(Y/n)'s POV

"(Y/n)! Where is my dress? The clock ticks and we cannot waste more time!" mother yelled, brushing through her wavy blonde hair while she looked at me through her vanity mirror. The smell of her strong perfume famished my nostrils, almost making me cough. "Of course, mother. I'll be back!" I nod my head, scurrying off downstairs of the baroque like manor.

The metal door came to my surprise as it opened, revealing one of the maids with my mother's dress at hand. "Your grace." she bowed her head low, bending her knees as I acknowledge her with a curved smile. I hurried down the cold, stone stairs and took the flourished, emerald ballgown that I had left inside.

My step-mother had never been the meanest, though very needy and high-maintenance. Her own daughter, Graciella was never the opposite for she was a lovely lady as well and they both treat me very kindly even after father's passing.

"Ah, thank you darling! You've done excellent work, I knew I could count on you," she smiled, standing up while she stroke her fingers to her ballgown with admiration. Mother glanced back at me and straightened her back with arms both crossed, "Are you sure you won't attend the ball today, (y/n)? Surely we can find a suitable man for you." she frowned, tilting her head to the side as she rest her head to the back of her palms.

I shook my head no and chuckle, gazing down at my mother's dress to reach my fingertips to the little sew works I had done. "I feel that I don't fit inside the imperial palace, mother. I have no inheritance of nobility and I am simply just a commoner that got lucky," I replied back, licking my lips as to bit back a gutting cry.

My eyes wandered back to my mother's honey brown orbs and beamed, "But I'm lucky that father had found you, mother. What would we be if you weren't there?"

She stroke my hair and tilt my chin up high, putting both hands on my shoulders. "Do not define yourself as a commoner, my dear (y/n)! You are my own daughter, and you will be as such," she furrowed her brows, pushing me to a tight embrace as I felt warm from her affection. "Do not let the world define you for who you are, nor your class (y/n)!" she lectured with a voice raised up high while she stroke my (h/c) hair.

She tore me away from the hug and was met with a sunny smile on her red stained lips, "Now, shall we do my hair?" she asked with a wink. I clasped both of my hands and nod my head in reply, taking the brush from her vanity while I combed through her silky blonde hair.

His majesty the king had arranged a ball for all aristocrats to come to celebrate the prince's coming of age throughout Norkloe. From what I've heard he was an excellent fighter and also a charming one, surely many ladies will hunt him down in hopes of marriage just like Graciella.

As I put the last piece of pearl in my mother's hair, I stepped back to admire the beautiful craft I had done. "Do you...do you like it, mother?" I raised a brow, laying both hands gently on her shoulders while she leaned closer to the vanity mirror side to side. "It's beautiful, my dear (y/n)! It's lovely." she complimented with a pursed grin.

"(Y/n)! Come here!" Graciella called in a singsong matter from across mother's room, peeking her head out of her own chamber with a cheeky beam. She beckoned me over with a wave of her hand as I went. Graciella pulled me inside and let out a quiet giggle, "How do I look?" she asked, twirling around in her refined ballgown.

Graciella had a beautiful purple ballgown with pearls as her shiny jewelry, the color of purple had always been a huge compliment on her blue, almond-shaped eyes and her exquisite, tall and lean figure. She combed through her straight, dark brown hair and smiled at me. "Well?" she clasped both of her hands, squeezing her fingers tightly, highly strung for the ball.

I took both of her fidgeting hands and squeezed it tightly, "You look marvelous, Ella!" I answered with ease, approving of her look. She tilt her head downwards to a laugh and pulled me to a hug, "You're too sweet, (y/n)," Graciella muttered as we pulled away but only to be met with a frown, "Are you sure you won't come to the ball?" she questioned, tilting her head to the side with one hand intertwined with my own while she fluttered her pleading eyes.

"I'll be fine here, Ella. Now go on, I believe mother is already waiting outside." I said in a haste, pushing her out of her bedroom chamber.

