AN: Welcome to my new fanfiction. Consider this me stretching my writing muscles. I'm pretty excited about my first multi-chapter fic and I hope everyone enjoys it. I know some of the concepts are a bit over-done but I hope that I've added enough new elements to make that irrelevant.

As always, reviews are greatly anticipated and appreciated. Constructive criticism is always welcome.

Big thanks to my beta-reader evil-is-here from Tumblr for reading through this for me, you're the best.

Stars in Her Eyes

Cursed

July 1st X767

It was a time to celebrate. The queen of Fiore had given birth to a baby girl.

But there was no joy to be found in the kingdom that day.

The queen lay dead and the child…

She was cursed.

King Jude looked into the eyes of the infant that killed his beloved wife and he was shocked and terrified by what he saw.

Her eyes were black like the night sky, tiny pin-pricks of light buried deep within them.

Everyone knew that children were born with blue eyes that would likely change as they grew but the howling, red-faced baby in his arms didn't seem to know or care what was normal.

She was beautifully, frighteningly abnormal.

Her body glowed with an ethereal light that seemed to originate from within. It was a stark contrast to those piercing dark eyes. The glow blended well with the pale blonde curls that lightly dusted her soft head. She was like the moon in a world built for the sun.

A child of the night, he thought as he struggled against the urge to end the fragile life in his hands.

Then he looked again to the serene face of his wife. She looked so peaceful, so happy even in death. He knew she would never want him to kill their child no matter how much of a monster he truly believed she was.

It was an omen. This child would bring about the end of his kingdom. There would be no more Heartfilias on the throne of Fiore after this.

So, he made a decision. He would not kill the girl. He would give her a name, raise her, but he would never love her. He couldn't. He felt nothing when he looked at her. Her crying was an annoyance that interrupted his grief. Her life would be that of a parasite, living off what he could provide, unable to give back anything of any use.

"Hades." He called for his closest advisor. One of the few people he could trust to keep this atrocity a secret.

"My king." Like a ghost, the older man appeared at his side without a sound.

"Call for a soul seer. Be discrete." The king never took his eyes off the girl.

Hades's gaze had been drawn as well, a knowing look making its way on to his face.

"Yes, my king."

"My lord, I have examined the child."

King Jude looked to the small man in front of him. He was not much bigger than the infant he was there to examine, balding, and frail looking, but there was something in his eyes. Behind the lines that were a testament to his age, there was deep sense of knowing. His eyes held a wisdom that the king knew he would never possess: the wisdom of the ancients.

"And?"

"My lord, your daughter is not evil." His voice was low, careful, as he bowed his head before his ruler.

"Can you hide her deformity?" That was the real reason he had been called. King Jude knew for certain that the girl was cursed, evil intent or not.

"…well, yes. There is a spell that can hide the glow, but-"

"Then I suggest you cast it. No one can know of her…condition." He had no kinder word for his daughter's abnormalities.

"Understandable, my lord. However, you must not think ill of her. She is not the monster you imagine." The tiny man looked at his king, his gaze asking him to understand.

"I don't care what she is, only that you can make her appear human." There was no room for argument in his tone.

The old man sighed and the sound was filled with unhindered sadness and deep disappointment.

"I can conceal her light. However, there is nothing I can do to change her eyes. They are a window to the soul and can not be tampered with."

King Jude had known not to hope for a miracle. With eyes like the night, she would never be an asset, not even in marriage.

"That will have to do." As long as he kept anyone from getting too close, perhaps they could be mistaken for a deep brown.

"It is far too late to say she died at birth. There are already rumors spreading amongst the civilians that she is being kept hidden because she is deformed." He could not feed into the gossip. If he was to keep the people under thumb, he had to squash anything that made him look weak. Including the rumor of a monstrous offspring. The omen would not be lost on the superstitious people of Fiore.

