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A Photographer's Dilemma (Traveler and I)

"Andrew is left handed and he has a slight limp when he walks. Oliver is right handed. He is the true heir because he is the oldest. If you can't remember that then remember Oliver like Oranges. So if the woman accompanying one of the twins has orangey-red dyed hair it's Oliver and Stephanie. Blonde haired woman is Andrew and Abetha; nothing really creative to remember them by. Unless you remember Always Angry Abetha. She's never satisfied." She finished her sandwich and smiled.

"Oliver had known Stephanie his entire life. So he chose to be with her. She is actually a friend of the family. The only problem the King and Queen have is she's unable to have children. The family line cannot grow if they can't reproduce. It out a strain on the marriage but you can tell he loves her. It's her that keeps pushing him away." She said sadly. She continued so she could change the subject, "Abetha, on the other hand, was set up with Andrew. He probably wouldn't be married today if his parents didn't make him get married. The next to get married is the youngest son but that will not result in an heir either. Which leaves Andrew and Adela to provide heirs."

She took a deep breath, "It is not fair. I agree with you, no one should be married to someone they do not love. I know when I find that person I will fight every obstacle I need too, to keep that person with me.
 
Scott listened to her description about the royal children and felt sadness for all of them. It seemed like the two brothers were both cursed; one to be with the one he loved but without children, and the other to be with a woman he didn't love, who could produce children. He felt the sadness settling on his heart.

"So.. Andrew doesn't love Abetha, and she knows it?" He turned to look at Rose. "That's extremely sad. For both of them. And for Oliver and Stephanie as well." He furrowed his brow and looked across the ocean at the dead island. "Why... why won't the youngest son's marriage produce heirs?" His eyes returned to hers. "I suppose that the kingdom wouldn't be inherited by their daughter's children either.... so it's possible that the family could end with this generation?"

He shook his head and turned his gaze back to the ocean. Then with a sigh he laid back on the blanket, one arm resting above his forehead to shade his eyes from the sun. "Sometimes it seems like people like you and me are luckier than we realize. We get to marry who we love, and if we can't have children then it's not a big deal to adopt. Love becomes what makes family, not bloodlines or connections."

He sighed and thought about what he had just learned about the family. Suddenly all the glances, the way the women dropped their eyes or switched from irritated to smiling, made complete sense. "I feel like I've been given the honor of photographing the last of long line of royals. It could all end here for the family." His voice trailed off as he contemplated their dilemma.
 
"Love isn't required to make an heir. Sex is. Andrew and Abetha just need to have sex. Create the heir the country needs. Preferably a male to carry on the last name. As long as their is some attraction their to make the child things might pull through. And maybe the child will pull the two together and make them happy." It was an optimistic view. She was slightly grabbing at strings and trying to put them together. Only time would tell if they would work things out.

She shook her head, "Not unless the husband and their children took her name. If he didn't take her name then it would be a new dynasty. His dynasty. I don't think five hundred years of history is going to be taken down that easily though. The family will find a way to pull through. They always do."

She laid back on the rock and stared up at the sky. She didn't say anything when he called them both lucky. If he wanted to believe that then she wasn't going to take that away from him. "Every family had flaws and broken pieces. Even the royal family. They just have to be better at keeping those pieces up and intact." She looked up at Scott and smiled at him.

"You aren't supposed to know any of that so if we could keep this whole conversation between us it would be great. Actually I'm pretty sure it's under that nondisclosure you signed so legally you can't talk about it." She looked up at the sky again, "Change the subject to something happy. Tell me about your first pet."
 
"Wait." He rolled up on an elbow and laid there, looking at her. "Andrew and Abetha haven't had sex? How long have they been married? I mean... does he know what to do?" He shook his head. "That's just... that's absurd. You know, being 'in love' is a feeling. It's infatuation and twitterpation and all that, but love is a choice. It's a decision to care about someone and to put their needs above yours and cherish them, despite your emotions." He frowned and took a breath before laying back down.

