Nadia had not expected this at all.
Not only was Minerva willing to talk about her past, she was telling her everything. No half truths.
It was as if she had been bottling up her emotions for too long. With a little nudge, she was spilling over. Unable to stop herself.
This was a face completely new for Nadia. In the last few days she had seen so many new sides of Minerva, that she felt like her seventeen years together had been nothing but a big sham.
Minerva had never talked of things like feelings and past. It was all so unfamiliar to Nadia.
She looked back at Minerva's reflection on the glass pane. She seemed to be focusing on a spot on the floor, completely lost in thought.
After a few seconds, her eyes lifted and she continued, "Your mother was already sitting in the meadow when I stumbled there, panting and dizzy with fever.
"She looked over at me and in an instant she knew I was dying. She rushed towards me.
"Even in my delirious state, I noticed how beautiful she looked. I knew she was hurrying but she looked to be gliding. I had never seen anyone be so poised and fluid. I did think she was someone from East Ido because she was adorned in jewellery from head to toe.
"She came closer and put a hand on my forehead, her delicate eyebrows scrunching up in concern.
"She said, 'Oh dear! What is this pestilence doing so far from home?'. I was sure she was talking about me. Fear of the Governor was so thick in my chest that I went down on my knees. I thought she was royalty, she had to be, talking down to me like that. I didn't want to be killed, which is laughable, I was already dying.
"I saw her feet. She had no slippers, nothing to protect her feet and they were swollen and bruised.
"My head was becoming heavy, it took all my effort to not fall there face flat on the ground.
"But she did something so unexpected that it completely stopped my breathing. She cupped my face and forced me to look up in her eyes. No royal would touch a commoner like that. Thats when I noticed her expression, so pained and forlorn like she could feel my pain. Sympathize with it. She said some words that I couldn't grasp and my eyes started feeling heavy.
"Before I fainted, my only thought was an angel had come to pick me. She was going to take me to my parents and my friends."
Minerva gave a small sad smile.
"When I came to, I was lying on my back surrounded by the soft grass of the meadow. I could hear birds in the distance and feel the sun on my face. Not harsh, just enough to keep me pleasantly warm. I stared up at the blue sky and wondered where I was and how I had gotten there.
"I heard humming and turned towards the sound. The beautiful angel was still there. Smiling to herself and humming a tune. She looked to me and smiled apologetically. She said, 'We didn't mean to wake you.' I thought we? and then I noticed a small bundle in her arms. Wrapped in blankets was a small child, barely few weeks old, sleeping peacefully.
"She saw me looking at it, and she turned a little to show me the baby. Her voice rose a few octanes, 'Meet my heart and soul. My precious daughter, Nadia'
"and that's how I met you."
Minerva cast a brief glance at the back of Nadia's head and then quickly looked back down as if scared that she would turn around and their eyes would meet.
Nadia knew that look well enough.
It didn't matter who she was talking to. For whose benefit it was. If it was the needed or not. The idea of exposing yourself, to articulate words and tell someone your deepest darkest thoughts and insecurities, your tragedies, was painful beyond anything. More painful than any kind of physical pain.
YOU ARE READING
The Caged Princess(Book 1)
Fantasy"If her head wasn't stuck under water she would have wailed and cried. Her body trembling. She had no sense of self. Hardly noticed that the water's temperature had dropped further to a freezing degree. "There was just one thing. One solid thing. T...
