I was coming home from the market when I saw it. The letter. It did not look like anything from the valley, too fancy, formal, and frightening. The envelope was a creamy off white, with a blood red ribbon tied around it, and a stamp the same color bearing the kings emblem, the swam. I picked it up, shifting the ingredients to my other arm. I prayed that it was sent to the wrong address, maybe for the neighbor, but alas there my name was on the silky paper.

I almost fainted at the sight of it. This was the one thing that my family hoped would never curse us again. The Scarlet Moon Ball. It is held every year in the kingdom next to the valley, and invitations are given to random people selected by the king. It doesn't sound awful at all until one discovers the catch. The castle is haunted by spirits, and they feed on the blood of one human per year. The Ball is a way to keep them at bay, and one person is randomly chosen and murdered when the clock strikes twelve. If you do not attend, you are executed by the kings' orders. Out of 222 people, one will die on that night. I have a one in 222 chance of death now. I thought my family would be safe this year, given that there is only a week left, but I must have been wrong.

I went into the home I shared with my mother and two sisters, preparing to tell them the news. My mother was turned away from me in the kitchen, cooking something. I inhaled, scared of what her reaction might be.

"Mother, I received an invitation."

"To what dear?"

"The ball."

She dropped her knife, and it clattered against the floor. "No, no this can't be. You didn't, not after-" I hugged her, feeling worse than I did before.

"I have the letter with me now, I haven't read it yet."

"I don't understand, they usually never invite people from this area of the valley."

"I guess I have to go to it now. I would rather risk death than have it be inevitable." She sighed, and suddenly she looked older, and more tired. After my father's death, she worked herself even harder for me and my sisters. We all have jobs as well, but money has been tight since the Great War. Now, there was a chance our family would lose another member, and I was worried, more for their sakes than mine that I would be okay.

I opened the letter.

"Dear Aeris Seliren, you have been invited to the annual Scarlet Moon Ball. The date is the twenty-second of winter, and it begins at eight and ends at twelve-thirty in the morning. The attire is formal. Failure in attendance will result in one's execution.

We look forward to seeing you here.

~Your Majesty, King Salton"

I was going to the Scarlet Moon Ball.

~The night before the ball. ~

I pulled the dress over my head, and Lei and Rhea tightened the corset strings. Although this was the worst situation I could be in, the dress was beautiful. A deep, wine red, with a corset style top and a long flowy bottom. It was low-cut, and form-fitting, two things I was not entirely used to, but I could move in it and it was comfortable. Looking in the mirror, I could barely recognize the person looking back at me. The dress highlighted my pale skin and long black hair, almost making me look as if I was a spirit, or a vampire. My eyes, which were a pale blue seemed to glow in an ethereal way.

"Woah." My sister was looking at me in awe.

"What do you think?"

"You look almost pretty."

"Lei!"

This dress almost made me want to go to the ball.

Around 7 the next day, a carriage arrived at my house, ready to pick me up for the ball. Everyone invited was picked up by one of the kings carriages and horses. A slight reminder to his wealth while the rest of us worked to the bone and were still hungry.

I climbed into the carriage and sat on the plush velvet seat. Rhea had done my makeup, and for the very first time, I really thought I looked nice enough for the event. It took a little while until we reached the castle, and I was very nervous. I looked out of the small window at the valley, until the scenery changed as we entered the kingdom. The lights in the shop windows were still on, despite it being dark out. In the valley no one had enough money for electric lighting.

Arriving at the castle, I stumbled out of the carriage and started walking up to the entrance, my invitation in hand for identification. Two knights stood guarding the door. I went up to the one on the right. Through his helmet I could see a pair of soft brown eyes.

"Invitation Miss." I handed it to him, trying to act like I wasn't terrified of the situation. What if he didn't let me in and I got executed? What if it was a faulty invite? What if- "You can go in." I sighed a breath of relief and smiled up at him.

"Thank you!" He looked at me strangely.

"Of course, miss."

I walked into the ball, unprepared for the sight in front of me.

