some air

I was elated when I received the invitation to dinner at the Earl's estate. It was to be my first public appearance as his new bride, and I was eager to make a good impression. As I held the elegant card in my hands, a rush of excitement coursed through me. If not for anything, for the fact that I was finally going to be within human interaction. It had been weeks since my encounter with the earl or the stuck up maid.

In the dressing room, I laid out several gowns, each more stunning than the last. As I stood before the mirror, I held up a deep sapphire blue dress against my frame.

"This one, Mary?" I asked the personal maid that was assigned me only recently. She was fun to hang around and looked around my age.

Mary examined it critically. "It's beautiful, madam, but perhaps a bit too bold for a first appearance. How about the ivory silk with the delicate lace trim? It's both elegant and refined."

I nodded, trusting her judgment. "Yes, I think you're right. The ivory silk it is."

The day of the dinner arrived, and I was a bundle of nerves and excitement. I slipped into the ivory gown, its fabric cool and smooth against my skin. Mary fastened the delicate buttons at the back, her hands steady and sure.

"You look radiant, madam," she said, stepping back to admire her work.

"Thank you, Mary. I feel ready." I took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

The final touch was the jewelry. I opened the velvet-lined box that held my finest pieces and selected a pair of diamond earrings and a matching necklace. They sparkled brilliantly in the light, a perfect complement to the gown.

As I fastened the necklace, I glanced at Mary. "Do you think the Earl will be pleased?"

She smiled reassuringly. "He will be proud to have you by his side, madam."

Arriving at the estate, my heart pounded in my chest. The grand hall was filled with distinguished guests, their conversations a low hum of sophistication and charm. I felt a moment of apprehension, but then the Earl appeared at my side.

"Valerie," he said warmly, taking my hand. "You look absolutely stunning."

"Thank you," I replied, my voice steadying. "I wanted to make a good impression."

He squeezed my hand gently. "You already have."

As we made our way through the hall, the Earl introduced me to his friends and associates. I smiled and chatted, feeling more confident with each passing moment.

One of the guests, Lady Henrietta, approached me with a kind smile. "Lady Valerie, it is a pleasure to finally meet you. The Earl speaks so highly of you."

"The pleasure is mine, Lady Henrietta," I replied, feeling a flush of pride. "I hope to live up to his words."

"I have no doubt that you will," she said at me with a sinister smile. “but you know, you are not the first to be brought to these type of things.” She took a sip of her drink, sizing me up and down. ” And I am sure you wouldn’t be the last”

That statement though true didn’t seem right with me. It made me have a sour mood which I tried to keep at bay for the rest of the night.

Later, as we sat at the grand dining table, I glanced around at the faces of our guests. The Earl looked at me and smiled, his eyes though said had nothing in them. No warmth, no care, nothing. But I smiled back at him the best I could.

As the evening drew to a close, the Earl and I stood together at the entrance, bidding farewell to our guests. Lady Henrietta paused as she left and said, "You have truly found a gem, Earl." After the encounter we had earlier I was not really comfortable around her.

"Indeed I have," he replied, looking at me and then looking back at her with pride. I forced out a smile while I looked at her, I could not help but notice the sour look she gave me.

Midway through the dinner, my anxiety reached a crescendo. The room felt stifling, the conversations around me blending into an overwhelming cacophony there were too much people everywhere and I needed to get out. I tried to steady my breathing, but my chest tightened, and I was gripped by a paralyzing panic attack. Gasping for breath, I clutched at my chest, my vision blurring as the world spun around me.

I looked to the Earl, hoping for some sign of support or concern. But his expression shifted from concern to annoyance, his thin facade of charm slipping for a moment. His eyes narrowed, and a harsh line formed at his lips. "Valerie," he hissed quietly, "control yourself."

Before I could respond, his demeanor turned cold and calculating. Without a hint of compassion, he signaled to the servants. "Take her out of here," he ordered, his voice laced with irritation.

I felt a shiver run down my spine at the callousness of his actions. The servants hurried over, gently but firmly guiding me out of the dining room. My heart pounded with a mix of fear and humiliation, tears welling up in my eyes.

As we moved toward the exit, I caught a glimpse of a figure lurking in the shadows near the doorway. It was a man whose eyes held a glint of compassion and understanding, a stark contrast to the Earl's indifference. His gaze met mine, and for a fleeting moment, I felt a flicker of hope.

Who was he? I wondered, as the servants led me away. There was something in his eyes, a promise of kindness and perhaps a chance at something better. Little did I know that this chance encounter would set in motion a series of events that would change the course of my destiny.

As I was escorted out into the cool night air, the weight of the evening's revelations settled heavily on my shoulders. The Earl's true nature had been laid bare, he was by no means a kind mind.

My thoughts raced. Rumours I’ve heard before I met him filled my mind. What if he punishes me? What of he made me disappear? I went through every possible scenario in my head and concluded that anything he was going to do to me for ruining his dinner was far better than taking ne back to my father. With that thought in mind, my mind went back to the mysterious figure I saw.

But who was the mysterious man in the shadows?

She looked out the windows, it was well over hours since she was taken out of the dining room

The lights from the main estate were at its minimal, indicating that the dinner had come to a close.

Curiousity taking the best of me, I stood up from my bed and went to wander, hoping I could see him again, I needed to. There was just something about him that I could not let go of.

As I wandered through the garden, the shadows seemed to whisper secrets, urging me to explore further. I found myself moving toward the far end of the estate, where the neatly trimmed hedges gave way to a dense, untamed thicket. The air grew cooler, and the night sounds grew quieter, as if the very world was holding its breath.

I felt a strange pull, an inexplicable urge to venture deeper into the darkness. Something—perhaps the earl’s warning—drove me forward. I pushed through the undergrowth, my gown catching on the branches, but I pressed on, driven by an instinct I couldn't fully understand.

The moonlight struggled to penetrate the thick canopy of trees, and soon I found myself in near darkness. My heart pounded in my chest, but I couldn't turn back now. There was something here, something, or rather someone I needed to find.

As I moved further into the woods, I saw a faint light in the distance, flickering like a will-o'-the-wisp. I followed it, each step filled with both trepidation and determination. The light grew brighter, revealing a small clearing bathed in an otherworldly glow.

There, in the center of the clearing, stood a figure cloaked in black. His presence was ominous, and a shiver ran down my spine as I took in the sight before me. The figure held a blade, its blade glinting in the moonlight. His face was hidden in the dark, unable to see his face completely, casting an impenetrable shadow.

I froze, my breath catching in my throat. Who—or what—was this figure? He stood still, as if waiting for something, his posture both patient and menacing. I couldn't tear my eyes away, a mix of fear and curiosity rooting me to the spot.

The figure slowly turned his head in my direction, and though I couldn't see his eyes, I felt his gaze pierce through the darkness. My heart pounded louder, and I took a hesitant step back, which was not the safest since I stepped on my gown causing it to rip. If he did not see me before, he definitely saw me now.

My body shook with fear as I saw his hooded eyes.

“you were told not to come out at night, weren’t you, princess?”