I trail up the windy staircase, Seth traveling behind me. It has been 6 days since the ball and we have gotten really close. The stone walls moist around me. Our footsteps echo throughout the tall mountain. We reach a large wooden door and I push it open, it squeaks on its hinges and small pieces of wood chip off.

Seth asked earlier if I had anything cool so I decided to show him my boek haven.

I haven't been in here for around 1 year and everything is dusty. I step aside and let Seth in. He studies discoveringly (doesn't know what anything is) what I'm already familiar with. Wooden boekshelves spread evenly apart on the stone floor, boeks cramped in it and a weird paper scroll with outlines of some places on the wall.

Seth walks over to the closest boekshelf and pulls out one of the boeks, blowing off the thick layer of dust. "What are these?" He asks.

"I think they are called bo-eks. That's at least what one of them said at least," I explain.

"What are they?" He asks and opens it up sending an amount of dust flying everywhere.

"They hold words but I think in a different language," I tell him. "Some contain pictures."

"That's cool."

I walk over to him and stand on my tip-toes to look at what he's seeing. Weird gibberish looking stuff lines the paper from left to right instead of top to bottom. I catch a few of the words though not knowing their meanings. Green canopies... Careful not to wake the monsters.

He slams the boek and looks around the room again. He walks over to a wooden stand thing and starts flipping the pages of the big book. Big words with slanted words underneath it layer each page.

"What do you think they mean?" I say.

Seth doesn't look away from the book. "I don't know but they look cool."

"Hmmm..." I walk away and towards the furthest part of the library and pull out another book. I wipe off the layer of dust and open it up. The words are fading and the pictures are incomplete. I wipe off a layer of dust on the page and get entrapped into a drawing of a circle with squiggly lines pointing out of it.

Footsteps approach and stop behind me. "What are you looking at, Gaizka?"

"This is interesting." I hand Seth the book and point to the picture. "What do you think that is?"

He looks at the image for some time and then looks down on me. "I don't know but we should find out... It says Sun underneath the image though so that could be a hint."

I grab the book back and shut it closed before putting it away in its rightful position. We walk out of the library and back down to the small house inside a mountain.

I pull out a jar of black mice and open the lid, the mice climbing over each other trying to escape their destiny. I pull one out by the tail and let it wriggle around for a bit. "Do you want a mouse, Seth?" I ask loudly from the kitchen.

"I would be delighted."

I put down the jar and grab a wooden board and a sharp knife. I secure the mouse on the board and slice its head off in one clean swipe. Blood starts pouring profusely out. I grab a plate from the shelf and put the mouse's body on the plate. I scrape off the blood on the wooden board on top of the delicacy. I leave the kitchen and enter the living room. I set the plate onto the wooden table and let Seth dig in.

He eats it quickly, wiping the blood on the mouse's tail. "That was scrumptious. Where did you find something so tasty?"

"They were expensive. I bought them from the store nearby."

"I'll go there next time," he says. I sit down beside him on the sandstone couch, resting my back against a white pillow which contrasts with the rest of my dark house. Seth looks at me and says, "Thank you for having me but I must go and attend some duties."

I watch him leave out the door and down the gravelly footpath. The door shuts behind me and I smile brightly, unable to stop myself. "He's the one," I mumble.

#

I change into a black tight-fit dress and a pair of dark green flats. I fix my pearl white hair into a perfect ballerina bun before heading out to the markets.

The streets aren't as packed but there are a few people hanging about. I pull open the door to Fabulae Tabernam. Different items of clothing hang from the ceiling or are folded on the tables. I walk up to Leanna and slip behind the counter with her.

"How are you, Leanna?" I ask.

"I am doing the good today. Gaizka, you?" She says. Leanna was unfortunate enough to miss out on most of her schooling so speaking isn't the thing she is best at.

"I am great...I guess it's my turn to take over now, right?" I tell Leanna. She nods at me and walks away into the back room.

I take a seat behind the counter and look through the papers, reading all the orders we have. The door swings open and I look up to see an old customer, around four hundred walk towards me. Her back is horribly arched and her light grey skin is crinkled and saggy.

She walks up to me. "How may I help you?"

"Hello dear...do you have any nice dresses?" She asks croakily but warmly.

"Yes I do. Do you want me to help you pick out a dress?" I ask sweetly.

"That would be very sweet of you." She smiles warmly.

I help her pick out a white florally dress and watch her walk out of the street. A few scattered Sol Dantium's walk around the shop. I take in their money and hand them their clothes most time, others just leave. Another customer walks in is very familiar with his long grey hair.

"Seth? What are you doing here?" I ask, shocked he's here.

"I just wanted to see you," he replies and walks up to the counter.

"B-But we saw each other yesterday," I reply flustered.

"But I missed you."

"R-Really? You're the first one," I say honestly.

"How could anyone not miss you? You're too beautiful," he compliments and rests his hand against my cheek.

I rest my hand on top of his cold one. "T-That's not true. I'm not pretty," I mumble. My cheeks feel cold. His sharp features and long ears (Move this to somewhere suitable).

"Don't say that. You know you are the most gorgeous Sol Dantium to ever exist," he whispers. A fake cough catches my attention. I remove Seth's hand from my face and look over at the young man.

"Took you long enough," he grumbles. I pay him quickly, the whole time Seth standing there watching intently.

I turn to face him again and watch his eyes roam down my body, I shiver slightly. "I have to do my job now, we can meet up after work though," I tell Seth. He smiles warmly at me before leaving me to do my job.

The next three hours are filled with anticipation and excitement.

I close the shop for the night, feeling sleepiness wash over me in waves. Seth is standing around the corner. I yawn loudly, exaggerating the sound in hopes that he'll understand and let me leave to go home.

Seth walks up to me and grabs my hand. "Are you alright?" He asks soothingly.

"Just tired is all," I mutter.

"How 'bout I walk you home? Would you like that?"

I nod my head and rest my head against Seth's side, his right arm wrapped around my waist. Explain scenery. My eyelids slowly droop. Today was a busy day at work. I unlock the front door and slip inside.

"Do you mind if I stay the night? My sister is having her friend over for the night and I don't want to bother them."

I absentmindedly nod my head and let him in. "Sleep on the couch," I say, my words all slured together. He pulls off his shirt, revealing his smooth chest. Though I'm exaughsted, I'm still surprised to see a flat stomach rather than some abs. I brush it off and go to my room near the lounge room, immediately falling asleep in the comfort of my hard bed.