"Stay quiet," Vylad hissed. He scoped out the rough terrain ahead. The forest's color slowly faded as the pale sunlight drained away. Twilight cast the tree's thin, straggly shadows on to the marshy ground, distorting them into frightening shapes. The late Autumn air bit with a sharp chill.

Vylad's eyes remained alert for the shape of a person. He filtered out the motion of the swaying branches and inspected the treetops. Without a word, he lead the other forwards.

The brothers stepped as swiftly and stealthily as possible. Garroth being a tall, burlier man, struggled to spare the dry twigs from snapping under his feet. Zane and Vylad, on the other hand, ran along briskly. Though, they continuously found themselves slowing down to urge Travis forward.

Travis' head hung low, eyes burning into the ground. His bangs and oversized hood hid his desolate face and he scuffed forward with melancholy. No matter how far they traveled from home, he could not wipe away the image of the beautiful girl with her angelic voice and soft blue hair. The way she twirled with him was so alluring and enchanting. He only wanted to hold her in his arms once more and bask in another wondrous moment by her side. Was that too much to ask for?

The foliage thinned until a clearing appeared just at the edge of the forest. Vylad pulled up his camouflage-green scarf further over his face and poked his head out of the trees. He turned in either direction, intently scanning every nook and cranny. He nodded and sprinted through the overgrown grasses to a river. The others hurried after him.

They crossed a grand stone brick bridge with a more natural pace to blend in with a few traveling stragglers. Once they reached the other end, Vylad encouraged them to quicken their speed. They snuck past the townspeople and slipped behind buildings on to the barren, worn back roads where the rows of roses dwindled. They ignored curious glances from dark, peculiar figures and kept their eyes to themselves.

At last, looming within the shadowy alleys an aged wooden door awaited. Vylad fidgeted in his pocket for the key. His fingers felt around for the object but they touched nothing but cloth. He checked the other pocket. Nothing. His stomach dropped. He whirled around, wide-eyed.

Garroth, smiling boastfully, waved the key in his palm. The metallic gold reflected a ray of sunshine. "Told ya you'd forget it," he mocked.

Vylad snatched it out of his hand, scornfully shaking his head. He fidgeted with the key until it slid inside the metal lock, clicking it open. "Come, quickly," he breathed.

The door creaked on its hinges to unveil a dim, narrow hallway. Travis looked up. There was no warm glow of lanterns or anything even remotely similar to the cozy decor of the cottage. Instead, the bleak, musty place appeared more like a dungeon than a castle. Anxiously, he crept forward. The tightly packed, windowless mossy-brick walls evoked a sense of claustrophobia within him. Fear, uncertainty, perhaps even a twinge of excitement accelerated his heartbeat.

Travis took the lead still sulking, but peering around and exploring nonetheless. A winding staircase wove in spirals up into the foggy darkness. The stuffy air was difficult to breathe with his tight chest and a draft sent a shiver bounding down his spine. He stalked over to the first step and stalled.

Zane noticed and hastily ran in front. He started up the staircase unaffected by the intimidating height. Travis watched as he slowly disappeared step after step until his figure was consumed by the shadows. The patter, though it was soft, echoed within the walls and unearthed debilitating anxiety within Travis' body.

Garroth tapped Travis on the shoulder with an, "Are you going?" sort of look.

Travis glanced fearfully at the stairs and then back at Garroth. He nodded. Aware of every little unintelligible noise, Travis followed Zane up the daunting torch-lit passageway. His legs began to tremble as the altitude increased. Garroth stayed close, prepared to catch Travis should he slip.

"Just a few more," Vylad's voice whispered from somewhere behind.

Sure enough, the stairs gave out to another hallway. It bore the same cold stone walls but was now accompanied by a solid tiled floor. There was a curved ceiling garmented with one or two unlit chandeliers that rocked ominously. Thousands more mysterious doors popped up on either side, outlined in intricately engraved door frames. Portraits lined in gold hung at the end of the hall. Travis strained to see who was painted within in them but the ghostly faces were blurry as the formidable hallway seemed to stretch on for a mile.

"Come in here, Travis. You can relax for a little," Vylad offered in a kind, hushed voice.

