CHAPTER 2

Larisa had informed her family about the trip, they weren't in any way concerned since they knew Annelise was a good friend to her and they were practically like sisters.

The two friends both boarded the plane on their trip to Empire D, the guests were privileged to stay for three days before they all dispatched to their countries, making the girls even more excited to go to the mysterious Empire. 기쁨

"I can't wait to see this Empire right Larisa?" Annelise excitedly motioned out.

"yeah me too, totally". Larisa said nervously, ever since the had boarded the flight, she had mixed feelings and she couldn't stop thinking about the mysterious dream she had a week ago.

.....Few hours passed, they had finally arrived and when the girls looked below the window they were amazed by how beautiful a country could be, they had never seen anything like it, it was like paradise on land.

They both got off the plane after it had landed and ordered an uber to take them to the castle since all the guests were supposed to stay in the castle until it was time to leave.

Meanwhile on the way to the castle, Larisa had been feeling queasy and nervous, it was a feeling she just couldn't get off her mind. 'maybe its a new country that's why'. she thought in her head, took a deep breath and relaxed.

They finally reached the castle and it was absolutely breathtaking and luxurious, that the girls couldn't believe it was real, almost everything was made of gold and marbles inside and out and it was enormous.

.Some butlers and servants attended to them after Annelise showed the guard her invitation card. The butler showed them to their rooms and their eyes widened on seeing the magnificent royal room, luxuriously furnished with two Queen sized luxurious beds seated in the middle of the room.

"oh my Gosh!This is the most amazing vacation ever!!!" Annelise exclaimed, she came from a wealthy family but Empire D's wealth were far beyond her imagination, she never thought a country could be as wealthy as this talk less of one royal family.

Larisa was as astonished as Annelise was, the beauty of the place was just so unreal she felt she was in a dream, she looked at Annelise who was taking a clip of the room as she'd been taking selfies and videos since they first arrived and giggled.

"you know Larisa, now that I think about it the royal family has never been captured on camera or spoken of in news, everything is just so secretive, we don't even know their names, I wonder what they're trying to hide..." Annelise said with a thoughtful look.

"I just can't seem to wrap my hands around it but now that we're here, we can actually unravel the mystery of this place" Larisa said in a rather playful tone and Annelise giggled.

"but first we need to eat".

" yea, totally!". Larisa agreed while Annelise rang a little handbell and five minutes later, a maid came rushing in, she was short and petite with a small pretty face and a bun neatly wrapped on her head.

"My ladies how can i serve you?" the petite maid in a black and white pinafore asked in the most polite manner she had ever seen.

"any of your most delicious meals but it shouldn't take long to prepare cause we're starving" Annelise said casually, then the maid bowed down slightly and left, only the clinking of her shoe was heard in the distance until it disappeared . Larisa just stood there watching them like she was in an 80's movie.

"well that was awkward" Larisa blurted while they both burst into laughter.

The grand anniversary ball was starting at 9pm sharp so the girls were busy getting ready, meanwhile Larisa had that unnerving feeling and felt like she shouldn't go but soon discarded the thought since she already promised Annelise.

Meanwhile Annelise was busy setting up their dresses she had spent hours picking up mostly because of her friend, she had picked a black, long, straight gown with plain yet elegant designs, while for Larisa she picked an emerald bodice fitted, off shouldered gown with stones on the chest area, falling freely from the waist sides and stopping above her knees, the dress wasn't heavily designed but it was stunning.

Annelise looked gorgeous after she finished dressing up with the black gown hugging her skin, her curves were visible and sexy, her blonde hair was wrapped in a chignon and her dark makeup gave her the sexy vampire look.

Larisa wore her dress and wrapped her dark brown hair in a bun and left a few locks at the sides, she looked the opposite of Annelise, she looked like an angel with her soft beautiful features, making her look like a mythical creature

"hey, you look stunning"Annelise complimented Larisa.

"thanks you look gorgeous in that dress I swear you're making me drool"Larisa teased at Annelise while she rolled her eyes.

