"CONNOR WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU I'LL-" Travis swung wildly in the air spitting curses that would make any self respecting village girl feint. In his opinion that was the first step in sorting out the nags from the preferred one nighters, but this was not cool.

His dagger had fallen out of his hands at the sudden reverse of gravity. So here he was dangling upside down in the middle of some gods forsaken forest miles away from the nearest kingdom.

He half expected his identical brother to pop out of nowhere laughing his head off. His bag of particulars had spilled in the ground, revealing a variety of expensive and exquisite objects, from golden lamps to elegant (possibly cursed) knives.

"CONNOR!" Travis shouted again. A huge amount of pressure was going into his head, blood pounding in his skull. He jerked against the rope tie trap that his boot was ensnared in but no prevail.

"Filthy son of a Hydra!" Travis cursed his younger brother.

"Will you please shut up! You're scaring all the game away!"

Travis stared down at the clearing surprised to see not his brother, but a girl with hair as dark as that sweet food he gotten from that village years ago. What had they called it? Chocolate?

Her eyes were green as the foliage around them with a fire that embark his own passion. Her cloak was ratty, a mere maid get up. And yet...

Travis could already tell she was annoying.

"Hey! Pretty girl!" He called, "Little help?"

She looked at him disgusted. "Uh, no."

He glared down at her. "I'll scare your game even further away!"

Her dazzling green eyes bore into his dull blue ones. "Didn't matter. I don't need it. Find your own way out, foreigner." Her gaze turned to the items on the ground, glittering gold in the sunlight. She knelt beside the artifacts, which were probably more than she'd seen in her entire life.

"Where did you get this?" She held up the lamp that was decorated in fire from another far away kingdom. "A friend of mine told me a fine tale of a lamp that held a genie that could crate anything with just his hands and a couple pieces of metal. She said the genie united two rival kingdoms with the marriage of the gorgeous princess to the other kingdom's Prince, before the genie left on a quest to find his true love with his Dragon."

Travis pretended to be shocked. But in truth he already knew the story. Actually he'd been there. And he'd stolen that lamp from right under the princess's nose after the genie of fire had left.

"That's preposterous!" Travis chided her, "I'm a well known trader upon all the kingdoms of the Half Blood Hills as well as the countries of Rome and Olympus itself! Never in my time have I heard such a ridiculous story! Now cut me down, peasant!"

The girl scowled, "or perhaps I could leave you up there to die!"

Travis was staring to see stars in his vision. Irritation sprang on his senses. "If you cut me down you can take whatever you want from my bag! I've got a brilliant pair of glass slippers that would look good on your legs!"

"Oh gods no!" The girl yelped, she was already putting things back in his leather satchel, "Those would be terrible to run in! I'd lose them the first time I'd tried to run up the steps! Besides, what's stopping me from just taking whatever I want now?" She stood up holding a dangling diamond earring, "What do you think, trader? Diamond, right? Why would you only have one?"

Travis wanted to say because the matching one was in his tunic pocket but the blood was pounding in his head. If there was one thing he never sold or even let out of his sight it was those earrings. They were a gift, which was not something he got very often, from the most gorgeous woman in all of the land. She worked with magic and told him one day the earrings would lead him to true love.

So far it hadn't worked. Stupid earrings.

Darkness fluttered like a veil over him, as he fought against the restraining bond on his foot.

The girl smiled slightly. "Oh well. Bye." She turned and left the clearing swinging her dagger carelessly. She walked right past the rope that hung him up there and sliced it with one cut.

Travis let out a groan, but he never felt the impact of the earth. He succumbed to unconsciousness long before that.

***

Travis woke up three days later, in an inn with a doctor and his brother both yelling at each other.

"That is unreasonable!" Connor was shouting.

"That's my price, Stoll! Pay me or I'll call the Kings Force and send you to the jail!"

"Shut up you two!" Travis moaned, "Connor pay the man, than get him the Hades out of my room!"

Connor grumbled something. He handed him a fortune in bronze coins. "That's enough to paid for two tickets to that one country in Rome where no laws apply!"

The doctor looked like he already knew that. "I'm moving there to get married."

"I hope she knows she's marrying a thief!"

"Like you have any room to talk, Stoll." The younger doctor glared at him waking out the door, "And yes, he does."

Connor scowled at the door. Before turning back to Travis who was attempting to sit up. "You okay?" Connor asked, "I found you in the middle of the woods, unconscious and bleeding. I leave you for one day to about the city ahead...!"

Travis waved him off. "I stepped into a hunters trap. And got stolen from by a village girl."

"Stolen from?"

"Yes, stolen. Everything. Damn girl." Travis's hand went too his tunic buttoned pocket. "Everything except this." The glittering diamond earring rested in his palm. He didn't even have the other part now. It was useless. He had half a mind just to toss it away but it was valuable and they could sell it for something good probably.

"Great," Connor sighed, "and that jerk just took the last of my darchamas. So we're broke with no way to get any money."

