RPOV—One Month LaterA raindrop landed on my window.I pressed my finger to the glass that separated us, tracing its path as it clumsily slithered down. It collided with other raindrops along the way; however, that only drew it closer to its fall. Before I realized it, my finger ran out of glass to glide on, and the raindrop vanished, now replaced by its brethren that fell from the depressing sky."Wouldn't it be wonderful, if we could disappear and be forgotten as easily as raindrops?"Startled, I jerked around and found Lissa standing in the doorway of my bedchamber. I began to relax at her presence, but then I noticed that her jade-green eyes were troubled, and she wore a black dress that starkly contrasted her pale skin. Something—someone—was bothering her, and I immediately knew the cause of her distress."Can I talk to you?" my ex-stepsister asked, fidgeting with the hem of her lacy sleeve."Of course. Come sit with me." Lissa wordlessly joined me on my bed and folded her legs u
February 20th, 1686RPOVEven though I'd been resuming my education for a month, it still felt strange being at Fairston Academy. Having a student's psyche seemed inconceivable—ridiculous, even. How could I bring myself to textbook reading and paper writing, when I'd experienced ordeals that were more life-changing and traumatic than other seventeen-year-olds' would ever be? I'd lost my mother. I'd nearly been murdered. I'd been raped. I was engaged to a prince.I'd outgrown an innocent life.All these thoughts flowed through my mind, as I walked with Lissa and Jill into the school's main building. Their sense of displacement was gone, and comfort filled their pale and slender bodies. Relaxation shone in their jade-green eyes, and for a moment, jealousy seized me.They were so fortunate to escape all the hurt I'd went through—to avoid all the suffering I was battling every day. Coming to school must've felt so normal and relieving to them. They must've felt like they had never left an
RPOVRhea had all her belongings transported to her father's estate, over the past month, never bothering to visit us or inquire about our wellbeing. She'd made it perfectly clear that she was no longer a part of my family, but here she was, standing in the foyer of Mazur Manor with two sets of luggage by her side—luggage that didn't seem to be hers.Lissa and Jill froze at the sight of Rhea, once she came into view. Surprise and confusion swam in their jade-green eyes. "Mother…what are you doing here?" Jill asked. She noticed the suitcases and gestured to them with a pale hand. "Why is our stuff packed? Are we supposed to be going somewhere?""Yes, darling. Both of you will be coming to live with me, in your grandfather's manor." Before her daughters could even protest, she added, "I don't want to hear it. You're not living here anymore, and that's final." Her face held the hardness of stone, while her hands were tightly clasped in front of her frilly, bright dress.Rhea was determin
RPOV—Three Months LaterGetting married to Cesarevich Dimitri was surreal.Our guests had traveled from all over the world to see us legalize our love and rulership, but none of them captured my attention. The only person I focused on was my fiancé. His chocolate-brown eyes held so much passion and happiness, that my heart throbbed. I could easily spend the rest of my life gazing into them.Time seemed to slow, as we recited our vows. I was almost unable to say mine, due to all the emotion bottled within me, but I managed to endure, thanks to Cesarevich Dimitri's affectionate smile and handholding. I felt bad for talking in English—there were many Russian citizens in attendance—but when my husband-to-be gave his vows in his native language, that guilt faded away.Exchanging our rings followed, and my breath hitched. Feeling the ornate, piece of jewelry getting slid onto my finger made everything seem more surreal. My heart was somersaulting inside my chest, and I couldn't keep from sm
Rosemarie's POVI stood outside in a pale blue, plain, modest dress that fell to my knees, with white stockings and simple black shoes. My luscious, dark hair sat in a neat bun. No makeup was powdered onto my face. No adornment sparkled my ensemble.After the death of my mother, Lady Janine Mazur, I had found no reason to be the center of attention. I hid behind plain clothes, despite being a nobleman's daughter, and only had a few friends. Even though I had always been a beautiful girl—a young woman with soft curves, flawless skin, dark chestnut eyes, and gorgeous hair—I didn't flaunt or exploit it. I believed that beauty came from within, and it should be viewed as an undiscovered, masked treasure.Kindness, love, and a pure heart was all that mattered.The sky was nearly black, and the utter grimness of the clouds threatened to depress me. A strong, earthy smell filled my senses—rain was approaching. Suddenly, the sound of wooden wheels bouncing along cobblestones surfaced. A fanci
Rosemarie's POVAfter delivering Rhea, Vasilisa, and Jillian's overwhelmingly heavy suitcases, I went upstairs to my bedchamber. My pale blue dress was dark from nearly being drenched, and the fabric irritated my skin, as if it was viciously glued to me. My poor stockings were ripped, my sturdy shoes were squishing with rainwater, and my beautiful hair was so wet and tangled that I just wanted to pull it out.Sad and frustrated, I yanked off all my clothes and laid them out on my ebony bedframe to dry. I pulled off my shoes and sat them in an empty corner near my polished bookcase. The only things left were my undergarments—a solid, white brassiere with lace-edged bloomers. I quickly got out of them and grabbed a satin robe, one I hadn't worn since Mother died. It was colored a rich purple, and it actually used to belong to her. Sometimes, it felt like I could smell her scent, as if she was still alive and here with me.Tears gathered in my eyes, but I forced them away and exited my b
Rosemarie's POVFairston Academy loomed in front of us in all its Gothic glory. The sharp angles of the pinnacles and towers gave it a formidable appearance, emphasizing the gray-black pallor of the stone. Vasilisa, Jillian, and I exited the carriage one at a time and walked towards the school in our painfully heeled shoes. I held all of our totes and was lagging behind because of the large amount of weight. Vasilisa strutted ahead, her platinum-blond hair flying around her like a veil."Hurry up, Rosemarie," she ordered. "I can't go inside and look like an idiot who showed up to school without her things." Muttering curses under my breath, I walked faster, strengthening my grip so everything wouldn't fall.Jillian was slightly behind Vasilisa, her stature not as arrogant as her sister, but still fairly haughty. She seemed more average with her light brown hair, which was in a style that sat atop her head. However, she had the Dragomir eyes, and Jillian couldn't help having the snotty
RPOVAfter pouring out my heart and soul with sorrowful tears, I got off my bed—which was now a little damp—and took my journal from its place under my large mattress and got the gold key from the bookcase. The velvet material felt soft as I opened it and went back to my earliest entries, specifically the one when I had found out that Mother died.My hand mindlessly stroked the dry ink on the off-white page. I could feel the tears gathering again; however, I blinked them away and forced myself to read.December 28th, 1682Father is depressingly solemn this evening. He won't leave his private study, and I brought him dinner, hoping that he would let me in, yet he merely cracked the door open and took the plate of food wordlessly before shutting me out.The reason for his behavior is because Mother died today. She left in a carriage to run errands; however, she got lost and ended up falling into a deep ravine, where she was killed from the impactful injuries, along with the horses and c