinkle at the sight of kids splashing in the waves.

          “You can go down there if you want.” Kyungsoo tied the final knot to the boat as he stretched and covered his eyes from the sun.

            The girl blinked at him then looked back at the beach. Kyungsoo waved a hand, “Just go. I’ll come back for you later.”

            She smiled at him and lifted up her long white dress as she ran off the dock and onto the sand. Her hair flew behind her and her dress billowed in the breeze, sometimes tripping her up. Kyungsoo chuckled while picking up the bucket and fishing poles that rested at his feet.

*~*~*~*~*

             By the time that Kyungsoo returned home, his grandfather was awake and waiting for him by the door. KyungJin sat on the front porch rocking in his chair with a pipe between his thin lips. He blew out some smoke as Kyungsoo climbed the steps, “Where is Taura?”

            Kyungsoo set the unused nets on the ground and sat in the chair just beside his grandfather, “She stayed behind. I think she’s on the beach.”

            His grandfather took another smoke and puffed it out as he spoke, “You shouldn’t have left her.”

            Kyungsoo sat back in his chair with his eyes raised to the ceiling as he slightly kicked out his feet. He had just returned home from a month’s trek out on sea due to trading agreements with kingdoms farther out from Sera. He had hoped to return to some peace and quiet. Though, when he returned he found a girl in his midst that he had to suddenly take care of.It was awkward for him to be around a girl that couldn’t even speak. It was awkward for him to be around a girl period. He turned his head to his grandpa and sighed, “I’ll go find her.”

*~*~*~*~*

            Taura was indeed still on the beach. She stood at the water’s edge with her arms at her side as the ocean breeze blew her long hair back. Off in the distance she could see a large sailing ship drift out to the ocean with its grand white sails guiding the way.

          It was the king’s ship, The Lady. Taura knew there was a party aboard that ship, a party that was to celebrate Prince Kai’s wedding with the princess of Balma. She looked away from it and sighed. I was supposed to marry him.

         She could hear the water crash against the shore and scooted back farther away from it as it rushed towards her. Everything that she had hoped to happen didn’t turn out as planned. Now she was forced to watch the Prince marry another woman along with being forced to stay on land. Taura sat far back from the water near the sand dunes and let the sun h