Travis turned around. He was unable to move. Glittery wings fluttered on his uncles' backs. Travis opened his mouth to question them but was practically pushed inside before he could form a sentence.

The grand room stole his attention. In another time the space may have been lively with its blue curtains and beautiful tall windows. Banners with what presumably was the family crest draped from the high ceiling and chairs with puffy cushions leaned against the walls. An undisturbed fire crackled from inside a large fireplace sunken deep into the farthest wall.

But Travis couldn't help but notice the neglect towards the room such as how the dirty floor creaked and how there were perhaps as many cobwebs scattered about as there were threads in the carpet. Above all, he couldn't place a finger on the formidable premonition that lingered within the room.

Garroth pushed the door shut, locking it before frantically running to slide all of the curtains closed. The remnants of the sunset beyond the walls were swallowed by shadows.

Vylad noticed a dusty vanity with a chair beside it to which he led and sat Travis down. Travis sank slowly into the seat, glaring uneasily into the eyes of his reflection. He removed his hood with apprehension.

"Now," Vylad began quietly, "there's one last gift we'd like to give you."

Travis surfaced from his thoughts. "Hm?" His voice trembled, feeble. He'd already forgotten it was his birthday. He hesitated and then shook his head, unnerved. "No, it's okay. You don't have to give me anything," he pleadingly assured Vylad and nearly added, "I don't want it."

"This one is a right, Travis," Vylad told him. He wove his wand, mesmerizing Travis with the glowing beam that dragged behind it, and created a small emerald-encrusted crown out of seemingly nothing but thin air and glitter. Travis gaped, focused more so on the sparkling magic than the object.

Until it was placed on his head.

The sight was so unexplainably bizarre. So unfitting. Overwhelming. He, Travis Valkrum, looked like a prince. He appeared like a blood heir to the throne, the son of a king, the next ruler of a kingdom; this kingdom. This horrible, frightening, unfamiliar prison of a kingdom. And like a dagger to his heart, the realization struck him: he was no longer free.

Tears rushed to his eyes faster than the blood that pulsed rapidly through his veins. He struggled to withhold them, his breath quivering. His fatigued body shuddered as he broke down onto his forearms.

The fairies backed away slowly, each gazing sympathetically at the boy. Perhaps it was the angle or maybe his scrawny build but they all agreed that for just a moment, Travis looked not sixteen but a child once more.

"We should give him a moment," Zane whispered to his brothers.

Garroth repressed his disagreement.

They left together, looking back one final time, before slowly clicking the door shut. "It has to be the girl he met," one of them whispered.

The sound was distant.

There was a low, slow voice that whispered through Travis' mind. It droned his name. Again, and once more.

Travis stopped crying. He stopped feeling anything at all. The voice caught tight hold of his body. With a cold touch, he relaxed entirely. His thoughts faded into emptiness with a heavy blankness enveloping his head. He exhaled slowly, his eyes unfocused but emitting a faint green glow.

The voice whispered his name louder. The room grew cloudy and swayed ever so slightly. Yet, Travis was overpowered with an intoxicating curiosity. He needed to know where the voice was coming from.

The dying fire beside him diminished, blackening the room, and a pair of purple snake eyes beamed wildly from inside. Michael formed from the smoke, grinning a crooked, incredibly wicked smile. From his long, clawed fingertips, he formed an orb of smoky green light. Snapping once, he vanished into the shadows.

Travis' body rose upward at the sound, straightening itself out until it was upright and stiff in the chair. The eyes in his hanging head stared directly at the dead, unblinking eyes in the mirror. The emerald hue deepened. He turned in the direction of the light, losing his conscience in the mist.

His stare did not break as he ascended unnaturally to his feet. The silky cloak slid off of his shoulders and rolled downwards onto the chair. His heart pounded slowly and his breath cycled yet slower. His arm outstretched, reaching for the floating light while his feet dragged him forward mechanically.

The orb danced hypnotically before him. With each passing step it grew closer and his obsession with it stronger. He lifted his hand higher to touch it but it retreated back just before contact. It levitated toward the brick wall of the fireplace that disappeared inexplicably before drifting down through the now unconcealed, unlit hallway. Travis followed it loyally.

