Pandora's Box

Chapter thirty-four

June crawls slowly out of the carriage. Her face feels stiff after her tears dried up. She, Milo and Antonio walk towards the palace entrance so that they can go freshen up in their rooms.

The palace is completely silent until Milo continues the argument he and Toni were having inside. The argument is completely pointless and any person who happens to hear part of it, will think they're idiots.

Normally, June would be laughing at their stupidity but the way she's feeling, she only trails quietly behind them. Instead, she admires the front garden of the palace and all the beautiful flowers that form patterns not many will notice.

She notices a small figure sitting amongst the tall grass playing with what seems to be a dagger. It's obvious that the figure does not know how to use the dagger which immediately makes June alert.

She waves Milo and Toni off, who continue their debate all the way to their rooms. June scampers slowly towards the figure.

She takes in the details. It's a young girl, probably 6 or 7. With jet black hair plaited in a long braid with a thistle flower clip tucked in at the top. Her deep locks match her dark narrow eyes. She reminds June of herself.

The little girl uses her tiny hands to try and swing the dagger but fails causing it to scrape against the side of her pinky. June rushes over to the girl and bends down to access the cut. Thankfully it's nothing serious and she manages to heal it with a wave of her hand.

"You shouldn't be playing with things like this. You could get hurt. Where are your parents?" June sounds like a mother. Her hands hold the little girls' firmly.
"I always wanted to learn but nobody notices me." Her soft voice croaks as if she hasn't been speaking for a while.

June picks up the dagger and balances it on her hand then throws it up and catches it by the handle in one swift motion. The girl is stunned and applauds June's show. June is accustomed to the dagger, she always had a talent when it came to this even though she has no clue how she got it.

"This is what you want to to? I can help you if you want but never practice alone, you could get seriously hurt." June talks softly and sweetly to the girl, who's eyes light up at the thought of being able to do this.

June smiles at the little girls expression. She is so much like herself. June sees the fire in her eyes and know that this girl won't go down without a fight, just like her.

"I'm June, by the way." June introduces herself to the girl who is now standing up and attempting to copy what she had previously done with the dagger.
"I'm Juliet but everyone calls me Jules." She smiles as she manages to grab the dagger and proceeds to perfect her stance.

While Jules is practicing, June can't focus. She is fixated on that name. Jules. It seems so familiar yet so alien. She knows that name as if it could've been her own but at the same time she knows she's never heard that name aloud. At least, from what she can remember.

June sits there for a while, helping the girl perfect to motion until she notices Lilli lagging a big basket behind her. She laughs to herself, knowing Lilli isn't exactly the strongest, and rushes over to help her.

"Hey June! How has your day been?" Lilli's voice sings. She seems happier than usual but that makes June feel better. Her mood seems to lighten her surroundings.

"It could've been better." June sighs before glancing over at all the strawberries in the basket. She looks up at Lilli and lifts her eyebrow to ask where these came from.

"My mom, she wanted to share the strawberries we picked today." Lilli gushes. She sounds like a teenage girl rambling on about the guy she likes.
"They look so tasty. Hey Jules! Come check this out." June calls but no one answers. She turns around to find no one else in sight.

Lilli watches in silence as her friend walks over to the grass but comes back having found nothing. She squints her eyes as she thinks then shrugs her shoulders like it's nothing.
"There's an adorable little girl I've just met. She reminds me of myself so I thought I would introduce her." June explains to Lilli, who she knew was aching for an explanation.

"We'll see her later. I'm sure of it." Lilli assures her and they both carry the basket upstairs. June is continuously hoping to see Jules again but there's no sign of her nor the dagger. It's as if they disappeared.