A Red Hot Planet

Chapter 1

*Eva*

I watch as Princess Alexia paces back and forth across her royal bed room. I sit on the edge of her canopy bed, not saying anything. I know whats wrong.

“Oh Eva, I just don’t know what to do,” Alexia cries, “father wouldn’t understand. I wish he would just let me find someone to love on my own.” She stops her pacing and looks at me, “I wish you could make a potion that could fix this.’’

“I know” I answer sympathetically. “I too wish I could make a potion with a power to solve life's challenges.”

We are both silent for a minute, then I ask, "when is Prince Kent arriving?”

She sighs and sits beside me on the bed. “In two days.”

“It could be worse,” I try, “your father could make you marry prince James.”

Alexia has to laugh at that, “I’m not jealous of anyone who would be forced to marry him.”

There is a knock on the door and Anne enters the room, “Princess Alexia.” She curtsies. “You are needed for a dress fitting.”

“Ok.” She gets up. “I’ll see you later Eva.”

They walk out.

A minute later I get up, making my way down the red carpeted winded stairwell. While my bed room resides next door to Alexia's, my potion room is in the basement of the castle.

I open the heavy wooden door, taking a seat at my desk which takes up some of the old stone room. The rest of the room is inhibited by books, of old and new, a shelved wall for my supplies, and a cauldron.

I pick up the photo from off my desk. The frame is new and gold, but the picture is a little worn. It's a picture of me, my mom, and my dad. A tear escapes the corner of my eye and rolls down my cheek. My father has died several years ago, when I was quite young, and I don’t remember him that well. But my Mother.. my mother passed away only two years ago. She was murdered. Poisoned.     

I remember walking into the dining room, so excited to tell my Mom about my day. What I find, though, is her laying facedown on the table, her hand loosely gripping a cup.

I shiver.

The death of my mother has lead me to read books on poisons. I’m a very intellectually driven kind of person, and I have the need to understand. Poisons and potions, is what it lead me to study.

Now I am a potion master.

My father had been a close royal guard to King Maxwell. So, when he heard I was orphaned he took me into the palace. The king has given me my own room to work in, and has appointed people seeking and replenishing my ingredients.

I make potions for the King, for Alexia, and for other citizens upon special request.

It has become my passion. I have mastered various kinds of potions, love potions, healing potions, and many more.

I only wish potions could do more.

                                                                     ---

The next two days fly by as the castle prepares for the arrival of Prince Kent of Pluto.

King Maxwell is excited and hopeful. Princess Alexia is hopeful, that Kent will call it off.

Though Pluto is the smaller of the planets, it is a strong and unified planet, with a plentiful storage house of money, and an impressive arsenal of weapons and well trained soldiers, especially for a planet of that size. King Maxwell is satisfied in creating an ally with the Plutonians.