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A Photographer's Dilemma (Traveler and I)

He handed her his other phone, convinced by her earnest argument for saving on his phone bill. Besides, he supposed she was right; they both worked for the same people, so why shouldn't he have her number?

Scott didn't want to leave but he knew that he should. "Thanks for the advice about dinner wear. I don't plan on being noticed, if at all possible, but you're right; if I show up to photograph them during dinner looking like some homeless college student then they might be insulted." He frowned slightly at her description of the princess, then shook his head and smiled. "I don't think I'll ever understand nobility... but I guess you're right about the twins. From what I've heard, at least. I... I suppose it must be a pain in the ass to be in the public sight all the time."

"Anyway... it was good to run into you, Rose. I'll see you tomorrow." He lifted a hand to wave and then turned to walk back towards the castle, assuming that she had something else she was going to do in town. He had a lot to think about, regarding invasions and how the king had a plan for hiding his family if necessary. He didn't think that it would have been easy for the royal family to pretend to peasants, though - surely people would have been able to tell that they were nobility just by the way they acted? He had to chuckle at the idea that anyone would ever mistake a prince or princess for a commoner. The entire idea was ludicrous!
 
"I'm sure it's very hard to find some one who doesn't just want you for your status or to be in the limelight." Rose reasoned. "I am looking forward to tomorrow." Was her goodbye and she watched him walk away. She walked around the village a little longer before making her way back home.

The palace was full of motion. Maids and assistants and servers were all working together to make sure dinner was on the table and the royal family was seated at the appropriate time. It didn't look like they working together since everyone was moving so quickly. The dinner table was inspected by Tobin to make sure everything was a half inch away from to the edge and a quarter inch apart from the utensil next to it. The maids were dismissed and he entered the kitchen and tasted everything to make sure it was ready. With his approval the food went to the serving table and the waiters stood with the noses in the air while they waited to do their job. Tobin grabbed the wine for the night and took it to the dining room and he waited as well.

It was set up to be a dinner for seven. First to arrive were the twins, Oliver and Andrew, each sitting on either side of where the king would sit. Then Abetha came and sat next to Andrew. Stephanie came a few minutes later and sat next to Oliver. Each person was dressed in their dinner clothes, which meant expertly tailored suits for the men and nice conservative dresses for the women. The King and Queen came next as a couple and every one at the table stood. They didn't sit until the King and Queen did.

Tobin went around and poured everyone their glass of wine. He nodded to the first waiter and the first course, a light salad, was served. The king sat silently and listened to the conversations around him. He only spoke when he was asked a direct question and when he did speak it was typically a short answer unless it had to deal with the country or people.
 
Scott dressed as Rose had suggested, in a pair of black slacks and a grey button down shirt. He wanted to fade into the background, though he glanced longingly at his small collection of jeans. He lived in jeans, and if she hadn't mentioned them specifically he would have worn a pair that night.

As the servants were setting up the dinner he took pictures, taking advantage of his powerful lenses and the silent mode in his DSLR to keep his presence as under the radar as possible. He took advantage of different angles and the wonderful lighting to set the mood, and as the royal family began to trickle in, Scott took care to stay out of the way. He felt like he should be a fly on the wall; observing everything but not a part of the event.

It was amazing how the twins and their father seemed to have some of the same gestures when they moved. At one point Scott caught a picture of all three men making the same gesture at the same time. He took care to try to remember the wives' names and to not make eye contact if possible; he didn't want them to begin to act for the camera. About fifteen minutes into the dinner he noticed that one of them was glancing over at him and giving him that 'facebook selfie' pose that he despised, and he had to slip out of the dining hall to let the posturing settle down before he could return.

He took advantage of that time to walk outside and breath in the evening air. The dinner party was visible from the back lawn, and in front of the window was the gardener raking in the soft dusk. Scott leaned against a gazebo post to steady himself as he took the picture of the gardener as he worked in front of the lit window, and beyond him was the princes and their wives. One was laughing, the other frowning, at their respective husbands. It was an interesting juxtaposition.
 
