Chapter 1 Trouble in a Bottle

I laid down on my bed and stared at the ceiling. I have just woken up and badly wanted to go back to sleep again, but couldn't. Somehow I don't even know how to go back when I think about the reality that was brought to me the other day. I guess I finally got some powers, but at the cost of being a princess.

A real princess with actual royal blood.

Suddenly my stomach growled.

I'm hungry. Now that is definitely a good wake up call.

I hurried up and changed. As I did I stepped on something and heard a light yelp. It was Custard and I accidentally stepped on his tail. Custard is a little brown baby wolf. He looks as harmless as a puppy in this form, but when he is in his beast mode he becomes this big bad white demon wolf(as the twins like to call him). Also, he is my familiar that I had apparently bonded with.

In other words if he dies I die. Romeo and Juliet! How romantic.

"Sorry, Custard. Didn't see you there." I said. "What do you say we go down and get something to eat? Though I don't know what you eat. Can I get you some milk?"

Custard's only response was a tilt of his head.

"I take that as a yes. Come on boy." I said and Custard followed me out of my room as we headed for the kitchen.

Once we were there I asked the lady if she could make me some eggs while I went to the storage room to get some milk. After that I search for a bowl that Custard can use. I poured milk on the bowl and set it on the ground. Custard sniffed it for a bit before licking it clean. "Wow you sure love milk."

"Well look brother. It's the princess." Dan yelled behind me.

"Shh, brother. Rose doesn't like being called a princess. You might bring out one of her moods."

"You mean her beast mood?" Dan said and they both started laughing.

A felt my vein pulsing in annoyance at their joke. "Say guys. Would you like some milk too?" I asked nicely.

"Of course!" Yelled Dan.

"Wow. Who are you and what did you do with the real Rose?" Ren said.

"Brother brother brother. Rose is now a changed woman. She's a real princess now so it is only natural that she would become kind and gentle like a real princess."

"You are absolutely right brother. Change is good." Ren agreed.

It took all of my will power not to pour the milk over their heads as I grabbed two extra bowls, poured milk in them, and dropped them on the floor in front of the twins while I put on a self satisfied smile. "Dig in." I said sweetly.

The twins looked at the bowls at their feet before looking back at me.

"She's mad." Dan whispered to his brother.

"I can see that!" Ren whispered back.

"Princess, your breakfast is ready." One of the maids said.

"Coming. Let's go, Custard." I said and shoved the pitcher of milk on Rens hands before walking past them. "Excuse me."

The maids placed my food on the table and Custard accompanied me by sitting beside my chair as I ate.

"That looks good." Someone said behind me. It was Nate.

"Hey." I said.

"Hey back. How are you?"

"Doing good. I gave the twins milk in a bowl earlier."

Nate laughed. "Let me guess? They pissed you off?"

"Kind of."

Nate looked at the way I used my utensils and frowned. "Elbows down when you cut, Rose. You are a princess now. Better practice it properly."

Ugh! Princess crap again.

I didn't even bother to finish cutting my egg. Instead I placed both utensils on the table as I got up.

"Hey where are you going? You are not finished."

"Lost my appetite. Come on Custard." I said grumpily and headed out of the kitchen. Seriously, they really need to stop reminding me that I am a real princess. Can they give me a break of something? Or talk about other things besides me being a princess?! This day just keeps getting worse.

I realized that I was about to head for the door when it suddenly opened and in came a man in fine clothing carrying a case of some sort. When I looked up to him I could help but catch my breath.

"Hey, Rose how are you? I heard the news and came here as fast as I-"

"FREEDDD!!!" I screamed and couldn't help but give him a hug.

He was caught off guard that we nearly fell. Luckily he was able to balance us. Fred laughed and stroked my hair. "Miss you too, Rose."

I laughed and moved back a bit. Still grinning in delight to see such a wonderful Angel - I mean - prince in front of me. "What are you doing here?"