.They both made way to the ball ground while Larisa kept praying no one would notice her while she hid meekly behind Annelise who strode confidently to the ball ground, turning heads at the process which didn't bother her at all but Larisa on the other hand felt like getting swallowed alive by the ground.

Elites, the nobles, aristocrats and everyone in the highest possible position were present at the grand ball, she noticed the king and queen seated in their royal seats marvelously designed with gold,they looked like in their mid fifties but there was something off about them.

They had pale skin and dark features, they looked so inhuman and their auras were something else, 'maybe it was just the royalty speaking' she thought. There were no signs of other family members beside them which was awkward. Soon, the higher ups noticed Annelise and started approaching her like ants.

"why don't you sit at the bar?"Annelise suggested seeing how uncomfortable she was and it was a good idea for her so off she went. Annelise stifled a laugh at how zombie like her friend behaved, 'she really was bad at socialising' she thought in her mind.

Larisa watched as the guests danced, chattered, gossiped and laughed, she grew tired of it all, she wished she was at home watching her kdramas, few men tried to woo her but turned back immediately she gave them her glare.

A couple of minutes had passed and to be honest with herself, Larisa was expecting someone but didn't know who, at that moment of been lost in her thought, everyone gave way for someone who entered into the grand ball.

The man was just gorgeous, tall and sculpturally muscular, he exuded a mysterious presence and looked nothing like a human, his pale skin and darker features made him even more inhuman like, everyone murmured and whispered obviously stunned by his beauty, his princely outfit were on another level, they were designed with precious stones and diamonds for buttons.

His long legs strode majestically towards the Queen and King along with a lady beside him who was also gorgeous in an inhuman way with beautiful curves, her black long hair cascaded down her shoulders to her waist in a majestic way, every inch of her body looked like it was sculpted by a god, she immediately knew it was his sister because of the resemblance and they sat beside them, no one needed to tell her they were the prince and princess.

She was subconsciously looking for a golden eyed someone, which was rather a ridiculous thing to do and even before she saw the prince's eyes she knew it wasn't him but she looked anyways to make sure and when she saw that it was black, she got disappointed even if she was expecting it.

Feeling down and bored, Larisa decided to look around and take a breath of fresh air. She strode down the hallways admiring the unique paintings and artifacts, she looked like a lost fairy as she continued to walk aimlessly and then she saw a symbol which felt awfully familiar.

It was a black dragon with golden eyes like the one she saw in her dreams. 'was this coincidental' her subconsciousness pondered, they looked exactly like the ones in her dreams, she wondered if this strange Empire was connected, even the royal family was strange and the fact they hide their Empire from the world started to make Larisa doubt her doubts about overreacting.

Ever since she stepped foot in the country she had been feeling nervous and queasy, 'something was definitely going on but what could it be?' her inner self pondered.

She kept walking and taking prior notice of anything that could solve a little of the mystery but after a few minutes, felt like something or some one was stalking her but when she turned around, there was no one.

Her breathing quivered, now she was scared and immediately regretted coming here, she should have listened to her instincts and stayed home, she would have been watching kdramas happily instead of been in a creepy hidden Empire no one knew existed.

She turned around and she shrieked, her heart jumped to her throat.

It was the prince, he looked at her with a poker face, void of emotion, he looked like danger and she felt it,this close she felt even more intimidated than when she saw him from afar, before she could say a word, he grabbed her by the arm and started walking. She couldn't find her voice to speak but just kept staring up at him in utter shock until they reached a corridor with a large double door in front of them.

He opened it and went in, in the middle of the room stood a tall muscular jaw dropping man with his back facing them, he wore a robe that swept the floor, but even not seeing his face she could tell he was gorgeous and he exuded a more deadly aura and at that moment, the prince spoke,

"Lothaire, she's here!". She looked at him with a confused expression and the moment she tried to speak, the mysterious man turned to face them, to reveal an ethereal mouth drooling, chiseled pale face with dark features and hair as black as midnight, when she thought the prince was the most gorgeous man she had ever seen.

This man was in all ways breathtaking and she never thought a man could be as beautiful as he was but at that moment, something made her stop in her thoughts, his eyes were blazing gold like the one from her dream...'its him!'.