The Beauty in Pain | Book One of In Pain Trilogy *EDITING*

4. Confession

Saenar fell silent after she had so bluntly called him a summer boy, but Mynera didn't mind. She welcomed it since it gave her the time to think. When she had gotten up this morning, she barely had any time to stop and think through what she was going to do. Instead, she had been promptly stripped, washed, scented and dressed, leaving no spare time for her to figure out her thoughts.

Now, she had the time but her thoughts weren't going anywhere. Instead of ruminating on what she was going to do with what she heard in the forest, she was too preoccupied with the prince sitting broodingly atop his horse beside her. For some reason she was sure that he felt offended for being called a summer boy but Mynera didn't care much. She only wished he would go farther away from her. His presence was making it difficult to cogitate properly.

They were nearing the exit of the city. Peasants and merchants alike lined the streets, arms filled with flowers, bread and other precious commodities. As they passed by on their high horses, the city folk struggled to give their gifts, some even throwing the flowers when they figured they were going to be passed by. Mynera smiled at every one of them. Her heart swelled with sadness that she was leaving these people, leaving her city men that loved and adored her so dearly, that screamed her name and not the name of the overly handsome prince and their king

It was 'Lady Mynera!' 'Lady Mynera!' Hearing her name brought tears to her eyes but she dashed them away. She would not cry. She was stronger than that, damn it, and she was not going to leave a farewell image of her crying until her eyes grew red and her nose ran snot in her people's minds. She will be Lady Mynera Antarian till the very end.

Lady Mynera Antarian had disappeared for a second, bringing forth the Mynera who had tears ready behind her eyes, when three children, dirty and dressed in ratty clothing, jumped in front of her horse. She reared Bolt, so as not to trample the poor kids. Standing in front of the three was the smallest, a tiny girl unkempt brown hair. She looked to be about four and in her stubby, dirty fists she held a bunch of wildflowers. Mynera peered over at the dirty children with a soft smile.

"Hello," she greeted kindly. "What's that you got there?"

The girl rubbed her toe into the ground, her eyes darting back and forth, between Mynera and the rough stoned floor she stood on. The other two behind her, both boys that looked to be about seven, steadfastly refused to meet Mynera's eyes, looking everywhere but her. The girl sent a quick glance behind her and noticed her friends' silence. With a cute bite of her lips, she bravely fixed her eyes on Mynera.

"It's flowers," she said, her voice a soft squeak yet sounding oddly strong. Her eyes grew a bit dewy and scared but her voice was remained tough and her chin jutted out with boldness. Her hair, Mynera noticed, was actually blond, matted with dirt. "We picked 'em for you."

"Aw, is that so?" Mynera was touched. She jumped off her horse and knelt before the child. Her guards and the others from her castle stopped instantly. "They look beautiful, thank you." She took the wildflowers from the girl. "I love wildflowers."

The little girl smiled, showing a missing front tooth. "We searched all morning for 'em," she boasted. "Joseph even got a rash."

"Oh?" Mynera turned to the boys with a cock of her head. "Which one of you is Joseph?"

"That's Joseph," said the boy to the right, pointing a dirty forefinger on his male companion when it was obvious her question would go unanswered. Joseph duck his head immediately, his sandy coloured hair flopping over his face and obscuring what she was sure was a shy expression. There was a large red rash spreading across his chest and neck.

She smiled warmly, reaching forward to take his hand. At the contact, Joseph looked up and Mynera saw a splash of freckles covering his entire face.