Fred was just about to answer when someone else spoke for him. "He's here because the queen called him. We need Prince Freds help to know more about Tamer magic in order to help you." Said PRINCE Ace, who had mysteriously sneaked behind us. His full name is PRINCE Ace Feradin. The most ungrateful, snob, rude, and spoiled bastard among the princes. He is an elf that has this weird mumbo jumbo magic that controls....errr more like plants and can see and talk to animals. Kind of like Snow White. Black hair and midnight blue eyes. Good looking but I still prefer Fred.

"PRINCE Ace, nice to see you again." Fred said in greeting.

"You too, Prince Fred." Said Ace. A servant suddenly came into view and Ace gestured for her. "Please follow me while he takes your luggage to your previous room."

"Hey, we haven't talked yet. Come on! I haven't even introduced him to Custard." Beside me Custard bark when his name was called.

"And now you have and there will be more talking later once we are finished." Said Ace

"Custard bite." I said and Custard looked at Ace. He returned it with a glare of his own.

"Try it you little devil and you will really become a literal spirit when I am done with you."

"But that would kill me too."

"A double kill. Perfect."

"Freadiekins!!!" Just then the twins came into view along with Nate. "Fred, what are you doing here? I mean it's great that you are here. I just want to know why." Dan said as he crossed his arms over his chest while giving Fred a weird look.

Fred only laughed. "I'm here because the queen asked if she could have my assistance doing a little research about Roses records. Nothing more."

"Good. That is very good, Prince Fred. Thank you." Dan grinned.

At this Ren looked between Fred and Dan. "Am I missing something here?"

"Fred, why don't you go up first and rest. When you are ready just look for the queen in the l-library." Ace said stuttering a bit at the library part. It seems that Ace is still bothered about being banned in the library for a week just like the twins are required to practice sword fighting and Nate being banned from talking to me - yet he still talks to me when no one is around.

"Oh by the way, Prince Nate. The queen says that she will give you one last warning for talking to girls. Especially Rose."

"How did-"

"Never underestimate the queen." Ace cut him off as he looked at Fred and gave him a curt nod before leaving.

"Well then." Fred said. "I guess I should go rest. Rose, we'll talk more later after I get some rest and see the queen." He said and gave me that warm smile of his.

I couldn't help but smile. "Alright. Get some rest."

Fred then turned back and headed upstairs to his room leaving me, Custard, Ren, Dan, and Nate.

"Well that was nice. Hey, brother what do you say we go out and practice - ugh - our sword fighting?" Ren said to Dan.

"Do we have to?" Dan whined.

"Yeah you do. Never underestimate the queen." I said imitating Ace when he said it.

Ren laughed. "Yeah, yet you are not wearing the required heels for you." At that I immediately stiffened.

"W-Well I was hungry and I....forgot. Plus I let Custard chew on a few of them last night." I mumbled the last part.

Dan then glided to my side and placed his arm on my shoulder. "Alright. We'll pretend we didn't hear that last part, of course it is just pretend since psh! Werewolf hearing and all, on one condition."

"What?" I asked as I slapped his arm away.

"You need to watch us practice our sword fight. Wouldn't you want that, brother?"

Ren looked at Dan before looking at me. "Sure."

"That settles it then. Let's go!" Before I could react Dan was already pulling me to a vacant lawn at the back of the castle.

And so the whole morning went by with me watching the twins do their sword fight and Nate sitting a few spaces from me in order to avoid a conversation.

As I watched the twins practicing their fighting skills I couldn't help but notice that Dan was purposely making himself lose to Ren, which Ren didn't appreciate with the look of annoyance on his face.

"Don't you think Dan is taking this too much?" Nate said to Custard, which is his way of talking to me without exactly speaking with me. "Don't, you think so Custard?" Nate cooed and petted Custard, who was lying on Nate's lap as he tickled his belly. Honestly those two have become best of friends in this short time.

"Uh huh." I agreed.

"Okay, Dan. That is it!" I jumped a bit when Ren threw his sword on the ground in anger. "I don't know what your problem is brother, but this has to stop now."

"What did you say, brother? I can't hear you with all the bruises you gave me. Ow!" Dan acted up again and fell to the ground as if in pain.

"Stop it, Dan!"

"Stop what?" Dan blinked innocently at Ren, which only fueled his anger.