When the photographer left the King decided to speak up. "Any word on my daughter?"

All eyes turned the queen, who nodded, "She arrived in San Diego and she was going to some amusement parks and the zoo. She is traveling to LA and up to San Francisco for some monument they have. She send her love and thanks you for letting her go." The king smiled, "I don't see why you let her go. She has responsibilities here."

"She just graduated college Summa Cum Laude. She deserved some time away to be a young adult."

"You never gave the boys that opportunity." The Queen reasoned.

"They have responsibilities that far out weigh hers. Let her be." The King said with a finality. "What of my youngest son?"

"He will return with his troop in a few weeks. Adela returns the week after he does, then we will take the family portrait. Tailors are coming all of you," she said to the men, "so be ready. Women in white and boys in grey. I trust the girls will find something to wear." Both girls nodded happily. "Good."

After dinner everyone left once the king was done eating. In the hallway the girls spoke to each other. The twins went off to do something and the King and Queen were trading words as they walked away from the dining hall. Tibon left the staff to do their jobs and went to his office. He grabbed the schedules that Mr. Carlton asked for and he took them up to his room leaving them on the bed. He also left a card on the bed with a finely written note that read, 'For work reasons only.' He left the room closing and locking he door behind him.
 
Scott had found an out of the way place to watch the door to the dining hall, and as the royal family trickled out and went to their personal tasks he took pictures of them. It was odd, being paid to document a family over six weeks, but he was finding that he rather enjoyed it. He scrolled through the pictures he had taken that day and paused when he came to pictures of Rose. She was, by far, the most interesting person he had met so far.

After staring at her for a few minutes he wandered into the kitchen to scrounge up a sandwich and then go to bed. He was planning an early morning of it tomorrow, but first he wanted to print out a picture to give to a friend.
 
The maids and chefs were much to busy cleaning up dinner to notice the photographers arrival in the kitchen. The head chef was the only one to truly notice and made note of his arrival and what he grabbed, so he could have it prepared next time he came in.

After buying her groceries in the market, Rose returned to the cabin and put all the food items away. To an ordinary eye the cabin was already clean but to her eyes it looked a mess. She put away anything that she didn't want Scott to see and then she did a quick dust of everything. Then she swept. She deduced to leave the rest for tomorrow morning. She took her nightly shower and then got into bed.

The next morning she finished up cleaning and it didn't take very long since the cabin was fairly small. She made sandwiches for lunch and put them in a back pack. She also grabbed some bottles of water and fruit for the journey. She was going to let him decide between Widow's Peak and the Elder Village, either way they would both be a day long journey and would require food and water.

She got dressed in a pair of tan shorts, a white t shirt and a tan hat. She also had a pair of aviator RayBans and and extra scrunchie. She checked the first aid kit in her backpack and made sure she was ready for anything to happen. She was used to climbing the harsh terrain and hiking up hills. She wasn't sure how good Scott was at it she wanted to be extra prepared.
 
The amazing thing about sandwiches is that anything put between two pieces of bread and topped with cheese could turn into a meal. Scott had simple tastes, so he made a simple sandwich of meat, cheese, and raw vegetables, habitually cleaning up after himself as he finished compiling what would be his dinner. Unconsciously he fell into step with the other servants and helped to put things away that needed to be put away, before feeling like he was more in the way then helpful and skedaddling out of the kitchen.

The next morning he woke up early to catch the sunrise over the castle. It was beautiful; the mists parted and revealed the royal home, bit by bit, until a flock of doves lifted from their perches to kiss the sky. He caught the flutter of their wings and the movement of the flock as they exploded into a bouquet of feathers and song. It took his breath away.

He wandered farther around the castle, taking note of the schedule and where things would be, seeing what direction the revenues faced so that he could figure out the best light angle when the events happened, and basically getting to know his canvas. Before he knew it, it was already ten in the morning. He returned to his room to get the gift, and at five before eleven he was walking up to the cottage in the woods to find Rose.
 
