The Vessalius estate was bustling with life as the servants prepared the carriages that were to leave for the location of the young master's coming of age ceremony. There was much to be taken for the week the duke family would spend at the prestigious mansion for the ceremony. However, the young master that was the central subject of all this preparation was nowhere to be seen.

This young master's name was Oz Vessalius.

The fifteen year old blonde boy was evading the servants and spending his last hours of fun with his three close friends; his valet for the past few years, Gilbert; his young sister, Ada; and his only friend that was neither related to him nor lived at the house, Alexis Rosewood.

The favorite oasis was the innermost garden. It had bunches of blooming yellow roses along the circular brick path that surrounded the garden. A strip of soft, green grass separated the roses from the mix of buttercups, daffodils, daisies, and blue violets that filled the rest of the garden. A tall, sturdy oak tree sat in the center of the circular garden.

Oz sat leaning against the tree, eyes directed toward the blue sky obstructed by only a few passing clouds; Gilbert sat next to him also staring towards the sky; Ada and Alexis sat barely a foot away amongst the flowers.

"It's too bad you can't come with us, Alexis," Oz tore his emerald eyes away from the sky, "It would be more fun if we could all be together." The girl flicked her sapphire eyes towards her blonde friend, "You know I'm a year too young to go to your ceremony. The only reason Ada is going is because she's your sister. And even then she can't attend the ceremony." Ada shifted around next to Alexis miffed at hearing it again. "Don't fret, Ada-sama, the young master promised to spend as much time with you beforehand," the raven haired valet spoke. Ada cheered up, "Well that's good. I get to play with big brother a lot without worrying about him studying a lot or Mrs. Kate calling for him." Happy now, the young girl started picking daisies for a daisy chain.

Alexis looked to Oz, "So what are you three going to do for the few days before the ceremony?" Instead of answering, Oz clapped his hand on Gilbert's shoulder. The boy shivered at sensing his young master's evil aura. "I'm sure we'll find something to do," Oz's smile made his tone all the more sinister. Gilbert looked up at Oz, his eyes widened with fear, "Y-young m-m-master?"

Alexis sighed. "Why do you treat Gilbert like that?" She looked at the two boys; they were complete opposites, this she had noticed the first day she had been introduced to the raven haired boy. Oz was playful, outgoing, and always cheerful; Gilbert was reserved, quiet, and always worried. They were quite the combination.

Gilbert started to plead, "Could you please let go of me, young master? You're beginning to hurt me." Oz hummed, thinking. "Well there's always the time before the party to play," he concluded releasing Gilbert from his grasp. Alexis got up from her spot next to Ada, who was still working on her daisy chain, and sat next to the boys, "You know I always wonder if you'll ever stop harassing Gilbert." Oz looked at her playfully, "It's just too much fun with Gil." Alexis sighed and picked a flower, "You'll have to stop someday."

"Miss Alexis!" The children turned toward the house to see Mrs. Kate calling the girl, "Your parents have called for you!" Their mood fell in an instant. Alexis was supposed to stay until night fall, but apparently plans had changed. "Nooo," whined Ada, "it's still early." Alexis patted the young girl's blonde head, "Don't worry you'll be back soon and then I'll come visit."

The children stood up. "Alexis, I really did hope you could come, but even Uncle Oscar said there are traditions to keep," Oz placed his hand on the shorter girl's shoulder, "But I'll bring you a souvenir from the mansion." A laugh escaped from Alexis' lips. She hugged him, "Good luck at the ceremony, Oz. Try not to come back too much like an adult." Ada jumped up and offered Alexis the finished daisy chain, "I'll make sure to keep big brother as he is now!" Alexis bent down to hug the girl, Ada putting the daisy chain on her head as she pulled away.

"As for you, Gilbert," Alexis straightened up, "take care of them." Gilbert bowed his head, "Of course, Miss Alexis." Alexis grabbed the fourteen year old boy and hugged him, "You know I don't like you treating me like that." Gilbert stood stiff at the direct contact from the girl. "And take care of yourself," she added in a whisper.

"Miss Alexis!" Mrs. Kate called again. Alexis turned and ran toward the housekeeper. Before entering the house she turned to look at her trio of friends one last time and waved.

"The carriage is waiting for you young Miss," said Mrs. Kate as they arrived at the front hall of the house, "your parents' message sounded urgent and were sorry that they had to pull you away so early." Alexis twirled the flower she had picked earlier in her fingers, "It's alright, I'm sure they have good reasons for it."

