Here's chapter 2! Enjoy!
Chapter Two
After Farris had brought Adeline back to the palace, she thanked Farris and gave him thirty coins.
"I can't take this, your highness"
"Please. For-for the horses! Take it for the horses"
Farris looked unsurely at the coins. "I don't know…"
"For me" said Adeline "Take it for me…"
Farris sighed sadly and took the coins from Adeline's hand. She smiled and ran to the royal garden. She didn't sit at the stone bench behind the big tree; instead, she sat under a tree enjoying the sound of the birds chirping and the fresh air.
'Why can't my life always be like this?' She asked herself 'Why can't it be calm and soothing? Why must it be wasted on arithmetic, history and etiquette? If life is always like that, it would be dull – very dull'
She suddenly remembered one of her history lessons with Lady Violet on a rainy day. The sky was painted a lifeless grey colour and rain drops made it even gloomier. There was nothing to daydream about, so, she decided to pay attention to her lesson.
"……King Nicholas gave up his throne to your ancestor, King Charles"
"Then, what happened to Nicholas's wife, Queen Rose?"
"She wasn't a queen, princess. They weren't married yet – well, they were planning to. Rose was just his maid-in-waiting that he fell in love with"
"Oh" Adeline sighed "Love at first sight…How sweet…"
"Actually, Rose didn't love him at first. But when she found out she was pregnant with his child, she slowly fell for him"
Adeline sighed. She looked up and saw a yellow flower very slowly starting to open. "It's blooming!" Adeline stood up "The flower is blooming!" The small yellow flower bloomed in to a beautiful big one.
Adeline's joyous smile slowly turned in to a frown. Something was wrong. She sat back down on the grass and started to think.
'I'm going to become queen one day… I need to learn more about my kingdom… And there's only one way'
She ran back into the palace and bumped in to Lady Olivia. They both fell down. "Ow…" Adeline moaned.
Lady Olivia stood up and helped the princess. "Oh! I'm so sorry, your highness! I didn't see you! I'm really sorry!"
"That's alright. You can make it up for me by telling me where my parents are"
"I think they're in the library, your highness"
"Thank you"
Adeline went to the library to see her mother finding a book and her father reading scrolls. "Mother, father, can I come in?"
"Of course, dear" said King Louise putting away his scrolls.
"What is it, Adeline?" asked Queen Emily.
"Well…" Adeline started "I'm going to take over the throne one day…"
Queen Emily looked worriedly at King Louise.
"And I need to know everything about the kingdom. Where the farmers work. Where the people live. The villages"
"You can take a look at my scrolls" King Louise suggested.
"No! I don't want to look at some old scrolls, father. I…I want to travel"
"Travel?!? You mean, far away from the palace?" asked Queen Emily.
"I want – need to do this, mother!"
"No, no, no, no, no! It's too dangerous!"
"Please, mother. Please"
"Emily, I think you should consider-" said King Louise.
Queen Emily looked at King Louise angrily. "Dear, could you leave your father and me for awhile?"
"Of course"
Adeline silently exited the library and closed the door. She gently pressed her ears on the door and squinted her eyes. She could hear her father mumbling very quietly. He must've known she was listening.
"Speak up, Louise! I can't hear you!"
Adeline heard her father sigh. "I said, maybe you should consider our daughter traveling"
"No! I will not have my precious daughter away from the palace walls! Things could happen to her!"
"Emily, she's not a little girl anymore. She's growing up. You need to let her go"
"B-but-"
"She's like a flower. A flower that needs to bloom like the others. If she doesn't, she'll be left alone and force herself to open"
"What do you mean 'force herself to open'?"
"If you keep her locked up behind the palace walls forever, she'll run away"
'Run away? I've never thought of that before. If mother objects, I will!'
Emily sighed sadly. "Alright. I'll let her go"
Adeline let a big smile spread over her face.
"I'll go tell her"
Adeline immediately ran to her chamber room and opened her closet door. She pretended to be looking for a nice dress or tunic to wear. "Hmm…" Her mother came in after a few seconds.
"Mother? What a surprise! Is there anything I can do for you, mother?"
"Your father and I have been talking…"
'I know! Just tell me I can go!'
"And we both agreed to let you go"
"Really?"
Emily nodded. Adeline gave her mother a big hug. "Thank you so much, mother!"
"You should thank your father, too"
Adeline ran out of her of her chamber room and into the library. She gave her father a big hug. "Thank you, father! Thank you!"
"You'll be going in four days from now with Lady Violet. You can come back home whenever you want"
"But on one condition" said a voice behind Adeline. She turned around to see her mother. "You must write to us every day, understood?"
Adeline nodded happily.
"I already told Lady Violet so you don't have to"
"Thank you, mother"
Adeline gave another hug to her mother and father and decided to spend the whole day with them.
'It's the start of something new. I am so excited…'
"Oh! Um…I have a question. Where will I be staying?"
"In homes of dukes and earls, of course! Your mother and I wouldn't let you stay in a pig sty!"
Adeline giggled. 'Of course they won't! Why did you even ask that question?' Adeline bit her lip and smiled sweetly.
Is it good?bad?okay?review?please?for me?yes?thank you? i mean, THANK YOU!