Once upon a time, there was a glorious kingdom called Peaceville. The rulers of this kingdom were the Penns, King Alexander and Queen Mira. Together they ruled the kingdom, spreading kindness throughout the land.

Then one day, Mira became pregnant. The baby was revealed to be a princess. The King and Queen named the child Laneabella, as she was the most beautiful girl ever born.

Laneabella did live up to her name. With every birthday, she became more beautiful. Her bright red hair grew until it was long and curly, reaching down to her waist. Her eyes were a shimmering shade of emerald green and they shined in the bright light. While her voice was high-pitched, it was the most beautiful voice anyone ever heard.

But while Laneabella had beauty and talent, she longed for some friends. Sure she had palace servants to keep her company, as well as twin jesters for entertainment, she just wanted to have at least one true friend, not someone who only cared about her beauty and/or royal status. And for years, it seemed like it wasn't going to happen.

That is, until one day changed her whole life...

It all started on Laneabella's twelfth birthday. The young princess was still sleeping when one of the palace servants peeked in. This was Bernadette Beff, a sixteen-year-old girl with shoulder-length teal hair and brown eyes. She wore a plain brown dress, black flats, and magical eyeglasses that improved her poor eyesight.

"Your highness?" Bernadette asked. "Are you still sleeping?"

Laneabella moaned as she sat up. Her curly hair was messy, the ends bunched up in a curled mess and her bangs sticking up. "Not anymore," she muttered.

"Well I have come here to help you get ready," Bernadette said. "Today's your birthday after all."

That made Laneabella get up and walk over to her pink heart-shaped dresser, wearing her lilac nightgown. "Right," she said as she sat down and picked up a comb. "My birthday."

And so, Laneabella spent the next half hour getting dressed. First she combed her hair to make sure it looked absolutely perfect. When her curls were finally manageable, Bernadette gave the young princess her favorite dress. It was a bright green ballgown with a glittering puffed overskirt and cap sleeves. After Laneabella put her dress on, Bernadette gave her emerald flats and a silver tiara, completing the look with emerald nail polish on her fingernails. Usually princesses would add makeup, but Laneabella's face looked so beautiful without it. She didn't need to add makeup to her already-pretty eyes and lips.

"Your parents wanted me to tell you that the princes of North Mountainfield, South Mountainfield, Extrasouth Mountainfield, Springfield, and the Kingdom of Shelby have all asked for your hand in marriage," Bernadette informed.

"Seriously?!" Laneabella asked. "I'm only twelve years old! Why do I need an arranged marriage this early?!"

"They want enough time to plan the wedding ceremony," Bernadette explained. "You need to choose which of the gifts you like the most and the winner will end up becoming your new groom."

"So they didn't bother to hand them to me in person," Laneabella said. "They must be pretty lazy for-"

Without warning, Advisor Mellow rushed in. "Princess Laneabella, your parents have troublesome news!" he exclaimed.

"What is it?" Laneabella asked.

"Two Badlands natives have come to seek shelter," Advisor Mellow explained. "You must come downstairs at once!"

In the main palace room, Advisor Mellow showed Laneabella what was going on, while Bernadette was following the young princess. To Laneabella's surprise, there was an actual demon in the room! It looked male with bright red skin, all-black eyes with pale green pupils, an armored tail with a spade tip, ivory-clawed hands and feet, red and black bat-like wings, and sharp fangs. He had four extra arms, blue hair with silver streaks, short grey horns, and a blue and black demonic pentagram on his right shoulder. He only wore torn black pants.

"Please King Alexander and Queen Mira, you must listen to us!" a human woman begged. She was rather slender with long, unkempt dark blue hair, sapphire blue eyes, and tanned skin. She only wore a torn dark brown strip of cloth.

"Nonsense," Alexander said. "We can't allow Badlandians to stay here." He had short light brown hair and emerald green eyes. He was dressed in pure white clothing suitable for a king, completing the look with a silver crown.

Sitting next to Alexander was his wife Mira. She was dressed in an unlikely manner, preferring to wear her bright red hair short and use black eyeshadow and black lipstick for makeup, a stark contrast with her pinkish face and dark brown eyes. She wore a black, off-the-shoulder dress with a right knee-high slit, a onyx-decorated bodice, long black sleeves, and onyx high heels. At the back of her bodice was a long, transparent cape of grey fabric draped down from her sleeves.

Laneabella walked up to her parents. "Mother! Father!" she exclaimed. "What is the meaning of this?!"

"Oh Laneabella, thank goodness you're here," Mira said. "These Badlands natives claim their queen exiled them from their home."

"What?" Laneabella asked. She walked over to the Badlands natives. "Is that true?"

"She's not just the queen," the young demon said. "She's my sister."

"She was supposed to become queen in five years," the woman explained. "But she became impatient. She murdered my husband and took the throne for herself. Her first act as queen was to banish anyone who wasn't pure of darkness in their hearts."

"So that's why we need a home," the young demon said. "Peaceville is the only kingdom near the Badlands. So can we please stay among you?"

"Don't listen to them, dearest daughter," Alexander said. "It's nothing more than a trap. These two are spies who wish to find our weaknesses."

But Laneabella made up her mind. "No," she said. "They're staying, and I'm taking full responsibility for them."

"Are you sure you want to do that?" Mira asked. "If they bring trouble to the land, you must accept the blame along with them."

"Yes mother," Laneabella said.

"Very well," Alexander said. "Badlandians, you are allowed to stay. But I must warn you. If either of you betray us, you are both outcasted back to your home."

"Thank you so much, your highness!" the woman exclaimed. "We won't disappoint you!"

And so, Laneabella began to take care of the Badlandians. The first step was bathing them, so she prepared a shower for them to use. "Care to tell me your names?" she asked.

"Oh, right," the woman said. "I'm Amethyst Riffin, and this is my son, Cornelius."

"Riffin?" Laneabella asked. "As in, the demon king Satan Riffin?"

"That was my dad," Cornelius explained. "You know, before Katrina killed him and took the throne."

"Right," Laneabella said. "I only wanted to make sure."

"Princess Laneabella, my son and I are truly grateful for your kindness," Amethyst said. "If only there was something to repay you."

Cornelius had an idea. "There is," he said. He bowed before the little princess. "From this moment on, I will forever serve you."

"Dear, you don't have to do that," Amethyst said. She looked over at Laneabella. "Please excuse me son. Demons think they have to serve someone to show their gratitude."

"But I must," Cornelius said. He reached forward and held Laneabella's hand. "Your majesty, you are truly a beauty in this world. I can only repay your kindness by devoting my life to you."

Laneabella smiled. She freed her hand and stroked Cornelius's blue and silver hair. "You're too kind," she said. "I accept your gift."

In the Badlands, the demon queen Katrina had witnessed what had happened to her brother and mother through a crystal ball. Her appearance was truly demonic. Like all other demons, she had bright red skin, all-black eyes with pale green pupils, an armored tail with a spade tip, ivory-clawed hands and feet, red and black bat-like wings, and sharp fangs. She also had waist-length dark purple hair with pink streaks, a pink and black demonic pentagram on her left shoulder, a 'Demon's Child' tattoo on her collarbone, long black horns, and she wore a very revealing purple dress.

"So this is where you went, my brother and mother," Katrina said. "The kingdom of Peaceville. How quaint." She focused on Laneabella. "And you must be the princess named Laneabella. I would suggest being very careful, young one. Now that I am the new queen of the Badlands, I am coming after your precious kingdom."