The sound of music had been what awoke the princess from her slumber. Soft and airy notes that stemmed from a pan flute wafted from the streets below and into the ears of the impressionable. Her bedsheets were thrown to her feet and despite being draped in her sleeping gown, Tulip was desperate to hear the source of that utterly enchanting sound.

It wasn't anyone's fault, truly, James had only yelled at his sister a few times. He had only said some majorly minorly hurtful things. He was much older than his sister. Everything she had to say was childish or ridiculous, she was obnoxiously uneducated, her requests to learn such trivial things aggravated him to no end.

How dare she want her elder brother to teach her to ride horses as daringly and effortlessly as he did. How dare she ask him to teach her to use a sword and brandish a weapon.

It might have been the final straw and the reason that she heard such music. Tulip didn't even rub the sleep from her eyes as she slipped on her shoes and paced the space of her lavish room. The balcony sang to her, it called for her to come take a look and see what had been making the noise.

The sound of the flute drew her feet forward on its own accord. She wiped the sleep from her eyes as she peered over the banister and suspiciously tried to eye the ground below, desperate to see the source.

That had been the first time she'd heard it.

The next morning Tulip had tried to ask James if he had heard it as well. She wondered if it had made him feel the same way she did.

The royal family had been seated for breakfast and nobody had cared enough to entertain the notion of the music. Nobody else had heard it. Nobody even cared. James told her she was either making it up and needed to return to reform school until she stopped lying or perhaps she just had too vivid of a dream and couldn't differentiate it from reality. He had brushed it off without another thought.

As the night hours passed and she couldn't sleep, Tulip made a decision. She wouldn't dare to actually fall asleep. She hadn't been able to get that music out of her head. The way it had made her feel was odd. It had made her feel whole in the way that only a true melancholy nostalgia could manage. Tulip was terrified that she'd miss it if it came back. She needed everyone else to hear it too, it was such a magical sound. She needed to feel that again, she needed to know where it came from.

Come nightfall, she spent the earlier hours of the night sitting before her vanity. Tulip sat there applying hair oils and methodically brushing until her hair was akin to silk. Her nightgown was covered by a separate and lightweight overdress, it was something to make her slightly more presentable. She wasn't planning on spending the whole night actually in bed.

The hours continued to pass and due to her restlessness, she thought it best to take a walk through the garden. She needed to relax. With every step she took within her bedroom, pacing away her nerves, Tulip began to wonder if she was losing her mind.

She grabbed her cloak from its place within her closet and hurried on down to the gardens. If the music returned, she already knew she'd be eager to find where its encore performance would take place. It would be much easier to find if she had a ground head start.

Tulip had nearly fallen asleep whilst resting on one of the benches between the flower bushes. Stationed between the daffodils and the daisies, she awoke to that familiar tune.

The pan flute echoed around the gardens, and finally Tulip was blessed with a chance to try and locate its source. She pulled herself from her spot on the bench, her night dress trailed against the stone there was a slight wobble in her first few barely wakeful steps. The cobbled walkways led to a small vine covered wall.

She needed to find out what was making that noise, it was beginning to drive her absolutely mental. The first night she had heard it, the music had lured her out of bed, the second night it convinced her to sneak out past the castle grounds and climb over the garden wall in her night dress.

After she was over the wall, Tulip began to follow the noise. Every step she took was hesitant, but the louder it grew and the distance between the source and her ears grew shorter, Tulip chased after it. It was so close... and then she saw it.

A man in a cloak.

In the distance stood a figure in a patchwork cloak. His body blocked the pathway that led into the woods. Tulip wasn't sure why she was still following, but all she knew was that the feeling, the music, it made her feel strangely warm. It made her feel comforted and seen. It continued to beckon her forwards.

Tulip had issues. She had a lot of them as a matter of fact. In that exact moment she thought that following the mysterious piper into the woods would solve a decent few of them. With the way his music soothed the weight of nerve in her stomach she would follow him anywhere. She hadn't even seen his face yet.

