Seduction of a Princess

Chapter Two

Hi all, I've finished the second chapter of SoaP (lols, I only noticed this funny abbreviation just now XD). I like it, since it explores the June-Marc relationship a bit. Though not so much--not yet, at least :). Anyways, I hope you'll like the chapter too. Enjoy!

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          The open fields did not offer much as to protection from the hot sun, and it was before long that June was sweating underneath the travelling cloak. Marc had told her to keep the hood up, so she would not be recognized by any of the people working the fields. He, though, did not need to cover up his face—this annoyed June more than just a bit. The soldier wasn't soaking wet from sweat, and he barely even seemed to mind the heat.

           The driver's box was just big enough for the two of them to sit on, but since June was upset with Marc, her father, the whole way this journey was planned, she quickly climbed to the back of the wagon where she had a little more room. She avoided the coffin, but made room between a few stacks of books, resting her back against the large oak chest with her personal belongings. She recognized the thing; it had always been there in the corner of her room, even though she had never used it to store anything. A few days ago, her father told her to pack anything she'd like to have in the Palace in there, so she had taken her best clothes, jewelry, a few books and some other items. She wondered if she could read one of those books right now, and checked the chest. It was locked, and she didn't have the key.

           She didn't ask Marc for it; she did not want to talk to him. He did not appear to be very talkative either, so it was not hard to give him the silent treatment. He did not mind it though.

           The only time he said anything, was when June took one of the bottles with potions. It was a strange deep purple liquid. What would it do? Turn her into a frog, perhaps? She did not know much about alchemy, other than it was magic in a bottle, and she was a little curious about it, despite the bad reputation of alchemists. But before she could take the curk from the bottle, Marc warned "You'd better not do that. You shouldn't mess around with these potions."

           She sighed of annoyance. She was dying of boredom and had no idea how to spend her time. If she would take one of the weapons hidden underneath an old blanket, Marc would probably also tell her to put it back... so she finally settled for reading one of the books on alchemy lying around. Or rather: trying to read, since it was all written in a strange manner. She obviously did not possess the knowledge needed for alchemy.

           "Do you know anything about alchemy?” she asked Marc. He did not answer, until she repeated her question. Then, he only warned her to stay away from the alchemic things.

           “You don’t want to mess around with that,” he said. “Theirs is a very dark kind of magic.”

           “Have you ever met an alchemist?”

           Marc did not answer, much to June’s aggravation. She gave a loud sigh to show him how annoyed and bored she was. But the soldier remained silent… She fingered her long hair with nothing else to do. The cart travelled over one long, empty road with nothing to see but the people working the fields of her father’s farm—a sight that did not hold her interest at all.