Two factions, at war with each other since ancient times. Lucy Heartfelia, daughter of Jude and Layla Heartfelia. Next in line to the throne for the humans, but also next in line to become a sacrifice.

Lucy sat in her bedroom, ever since it was released to the kingdom that she would become the next sacrifice to the demons in hope to bring peace she has refused to leave the solitary of her room.

Tomorrow… I will be dulled up in makeup, have my hair done nicely… and forced to wear a wedding dress... Lucy sighed as she looked out the window and then back to a tray of food that was brought in.

She had rarely eaten in the past few weeks since her father had told her about what she will be doing for her kingdom. It was like the time her mother had died from an illness that not even the lands best healers could cure.

"Lucy, as you know from stories and our history, that women born into the royal bloodline are taught not to fear death."

Grabbing a juicy red apple that was on the tray she walked back to the window and sat on the cushions that she had set up as she stared at the burning red sunset sky.

"You're mother, Layla, was next in line to become a sacrifice to the demons in hope that her blood would appeal to the demons in hope to bring peace… But with her gone you are now the next in line… You will be sacrificed on the night of the lunar eclipse when the veil between this word and theirs is weakest. As this is tradition this must happen. Your blood may save this kingdom of more bloodshed, and it might bring peace to our world at last."

Lucy could feel tears falling down her cheeks. At the time when she was told this she didn't know how to feel. She remembers feeling outraged at first, but didn't allow it to show, in fact she nodded and saying something like "Is that all father?" and left the room. Though that night when it had sunk in she cried for hours, not letting anyone in her room, she didn't eat either.

When her mother died her father closed the doors to his heart, even to his own daughter. He had acted coldly towards her and not even showed a hint of emotion. He saw her as another pawn to the kingdom.

As she looked outside she could see two golden orbs in the bushes. 'Fireflies?'

"Lucy?" a knock came at the door, the voice was familiar. It was her younger sister "Come in Michelle." She quickly wiped away her tears, and looked back out the window and the orbs were gone. 'Fireflies…' she did not bother to stand and make herself look presentable to her sister.

"Are you ok?" Michelle's voice was breaking as she tried to keep the tears from falling. "Well there's a party down stairs in celebration that I will be the sacrifice. There's another party tomorrow before during and after my sacrifice. And there won't be a body left to burry alongside mother… Yep. I'm fine." It was obvious she wasn't, the sharp pain in her throat as she spoke made it evident that she wasn't.

"Forfeit your position – Please! Let me take your place! I may not have any memories of mother but I have such wonderful memories with my big sister. Please I could not bare losing you. You're the only family member that has showed me kindness since mother died." Lucy looked over to her weeping sister who had collapsed to her knees, her Victorian style dress puddling around her.

"Michelle, my death is to serve the kingdom and its people. I would rather be sacrificed in vain than to have you sacrificed and it bring peace. You are my little sister, it is my job to protect you. Whether we like it or not the show must go on." Lucy had quickly made her way to her sister's side pulling her into a tight embrace.

The two sisters fell asleep like that on the floor, never wanting tomorrow to come.

"Princess Lucy!" a maid called as she knocked on the large door.

Lucy slowly opens her eyes, she was on the floor, alone… 'I guess Michelle left… not wanting to see me get dressed up for this… this… thing.'

"Princess Lucy, are you awake?" Lucy mumbled as she stood to her feet and walked towards the door.

Opening it the maids gasped "Princess! Did you fall asleep in yesterday's clothes?" before she could answer the maids pushed past her. One held a beautiful white dress, a few others had make up supplies and the last one came in with hair supplies."

Lucy just stared as the dress was placed on a wooden mannequin that was left near the large window. "It's beautiful…" the words left her mouth before she could speak. The white trumpet sleeved bliaut was decorated in large gold rings around the waist that dropped between the fronts at her legs. The end of the sleeves were decorated in floral lace just like the bottom of the dress tracing around the train.

"No time to admire its beauty princess! You have to bathe and then we have to get you ready! After that then you can admire yourself.

Lucy was stripped of her clothes and undergarments forced into her private washroom. "Wa – Wait!" her words fell on deaf ears as they forced her into a full warm bath. She was scrubbed down of yesterday's make up and perfumes. Her hair brushed and conditioned and her skin cleansed. She didn't have time to process what was happened as she was pulled out of the bath and being dried by three different women at once.

Lucy was pulled back into her room and forced to sit infront of a mirror. She sat there in a silk robe that had been prepared for her. One of the maids started to apply her makeup and another did her hair "I hear demons don't like cake face so I'll give you a natural radiant look." Lucy was usually forced to wear make up for gatherings and hated it, the only thing she would wear would be a pale pinkish lip gloss.

Night had fallen since she had awoken, bathed, and her hair and makeup done, but she had not been clothed. The maids had decided to leave that until it was closer to the 'festival'

After being dressed and her hair touched up Lucy made her way down the palace hallways and the main stairs to the town square. She was surrounded by guards, although she was to be sacrificed she was still the princess.

She looked through the gaps of the soldiers at the people staring at her. She could hear their praises and their gratitude's but she was more drawn to the golden orbs that she had seen the night before. "Fireflies?" they changed from golden orbs to a deep forest green, almost onyx. No… they decorated a man of pink hairs face. She stopped walking for a brief second but her back was met with the cold steel of one of the soldiers. "Keep moving princess…" the man's voice was cold, "Now, now Gajeel… we are here to 'protect' the princess." The man beside her voice was warmer but his eyes were cold like the deepest depths of the oceans.

Lucy climbed the wooden ladder to the top of the pile of logs. They were layered so that she would be able to stand in the centre with herself tied to a wooden pole. "Ouch!" she winced as they tied the rope tightly around her wrists. "Sorry but we can't have you escaping now can we?" there was a slight 'Gihi' at the end of his sentence.

"Ladies, gentlemen and children of this land. We have gathered here on the night of the lunar eclipse to sacrifice Lucy Heartfelia. First born Princess to the land." The priest shouted for all around to hear. "Do you have any words for your people my king?" he bowed to Jude as he spoke.

"People of my kingdom! My daughter, Princess Lucy Heartfelia has taken on the responsibility to become the royal sacrifice! Her blood will be spilt like so many before her to the demon king in hope that it will bring peace!" people in the crowd cheered at their king.

'I didn't take on this responsibility…' she thought to herself as she looked up at the moon that had started its eclipse. "And I as the king of this land! I shall light the flame!"

Jude reached for a pole that had been lit on fire to throw into the dry wood that supported his daughter. "We thank you, Princess Lucy Heartfelia for your sacrifice!"

Lucy's eyes were transfixed on the bright flame as her father walked closer and closer. She was squirming in the ropes that binded her hands. "Father…" tears filled her eyes as her father threw the flame into the pile of logs.

The fire quickly danced its way higher and higher through the dried wood. Lucy couldn't hear the people cheering for her. Her ears had tuned out all other noises other than that of the crackling flames.

It was growing hotter and hotter, the flames were almost engulfing her, and she was finding it harder to breathe as she panicked. She had heard stories of the previous women that had been the sacrifice, always going out without saying a word or making a sound. They were brave the entire way through… Lucy found that she didn't have that strength, she was crying and coughing on the smoke as it flew into the air. 'I'm sorry I can't do this with a brave face, Michelle… I'm sorry my kingdom…'

Lucy let out an ear piercing scream as the fire had finally come into contact with her skin. "I don't want to die!"