The front doors were opened and Alexis stepped out with the housekeeper. The wind picked up just then and blew Ada's daisy chain out of her brunette hair. Alexis barely noticed; it wasn't until she was seated in the carriage that she realized it was gone. She looked out the window as the carriage made its way down the road, upset at the loss. She still had the daffodil she had picked, but she didn't like it as much as the daisies.

Finally they had returned. It had been a long, excruciating week of waiting for Alexis. Of all the weeks everyone she knew had to go off on some trip it had to have been the previous one. Well, even if anyone had been at home it wouldn't have mattered. She had been bedridden because of a long, deep gash up the side of her right leg. She was considered lucky that it had healed by the fourth day and was walking by the fifth.

She had absolutely no idea where it had come from. The day after she had left the Vessalius estate she woke up only to find her leg wrapped up and unable to walk from the pain. Her mother had told Alexis that her carriage had been attacked and she had been knocked unconscious by the bandits. She accepted that explanation like all the other ones explaining her odd wounds from the past year. A broken wrist, a bruised shoulder, she never bothered to ask anymore about them. It was just how she was raised to accept her mother's word without question.

The carriage stopped. The young girl didn't even wait for the coachman to open the door and help her out. She quickly walked, as she couldn't run still, up to the doors which were opened by the hand of a servant. She was about to run down to the sitting room where Oz, Gilbert and Ada would always be, but the servant stopped her. "Please wait a moment young Miss, Oscar-sama wishes to speak with you." She had never been asked to wait, what was going on? Alexis stopped in her tracks and waited.

"Young Miss," the coachman cried, "you forgot your satchel." Alexis quickly walked back and grabbed it, "Thank you, I don't want to forget this." She opened it to make sure she hadn't forgotten Oz's present. With a nod of approval she closed it and the coachman left.

Heavy footsteps were heard down the hall and Alexis soon spotted Oscar. She was about to cry out gleefully but saw his sullen expression and downcast eyes. When he approached her she spoke out timidly, "Oscar-sama, what's going on?" The man tried to give her a smile to calm her, but it did no good. "Alexis, I have to tell you something very important. Its concern is about Oz, Gilbert and Ada." Those words weakened the girl. The worst began to flow through her mind.

"Come into the parlor, I know you haven't been doing well. I'll explain everything inside," Oscar directed the girl to the parlor that was reserved for guests. He closed the doors tightly to prevent anyone from overhearing.

Alexis' tears spilled down her face, her satchel fallen to the floor, forgotten. Oscar sat across from her letting the tears fall knowing that nothing would calm her.

He had told her what had happened during Oz's coming of age ceremony. Oz had disappeared into the bowels of the Abyss. She was fully aware of what it was. The Abyss had been a part of her studies; not the story book version told to children to scare them, but the actual truth of what it was. The darkness that enveloped that world would haunt her dreams at times. How she wished she had been blinded by the fairytales told to protect children from the truth.

He had told her of how Gilbert had gone away to the Nightray house to be adopted by the family to be with his brother. Apparently the boy named Vincent that had been adopted by the family years ago was Gilbert's brother. Everyone knew that the Nightray and Vessalius households were opposites; one center stage in the spotlight and the other in the invisible supporting role. How strange it was to Alexis that Gilbert would leave for his young master's family's enemy.

He had told her that because of all that has happened Ada was going to be sent to a boarding school as soon as she was old enough. They didn't want Ada to be affected too much because of the loss of her brother, and decided that a change in scenery would distract her. Alexis actually thought that to be a good idea. It would be best not to expose Ada to reminders of her older brother when it would be hard to explain to her what had happened.

"It can't be true, it can't be true," she repeated over and over until her sobs choked her voice.

Oz; gone.

Gilbert; also gone.

Ada; here, but not for long.

"Alexis, I know this is a lot to take in, but you must not let this take over your life," Oscar started, the girl looked up. "I know right now you think this is the end, that there's nothing else you can do, but you have to keep going," Oscar got up, walked over and sat next to her, "keep going in your life and you'll see that things will get better."

Alexis wiped her eyes. It would be foolish not to take Oscar's advice. Not only was he a parental figure to all of them, but he knew the pains and grief of loss.

"I'll keep going," she whispered at first, her voice became stronger and clearer, "I'll keep going and accept it."

And she did.

The young girl continued to live her life for the next ten years growing into a young woman who had learned and lived in the secret life of the dukedoms. Her new life still held pieces from her old one, but some were harder to keep incorporated then others.

She lived this way until the day her past came back in the form of a blonde, emerald eyed boy…