Disclaimer: I do not own the Maze Runner franchise
Minho remained in Glade Grove for the rest of the week, choosing to stay in a quaint little inn a few minutes carriage ride away from the Newton's mansion.
He had written a letter to his wife, telling her that he would be staying in Glade Grove for the month and hoped that she would understand. Minho knew he would have to come up with a believable reason as to why he was staying, just incase Brenda asked. In the letter, he also wrote for her to tell their children that he loved and missed them, as well as, begrudgingly, wishing her his best and saying that he loved her, even though it wasn't true.
Minho Park had three children, Clarissa, Christopher, and Luciana. There names are mouthfuls aren't they? Clarissa and Christopher were twins and both of them were the eldest. Inheriting Brenda's auburn hair and Minho's almond eyes. They had just turned five years old two days after Minho had left on the train for Glade Grove. Luciana was the youngest, a spirited two-year-old girl that Minho missed dearly. The last he saw her, she had tears running down her rosy cheeks, beginning him not to leave, to stay in Crank Village. But Minho was slightly glad that he left.
No, he wasn't glad. He was ecstatic he left, he was gleeful that he came to the engagement party, and more importantly, he was happy that he met Lynn.
Every day since the party, he had visited the mansion. Sitting in the greenhouse while he listened to the flaxen-haired beauty talk, tell him of her dreams and hopes, mostly of life without the Flare, without having to take medicine every morning, afternoon, and evening, to be kept in the confines of her house. She often let her fingers dip into the water of the fountain they sat by, moving the fluid between her fingers like molasses. Her hair was always down, sometimes fluttering in the wind and brushing up against the sleeve of his jacket.
Today she had her long, luxurious locks pinned up in some sort of bun, flowers mostly holding it together. Her dress was colored blue, just as it had been for the past seven days. But it was a pale blue, complimenting her creamy white skin. The sleeves reached down to the crook of her elbows, lace decorating the edges. A piece of white sheer tulle circled around her waist and was tied in a loose bow in the back, the long tails yet again falling into the pool of the fountain.
"Why do you always wear blue?" Minho had asked, watching her intensely as her skillful fingers worked to weave a crown of pink roses and baby's breath.
Lynn looked up from the circle of flowers in her hands, a blissful smile across her face as her hazel eyes gleamed the color of amber.
"People always think blue represents sadness, despair," she answered, the sunlight shining down on her hair, making it reflect the sunlight onto the water. "But to me, blue represents faith, wisdom, the telling of truth. Some people never think of that. I used to wear purple, until I realised what it stood for."
"What does it stand for?"
Lynn hummed, dropping her head to look down at the crown. She turned it slightly, picking a dark purple carnation out of the weave of pink roses. She held it between her index finger and thumb, holding it up for Minho to see. "Purple stands for royalty," Lynn said, twisting the stem back and forth. "Power, luxury, wealth. And I never liked that. I never like brooding about my wealth or power, I never wanted people to be my friend or lover because of their knowledge of my money and estates. So I stopped wearing the color, settling for the one of wisdom and faith instead. It's an odd reason but, it's the way I do things."
"So that's why you wear blue?"
"Yes."
Lynn returned her attention to her crown of flowers, weaving in another pink rose. A butterfly had landed on her shoulder, its delicate wings slowly beating up and down. She worked in the purple carnation, hiding it behind a branch of baby's breath. Her whole body paused, setting the creation down into her lap. Looking back up at Minho with now amber eyes, she asked him a question, "Won't you join us for dinner tonight?"
Her words stopped him from his daydreaming, his head snapping towards her. He never really ate with the Lynn or her brother and fiance, Minho always settled for the food that the innkeeper had provided for him everyday. Should he join them?
"Would you like it if I joined you?"
"Of course I would!"
"Then I will," Minho said, making a small pause. "But only if you wear purple."
Lynn's head cocked to the side in confusion, her eyes blinking vigorously. "Why?"
