uwu

Ye i was gonna post this on Tuesday but i missed you

The single assassination attempt against the princess seemed to end with itself, thankfully enough.

The royal family were quick to assign her a personal guard; someone who would never leave her side unless necessary. Loke Celeste, a spiritual lion who swore his alliance and loyalty to the princess as soon as they met.

An attribute of his abilities allowed him to see the soul, the aura of those around him. He could gauge their abilities, see their innermost intentions. So, of course, he saw the demon prince's soul intertwined with her own.

It was startling at first, to say the least; assuming it was a demon latched onto her, like a bad curse or omen. But upon closer inspection, he could see their fate strings connected, their paths inevitably meant to cross. He held his tongue for the safety of the crown, knowing it wouldn't be smart to say anything out of the blue.

She wasn't a demon, but it was rare for a human to be able to match so well with a demon, though he could tell that their souls were meant to be together.

Lucy felt safer with Loke around, and a bonus was her extended freedom. So now, once a month, he would accompany her into town. They dressed like commoners, the princess more than excited to roleplay and be free of her responsibilities for one afternoon.

Her parents worried that she recovered too quickly, but what was there to worry about? Someone was always watching her, be it Loke or the magic that followed her. Wherever that odd courage came from, Layla knew didn't belong to either of them.

She shouldn't grow to be afraid of the world, but enjoy what their townspeople had to offer.

They window-shopped, ate in small cafes and bakeries, and made wishes in front of the fountain. Lucy felt like she was having the time of her life, out of her stuffy corset and under the bright sun. She laughed and danced with her people, and read books by the flowing river.

And she was never the wiser of the twenty soldiers hiding around them, in disguise.

It was an outing like any other for the two, Lucy enjoying the selection of exotic products available every few months.

Loke walked beside her, his focus much more on their surroundings. He made eye contact with the other knights in the area, his anxiety lessened.

"Oh, wow, look at that!" She gasped, momentarily leaving her guardian's side. The princess only pulled off to the side for a second, Loke two steps behind her.

Lucy caught sight of a juggling performance on the adjacent street, curiosity taking the reins.

There was a crowd gathering in the courtyard, the princess not noticing herself being swept up into the mix. Loke was behind her, shouting for her to stop moving, but the commotion of the performer kept her attention elsewhere.

The princess wasn't used to a being compacted against others, finding herself swept up in the motion of the physical wave. Arms and elbows came in contact, children were lifted onto their fathers shoulders. Cheers erupted and music was introduced to his act, drowning out the princess' small voice.

She tripped over her feet, squeaking and stumbling her way away from Loke, toward the edge of the other side of the market.

Lucy was too short to see over the shoulders of a few people, soon realizing Loke wasn't behind her like usual. She felt herself panic, just wanting to get out of the sea of people as fast as she could.

"Oof! Erm, excuse me…! Ah, ouch!" She took in a deep breath once she found herself tripping out of the mass of people.

"Oh, I thought that would take me all day to do," She sighed, standing straight to stretch as she looked around for her knight.

Her eyes panned toward the building she recognized,wondering just how she got dragged so far away. Surely Loke was trying not to panic by looking for her, so she should make her way to him as soon as she could.

"Oh!" Passing an alleyway between a couple of the shops, she gasped as a hand suddenly wrapped around her wrist, dragging her off her path.

"Um," Lucy knew not to follow strangers, knowing that she should have shouted and screamed the second she realized someone had her in their grasp. But looking at the back of his head made her remember something, pink hair and tan skin, the warmth of his touch she didn't know. "Who…"

The words fell off her tongue, Lucy not wanting to finish her question, knowing he'd stop to answer it. If they got just a little further away from the crowd…

A feeling bloomed in her that she hadn't experienced before. It was stronger than want, but need didn't seem like the right word. He was pulling her along, winding through the streets in town that she had yet to wander herself.

She thought maybe he felt the same way, leading her to a place where no one would interrupt them, where she could hear his name and wrap his arms safely around her.

"Lucy!" Loke shouted from down the street before they turned a corner, her blonde hair catching his attention. "Hey!"

He stopped abruptly, the princess letting out a yip as she uncharacteristically ran into his back. She would've taken a step back to rub her nose, but there was that feeling again. Stronger than want, more than a need.

"I just wanted to see you," The depth of his voice made her shiver, the sound so foreign yet just slightly memorable. "Maybe next time, Lucy,"

"Princess!" Lucy jumped as a hand settled on her shoulder, turning to see Loke's exasperated look as his chest heaved up and down. "Princess, who was that? Why didn't you call for me?"

"I'm sorry," She shook her head as if coming out of a daze. Lucy turned back around, the alley empty, no trace of anyone having been there. "…I must've gotten distracted."

"Distracted? Lucy, I saw someone taking you somewhere,"

"I…I don't…I don't know, I'm sorry,"

Lucy squeezed her palm as she followed her knight back toward the market, feeling the remnants of a distant warmth she couldn't exactly place. But whatever it was sparked in her chest and nestled with a kindling.

That kindling unknowingly sparked a rift in the realm of magic, the gateway between Fiore and Tartaros cracking slightly.

Lucy felt like she could breathe again once everyone finally left her to rest, the moon now high in the sky. She closed her eyes and laid back, unable to stop thinking about that boy in the square.

There was no commotion, no panic. She must've fallen into a daydream, but it seemed entirely too real. The smell of smoke lingered under her nose and made her feel an empty loneliness she'd forgotten.

Lucy turned over and closed her eyes, sighing as she drifted off into a dream, hoping she might catch a glimpse of those eyes again.

~000~

"Darling? Are you alright?" The queen asked, sitting on the edge of the bed where her husband held his head.

"It seems as though I am being forced to tell the truth," He sighed, reaching out to hold his wife's hand. "Layla, I've been lying to you."

"What? About what?" Her heart thumped at the serious look in his eye, her hand tightening around his.

"Lucy...our Lucy was lost. Her soul was wandering in the heavens, unable to find its home. That is why our daughter wouldn't open her eyes. And it's true that the demons only helped us with their advanced magic, but at a dear price I can only hope doesn't have to be paid."

He paused as her hand tightened around his, the crease between his brow tightening as he continued.

"The prince of Tartaros, who's no older than Lucy. His father had to sacrifice part of his soul to lead her home. The method is a ritual in their kingdom...a ritual to tie two souls together forever. It was the only way to save Lucy, but they will come for her one day. They will come...to wed our daughter to their prince."

He held his wife as she cried tears of confusion and betrayal, wishing she had known sooner yet wanting to have never known.

She cried for her daughter, of the fate that lied before her. Jude was keen on ignoring the reality of the situation, but not her. Her only worry was that Lucy would never be able to experience the journey of falling in love on her own. She didn't even know about this engagement with the prince, and it hurt her to think of what would happen once they told her.

For their daughter to be married off to a demon; this was a death sentence.

what are finals LOL I'm not even worried

thankfully i have a couple job interviews as soon as i move back home!

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