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spend this year enjoying what I have, like a normal person."
    "Lessie, even normal people get presents on their birthday," her father was smiling.
    "Then get me a pair of socks," Alessa beamed up at him. She could tell that he approved of her decision even if her mother didn't understand it.
    "Socks it is, darling." Her father laughed as he squeezed her in a tight hug. "You know we love you, right Lessie? We love you more than anything in the world."
    "I love you, too. I love both of you so much," Alessa buried her head in her father's chest after she spoke. When she lifted her head and glanced at her mother she saw that her hand was over her mouth and she turned her face away from Alessa when she caught her eye. Alessa felt tears prickle her eyes at her mothe r’ s show of emotion. She backed out of the room pulling the door closed as she left.
    She turned from her parent s’ room and rushed silently through the maze of hallways back into her own room. As soon as she shut the door behind her, she locked it and collapsed on her favorite oversized couch by the closet. She was overwhelmed by what she had just heard. There was her proof that her mother did love her. She even wanted Alessa to live past the sacrifice despite any personal consequences. She also knew that her father loved her dearly. He had just accepted her fate. It was all so bizarre. She expected that their ideologies would be the opposite. She never could have guessed that her mother was still so conflicted while her father had accepted defeat. Alessa had spent little time thinking of the emotions of those she loved after she was sacrificed. She had thought that they would be grateful for the blessings that the Sacrifice represented. She had believed that they accepted her fate easily. She began to reconsider her assumptions as she thought on what she had just witnessed. Her parents were obviously distraught. And when she thought about it, Khi did n’ t seem terribly happy the last time they had discussed the topic. It seemed that not only was she upset about the impending Sacrifice, but also that her loved ones were going to be hurt as well. The thought tore through the deepest part of her heart. She did n’ t want anyone to hurt. Not herself, not her parents, especially not Khi. Thinking of all of it made her feel tired and beaten.
    As she thought through what she had just witnessed and all that it signified, a disturbing idea crept through her mind. Defeat . They had all accepted defeat. Because that is what this was. It was a complete and utter defeat. She was to lose her life. Her parents were to lose their daughter. Khi was to lose a friend. And the Empire, the Government, they were to gain prosperity. She was starting to realize that what she had been trained her whole life to believe was a lucky blessing was truly a malevolent curse in disguise.
     
     
    Chapter 3-
     
    “I’ m going to the Carnival tomorrow .” Alessa announced to Khilyn. She had spent weeks acting as if everything was fine and she felt like she might explode. She was trying to help her parents to feel better, trying to save face for Khi, and mostly trying to put the whole idea of it all out of her head before she truly had a meltdown. She needed some fun and wanted to get as far away from the Manor as possible. Since that was almost never allowed, the best excuse she could muster was the annual Carnival that would be on the other side of the Capital District.
    “ Why tomorrow ?” Khi asked. They were walking around the courtyard. Alessa was barefoot in the grass and enjoying the mild spring day. The bright greens of spring were evident all around them. Alessa was excited to see the colors of blooming flowers when they arrived. She refused to acknowledge that it would be the last time she saw flowers bloom and grow. As soon as the thought crept up she stuffed it back down into the place that she would deal with later.
    “ Because tha t’ s what I picked. I need a day to