Mina sat up with a groan. She held her hand over her eyes as the sunlight streaming in from the window reached her eyes.

"I hate mornings," she confided to her peach-colored kitten, Sapphire.

Sapphire looked up from her place on Mina's stomach and meowed.

"Well, I didn't really want your opinion anyway."

Mina flopped back against her pillows. She had almost fallen asleep again when a loud pounding came from her door.

"What?" she moaned to whomever was on the other side of the door.

"Mina, get up. It's almost noon."

"Tanner, I'll get up when I feel like it. And I don't care if that's dinner time."

"Don't make me come in there, Mina."

"I'm not going to make you do anything. If you come in, it's of your own accord."

A few seconds later, an infuriated Tanner stormed through the door.

"So you decided to come in. That's nice."

"Mina, why do you insist on being difficult? Couldn't you just do what you're asked to do without putting up such fight? It's not that hard, I do it every day."

"Tanner, how long have we known each other?"

"Fifteen years, give or take a bit."

"And in those fifteen years, have I ever done anything I didn't want to do willingly?"

"Alright, alright. You win. Will you please get up now? We've got to be in Corus by dark and if we don't leave soon, we won't make it."

"Since when am I going to Corus with you?"

"Since you're my best friend and if I'm going to be tortured, so are you."

"I never said I didn't want to go. I like the city. So many people, so much to do....."

"So many men..."

"Exactly," Mina replied as she got out of bed. Sapphire mewed in protest as she fell to the floor.

"I'm sorry, sweetie." Mina scooped up the tiny kitten, cuddling her briefly before handing her off to Tanner.

Tanner, who wasn't to fond of cats, held Sapphire an arm's length away from himself, saying,

"She's your cat, shouldn't you hold her?"

"Not if you want me to be ready quickly. And besides, she was your birthday present to me, you're supposed to like what you give people."

"Says who?"

"Me," Mina responded.

Her reply got a rude gesture and a rude comment from Tanner.

"Now, what is it we're going to Corus for?" Mina asked, sorting through her wardrobe, moving all of the possible options to her bed with her silver Gift.

"My sister is being presented at Court. And with the war, it's safer to be at Court rather than at a vulnerable country fief."

"Since when is Lake Kiven 'vulnerable'? You've got one of the best militias of any fief in Tortall. Certainly much better than my own fief."

"Carter's Falls is pretty formidable itself."
"Whatever you say."

"In reply to your question, Lake Kiven isn't vulnerable, at least not in my opinion. Mother and Father just think that we'd be better off at Court."

Mina turned to face him with an unbelieving expression.

"I know, I know. That's what I said, too."

He put Sapphire down on the ground and walked over to help Mina in her search for clothes.

"What are we going to do in Corus?" Mina asked.

"What do we usually do in Corus?" Tanner replied with a lopsided grin.

Mina laughed and said, "Party!!"

"My thoughts exactly."

"Okay, that calls for a whole new wardrobe."

She used her Gift to put all of her previously chosen clothing back into the wardrobe.

"Dresses or breeches?"

"Uhh...both?"

"Good choice."

Mina stood in front of the mirror, holding up dresses to her slender form. Her black, hip-length hair and golden eyes often made her the focus of men's attentions. The only imperfection in her appearance were the scars that were the evidence of her ability to control and create fire.

As Mina sorted through her wardrobe, she tried to choose clothes that would conceal the worst of the scars, which were mostly on her upper arms and chest. She didn't mind if people saw the smaller scars on her hands and her upper chest. Tanner had managed to heal those scars to the point that they were barely visible.
Even though she knew the consequences of manipulating fire like she did, she continued to play with fire in an attempt to turn her talent into something helpful. She also had a talent for summoning things to her without a spell or any motion at all. She regarded the power to call things as a useful power.

"Are you done yet?" Tanner asked impatiently.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I am. Just let me get all of this stuff into my bags and we can go."

"You might want to get dressed as well. As stunning as you look in your nightgown, I don't think the Court would appreciate you showing up wearing only that."

Mina looked down at herself in her short, slinky nightgown and was inclined to agree with him. The only reason that Tanner had even seen her in her nightdress was that he was her best friend and she trusted him.

"I'll meet you in the courtyard in ten minutes," Tanner said, walking to the door.

"I'll be there in five." Mina said back to him.

He waved absently and walked out, closing the door behind him. He popped his head back in the door and said,

"And that cat's not coming with us."

"Oh, yes she is. You know you love her."

That got Mina another rude gesture, which she gladly returned.