"Yeah, I know that all this is secretive, and I completely understand why. It's just so sad. If I was a songwriter I'd write one of those songs that teenagers weep over in the quiet of their bedrooms, but I'm a photographer. I get to capture those moments in the tiny expressions that crosses people's faces." He rolled over and tucked an arm under his head to look at her. "Don't worry - I'm not about to get you fired by betraying your trust in me, Rose. There's too many reasons not to to that to you, the first being that I'd hate to lose our friendship."

He sighed and looked slightly embarrassed at her request. "I actually have never had a pet. My mom was really allergic, and so we just... we had a fish tank but that's all. Then when I was in college I never could afford one, so..." He shrugged. "I take pictures." Scott smiled at her. "What about you? Pets? Children?"
 
She looked up at him with a smile, "Nothing will betray our friendship. I like teaching you about my country. You bring a fresh perspective on things." She listened to him talk about pets.

"No children on my part. Not yet anyways. I'm waiting for a ring but before that I need a boyfriend." She smiled at him. "I did have goldfish. His name was Gold, creative right? I think was like six. When I was eighteen I was told the Gold died every night and my dad always bought a new one to put in the tank so I never found out. Goldfish are so temperamental. I guess that's why parents by them though. Give the kid a goldfish and it lasts for maybe a day, two if the parents are lucky and then it dies. The kid moves on and gets distracted by something else. Its a win win for every one." She laughed at how sad tat sounded, "that's so wrong."

"My dad had a dog once a beautiful golden lab. That was never a family pet though. She was a stray as well. Mother was not happy to find the stray dog in the house. I think she was jealous though. Dad spent so much time with the dog. Mother swears the dog was trying to take over her spot. Or that Sadie would purposely jump on her side of the bed to get up in the bed and she didn't care if mom was laying there or not." She giggled and closed her eyes. She raised her shirt so more of her skin could feel the suns warmth.
 
He watched her reminisce there in the sun and when she pulled up her shirt to expose her stomach to the sun he found his eyes following the movement of her hands. She had nice skin... it was a strange thought to go through her mind, but he dealt with skin and tone in most of him most interesting subjects, and her skin was nice. Scott found himself staring at her, which made him blush, which embarrassed him more so he turned on his back and looked up at the sky.

White mounds of vapor drifted over head, making shapes as they passed between the companions and the universe. He pointed to a formation of clouds above them. "That cloud looks like someone dropping a grape in his mouth," he opinionated. "Or maybe it's a bunny."

He turned his head to look at Rose. "What do you see?"
 
"I see a bunny eating something." She looked at Scott and then up at the sky. She could enjoy this game. She pointed to another cloud, "That one looks like a boot." She raised her foot playfully, "It's a little too big for my foot but I am sure it would be very comfortable. Like walking on air."

She rolled on to her stomach and looked at Scott, "Did you get all of the pictures you wanted? Do you want to see something really special?" She asked and stood up. She walked to the edge of the cliff and looked down. She smiled at the view and gestured Scott over.

When he did come she pointed at where he should look. "The waterfall always makes a perfect rainbow over the castle when you look at it from the right angle." She told him and tilted his head a bit. "It's scary at first, since you are looking over the edge of a mountain but it's beautiful." She said softly and looked down at the castle with him.
 
He chuckled at the walking on air bit. "Yeah... I suppose I did get all the pictures I wanted to get. Today there's a chess game scheduled between the twins that I'll photograph, but as far as out here... yeah." He turned and looked at her and for a moment was lost in her eyes. They seemed both innocent and bright while also deep and mysterious. She was a study in contrasts.

She walked over to the cliff and Scott cautiously followed her. To be truthful, he didn't prefer heights. "That's... gorgeous." He leaned as far as he dared and took a picture. Then two. "I don't really like heights," he confessed. "But this was worth looking over the edge."

He slowly backed away from the edge and waited for her to return as well. "I suppose that we should get back? This has been really nice, though. Thank you for taking me here. I wish I had some way of repaying you." He smiled and began to help her gather up the signs of their picnic. "How old were you the first time you came up here?"
 
