When I woke up that morning, I had a feeling that something bad was going to happen. At 17, I was never an ordinary girl; I had an instinct for knowing things before they happened. That morning, I sensed in my heart that everything was about to change and that nothing would be the same by evening.
"Anna, come here; there's a letter for you!" my aunt called from downstairs. My heart started to race; it meant Nicholas was back! Nicholas was the man I was madly in love with—he was the air I breathed and the water I drank. I dashed downstairs quickly, trying to hide my excitement from my aunt, who had raised me after my parents died when I was just a baby. I had never learned the full story; I always received vague answers, told I would find out when the time was right, but that moment hadn't arrived yet.
"Miia, where's my letter?" I asked. Miia, with her kind eyes and golden blonde hair, pointed me toward the table where the letter awaited. Nicholas lived in a nearby castle and was old-fashioned, always sending me little letters. He was older than me, but I didn't care. His jet-black hair and eyes that felt like they held centuries of wisdom drove me crazy with desire.
I struggled to control my shaking hands and suppress my excitement. Nicholas had been away for almost a month, and I couldn't wait for his return. I grabbed the letter and read: "Anna! I'm waiting for you at my castle; come tonight." I should have sensed that something was off because this letter felt cold, lacking the love that infused his previous ones.
The hours dragged on until finally, the time arrived. I carefully chose my outfit, slipping into a light blue dress and arranging my long blonde hair up elegantly. I left home and arrived at the castle as the sun began to set; we had always enjoyed the nighttime together. The doors opened as if by magic, and Nicholas's trainer greeted me at the main door, saying he was waiting for me in the main hall.
I wanted to rush to him, but I restrained myself until I reached the door to the main hall. Upon seeing him, I could no longer hold back and sprinted into his arms with all my might. "Finally, you're here; I missed you so much!" I usually heard those words in return, but not today. It hit me that his arms weren't wrapped around me; I was the only one embracing him.
Then I heard the fateful sentence: "Anna, we need to talk."