"Father, I must speak with you," Lucy Heartfilia, Crown Princess of Etolia declared as she threw open the doors to the massive throne room where her father, King Jude Heartfilia was holding court.
"Lucy?" The king looked up from the harvest reports his advisor had just handed him, momentarily shocked by his daughter's sudden appearance. He took in her furrowed brow, brisk gait, forward slant of her shoulders, and serious look in her eyes and knew exactly what she wanted to speak with him about. King Jude handed back the reports to his advisor and sighed heavily. "We will resume reviewing the reports in an hour. In the meantime, Leonard, meet with the engineers and start working on creating a more efficient irrigation system in the southern farmlands. The aquifer that was recently discovered near the fields could be the key to solving the drought issue in the area."
"As you wish, Your Majesty." Leonard bowed, taking back the reports.
"You are all dismissed," Jude proclaimed, nodding as the other members of the court bowed and made their way to the exit. As they passed Lucy, each murmured their greetings and bowed respectfully to his daughter. Lucy didn't even acknowledge them, her eyes were still trained on the king. Jude sighed again in despair.
"Jacobi," the king called to another one of his advisors before the man exited the room. "Would you please fetch the Queen?" Even from across the room, King Jude could see Jacobi flick his eyes from Lucy to himself, giving him an understanding grin. "Quickly."
"As you wish, Your Majesty," Jacobi replied before slipping through the doors.
"Father," Lucy began, but Jude raised his hand to cut her off.
"Lucy," he shook his head, "Let's wait until your mother arrives. Please."
To his relief, Lucy nodded. He could see her chewing on the inside of her cheek, as if his daughter had to force herself to keep from speaking. Luckily, neither Lucy nor Jude had to wait long. Moments later, Layla Heartfilia, Queen of Etolia entered the throne room. A wave of relief washed over Jude at the sight of his queen. Layla smiled at her husband and daughter, knowingly. The queen patted Lucy's cheek as she walked passed her daughter to take her seat next to her husband. Layla slipped her hand into his, and Jude felt the strength he needed to proceed. Straightening his posture, King Jude smiled down at his daughter and declared,
"The answer is no."
"But father, listen to me," Lucy protested.
"Your mother and I have listened to you Lucy. We have had this debate a countless number of times. We have had this argument so many times, not only can I quote you, but I can quote you in my sleep. I know exactly what you are going to say and my answer still remains: No. I will not allow you to give up your title."
"Mother, please," Lucy softened her eyes as she pleaded to her mother instead.
Layla smiled down at her daughter before she spoke. "Lucy, your father is right. You are our only child, making you the sole heir to the throne. Unfortunately, I cannot bear another child to take your place as heir," the queen paused briefly and Jude squeezed her hand gently. "As your parents, we want what is best for you. However, we are also the rulers of Etolia. We need to do what is best for our people as well. Robbing the kingdom of its heir would bring massive panic across the land. There are struggles our people worry about daily, having them worry about who will lead them should not be one of them."
"I know that, but…" Lucy chewed on the inside of her cheek again. This argument was not going the way she expected it to.
Lucy had gone through this argument again and again in her mind, flipping and twisting it in every angle that she could. There had to be a way out. There had to be a way she could express to her parents that she wasn't meant for this life. She wanted adventure, new sights, new people, new cities, every day. The routine and rigidness of court life suffocated her. Lucy loved her people dearly, but she knew she just couldn't do it. She didn't want to sacrifice her dreams for theirs when she never asked to be their princess in the first place.
"It's not like I'm trying to run away from my responsibilities. It's just, in my heart, I know I'm not meant to be a princess. I'm not meant to be queen," Lucy finished.
"So, your heart is telling you, you are meant to be a journalist instead?" Jude questioned.
"Jude," Layla cautioned.
