The Royal Contract

"Whose house is this?" She asked as they stood outside its door.

It was a small concrete house situated in a small community just outside of the town proper. It had a low perimeter fence that separated it from the nearby neighbors.

"A friend that I have not seen for a long time." He answered her, knocking gently on the door. He hoped his friend was home because he would like to reconnect with him again. 

"Wait." A woman's voice from the other side of the door shouted. A few seconds later, the door opened, and a woman revealed herself. "Yes, what can I do for you?" 

The woman seemed to be surprised to see two strangers outside her door. She wondered if they were lost and was about to help for some assistance.

She could see that both of the couples were dressed well and were not local on their island. She seldom had guests in their house, but she doubted if they came here for them.

"I am looking for Alfred. Is he here?" Alex asked the young woman, who looked confused, still had no idea of who they were. 

"Why are you looking for Alfred?" She asked, curious about the two strangers.

"I am an old friend." He explained. "I am Alexander Princeton, and this is my fiancé, Daniella Hamilton. It had been a long time since I last saw him. Since I was in the vicinity, I thought of visiting him."

"I'm sorry to inform you, but my Dad passed away three years ago." She said regretfully as she opened the door wider. "Would you like to come in?"

"I also sorry to hear that." Alex suddenly felt guilty for not being able to visit his friend sooner. "We would like to come in." He wanted to hear more about what happened to his friend.

He did remember that his friend had a young kid at the time they met. Well, she was not a kid anymore. He wondered what happened to his friend and his wife.

She opened the door and guided them to the living room. "By the way, I am Renee." She offered them some refreshments before settling in on the spare chair across from them. 

"What about your Mom. Where is she?" Dani asked as she wondered why this young lady was alone in their house.

"My Dad and my Mom were both involved in a car accident. They both did not survive. But I do remember my Dad talked about you on occasions." She smiled in fond memories of her parents.

"Who is taking care of you now?" Dani could not help but ask, sympathizing with the young teenage girl. She could not imagine losing two important people in her life in an instant.

If something like that happened to her, she would not know how to deal with it. Just thinking of her Dad dying was almost breaking her heart. What more if he did die? How would she be able to handle it?

She was amazed at the strength of this kid for surviving such a trauma. She looked like a kid who was still living normally. There was no sign of hardship on her face.

"My grandma took me in when my parents passed away. She is just in the market, but she will be home soon." Renee told them as she showed them some family pictures before they died.

Alex and Dani could see that her grandmother was a good guardian. She took care of her grandchild with a lot of love, evident in the smile that showed on the young girl's face.

They talked more about her parents during the time they were alive and her life since they died. Alex was glad to know that his friend had a good life. But still, he was sad that he did not even see him before he died.

After a while, they also met Alfred's mother, who took care of Renee. But they could not stay for long as they eventually said their goodbyes.

Since they were already both tired, they settled on going back to the villa to rest. It had been a long day. The news of his friend passing also slightly dampened his mood.

"Alfred was working at the resort. He was a young man who impregnated his girlfriend at an early age. I caught him trying to steal some things in my room." He narrated to her as they both sat on the patio, watching the waves as they rolled on the sandy shore.

Alex remembered the day he first met him. He was still a kid when he walked into the room to find Alfred rummaging through his things. When Alfred saw him, he was ready to bolt, but he did not.

Instead, he knelt in front of him and begged for mercy. He did not wish to steal from him, but he was desperate. His child was in the hospital and needed an operation. He badly needed money.

"At the time, I saw his sincerity. I know I have to help him. I called Mom, and with her help, she checked on the child's condition and financed her operation. From that day, we became friends." He had a solemn look, remembering the past, but he quickly wiped it with his hands. 

He could not do anything about it, but he was glad that he had a friend like him, even for a short while. Alfred might have made a mistake, but he repented for it and turned his life around.

He offered him more money. So, Alfred could start a new life. But Alfred refused, saying that he had done enough. His help and friendship were all he needed. 

"You always had a good heart. I am sure that wherever Alfred is now, he appreciates the friendship you shared." Dani could only console him, seeing the regret in his eyes.

It was another side of him that she only had a glimpse of now. Every day she spent with him, she discovered more things about him. Some were good and some not so bad.

She was glad that so far, she had not seen a side of him that she might not like. But she kept wondering if such a time would come. What would be her reaction? 

"I want to do something for Renee." He was thinking of offering her a scholarship or any form of help that they might need.

He could do nothing for his friend, but he could still make up for it with his family. There was no sense in regret. It would not bring back the past or his friend. But he still could do something for the people he loved.

"Let me handle it," Dani told him, having more experience in dealing with this kind of matter. "Now, would you like to swim with me?" She suggested, trying to divert his attention to something else.

She stood from the chair and dragged him along with her. Instead of going inside the house to change into their swimwear, she pulled him near the water. 

She started removing her clothes, leaving only her underwear. She ran towards the water, diving into its warm, calming waves. "Come on. The water is great." She beckoned him, waving to him.

He smiled at her effort to cheer him up. He appreciated what she was doing. "I am coming." He also followed her example, removing his pants and shirt before diving in and swimming towards her.

As soon as he touched her, he did not want to let her go. He held her tight, encircling his arms around her waist. He knew that she was all he needed. 

Like what Alfred did for his family, he would do anything for her. Alfred was a good man with principles, but when it came to his loved ones, he did what he thought was best for them, even if it caused him his life.

"I love you," Alex whispered to her, professing his love for her.

He knew that the first few months of their relationship would be like roses and rainbows. New love would always be sweet and full of excitement.

"I love you too, Alex." She entwined her fingers on his hair as she stared into his eyes. She allowed him to support her as they continued to be chest-deep in the wavy water.

She was not naive to believe that their marriage would always be perfect. It might seem to the outside world that it was a match made in heaven, but in truth, they were like any human beings.

As they continued their journey together, she expected that thorns and storms would eventually catch up with them. She just hoped that they would be able to handle them together.

She could only hope that the foundation of their relationship would be strong enough to withstand the trials that might come their way.. Their love would be able to weather the storm that might be brewing on the horizon.