After that night, Tulip continuously snuck out of the castle. Every single night for the next week was spent the same way. She followed this mysterious stranger into the woods to gather around a large bonfire and act as foolishly as she could with strangers.

When she'd finally met her pied piper, she was shocked. He was boyishly charming, with eyes and a face that were perfect for reflecting the light of the fire. He was funny, and sweet, and as far as she knew, he didn't know who she was.

She had learned his name was Peter and he promised that he would help her ease her pain. Every night he listened to her speak and talk about her troubles and her woes. In return he would flash her a smile and spare her a song to try and ease her misery.

The princess went on to spend every night for a week with the piper. He was supposed to leave town after that. He had went and taken his friends, they had all set off to a world beyond without her. Tulip had only actually spent one night there. She had seen Neverland in the flesh only once. Truth be told she was far too scared to make her residency there permanent. But Tulip was incapable of parting ways with her piper. She kept coming back.

Of course her refusal to join him did little to stop the Piper from returning just to see her. Likewise, he couldn't seem to keep away from her. He never stopped trying to convince her to run away with him. She just seemed so miserable, knowing he could remedy every woe and sorrow of hers was driving him mad. He could fix it all if she only let him. And so, the Pied Piper would still show up to lure her away some nights.

However this night, Peter had decided to bring company. After a few lost boys got into a bit of a scuffle... well he needed some boys that weren't missing any phalanges or limbs.

Thankfully, Tulip had finally gotten the memo, she stopped showing up to see him in her pajamas. Her clothes were nicer. She stopped changing out of her day clothes or put on something new. Something other than what her mother or her handmaids would have picked out. She was still in her riding dress from earlier that afternoon, the one she'd ruined with mud from trying to imitate the bits of foolishness her brother had somehow managed to pull off. Yes, these clothes would certainly do her better. She looked far less regal than any counterpart at the festivities.

The hours of the night continued to pass. The sun would rise soon, the crowd would disperse, and the fire would die out, almost as if it never happened. There wasn't much time left.

-

Her boots continued to dig into the earth as she sat on a rock not too far from the fire. She watched as boys danced and flailed around the flames. They screamed and cheered to the heavens, perhaps they felt just as she did, perhaps they finally felt free here.

An airy and familiar voice broke her from her thoughts.

"Are we... brooding?" An amused smile asked. The piper sat down and moved his cloak out of the way so he could sit comfortably beside her. "I hope you know, I won't be having that now" Peter told her warningly. He watched her smile.

Tulip smiled faintly and playfully rolled her eyes. "I'm not brooding. Ive been told it's called sharing my thoughts silently." She told him with a tight smile. One that showed her grated and tired nerves. "That's what James says I should do. As opposed to talking... or screaming" she shook her head.

As much as she tried she could never banish the thought of James from her mind. Her brother was an agitating and nagging voice in the back of her skull.

The boy beside her only scoffed in amusement. Peter looked at her, all wide eyes, smiles, and dimples. "Come now, screaming?" He asked shaking his head. "You?" Peter looked at her behind his hood, almost unable to imagine it. "You've been quieter than a door mouse all night. Can't you just relax? Perhaps have even an iota of fun?" He asked of her. "It wouldn't kill you would it?"

The princess sighed and reached down to pick up a small rock from beside her boot. "I suppose it wouldn't. I just.. I have a lot on my mind." Tulip shared with him. She looked down at where their knees touched and continued to knock against each other. She rolled the rock in her palms and fidgeted with it.

Peter sighed, he knew exactly what she was talking about. Last night he had dared to ask a request of her. He had asked her again to entertain the idea of coming home with him, just for another night. He wanted her to see Neverland with her own eyes once again. He knew it would be a longshot, but he was willing to take the risk. Peter couldn't stand only seeing her at night and in her dreams. If she could only see, if he could only make her understand, she could live there with him and be happy.

