'Your name?'

The familiar rhythm of the hammer, the distant chattering, a group of kids laughing—when I opened my window curtain, I saw father's back as he instructed some men who he called to do the landscaping of our courtyard for my birthday. Father said that he had prepared the most precious gift he could find for me. I jumped with joy when he said that, and since then I've been looking forward to turning seven.

The days leading to the celebration, I was busy being fitted for my gowns and taught ballroom etiquette on top of my studies. Two days before my birthday, flowers and gifts started coming in. Quinn and Ingrid told me I can't open them yet. And on the day of my birthday, I was welcomed with cheers and well wishes that I thought my heart would burst from the all the affection only for the tragedy the next day to break it.

On one of their construction sites in the middle of Vlona's forests where they planned to build a cabin for tourists, my father and his men discovered a crystal deposit. He kept quiet about it until he was definite about how to approach the matter since it will be big not only for the Montcroix but for everyone in Vlona. Who would've thought that after losing most of our businesses, my father would unearth such…blessing? My father was overjoyed, and I overheard him tell Quinn about it.

And since I overheard it, there's no way no one else did. Soon enough that blessing turned out to be the very thing that took him from me. Greed for both power and money was what drove one of my father's friends and business partners to kill him during a heated argument.

He apologized over and over again. He cried and lamented and later left Vlona out of guilt. No matter how many apologies I received or buckets of tears he cried, my father wouldn't be able to see me grow up anymore.

He was dealt with accordingly, and Quinn made sure that I was never looked down or taken advantage of or subjected to unjust treatment. He grew up and learned with my father when he was adopted into the family by my grandfather after seeing his potential, so he has more than what it took to take care of me, and of Vlona.

The crystal deposit that my father discovered was unearthed and mined under Quinn's careful eyes and strict guidance and five years after my father's tragic demise, Quinn discovered another crystal mine not far from where the first one was, only deeper. And this one was even better, rarer even, as the scholars identified Vlona to have the perfect geographical and whatnot components for Crymzite to form. 

There's no other Crymzite mine in the kingdom, other that the one discovered by Quinn and his men. This turned all eyes on the little town of Vlona, and our—my—reputation grew, and so did my adventures.

***** 

When I came to, hues of pink and purple with a touch of orange dominated the sky. I looked around and realized that I was completely alone, so I was on my feet in a second. I walked towards the balcony and inhaled the scent of refreshing nature before closing one side of the glass door since it's too early to shut out the sceneries.

With a little bit of stretching, I went over to the nearby vanity and inspected myself on the life-size mirror beside it.

"Ingrid would be scolding me right now if she saw this mess of a hair and my dress all wrinkled and creased," I whispered to myself as I undid my braid. "I remember putting my brush in one of the drawers earlier… where is it?" Talking to myself when I'm alone has become a habit of mine to get my thoughts organized.

After I tried to salvage my skirt by straightening it out with my palm, I turned back and suddenly… I was overwhelmed with an array of emotions. 

The soft glow of the setting sun filled the room, and a heavy feeling in my heart started to settle.

I was too nervous to notice earlier but this room is larger than the one I had back in Vlona—the canopied bed with heavy draperies on all sides that looked like a pain to untie and tie again. The sounds of crashing waves instead of metal tools clanging, the feel of the marbled wood flooring against my bare feet, the placement of furniture and lights—

No matter how I tell myself that this is home away from home, the fact that this room is nothing like my room back in Vlona sent ripples to my heart. 

I'm not home anymore… I have truly moved out for good and getting married in a few days.

I sniffed. I tried as fast as I could to stop myself from shedding a tear, but I was already crying when I realized it.

No, Isadora. You have to leave the nest sooner or later. You're already past marriageable age and Ingrid have told you plenty about this. This is normal, Isa. This is okay.

"It's going to be fine, Isa," my voice broke, and I ended up crying some more to a point that I was gasping for air. I thought it silly because I've been alright about the arrangement and have been eager to leave my town since it was decided. I've readied myself and it's not like I've never been away from home. Rather, I was always away from home and staying somewhere else.

So why? What am I crying about?

