The Serpent's Enigma

52 | Redefined

Around 5:30 am the next day, Gigi was a bit grumpy as Cal woke her up for the sunrise, which wasn't for another hour. Thanks to her little dalliance last night, they got only five hours of sleep, which was... not enough. Thankfully, Cal was very practical with time, as he was used to travelling and working outdoors which required him to follow irregular schedules. First, he gave Gigi some extra time to snooze by hitting the shower first... And to avoid her jumping him in the shower which would just lead to more delay.

When she asked why he had to wake her up so early, he said that she needed time to dress and apply makeup, and Gigi begrudgingly complied knowing he was right. Sometimes he appeared to have more knowledge on womanly things than she did.

Even so, they made it to the beach on time, bringing Inferno with them. Gigi's crankiness disappeared at the panoramic sight of the sunrise, twirling in a sleeveless floral summer dress. Cal gladly took a few shots with a new pocket camera he'd ordered specifically for the getaway.

Regrettably, the sunrise lasted as short as two whole minutes so it was only twenty minutes later that she demanded to resume her sleep. It would be a hassle to return all the way back to the cottage, so Cal found a small gazebo for them on the beach and lent his shoulder as a pillow. Accompanied by the rhythmic sound of sea waves, he too, dozed off.

It was not until two hours later, with the sun shining brighter, that they carried on with their activities. Cal was confident that Inferno would enjoy the beach since he'd often been along the trail riding alongside a river or through a rushing stream, but the ocean was another matter. It was noisier, and unlike a cross country river, it could come at them. So it took some time before his beloved steed dared to come near the water. His finicky nature reminded Gigi of Junior somehow.

Once he was acclimated with the environment, however, it was a different story. Cal had to prevent him from sticking his nose down the beach water and rolling into it.

Gigi then mounted him, as Cal led them along the shoreline slowly and steadily, getting Inferno used to the trails before mounting him together. He allowed her to ride solo, but immediately warned them from going too fast, fearing for both of their safety.

Too bad, for she would enjoy playing tag with him.

When the sun rose higher above their heads, they had to leave the poor boy under a shade for too much sun would bleach his ink-black coat. Gigi looked on with adoration as he fed Inferno freshwater from a container. A righteous man regarded the needs of his animals.

"So, you've been the Empress of Angletonia for half a year now. How are you feeling?" Cal asked as they walked together on the beach. He had taken off his jacket, leaving a white and navy blue striped shirt. Gigi was struggling to keep her eyes off his chest with the two top buttons undone; his complexion glowing a nice honey tan under the tropical sun.

"In all honesty, I still have so much to learn about Angletonia. I've spent all my time in the south and it's only fair I pay a visit to the other regions as well. I've always been proud of Praja's multicultural identity and growing up with this image that Angletonia is homogenous. But it turns out to be completely untrue. The people here are just as diverse, in their way of life and personality if not ethnicity. It's good of you to bring me here, Cal."

Cal beamed. "Aren't you glad that we got married... despite everything?"

Gigi pressed her lips together in thought, still having complicated feelings about the circumstances of their union. Even though she had gotten used to the idea of a political marriage as a princess, and that love would come eventually, she still had so little to say in the arrangement. There should've been a courtship period prior to the engagement where she could choose for herself. He didn't have to be a stranger.