They did. Eventually, the three found their way through the maze and gasped in horror when they saw the Italian lying prone on the ground, beside a table with a plate still heaping of pasta. Falling into grief, they silently picked him up and took him to the tallest tower of the castle, in which there was a bedroom. They lay the sleeping figure neatly on the bed.

Arthur drew away first, moving to the balcony of the tower looking out onto the courtyard crammed with people waiting to celebrate the sixteenth birthday of the prince. He was soon followed by Kiku and later Francis. They gazed in despair at the crowed as the sun sank completely behind the horizon. In the distance, a voice proclaimed, "The sun has set. Make way to welcome your prince!" The people cheered joyfully and set off the fireworks.

Kiku looked at Arthur, "What do we do?"

"Th-There's nothing we can do but wait." Suddenly his eyes lit up, "Yes, we'll wait. And so well the rest of the kingdom."

The other two caught on, "You mean…?"

"Aye, we'll put the entire kingdom to sleep with the prince. They will wake when he does."

"But," Francis was cautious, "That could take years."

"Years they won't miss, now come on." With a sweep of wands they shrunk themselves to be no larger than the size of a normal fist. Mutually splitting up, each took their own section of the palace. Everything was put to sleep. Kiku worked in the courtyard. Fountains and torches were doused, guards fell asleep on their pikes, ladies drifted off onto the shoulders of their escorts, and they on the piled hair of their ladies. Francis worked outside the walls where numerous parties were being held. Stoves died and their contents preserved, children playing were quelled, and gossiping maids were quieted for perhaps the first time in their careers. It was Arthur who put the inside of the palace into slumber. Silently drifting above the people, he sprinkled everyone with sleepy dust. Eventually, he came to the kings themselves and their respective families. The Italian king (known for enjoying his naps) was easily put to sleep. The Germanian king, though, was in the process of questioning his distracted looking daughter, her gaze seeming to fall on an empty space at a table. "What do you mean you don't know where your brother is? He's the prince, goddamnit! He should have been the first one here!"

"Don't ask me, I'm too awesome to keep a leash on him," she yawned as she plucked some of the lace on her dress. The goddamn thing irritated her to no end. "Last thing I saw him doing was running out of our courtyard. I think he was going to go meet his secret lover or some shit."

The Germaninan king's face flushed and he jerked awake after Arthur had just painstakingly dumped a litre of dust on the guy, "Watch your language young lady!" She yawned again. "And don't say such lies! You and I both know how your brother is."

She rocked on her bare feet (her heels had gone awry somewhere) eyes still on the empty spot, "That's what I thought. I actually thought he'd had sex," the king stuttered incredulously, "But he shot that down quickly. He wanted to talk to you, then glanced at the sun and realised it obviously wasn't that important."

"That proves nothing."

She shrugged, "Call it an awesome big sister's intuition. It was weird though. I mentioned the thing you told me earlier and he went really pale just before he bolted."

The king was mostly out and leaned heavily on a wall, "The…. thing?"

Arthur didn't have as much trouble with her, "Ja, that curl thing…."

The faerie froze, "Curl?" he zoomed to the girls face and tugged on her nose, "Which way did he take off?" She swatted him away and mumbled something unintelligible. He tugged at an eyelash, "Which way!"

"East," she mumbled before slouching completely onto the wall, "Went east."

Pieces clicked together, "Bloody fuck!" He rounded up the other two before making their way back to the cottage in the east.

~X~

It was well after sunset by the time Ludwig found the cottage. He could have gotten there earlier but he'd spent a few minutes circling it, working up his nerve. Father will be furious I missed the ceremony. He sighed. I'll deal with him later. I hope Gillian is faring well. He tied Samson to a tree before moving to the door. An odd sensation came over him, like he shouldn't be here. He chalked it up to nerves. Perhaps he told his guardians and they didn't take it well. That didn't do anything to calm his nerves. As he reached the door he knocked. A soft Italian voice sounded from the inside, "Come in." It sounded… different. But Ludwig was too lost in his own worries to really notice save for feeling himself flush. He opened the door and took the hat from his head.

The first thing he noticed was that it was dark. "Hello?" He paused for his eyes to adjust. The forms of a table and some cabinets revealed themselves to him. At the table sat a familiar figure. He turned to it and smiled, "Hello," he said again.

He couldn't see the face but he could feel the scowl and the examining eyes, "You're what he meant? Tch."

The hair on the back of Ludwig's neck stood on end. That voice wasn't the same. Something was not right. "Who are you?"

White teeth flashed in the darkness, "You can call me Lovino."

"Lovino?" Where had I heard that name before?

"Get him."

Loud noises erupted around the Germanian prince as dark creatures emerged from the shadows. Ropes latched themselves around his arms, pinning them to his body. He reacted instantly, flexing his arms for an opening but it was an instant too late. He fell to the ground bound with several lengths of rope and a gage held his tongue. He was pulled to his knees and looked up. The once-figure was now holding a candle. He looked exactly like the man in the forest, but slightly darker featured and the curl was on the wrong side. He wore a smirk, "Well now, I told you who I was, why don't you introduce yourself?"

He pulled the gag away and immediately he blurted out, "Who are you?"

"Tsk, no manners. I told you, I am Lovino. Surely you know who I am?"

Then he did. It hit him in the face like a brick. He felt himself pale, "But you… you look just like him."

"Of course I do stupid potato breath, I'm his twin."

Twin… F-Feliciano. He struggled anew against the bonds before being back handed, "Stop moving and tell me who you are idiota!"

Ludwig glared, "I am Ludwig Beilshmidt, prince of the Germaninan kingdom."

Any other man would have at least had the dignity to pale a little. Lovino paused only a moment before laughing, "I come her for a peddler and, lo, I catch a prince! While today could have gone better I feel as though I have been duly paid. Take him away."

"Wait, what about Feliciano!"

"Shut up! What about him?"

"…"

Lovino quirked an eyebrow, "He's alive if that's what you want to know."

"But… the curse…."

"Has taken full effect, you needn't worry." Ludwig paled further as he was lead away to the Forbidden Mountain.

Started getting lazy, didn't really read through this before posting so I appologise beforehand for any strange mistakes.