"If you won't fight seriously, then don't blame me if you lose an arm or two." Ren picked up his sword and brought it down to Dan, which Dan quickly parried.

"Hey hey hey. Watch my injuries. They are tender."

"If you have injuries then you wouldn't be able to raise your sword."

"Hmmm....you have a point there - Woah! And a rather sharp one." Dan quickly jumped to his feet and jumped back to avoid Ren's attack.

Ren grinned. "You better run now, brother."

"Ooohhhh scary." Dan mocked and shook his bum at Ren. "If you can catch me. HAHA!" And with that Dan suddenly ran and jumped to the nearest window and into the castle.

"Dan, get back here!" Ren yelled and followed Dan.

"I think we should go after then, Custard. Don't you agree?" Nate said.

"No choice. Come on." I said and just as I got up from the bench Nate swooped me off of my feet and carried me and Custard as he jumped in the window.

"I was gonna use the door like a normal person, but yeah, this works too." I was a little surprised by what just happened.

"On guard!" Ren yelled as he charged at his brother. Dan didn't seem to falter as he made farting at Ren and bolted up the stairs.

Of course, Ren followed.

Nate and I looked at each other before we followed. Wherever they go they make quite a mess. Broken curtains, vases, and flower petals scattered on the floor.

"The queen isn't going to be happy about this." Nate muttered. I couldn't agree more.

The twins suddenly turned to a corner and got in a room where they continued to fight. Nate and I got in to see them jumping on a huge bed while slashing and stabbing each other.

"Stop running!" Ren growled.

"I'm not running. I am jumping!" Dan said with glee.

"Hey, aren't we.." Nate trailed off as he looked around the room.

I took a good look around us, or rather, the room that we went into. Polished white floor, red walls with intricate design, a huge bed at the far wall, and a familiar luggage sitting beside the bed. I eyed the luggage intently and suddenly remembered where I saw it. It was the case Fred carried this morning. That could only mean...

"We are in Fred's room." I said all too dreamily that made Nate give me a look.

"Great. The Princess is in her dreamland which means you and I" he addresses himself and Custard. "need to drag those annoying brats out."

As soon as he said 'annoying brats' a vase came out of nowhere and hit his head while cradling Custard. It shatters and broken pieces rain down on his head. I gasped and looked at him worriedly expecting blood on his hair - seems kind of difficult since Nates hair is already blood red.

"N-Nate?" To my relief Nate seems unharmed as he gently places Custard back on the ground and dusts the broken shards from his hair. Either he was unharmed because of his vampire blood or because he's hard headed.

I'm betting on both.

"Are you...." I trailed off when Nate looked directly at me and gave me a sweet smile.

"Excuse me for a moment." He says before vanishing from my sight. Nope, not vanishing, but ran towards the twins at an incredible speed. He twins saw him charging and jumped out of the bed as they fought Nate, who looked murderous as he hit them with a pillow.

I know this is the time for me to intervene with them causing a ruckus, but let's just say the picture of three handsome princes charging and ramming each other is such a sight to see. The sight alone makes me want to drag a chair and eat popcorn as I watch them tearing each other apart. Awe.

Yes I am fangirling and, yes, what they are doing sounds a bit harsh, but hey, they are supernatural princes. Which makes it all better!

I was suddenly broken from my trance when Ren, stupid Ren, opened Fred's bag and pulls out a bottle filled with blue liquid. "This looks nice."

That caught Nates attention as he pushed Dan off of him to glare at Ren. "Rutledge, put that down!" Well that is all he can say since he doesn't know which twin is which.

"Nope." Ren said and made a play as he tossed the bottle in the air and caught it. Nate grunts and charges Ren, but Ren has other ideas. "Brother, catch!" Ren tosses the bottle to Dan, who easily jumps up and catches it in mid air.

"Fangster, you were after this?" Dan teasingly shakes the bottle at Nate, which only infuriates him.

"Hey you two put it back now!" It was now my turn to intervene as I marched up to them.

"You heard her brother, put it back." Dan tosses the bottle to Ren.