"Because.." Minho took her hands in his, pressing his lips to her knuckles, earning a light blush from the young girl. "I think you would look divine in purple."
xxx
Lynn anxiously fiddled with a loose string of the lilac purple dress that she had on. Sonya had found it tucked away in the back of her closet, plucking it out of a locked trunk hidden among the other dresses. She still felt a hatred towards the color of royalty and wealth, and despised it greatly, but Sonya had discovered the real reason she was the dress of lilacs. Minho.
The elder girl tugged at the younger's hair, pulling it into some sort of braid as Lynn gripped the edge of her vanity, whimpering quietly as Sonya worked vigorously on her hair.
"So..." The taller blonde began, "Have you two kissed yet?"
Lynn's head snapped up from her fixation on the pattern engraved on the wood, looking at Sonya with wide eyes through the mirror.
"What?!" The younger exclaimed, grunting as Sonya tugged once more as she weaved in another section of hair, her back smacking against the cushion of her vanity chair.
"Oh please Icelyn, it's obvious you have feelings for him." Sonya declared, tying the tails of Lynn's hair with a white, satin ribbon. "You're even wearing purple because he asked you too!"
"That means nothing," Lynn quipped, crossing her arms as she slumped in her chair.
"Didn't he say you would look divine if you wore a purple dress?" Sonya questioned innocently, taking a seat an ottoman a few feet away, smoothing out the skirt of her dress.
The young girl spun around in her chair, clamping her hands down on the sides. "How do you know that?"
Sonya laughed softly, resting a hand on the younger's knee. "It just so happens that Newt and I were taking a lovely stroll near the greenhouse this afternoon. You're lucky he was too busy focusing on...other things while you two were talking."
"First of all, I'd rather not know what 'other things' he was focusing on." Lynn rose from her chair, the silken, lilac material flowing behind her as she paced in front of the glass doors that provided the entry to her balcony, the moon beams shining into the dim-lit bedroom. "Second of all, I don't have any idea if he likes me back. I mean, we've only known each other for one week Sonya."
Sonya scoffed, watching as the young girl walked back and forth. "You have no idea how much he is falling for you Lynn, it's in his eyes."
Lynn stopped her pacing, focusing her eyes on her brother's fiance, "Really?"
"Really."
"But I-" Lynn stopped suddenly, quickly raising her hands to her forehead. Her fingernails dug into her scalp, knees buckling under her as she crumpled to the ground. A shrill scream developed in the back of her throat, threatening to escape her lips.
"Lynn!" Sonya ran forward, falling to her knees in front of the younger girl. Lynn's eyes were clenched shut, trying to block out the unbearable pain that surged throughout her body, the voices that screamed and shouted in her mind. "Lynn, please look at me." Sonya held the girl's face in her hands, lightly tapping her left hand on Lynn's temple, trying to gain her attention. "Lynn, did you take the Bliss this afternoon?"
Sonya's voice managed to make into Lynn's brain, bouncing and echoing around the space of her head. She managed to shake her head, tears streaming down her cheeks and rolling down her neck. "Jesus Christ...Newt!"
The eldest Newton was there in a matter of seconds, a white packet in clutched in his hands as threw open the door with his jaw set in place. His eyes immediately fell on the sight of his ill sister, his sharp features softening as we watched his sister shrivel in pain. Newt raced over to Lynn, gently pushing Sonya to the side. Kneeling down beside his sister, he gripped her forearms, pulling her into his embrace. Her nimble fingers clutched the fabric of his black jacket, burying her head into his chest.
With quick hands, Newt ripped open the packet, letting three, tiny pills fall into his palm. He separated himself from his younger sister, resting a firm hand on the small of her back. Lynn's eyes finally opened, revealing her cloudy looking hazel eyes. He held his hand out with the three pills, gesturing with stern eyes for her to take them. Lynn scooped all of them up in one fluid movement, popping them in her mouth in two seconds. Her heavy breathing slowly began to decrease as she rested her head on Newt's shoulder, allowing him to rub soothing circles on her back as she closed her eyes once more, feeling the pain in her head slowly subside.