Rose was watering the flowers in the boxes in front of the cottage when she heard someone walking up. A part of her knew it was Scott the other part was wary so she went around the back until she was sure it was him. When she saw him walking up she came out from the side of the house and continued to water the flowers. "Hello there." She smiled at him and finished watering the last box. "How was dinner at the palace? Any juicy gossip?" She teased and welcomed him into her home.

"This is home." She told him and looked around the small house. "It's small but comfortable. They refurbished it last summer but they used all the same materials that was in the original home. Some of the banisters needed to be replaced because they were rotting. The floor is original though and so is that chest and the quilt on the back of sofa." She looked around, "The oven is original as well. It's a wood burner and it heats up the entire place in the winter."

She smiled at Scott obviously proud of the place. "If you want to take pictures I can get out of the shots if you want. One other thing, where are we going today? Elder's Village or Widow's Peak?"
 
"Oh, gossip? I never shoot and tell," he teased. "It's sort of like... client privilege, I suppose." He was pleased to see her in her element. She seemed like she loved the little cottage, as if it was a part of her. "Anyway, I enjoyed seeing them all together." His lips curved up slightly at the memory of how much more animated they had become once he disappeared from their view.

"This is a nice place, actually. It feels inviting." He walked around, touching things with reverence as if he could feel the age of them though his fingertips. "I actually like pictures with people in them. It gives the place a sense of time; of relevance." As he turned to look at her he remembered his gift. "Oh! I have something for you." He rummaged through his bag and brought out a stiff envelope with a small print in it. "I brought this; I hope you don't mind." It was a picture of her taking a piece of fruit that was being offered by the street vender, his old, gnarled smile reflected back in her young face. Their eyes were looking directly at each other, and in that moment was captured their shared connection in that marketplace.

"Anyway..." he stuck his hands in his pocket when she finally accepted the photo. "Uhm, let's go where it's more critical, then, shall we? How about Widow's Peak first?"
 
Her eyes light up when he mentioned a present and she opened the envelope carefully. He halite and beauty of the photo was mesmerizing. "It's beautiful. I need a frame for it. So I can out it somewhere special." She smiled at Scott and looked at the photo again. She slid it back into the envelope so it was in a safe place and nothing happened to it.

She nodded at his choice. "Widow's Peak it is." She smiled at him and grabbed her back pack. We will take my car to the trail and then hike up the mountain. She looked him over and he seemed like he was dressed for the occasion. She grabbed two more bottles of water and then she walked him out to her jeep. The doors were missing and it wasn't the newest model jeep but it got her around the forest which made her happy.

The drive to the trail wasn't very long. They could have walked but she wanted to save their energy because they would need it going up the mountain. "So what's it like where you are from?" She asked curiously. "What did you leave behind to photograph the royal family? A wife, children?"
 
"This is great," he said, sliding into the passenger seat. "You really are a regular adventurer, aren't you? I bet you'd have no problem adjusting to the Congo or the Savannah." He was glad to see that she brought not just food but water. Too many people let dehydration defeat them, even on hikes that seemed like they'd be short jaunts.

"So, is this going to be a three hour tour? Or should I plan for longer?" He leaned back and enjoyed the ride. It was gorgeous on the island. Not at all like back home.

"Well, I'm living in New York right now. So all that I have waiting for me there is a tiny apartment about half as big as your cottage, and three flights of stairs to get there. I'm not married. No kids." He shook his head and smiled. "I don't really make enough steady income to even think about supporting a family. Maybe one day." He smiled at her. "How about you? You said that you grew up here. Do you have a childhood boyfriend who's waiting for you to settle down enough to tie that knot?"
 
"I think I would have a fun time adventuring int he Congo but I am not knowledgable enough to survive off the Congo land." She smiled at Scott, "I would love to go one day though and learn how to survive on the land. Be one with nature and what not."

