11. Myra

I never knew a city could be this captivating. Fathers palace was remarkable, no question, but the city did not need to flaunt with richness to shine. I look over at Alexandra. The two braids in her hair from last night highlights her strong jaw which I have always had a certain weakness for. The minute I saw her this morning, face directed to me, eyes closed with endless lashes, lips slightly parted, I almost leant over to wake her with a kiss. Never in my life have I wanted to kiss her that badly. There is no universe in which she would reciprocate my feelings for her, when the only reason she is here is to bring me to my future husband. Her thumb caresses the back of my hand, while we make our way through the crowd. There is no need to interlock our fingers like we are doing right now, but neither seems to want to stop. Her warm hand in mine feels perfect. I do not ever want to let go.
“Myra, wait.”, Alexandra says. I look at her a bit confused, but her eyes are on a stall nearby. As we come closer I notice the many colours laid out in front of us long before the sents hit my nose. I fail to hold back a squeal, a wide smile on my face, and squeeze Alexandra’s hand. She chuckles.
“What flowers do you want?” she asks. I am taken aback by her offer but even more by the ability to choose from this lovely stack.
“I could never decide.” Another chuckle from the knight.
“Then I’ll get these ones.” She points at a bouquet of purple asters. Alexandra hands the saleswoman the coins and takes the bouquet in her hands in return. As soon as we start walking again, she offers them to me.
I bury my nose in them. I missed the smell of fresh flowers so much.
“Do I have to get you out of there before you suffocate?” the knight jokes, head slightly to the side.
“Do shut up.”, I warn, “You are talking to your future queen.”
“Oh, my apologies.”, she says mockingly with a thick accent that is suspiciously similar to the way my distance cousins talks. I laugh, and so does Alexandra, because we both know that she feels so superior when in reality she is unfit to rule as much as I am.
I take her in. She would make a phenomenal leader and an even greater queen, greater than me. People would give their lives blindly into her hands, the way I have been doing since I was a child. Maybe getting lost would not be so bad. The people of Alethon would probably thank me for it.
She takes my hand back in hers and pulls me forward. I stumble behind her. “Come on. We have to reach the next tavern before it gets dark.”
I tuck at her hand, telling her to stop. She looks at me, the setting sun behind her, making her glow, her face full of questions and her eyebrows raised in question. She looks absolutely beautiful. »Are you okay?«
“Thank you.”, I choke out, “for everything.” Carefully I pick one flower out of the bouquet and slip it into the small pocket on the left of Alexandra’s chest.
Normally my family’s brooch would sit there, but the flower looks less out of place than tacky gold. Like it was always meant to sit there, right above her heart. Like she was always meant to find her way back to me.