"I could sell it-"

"Oh come on Travis. Who's going to want one earring?"

Travis pondered in silence for a couple minutes watching the floor as Connor paced.

"We can still do what we came here to do." Travis said finally. "How long was I out? Surely we have enough time to get ready-"

"It's tonight." Connor said shortly, "The Ball's tonight. In a couple hours actually. You've been out for three days."

Travis clasped his hands together, "Then we better hurry. The castle isn't going to rob itself!"

***

The Ball was a tradition for the kingdom. The had Balls every year. The kingdom was all about flowers abs natural beauty. So they were constantly having the ballroom decorated in the most elegant flowers.

This year however, it was a lot more impressive. It had to be. The chatter of the town could be heard for days prior. This time the King and Queen were attempting to marry off their daughter.

And it was also gossiped that the princess didn't know yet.

How could she not know, though? Everyone was talking about it. Princes from every corner of the land were coming. Some from places so far away no one was sure who they actually were.

Travis and Connor were betting on this.

"Ready?" Travis asked his identical brother. Connor readjusted his collar again.

"No detours, Travis." Connor warned, "The longer you stay, the more of a chance we'll get caught."

Travis grinned. "Of Course not, Prince Connor of the Western Isles."

Connor wasn't amused. He and Travis were dressed exactly the same. A princely dark blue tunic, with a red sash and red buttons. Identical outfits they'd stolen from a Prince that had tried to cut off their heads and succeed in looking like a fool in front of his entire kingdom.

The plan was simple, they'd done it before multiple times. Connor would go in and have a spectacular time. Dance with a few pretty ladies, dine, and ultimately get acquainted with everyone.

Travis on the other hand would go shopping in the treasure halls. Since they were dressed the same and looked the same any guards would assume he was Connor. Travis could steal whatever and if he got sighted Travis brought along a cloak enchanted by a witch, which could turn him invisible as long as he stayed still.

Connor could claim innocence because he was obviously at the party, and in the confusion Travis could escape.

It worked many times before, and they both had gotten plenty of laughs from it.

"Here I go." Connor muttered as the carriage pulled to a stop. The door opened revealing Connor in his full glory, a handsome, Prince with rich fabrics and a well like personality.

Travis stayed in the carriage a small smirk on his face as Connor was instantly the center of attention to the ladies. The door closed again shutting Travis inside and began the bumping journey around the back of the castle.

He never felt this anxious about a theft before. He pulled the earring from his pocket again, twiddling it in his fingers.

The carriage pulled to a stop. The driver was getting a promise of gold for this job, though Travis had no intention of actually paying the man. He nodded to the driver as a quick thank you before heading towards the castle servant staircase.

At this time of night, nearly midnight, all the servants were either severing in the celebration or asleep. It was easy getting into the castle.

Actually the only hard part happened to come after he had an entire bag filled with riches, and he dropped his most precious item.

The earring seemed to burn in his hand and he let out a yelp dropping it from his palm onto the carpeted hallway. Luckily no guards were around. Travis checked around to make sure anyway. He reached down to pick up his possession.

But it moved.

"What?" Travis whispered to himself. He reached out again.But the jewelry moved again. He frowned this time he put his treasures bag down and tried to cup it with both hands.

It shot off down the hallway. Travis cursed running nimbly after it. If he got caught now, it would be the end for both him and Connor. But at the same time he couldn't let that magic earring get away.

Somehow, the earring led him away from the treasure hall without a single guard noticing. It was like there weren't any there at all. It zoomed out a window like someone had attached a string to it and yanked hard. Travis barely hesitated before climbing out the window after it.

The window was only a couple feet off the ground. And outside the night air felt cold. Why was the window even opened in the first place?

He was in a garden. That much was clear. Music flowed from nearby and laughter sounded close. He guessed that over the garden maze hedge, was the ballroom balcony. The Hedge's were tall and the ground was layered with stepping stones and flowers that glowed even at night. Up ahead the stones led to a wide mosaic chasing with a bubbling fountain and flowers all around.

The earring landed right in the middle of the clearing, sparking in the reflection of the moon. Travis sighed internally. Now he could get out and get back to his stealing job, then get the Hades out of this kingdom.

But before he could move something else did. The crisp sound of heels on stone. Travis hid himself against the hedge just it of sight.

A girl obviously from the ball walked over to the earring. Her hair was in a rich brown and silver braid. It elegantly twisted to the side so that her hair was over her shoulder. Her back was too him, but she wore a beautiful green dress that moved with silk grace. At the top it was silver and it morphed colors as it went down becoming a shamrock green at the bottom.

She wore glass slippers.

She bent down and picked up the earring with what looked like confusion.

"Hey!" Travis couldn't stand it anymore, he started hurrying towards her not carrying if he was seen. "Hey!"

The girl looked at him quickly before fleeing deeper into the garden maze. Travis cursed abs ran after her. He couldn't lose that earring. He couldn't!