When I felt a bit lighter after bawling my eyes out, I saw a towel neatly folded at the corner of the bed along with a folded satin nightgown and its matching robe. Jane must've looked into some of my clothes and left it for me before setting aside my luggage for later. She also told me a lot about Vervin's history, but she forgot to tell me where is where in this room.

First, I must find the washroom so I can wash the tears and the makeup off my face, then I'll call for Jane and have the bath drawn. I'm feeling sticky all over from the travel and the sea breeze coming in.

A sense of urgency crawled onto me as I fumbled my way to where I spotted a screen divider earlier on my way in. The sun's almost gone, and no one has checked in on me. Have they forgotten about me? I don't know where the matches are in this place and it's going to be dark soon. I have to at least make my face presentable.

"Oh, good. It's really here." I whispered to myself as I twisted the knob of a plain wooden door hidden past the divider just a few feet away from the sitting area—and of course, it's darker inside since there's no windows and the light from outside can't magically bend over or pass through the divider.

I gritted my teeth as I quickly washed my face, but still making sure that I'm not splashing cold water on my dress. When I was finally finished, I patted my face dry then wiped my hands after. But as soon as I was out, I froze.

A pair of leather shoes was sticking out of the couch's armrest in the adjoining room a few steps away from the main door.

I gulped before a name spilled out of my mouth, "Cosmo, is that you?" Why would I think of Cosmo at a time like this? He might seem to have a carefree attitude, but he won't be so rude as to enter my room without permission, right? And if he's here to guard me, why is he lying on the couch sleeping?

I braved to take a step; my hands clenching onto the towel so hard I could hardly feel them anymore.

After a deep breath and with a louder tone, I said, "Cosmo if that's you, you better wake up this instant and—" I wasn't even able to finish my sentence when a hand suddenly emerged and latched onto the couch's back and the shoes disappeared. In a matter of mere seconds, a deep, husky voice filled my ears, and my knees almost gave in.

"Oh, you're finally awake," the man who is obviously not Cosmo had his back on me, rubbed his eyes then ran a palm through his lush, slightly tousled jet black hair that fell just above his shoulders. He yawned once then raised his arms for a stretch. Even if he had his back towards me, his broad shoulders and muscular arms were totally my type. And by his side profile when he turned to look outside the window, I could tell he's handsome too.

But who could he be?

"Your name?" I demanded, not moving from my spot. "And why are you here? Where's Cosmo? This is a lady's room. You should know better than to come and sleep here so casua—" one of the things that annoys me so much is when I am cut off in the middle of speaking, and this guy—no matter how much physically inclined I am to him—has done it to me twice! Twice!

The audacity.

"This is my room too," he plainly said, and I blinked as my eyes followed his every movement from the time he stood from the couch, to when he walked around it, then towards me. I blinked some more to see him clearly and thanked the strong breeze that came in just when he was a step or two away from me because then I was able to take a peek of his body from his half-opened tunic.

I gulped again, but this time not because I was nervous about the unknown man before me, but because I suddenly thought that want him.

I want to touch him. I want to slide my hands—no, scratch that... I want to completely untie his tunic, touch his chest, and maybe slide my hands lower to touch his obliques, his back; pull him closer to me and feel his warmth envelope me.

"Get a hold of yourself, Isadora!" I almost slapped myself, "What's gotten into you? I never knew you were such a thirsty woman. Have all the years without a partner turned you into an animal?!" Animal is an extreme way of phrasing it, but this man… though half of his face was shadowed by this still unlit room, he exudes this kind of… I don't know anymore, sexiness? And those eyes… I can't look away. The more he stared at me with those deep-seated grey, silvery eyes, the more I question myself if I really have turned into such an animal ready to pounce.

"Y-you're Count Astor, I presume?" There's no way a guard or servant would be this bold to tower me with his great height and brawniness knowing that this room is where I'm staying.

"And you're my soon-to-be wife, Isadora Montcroix." He crossed his arms on his chest and stared down at me. 

"What do you mean this is your room?" I'm not one to lose at a staring contest, but he's making me both nervous and hot, I think I might pass out or vomit if this goes on a little longer.

"I mean it as it is. It's my room. Well, technically, now that you're here, it's our room," he emphasized the word 'our' with conviction that it echoed in my mind for a while. 

"You mean to say we're sharing a room? O-one bed for the both of us?"