The Prince
by Jobe
Chapter 6
"I smell the fish cooking, dinner must be soon."
"David, Alexie, Marie, do you want something to drink?"
"An ice tea would be good for me." "I'll have one also."
One of the crew brought over our ice tea and a small platter of cheese and crackers. I saw Alex talking to Marie and one of the crew. When he looked at me, I waved him over. He took Marie by the arm and escorted her over to where we were sitting. "Draw up some chairs and sit with us."
They did, Alex sat wit me on one side and Marie and Alexandra on the other side. The small table in front of us containing the platter of cheese and crackers. "Help yourself, remember no protocol."
"Do you know when dinner is going to be ready?"
"No, my guess it'll be in about 20-25 minutes."
"Will you excuse Maria and I for a minute?" I just nodded my head yes.
"What's that all about?"
"Do you remember what I told you about the blood drawings and the virgin white sheet, etc. I told Alexandra that today. She said she's a virgin. I just hope she is because if she isn't I'm not sure I'll be able to save her."
"Can you change the law?"
"Alex, that law has been on the books for over a 1000 years."
"Has anyone been put to death by that law."
"There is an old story that once they decided to elect the wife by lottery. When the woman was chosen, she was asked if she was a virgin. It didn't matter what the answer was as long as it was truthful. She said she was. There was a witch doctor in the village who told her too take a bladder of sheep blood and on her wedding night place the bladder into her opening and when the man entered her to squeeze down with the muscles in her vagina. The poor woman placed to much blood into the animal sac and when it broke, it flooded the bed. They thought she was bleeding to death, took her to the hospital and that is when they found the empty blood bladder. They saw where she said she was a virgin, she lied and she was shot. To my knowledge that is the only time."
"If Alexie isn't a virgin, could you save her?"
"Sure but they will ask her before the vowels and she must say it to the priest. If she isn't I'll say we had sex before marriage, but what ever the out come she must be truthful. If she lies then I can't save her."
"Would you save her for me?"
"Alex, I'd do everything I could to save her. I think the law is cruel just like I think I must produce a son or even marry. These are old laws and they take a long time to change."
"I don't want to see her die."
"Neither do I. You must impress upon her to tell the truth when she is asked. Many girls who are virgins don't have a hymen, they are destroyed doing accidents. The key here is the truth."
"Here they come. I'll speak to Alexie tonight."
"Dinner is being served."
I took Alexandria's arm as Alex escorted Marie to dinner. Dinner was fish in a burnt butter sauce which was quite good. A small salad with fresh steamed vegetables rounded out a very nice meal. Conversation was light and amusing. An argument erupted on who caught the fish we were eating. The Captain solved that problem by saying whoever caught the fish had to do the dishes. All of a sudden no one caught the fish. "Captain, Alex and I will do dishes tonight and then Alexandra and Marie tomorrow night. We'll take turns."
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