Chapter 280 - Onboard the Ship to Shadora

Vaughn and Zenia barely made it. They were the last passengers to board the ship, and it was a good thing that the maintenance crew was doing some last-minute inspection before they set sail.  

Zenia was still clutching the bag and would not let it go even when Vaughn asked her to give it to him.

"I want to be the one to take care of this."

He did not insist anymore when he saw the determination in Zenia's eyes. He became more curious about the content of the bag. 

The ship's attendant led the couple to their room. It was a first-class ship indeed. It was different from the other sh.i.p.s that Zenia had tried before. The attendant made sure that they had everything that they would need before he bid them goodbye. 

Vaughn gave the attendant a gold coin for the excellent service that he rendered. The attendant accepted the gold coin happily and even told Vaughn to just tell the concierge to call for him, Fred, whenever there was something that Vaughn needed to be done.

Zenia jumped on the bed and exclaimed, "It's like I'm lying on clouds."

Vaughn joined his wife and could not believe that she was not exaggerating.

"It truly is. No wonder this ship is so famous. They even said that this ship can travel in a blink of an eye. I wonder when will we arrive in Shadora?"

"How many days does it usually take to reach that kingdom?"

"Hmm, I think about five days."

"That's fast! Is it that close to Tissuria?"

"We're just lucky that our home is near the port, and we got there in three hours. I heard once that the Captain of this ship uses a different method of navigation. He knows the shortest route to take to reach his destination within a short period."

"I bet you paid a hefty amount for this trip," Zenia grinned.

Vaughn touched her cheek and leaned closer to kiss her lips.

"I promise to give you nothing but the best."

"Do you think this ship can teleport too?"

Vaughn laughed, "I doubt that." 

"Can we bring back a bed like this one to our home?"

"I will ask the Captain later to help me make the arrangement. Just in our bedroom or all the other rooms as well?"

"Maybe the room that Zekiah uses whenever he visits us. I'm sure he will always come."

"I will do as you say."

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Dear guests, we are about to pass the area where dolphins play at this hour. Please join us at the deck."

"There's also that kind of show?" Zenia's eyes sparkled when she asked Vaughn.

"I did not know that. Would you like to see?"

"Yes!"

Vaughn re-arranged her dress and held her hand before they went out of their room. There were lots of spectators on the deck, but it was spacious enough to accommodate everyone.

Lots of dolphins jumped and performed some stunts that brought delight to everyone. It looked like they had been contracted to showcase their talent. Some were flapping their fins and making sounds. 

There were people on the ship who were throwing some treats to the dolphins. Zenia noticed that they were doing that to entice the dolphins to come closer to the ship. Although it was a delightful sight, it was also dangerous. If too many dolphins come at once, they might topple the ship. 

Luckily, the ones responsible for throwing the treats knew when to stop. The dolphins went back to their original route and the ship sailed away.

"That was fun!"

"Do you want to go on another trip like this again?"

"Certainly!"

*Growl*

Zenia slowly turned her head to look at Vaughn, who was already smiling at her.

"Hungry?"

Zenia nodded her head and put her arm around his arm. 

"Do they have delicious desserts here?"

"We will find out later."

The sun was about to set, and Vaughn was already looking forward to nightfall. He made some arrangements with the captain of the ship. He was keen on giving Zenia the wedding that she would not forget.

* * * * *

Queen Mina and King Tarendino were having supper. Wolstan told them that he had a friend staying at Vaughn's palace and would like to check on him. They no longer detained him further and just hoped that he would return soon.

"So Vaughn and daughter-in-law are on a trip, when will they return?" King Tarendino asked his Queen when he learned about the message that Vaughn had sent to his mother.

"He did not say, and he did not mention where they will go. Come to think of it, this is the first time that they go on a real vacation. Whenever they went out before, they were investigating something."

"Is that so… When will he come to see me?" The sadness in King Tarendino's tone was undeniable.

Queen Mina reached out for the King's hand and tried to comfort him, "Give him time. I know he will learn to accept the truth behind it all. You did not want something like that to happen, but we can't deny that it affected his childhood and growing years."

King Tarendino looked at his wife and nodded his head. They continued eating their meal in complete silence.

It was already dark when Zander woke up. He stood up, got dressed, and went out of their room in a hurry. He had totally forgotten Zenia's request. Odessa was setting their table and arranging the dishes that Renaria sent over. She saw Zander running to the door in a hurry.

"Where are you going?"

"I need to see Mother right away and the gentlemen that came with me."

"The gentlemen already left." 

Zander suddenly stopped, and Odessa deliberately withheld other information that Zander must know.

"Oh," Zander uttered dejectedly and wondered how much hatred Zenia would harbor against him.

Odessa chuckled lightly. She knew that Zander was supposed to tell Renaria about the bag.

"What does the bag contain, Mother, that Zenzen wants it badly?"

"Are you familiar with Tissuria's marriage consummation dress?"

"Yes."  

"That's the content of that bag."

"Oh."

Zander kept thinking about how to apologize to Zenia. The bag seemed important to her. Odessa found Zander's expression and actions amusing. She knew that he was worrying.

"Why didn't you wake me up?"

"Come let us eat. Mother did not allow anyone to wake you up because you seemed tired," Odessa teased her husband.

Zander looked at his wife and could not believe that she was actually teasing him. But, he had no time to banter with her because he was in a dilemma. 

Odessa thought it was enough, "Come, the gentlemen brought the bag to Zenzen."

His eyes widened, and then he smiled and walked to the table to join his wife for a meal.

* * * * *

Vaughn left Zenia for a while and could not believe that she was looking at a beautiful starry night sky in the middle of the ocean. Nothing was obstructing her view, and it was breathtaking. The moon had the right illumination, and she felt like staying there forever.

Swoosh! Boom! Swoosh! Boom!

The dark canvass was painted with colorful night blooms as fireworks were released. Everyone gasped at the vibrant spectacle. The night sky was already beautiful with the stars and the moon, but the fireworks brought a different kind of beauty. It was festive and lively. They seemed to tell everyone that it was a joyous occasion.

Vaughn dr.a.p.ed his cloak over Zenia's shoulders and kneeled in front of her while holding a small box containing a ring.

"Zenia Anisen, I offer my life, my everything…my heart. I will try my best to make you happy and love you even after eternity passes away. I cannot guarantee that the road ahead will not be thorny, but I can promise you that I will do everything in my power to clear the obstacles. With this ring, my heart, my love is bound to you forever."

He stood up and put the ring on Zenia's finger. He touched her cheek and kissed her on her forehead. His hand glided on her neck and he reached for the back of her head to secure it gently as he leaned closer and seized her lips. He gave her a long, passionate kiss. Vaughn chose a spot on the ship where they could be alone. It was an arrangement he also made with the Captain of the ship.

After that, he whispered, "This is the proper way to do the betrothal promise. I made a huge mess at that time. I am trying to make up for it."

Zenia let out a light chuckle when she recalled that incident. She had no idea what he was trying to do back then.

"Vaughn Pernell, there's nothing precious that I can give you but my heart. I promise to love you and uphold the honor of your name. I will always stay with you even if we sometimes have a misunderstanding." Zenia paused for a while and asked, "Is there something that I need to do or give you in return?"

"Just kiss me again."

The two of them shared a deep kiss once more, and the fireworks provided a beautiful backdrop as the moon witnessed the pure, heartfelt promise of the lovers in love.