Dreams and Determination

I stood from afar and watched her. The closer I tried to get to her the farther away she seemed move I eventually gave up and settled with watching her.

I watched on as the girl under minutes performed dozens of spells. One that conjured up flames and another that moved the wind to her will. I couldn't make out her face as she performed the spells. Eventually she grew tired and decided to rest.

I wanted to call out to her but I was unable to . I felt the ground beneath me give way. Before I knew it I was falling. I could hear the voices of different people. I was in pitch darkness and I couldn't see the people who were talking but I could hear them loud and clear.

"You're a remarkable pianist"

"What a beautiful daughter you have"

"You have great magic potential"

Then I suddenly hit the ground. I was in a room I didn't recognize. It looked like a library of some sorts. With rows of books as far as the eye could see.

I heard the sound of two people speaking. One voice belonging to a boy and the other to a girl.

I followed the voices through the rows of shelves till I found them.

Both of them walked beside each other as she went from shelf to shelf scanning through the books.

"I like this novel the most" the boy said as he grabbed a book from a nearby shelf.

"I don't have time to read novels entrance exams into Lancos are coming up and I can't afford to fail" she replied as she kept on walking.

"Yeah you're right but at least every once in a while i think it's okay to take a break"

I tried to get a good look at their faces but they were blurry and I couldn't make out any details.

"Thank you I'll try to make out time to read it" She turned to leave but stopped. "I forgot to ask but what is your name?"

The boy chuckled and brushed his hair back. "Erick! Call me Erick"

Hearing that name I froze. Could he be....

Suddenly the building began to shake and tremble. And the ground beneath me once again gave way. And I once again found myself falling into darkness, the cold air whooshing past my body as I fell. Everything around me was dark and I could barely see anything. From this darkness I heard them.

Loud, violent and vain voices that surrounded me.

"The lady is just incredible"

"The pride of her father"

"She's a talented magician"

"As beautiful as a rose"

"The perfect combination of beauty and brains"

I covered my ears but it had no effect as I could still hear them. The  echoing noise threatening to spilt my skull in half.

'I don't appreciate you going through my memories'

I woke up with a start. My breathing was heavy and I was soaked with sweat. I got up from the bed and opened the windows allowing the cooler winds enter the room.

Lately I've been having these weird dreams. Perhaps it's Veronica's memories I'm seeing but my memories of them afterwards is hazy.

Veronica Irida Henderson. The novel didn't elaborate more on her background. The only I know past her somewhat sad backstory is her love and adoration of Damien. I'm still a bit surprised that she has a relative. I wonder if there's more about her that I'm yet to know. Beyond the surface.

Tomorrow we'll finally arrive at Assenav

****At the Mattel Manor****

She gently opened her eyes. The room she was in was dark, the light slowly creeping into the room barely illuminated her surroundings. She didn't recognize the room she was in. It wasn't her room and the sheets didn't look like hers.

"I can do that assignment tomorrow" a voice said groggily from her side.

Noticing her brother laying beside her. The memories of what had occured yesterday came back to her.

She subconsciously wrapped herself with the bed blankets tighter as she thought about her situation. She didn't want anything to do with this house anymore. She desperately wished she was far away from the mansion.

She didn't want to get engaged neither did she want to go live with some old man in a place she didn't know.

She wanted to wake up her brother and remind him to help her. But one glance at his blissful face sleeping made her decide to wait until he was awake.

Her brother always kept his word, now all she could do was rely on him. He was her only form of defense against her step mother's cruel treatment. Her shield against all the harsh and mean words throw against her. The servants wouldn't dare to mistreat her now that he was here.

"Isabella you awake?" Her brother called out to her rubbing his eyes.

"Yeah"

He rolled onto his side. "Did you sleep well"

She nodded her head brushing aside hair from her face. Her hair was beautiful and thick but it was a pain to brush. It tangled too easily and took a while to braid.

The servants would often pull and tug at her hair when they couldn't hit her. To prevent this she often wore a bun, it did help a little but that didn't stop them from at least trying to. Having it constantly pulled made her head hurt. Sometimes she felt tempted to have it cut. But her maid Asa would always reprimand her for having such thoughts. "The beauty of a noble woman lay in her hair" she would always say as she brushed her hair.

"What are you going to do"

He rubbed his temple and yawned. "I'll talk to father about cancelling your engagement ....and maybe you can stay in a boarding school in the meantime to avoid mother"

"What should I do in the meantime"

"You just keep doing what you normally do. I'll take care of everything"