"I won't let you fall." She told him by respected his choice to back away after taking his pictures. She backed away a few seconds later and started to pack up her things. "I first came here when I was twelve. My father had told me the story of the women climbing the mountain and of course I thought I was a little woman so I climbed it. When I got home and told him what I had done I got in trouble for putting my life in danger. My father got in trouble for telling me the story. Since then better eyes were kept on me. They always had tabs on where I was going and who I would be with. I don't think they have ever been up here. It's a shame." She looked up at Scott and stood up again.

"Don't worry about repaying me. Being up here with some one is better than being up here alone. So thank you for joining me." When he was ready she started the trek down the hill. It was harder going down since there bodies were being tugged by gravity and they had to constantly slow themselves down so they weren't running down the mountain and hurting themselves.

Even though they were trying to slow themselves down they ended up at the bottom much faster than they got to the top. She plucked a water bottle from her backpack and drank it before she got in her jeep. "Chess with the twins sounds fun. They are very smart so I expect you to be busy for the rest of the evening. It's fun to watch them. They are really good. They take their time and choose their moves wisely. The King had them learn chess when they were very young now they are masters." She couldn't drop him off at the palace so she drove them back to her cabin.

"The only cars allowed on the courtyard are cars of the royal family and guests. Sorry." She explained.
 
"So does other people in your family work at the castle? You sound like you've spent a lot of time there, not just since you became a historian." He tried not to run over her on their way down, and he realized how much time they had spent up on the mountain top. It seemed like only a couple hours but it was already early afternoon.

The water was a thoughtful thing. Scott found himself consistently amazed at how well-planned her day was. He thoroughly enjoyed her company and found her to be not only interesting, but someone who he wanted to know more about. "It's been a good morning, Rose. I'll keep in mind what you said about the twins." He was glad to hear that the two had something in common other than their birth date.

When they got to her cabin he unloaded his things and helped her with hers. "Don't worry about not dropping me off," he replied, I don't mind staying out of the royal radar once in a while." He smiled. On impulse he leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. "Thanks for today. I really enjoyed it, even the scary part on the ledge." Scott grinned. "See you around?"
 
She nodded her head and thought of how she could phrase it. "Yes. My mother and father are head of the household staff and my brothers...they are always off doing something for the crown. What can I say my family loves the crown." She laughed, "But I told them I wouldn't work. I would relax so if you can keep our little history lesson a secret I would be very grateful."

She smiled, "I'm glad you had fun. The twins aren't so bad once they warm up to you. Who knows you may find yourself at the butt of one of their jokes some time soon." She got her things out of the back of the jeep and took them in the house. She didn't have that much stuff so it was a quick trip.

She smiled when he kissed her cheek and nodded her head. "Like I said before I am glad you had fun. The ledge wasn't so bad was it? You'll never have to do it again. I promise." She smiled at him and bit her bottom lip. "Of course. You know where I am if you ever want a tour of the island or to see something else with a story behind it. There's loads of places around here. You have my number just call me or take the trek down here."
 
"I'm good at keeping secrets," Scott assured her when she told him that she was taking a break from working. He left her feeling like he had made a friend there. Even while he was prepping to photograph the princes he found his thoughts going back to Rose. She was different. She was approachable, fun, smart, thoughtful, pretty... he smiled to himself. He liked being around her. It felt like they didn't have to work at being comfortable around each other. It just came naturally.

As he set up the light and looked over the window and the angle of the natural light he kept an eye out for Rose. For some reason he hoped that she would walk through the house and wave to him or something... but at the same time he knew that he probably wouldn't see her again unless he actively sought her out. He'd have to figure out a reason to seek her out soon.
 
The princes walked into the study looking very causal. Andrew was wearing a sweater and jeans and Oliver was wearing basketballs shorts and a tshirt. When they saw the photographer they stopped talking for a second and just sat down. After a small silence they went back to what they were talking about. From that peaceful conversation they switched to who was going first. Oliver believed he should being the older brother. Andrew was having none of it spun the board around so he was the starting color. They tried rock, paper, scissors but they kept playing the same signal so that went no where.

"You can't decide. I can't decide. Let him." Andrew bargained and sat back in his chair.

