I looked up the sky and saw clouds forming, the setting sun was slowly covered by dull gray clouds. Will it rain? My hair will get crinkly again. I twirled the tips of my red hair and picked up a book then sat on the windowsill at my room.

I started reading, the book was about etiquette and manners of a lady. I’ve studied and read the same materials many times since young and it never hurts to read again, especially with my birthday celebration coming.

Time passed, maybe and hour or so? It felt like the words were flying off the book and I couldn’t understand anything. I feel my eyes swim dizzily, did I really understand what this book was about? Am I really sure this book is about etiquette?

Confused, a sigh left my lips.

Everything started yesterday morning, when I met her…

“Paige, come.”

My brother urged me to ride behind him. I was brought along because I can sense where some of the traps are in Meldrid forest. Behind us, Prince Theo’s company followed by horse and I couldn’t keep my eyes off the woman riding with Sir Henry.

A girl peaked behind Henry who noticed my gaze. I immediately felt embarrassed but she smiled and it was beautiful. I’m sure that smile captured many hearts of men as it did mine.

“Tell me Peter, how did you know where we would be?”

His highness, who was riding beside us asked.

“We were lucky. We thought you’d stop by the river to let the horses drink but we never would’ve thought that you’d be lost for almost 3 days.”

At this, his highness chuckled. This man is beautiful as well, his gracefulness is befitting of a royal. He might even beat me in a lady’s etiquette. I felt gloomy at my thoughts, how could my own thoughts destroy me?

“Normally, it would be hard to go back to the river once you get lost. How did you find your way back?”

My brother continued. His highness looked over his shoulder and Henry rode beside us.

“Umm… Violet? Yes, we’ll call you Violet. Is that fine with you?”

The lady tilted her head at his highness giving her a name and smiled as she accepted, it was a small smile, just a tiny purse on the lips but I can feel that she’s satisfied. I heard she lost her memories and doesn’t remember who she was, but can you really remember such elegant movements without memories? I felt gloomy at my thoughts once again. Even the lady without memories is more graceful than I am.

“Well then, we shall call you Violet.”

His highness continued and chuckled.

“Miss Violet, how did you know how to get back to the river? Nobody can navigate the forest aside from the Forest-kin that dwells north of the forest.”

Brother asked Lady Violet, almost interrogating her, he was unusually angry no, he was on guard. I pinched brother’s side as I held his waist.

“Stop being rude, brother.”

I whispered to his ear, he was startled but tried to calm himself.

“Moss. They grow where sun doesn’t shine much. I remembered the general direction… then listened to the sounds.”

It was cryptic. Moss? How can moss point the right way? We had to follow markings we made before since grandfather’s time just to reach the river, and she followed moss?

“Moss? How can moss point the right way? We followed markings made before to reach the river, and you followed moss?”

Brother, we think too alike. You practically took the words from me, I felt a chuckle coming out so I dug myself deeper on my brother’s back. As a lady, I can’t ruin the conversation with moronic thoughts.

“Cardinal directions. Moss grows north side of the trees where the sun shines rarely.”

She answered right away? Cardinal directions? Aren’t those in the things the forest gypsies sold called… what was it?

“You have a compass?”

Brother, please! I can’t laugh! I held his waist tighter stifling my laugh. Lady Violet shook her head.

“No, just a general idea.”

Brother seems dissatisfied. I was too, but just having the general idea of where you were in the forest is an amazing thing.

“Then wouldn’t you say you’re part of the forest-kin to have such knowledge? What makes you trustworthy enough not to kill us right now?”

Again, brother was being rude. At his question Lady Violet smiled. Her beautiful face contorted into smile that brought dread, sweat ran down my back and I felt my brother jolt. Brother’s face slowly descend into fear, sweat ran down on his neck drenching part of his red hair.

He battled numerous monsters, both hideous and dangerous. He became a Rank B hunter at an early age due to his accomplishments and was known to never back down. But I can see, no, I can feel that Lady Violet was different. Too different, a terrifying… monster…

“Then, you’d be dead by now.”

She answered curtly. Seeing my brother’s fear, Sir Henry moved the horse away from us, clicking his tongue. His angry voice resounded a little ways behind us, aimed at Lady Violet.

“Forgive her. She has a tendency to act like that when she feels hostility. You were asking for it, though.”

His highness said in a cheerful way trying to dispel the ill air around us.

“Not to worry, she feels grateful for us saving her. As long as you don’t attack, she won’t retaliate.”

What? Is she some sort of animal then? So your highness, tamed her? My stomach hurts. My feelings were joggled from fear, surprise and now from his words, I can feel another laugh coming. I held my stomach and buried my face deeper onto my brother’s back.

After that, they were tired so when we arrived, they slept soundly without supper. But on the courtyard I saw Lady Violet. She was walking around the garden, maybe feeling the night air? Isn’t she tired?

She hummed, I can hear it clearly with the balcony doors opened. It was a soft and gentle tune. Soon, she would repeat it again and again, each time with words on the right notes. It was fascinating, I couldn’t help myself, so I stood on the balcony and watched her sauntering and singing in the garden.

She’s beautiful…

A sigh escaped my lips and in that instant, time flowed slowly. She turned her head, her magnificent purple hair flowed down from her shoulders, strand by strand. Wonderfully flowing down softly like silk. Then her gentle smile beamed at me all the while glittering happily. A dignified lady full of grace, that’s what she was. The monster this afternoon was nowhere to be seen. Just a beautiful lady smiling brightly under the moonlit sky.

My cheeks flushed, embarrassment crept up my face in the form of the color red. Peeping was disgraceful for a lady. I ran, I hid under the covers and fell asleep curled up.

I want to be as dignified as Lady Violet!