I stood at the front of the manor, the sound of waves crashing against the rocks from across. My father had always loved the ocean, and had heeded his lifetime with keen to the deep blue sea of mysteries. Thus, we had lived here in memory of him. Though, he would've loved the view from here before his unexpected passing.

I snapped out of my thoughts and turned my attention to both of my loved ones as they went inside the carriage. Graciella peeked outside the window and waved a hand, "We'll be back soon, my lovely sister! And I'll be sure to bring home sneaked treats from the palace!" she waved a hand while the carriage went to a whim.

Mother pulled her hand back and waved craned her head to look at me as she blew a kiss. I stared as the carriage could no longer be seen, with all the servants going back inside the manor to do their jobs. I stared back at the sea of Norkloe, the sound of waves giving me an ill feeling of tranquility.

I stepped down on the stair without a thought, wanting to reach for the sea. "Lady (y/n), where might you be headed to?" a soft voice spoke from behind, catching me off guard as I turned around to be met face to face with the chef with a cigar dangling to his gritted teeth, "Ah, sir Barron! You scared me!" I sighed to myself, pushing my arm close to my chest.

Barron, the head chef of our manor with the most delectable food I had ever ate. He was always a peculiar old man, with a personality of a savage when it comes to his precise meals. I gazed up to his dirty blonde locks that had specks of white hair, "You're growing older, sir Barron. Are you sure you'd rather be in the kitchen all day than be with your family?" I asked, making him laugh out loud and squish my cheek while I rubbed it with a glare.

He looked out at the sea while he leaned his broad shoulders close to the door, "My comrades that is my family had already died in the war, lady (y/n). I believe this is my only home now." his voice went stern, yet gentle in a way as to hint melancholy. "O...oh...I'm very sorry, sir Barron...I...I didn't know." I frowned, feeling contrite over his reply.

He pat me in the shoulder and took the cigar off of his mouth, "Now, now! We wouldn't want to be those sad folks who always looks grumpy, ey? All is done and passed, I wouldn't want the lady to look so gloomy in front of me," he crossed both of his arms and gave a big suspire, "How about we go to the sea, lady (y/n)? Perhaps a walk?" Sir Barron asked, reaching a hand out for me to grab.

"That would be lovely, sir Barron." I nod my head and took his hand as we went closer to the sea.

The gush of the wind had made me shiver with the water violently crashing against the withered rocks. I looked around while sir Barron leaned against a statue of a man. After noticing my visage, he turned around and smiled, "Do you know the story that had been told, lady (y/n)?" sir Barron asked while I only shook my head no for an answer.

"That man is Merrik Reese Theron, lady (y/n). The fallen hero of Norkloe," sir Barron explained looking at me with arms crossed, "Or as our village was formally known as many centuries ago, Kieshfah." sir Barron explained while I looked at the necklace of the hero wore.

It was a necklace that was engraved to the bronze statue, an emerald eye that had made me feel penetrated by its ghostly stare. I pointed towards it and turned to sir Barron, "And what about that necklace, sir Barron?" I raised a brow in inquiry.

"Ah, the Emeraldsnare's eye. Rumors had it that the hero of our village's soul had been stuck in the ocean with fiery, unsatisfied of murdering the late princess Elizabeth, his wife." sir Barron explained once more in reply while I nod my head, "Do you not think that those missing women from the newspaper might have been captured by him?" I asked but sir Barron was far from believing such stories as he chuckled slightly.

"A vengeful hero murdering only noblewomen because of his bad temper? that's preposterous lady (y/n)!" he commented, wiping away the tears from his eyes. "You're no fun, sir Barron. I'm trying to solve a mystery here!" I rolled my eyes and turned my thoughts away, staring right at the withered rocks as I caught a glimpse of a pair of glowing, green eyes.

I blinked as it vanished, the green eyes from behind the rocks no longer to be fathomed. "Are you alright, lady (y/n)? You seem to have quieted down." sir Barron asked.

I turned to face him and smiled, "Oh, nothing. I thought I just saw something..."

"Well then, shall we head back before we get eaten by sir Merrik right here?" sir Barron pointed, "We shall." I nod my head, laughing back to his words.