Seduction of a Princess

Chapter Twenty

Okay, this REALLY is an in-between-chapter. Even more so than the last.

I'm sorry for that. I wanted to skip to some more interesting chapters (that's why they arrive at Dew two chapters earlier than planned), but apparently, you have to arrive at the city before getting into trouble IN the city. Anyway, you just enjoy.

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          When they finally arrived at the city gates of Dew, it was already late in the evening. Sun had set hours ago, but they had pushed on, knowing they were close to their destination: the grand and magnificent city with it's large walls and the two castles, one on either side of the town.

           They were tired. All throughout the day, they had kept a wary eye out for those men that had attacked them. Marc had kept his sword at the ready, just in case, and now, even June carried a small knife she had been able to conceal in her clothes.

           Terrance, however, had been less than worried. He spent the day examining the new addition to his collection of rings: the silver ring that was marked with a plain X which, he had told June, meant that this alchemist had been from the House of Practitioners, the largest House in the kingdom. They had branches in most major cities—even Dew. “Perhaps I should take you there,” he had joked.

           Marc hadn't been amused though. Of course, the bodyguard did not want her going to an alchemists' guild. They were dangerous folk to be around. And, June suspected, being in the realm Terrance was so skilled at scared him if only a bit. Marc didn't like having no control over the situation, and that would certainly be the case when visiting an alchemist's guild.

           The guards at the gate were surprised to find them; the gates were closed and Marc demanded they be opened for them. The guards had laughed at him, told him to come back in the morning, until he had pulled out a piece of parchment that he handed to one of the guards. He read it carefully, and even called his captain.

           Eventually, the gate was opened.

           “What was that?” June asked as Marc put the parchment back in his cloak.

           “For the mission, it would prove unwise to carry something that could easily identify us, giving away the mission,” he told her. “However, if needed, I should be able to get help from guards and soldiers. So they gave me this paper—it's a blank mission statement with the Royal Seal on it. They won't dare question me about it, and refusing me would be refusing the Royal General.” He grinned as he glanced at Terrance, who seemed very interested in the paper all of the sudden. “You'd like you'd get your hands on something that powerful, wouldn't you?”

           “Sure would,” he admitted and leaned in closer towards Marc. Quickly, the solider put a hand on his heart, covering the parchment, so he wouldn't get pick pocketed.

           Terrance leaned back laughing, happy now that he'd wiped that smug smile off of Marc's face.

           After they had cleared through the gates, he pointed the way to a good inn, knowing the city like the back of his hand, or so it seemed. Dew was a large city—larger than June had ever seen one—with many buildings. Hundreds of little stores, inns and houses together formed a complicated maze of little alleyways and small squares, that was intersected with the larger roads like crosshairs. They passed a large square where the church proudly towered above all other buildings. Surely that was the largest building June had ever seen.

           Unfortunately, it was so dark that June could only see few things on their way to a good inn Terrance knew. If it had been day, she would have gotten more than a glimpse of the great city. But since she was tired, she had no energy to complain about the too-early setting of the sun or the too-late arrival in the city.