1 Prologue: Nikolai

"Presenting His Majesty, King Augustus Dragomir and Her Majesty Queen Diana Dragomir," the announcer said as I was sitting at the floor with my head bowed down. It has been a dream of mine to be presenting to the king and queen of Niapachad Island and it has come true.

"Her Royal Highness, Princess Arabella Dragomir," the announcer continued before rustling of the skirts that said the princess has joined us as well. I was trying not to look at her but it was hard when she sat beside her father and I can see her from my peripheral view.

She was beautiful, no doubt about that with her golden mane shaped into a coronet on top of her head with her blue eyes and pale complexion.

But of course, she was not my type.

I was still in my place before the king uttered "Rise,". Only then, I managed to get up to my feet and I was locking my eyes to the old man. He was not that old, though perhaps he was in his forties. The queen was a sophisticated woman and she was also in her forties.

I don't think I would ever be like that in my forties.

In my peripheral view, the princess was looking at her fingernails, not interested in the proposal that I came for. Why would she be for she was only 18 years old and her parents were alive?

No doubt, she would only think about her balls, gowns, and dresses as well as the prince that she will marry eventually. I doubted I will be there as well.

"Your Majesties, my name is Nikolai Ivashkov and I have come here for an appeal on the expedition for Forbidden Land," I said boldly before the king and queen looked at me. Even the princess stopped playing with her nails to focus on my face.

"And why should we be hearing your proposal, Lord Ivashkov? I thought we had put it to rest when your father…" he trailed before I cleared my throat. Clearly, the death of Sir Ivashkov was a blow to my family but I will not be put to rest until I know what happened to my father.

"It is one of the reasons that I wished to continue my father's research, my king. I believe that my father was leading us to a discovery that can be beneficial to all of us and it will be my greatest pleasure to continue his works," I said boldly before the princess was arching her eyebrow.

She was always a peculiar child, I gathered.

"And why should my father grant you an appeal, my lord? Surely, you don't want to have an early death?" Princess Arabella asked me before her mother was scolding her. She frowned.

"What? I am only asking if Lord Ivashkov wanted to escape the marriage mart? I am sure there will be some heartbroken if he was to die early," the princess said before the murmurs and whispers were filling the throne room.

"Enough!" the king said before he settled his sapphire gaze on me. It was known that the House of Dragomir has blue eyes to know that they belonged there. Me? Well, let just say I don't possess the sex appeal as the lords of the Higher Court.

I was more in my own league when it comes to that.

"When will you be ready for your expedition then?" the king asked me before I was blinking my eyes at him. Was he serious? He was not joking, right?

"My king?"

Irritated, the king was rolling his eyes at me. I smiled inwardly, knowing that His Majesty and my father were once best friends. I can see that now.

"Your father was a dear friend to me. And so, I knew that he would want his research to be discovered and known all over the country," he exhaled before the king's sapphire orbs were looking at my face.

"I hereby declare that the research of Sir Ivashkov will be continued by his son, Nikolai Ivashkov and everything that associated with the research will be reinstated," the king said before I was exhaling the breath that I held. I did not know how long I yearned to listen to that music before I bowed again at His Majesty's feet and his family.

"Thank you, my king, for putting your trust inside my capable hands," I said as the king chuckled.

"You are your father's son, did you know that?" he mumbled as I turned to look at his face. The love and fatherly concern were on his face but the king merely smiled.

"Go, and make a big discovery for your father's sake. I know he will be proud of you, Kolya," he said before I stood up and bowed again, taking steps backward before I was out of the throne room.

Kolya, that's my nickname from my father. Apparently, my godfather knew my nickname. That's said much about his relationship with my late father. I smiled as I was walking down the long hallway of the castle. I was outside the seconds I was looking at the night sky. I shouted happily before I was running to my carriage that bore the symbol of Ivahskov.

A falcon.

"I took it that you've succeeded, sir?" John coachman said before I was smiling at him.

"To my townhouse now. We cannot waste any more minutes before we must set this adventure forward, John," I said as I was climbing into the carriage. The driver smiled at me before I was settling on the couch and he closed the door.

"We cannot have that knowledge, can we?" he said before he sat in front and whipped the horses. The horses neighed and the carriage moved forward, leaving me breathing heavily as I was closing my eyes to thank the gods for all the luck that I have today.

I will make you proud, father, I know I will.

*****

Harold Davenport, Robin Douglas, Jeremy Ortiz, Logan Cavendish and Ronny were looking at me as if I was going out of my mind. I told them what the king said about my appeal and they were staring at each other before they were arching their eyebrows at me.

"Are you sure you're not delusional, Kolya?" Harold asked me. Even though I was a few years older than these gentlemen, I thought of them as my bosom friends.

"No, I can assure you that the expedition is a go. Now, will you accompany me or not?" I asked them before they were looking at each other. I don't think that they would hesitate when this plan was in motion.

They were eager to escort me to the Forbidden Land as far as I was concerned. Robin was the first one to break the silence.

"We would be delighted but would you want us there? We know nothing of this creature that you told us—"

"Succubus. Their name is a succubus,"

"Right. As I was saying, we don't have the scientific discovery or intellects to survive this expedition. Perhaps you should work with someone that was more knowledgeable than us?" Robin asked before I smirked.

"No can do, my friend. You gave me your oath and this time, I will claim it now for we are going on an adventure this instance!" I said before the young lords were looking at each other, dread was on their faces. I laughed before I was patting their shoulders and calmed them down.

"Do not worry about your safety. We were going on a trail that could be dangerous but it was never proven. Nonetheless, you will be with me and I am sure we can agree that we were not in any sort of trouble," I said as I was looking at them all around the table.

Some sighed. Some shrugged. Some smirked.

"If you say so, Ivashkov, but if anything happened, you will be held responsible for injuring my perfect face," said Logan before I was shaking my head.

"Lads, this will be the adventure of our lives!" I shouted before they were laughing and we were passing some ale to get our shits together. But mostly to calm my nerves for I was buzzing with energy and I don't think that I can calm down any more than I should be.

*****

Later that night, I opened my father's journal as I was rereading his entries. It was the only thing that kept me through when his sudden death was told. My mother wailed and I was blinking, not believing anything the King's guards said to us.

But for now, I knew that I have a legacy to prove and this time, it will be on my name and my life. I just hoped I will not end up like my father and left my mother all alone in this world.

I sighed before I blew out the candle, listening to the crickets as I was blinking my eyes in the darkness, not knowing what was in store for me when I was setting my feet on the Forbidden Land that could change my Fate forever.