Love Potion - Don't Drink!

After our little impromptu breakfast date, and the Prince's quick getaway, we ended up not seeing each other for a few good days. After about a week of me mindlessly exploring the castle and spending my days reading inside the library, my first actual task came in. After coming back from breakfast, Martha handed me a tiny slip of paper, saying it was a message from the prince.

Now, I sat on a cushion, staring down at the folded note in my hands. Carefully, I unfolded it to find only tiny, smudged letters.

'Make me a love potion.' I blinked down at the writing. What? Is this a prank or something? Well, if the prince requested it, I'll just do it without questions.

Martha led me to the magic tower, where all of the palace's best mages could work with all the supplies and space anyone could ever wish for.

I was ushered into my own floor, full of herbs and magical ingredients for my use. Martha walked in behind me, shutting the door.

"Ah, miss.. Don't concern yourself with whatever the Prince has requested. It's just because he got scolded after bringing in a mage just to leave her in the dust." She smiled softly, a bit of amusement in her tone.

"Oh.. Great, I was just getting concerned over what he could possibly want a love potion for. We're not really allowed to make those without the permission of a royal.." At my concerns, Martha sputtered.

"A love potion?! Gods, I told him to ask for a health potion. Just what is this boy thinking.."

As Martha mumbled, I took my time inspecting the lab, picking up vials and packets of herbs, all of much higher quality than I'd see at the summer markets. Raising some lily roots to inspect them, I hummed a soft tune as I lit the cauldron.

Well, if he wants a love potion..

-

Within half an hour, I had an incredibly dangerous pink vial - carefully labeled DON'T DRINK! - and sore arms from stirring the cauldron non-stop.

We walked our way back to the palace, and I took a warm bath before setting back in my room.

Sat in my bed, I twisted the vial in my hands as I tried to imagine what the prince could do with this.

I never took him for the kind, but the rumors did always say he was manipulative and calculating..

Oh! Is he going to make me drink it so I'll swear my loyalty to him?!

Quickly, I stuffed the vial into the very bottom of my drawer, under piles of silky cloth. Hopefully he just.. forgets he even asked for it.