The first time would have seemed to be the most painful of all the times, or that was what she thought.
Her and the prince were madly in love right from childhood and even if she wasn't a royal, her family was very wealthy, in addition to the kingdom's greatest set of magicians. Everyone within her family had the gift of magic to varying degrees and as such they were viewed as a powerful family even though they did not participate in the politics of the kingdom. This was right from the ancient days to the modern day South-Asian country of Asioutu. They were more of neutral side, always siding with whoever was ruling the kingdom.
But the King of Asioutu wanted his son to marry an ally. An ally that would side with the family at any cost, not changing once another family came onto the throne. In fact, he had told the family Patriarch - Kavu, the most feared elder in the kingdom to his face that without mincing words. But the family didn't care...that is until... Tamil came back crying that the prince said their 22 year relationship they had (yep, right from when they were kids), was over and he wanted to marry someone whose family would also back his family in times of trouble and war.
The Patriarch would not have cared if not for the discussion with his wife, where she secretly told him that Tamil, his first great grand-daughter was pregnant for the prince and was hiding it from them. He was mad and crazy but in his years, he had seen many things come and go but this touched him like if he had never seen it happen to another person.
"I think I spoilt Tamil." Kavu told his wife Maydril. "I think I did so much to make her happy that i didn't realize she would turn out to disgrace us at the end."
Maydril quickly shut him up - "Shush! Can you imagine that our baby who didn't get pregnant at 15 decided to get pregnant at 26 for no reason? And for the same person that she loved all her life?"
"I think you are right - Maydril. But, you know with the child there is nothing we can do but have to support the King and his family. "
"You are funny, Kavu, didn't you think they would get married at the end..."
"Nooooooo...."
"Kavu!"
"Really like I thought they were just best of friends and just going to go their separate ways at the end of all their fun!"
Maydril shook her head. She couldn't understand how her husband, a blessedly skilled magician, a powerful and wise non-politicking politician and master at games of human psychology would not know that those two children he saw right from the age of four were always in love. But that was not the situation at the moment. They had to get Tamil to dispose of the unborn child as soon as possible even though her parents and grand parents were not aware yet. And of course, Tamil didn't even know they knew she was pregnant!