It stuck out like a sore thumb, a very painful one at that.
From under the sand the glow of the gold caught her eye. Afraid that she might break it Elizabeth gently blew away the sand until she could see just what it was. Cradled in broken pieces of a chest was a delicate gold pendant. In the centre was a large emerald surrounded by diamonds.
It was beautiful. The deep green of the gem shone brightly in the Caribbean sun and the diamonds shattered the light into glittering fragments. As she examined the piece she could not find a single scratch or impurity yet it appeared to have come from the sea.
As she held it she began to make up stories about where it had come from. She supposed that it was a gift sent to a queen from one of her subjects, or a gift sent to a wife for her husband. Maybe he had bought it for her and was bringing it to her when his ship was stuck in a storm, or it could have been attacked by pirates. Perhaps he had tossed the chest into the sea to stop them from finding it because only the woman he loved was meant to have it.
That was silly. Even if it was true why had she been the one to find it and not the woman in the story? If the pendant was meant for his true love surely the sea would have given it to her, it would have made a better ending.
Why _had_ it come to her? Maybe the sea had sent it to her in exchange for all the things that she had lost. All the dreams and romances. Maybe it was to congratulate her on what she had found. Elizabeth turned to go back home.
If anyone asked she would say it was a wedding gift.
THE END
From under the sand the glow of the gold caught her eye. Afraid that she might break it Elizabeth gently blew away the sand until she could see just what it was. Cradled in broken pieces of a chest was a delicate gold pendant. In the centre was a large emerald surrounded by diamonds.
It was beautiful. The deep green of the gem shone brightly in the Caribbean sun and the diamonds shattered the light into glittering fragments. As she examined the piece she could not find a single scratch or impurity yet it appeared to have come from the sea.
As she held it she began to make up stories about where it had come from. She supposed that it was a gift sent to a queen from one of her subjects, or a gift sent to a wife for her husband. Maybe he had bought it for her and was bringing it to her when his ship was stuck in a storm, or it could have been attacked by pirates. Perhaps he had tossed the chest into the sea to stop them from finding it because only the woman he loved was meant to have it.
That was silly. Even if it was true why had she been the one to find it and not the woman in the story? If the pendant was meant for his true love surely the sea would have given it to her, it would have made a better ending.
Why _had_ it come to her? Maybe the sea had sent it to her in exchange for all the things that she had lost. All the dreams and romances. Maybe it was to congratulate her on what she had found. Elizabeth turned to go back home.
If anyone asked she would say it was a wedding gift.
THE END