She thought about it and shrugged her shoulder, "It depends on you. How many pictures you want to take and how well you can handle the terrain. I am going to go some what slow for you so you can take pictures from the different vantage points and so you don't feel the need to rush and hurt yourself." They got to the car trail that would take them to walking trail. They weren't very far from the palace just a fifteen minute ride.

"New York, you say? The city that never sleeps. Sounds wonderful. I've only been once but when I was there it was an experience. Absolutely beautiful." She smiled at Scott. "No childhood boyfriends but I am starting to feel the pressure building from my mother. I'm sure every mother is like that though. They just want grandkids to spoil." She shook her head, "It is annoying but I am hoping that it will stop after the first grandchild, whoever has it first will be the favorite child no doubt." She slid out of the jeep and walked to the start of the trail.
 
"Oh, well... New York is where the work is. It was either there or L.A. and I didn't have the money to move across the country, so..." Scott smiled. He nodded at her assessment about grand kids. "So you have a brother? You'd make a great aunt. Kids are pretty cool, once you're ready for them. I don't know what I'd do if I had one on the way right now. I'd probably have to get a real job." He took his pack and helped her to carry what they needed, and as usual his camera was attached to him like another appendage.

"You know, parents just want what they think is best for us, even if it's not our dreams. My parents wanted me to get into finance because I have a good head for numbers. In fact, my first degree was in international business, but then I took a fun class my senior year and fell in love with freezing time through photography. It seemed to make sense to combine what I knew and what I loved, so photojournalism took precedence and I went for another degree. I guess if it doesn't pan out I can always teach."

He looked over at Rose. "What about you? What did you study in school?" He assumed it was history since she was the castle historian, but he didn't want to presume.
 
"Three actually, technically four. I had another brother but he died in a car crash when I was very young. I can remember his face but I can't remember him. We don't talk about him much though. He went down a destructive path. It was a miracle he was the only one to die in that car crash." She didn't feel sad talking about it, mainly because she didn't really know him. She was just a baby when he died and no one really talked about him. She was glad the conversation went back to him though.

"I have a Bachelors in Chemical Engineering at MIT." She let Scott believe that for a second and then she laughed and shook her head. "I'm kidding. I'm a World History major with a preference for Sevonia. But I can tell you about America's founding and Egypt, some medieval times but I focus more on Sevonia. I have too. It is my home after all." She smiled at him, "It is good that you have a fall back degree though. But after you working for the royal family I am sure many doors are going to open for you."

She walked ahead of him when they got to a narrow part. They were starting to head up the mountain and at parts the trail was small. The only thing to hold too if one of them lost their footing was an old rope that was poorly secured to the mountain many many years ago. It most likely wasn't stable and would turn to dust if it was touched or yanked but it was a small sense of security. "So when the women walked up the mountain they would follow the Queen. They would sing songs to the gods and trust their feet to guide them up the mountain. If one of the women fell they believed it was because her husband had passed in the battle. Back then they believed once a couple was married their souls were tied and if one part of the soul died then the other would die as well."
 
It was sad; the stories about her lost brother, but she seemed unaffected by it all. He guessed that people in Sevonia had big families. The ones in his hometown in Oklahoma did too. His was an exception; his parents told him that his mom had problems with conceiving after his birth, and eventually she had to have a surgery that kept her from having any others.

When Rose said that she was a chemical engineering student at MIT his eyes went wide, but then she laughed and confirmed his first guess. "It's good that you studied something that you care about. So many people spend their entire lives doing things they hate to earn money, and I don't think that's a good way to spend your life. It should be filled with joy, not tedium."

"But as far as opening doors, I signed a non-disclosure agreement, so no one is going to know about my time here aside from the people who see me here. The money will help, though; it will give me a chance to spend more time on photography and less time waiting tables." He gave her a sheepish smile - there was a lot of unglamorous things that went along with building a career. He followed behind her up the tiny trail, trying not to look at her rear view as they climbed, though it was a difficult thing to do.

"So, do you believe in souls being tied together? Like a soul mate?" He gingerly tested the rope at one point and felt it giving, which was really worrisome. "It's a little sad for the children isn't it? If one parent died then the other one did... that would leave a lot of orphans on the isle."
 