"That is all, seer. Cast your spell and leave. You'll be well compensated. Never speak of what you have seen here." He flicked his wrist in clear dismissal.

The seer gave him a pitying look but nodded his head in understanding before he turned and left.

July 1st X784

Lucy was bored. She'd already been to her fencing lesson, her tutor had gone home for the day, and she was forbidden from going riding anymore because last time she had ridden off the castle grounds. It had taken hours for the knights to find her and herd her back towards the castle.

But at least it had been fun. For her.

She sighed and glanced at her full book shelves, searching in vain for something she hadn't already read five times. Sometimes she liked to write stories of her own to escape the confines of the castle, but she wasn't in the mood today.

With a frustrated groan, she rolled onto her side and shoved her face into a pillow, screaming. She was going crazy. Seriously.

Rolling onto her back, she slammed her fists into the bed and sat up. Maybe a walk around the grounds would do her some good. That thought in mind, she drew herself off the comfy mattress covered in the finest silk bedding money could buy and walked over to her vanity.

Lucy scrutinized her reflection for a moment. Her hair was a mess from the mask she'd used in fencing earlier. Or maybe it was from rolling around in bed? She shrugged to herself and took a look at her clothes. They were wrinkled and crooked. Now that was definitely from the rolling. She quickly ran her slender fingers through her pale blonde hair, wincing whenever they caught on a particularly stubborn knot. Satisfied that her head was presentable, she contemplated changing her clothes but decided against it. Instead she pulled on her bodice to straighten it out and ran her hands over the stiff fabric of her skirt before nodding to her reflection in approval.

Good enough.

She slipped on her most comfortable pair of riding boots and quietly stepped into the hall. There were very few people around, she noted. Most likely preparing for tonight's celebratory banquet. Princess Lucy was finally of marriageable age and it was traditional to hold a ball. The king had never been a fan of balls so she was to have a feast instead.

It was irritating.

She always wondered what it would be like to dance with someone, but she'd never had the opportunity. No one in the castle even touched her, let alone offered to dance with her. With the exception of her friend and maid, Levy, no one dared come within a foot of her unless it was necessary to her safety.

Like when they had to drag her back after she rode off the grounds last week. Even then, they'd asked her to please come back without a struggle. Please. They were desperate to keep as far away as possible.

Lucy let loose a dejected sigh as she made her way down the wide staircase that would take her to the exit. She made sure to stay close to the banister as a few stray staff hurried quickly past her, sticking to the opposite wall like they were pulled there by some unseen force.

She was so caught up in her own thoughts that she ran directly into a solid mass of person.

An embarrassed flush spread across her cheeks. "Excuse me! I wasn't watching where I was-"

"Ah, Princess. What a lovely surprise." Lucy froze, the red fading from her cheeks as she took a cautious step back. Her foot missed the stairs and she stumbled. A large, cold hand grabbed her firmly by the wrist before she could fall.

"You really should be more careful." She refused to meet the man's eyes as his thumb slowly caressed her exposed pulse.

"Yes, of course, councilor Hades." She wanted to yank her hand away from him, but already knew the consequences for disrespecting the king's most trusted advisor.

"Where were you heading in such a daze?" She felt bile rising in her throat as he took a small step closer.

"Just to the grounds, councilor." Her voice was quiet, calm. She wouldn't betray how nervous the older man made her feel. She tried to discretely dislodge his hand and felt his grip tighten just slightly in response.

"Be careful. Wouldn't want anything to happen to you on your birthday of all days." To an outsider, his words would sound like friendly advice, but to her it sounded more like a warning.

"I'm just in need of some fresh air." 'Please let go of me.'

As if he'd heard her thoughts, Hades released his hold, taking a step away.

"Then enjoy your walk. I will see you at the banquet tonight." It was a promise.

"Yes, councilor." Lucy kept her eyes glued to the floor until she heard his footsteps round the corner at the top of the stairs. Then she almost ran the rest of the way to the castle grounds.

