She Who Belongs to Nikolai

PROLOGUE

[ P R O L O G U E ]

The youngest child of the Larcuena family, Elaina Larcuena stood in front of the mirror checking her outfit for the night making sure that she was presentable for the gala her father had been invited to at the Noble hotel. She smiled and settled on braiding her hair placing it over her shoulder.

"Elaina!" Her father called, she soothed her dress once more and hurried out of her old room.

"Coming." Careful with her steps as she walked down the staircase almost slipped towards the end but managed to grasp the handles to steady herself.

Her father Rodrico Larcuena stood at the bottom of the steps watching with a fond smile on his face as his daughter descended the staircase stopping right in front of him.

"You look magnificent, darling." Her father smiled handing his arm out for her which she grateful took giving him a smile.

"That's what you always say, papa." She giggled.

"And? I do not see the reason not to remind you that you are beautiful everyday." He chuckled placing a soft kiss on her forehead, "You ready?" Elaina nodded and they walked towards the door, their maid Olive opening the doors for them.

"Thank you." The father daughter pair chorused.

Rodrico let his daughter down the steps towards the car parked in the front telling the driver it was no need to open the door for them and he instead took the liberty off opening the door for his precious daughter. Once they had both entered the car and settled in the driver took off. The ride to the hotel did not take long and Elaina was filled with nerves knowing that there was going to be a large number of people but at the same time she was excited to see her siblings, the three Larcuena brothers.

"We're here, sir, miss." The driver announced.

"You may go on ahead home, James I'll be spending the night at the hotel and Elaina will take a ride with her brothers." Ricardo told him.

"As you wish, Sir." James nodded.

Rodrico opened the door and upon exiting, the father daughter duo was immediately crowded by her older brothers.

"Iniya!" They chorused, none of them ever calling her by her first name instead settling for her middle name. Arms wrapped around her, hands ruffling the top of her head and pinching her side.

"Hi." Her voice muffled by her older brothers chest. They pulled back their identical green eyes they inherited from their father shimmering with happiness.

"How was your trip?" Ethan, the eldest of the Larcuena brothers asked giving her a smile.

"Exhilarating." She grinned happily, "I went to many places, walked on the Great Wall of China as well as the glass bridge that was scary though," she frowned, "But it was fun and then I went to Greece and then to Italy where I go to see the clearest sea water." She gushed.

"We missed you." Elijah the second oldest stated patting the top of her head once more.

"Ah!" Evan leaped at her embracing her tightly, "Don't ever leave me with these idiots." He muttered quietly to her, she giggled pulling back and punched his chest. Evan being the closest to her in age they were closer to each other than the other two given the other two were much older than them in age.

"Boys." Rodrico rolled his eyes, "Stop smothering your sister, let's head inside."

"Coming." Ethan answered.

Elaina giggled under her breath when they flanked her side two on each side, her brothers face blank while her father held a presentable smile on his face. She moved from between her brothers hooking her arm with her fathers and entering the room where the event was being held.