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

8. Ball

If time could stop for a split second, Mynera would have wished it was right at this moment. The sleep that had fallen over her a few hours prior was edging her away from her now, leaving with its blissful darkness in its wake. In its place, came light in her eyes and a soft voice that made her want to reach out and wring the neck of the owner.

Mynera's eyes opened slowly, reluctantly. It took a few moments for her eyes to adjust to the dimness in the room and, when it did, she saw who had interrupted her beautiful nap. It was her fiancé's lover. It made her even angrier, knowing that the girl who was robbing her of her future husband was also robbing her of her sleep. She bit back the streams of curses that rushed to her tongue and, instead, sat up slowly.

"What is it?" she asked Charmaline. The ginger was holding a candle in her hand and Mynera saw that the room was illuminated with dozens of white candles. There were shadows cast all over the place, shaking and shimmering with every flicker of the candlelight. It only served to remind her all over again the length that they had gone to make her bedchambers exactly like it was at home, for what they lacked in moonlight they made up with the lit wax.

"It's time to get ready for the ball, m'lady," she said. There was a slight tremor in her voice. She must have heard the hostility that had snuck out when Mynera spoke although she had tried to hold it back. Oh well, Mynera thought. The sooner she figured out that she wasn't liked the sooner she would stop being so friendly.

It must have been their tiny conversation earlier when Mynera had been teasing and goading her that she realize that, despite the orange-haired girl's talkative and friendly demeanor, she didn't like her because there was still one common factor between them that neither wanted to share: Saenar. Mynera didn't stop to think about her unwarranted hatred of the girl, her sudden territorial demeanour to her cheating future husband. Instead, she focused on the anger that was currently simmering in the pit of her stomach. Anger was good. Anger was familiar.

But despite the voice in her head telling her, no don't go down there, she still found herself pondering on why the hell she cared about Saenar. She hadn't care one wit about him before she found out about his little affair. He was neither here nor there for her. Yet, as soon as he showed interest in another, there were feelings shooting up inside her, causing a ruckus in her mind, her body, her heart. They were feelings that she didn't want to stop and decipher, all but that one special one, the one keeping her sane: anger. Anger at him and anger at the girl who had captured his heart.

"Would m'lady like me to get more handmaids to help with getting ready?"

"That's fine, I don't need much help." She paused a bit before shaking her head. "No, on second thought, yes. I don't even think I can move my arms right now."

It was an exaggeration of course. Mynera could raise her arms, stand, even do back flips right now, but there was exhaustion lingering behind her eyes that made her want to wait until Charmaline left the room to stretch out like a cat and go back to sleep.

It bugged her that she had to get ready for a ball so soon after arriving. Did they not consider her at all, who happened to be the person they were honouring? Yes, the wedding was tomorrow and yes, if they were going to have a ball then the only time they could do it was tonight but she couldn't help but complain a little. There was too much of a rush. Did they think she was going to wither and grow old if they pushed the wedding back a bit?

Charmaline nodded and scurried out the room just as her mind began clearing. She was a pretty young thing, Mynera thought again, watching her leave. But she was beautiful. It wasn't her ego talking, just facts that she had known ever since she had begun coming of age. She was beautiful, but could she win against true love?