It was lavishly decorated, with a giant window in the ceiling displaying the moon, slowly turning red. There were small red lanterns that seemed to be floating in the air, and tiny lights everywhere, that gave the dim room an air of magic. The ballroom floor was full of people, all dressed in pretty dresses and fancy suits. Suddenly I felt nauseous, remembering that one of them, or me would die tonight. The only people safe would be the royal family, who were sitting at a regal table on a balcony overlooking the dance floor. The king, the queen, and their children, the twin prince and princess. I hated them for making us do this.

Eventually a kindly maid helped me find my assigned table, and I sat down next to a petite blonde girl who looked to be about my age. She was pretty, with dirty blonde hair, freckles, and big brown eyes. Her dress was poofy and light pink, suiting her perfectly.

"Hello! You must be my new table mate. I'm Mare!"

"Hello, I'm Aeris."

We started talking, and I learned she was from a slightly more prosperous section of the valley, and was very nervous about who might die tonight, and thought that the prince was pretty attractive, although she disliked the royal family as much as I did. I really did like her, and not having many friends back in the valley due to my always working, hoped that we would both be safe so we could be friends after the ball.

"Hey, come on let's go find some guys to dance with!" I laughed at Mares exuberance.

"Alright, but I'm warning you, my dancing may not be castle standards."

Mare quickly found a young man with dark curly hair and piercing green eyes who seemed to match her energy, and stare at her in awe when she was in her element dancing. I was sitting at our table, when I looked at the clock. 10:38. Panic overwhelmed me, wrapping around my throat like a vice, choking me. Less than two hours, it could be me, it could be Mare, it could be any of us. Why was I chosen, why me? Someone tapped me on the shoulder.

"Are you okay miss?" The knight from the entrance, he had the same eyes. "I was doing the perimeter check, and I couldn't help noticing you seemed to be having a nervous spell." I was still in my state of terror, and barely choked out a sentence.

"Fresh ai-r."

"Of course, miss."

He took me by the arm and led me out onto a balcony, talking to me in a soft voice all the way.

"I could tell you were having a nervous spell earlier as well, my brother has them all the time too. There's always someone here who freaks out before the big kill, usually a first timer. Don't worry though, as long as you or your family hasn't done anything to upset the king, you should be safe. It's not entirely random." I had started feeling better and thanked him for helping me. This made him look at me peculiarly again.

"You aren't from here, are you?"

"No, I'm from the valley, the South area."

"That explains it, no one here ever thanks the guards for anything, we're just doing our jobs."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know we weren't supposed to do that."

"Nonono, I don't mind at all, I'm just not used to it."

I learned his name was Henry, and we talked and talked on that balcony for almost 2 hours. Everything about him was captivating to me, his eyes, his voice, his laugh.

"Aeris I've never met anyone like you." He leaned close, slowly going to pull off his helmet.

"I've never met anyone like you either."

"I'm so glad I met you." I smiled, wondering if maybe, just maybe we might kiss. I had never been kissed before, but I kind of wanted to kiss him.

"I feel the same way, Henry."

The clock struck 12. Suddenly I was shoved from behind into his arms. He started dragging me away, as the person who had shoved me held my legs. I kicked, and tried to scream but Henry clamped his hand over my mouth. I heard him whispering,

"I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry."

I was shoved into a dark room, where I was told that I was the person chosen to be killed. The man who had shoved me was wearing an executioner's mask, and Henry was standing there, looking solemn, and a little lost. I exploded into hysterics, crying and screaming. The man tried to cover my mouth, but I bit him, drawing blood. They were unable to perform the ritual with me in this state, and I wasn't planning on calming down anytime soon.

"Listen Tress, let me talk to her and calm her down." Henry's voice was soft, comforting, as it had been before he betrayed me.

"Fine Wiliams, you work your magic." The executioner backed out of the room.

"You are an awful human being, you are a liar, and a traitor, and should be ashamed of yourself."

"Listen Aeris, run. The window is broken, I'll help you outside, just run, run as fast as you can, because your life depends on it. Go west, to a brownstone building numbered 334, I'll help you, just run. I'm on your side."

I didn't know what to do, I had no choice. At least out there I could escape though. Henry helped me through the window and whispered.

"Remember, 334. Go to your left. I'll find you; I'll explain everything. Please trust me, I'll hold him off. Run.

I started running, wondering if I was making the right choice, but knowing it was better than staying in the cell.

AHHHHHHH this was so fun to write!!!! i kinda want to turn it into a story so lemme know if I should!