Oliver looked at the photographer, "Fine. Don't go pouting when he chooses me."

"Like I would. You're the pouter." Before his brother could say anything four eyes were on the photographer as Andrew spoke to him, "Who goes first. You decide." A mischievous glint appeared in both twins eyes as they waited for their answer.
 
Scott looked from one brother to the other. They weren't going to make this easy, were they?

"It's really an easy choice," he said, setting up his tripod. "Whoever is the most modest should go first." Scott smiled. "Or you could simply let whoever lost the last game to go first, a kind gesture from the winner."

He continued to set up, trying not to listen too hard when the brothers spoke about personal matters. They seemed to have turned off that part of their conversation when they saw him in the room though. The brothers seemed as aware as everyone else about the last photographer and his indiscretions.
 
"He chose the easy way out." The brothers said at the same time.

With the problem still not solved the brothers went back to their normal antics. Finally thirty minutes after sitting down they came to the conclusion. Andrew would start because he lost last time. When the game finally began they were quiet for a little bit before they started to talk about what they had to put up with today. Instead of real names they used nicknames so the photographer wouldn't know who they were talking about.

Somehow the conversation switched their younger sister, Adela. "What do you think she is doing out there?" Oliver asked.

"Spending as much time away from here as possible. If I were allowed the same liberties as her I would never come home. 22, unmarried, and in America. What do you think she's doing?"

Oliver frowned, "I'm sure Father is the one who told her to go away as far as possible. He doesn't want her married off. I feel bad for the guy that has to put up with her." Oliver made his move and sat back in his chair.

"Spoiled brat." Both brothers said and laughed at each other.
 
Scott smiled to himself as he took pictures of the two brothers. He supposed that it was good they had each other. Had they not, then they might have to spend more time with their wives. And if they considered their little sister a brat then she must be worse than both of the princes' wives.

"May I ask where you both went to university?" He was wondering if their idea about what she was doing was based on personal experience or not. "I noticed that there are plaques from the best universities in the world on your walls. It seems like the royal family values a good education." He was checking the memory on the SD card he had been given to use for the family. Soon he'd have to see if the butler could give him a hard drive to download the files onto for photo editing.

The evening was growing later and soon it would be dinner again. Scott was already contemplating going over to the historian's cottage tomorrow to see if she was busy.
 
"Ha! I win. He did not use the proper title so I would like my money good sir." Oliver held out his hand.

His brother grumbled and reached in his pocket pulling out some money, "He didn't call us by name though."

"I doubt the man knows our name." Oliver said and took the money from his brothers hand. "Thank you." He said to Scott and stuffed the money in his pocket.

"Word of advice. Next time you speak use proper titles. It's disrespectful. Not that we care. It's not like we will ruling over you one day." Andrew said upset he lost the bet more than anything. "Our younger brother went to a military school in America. The United States Military Academy; the best military school in the world. The downside is he works for the American Army. He has too it's a part of going to that college."

Picking up where his brother left off Oliver continued, "I went to Yale for Law school. He went to Yale for...what was it Mathematics and Philosophy."

Andrew nodded, "With a minor in Women's Gender and Sexuality Studies."

Oliver rolled his eyes, "Our mother didn't go to college but she has an honorary degree in something, I believe History. Our father went to Cambridge so did our grandfather. Adela went to...did she go to Cambridge too?"

"Someone else did. I think so." They stared at nothing and slowly nodded. "Cambridge. For what though?" Andrew asked.

"Something stupid I'm sure. Fashion technology?" They both laughed and shook their head. "I think she was an English major or something like that. Something she will probably never use. Like him and his women's studies."

The twin's personal assistants walked into the study and they both mumbled something under their breath. Their eyes went back to the board and they continued to play until they were forced out of the room to change into their dinner suits.
 
"That's really not fair, Sirs. Your butler told me that I was not to use your names but that I could address you as Sir or Ma'am, whichever was gender specific, so it's really not fair to say that you were improperly addressed, when it was never specified that there were proper titles to be used..." Scott gave them both a discerning look. "And if you were with your wives I could tell you apart. Just not now." He shrugged, but he was a bit peeved that they had made a bet based on his performance.

