I stared in the mirror, taking in my white hair tinged with blue, while my blue eyes sparkled, giddy with happiness for my twelfth birthday.

My eyes flickered to Carissa, my maid, as she ate my ears off about some boy while getting me ready for my birthday bash, which was common considering our family.

The Tatiana's were a known family of witches of the Louvramont Empire. My status within it as its heiress seldom went unmentioned at any gala.

The great family's legacy is mentioned from simple children's books to the thickest of history books, founded by our ancestor — Tatiana.

I snapped out of my reverie as one maid evenly dusted blush on both sides of my cheeks. Staying still to be primed and dipped in beauty, I directed my eyes towards Carissa, "What is his name?"

"His name is Brooklyn. Brooklyn Irene Harold!"

Few things that Carissa made clear about herself every time she spoke: she was an intolerable gossip and a hopeless romantic.

"Rumour has it that the boy is so so handsome! Farmer Freddie was first to see his procession on the horizon. He says that the lord's bright blond hair rivals the sun's kisses and his fair skin puts marble to shame. But, oh — " Carissa gasped, clutching the waxed wood of the bedpost with flushed cheeks and wide eyes like that of a runner, yet dazed like that of a daydreamer's.

"It is his turquoise eyes, veiling so many mysteries, that can enchant anyone!"

I shook my head, as the only thing that piqued my interest in this guy was the name... Harold.
"A Harold? A successful Vampire?" I couldn't help but chuckle, brow raised with sarcasm thick in my tone.

"Yes," Carissa beamed, "But not only that! His ancestor was a wizard who became a vampire after death, making him the second vampire after Harold! And the best thing is that this boy is the future emperor of the Larient Empire Business!"

If it wasn't for fear of spoiling any of the pinned strands of my hair, she would have started jumping on the spot in excitement, taking me along with her.

"I see." I gave a smile. I nodded a silent acknowledgement to the maids as they stepped back, giving me enough space to walk out.

The outside was set in the same colours and artefacts as the inside of any room, but it bore a sense of isolation; the corridors continued and the roof rose much higher above your head. The walls that boasted of many a war won in the past, many a people associated with my ilk: it all made people feel humbled.

I breathed deeply as I entered the imperial ballroom, escorted by Auran, an apprentice butler, with my arm interlinked with his.

I looked around, the riches of people exhibiting so much light that it created a fluorescent cast. My eyes followed everyone's gaze in the centre of the room. But every iota of my orbs were struck with double the brightness as I gazed upon the man who outshined all the glimmer and riches of the room.

When he turned, his eyes locked with mine. Instead of finding an endearing shyness in his look, I caught his lips tugging from one end with a veracious smile. His smirk was neither teasing nor arrogant. It spoke the clear truth, he knew what was happening while I had no knowledge.
I stayed shocked by his smile as he stepped forward to the stage. 
Right alongside him, Auran led me to the stage. My steps faltered.

What was happening?

I looked over to Auran, who himself had a frown etched on his face. Looked like he shared my cluelessness when it came to today.

I looked up, my parents standing tall. They were merely a few steps away but the solemn air put them miles apart from me. They shared merry looks with another old couple beside them, smiling at both of us: me and the mysterious boy.

My mind flickered back to the ring glimmering in the sunlight. I thought it was elegant. Rose gold and dwarf pearls woven onto an antique silver band that Mama had bought. It was what I thought was a present, this morning.

My breath turned shallow, my heart palpitating as the realization struck that this wasn't just a birthday party. There was no jolly singing, none of my friends or my teachers to bless me.

All other thoughts came to a screeching halt when the boy with the evil grin bore my ring in his outreached palm, waiting to be smug about something I did not want to know.
"I, Brooklyn Irene Le Harold, swear to Hell that I will never leave Sierra Heinz Le Dume Tatiana' side," he said, sliding the ring. I staggered a few inches with the power in his push, as if he wanted me to shake out of my daze.