"Me? You put it back." Ren tosses the bottle to Dan.

"Roses orders." Dan tosses it back to Ren.

"She asks you." Ren tosses.

"But she prefers you." said Dan.

"I DON'T CARE WHO PUTS IT BACK! JUST RETURN IT TO WHERE YOU GOT IT!" I yelled.

"What's going on here?" All of us suddenly tense up at the voice and our attention to the door. PRINCE Ace and Fred enter the room. Fred looked amused and Ace looked annoyed. They both strode towards us and all I could do at that time was smile and wave like the penguins. "Hi."

"Hey." At least Fred responded.

"Yo Fred!" Dan yelled and waved the bottle. Fred was about to wave back until he saw the bottle in Dan's hand. "Sorry for touching your stuff. Here, catch!" And just like that Dan tosses the bottle to Fred.

"Be careful with that!" Fred warns. Too late. Idiotic Dan tosses the bottle a bit to high that it hit the chandelier. The bottle broke and whatever liquid was in there rained down on us along with the shattered glasses.

"Take cover!" Fred yells as he draws me and Custard, who jumped at me when the bottle broke in and shielded us both from the liquid and the glass.

I heard the princes scream and Fred flinching with the liquid hits him. I screamed too because I was afraid of what that strange liquid would do to us.

Suddenly it was all over. At first I felt Fred's weight on me, then suddenly all I was holding on was his coat.

Or more like....his clothes.

"Fred!?" I screamed when I saw his clothes on the floor. I looked all around the room to see that the others were gone too. Save for their clothing now on the floor. Well I can't see Prince Ace's clothes, which I don't even know if it is a good thing or not.

In that moment all I could hear was the rapid racing of my heart and the panic in my voice as I desperately called for them. "Fred! Ren! Nate! Dan! Ace! Where are you!?" I got up and circled. My vision is getting filled with tears and desperation looking for them.

"Guys come out! This is not funny! Not funny at all!"

Still no answer.

I began to weep as I fell to the floor. Somehow that liquid from the bottle....erased them. Flesh and all and now they are gone.

"The queen." I suddenly thought. If anyone knows what happened to them and how to bring them back it is the queen.

Custard barked at me. Or rather, at the pile of clothes that the princes left. "Yes, Custard. I know they are gone. You don't have to remind me." I sniffed and felt pain in my chest just saying it. "B-But no worries, Custard. I'm sure the queens would know how to fix this. I hope." Custard just ignores me and continues to bark. Even stuffing his nose in Freds clothes.

"Hey not fair, Custard. Show some respect. Even I-" Fred's clothes suddenly move. "Eep!" In a blind of an eye I was already behind Custard. "W-WHAT THE-" Fingers emerged from Fred's clothes. Small fingers like the hands of a toddler. I watch carefully when the strange thing shakes off Fred's coat from its head. It was a.....baby?

Curiously I moved away from Custard to get a full view. Upon closer look I notice something. This kid has blond hair and eyes and a clue as to the sky. When it saw me it smiled and reached out for me in recognition. "Wr-Wrose."

"What?"I asked.

"Wrose!!" It says again. The baby says again.

"I am not your mother!" I said moving back a little.

"R-Rose!" I said again. To my surprise I somehow understood him as I gazed into his eyes.

"Are you trying to say....Rose?"

"Y-Yes..." The kid smiled and when he did my heart skipped a beat. I know that smile anywhere.

"F-Fred?!"

"Y-Yes." The kid replied a bit shyly this time.

I gulped. I may be stupid but I am not that stupid to realize what I am about to face. "I-If you became a kid then that means...." I trailed off as my eyes wandered and stared at the pile of clothes that the princes left. "Oh boy." I sighed and, as if on cue, the pile of clothes started to shift until heads popped out of their expensive coats. The first I noticed was Nate looking like he just woke up from a nap. Then came the twins as they faced each other in wonder. The last one was PRINCE Ace trying to fit himself in the coat but it seems that it was too big for him.

Beside me Custard let out a small whimper.

"Yeah you are absolutely right, Custard." I muttered. "This is bad. And I am not that good at babysitting either."