Scott continued to fiddle with his camera gear as they talked. "I thought that foreign students who went to West Point were commissioned in their own country's military. Does you country not have a military?" Come to think of it, he had not seen any signs of military or police while in this country. He had to grin when it was revealed that Andrew got a minor in Woman's Gender and Sexuality Studies. It was interesting, considering that Yale started off as a seminary school. Now it was one of the most liberal universities on that side of the country.

Soon he had enough pictures of the princes. The best were when they were teasing each other about losing a bet or going on about silly university degrees. That was when Scott felt like he could see into their souls. They left to get changed for dinner and Scott left to look though the pictures he had. He decided that he would wait and get candids of the family as they were en route to the dinner. He was beginning to like the candid photos better than the posed ones.
 
"Did you hear a Sir when he asked his question?"

"No, not me. You?"

"Nope." They both looked at Scott with devilish smiles. They copied his shrug and laughed with each other.

"Don't be so perturbed. We are only joking. It wasn't a bet against you. It was a bet with you. You just didn't know about it." Andrew said and Oliver nodded his head agreeing.

"We are sure that it what normally happens but in this case Father didn't want him having special treatment because of his status so he let him stay there." Oliver informed Scott.

"Well, made him. He didn't let him do anything." Andrew corrected. "We have a military a small one they also act as our police force. We aren't that big of a country so we don't need a huge fleet. If there are wars then we have alliances that will protect us. Most countries don't bother us though. We are a peaceful nation in the middle of the ocean. We export sugar, jewels and various fruits. It's not like we have nuclear bombs hidden away anywhere." Andrew shrugged.

The twins left to get ready for dinner and find their wives so they could escort them to dining hall. They all came down except for Abetha, who was feeling ill. The family was a little more lively than they were the fire night Scott arrived.
 
Scott wondered in quiet about Abetha, but he simply took a few pictures as they walked to the dining hall and then left them to dine in private. He imagined that they would cherish the time they had together, and all too often they found themselves spending it in the company of strangers.

Instead he slowly wandered the large halls of the castle, looking at paintings, wondering what it was like to grow up in such a place. He found a small spider spinning it's web in the corner of a door way and managed to take the picture so that the spider was perfectly focused, and in the top left of the picture. Slightly blurred and through the doorway was a royal receiving room, it's opulent colors and it's vast emptiness contrasting nicely with the busy arachnid.

The sound of long-ago children laughing, calling out 'Olly olly oxen free!' echoed in his mind's ear. He wondered if they played hide-and-go-seek in these halls, and if the servants' children ever played with the nobility children. Had Rose ever run through these halls and laughed when she was a child?
 
Rose sat in her cabin eating dinner and looking at the picture Scott took of her. It truly was a beautiful photograph. He was talented and she could see why the queen chose him to take the family portraits. She put the picture in a frame and set it on top of the fireplace. The cabin was bare compared to the palace. No beautiful paintings or family photos. Just a lot of windows that showed off the view of the trees and sometimes the ocean.

She used to hate this place during the fall months. The trees were bare and it looked haunted. Her brothers told her many stories about the scary old witch who used to live here. They even dared her to come out here alone and sit in the cabin for minutes, as she grew older the minutes grew to hours then she was dared to stay the night. Of course she wanted to prove that she was just as strong as the boys and she would do it but what the boys didn't know is that her father was always there with her. When he first found I he didn't lie the fact that she was out there alone so when she was dared to go to the cabin she told her father and he would be there waiting for her. She still didn't like the way the trees cast scary shadows on the wall but it was somewhat better with her father there with her.

She would be home before the fall came. Her mother would be pushing suitors on her no doubt. She wouldn't have Scott to take away on some adventure. Her thoughts turned to Scott and all the places she could take him. She could have a lot of fun with him if he wanted it. There were so many stories about the island and so many shots that most people didn't even care to take. He was different though. He was curious. He listened.

