"I'd like you to meet Ro…"

My heart bet fast when he breathed out the sentence. The king and Queen. They were Antonio's parents. What if they didn't like me? I couldn't bear to just stand here so I put on my politest smile. Little did I care about whether if they would like me or not, I just wished I could have found something more elegant to wear cause in this enormous room, everyone was dressed so…well and me… I still had that old piece of mast that I found washed ashore in the island around me. Seeing a real dressed up woman in civilization which was the Queen made me feel my dress was too revealing and… inappropriate.

"Uh… Frazer and I found her on an island, probably shipwrecked years ago…" wow, he said that in such a tone as if he meant I was living in quite misery.

I knew it was my turn to speak now… "Uh, hello… nice to meet you."

"Welcome…" his mother seemed like a really nice person. This at least made me a feel a bit better. "Oh what an ordeal, alone for all those years?"

"Oh, I wasn't alone. I had all the animals and the Dolphins and the birds…" true.

"Oh, pets can be such a comfort, I can't imagine life without darling little Tallulah…" the Queen pointed to a white stylish monkey sitting in a quite ladylike way.

Azul talked to her, and so did I. Her name was Tallulah. I was glad to instantly make a new animal friend here as well. Maybe I wouldn't have trouble living here at all… Although Tika was moaning about feeling like a complete stranger here, she immediately made friends with Antonio's adorable sisters and so did Azul and Sagi. I was also so far receiving warm welcomes but I couldn't be a hundred percent comfortable with seeing the king say absolutely nothing to me. Maybe he didn't approve of me as a guest at all.

I saw him talk to Antonio a bit further way from me must have been something private and I did try to eavesdrop them but I failed cause I got into a hearty conversation with Tallulah.

The next thing I felt was a warm hand on my shoulder. It was the Queen. "Dear, why don't you just go get a bit of… you know used to this place?"

Uh, I just got here what was I supposed to know about getting used to and stuff?

"And as for you Antonio…"

"Yes?" he turned to face his mother before giving me a quick glance.

I felt my cheeks heat up like it always does ever since we had an eye contact and I hoped no one would notice that I have feelings for him. I think I do so… yeah I do. I could feel a laughter inside me.

"Well, son you must be tired after all that long trip why don't you go and get prepared for dinner?"

Dinner? What was that?

I hated to interrupt but I just had to speak up. "Um, what do I do, should I just go outside or-?"

As soon as I finished my sentence I could see the king send me a Stern look from the side. What did I do wrong?!

"Ah, nonsense!" the other woman in the room bawled.

Antonio laughed and that made me feel funny. "Ro, why don't you just come with me?!" he walked towards me and grabbed my hand, trying to quickly drag me out of the room before his parents could say anything. I sent a nervous smile back to the animal trio and they wished me luck.

I had no idea what I was doing.

As soon as we got out he looked at me in the eyes. "That was close."

"Yeah… " I knew what he meant.

"Antonio, look now that I got here what do I d-"

"Leave it to me." I was cut off with his finger against my lips. He smiled brightly like he always did.

Sure…

"Come on." He took my hand and led me to different places around the palace. I hardly could keep the smile and giggling with his hand touching mine so instead I kept looking around and I couldn't figure what a single thing was.

After a while we stopped with a long trail of doors that spreader across the whole floor.

"What kind of room would you like?"

"I don't… mind"

He gazed into face for a flash second and I believe he wanted to study my free and Frank expression which suddenly got a bit steamed up because of his look.

"Uh what?" I smiled while I took my hand away from his, locking it with my other fist.

"I know the Perfect place!" he walked quite fast and followed a flight of stairs with me slowly striding behind.

"Ro, come on! I know you are tired but-" before he could finish his whole sentence, I increased my pace and in a moment I was standing on the top floor with him still three or four steps away to reach me.

Antonio chuckled his way up, flashing sweet comments about my speed and how good I was at taking quick steps.

As we walked down the corridor, he stopped in front of a room with big golden doors, quite similar looking to the ones we have passed. He turned a twisty thingy which revealed the inside of the room.