I gulped a little, observing the ring that now sat on my already reddening skin. My protesting eyes flickered to my parents. They smiled as they held out another ring. A ring that I was supposed to slip onto the finger of a betrothed I didn't know I had. Didn't any of them deem this absurd?

As a princess, I was always told to stay on my toes, ready to proclaim judgement when it came to the good of the masses that I was to govern soon. But was the same going to prescribe to choosing my own partner? They thought I wanted to get married to the man in front of me?

I frowned, a film of wet anger teetering along the rims of my eyes. This was not only humiliating but also archaic and cruel.

But they smiled in encouragement as if I was having a stage fear instead of an impromptu engagement that wrote me off as another's human pet. I wanted to shake my head, burst out in front of half the nobility of the kingdom and protest against it all.

I would have done it too... If it wasn't for the slightest flinching of Mama's eyes. The little gesture spoke the loudest of all the excited murmurs of the crowds. She wanted this to come through this way. I couldn't help but comply, for everyone must fear and respect the Queen.

Biting back my own heart's desire, I took the ring and faced the stranger, my stranger, "I, Sierra Heinz Le Dume Tatiana swear to Heavens that I will never leave Brooklyn Irene Le Harold's side,"

I had heard the vow many times with many different names of royalty, but only now did I feel the permanence in them. I avoided looking at him, sliding the ring onto his slender finger. Everyone cheered and I offered all the flying ribbons and happy tears a flimsy smile.

The man I was now engaged to, Brooklyn, left my side the second he could. Part of me was relieved at the freedom, at least for a short time. A chorus of greetings, congratulations and birthday wishes echoed in the hall.

Oh, for a while, I forgot that it was my birthday indeed.

A cake was wheeled in, candles were already lit on the top of the cream. My mother stepped forward with a commanding raise to her head, ordering me to get a wish... I closed my eyes and blew the candles as I wished to be the third most powerful witch of The Tatiana Family.

The rest of the day was spent between overly joyous crowds, toasting to victory in courts, a merry wedding's hopes and dancing.

As the sun left purple ribbons of darkness in the darkening skies, someone pitted me with Brooklyn, sending us out to get to know each other. I couldn't catch ahold of either of my parents to unload my questions on them but I reassured myself with the prospect of another time. I led Brooklyn around the Gardens, filled with Blue Roses with chairs in the middle, circling around a marble table. The place we arrived at famously called 'The Love Circle', made by the husband of Sarley Tatiana to confess his love for her.

It was a destination for love, and now I was left wondering if there ever would be any semblance of that in this to-be marriage. I did not know anything about him, he probably did not know anything about me either. At least I had time before the marriage.

Brooklyn pulled a chair for me and I sat, watching with glass eyes as he settled into the chair opposite mine.

I cleared my throat, "Lord Harold, I know this engagement may seem uncomfortable—"

Brooklyn suddenly placed his finger on my lips, his long arm barely bending before it found my lips. He nodded for me to stop, a small understanding smile playing on his full lips.

"Don't worry, Lady Tatiana..." his voice was gruff, mellow. I hadn't focussed on his voice earlier in the hall but now that we had more time together without foreign eyes counting our every move, I realized that I liked it.

"You had my undivided attention. I fell for you at first sight. Rather, an unknown feeling came over me when I first saw you, as if signalling that we were meant to be together." His lips twitched, his eyes finding mine in the falling darkness as a genuine smile graced his face.

It seemed like time stopped, everything disappearing as his turquoise eyes, veiling darkness and secrets, clashed with mine and sucked me in their depths.

His words were enough to give me a feeling long forgotten. This much was forgotten as if it was buried under me for centuries. My worries, my troubled thoughts, my fears... Seemed like they were beginning a long slumber within me and wouldn't awake anytime soon.

I slowly nodded my head.

After that, I signed out for the day as I fell onto the bed, asleep.