"I don't think I can leave." She told him looking over to the raging fire. Tulip couldn't bring herself to look up at him. "Everyone would notice. All everyone's been talking about is the possibility of a wedding if James doesn't manage to impress Midas. It's all I hear about day in and day out!" She tried to explain her reasoning. "My family may not be all it's cracked up to be, but Peter everyone would notice." Tulip studied the bracelet on her wrist as it jingled. The jewels flickered with reflected light as she continued rolling the rock in her palms. "Princess Tulip of Bespin, the luckiest girl in the realm."

He looked at her bewildered. "That was and do mind my pardon," Peter told her sarcastically. He barely thought about it before he spoke. "Blatant arrogance." He told her. "And I must say it is most unbecoming" The cloaked figure continued to chastise her. "Especially for you" He dropped his flute into his lap and raised both hands to finally remove the hood of his cloak. He bared his face to her and the group of lost boys raging around them.

While there may have been a crowd of boys running, jumping, and hollering about, the piper held an audience of only one.

"Honestly, I can't say I mind it though. As a matter of fact, I might even prefer it" The boyish smile he flashed her somehow managed to ease her nerves. "I just hope you know, I can think of a lot of people who couldn't care less about something as trivial as that." He told her. "I'd imagine there's lots of people who would prefer you just as Tulip of nowhere." He suggested.

Peter let his leg bump into hers again, he watched as the girl looked up to meet his eyes. He let out a tired sigh, with a loose grip he grabbed ahold of her cheeks, middle finger and thumb holding onto her face as he manually turned her head to look at the crowd.

"You've heard all of this before, and you'll hear it again." Peter told her calmly. "If you come with me, you'd never have to worry about your families affairs again" He tried to persuade her still. "You'd never have to hear that mindless toddle again." He said with a heavy sigh, he didn't understand why she couldn't simply make the right decision."How long is it before that father and brother of yours try to marry you off, and for what? Riches and gold? How can you just let them sell your happiness for pennies?" He asked her.

The idea left her feeling sick. If he was trying to make her feel better, it wasn't working in the slightest. Tulip felt queasy at the thought. She was turning sixteen at the end of the summer. The thought hadn't even crossed her mind. Sure, they were in a tight spot and needed funds for the kingdom, but would they really marry her off so soon? They had that deal with Midas... surely they wouldn't need to, right?

"Peter-"

"Tulip I mean it." He said reaching out, his dirtied sleeves were no longer white and were darkening. His dark vest was barely visible behind his cloak. His hands grabbed ahold of hers, pleading with her to see reason. "Come back with me. I can't stand it." He told her. "I cant bare it any longer, only coming in dreams, you're there but you're not." He tried to explain. His frustration showed on his face. Peter's brows furrowed and he looked over her face wildly. "Come back to the island-"

"Peter I can't-" she told him sternly. "I have responsibilities, as much as I don't want them I do! There are people, real people that count on me." The words hurt her to say. Perhaps reform school had actually done something. It was horrible to know the words were true. "As much I want to, I can't." Tulip denied him once again.

The boy licked over his teeth and reached over. Rather aggressively he reached between her palms and yanked the piece of earth she held onto. He focused momentarily and green smoke swirled around his hand to encompass the rock. As Peter opened his fist and revealed his palm, all that was revealed was a small satchel.

"You mustn't ever lose this." Peter warned her as he slipped it into her hands. "Should you ever change your mind. Do not even hesitate to use it. It'll bring you to me." He told her.

The boy looked to the sky and felt disappointment fill him. Another night he was turned away. He couldn't understand why she allowed her life to be like this. Why she chose to live like this. Responsibility, rules, marriage. It was absurd. But it was her choice.

At the very least he gave her an out. If she wanted to escape, she had a one way ticket to salvation. She just had to take it.

He was certain she would.