He caught up to he easily though seeing as she was wearing heels made of glass and he wore boots. He grabbed her arm forcing her to spin towards him. She struggled against him pushing away but Travis held fast.

"Let go, you son of a Hell hound!" She shrieked. She finally turned to actually look at him her dazzling green eyes boring into his dull blue...

"You!"

"You!"

They both yelled at the same time. Travis stared at the girl who'd stolen all of his items scowling, she glared right back struggling even harder than before. Her braid jingled along her shoulder catching Travis's attention. The end was capped off with a diamond earring. An identical diamond earring to the one she'd just picked up.

"Let go of me!" She yelled again.

"Give me back my earrings!" He demanded. "Both of them!"

"Why?" She shoved his chest, "Are they for your girlfriend?!"

Travis mood darkened, "I don't have a girlfriend."

She didn't seem to care, she struggled and struggled, "Let go! Or I'll call my guards!"

Travis should've been afraid for that, probably, but he figure if no-one had come for the racket she was already making, they weren't coming at all. Though something occurred to him right then.

"You? You're the Princess?" He snorted, "A princess who dresses as a maid?"

She glared at him harshly, "like you have room to talk! A thief and trader that dresses like a Prince!"

"My earrings, princess!" Travis said impatiently.

"My freedom, thief!" She argued.

"Why are you not at the ball?"

"Why do you want theses earrings?"

Travis gave her a look tighting his hold around her waist. He suddenly realized it almost felt like he was hugging her. They were that close.

"Fine!" She cried, "I don't want to be at the ball because my parents are trying to marry me off. And I don't want to marry, a random Prince who just wants my family's fortune and land." She ripped the earring out of her hair and slammed both into Travis chest.

Travis winced letting go of her to catch the jewelry. She huffed at him trying to fix her shoes. "See I told you I couldn't run in these!" She grumbled.

Travis looked at the diamond earrings. They still looked the same as they did when he first got them. He always thought they were the most beautiful things in the world. Now they were the second most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

He glanced up at the girl.

"These earrings were a gift." He said.

"From who?" She asked

"Just a queen."

Travis felt awkward trying to tell her the earrings were enchanted to find true love.

She him a degrading look, "Why don't I believe that?"

"She did!" Travis laughed. He actually laughed! "Say why haven't you run away yet, princess?"

A nice blush heated her cheeks. "Why should I? You're not a Prince. Just a jerk."

"I'm so a Prince." Travis insisted.

She scoffed, "No!"

"Well, I can act it!"

"Oh please."

Travis was offended, "Here watch!" He cleared his throat and bowed low to her. "Your beauty outshines the star on this night, your grace. Please allow me to gaze upon your beauty..."

It probably would have been spot on had he not finished it by widening his eyes as far as he could go and stared slightly starkerish right at her.

She laughed. "That's almost prefect. You forgot to complement my hair and ask for a dance."

"My bad." Travis said. He held an arm out to her, forgetting that he was originally robbing her castle and left a bag of stolen junk in her hallway.

"Oh, your highness, I am Travis Stoll, Prince of the Western Isles. I may only ask for two things ever, to gaze upon beauty Princess...?"

"Katie." She smiled faintly.

"Princess Katie, as your hair is the most fairest in the land and please if I may have just one dance." He felt his heart rate increase. He put the earrings into his other pocket.

He smiled at her and her blushed depended. The music from the ballroom softly played, a slow dance of sorts. He hope Connor was having a good time. He almost always did on these ploys.

"And before you say no, Princess, I'm not trying to marry you."

Katie took his hand.

And inside his head as he danced he thought yet. I'm not trying to marry you yet.

They danced the rest of the night.

***

So everyone knows how it ends. They kiss, Fall into true love, and get married, somehow. Travis repents from his mischievous ways, Connor finds some girl to court. Everyone has a happily ever...

***

Travis and Katie danced song to the ballroom music. The gardens provided idle night. They leaned close. Closer than they should've been for just meeting each other that night. Katie closed her eyes, Travis leaned even closer trying to fill the gap between their bodies.

Midnight rang from the clock tower far away.

"You know Katie," Travis whispered, "Those earrings were enchanted to find true love."

"I think they worked."

Travis kissed her. On the lips. Immediately he felt everything melt away. His heart rate sped up. He felt the Katie's lips on his in prefect sync.

Then the explosion knocked them apart.

"What the-?" Travis yelled out, Katie screamed. Right next to them beyond the shadow of hedges orange rocketed into the night sky. Chunks of stone blasted through the foliage wall. Travis leapt in front of Katie determined to protect her.

The guests at the ball were screaming loudly. Travis looked at Katie.

"Connor..." He breathed, he looked back at Katie, "I'll be right back!"

"But-!"

"Katie! I'll be right back! Stay here!" He shoved something into her hands. And he then ran straight towards the hedges and dove right through.

Katie looked at the one earring in her hand. Travis had to have the other one.

The entire building shook and another explosion.

Katie screamed.

***
...After?