Lux

One

Lux is a place of light, both literally and figuratively. The sun always shines, and the people are always happy, or so they say. They don’t talk about…other things.

But, enough about that. Lux isn’t the only planet. There’s one more, Ignis.

Ignis is the closest to the sun. It’s always very hot there, but they love it. No one can think of living in any other place. The people who live there look a lot different than the people on Lux.

Looks-wise, the planet is a deep red from the outside, and there are volcanoes dotted throughout. It’s very hot and dry as well. The only water source they have is for the king and queen and is a delicacy. They don’t mind though, they clean themselves in the dust.

This story, reader, begins in Lux, where everything is good for Erica Dow, except for her guilt.

She was walking to the bakery; it had just opened, meaning fresh everything. Fresh bread, pies, cake, cookies, anything baked you can think of, it was there.

There was going to be a festival, so she was getting some treats for her visiting family. She had been living in the richest town in the entirety of Lux, while her family was in the poorest. She had signed up for a position in the queen’s court as a joke, but she did so well in the interview, she made it in, moving her up social classes.

Erica hated it, she missed her family so much. But, 1. The queen was doing it for everyone’s own good, and 2. At least she got to see them all today at the moon festival.

She arrived at the bakery and opened the door. A small bell jingled as she did so, announcing her arrival. The sweet, wonderful smell of fresh baked items attacked her nose, but she loved it. The walls were a pale, sage green, with at least one window on each wall, except one since that’s the back kitchen. There were delicious treats all lined up behind a glass case.

The baker smiled at Erica as she walked in. The older man had smile lines at his eyes and wrinkles on his forehead. His green eyes sparkled at the brown haired girl.  “Hello Erica! Are you excited for the festival tonight?”the baker, John Steele, asked as he pulled a loaf of bread out of the stone decorated oven with a peel. The bread was steaming as he set it down on the counter. After he put another loaf of bread dough in the oven, he set the baked loaf behind the glass case.

“I’m very excited. I get to see my family, finally, after so long of not seeing them. It’s been what? Four years?” She handed him the money for her things as she spoke. The baker gave her the bagged bread and midnight blue frosted red velvet cake.

“Yep, just about.” He nodded and took the money. “Enjoy the festival!” He waved with a large smile as Erica left the bakery.

Now, let's move to a place nobody talks about, Mala Fortuna, a whole other continent. This place is actually the poorest place in Lux, but only the queen (and whoever lives there, of course) knows about it. It’s where she sends people who owe her money and haven’t paid it in time. She also sends some criminals there. So it’s not too safe of a place sometimes.

Here’s the thing about the queen, she’s cruel and selfish. She only cares about herself. If she doesn’t get what she wants, she will make you pay, somehow. Or, she’ll find a way to get what she wants. Like the poor people that were begging for money, she sends them off and doesn’t deal with them anymore.