Chapter 1

My name is Elisabetta Dragomire and a few months ago, I turned 18. Like any normal morning, I made my way downstairs to have breakfast with my family in our shabby chic kitchen at the breakfast bar I had helped my father to build one weekend and when we always sat down for breakfast, we weren't allowed to leave until everyone had finished eating. However, this day was slightly different with it being my eighteenth birthday. Not only were the rules regarding breakfast thrown out the window, the small table by the larder door was piled high with envelopes and a mysterious package under a black satin cloth. The breakfast bar had a platter of fresh fruit alongside baked croissants with strawberry jam and peppermint tea in a gothic print glass mug I had bought two months ago from my godmother's store as a new addition to my ever-growing collection of gothic inspired items.

Once I had finished my breakfast and helped our part-time chef and cleaner deal with the dishes, I returned to the breakfast bar and opened some of the envelopes on the small table that were addressed to me. Just as I had finished reading the last card, my father handed me an envelope that looked rather old. As he handed the envelope over to me, I noticed a wax seal and decided to break the seal to see what was inside. I pulled out a hand-written letter addressed to me that was written exactly 18 years ago to the day. As I was reading this letter, I noticed that my parents were looking rather upset as I read the letter aloud before breaking down in tears as I read the following lines." If you are reading this letter on your 18th birthday, you are the only surviving member of our family. You were born of noble blood and the true owner of Blackwood Manor in the town of Black Winter. You were placed into the care of your guardians as there were forces at work who wanted to destroy our family and the legacy, I had planned for you as you grew up." I looked at my parents before storming out of the kitchen in tears and heading to my room where I slammed the door shut and cried into my pillows. My father waited outside in the hallway until he felt it was right to ask if he could come in and explain everything.

"Elisabetta, sweetheart. I am so sorry you found out this way. We planned to tell you two years ago but we were advised against it by the officials of Black Winter and the executors of your family's estate until today as per your father's wishes. Unfortunately, you have to leave us today and return to Black Winter." As my father had finished explaining, my mother came in with a box from one of my favourite designers and I opened it to reveal a long black floor length silk dress with a matching cloak and ballet pumps. My father knew that was his cue to leave and gave me a small kiss on the cheek before closing the door. As my mother asked me to sit down in front of the dressing table by the window I asked her before she started to pull my hair back into an intricate braided bun "Mother, why do I have to leave the home I have known for the past eighteen years to learn about who I really am. Why can't I stay here where all my friends are" She explained that it was a condition of them raising me that I return to my place of birth on my eighteenth and reveal myself to the world as many residents thought I had simply disappeared. When she had finished sorting out my hair and makeup out, my mother helped me into the dress and shoes before securing the cloak around my neck and leaving the hood down so she could let me have a look at everything before leading me downstairs so my father could give me one last gift. He gave me a silver necklace with a flower pendant in the middle with an inscription on the back that I put on immediately. My mother then lead me to the study and asked me to wait there while they were on the phone to someone in the hallway.

Even though the door was shut, I could make out a few words such as "She's ready to leave" and "She looks so much like her mother and father". I noticed that my father was bringing three large suitcases down with the help of our chef as I was allowed to leave the study once my mother had finished on the phone. As I stepped out of the study, a knock came from the front door and even though our chef was helping my father, he went to the front door and opened it. When my mother saw who it was, she helped my father to load the luggage into the boot of a black limousine before returning to the hallway and giving me the biggest hug known to man. As we had almost finished our goodbyes, the driver of the limousine came up to the door and my mother whispered in my ear about putting the hood up on my cloak so I put it up, making sure to keep my face hidden.

She explained that it will make a lot of sense when I get to Black Winter and with that, I stepped out of the house I had grown up in and made the first step in a new adventure. When I sat down in the limousine, the driver handed me a velvet wrapped box before closing the door and making his way back to the driver's seat. Once the limousine had started up and we set off, he said that I had to open the box before we got to the airport. Following his instructions, I opened the box and found a leather-bound journal with a matching pen alongside some photos. On closer inspection of the photos, I noticed that there was a note on them.

The note was written in a rather elegant, flowing script and said the following, "Lady Elisabetta, these photos belong to you now. They are of your true mother and father around the time of your birth. They were two of the kindest people ever to live in Black Winter and I hope to meet you soon". I looked to see who they were from but could not find a name. I looked at these photos very closely to see if there were any similarities and I looked at my hair now and that of my mother's and I looked so much like her.

The journey from my house to the local airport usually takes about 30 minutes on a good day, but as I was looking out of the window, I noticed that we were driving to a private airfield where a private jet was waiting for us. We pulled up about 5 feet away from the private jet and almost immediately, the heavens started to open with a massive downpour that could cause a massive flood in rural areas and even though the driver only had to make sure I got to the private airfield safely, he took it upon himself to help me out of the back of the limousine and escort me to the plane under an umbrella so I wouldn't get wet while the three suitcases were being loaded into the hold of the jet.

Once I had safely entered the plane and took my seat, the door was closed, and we took off. Once we were at a safe altitude, a gentleman dressed in a slim fit black three-piece suit with a crisp white shirt and black tie came and sat opposite me. "Do not be alarmed, Lady Elisabetta. I am Mr Balan. I am the main executor of your family estate and as the main executor, my job is to fill you in on what your life will now be like as a noble of Black Winter. Before we continue, I must give you this envelope with some documents that will need to be signed to prove you are the last of the Dragomire dynasty. I thought it was best to do them while we were on the way as there will be a whole procession waiting for you once you arrive in Black Winter which will take us to the town hall where the mayor and his wife will greet you before a small tea reception inside the mayoral chambers. After the tea reception, the procession will continue all the way to your family home". I read the documents that needed to be signed and signed them where the signature needed to be placed with the pen that was with the leather-bound journal. Once the items had been signed, he returned to his seat as we were getting ready to descend into the airport on the outskirts of Black Winter. We eventually landed and Mr Balan replaced the documents in the inside pocket of his suit jacket before sticking his coat and hat on. He then exited the plane and gave a quick speech before I took a deep breath and followed him out to a waiting car while trying to avoid the press.