Chapter 1

Sunshine Valley Kingdom 1818

There is something about the smell of the sea in a brisk new light of the day that feels so calming to ones soul.

Salmira walk by the docks of Sunshine Valley's Central Port. On her left, Gigantic ships rocked back and forth in the water as seagulls flies freely into the early morning skies.

Wisps of her black hair escaped from her bonnet as the constant gust of the wind assaulted her senses. Her baby pink gown with its white trimmings was not spared as well, the hems would have flown by now if not hindered by the heavy petticoats she wore underneath.

She has never been to a port before, and was surprised by how vast, busy, and packed the place is. The crowd was slow-moving, it reminded her of those times when the opera ended and everyone leaves for the exit.

How she wished she can gather her voluminous skirts and start walking rapidly. Unfortunately, If she does, she will surely bump into someone or get run over by heavy wagons.

Looking around the busy place, It must have been because of these merchants. A lot of independent traders were bargaining and exchanging goods wherever they like.

Well, some took time to stay further away from the docks, but most insisted on doing their business right in the middle of the cobbled path. With every transaction, cargoes were moved from one place to another. Some by humans, most by wagons. This action is further clogging up the streets.

To say that there were a lot of people is a huge understatement. There were passengers, officers, seamen, people waiting for a loved one to arrive, etc.

She signed and just tried to hurry along, they were almost there anyway, she could already see the newly anchored 3 masted ship named 'The Curious Maiden'. It is one of the Royal Navy's biggest ships that came from The Marianas Islands. The Island is one of the kingdom's colonies. It is where 90% of the tea Facovians consume comes from.

In the coming months, there would be a high demand for tea. The Marianian's slaves will revolt and burn down hundreds and thousands of acres of tea plantations. This action will force nobles and merchants to sponsor expeditions to the south, across the continent, to the Nales.

The trip would take at least 10 months for them to arrive if they ever arrive. By that time, she would have already gained profits out of the inevitable rise in the tea prices.

Salmira smiled, her bow shape lips curved in delight, her plan was perfect. It has been 18 years since she has been reborn. She still does not have any idea of what exactly happened. All she knows is that one minute she was a dying old lady, the next she was a crying newborn, looking straight into her displeased father's face.

It was apparent she went back in time. At first, she was confused, overthinking everything over and over again, even now everything seems like a dream. But no, she is certain she had lived the same life before.

She promised herself she would never make the same mistakes she did in her past life. This is her chance. She could not let herself suffer from the same fate again, which is why she made a plan. The first on her list is to make money, for everything to work she would need some funds. Today she was finally old enough to set things in motion. The age of consent in Sunshine Valley Kingdom of is 18, which is why she has arranged to visit her cousin for a few days.

This morning they have left at the crack of dawn, right into a hired hackney, and straight to the Central Port. It would have been wiser to do this alone, but a girl such as herself does not go anywhere alone.

It would have been unheard of for a lady to wander about without so much as a maid. Aside from that, she also needed a place to store tons of dried tea leaves. Hence the need for Lady Edith. Lady Edith Finch is her 28-year-old widowed cousin. She married a Count who turned out to be a scoundrel.

Within 8 years of marriage, the Count had lost his entire fortune to gambling. After that, he died fighting a duel over a married woman. Her poor cousin was left to care for her young son. This desperate situation was one of the reasons she choose her. The other reason was that lady Edith has been very kind to her, both in this life and her last. They planned to keep the tea in her cousin's manor in Giles.

Afterwards, it will be sold anonymously. Now, if only her cousin would stop being so nervous about everything. Ever since they left, the woman has never shut up even once.

"This is all very improper, why, if your father knew of this horrendous escapade of ours, you will be beaten, beaten I tell you!" Her cousin has been saying in a hush-clipped tone whilst gripping a matching black parasol with her mourning black dress. By custom, any widowed lady must wear black on the first year after her husband's death. She avoided another porter as she answered her cousin. "I shall be fine, we just have to make sure we won't breathe a word of this-"

"Oh... I shouldn't have brought you here, you were barely 18, If anyone finds out about this I shall have another scandal attached to my name." Her cousin said, shaking her head causing the ringlets of her blond hair to gently sway.

"Stop worrying Cousin, I promise everything will be alrigh-"

"You have to consider you haven't even 'come out' yet. Ladies of good quality does not go about leaving in the dead of night-"

"It was 5 a.m." She countered, growing exasperated by the minute.

