That evening, Lady Isobel was drilling Ana with the proper etiquette and conduct of a vampire princess. For instance, she was informed by Lady Isobel that she did not talk like a princess should. Apparently, Ana talked as if she was someone who was selling fish in the market—her voice was so loud as if to draw customers' attention, and she behaved as if she was ready to pick a fight with anyone who dared to steal her potential customers. Not that there was anything wrong with selling fish in the market—it was an honest job. But that was how she had interpreted it when Lady Isobel said she lacked the 'social graces befitting her station.'

She was then taught how to make a curtsy if she was in the presence of someone who had a higher ranking than her—the elf king and queen for instance. She was also forced to walk with a book on her head so she could practice the art of walking regally. Then she was asked to recite the rankings of peers in descending order of hierarchy. Tomorrow she would be learning the importance of being vigilant as to whom she could seat next with during a dinner party. In short, Lady Isobel was teaching her how to be utterly useless. Anastasia was already bored to death. And it was still ten in the evening! Still, many more hours to go.

Ana had thought that a vampire's role in society was to stalk the night, grab unsuspecting idiot who wander the darkened street so helplessly alone, take a sip of blood and disappear into the shadows. Apparently, there was more to it than that. More dull stuff, like her duty as a vampire princess to marry for the sake of peace and unity within the realm.

When Lady Isobel was about to teach her about the proper way to address royalty, the door suddenly slammed open, and Ivan strode inside the room.

Ivan planted his feet a slight wide apart and growled in a deep voice, "Out. Now."

"I will most certainly not!" Lady Isobel said, looking aghast for interrupting them in the middle of a very important lesson. "We are still not fin—"

Ivan merely gave her a menacing look, clearly disliking being disobeyed.

"Very well," Lady Isobel finally said. She turned to address a very confused Ana. "I think it is best we will leave some lessons for tomorrow. I will be returning tomorrow evening. Good eve, Princess Anastasia."

Ana gave her a nod before Lady Isobel vanished and teleported back to Sanggre.

Ivan directed his glare at the two frightened lady's maids. "You two, help your princess to get ready for bed."

Ivan was about to leave the room when Ana was able to overcome her state of shock and called out the prince's name. "Ivan, what was that all about?"

"Haven't they taught you yet how to properly address a prince?"

"I'm not sure. I think they did, but I must have dozed off."

"Go to bed early."

"Why would I listen to you?"

"I thought you said you wanted to see what's outside? See the sun?"

"Well, yes I did say that. But what does that—Oh!" Ana suddenly grinned, understanding dawning on her. "Are you saying that you will allow me to go out tomorrow?"

"I will bring you to the Eyther Myettln tomorrow. Go to bed. You need to be up early. I despise tardiness." He left a very happy Ana bouncing up and down with unabashed glee.

"Did you hear that, girls?" Ana asked, addressing Erien and Lucya. "I get to go out tomorrow on a field trip!"

"Oh, Princess Ana. I am so happy for you!" Erien said with a giggle. "Prince Ivan is taking you to the Eyther Myettln!"

"Eydermie—what?" she asked. She threw a questioning look at Lucya, who only gave her a shrug.

"Eyther Myettln," Erien repeated. "It means Forest of Emerald Magic. It's a very special place for us elves. And the prince is taking you there!"

"Oh. Then I'll just call it magical forest then," Ana answered. "I don't think I can pronounce the name right."

"But you can't Princess Ana. There are several magical forests in Enkantria. You have to be specific about which magical forest you are speaking of," Erien explained.

"What made it a special place, Erien?" she asked. She was curious as well as to why Ivan would bring her there.

Erien made another giggle. "You will find out tomorrow. I'm sure Prince Ivan had planned a surprise for you. That's why he's taking you there."

She frowned at what Erien had said. Ivan would never do that, to plan a surprise that is. He didn't seem to be the type to organize surprises. But what if he indeed had a plan? What if he planned to shove her off a cliff? Or to lead her to a werewolf den?

But Ana was so desperate to leave the sanctuary of her room that she would risk any of Ivan's 'evil plans'. She decided to worry about it tomorrow. For now, she was just so happy she would finally get to go outside. She slept that night with a smile on her face.

The sun still wasn't up the following day when Erien came barging in on Ana's room and shook her arm to wake her up. "Princess Ana, please wake up."

"It's still not morning yet," she mumbled as she drew the covers over her head.

"But Princess Ana, Prince Ivan is waiting for you outside."

"Tell him to drop dead. Five more minutes, please."

Suddenly, the blanket was forcefully pulled away from Ana, making her shiver as cold air met her skin. "Erien!" she exclaimed as she opened her eyes.

