Steal the Stars [REWRITING]

Nicole - Annabelle's Latest Mischief

"Explain, please," Leo said, before Annabelle could drag me out the door, and send James and him off to do...whatever she had in mind. "Because I'm not seeing how this doesn't completely wreck our plans."

"Haven't you been to the Festival of Nightfall?" James asked. "You of all people know its security is tight. How exactly are we supposed to get past that? Not all of us are...qualified in that area."

"You sound like it's something you put on your resume," Annabelle noted. "And I have been. And it was a lot of fun, actually. But you're right–scratch that," she added, when James smirked. "You're not completely wrong for once in your life!"

James rolled his eyes.

"Anyway," Annabelle went on, "I need you–James–to get some papers for us. I'm sure you know someone here, or write back to the inn or whatever for some. Good ones. Preferably with some sort of title, because common people aren't generally invited to the ball. Make sure whoever you ask knows their stuff, because if they don't, we could be arrested."

"Not just kicked out into the streets in a friendly manner?"

"Not funny, James. I'm serious. It was in the papers a couple of years ago. They do not mess around when it comes to security. It took my family and I hours just to get through the gates."

"Fine, whatever," he said. "Can't you just go as yourself, though?"

"No." She stared at the ground. "My parents covered everything up nicely, but people know I don't go out with them anymore. I think the story is a finishing school somewhere." She gave James a sharp look. "I cannot go as myself."

"Calm down. You'll get your papers. But if security is as tight as you say, how are we going to get in? You're recognizable. I'm recognizable. The only ones that'll be able to get in are Leo and Nicole." He looked at us. "Unless you can do it all by yourselves."

Leo leaned back in his chair. "We might be able to."

"You look and sound like James," I told him. "Sit up. We can't take the entire palace by ourselves–especially not during the Festival."

I couldn't help but wonder if the man who'd given us the job had planned this. He must have known about the festival, and its length. Once it started, it wouldn't be over for a month. And we'd been given a month. The Festival wouldn't end until a week after we'd left.

"Hey, that's a compliment," James protested, when Leo sat up.

He shook his head. "Sure, James. Let me get this straight: you want us to carry out the same plan, but dressed up for a ball, pretending to partake in the ball. So, Nicole will have to steal the jewels dressed in a ballgown."

Annabelle shrugged. "I mean, it'd be a vibe. But, no. She can change."

"And we're still supposed to kidnap the queen?"

"Yes."

"In the middle of the Festival?"

"Yes."

"With probably double–if not triple–the guards surrounding her?"

"Yes."

"And–"

"Yes, Leo. It'll be fine. Everything will be fine. We will walk in. We will look cool. We will steal stuff. We will walk–or run for our lives–out, still looking cool."

Leo put his hands up as if in surrender. "Got it. We'll look cool."

"We're going to end up dead," James said. He looked far too cheerful at the prospect.