"I didn't want to do something I didn't love. I love learning new things about the past and I had the opportunity to do it so I went for it." She frowned at the nondisclosure agreement, "Pictures of the royal family are property of the royal family. They want their privacy protected and you do have free range of the palace so they would want to see all of the pictures. I'm sure if you asked the queen she would be willing to let you use some of the pictures around the island. Things that don't involve the royal family. That rule was out in place because of the left photographer though. He too advantage, he went where he shouldn't have and he took a video of the youngest prince and one of the maids; male maids. Suffice to say they were both, actually all three of them were in trouble." She laughed a little bit. "I'm sure if you asked the queen once she has seen all of the pictures she would allow you to add some of them to your portfolio. Just put in a formal request before you leave." She told him. "I can put in a good word you for you." She smiled back at him and kept walking forward.

She thought about his question and sighed. "I believe there are certain people that you just feel connected to. I don't want to live my life looking for a soulmate when there are billions of people in this world. Looking for a soulmate would take too much time and too much trial and error. I would rather live my life enjoying my time with the people I meet. All of them. Even if it's only for an hour or a day." She explained as best she could.

"No. To die in battle was the most honorable way to die. If both parents died then the child would live in a home provided by the king with other orphaned children. Those children were cared after in every way possible until they were at the age where they could be on their own. Children are important for the future. You cannot have one with out the other." They came to a small wooden bridge and she stopped walking. "I'll let you go first. Don't worry it's supported and fairly new but we can't cross at the same time." She moved out of the way so he could pass, "The house still stands. Where they would send the orphans. It's not really a house though. It's huge."
 
"Well, that's... that's very kind. I'd like to be able to use some of the pictures that aren't of the family. Thank you." He'd also like to be able to keep some pictures, like of the ones of Rose, but he felt like that was too forward to say. Besides, if he was allowed to keep some character studies of the townspeople or castle workers then that included her, right?

He continued to hike up the trail with her, pausing to turn and look behind him, snapping photos where he found interest and curiosity crossed paths, and generally loving the time he had. "Totam vitam vivunt,... live a complete life. It's admirable to be able to grab each moment and truly enjoy it. Sometimes I used to envy this boy I knew in grade school. He was a little bit retarded, but he was really 'in the moment'. He didn't care about what had happened an hour ago or what was going to happen. He was only concerned with the 'now'."

The mountain was really gorgeous, and as they climbed higher and higher he could see more of the world around them. It was quite a place to grow up. "So I suppose that there were no widows and widowers then? My mother's first husband died when they were first married. I guess it's a good thing that she got a second chance, or else I wouldn't be here, hm?" Scott smiled at her as they paused to catch their breath and he took a picture of an unusual butterfly, with the ocean and ships in the background. It was an interesting contrast between the insect's 'sails' and the ships'.
 
"The innocent ones are the only ones to see life for what it truly is. They live with no worry or stress. They just live. I wish I could do that." She said softly and stopped walking when he stopped to take pictures. She was enjoying watching him work. He saw her world in a different light. He was dropped in a foreign country to work, knew little about the place but he was willing to learn. She liked that about him, his willingness to listen to her stories and actually put them to use when he took his photos.

"You could say that. There were still widowers and widows from natural deaths and child birth and what not." She smiled, "It is a very good thing your mother remarried. Or I would be back home reading an encyclopedia sized book about the history of Uruguay." She stopped so he could take a picture and she handed him a water bottle. She took a few big sips of hers and they continued on.

