Chapter 1

You don't have to be someone for me to love you, Ysabelle. I am always here for you. Always.

It has been a tough life for me after my mom passed away. She was so young and alive, then one day, she became a passing dream to me. It became my nightmare.

I live in an old place, where everything is traditional and grey. When everything does not work the way we have now.

I was a young and carefree girl. Running across the fields and meadows, behind me are cows bellowing loudly. Chickens clock resonating around the air. The tingling feeling of the wind dancing with my hair. I love this place.

“Ysabelle!” someone cried their lungs out calling out for me. I know for sure it's Nana Sela. She sounds like that when angry.

I quickly run over the hays and hide, quickly wiping off the dirt off my white dress.

Today is a very special day for my grandma. She is having visitors and they expect me to behave like a good girl. But how can a 19 years old behave in front of many people?

I have been living in this secluded place my entire life and with little to no exposure to many people.

Now that my mom's departed from life, grandma decided to make something grand for me.

“Ysabele! Don't let me find you!” came again the angry voice of my nanny. I giggled and covered my mouth to conceal the laugh that's coming out.

I quickly ran behind large hays and into the back door of the old mansion. I was running so fast and I was always looking back to check if Nana is chasing me.

I instantly came to a halt when I bumped into someone's body.

“Oops! I am very sorry!” I said not looking at the person but instead I was looking back.

“It’s okay.” I heard a baritone but never minding it for I am completely occupied.

I giggled again when I see Nana Sela looking very silly while peeking through the huge piles of hay. .

“You…you're making fun of your nanny?” He asked again. I giggled again when Nana Sela jumped and tried to scare a scarecrow. I almost laughed aloud and rolled down when she looked scared by the scarecrow.

When I couldn't help it, I laughed, with my shoulders shaking. I was tearing up a bit too.

I heard him cleared his throat which made me look at him. I, then realized, I was holding on to his arms while he was holding me at my shoulders.

“I’m sorry.” I quickly stepped back and held the base of my dress. Bowing a little.

“It's alright.” He said in a baritone. My brows furrowed thinking about his voice. It is somewhat familiar to my ears.

I looked up and got welcomed by a pair of midnight black eyes. His hair looks disheveled and his jaws are prominent and aristocratic.

He reminds me of some old paintings in my grandma's friends' mansion.

Then suddenly it hit me.

“Eric?” I said. As I have remembered, he was in a foreign country far from here.

“It's nice to see you again, Ysa.” He said darkly. I yelped in surprise and gave him a tight hug. I heard him chuckle a bit. “You’re the same naughty little girl huh.” His comment brought me back to many memories.

“Ysa, don't you dare leave the Montano's residence. You don't know the way of their maze so don't you dare.” My mommy reminded my 12 year self and proceeded to greeting the matriarch of the family.

Montanos are one of the most prominent families in this place. There mansion screams of elegance and almost all of there walls are beautifully sculpted with some enigmatic designs and complicated arts.

I was so amazed with the lights and even the dancing fountain that I approached it to see it clearly. I even saw some small snails crawling off the sides.

My brows furrowed thinking that it's a shame to have something to destroy the beauty of the place.

I looked back at my mommy and I see she is still talking, now to someone in a high society.

I am not a bit interested in parties, moreover, the people in that place. They were all about pretty things and arrogance. They say mean things nicely. They even insult some maids behind their backs.

I snorted and started walking past the large fountain. I planned to roam around their garden, when I see a very beautiful fence of tall, grass-like structure. There were also some lights nicely decorated on the vines.

I gasped, very amazed of the fence of grasses. I held out my hand and touched the leaves which seems to be very thick to touch.

I smiled lazily thinking of a very beautiful castle of my own. I even see an almost golden swing in one corner of the garden.

I looked back at mommy and started sashaying my way to the entrance of what seems to be a maze, knowing she is still busy talking.

I looked left and right and started my to step inside.

The outside is already breathtaking, the inside is even more magnificent. I feel like a real princess.

I started taking lazy steps while touching the sides of the tall grasses beside me. I giggled as I thought of fancy things.

I turned left and right and right and left. Until there was no more turn left.

I started panicking while frantically making steps to reach corners of the maze. I fumbled on my dress and raised it up to make even bigger steps.

With heart beating to fast and hands shaking, I began sweating so bad.

'Bad idea, Ysa.’ I'd have to mentally scold my self. This is a bad idea really.

When I turned to one corner, I instantly came to a halt when I bumped into a hard chest. I looked up and I sighed of relief. Finally, someone came for me.

“Hi.” I said. Still catching my breath. “I seem lost in the maze. Can you help me out?” I said as I held on his tux's sleeves.

He heaved a sigh and looked behind him. I saw him scratching his nape.

“I am lost, too.” He mumbled and started to walk slowly. I am flabbergasted. My eyes widened and I ran behind him.

“Wait!” This must be a result of being a hardheaded little girl.

“Aren’t you from here?” He suddenly asked when I get to his pace.

“I am from the Alta Tierra. Not really far from here. How about you?” I asked and turned my head to look at him.

“Hmmm. Somewhere here too.” He said that made my brows furrow. “Come on. Let's hurry. They might be looking for us.” He said and slightly tugged my dress to follow him faster.

"Why are you here?" He asked after a while.

"Well... I came to be very fascinated with the lights. I kind of... left my mommy to talk." I said , squeezing my hands a bit.

He chuckled again and I heard him tsked a bit.

I walked faster to follow his pace. He doesn't stop until he heard me panting to bad.

I heard him chuckle slightly and held my hand.

"You are very naughty, now you're tired." He said. Amusement is evident in his voice.

I pouted. "I was just very amazed with the lights. I didn't know that this maze was so big I'll get lost."

"You better listen to your mommy next time then." He said and turned to me a bit.

I nodded and we continued walking. Still fighting a bit about directions and turns. Then finally I heard low murmurs and muffled voices. We must be near.

I ran when I saw a very bright light from one turn. I heard him sigh and let me go.

"Don't worry Sally. Eric's into it too." A woman's voice said.

"Mommy!" I cried as I saw my mommy being held by a beautiful woman.

"Oh Ysa! Where have you been?!" She cried and hugged me. Slightly pjnching me on the sides too. "I told you already!". She said as she kissed the sides of my head.

"That's alright now Sally. Let us get inside and enjoy the rest of the night." She said and smiled a bit at me.

Everyone then started to follow her inside. We started walking too while mommy held me so tight.

"Where is Eric?" I heard the woman say. Someone approached her and whispered something. She nodded and turned to me.

"Finally, then" she said which left me dumbfounded.

"Mommy, someone helped me get out. Can I go see him?" I asked as she kept her tight side hug to me.

"You have been to too much trouble already Ysa. Please." She said shaking her head. I heaved a sigh and entered a huge mansion.

It was very bright and beautiful. There many furnitures which I know were expensive. There were also pictures of men and women wearing the olden clothes. Some looked like knights in their horses. When I looked at one corner, there were smaller frames of maybe the younger generations. The beautiful woman mommy was talking to was there too.

Until I saw him...