A/N: This is a random idea I've had for a while, and I've finally gotten around to posting it. It's a rough draft, so there will probably be some spelling and grammar errors. It's a weird plot, I know, but I want to know if this is worth writing on about. So please, read and review, or this might end up as just another wacky oneshot... XD

Violets and Roses

Prologue

First Kiss

Some may think two in the morning was an odd hour for the king and queen's eldest daughter to be wandering the halls of Underland Castle. Young Iracebeth thought so too, but that didn't stop her from pacing back and forth down the same hallway as busy thoughts whirred through her head.

She attributed this to stress. It was expected that she had the entire Underland creed memorized to recite at the knighting the next morning. The creed of which she constantly forgot the last five lines too. Though, she wouldn't be alone in this, Mirana had to join her- despite the fact that she was three years younger than Ira at nine.

But she didn't count. She had already had the entire thing down pat, like everything else in their studies.

With a huff, she turned onto a nearby balcony. She threw her arms onto the thick stone railing, resting her chin on her folded hands as she looked over the sleeping courtyard below. Blue moonlight threw shadows across the neatly trimmed grass and flowers, but there was no menace to them. The only thing that stirred within the darkness was the warm breeze blowing in from the south, Ira knew that as a fact. If there was one thing she had over her sister, it was that she never let her imagination get the best of her- she ran on facts, not silly fairytales of magic and boogeymen.

That's why she nearly screamed when she felt something warm and slightly moist peck her on the cheek.

Her hand flew up the her face as she staggered back, looking for what would dare touch her like that.

"You'd think I'd be hurt with a reaction like that..." A voice chimed behind her, and she spun around to see a boy about her age. It took her a moment for her to come to this conclusion though, seeing as he was hanging upside down from one of the beams that where supposed to only support flower vines.

He smirked when she didn't say anything right away, causing her to blush, "What did you expect? Me to kiss back?"

His smile widened as he pretended to ponder this fact, "Well... that would be nice."

"You're sick!" She gasped, her cheeks nearly as red as her hair.

The boy shrugged, or, whatever you call it upside-down, "I get that a lot."

And with that, he dissappeared, right before Ira's eyes.

For a moment, she just stood there, dumbfounded as she stared at the empty space the boy left behind.

"You impressed?" Again, he spoke behind her. She turned around to see him, thankfully, on his two feet. She had to admit, he didn't look as... weird rightside up as he did upside down. He had raven black hair that was messily hanging in his face, a shocking contrast to his blue-purple eyes.

She folded her arms, trying to pass off as just the opposite, "I've seen better."

Ira couldn't help but feel a little victorious when he actually looked surprised. His grin puckered into a pout, "Well, my dad says my evaporating abilities match no other."

"Well," Ira said grandly, flipping some of her red hair behind her shoulder, "I've been to the Underland magic towers, and they vanish all over the place."

His eyes lit up at the mention of the towers, "I know, and it's all the power of coincedence." He threw his shoulders back, as if to look bold, "Some miesters of Underland study for years there before ever making it here to the Red and White courts, but I'm already here!"

Ira relaxed a bit, knowing that at least the boy wasn't sneaking around illeagally, "You live here too?"

He nodded, "Yes, my father is one of the miester gaurds. We live over in the barraks, and..." His grin returned as he slipped back into his 'impressive' mode, "Someday, I'll be able to protect you, my princess."

She stood there, trying not to give him the satisfaction of letting him know she was a bit flattered, "Well, yes. You do that. But I'm afraid you can't be my miester knight if my current gaurds drag you away first."

He smiled, "But you haven't called them yet."

"I will."

"You won't."

They stared at eachother for a minute, and he eventually broke off, "Well, it's getting late..." He streatched his arms out in an exaggerated yawn, "It was nice bumping into you, you could say I'm honored."

"Bump into me?" Ira scoffed, "You snuck up on me!"

"Eh, tomatos, tamatos..." He winked at her, "You looked a little lonely, that's all."

She rubbed her cheek, "You kissed me."

"Um..." he ducked his head down, but Ira could still see him blushing a bit, "Well... some of my friends... dared me."

"Dared you?" Ira gasped, her cheeks heating up again, "Who?"

"Just friends..." He looked back up at her, suddenly a little sheepish, "They said if you kissed me, they would give me their cherry tarts every day for a week. I'm sorry."

He must really like tarts... Ira thought to herself. It didn't take much to see that her sister, Mirana, was the crown favorite. All the other kids wanted to play with her, not Ira. In fact, some of the noble kids made a point of avioding her.

So in retrospect, it didn't surprise her that she was an object of a bet. What did surprise her was that this boy actually followed through with it. "Well, I hope you get them then..." She crossed her arms, tilting her head slightly, "What's your name?"

"Chessur." He chuckled, "So you won't kill me?"

Now it was her turn to keep him in suspence. She pretended to think about it, before finally saying, "No, I guess I won't kill you. Yet."

He dipped into a deep bow, his hair falling over his face, "Thank you, I'm ever in your debt."

They where both surprised when she giggled, "Well, maybe you would make a good knight after all."

He looked up, "Only if you dub me."

She picked a flower from a nearby vine, holding it's stem like a septer, "Maybe I will."

He beamed and got down on one knee. She put a hand on his head, bowing it, "I can't knight you if you keep giving me that goofy grin."

He obliged, and she held the flower over his head, "Sir Chessur," She began with the grandest voice she could muster, "Do you swear to the Underland creed that you'll remain loyal to both Red and White courts, and to never fall from duty until you breathe you last breath?"

"I do." He murmered, now holding a single hand over his heart.

She smiled, and tapped his right shoulder with the flower stem, "Do you promise to be honest, to put the needs of others before your own?"

"I do."

She tapped his left shoulder, "And that you will forever respect those of royal blood, so that we in turn may respect you?"

He lifted his head, meeting her eyes, "I do."

She smiled, and tapped the top of his head again, "Consider yourself officially knighted, then."

He stood, and Ira became aware that he was just a smidgen taller than she was, "Well, that was quick."

"That was the abridged version." She sighed, "I couldn't deliver it in full to save my life. That's what my sister's for."

"Well," He pulled her into a hug, "I personally like this version better. Less boring."

She hugged him back, "Thanks."

He pulled away, and scooted himself onto the marble railing, "Is alright for your new knight to retire to his quarters now?"

Ira stifled a yawn, "Only if it's okay for your princess to sleep as well."

Once again, a girn, "Of course."

He vanished again, and she remained still for a moment, waiting to see if he'll reappear again. When he didn't, she sighed, and trudged off to bed. She slipped through the door, and paused for a moment, watching Mirana sleep the night away peacefully. What I wouldn't give... she slipped off her slippers and tucked herself into bed. But as her head hit the pillow, she was able to smile.

She didn't have to worry about the knighting tomorrow, for like her sister, she had it down pat.