"Get in."

I followed him inside.

"Ro I hope you'd just take some time to explore your new room, okay? I'll just give you some alone time."

Before I was to say something, he jogged away.

That was quite enough to upset me, maybe for a bit cause he left so quick but… a good thought comforted my tiny fractured heart. If I am lucky, I might be spending the rest of my days here with him! Sooner or later I could tell him how I feel and even though my intention to come in this place was for finding my birth family, I kind of changed my mind along the voyage. I would be happy to find my identity and belonging but staying with Antonio would mean more! Much more…

I gazed around and slowly wandered across. The room was themed golden. Everywhere I look is something either the color of the sand or sunrise. A large poster bed, also owning the Sandy color stood in the center with large windows on either side of the place. Other furniture were present in the room but I was most thrilled to see a balcony from where you could find a brilliant sea view.

A beautiful landscape of civilization mostly showing off the horizon of the ocean while the buildings and trees were nearly invisible. That was a great thing I liked about his kingdom. It might have not owned everything the island did, but it had the sea!

I could always watch the sunset from up here like I used to. The same sunset… from a different place.

I stared at the sea for a bit more until I heard a knocks on the door. I presumed it would have been Antonio but the person I saw was pretty unrecognizable.

The door was wide open, why did she have to knock? I have seen in the ship, the men always tapping a tiny noise on the doors before entering. Did it mean something? Why did they have doors anyway? In our island we don't have doors, we are free to go anywhere we like without someone's consent.

I looked at the person standing in front of me. The first thing I observed was that she was a girl like me, too. I could tell her brown hair was long but unlike me it was tied up in a hairstyle I had no idea of. Her lips were… red? How did she have red lips? Was she born with them? I never saw anyone with red lips before. The rest of her looked quite similar except for the way she dressed. It totally swallowed her body except for her hands and reached up to her shoulders.

"Milady? May I come in?"

Was she talking to me?! Her words made me realize for how long I was looking at her. It embarrassed me to hell. Bit what was that weird name she called me with, I was Ro.

"Um, sure."

"Thank you, Milady. Her highness the Queen sent me to look after you."

"Oh, Um did she? I… don't really have quite the idea if how things work and…"

"That's why I'll be at your service." She bowed down. I guess girls at civilization apply this kind of manners.

"Uh, thanks." I laughed nervously. "What does mi-milady mean though?"

"I am so sorry! I failed to dedicate the usage of proper words for you…" yeah, she was making it more difficult.

"No, no it's okay! Please just call me Ro."

"Ro? Is that your name milady?"

"Yes, I presume the Queen didn't tell you so."

"No,"

"What else did she tell you about me?"

"Her highness told me our new guest might need an assistant." That wasn't the answer, I was looking for, I wanted to know if she said about me coming from an island or something else."

"Mm, anything else?"

"I'm afraid no."

"Hm. So… how may I need your help? Oh tell me your name first!"

"You may call me Elise." She smiled and… bowed again.

What pretty names people in civilization had. Long ones, and mine was… a broken and unknown one. I just wished one day I would find my real one and reveal it was as beautiful as theirs.

"Ro." I nodded and smiled back. "So… what shall we do first?"

Elise looked at my dressing, she gestured my dirty piece of clothing and my tangled messy plait which I can't really remember for how long I had it tied up. . Must have been ages I guess.

"Uh, where are you from exactly?" I could see that she felt quite shy to ask but actually I was the one feeling shy with my little clothing next to her long one.

"I grew up on an island." I said proudly. All the people I have met recently imagined I lived a life full of hardship and misery for the past ten years. I guess they were so wrong, I was having the time of my life.

"Oh, did you?" her brown eyes sparked with amazement. "Fascinating."

"At last! Someone thinks my life is wonderful!" I didn't know what beamed inside me but I couldn't resist wrapping her hands in mine. This time I looked at her nails. They were strangely the color of poppies too!

"How long have you been living in the island, Ro?"

"Ten years. Ten years full of joy and fun and…"

And with that we fell into a hearty chatter with each other about my life beyond the south seas.