"Maybe we should cancel dinner tonight." Newt suggested, his hold on his sister tightening.
"No!" Lynn shouted, freeing herself from her brother's embrace, bringing herself to a standing position. Her hands shook and her legs trembled, her body becoming unstable. Newt was then by her side, holding her in place. "No, please don't. I'm fine."
"Lynn you are far from fine!" Newt objected, "I'll just tell Mi-"
"No!" The younger Newton pushed her brother away, finally gaining her sense of balance. "We will all leave this room and act." She said through gritted teeth, her fists clenched by her sides. "Like none of this ever even happened, and if you say anything to Minho." Lynn pointed a finger at Newt, a forceful look in her eye. "I swear to God, I will never speak to you again."
With a sigh of frustration, Newt nodded his head, letting his sister have her way.
But this wasn't the first time an incident like this happened, and it definitely wasn't the last.
xxx
Dinner was splendid in Minho's opinion. But something was off with Lynn.
She had worn a purple dress like he had requested, and she looked absolutely lovely in it. It showed off her every curve, complementing her eyes and hair as she sat politely at the table. But her facial features were odd, she wasn't joyous or dreamy, she was distracted, startled, out of place. She barely touched her food and jumped at the sound of someone's voice. Something was up. Especially because of the fact that she fled the dining room as soon as dinner was over.
He, of course, ran after her before Newt or Sonya could say anything, he followed the sound of the clicking of her heels as she tripped and stumbled her way out of the mansion. Minho heard a door being thrown open, the ruffling of Lynn's dress slowly fading away as she ran out to an unknown destination. Minho jogged towards the door, peeking his head out and surrendering it to the cool evening air. He could easily spot Lynn's figure as she dashed to the lake, her shoes had been thrown off her feet, laying a few feet away from the door.
The lilac dress floated behind Lynn as she ran towards the border of the stone walkway, not even acknowledging Minho's protests for her to stop. She ran right into the water, and didn't care if her stockings and dress got wet. The material stuck to her skin, the intricate braid that Sonya had put together came undone, the ribbon must've fallen out on her race to get out of the mansion.
Her chest was tight, making it hard to breathe. Hot tears rolled down her cheeks, her bangs stick to her face as sweat beaded her forehead. The water somewhat cooled Lynn, the sand providing a weird cushion under her stocking covered feet. Her dress and under-skirts pooled around her in the water, refusing to sink to the murky bottom.
Water sloshed around behind her, tiny waves hitting her upper thighs. Two large hands rested on her shoulders, turning her around. Minho pulled her into his warm embrace, placing one hand on the back of her head, his right arm circling around her waist. Lynn's tears dampened his jacket, sobbing violently into Minho's chest as she cradled her hands to her heart, feeling it beat rapidly.
"What's wrong?" He questioned quietly, touching his lips to her hairline.
Lynn sniffled, "I-It's nothing."
Minho gently pulled away, his arms wrapping around Lynn's waist. "Lynn, something is definitely wrong, what is it?" He guided his thumb to wipe away her tears, tucking away a loose strand of hair.
"I-um, well." Lynn tripped and stumbled over her words, averting Minho's look of concern. "I didn't take my medicine this afternoon because I was with you and... because I didn't take it-um, my brain sorta spazzed out a few minutes prior to dinner. And now, I'm just suffering from the aftermath that happens after it." She hiccuped, using the heel of her hands to get rid of the excess tears. "But all throughout dinner, my chest felt tight and I just needed...air."
They stood in silence, the frogs and nighttime creatures providing the only source of sound. Lynn gingerly clamped her hands over Minho's wrists, her fingers delicately moving across his skin. Her eyes returned to their usual amber color, illuminating the starry night sky.
"I should get back, Newt's going to lock me up in my room again. Sometimes I feel like Rapunzel, just without the tower." Lynn confessed.
"Well, then I'll just be your prince."
"Sounds perfect."
xxx
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