"It's my dream!" Lucy defended. "As a princess, no one really shows you his true face. It's all spurious smiles and decorum. I want to see what's real. I want to go out and discover the truth about the world. I don't want to be stuck in here living this pretend life."
King Jude sighed through his nose, while rubbing his temple with his free hand. "Tomorrow is your 17th birthday and as you know, a year from then you will assume all official duties as Crown Princess when you turn 18. Your duties would entail that you attend all of my meetings, signings, ceremonial events, balls, etcetera. You would also be required to wed another of royal or noble birth and procure an heir of your own." Jude noted Lucy's cringe at his last statement. "When I die, you would be proclaimed Queen and shall reign until your own heir is of legal age to assume the throne."
Lucy could feel the weight of such a life pressing down on her. Her future grew darker and darker the more her father spoke. This role was something she was born into. If she had a say in that matter, she would have chosen anything other than this life. The fairy tales all glorified being a princess. Lucy never understood why. There was nothing special about having your life planned for you without a single say in anything.
"I don't want that life, father. Every day, a bit of me would die. I don't want to sound selfish. I don't want to sound like I don't care about this kingdom or our people; I just know that I'm not meant to be their queen. Our people deserve a ruler that can put her whole heart into the job, like you and mother do. Etolia deserves someone better than me," Lucy admitted.
"Your answer, my daughter, shows that you would indeed make an excellent queen," King Jude said, smiling as he shook his head. "A ruler must follow his...ahem...or her own heart." The king and queen shared a looked and nodded. "And your heart has spoken time and time and time and-"
"Dear," Layla chided, gently.
"Yes, you're right," Jude corrected. "Your mother and I...um, the Queen and myself have decided, Princess Lucy Heartfilia, after hearing your argument over and over and over and over-"
"What your father is trying to tell you," Layla cut in, "is that you are right, my dear. Though you have been trained from birth to become queen, training will only take a leader so far. Etolia deserves a ruler who can put her whole heart into leading the people. After much debate, we will allow you to live your dream-"
"REALLY!?" Lucy exclaimed. She couldn't believe it. The years of begging for this freedom had been worth it. She was no longer going to be a princess. Already, Lucy could feel the burden of her crown lifting off of her. Her future was hers to decide.
"Not so fast Lucy, let your mother finish," her father scolded.
"My apologies, mother." Lucy bowed slightly, biting on the inside of her cheek to keep quiet.
Layla just laughed softly before she continued. "We will allow you to live your dream, only if you can find a replacement heir."
"A replacement heir?" Lucy had no idea what that meant.
"Yes." Jude nodded. "As your mother stated, this kingdom must have an heir. We cannot disrupt the line of succession. If you do not wish to retain your royal status and the duties it entails, then it is your responsibility to find a suitable replacement who does. Before your 18th birthday, you will need to bring forth a candidate that you can claim, without a doubt, would be a better ruler than yourself. The new heir will be tested and must demonstrate sound knowledge of Etolia, its people, and must show he or she possesses the heart for the role that you lack, Lucy."
"A year to find one person out of all of Etolia? How am I supposed to do that?" Lucy felt cheated. What her parents were asking was an impossible task. How was she to narrow the hundreds of thousands of people that claim Etolia as home down to one person?
"If you wish to prove that your heart has led you true, that you are not meant to be the heir, you will find who is meant to be," King Jude said.
"However," Layla added. "There are laws decreeing who can claim the throne. The new heir must be found among one of the six noble families in our kingdom."
Lucy stared at her parents, stunned. In her mind, she ran through the names of the members of the six noble families: Dragneel, Cheney, Marvell, Strauss, Dreyar, and Lockser. "If that's the case, I can already name my replacement now."
"No, dear," Layla chuckled, shaking her head. "You stated yourself, that as a princess no one shows you his true face. Would you really choose your people's next ruler based off of surface knowledge alone?"
"Oh," Lucy said, slightly ashamed that her own words were used against her. "How am I to figure out their true selves then? All the nobility know who I am. If I meet with them, they'll just treat me the same as always. I won't learn anything new."