As soon as she was outside, she looked at her offending wrist in disgust. She'd have to take extra care to wash it later. Councilor Hades had always made her feel uneasy, ever since she was a child. His eyes had always held some kind of secretive promise that made her shiver. Now that she was older, it seemed he took every opportunity to make her uncomfortably aware of his presence. He touched her, unlike most people, but she wished that he wouldn't.

Collecting herself, Lucy decided she needed that walk even more now. With a deep breath, she let herself move without destination. This was supposed to help soothe her nerves and she wasn't going to let Hades ruin that for her.

Her feet led her through the gardens which were alive and vibrant in the bright spring sun. The air was sweet with their smell and she inhaled deeply, savoring the comforting scent. She'd been told that these gardens had belonged to her mother and the king took special care to make sure they stayed beautiful. The only reminder of his wife that he allowed to exist.

Aside from her, that is.

Lucy had been informed on many occasions that she was the spitting image of her mother. The queen had been elegant, kind, and breathtakingly gorgeous. Talk like that made it difficult for her to believe she was anything like the woman. She was clumsy, irritable, and generally a mess. She cared very little about how she looked most days. And why should she? No one ever saw her anyway. She often wondered if every princess was kept locked away like she was, but she seriously doubted it.

Sudden yelling in the distance caught her attention and Lucy could never resist the draw of her curiousity. She had very little else to keep her occupied, after all. She listened closely and realized it was coming from the back gate. So, most likely a delivery for the kitchens. She turned and headed to the back of the enormous castle.

By the time she reached her destination, the gate was already closing behind a group of soldiers who were clustered around a large cage. She didn't bother hiding, she was the princess after all, and just stared openly, trying to see what was inside. A flash of pink caught her eye and she mentally cursed the men standing in the way of her gaze.

Eventually they did part and Lucy's night-sky eyes locked onto a pair that seemed more animal than human. They were the deepest gold she had ever seen set into a stern, but, she'd admit, attractive face that was framed by a shock of pink hair. She wanted to examine him more but found that she couldn't take her eyes from his. It was like he was searching inside of her, rooting around in places she didn't know existed. It made her feel exposed and vulnerable in an unfamiliar way that left her trembling.

He never blinked, never stopped staring at her like she was staring at him. They probably would have stayed like that forever if a guard hadn't broken her line of sight. Lucy released a breath she wasn't aware she'd been holding, lifting her shaky hands to clasp the front of her dress.

What just happened?

She stood rooted to her spot, eyes glued to the ground in front of her for a long time. She was shocked, afraid, and…curious. She was very very curious about the strange man. He had felt familiar and yet wholly foreign to her at the same time. He set a spark alight inside of her that she didn't understand. She was torn between wanting to know more and wanting to know nothing at all. He was both terrifying and fascinating to her.

Curiosity almost always won with Lucy.

Decision made, she planted one booted foot in front of her, intent on following the group down to the dungeons if she could, but a small hand on her shoulder stopped her in her tracks.

"Lucy?" The familiar high-pitched voice drew a grin to her face. Lucy turned around to face her best friend with excitement.

"Levy!" Her smile dropped rather quickly when she realized that the small bluenette was not smiling back. In fact, she looked a little peeved.

"Lucy!" She planted delicate hands on her hips. "You should be getting ready for your banquet! Not doing…" she gestured broadly at everything, "…whatever it is you're doing."

Lucy immediately threw on her best kicked puppy face. "But Leeeevvvvyyy." She whined jokingly. "I don't even want to go to the stuffy old banquet." She said with a pout. Besides, there was a mystery just begging for her attention.

The petite maid wasn't budging. "It's YOUR banquet. You have to go. Besides," now it was Levy's turn to put on her guilt-trip face, "you know the king would have me fired if I let you miss it."

That was true. King Jude was not known to be forgiving when he didn't get his way. Lucy sighed, defeated.

