The day before the Feeding, I was working diligently at my job at the bookstore. That day, a new shipment of books arrived, so I had to put them in the shelves. As I was shelving the books, I tried to put a book on the top shelf by standing on my tippy-toes, but my height had its limits. Did I ever mention that it being short? 

 

Anyway, as I was trying to reach the shelf, a slender, white hand behind me plucked the book out of my hand and placed it on the top shelf. 

 

I turned around to see a handsome, pale man, but he wasn't sick-pale. His skin was more like a snowy white pale. He had golden blonde hair, which stood out, because no one in the village had a hair color that was lighter than black. His eyes were chocolate brown color, wait-

 

Was it just me or did they just turn red? 

 

I blinked and looked into his eyes; they were brown. It must have been my imagination. 

 

"Thank you for helping me," I said. 

 

"It's no problem," the pale man said as he smiled. 

 

The smile washed away my previous assumptions. He didn't have predatory red eyes; he had warm chocolate-brown eyes. 

 

"Um... Is there anything I can help you with?" I asked. 

 

"Yes. May I have your name?" the man asked. 

 

"My name is Sora," I said. 

 

"Sora, what a beautiful name. My name is Luhan," Luhan said. "Until we meet again." With that, Luhan left the store, leaving me puzzled by his words and the mysterious scent of vanilla lingering in the air on the spot he had just stood on. 

........ 

 

The next day, everyone in the village showed up at the town square to see the girls, who were most likely to die before sundown, one last time. Tears were shed. Promises that were most likely to be broken were made. Secrets and confessions were revealed. Farewells were told everywhere. 

 

I had no family or friends to say goodbye to like the other girls. My family died in a fire that almost burned our whole farm into ashes. I am the only survivor. And as for friends, I never really talked to other girls in my age. Mainly because I didn't flirt with boys, never tried putting make-up on, went shopping for extravagant dresses in the city, or had any interests in the male population of the island like the other girls. I would prefer books over boys anytime, and use my time wisely tending my small garden where all the food I ate came from or working at my job at the bookstore to pay for water and seeds.

 

As the girls were escorted to the castle at the summit of Arcana Mountain, I heard movement in the dark, bare trees. I swiftly turned around and scanned my surroundings. There was nothing there. I breathed in and out slowly. I have to admit that I was scared at the fact that I may die today, and the trail to the castle didn't lift my spirits up. If anything, it made me even more scared. However, I was unusually calm with the hope that if I did die today, I would be able to see my family again. Therefore, I didn't tremble like the others, and calmly walked on the rocky trail and the marble floors of the castle. 

 

I had heard rumors that going in the castle was the worst part of the Feeding because it reeked of blood and death. Yet strangely, I didn't smell anything except for the smell of roses. The other girls didn't seem to smell roses and held their noses. 

 

"Eww. What is that smell?" 

 

"I bet it's from the corpses." 

 

"I'm scared! I don't want to die yet!" One girl bursted into tears. 

 

It was strange. I didn't smell what the other girls smelled. I smelled roses and perhaps... 

 

Vanilla? 

 

Yes, it was vanilla. For some reason, I felt like I had smelled this before. It was so familiar, so vaguely familiar. 

 

Could it be...? 

 

Everyone became silent at once as a figure stepped out of the shadows. I recognized him at once. 

 

"Luhan!" I called out. 

 

He turned his head to my direction and smiled warmly at me. "Sora." 

 

Everyone whispered to one another, yet it seemed as if they were talking loudly due to the castle's echoing effect. 

 

"Is that the prince?" 

 

"He's so handsome!" 

 

"I wouldn't mind dying in his hands." 

 

"He doesn't look like a monster." 

 

"I know! He looks like a real prince." 

 

"How does he know that girl?" 

 

"Who is that girl anyway?"

 

"Hey! I know her! She's that bookworm who works at the bookseller's store!" 

 

"You're right!" 

 

All the girls stopped talking when Luhan opened his mouth to speak. 

 

"Hello, ladies. I am Luhan, the prince of Arcana," Luhan bowed gracefully. "But I am sorry to inform you that your trip up the mountain was not needed for I have already found my bride." Luhan paused before walking to my direction. He came closer and closer before kneeling on one knee in front of me and taking my hand in his. He brought my hand closer to his lips and kissed it gently. 

 

All the girls gasped. 

 

Luhan looked up into my eyes. "Will you marry me, Sora?" 

 

"Yes."