"Today is the perfect day for this hike. When we reach the top you will be able to see the surrounding islands, Sebenia and Setoi. The islands are named after three godly sisters. Sevonia the goddess of life and the present. Sebenia, the goddess of the future and our destinies. And Setoi, the goddess of our past and our history. The only island inhabited are Sebenia and Sevonia. Setoi was destroyed. The people believed they did something to upset Setoi and since she is a wrathful god always seeking vengeance for any misdeeds against her she took them out. First it was the volcano and then it was a hurricane. The hurricane hit all three islands but it hit Setoi the worst. Out of fear of setting Setoi's wrath on the other islands the people sent their children and accepted their fate over there. Its a sacred place now. No one, not even the king, goes there. They let some scientists over there but only to see if the volcano was still active and then they were rushed away quickly. But they only let the scientists go after a massive country wide vote and this was before I was born."
 
He was enjoying her descriptions of the island history. She made it come alive, and when she talked about the islands he was intrigued. "That's a lot of death," he said quietly, eager to get to the top. "So Setoi was the goddess of the past and of history... which is what you study. Do you ever want to go over to the island and, maybe, do some kind of tribute? I mean... just for tradition's sake?"

Scott was smiling at her. He didn't believe in multiple gods and goddesses, but he knew how important tradition and lore were for the culture of a people. "I... it's not my place to say this, but it seems sad that so much of your history involves people simply accepting death as something that they shouldn't fight against. I don't know if I could have stayed on the island and waited for death to take me."

He wiped off his lens and glanced up at her. "I don't mean to sound disrespectful at all. Maybe if I had grown up here I'd feel differently... it just seems like life is too precious to let it go like that."
 
"It is a lot of death." She agreed. "Of course I want to go. It's like Pompeii. I want visit I want to see what they were like in their last moments. What poses the were in. Did they embrace their loved one or did they just stay on their knees and prey. I would love to visit but it is a grave site now. I don't know how I would get the King, Queen or even the people to agree to let me go over there. I could sneak over their but it just seems wrong. I'm too close to the palace to do something like that."

She never thought of it as accept death but she could see where that idea could come from. "We don't know what happens when we pass. Like the Hindu we believe in the reincarnation of the soul. Not so much karma though. We just believe that after this life move on to another and another until the end of time. Life is a precious thing. I can agree with that but at the end of the day every one dies. Whether it's because of a wrathful god making a volcano erupt or you just stop breathing in your sleep when you die this life is over and you will be born again into the next."

She smiled back at him and continued their walk forward after crossing a few more bridges they were nearing the top. It was nearly three and half hours later when they reached the final steps. There wasn't a cloud in the sky on the perfect 82 degree day. She walked up the final steps and looked around. She set her back pack down and breathed in the fresh air. "It's beautiful isn't it?" She faced the sun and stretched her arms out. She closed her eyes and let it bathe her body with its golden warmth. She took a deep breath and pointed to an island not too far away, "That one is Sebenia." It was covered in tall green trees and surrounded by a green ocean and drop off that lead a coral reef that rival the Great Reef. She turned the other way and pointed to the island, "That one is Setoi." This island had a deadly beauty about it. The sand on the beach was black but the water was as clear as the other islands. There were trees and signs of wild life and a village that once was could barely be seen. The island was much smaller than it's sister islands but it was no less beautiful.
 
He stood on the edge of the little plateau and took pictures, enjoying the view and zooming in especially to the Isle of Death, as he had coined Setoi in his mind. He took a picture of Rose, her arms outstretched and the sun warming her delicious skin as she turned slowly, letting the sun drench her in its healing rays. He could almost imagine her as one of those women, climbing up to wait on her husband with the others.

"Do you really believe that, Rose? That you'll be reincarnated after you die?" He studied the way her hair glistened and the sun turned strands of her tresses into fiery red lines of light. He took a fair share of pictures of all the islands including the one he was on, but he also photographed her.

He tried not to go too close to the edge. Although the island had an airport, he wasn't sure that they were equipped to handle an emergency fall from the mountaintop. Once he had taken enough pictures and the sun was too directly overhead to add interesting shadows he put the lens cap back on.

"This looks like a great place for a picnic." He smiled at her and eased his pack off his shoulder. "Is there another place you were thinking of for lunch, Rose?"
 
