Meeting Ash

Lacey was on her way to her rooms, she had just come up the stairs, then she stopped as some called her name, "Lacey!" Alex called, coming down the hall, he walked up to her.

"Here." He said, handing her a small box, "Happy birthday, I know it is a little late. But I want you to have this." He finished.

In the box was a moon flower encased in glass, Lacey pulled it out. It was a hair pin.

"The moon flower is said to have magic powers or can enhance one's abilities." Alex said with a grin. The flower was black with a hint of blue, Lacey looked at him.

"Thank you, it is so beautiful," Lacey smiled. Alex sighed. "Well, I got to go, father wants to talk to me." He said as he went down the stairs. Lacey looked down at the hair pin. It was beautiful.

She had only heard of a moon flower from books and stories. Lacey walked to her sitting room, it was quiet, the candles were all lit, the light from the windows was dim.

Fay came out of her bedroom, walking over to one of the big windows pulling the drape shut then turning around, nodding her head in a show of respect to the princess. "Your bath is ready for you." She nodded, after her bath Lacey felt better.

She walked over to the trunk she and Mia had attempted to pack but did not do a particularly good job. She smiled, they had just come up here and played around trying on all the dresses in Lacey's closet, but now the dresses that had been laying around on the bed were back in the closet except for her dress that her father had given her for her birthday.

She touched the fabric with her fingers, the smooth fabric was like silk as she touched it. It lit up, she pulled away. Then laughing at herself, picking it up she walked over to the door of the bedroom, Fay was right outside the door fixing the arrangements on the coffee table.

"Get this dress washed before we leave, I want to take it with me." Lacey instructed. Fay came and took the dress without a word. Lacey turned around and went back into the bedroom getting in bed, she could not stop thinking her mind was running over time.

She had so much on her mind, the dress and its ability to change color, the trip… there was a lot on her mind but soon she fell asleep.

Three days had passed, Lacey now stood on the docks in a brown dress that came to her knees, the moon flower pin in her hair, the wind wiped her skirts as she waited for her father to arrive.

He was putting some last-minute things together. When her father finally arrived, they followed him onto the ship. Servants had already put their trunks on board. Angela was jumping up and down as the ship left the dock, Lacey giggled but looked out at the fast-growing water gap between the ship and the dock where Mia was waving goodbye.

She had come to her room that morning to say goodbye and to help her get the last of her things packed. She waved goodbye as the ship pulled away, going further out on the water.

Lacey looked out into the sea green water, it splashed up around the big ship. Then she followed her mother and sister down into the ship to where their cabins were.

A little while later after going past door after door they came to the royal cabins, there was one for each of them. Lacey entered her cabin. Her trunk was already there, her dresses hanging up. There was a bed and a hammock, a mirror on the wall, and a washing stand.

She walked in and sat on the bed then fell back bouncing a little as she did. She let out a big sigh, then got back up and walked over to where her dresses were hanging. She looked until she found her blue dress.

She unbuttoned her dress taking it off she hung it up. Pulling the blue dress over her head she struggled a little as she tried to zip it up. She gave a huff of frustration a tingle went up her spine as the zipper zipped itself up making her shiver.

Lacey ran to the mirror, turning around to see her back the zipper was done up. Turning around again so she was facing the mirror, she went over to the washstand dumping water into the bowl and then splashing water onto her face.

Looking into the small mirror in front of her she felt good to wear the dress, she felt safe.

The door suddenly flew open, Angela came in and looked around, she said. "Lacey, Hey! Let's go up to the deck, mother said that we would be able to see the Island of claws soon.

We are going to go past it!" She finally stopped rambling. Noticing Lacey. "You changed!" She exclaimed, looking closer at the dress. "That's the dress Father gave you!" She walked over to Lacey. "Yup." Lacey said. "Can I touch it?" Angela asked.

Lacey laughed, picking up a towel and drying her face. "Let's go up to the deck." She said, walking to the door that was still open, Angela followed. Lacey followed Angela down the hall, the dress not forgotten, as Angela rambled on with excitement in every word she said.

They came out on deck, the sun still high in the blue sky felt warm, Alex was sitting on a crate, taking to a boy his age, they walked in their direction, Alex looked up seeing them smiled. "Hello, my sisters!" He yelled, whistled teasingly. The boy looked up at his words, interest on his face.

He had black hair, it was short and not combed, with alert blue eyes. The girls looked at him. "This is my good friend, Ash." Alex said, Ash gave them a nod. "He is the cook's son."

The girls smiled. "Nice to meet you Ash." Lacey said, Angela giggled then said "Have you ever seen Claws island or been there?" Ash looked surprised. "No, but I have gone past it many times." He said, Angela smiled looking at her brother.

"Well, we are going to find mother and have lunch. I'm starving!" She said. "Come on Lacey." Pulling Lacey's arm, they walked away. Lacey almost looked back to look at Ash. but stopped herself and followed Angela.

They went down the deck and soon got lost looking for their mother on the big deck. They finally had to ask a servant where she was.

They walked in the room that was their father's work room, their mother and father sat across facing each other at a table, the food was already there, they looked up.

"Come. Let's eat." Said their father, they walked over sitting down at the table. "Is Claws Island that dangerous?" Angela asked their father. "Yes, it's worse than the stories." Said their father with a frown, after that they all ate in silence, until a knock came on the door. "COME IN!" Their father shouted, a messenger came in.

"My king, there is a ship coming right for us!" He bowed. "Does it have a flag?" Asked their father. "No." Was all the man said. Their father got to his feet in a second, turning to his family, "Go down to your cabins and stay there!" Then he quickly left.

The girls were left alone, the messenger had left with the king, Lacey looked at her mother, fear going through her, but quickly disappeared. Her mother got up. "Come let's go!" They hurried to the cabins, when they got there Alex was waiting, they all went into their mother's cabins, Alex shut the door locking it.

Their mother sat down in the closest chair and Angela had went to the hammock. While Lacey sat on the floor the blue fabric fell around her, Alex stayed by the door. They waited as all was quiet. It felt like forever when suddenly there was a loud. "BANG!!".

The ship rocked and all was quiet, Lacey looked at her mother, her face was grim, Angela's face was scared as she scrambled across the room to sit by her mother, Alex was silent.

About 20 minutes passed before there was a knock on the door, the door rattling, their father's voice came through the shut door. "Dear!" He yelled, Alex opened up the door and their father came in, he looked around the room and a sigh of relief left his lips. "Is everything ok?" Asked their mother, speaking in a scared voice, he nodded.

"The ship tried to attack us but we sent them running." He came in giving his wife a hug. "I can't say that will be the last of them." Lacey was in her cabin that night brushing her hair, in deep thought, they had already passed Claws Island while they had been in the cabin hiding.

She was glad, she thought about the attack, now she knew why her father had been so reluctant to take them with him on his adventures.

To be continued-