"It's so unfair," Garroth whined from the couch. The fairies huddled in the room beside Travis'. "He deserves to share his life with someone he loves."

"We don't get to choose that, Garroth," Zane replied, his back towards his brothers.

"But he should!"

Vylad perked up. The faintest noise whispered from the walls. Eerie, yet recognizable. Immediately his veins flooded with adrenaline. "Michael!" Vylad whirled around, alarm plastered on his face. He grabbed the door handle and yanked it open. The three flooded out, tripping over each other.

"Oh my Irene no! Travis!" Garroth yelled. They froze, helplessly watching Travis turn the corner.

They shouted his name in unison and bolted across the room, but the wall sealed just before they reached it. Garroth punched it as hard as he could screaming, "Help me open it!" He prepared to throw his brothers at the bricks.

Travis was met with a new set of stairs. They were much smaller and confined by narrow walls. He took no notice and submissively walked after the light, ambling upwards. The poisonous green tint illuminated the freezing hallway.

"Back up!" Zane ordered. He shoved Garroth out of the way and shot the wall with his wand, exploding it open. They rushed through, scrambling in the hallway.

"Travis! Where are you?" Vylad shouted. His and his brother's worried voices rang in echoes. They lit the tips of their wands and wove them in the darkness, seeking desperately. They overflowed with dread with every passing second, leaping up the steps, squinting in the dark, their hearts pounding faster and faster.

"Travis!" They shrieked in unison.

Travis climbed the final steps and raised a brow at the strange barred, decaying door. A faint noise reached his ears yet he disregarded it, sinking deeper into a trance. He slipped through the passageway.

The orb twirled and twisted, shaping into the unmistakable shape of a spinning wheel. Travis tilted his head slightly. He lifted a finger, inching closer to the light.

"Travis don't touch anything!"

Zane? Was that him? Travis stopped. He blinked his dry eyes several times. He dropped his arm back down to his side, his surroundings crashing into his senses. He searched the room for some kind of answer, shaking. The door slammed behind him.

"Touch the spindle," a deep voice growled. It resonated directly behind him, breathing into his ear. Frosty hands wrapped around his shoulders, stripping away control once more.

Travis obeyed. His finger positioned above the machine.

"Travis!"

The insignificant noise passed through his head, ringing in his ears.

"Wait! Please!"

He lowered his hand, eyeing the peak of the spindle.

"Travis!"

His fingertip sank on to the point.

Travis' body became unbearably heavy at once. His eyelids fell, pulled down by an immense weight. He inhaled weakly before his knees gave out and he collapsed onto the ground. A blanket of deep sleep encased him, consuming him and dragging him deeper into nothingness until not a sound nor touch reached his senses.

Michael cackled hysterically. He approached Travis and allowed his cape to drape over the boy's body. His gloved hand wrapped firmly around Travis' chin. "Pitiful boy. You're under my control now," he whispered sharply. He bared his satisfied, sharp-toothed grin with frightening wide eyes and irises that were glimmering in insanity. "I could kill you right now."

Vylad, Zane, and Garroth poured into the room, struggling to catch their breaths. They gasped in pure horror. "No!" Zane spat under his breath. Garroth was on the brink of tears.

Michael stood, laughing insolently, "You imbeciles couldn't even save a child. I suppose such simple idiots were always destined for failure but it's truly shameful magic was entrusted in you." He mocked, taking extreme pride in the rage growing on Zane's face. "He's useless to me. Have your prince," he shot his arm out, lifting the thick fabric of his cloak off of Travis.

The boy lay motionless with his crown tousled in his hair. The fairies' shock ignited Michael's smile into maniacal laughter as his robes swarmed around him and he disappeared in a flash of green.

Garroth staggered forward. He dropped down to his knees beside Travis, eyes darting over his face in disbelief. He ran his large fingers through Travis' silky white hair before gently scooping him up in his arms. Two stray tears streamed down Garroth's cheeks, "How could we let this happen?" He turned back to his brothers, choking on a sob.

Vylad's expression was distant, "I don't know," he muttered, his breath uneven. He turned to Zane.