"I thought I told you last night I despise tardiness. Get dressed or the excursion outside will be forfeited," Ivan's thunderous voice echoed in the dead of the night—or was it morning already? Ana couldn't tell. She saw Ivan leaving the room, and Erien was agitated thinking it was her fault for not waking her up early.

"Oh alright! What an annoying alarm clock," she said, hoping Ivan had heard her.

Erien assisted her to get ready for today's trip—wherever that Eithermiettleen forest was. She donned a yellow gown, with long sleeves and a modest neckline—one that was provided by Erien. She decided to save the gowns given to her by her mother for future use. The gowns and dresses her mother had sent were a bit on the gloomy side with most of the gowns having the color black and red. Not to mention most of the gown's necklines were outrageously low. She didn't want Ivan to think she was seducing him, did she now?

After wearing a white hooded cloak, she went outside of the room to find Ivan standing impatiently at the foot of the steps.

"Does it always take you this long to get yourself ready?" he asked between gritted teeth.

Ana decided to ignore his early grumpy mood. "Good morning, sunshine." She saw Ivan rolling his eyes and grouchily saying, "Follow me," and he led her to several flights of stairs and several landings, giving Ana the dreaded early morning exercise. She hadn't even had her coffee yet! Ivan led her outside the castle where the morning darkness met them. The sun wasn't up yet probably for the next half an hour or so. A burly male elf was holding the reins of a white stallion at the bottom of the steps of the castle entrance.

They both climbed down the steps and Ana looked at the horse, unsure of what to do. "This is our ride?"

"Yes," Ivan answered in a curt tone.

"I don't know how to ride one. And there's only one horse."

"You don't have to worry about that. And yes, there's only one horse because you wouldn't need one."

"What do you mean I wouldn't need one? Oh—don't tell me. You're not expecting me to ride with you?"

"You don't have any choice now, do you?"

And before Ana could even make a protest, Ivan effortlessly lifted her off the ground by her waist and placed her unceremoniously sideways atop the horse. She almost slipped off the horse so she hastily wrapped her arm around the horse's neck to prevent her from falling. "If your idea of a good field trip is to have me fall off a horse and break my bones, then I'd rather cancel our tour."

As Ana was trying to arrange her side sitting position while trying to keep her balance, she felt Ivan behind her settling himself. "Princess Anastasia, you will not fall off a horse. I am an excellent rider," he said.

"Jeez, now you're being formal. That's a first."

"First what?"

"First time for you to call me by my name. And address me like a princess. You often call me vampire, female, and recently, woman. Do you always need to remind me that I'm a girl?"

"I figured I need to set a good example for you to follow from now on. That's why I'll be calling you Princess Anastasia from now on. And I am Prince Ivan to you."

"Ah..." she was about to say something further when she felt Ivan's arm wrapped around her waist while his other hand grabbed the reins as he kicked the horse into motion. He also drew her near him, her back meeting his firm chest. She tried very hard to relax and ignore the virile man behind her and the warmth that seemed to be enveloping her. Why couldn't they ride a car or—what do you call those vehicles pulled by horses? Ah yes—a carriage since this land of the primitives did not yet discover the fascinating ingenuity of automobiles?

She leaned forward as much as she could as Ivan continued to maneuver the horse to its pace. But he tugged at her waist, forcing her back against him. She tried to unsuccessfully stifle a yawn. She was still sleepy and considering that this brute behind her forced her to wake up at an ungodly hour in the morning, her eyelids involuntary began closing, her mind slowly drifting to sleep. Her head suddenly toppled forward and a muscle in her twitched, causing her to be jolted awake. Damn, she hated every time that happened.

"If you still want to sleep, you can lean your head on my chest," Ivan suggested.

Ana bet Ivan thought that was so gallant of him to make such a suggestion.

"No thank you. I would rather stay awake than use your pecs for pillows," she answered.

"Suit yourself."

She found herself several minutes later snuggled comfortably onto Ivan's body while her head rested on his chest when she began to slowly open her eyes. Ah great! She fell asleep. Her mouth felt dry, and she later realized with full horror that her mouth was hanging wide open while she slept. She hastily pulled herself away from his chest while avoiding looking at him. She heard him chuckle with a rich and throaty sound.

She realized that they were now having a slow pace inside the woods. She was wondering why Ivan had brought her there when she suddenly felt his hand shift around her waist and slipped under her cloak, his fingers splayed against her rib. Normally she would have demanded, "Hands off!" but since she was still recovering from her embarrassment of sleeping on his chest with her mouth open for all the flies to visit, she decided to endure his nearness in grudging silence.

"We're almost there," he whispered near her ear, his velvety voice sending waves of heat through her body. His hand moved again that seemed to inch its way closer to her breast.

When Ana was about to demand him this time to take his hands off her, the words died in her throat as a spectacular sight met her eyes.

"We're here," she heard Ivan say behind her, his voice hinting of a promise.