"I do." She smiled and turned to face him. She out her hands on the back of her head and nodded, "I believe there are more things to do. Things we cannot accomplish in just in life time. We are meant to be here and share this world with the animals and fish and experience things we have never experienced before. To take chances that you never thought you could." She spun around and laughed and smiled at Scott. "To love all creatures. To be one with nature."

She sat down and then she laid back. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" She asked against and rubbed the rock beneath her. "I have food in my back pack. We can have lunch here." She at up and got her backpack. She pulled out a sandwich for him and an apple as well as another bottle of water. She pulled out the same for herself and started to eat her sandwich.

"What is it that you want to do with your life?" She asked curiously.
 
She was beautiful. She was carefree and joyous, and definitely, Scott thought, definitely a Pagan. He supposed that she had a point, though; there was so much beauty and so much to do that one lifetime just wasn't enough time. He laid down on his stomach next to her, looking up at her as she sat there. He propped himself up on his elbows as he unwrapped his sandwich.

"Well... I believe that I only get this one life, so I want to make the most of it. I'd love to help people to appreciate the world they live in. To help them to slow down, to savor each moment and every friend they have." He smiled at her. "We're all so different, but that doesn't mean that every nation, every people, shouldn't be able to live in peace. It would be nice if they could see that we have more in common to unite us then we do to separate us."

He took a bite of the lunch and chewed thoughtfully. "Eventually, though, I want to have a wife... a family. I think that the best thing that anyone can do is to pass on their love to another generation of people. I'd love to watch someone grow up and know that I had a part of helping them to find their place in the world."

Scott seemed to lose himself in that image for a little while. Then he came back to earth and looked at Rose. "What about you, Rose? When people remember you after you've passed away, what do you hope they remember about you the most?"
 
"I've never thought about it, honestly. I just know that I want to do something special with my life. Something my mother and father won't be able to tell me do. Something I have to find and follow on my own. I don't care about how the people remembered me. I just want my family to know that I did everything I could to make them happy and provide for them."

She smiled at Scott and ruffled his hair, "I guess we kind of have the same image. I'd love to have a big family one day. Three boys and three girls and a nice house on the beach. We'd take family trips around the world so they could experience every culture and not just their own teach them to ask questions and explore. Get them out of their comfort zone and just live. I think it's important for children to be able to do these things. It helps with character growth."

She looked out at the ocean and took a bite of her apple. "So do you know who you are going to photograph first? Surely you're doing the one on one's and the couples, right? The queen always has them do. The Prince's put up a fight about it because they have to wear matching outfits as if they were toddlers. It's too bad the Princess won't be here to see it this year. She loves to poke fun at them and get them all riled up." Rose laughed and shook her head.

"It's probably the only thing normal about that family. It doesn't matter if they are royal. The younger sister always finds a way to get under her big brothers' skin. If she didn't then they would probably think they were gods among men so it's probably a good thing she does it." Rose smiled at Scott.
 
What was that touch of hers? She reached reached out and ran her fingers through his hair. At first it was sensual, but then it roughened up and became a playful ruffle. He smiled and sat up, running a hand through his short hair to make sure that it wasn't too unruly. He sat with his legs bent and his arms resting on his elbows as he looked out over the ocean.

"Oh... I don't know who I'll photograph first on the big portrait day." He smiled and took another bite as she described the siblings interactions, and he had to chuckle at the idea of a wild child little sister teasing her pompous older brothers. "Formal portraits are kind of a pain. Everyone looks so austere, so perfect, but it's really not them in the pictures. I can't really tell the twins apart, to tell the truth. I only recognize them based on which wife is on their arm." He had finished his sandwich and rolled the wrapper up to put in his pack and throw away later.

"Do you know how they met their wives? I mean... was it a chance encounter, or were they kind of set up? When I look at them and their wives I sometimes wonder what they have in common." He dropped his gaze to his hands, momentarily, and his jaw tensed. "Sometimes it's hard to see any love there, you know?" Scott lifted his gaze and looked at her sitting beside him. "It would be sad to be married to someone you didn't love."
 
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