Zane stood perfectly still at first glance, but examination revealed he was quivering in a black rage. His hands were clenched in fists. "Michael is going to pay. I swear on Irene's name," he growled. He pulled his mask over his nose and brushed his bang further over his eye. If he was crying, his brothers could not tell. And if he was, they did not blame him. Even with their oath to do good, they all agreed that vengeance must be had. Just not yet.

"The king will not find out," Vylad stated.

"What?" Garroth cried.

"He will be heartbroken. I... I will figure out something but first," he heavily looked to Garroth and Travis, "let's get him somewhere safe."

Garroth gazed down on Travis. He was entirely limp in Garroth's arms. "Right," he breathed, allowing his silent tears to flow freely. He stood up with caution and looked to Vylad for directions.

They traveled to the tallest tower in the castle. Zane and Vylad collectively conjured up a soft bed, blankets, and pillows, and Garroth laid Travis down on to them. After, he twirled his wand and created a delicate, red rose that he placed in Travis' hands. They pulled the tear-dotted blanket over his legs and chest and then drew back.

Vylad stepped out onto the balcony. He contemplated the defined shapes of the kingdom's tall towers and walls. Shadows fell over them with the curtain of nightfall but the streets were alive with cheers. Stars and celebrational fireworks twinkled above innocently as though all was fine and there was no worry to be had. Simply a peaceful night with no burden preventing easy sleep. Perhaps, with alteration, that could be the case. He arranged and analyzed a plot within his head until he'd accepted the necessary plan of action.

Finally, Vylad spoke up. "We will put the entire kingdom to sleep until he wakes up," he determined with finality. His brothers' faces read slight concern and questions waited at their lips but they did not argue. They watched as Vylad pulled the curtains closed, standing weary yet alert to act.

Together, they wove their wands and shrunk before flying off the balcony and into the moonlit sky towards the castle.

They dove downwards only feet above the crowd and split in three directions, dragging their wands in the air beneath them. Frail sparks fell from the end of the wood, sprinkling down on every guard in every line, and every noble and civilian. Each person sank peacefully onto the ground and drifted off soundly. The flags that wove high between the incomers fell. Horses' tails no longer flicked, torches blew out, and the crystal water blooming from fountains dried up. The flowers of the gardens wilted, alive yet dormant. All but the roses that is. They remained as full as ever.

The fairies reunited at the castle's main entrance and carried on enchanting the guests. A mutual pang of guilt awoke as they approached the kings.

"Terry, I don't think Katelyn's comin'," Eric admitted, his face buried in his palm. He leaned on the prince's empty throne.

Terry forced a smile, unsure of the presence of any humor in Eric's statement, "Why is that?"

Garroth hovered above the kings, sparkling magic down on them. He couldn't help but overhear Eric murmur, "She's gone off to find some... peasant boy in the... woods." He yawned widely before laying his head down on his arms.

That was strange. Garroth skid on air. He shot backward, "Wait, what boy? When did she meet him?" He yelled in Eric's ear and stomped on his head frantically, struggling to wake him up.

Eric shook his head lazily, "Ah, once upon a dream or... somethin'," he snored.

Garroth floated for a moment, thinking. Where had he heard that phrase before? He knew it was from somewhere. He raised an eyebrow, examining Eric, and then turning to Terry, then back to Eric once more. It clicked.

"OH MY IRENE!" He cried. "Princess Katelyn likes— she likes Travis!" He rocketed up into the air, zooming to find Vylad and Zane.

He found them scanning the room by a high window. "Hurry!" He called, "We've got to get back!"

Zane found himself being dragged by the wrist, "Why?"

"Katelyn and Travis are crushing on each other! Katelyn can wake him up!"

"What?" Vylad chimed in, his face contorted in confusion.

"King Eric said Katelyn was looking for a peasant boy in the woods. It's Travis I swear!" Garroth explained hurriedly.

Vylad's eyes widened, "And he told her he'd meet her tonight. We have to get back before Michael does!"

Garroth's jaw dropped. He and his brothers shot out the window and raced back towards the cottage at the speed of light.

But the door had already creaked open.