Chapter 112 - The Ocean House

The stretch of road between the city and the ocean house was long but the ground was fairly smooth. Delaney was thankful for that. She took out the book of the Adairs and read it, glancing up at her husband to check on him every so often. They hit bumps and he would wince but the smooth ride seemed to be better.

When they stopped along the road for lunch, Delaney looked out at the fields stretching as far as she could see. The skies were so clear and blue. As they grew closer to the ocean, the breeze also picked up and the air became cooler.

To help keep Vincent from too much pain, Delaney had blankets laid out on the grass. She and her husband ate and then laid back to relax for a while, dozing off and on. Their servants followed their lead and soon even some of the guards dozed off. Delaney saw Ian never did though. He was never too far away and always vigilant.

By the time they reached the ocean house, Vincent couldn't handle much more. It was nearly dark but Delaney could still make out the large, white, house. It sat high up on a cliff but far enough from the edge that it didn't seem unsafe. There were fruit trees of some kind planted all around but Delaney couldn't make out what kind in the near darkness.

Vincent winced as he got out of the carriage and she saw his jaw was locked against his pain but he helped her down anyway. Taking her on his arm, he led her slowly up the few stairs and into the high ceiling entryway inside.

Delaney looked around in awe. The ocean house was about as far opposite of Edgewood as it could get. The walls were almost all white and the floors were shining tiles. Every fixture she was was golden and every curtain or couch was some shade of blue. It was everything she imagined a house on the ocean would be.

Their dinner was ready when they arrived so they sat in the lovely dining room and ate the fish that had been prepared. The server hesitantly told them it had been caught only that morning. It was a delicious meal.

Ian had retired to his room shortly after arriving, eating only what was brought up to him. Delaney didn't worry about him. If any of them were used to the ocean it was the son of the pirate king. He seemed to just like his solitude.

After dinner, Vincent showed Delaney to their bedroom where their things had already been unpacked. It had one wall with tall windows and a pair of doors in the middle that would open onto an outside balcony. The doors themselves were almost completely made up of windows so they would have the best view of the ocean in the morning.

Vincent was stiff and sore from the day so he eased himself into bed once Ms. Bird had finished with Delaney. Smiling at her handsome but tired husband, Delaney let her nightgown slip off her shoulders and drop to the floor before crawling into their bed with him.

The next morning, a strange sound Delaney had never heard before woke her up. She blinked a few times and stretched out her arms realizing Vincent was no longer in bed beside her. The noise was steady and carried on the warm breeze blowing in from the open windows across her naked skin.

Delaney sat up then, seeing Vincent had opened their windows. She stood with a sheet draped around her and walked lightly across the floor towards the open doors. Out on the balcony, Vincent stood like a beautiful statue staring out ahead of him as he leaned against the railing. Like his wife, he was wearing only a sheet but had it tied around his waist.

Beyond her husband though, Delaney saw one of the most amazing sights she'd ever seen. The blue-green ocean spread out before them as far as the eye could see. White birds flew over it, swooping down and diving beneath the water before popping up again a few minutes later with a prize fish in their mouths. The sea was calm so the waves that came to shore only brushed across the sandy beach before going on their way again back out to the ocean.

Catching the sight of movement from the corner of his eye, Vincent turned and looked over his shoulder, smiling when he saw it was his wife. Delaney came forward and wrapped her arms around his lean, muscular waist. He wrapped an arm around her too and kissed her forehead.

"So what do you think?" he asked quietly as the salty breeze ruffled his black hair.

"It's one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen," she smiled lovingly up at him, "Thank you so much for bringing me here. I know the journey was painful for you."

Vincent chuckled before kissing her forehead again, "It was but it was well worth it. Nothing can compare to the ocean and our view of it. Besides, I am happy to be here with my beautiful wife."

"I am happy we're away from the royal court," Delaney giggled, "I always thought I would love to spend time at court being a best friend to a princess or queen but now I see I like our life much better."

"As do I," he sighed, "My mother insisted she and my father spend all of their time at court once they were married. It was before my grandfather had died so my father didn't have any real responsibility yet. I was born there actually. So was Miles.

"I didn't know that," Delaney said in surprise, "You were born in the city house?"

"The castle itself," Vincent smirked, "Miles and I think my mother must have known she was in labor and waited until I was close to go for a little visit to the Queen. She always says she was just a first-time mother and didn't know how to judge such things."

Delaney laughed, "What was her excuse for having Miles there?"

"Ah that one was that he was her second so he came much faster than her first."

Delaney laughed and Vincent smiled and shook his head.

"I want all of our children to be born at Edgewood," Delaney looked wistfully out at the ocean, "It will be our home and all of our children will grow up swimming in the lake, hunting for the unicorns, and dancing with fairies."

Vincent swallowed hard and looked down at his arms around her. "That sounds beautiful," he said softly.

"We will spend our summers here though. If we have a baby soon it will still be close enough in age to Felicia's boys that they will be able to play together like cousins. Maybe Cora and Miles will have a baby right away too once they're married and then there will be a whole flock of cousins."

"That would be wonderful."

Delaney looked up at her husband then and saw his serious face. She knew right away what was on his mind.

"Stop it," she said sternly, "Don't ruin our happy daydreams. These things will happen."

Vincent nodded and straightened, "I hope you're right love."

He turned and headed back inside. Delaney frowned and rolled her eyes at him. She hurried inside then to catch him before he was dressed. He was just about to pull on his top when Delaney grabbed it and pulled. Vincent came stumbling towards her so she jumped into their bed and pulled him down with her.

It wasn't long after when Delaney called for Ms. Bird to help her into a special dress she would be swimming in. It was made of white fabric and didn't have all the layers of her normal dresses. It also didn't reach all the way to the floor. Wearing it now, it felt strange but exciting.

Delaney wrapped her robe around her and headed off downstairs barefoot. In the main room, she found her husband talking to Ian who was leaning casually against one of the columns.

"You look lovely," Vincent smiled as she came to stand before them.

"I'm so excited I could pop," she giggled, "But I'm also sort of scared."

"Scared?" he grinned, "What are you scared of?"

"I can't swim," Delaney blushed, "I feel like I could get swept away."

"You don't know how to swim?" Ian's normally blank face broke into a look of shock.

"Ladies aren't taught how to swim," she frowned at him.

"Where I'm from, everyone learns to swim."

"Yes, well you're a pirate," Delaney smirked before turning back to her husband.

Vincent wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to him, "I won't ever let anything happen to you. And I'll teach you how to swim if you'd like."

"Really?" she asked with excitement.

"Really," he grinned, "Now let's go."

Vincent walked towards the doors with his wife but paused to look over his shoulder at Ian.

"I know you're going to follow us anyway so you might as well come now, young pirate."

Now it was Ian who smirked before pushing himself off the wall and following after them.