"Fine, fine. Take me away!" She held out her wrists as if waiting to be shackled. Levy just giggled at her and grabbed her hand.

"Come on. Let's go make you look like a princess." Levy liked playing dress-up with her way too much, but Lucy let her pull her back towards the castle. She couldn't help glancing back in longing at the entrance to the dungeons.

Just who exactly was that boy?

In true Levy fashion, the maid had her cleaned, dressed, and down to the banquet hall in time for the feast. She was wearing one of her more elegant dresses, all pearls and pink ruffles. Her pale hair had been brushed and piled delicately on top of her head with just enough left loose in the front that, if the need should arise, she could bow her head and cover her strange eyes.

When she arrived, Lucy took her seat to the right of the king, who didn't even spare her a glance. Hades took the seat to the right of her as other important councilors and diplomats from within the kingdom made their way to their respective places. She tried very hard not to scoot her chair as far away from Hades as possible. It was better not to draw anymore attention to herself than she would already be receiving.

The appetizers were served with wine as various political subjects were addressed between the men. Most of them had brought their wives and daughters, but none dared to raise an opinion in the presence of the king. The women were all like her, silent and unobtrusive. She struggled to keep her composure as she constantly felt Hades's eyes on her. Again, she refused to acknowledge his gaze. It would give him too much satisfaction to know she cared.

After the main course, the king drew everyone's attention to the front of the table. Lucy dropped her head slightly, letting her loose hair cover her face.

King Jude stood from his seat.

"As you all know, we are here tonight to celebrate Princess Lucy's ascension into adulthood." His eyes briefly moved to the top of her head and then back to his audience.

"As of today, the princess is old enough to marry." And produce an heir more suitable than herself. The sentiment wasn't stated, but it hung in the air like a choking fog. She thought he would end it there with a toast, but the king surprised her.

"As luck would have it, there is already a worthy suitor seeking her hand." She couldn't help it, her head rose so quickly she thought she heard something in her neck pop. Ignoring it, she gave the king a look that could kill. Why hadn't she been informed of this? A pool of dread began to settle in the pit of her stomach.

King Jude raised a glass and looked to her right, disregarding her obvious displeasure. "Councilor Hades has had a growing interest in our young princess for quite some time. I am of the opinion that their union could only bring good fortune and healthy children to this kingdom!" Applause rose around the table and Hades stood to receive it with mock humbleness.

Lucy, on the other hand was trembling. Not with fear but rage. She was absolutely seething behind her shield of hair. She could feel the angry tears stinging her eyes as she ground her teeth in fury. How could he do this? He'd had nothing to do with her for seventeen years and now he thinks he has the right to make her decisions for her? Marry Hades? She got sick at the thought. Never. She would never marry that man.

She wasn't all that surprised when her fist crashed down on the table, rattling the dinnerware and stifling the celebration. Everyone went silent, staring at her with surprise.

"Lucy, what do you think you're doing?" King Jude's voice was low, dangerous, but Lucy was far too angry to care about the consequences she would face for her actions.

"Never…" one quiet word, barely above a whisper.

"What did you say?"

She shot up from her chair so fast she knocked it over, glaring at the king with every ounce of anger, hurt, and frustration she could muster. Mouths around the table dropped in shock. The women gasped and the men cleared their throats. She ignored them.

"I will NEVER marry councilor Hades!" It was a yell this time, she didn't want to be misunderstood.

"You will marry Hades. He is better than you could ever hope to find in a husband." Calm and calculated threat laced his words.

"I swear, I will die before I marry that man!" His tone made her even more furious. Lucy was so angry, she wasn't sure she was going to be able to hold back the flood of tears if she stayed any longer. Not willing to cry, even the furious tears she was feeling now, in front of the pompous, overbearing, and patriarchal men at the table, she gave the wood one last punch for good measure and stalked out of the room, slamming the ornate doors behind her.