"It is an unfashionable hour to be out and about. Do you know who wakes up at such an ungodly hour?" Her affronted cousin asked.

She rolled her eyes and look back at her. "Peasants! Almira, Peasants. people who needed to do manual labor in order to live. It is not an endeavor for a lady such as me and yourself. Oh.. why did I ever let you talk me into this? This is not going to work, let us leave." One of those 'peasants' overheard her cousin and was now eyeing them with resentment.

"It will be alright, you'll see. father is visiting his heir in Summersglade. He will not be back in at least three days."

"My God, how could you be so sure. Haven't you had any fear at all? We both know what the Earl is like." She has forgotten how chatty and fearful Cousin Edith could get. It has always puzzled her how most people would obsess about everything that could go wrong once placed in a stressful situation.

"Again, It will be fine Cousin, we will just have to make sure father never finds out." She reassured her for the millionth time as they passed by another foreign merchant trying to speak their language as locals bargained with him.

"Well, what if he finds out anyway? What if someone recognizes you? or me? A widowed countess and an Earl's daughter. These people will think we got money on us. Why I heard a lady from Dearfork has been robbed and killed by bandits. Just look, everybody was looking at us strangely." Her cousin argued as she continued looking furtively around them.

"That is because you were holding a fancy parasol as if we were strolling about in the park." Does she not see that she is the only one who has one?

However, her cousin was too preoccupied with her own thoughts to hear her. "What shall we do? I followed your instruction and never told anyone, I didn't even bring a maid or my carriage. We would have to hire a hackney just like we did earlier, but this time, everyone knew there would be nothing but two unprotected ladies inside. Oh my god! at this rate, we're both gonna die. They will kill you first since you'll probably put up a fight, and then..., it would be me." Her cousin started breathing heavily, her eyes were huge and panicking.

"Edith for christ's sake, those things will not happen, calm down!" She said, but poor Edith is already teary with her 'death'.

"I will have to watch you die. Then I would die too. Oh... what will happen to my son?" Her cousin further said, her lips shaking quite slightly, obviously fighting back tears. Alright, that's it. She stop right in the middle of the path, turn to her cousin, and was about to knock some sense into her when they heard people shouting. "Watch out!!" "Get out of the way!!!"

Salmira was startled. The busy port is suddenly in an uproar. A crowd parted in half and a clear path appeared towards them. She heard it before she even saw it. A team of horses runs towards them. From the looks of it. Its looks like the horses haven't been broken yet. And Unbroken horses were dangerous.

She quickly step out of the way and dragged Cousin Edith with her. What she did not count on, was Edith, being overly scared, move a little too close to her accidentally pushing her more to the edge of the docks.

Suddenly she finds herself falling.

Yes, falling.

How beautiful that she was able to avoid being trampled by horses only to manage to throw herself into the sea.

Salmira felt the cold as her body hits the seawater. Her dress immediately way her down

She did not even come up for air. Instead, she found herself sinking steadily. Like a rock as it drops in the vast ocean. A grim prospect indeed.

How does one call for help, when every bit of oneself is fully submerged in water? Would she not even be given the chance to struggle? She saw a drowning man once. He was bobbing his head and his arms were reaching in all directions. Truly unflattering. Would she not be given the same chance to such indignity?

Looking from the he did not come this far for her to end up losing her life again. This is what she thought as she started flapping both her arms up and down. She never really tried swimming but now seems to be a good time.

Moments passed and she continue to move her arms, she like to think its working but for a good measure she threw in a couple of screams. Never mind that only air bubbles were escaping from her mouth. It just felt relevant as of the moment.

Suddenly she was pulled up. A rowboat full of passengers stared at her. She found herself coughing nonstop as trickles of water continued pouring out of her mouth.

- Vincent -

Vincent Henry William St Louis, 4rth Duke of Byrose, just landed his feet on solid ground. Every time he went ashore he would always still feel as if everything is still swaying as if he is still back in the ship. It would usually take a little bit of time before his body could get over the eternal rocking motions of the ocean.

Well, he just left his ship 'The Brigade' for the last time. For 4 years he has served as its captain, fighting pirates, foreign invaders, hunting rogues, criminals, and anyone else that poses a threat to his country.

