The Dominant Species
15

At my coronation, everyone was wearing their best tops. I had managed to convince the seamstresses to make a purple one for me. The coronation was extravagant. The entire city was in the streets waiting for the royal family to swim by, so they could see their new queen. My friends, family, advisors and ministers attended the coronation and congratulated me one by one.

After the coronation was over I was ready to collapse from the big day I’d had. Mom came to my room and hugged me.

“Good luck,” she said.

We talked for a while.

Later, I snuck out of the castle because I had agreed to meet Alastair after the coronation, so he could congratulate me. Happiness exploded in my heart when I saw him. His face lit up and he swam towards me as quickly as possible. I hugged him and we stayed in each other’s arms for a minute. He kissed me, then we took each other’s hands and started to dance.

“How was it?” Alastair asked.

I told him.

I kissed him a lot. I had spent the time it took to swim here trying to figure out a way for us to be together. My heart hurt a little whenever I thought about the law keeping us apart. I hugged Alastair.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

He must have seen the look on my face.

When I told him he said,

“I’ve been thinking about that too.”

“Did you come up with anything?”

“The only thing coming between us is the law.” “So?”

“So, what do you think the solution should be?” “I don’t know.”

“If the law is the problem, then...”

“We should change the law,” I finished the thought. “Once again, you understand my strongest feelings.” Alastair kissed my cheek.

I had to change the law.