"You won't be going as a princess," Jude clarified. The king snapped his fingers and a heart shaped amulet appeared, floating into his grasp.
Lucy gasped. Magic was not uncommon in Etolia. A large portion of the citizens could utilize various types of magic. Lucy, herself, was a proficient mage. What shocked her was the appearance of the amulet now dangling from her father's hand.
"The Heart of Deception," King Jude held up the amulet, "will grant you the ability to transform your features any way you wish. The illusion is not like transformation magic. It is an absolute deception, allowing the wielder to even transform his own magic. It cannot be detected by other mages or magical items. As you know, this is a very powerful magical item. If it falls into the wrong hands, there is no telling what might occur. That is why, it is the responsibility of the royal family to guard powerful magical items like this." The king flicked his hand and sent the amulet flying towards Lucy, watching as it landed in her hands. "In order to find the new heir, I will allow you to use this to ensure that you can investigate the nobility to discover the truth you seek."
Lucy stared down at the amulet in her hands. The small heart shaped stone looked like nothing special, but she had read tales of people using it to conquer entire countries. Such a vast power now rested in her hands.
"We trust you, Lucy," Layla assured her daughter, seeing Lucy's distressed expression. "And we know you will guard the Heart of Deception at all costs. However, we will provide you with help during your journey." Layla waved her hand, a moment later, a gold bracelet appeared on Lucy's wrist with twelve symbols inscribed in the metal.
"Your celestial spirits?" Lucy held up her wrist, shocked to see her mother's gold bracelet now dangling alongside her own silver bracelet.
"They will protect you and help you find the new heir," the queen explained. "Only the members of our family can see them, so you can use their abilities without fear of being discovered."
"If your identity is discovered by anyone, Lucy or if you cannot procure a suitable replacement, then you will remain the heir and assume the full duties of the Crown Princess of Etolia on your 18th birthday as tradition and law decrees," King Jude declared.
Lucy placed the Heart of Deception around her neck, feeling the stone settle against her skin. Her mother's bracelet clinked against her own as she moved, the sound helping to calm her nerves. This was it. This was the way out she had been seeking; the means to realize her dream. No matter what happened, Lucy was determined to succeed. She would find her replacement, the person meant to be the ruler, and free herself to live a life she decided for herself.
"Father. Mother." Lucy ran to her parents, throwing decorum aside. Jude and Layla Heartfilia stood and embraced their daughter. "Thank you. Thank you so much," Lucy cried in their arms.
Lucy stood outside the castle gates, watching as dawn shone on the morning of her 17th birthday. "One year to change my future," she whispered to the rising sun. Flipping the hood of her cloak up to hide her face, Lucy peered into a small glass marble. The marble glowed until images started emerging within it. A small, stone castle in the middle of lush green fields appeared. "Let's get the least likeliest of candidates out of the way first," Lucy muttered as she stared at Dragneel Castle. The princess didn't even look back at her home when she summoned her magic, commanding the marble to transport her to the location it contained. In a flash of light, Lucy Heartfilia, Crown Princess of Etolia disappeared, beginning her journey to find the one who would take her place and bear her title, the person who would become the new heir and set her free.
A/N: So, yes, I know...this is a princess trope, BUT I couldn't resist. I'm weak for royalty, magic, and all that jazz. Anywho, I don't know really know how long this fic will be, or how frequently I'll update it. I guess that depends on reader feedback. If you like it and want to know more, I'll invest. If not, I'll snail pace update it. I'll never drop a fic, but months could go by before a chapter will get released if there's no one reading it.
I hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think! Also, tell me your guesses on who will be the next heir or if Lucy will keep her title! I already know which path I chose, so it won't influence me, but you can have bragging points if you guess it right.
Lastly, this piece was betaread by Fairytail5evaJCL. Thanks!