He has fought well, but now it is time to face his obligations at home. Oh, but how he will miss captaining, the thrill, and the challenge of it, will forever hunt his restless soul.

With this in mind, he decided to look back at the ship for the last time, the buttons and medals on his royal blue and white navy uniform glinted as the direct sunlight hit it.

He should have probably had just worn knee-breeches, a tailcoat, and some cravat. Why did he even wear the blasted thing anyway? he isn't the type to show off, even find the uniform as restrictive as ladies find corsets.

However, he is feeling quite sentimental, this is probably the last time he will wear it, and he chooses to come home a captain than a duke.

As he gazed at the ship that has been both his solace and his escape, he felt the overwhelming sadness, as if time stops and it's just him and the ship. He was feeling it. Until it was rudely cut short by the sounds of screams.

He was jolted back to reality, from his left, he saw a lady falling about 30 ft from the edge of the docks to the cold water. It is a blessing a rowboat was nearby and they hurriedly pick her up. It was just quite unexpected how the moment the lady's head emerge from the water, a piercing scream was heard. Suggesting the foolish girl must have been screaming underwater before she was even brought up.

Vincent grimaced, he was suddenly reminded that his grandmother wishes for him to marry. For him to do that he will have to select from the ladies of the ton, his breeding would demand it.

However, for years he has avoided such armies of pastels and petticoats. Even ruining some of them just to make a point for them to stop hunting him.

Why on earth would he willingly shackle himself to such helplessly pampered creatures. Spoiled aristocrats who cannot even fend for themselves. They were said to be women with a delicate constitution, but in truth, they were nothing more than schemers, title hungry, eccentric, and vicious creatures.

"Vincent?" He heard the voice-first before he felt the tap on his shoulders.

When he turned, he saw his uncle, Lord John Simon Newbellry. The Lord is smiling brightly at him, wearing a fancy cravat, dark green long coat, cream-colored knee-breeches, and hessian boots.

Now, why is he not surprised? A warm answering smile immediately appeared on his face. "Uncle, it has been too long."

The man immediately hugs him, then continues hugging him and continue to hug him some more. Uncle John has always been kind to him. He was there when he was born, there when he lost his father at 15, there when he left for the Navy, and now, he is there to welcome him home.

"My Vincent, I am so very glad you are back, Oh how much you have grown, I guess now I will have to call you, Your Grace?"

"Please call me Vincent Uncle, I wouldn't feel right if you started calling me differently."

His Uncle clasp both his arms. "I could have sworn you already stop growing when you left but I guess I was wrong. you seem taller and broader too. What in God's name have they been feeding you in the navy?"

"Barnacles?" His uncle burst out laughing, meanwhile, his two servants were hovering about unsure of what to make of their master, from the way they were dressed, it looks like these were grooms brought in to help with his trunks.

His stepmother and stepsister were nowhere to be found, they probably haven't received his letters or they simply didn't care. Well, it is not like they were needed anyway.

"I'll have the carriage brought about, although it might be faster to walk back to the gates, do you have a lot of trunks?" His Uncle asks still wheezing from his laughter.

"They'll be here any second now, my men would be carrying them."

"Well, we will just wait for them then, in the meantime..." His Uncle suddenly trailed off, he also notices that he seem to be looking behind him as if something has caught his attention.

"What is it, uncle?"

"Pardon me, I thought I saw someone I know..." his uncle apologized however he remain distracted and continued to gaze past him.

He followed where his uncle's eyes were, he saw nothing at first but then he notice the people seem to be stopping and avoiding a particular lady.

The lady is the one who fell earlier. She is now walking, dragging her heavy wet gown and leaving trails of water on the path. On her heels is another lady, who is holding a damn parasol, hitting every person that comes in contact with it.

"Oh my god, It is Lady Salmira!"

"You know that girl?"

"But of course, that's the Earl of St Rose's daughter. What is she doing in a place like this?" his confused uncle ask. Earl St. Rose?

"We better help her." And with that, his Uncle started walking towards the lady. In truth, he is a bit annoyed. He was looking forward to a portion of warm food and a comfortable bed but it looks like that would have to wait.

As expected of his uncle, there is simply no way he would standby upon knowing a lady was in distress. He quickly followed him as the man approached the lady.

"Lady Salmira!!!" His Uncle called.

Right then both the ladies stiffened.