She shook her head and told herself not to get attached. He was leaving in a month and he would forget all about her. He was here for a job and she couldn't take him away from that. She wasn't going to ruin something that life changing for him. It was nice to hang out with a guy that actually liked her for her though. Feeling involved or not, she couldn't wait to see hi, again.
 
He was restless. Scott wandered around the castle as the royal family ate their dinner. One of the cooks waved to him and he sneaked into the kitchen, wondering what the older, sweet lady wanted.

"Here..." She handed him a small box. "There are extra small cakes." The elderly cook smiled and her cheeks dimpled. "Maria showed me the pictures you gave all of us of that first day. They were so sweet." She insisted he take the box. "For you, a small thank you, yes?"

"Thank you," Scott said, peeking inside to see the chocolate and white treasure inside. "Thank you."

She smiled and patted him on the arm like a favorite aunt, sending him on his way with the gift. Scott looked at the box and then decided that it was something that should be shared. A few minutes later he had hiked through the woods and was knocking on Rose's cottage door.
 
Rose's head popped up from the book she was reading when she heard the knock on the door. She waited for it to happen again because no one came to visit her out here and it could have been a tree knocking on the roof. When the knocking started again she stood up and walked to the door. She didn't have a peephole to look through so she just opened the door.

She was pleasantly surprised to see Scott and let him in. "Traveling at night all alone? Very dangerous." She smiled at him and closed the door behind him. She was already in her pajamas and normally she wouldn't let anyone see her when she wasn't properly dressed. "Do you need help with something? Or have you come to visit me?" She marked her spot in the book and put it away.

When she turned to face him again she noticed the box in his hand. "I have received many boxes just like that." She said pointing to the one in his hand. "Mrs. Beryl makes the best cakes around. Her family has worked for the royal family for generations. Which one is it?" She asked and walked in the small kitchen area. She found a fork and handed it to him.

"The rose." She said after he opened the box. "She must really like you." She told him with a small smile. "What special thing did you do for her? Help her with the dishes perhaps?" She laughed at her own joke and then explained. "When the royal children got I trouble they had to do chores. If they got dish duty with Mrs. Beryl, she would sneak them a small cake for their help. Didn't help with the discipline but as long as the king and queen didn't find out it didn't matter."
 
"Well, it seemed like too much cake for just one person. I was hoping that you'd like to share it with me?" He stepped into her little cottage and saw that she looked like she was getting ready for bed. "Oh... I'm sorry. You're going to bed and I've, ah..." Scott cleared his throat, feeling a little bit like he imposed upon her private time.

He set the box on her counter. "I just took their pictures. I guess they didn't have pictures with each other before, and it made them realize how much they were like a family." He smiled. "Listen... I won't keep you. You keep the cake and I'll, ah... I'll see you tomorrow." He sighed, thinking of how different the royal children's lives were than his own. He had chores simply because he had chores; it had nothing to do with his behavior. He would have never considered such a thing as helping with the dishes to be a punishment.

"I should have called first, Rose. I didn't mean to impose myself on you when you were getting ready for bed."
 
"Oh no don't worry about it. Don't go. Please. Stay with me. I don't think you should be walking the forest at night. I'm not telling you stay here if you don't wan to but when you do leave please be safe." She smiled at him and rubbed his arm. She picked a fork up for herself and opened the handles for the box so they could easily eat it.

"Besides I enjoy your company." She cut her fork into the cake and took a small delicate bite. It was a moist chocolate cake and it tasted absolutely divine. "Have you been able to see the pictures you took today? I hope they came out alright." She pointed to where she put her picture. "I love it. I can't wait to see what you do when it's time for the big family portrait. I'm sure they will be beautiful." She took another bite of the cake.

"Anything interesting happen at the palace today? You are my eyes and ears. I guess you can consider it payment. You tell me what I am missing and I show you around the island. Fair trade, right?" She nudged his shoulder with her hand. She walked into the small living room area and to grab her wine glass.

"I'm having white wine but I can put some water or milk in a glass if you wish. I am pretty sure this will go with chocolate or it will tonight." She sipped on her drink and winked at him. "And we can sit down over there and talk." She poured herself a little more wine and found a glass for Scott and filled it up with his drink of choice.
 
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