Sleeping Beauty

[kevyn]

"I don't think any of us know," Anara answered for them, "perhaps you could tell us of it?" she asked, cuddling up to Quinn. Tash's stillness disturbed her, that sleep was not natural.

[quinn]

Feeling Anara's need for closness Quinn sat and pulled her into his lap, wrapping his arms around her.

[kevyn]

Kevyn just hovered close to Kaelin. If he wanted comfort he'd ask her.

[mali]

"I'll tell of the version I know the best." Mali softly informed them, "When it's over I think you shall see the similarities.

In a faraway land, long ago, King Stepan and his fair Queen wished for a child. At last a daughter was born, and they named her Aurora. To honor the baby princess, the King held a great feast. Nobles and peasants, knights and their ladies- everyone flocked joyfully to the castle.

King Stephan welcomed his good friend King Hubert to the feast. King Hubert had brought his young son Phillip with him. The Kings agreed that someday, Aurora and Phillip would be wed.

Among the guests were three good fairies, Flora, Fauna and Merryweather. Each wished to bless the infant with a gift.
Waving her wand, Flora chanted: "My gift shall be the gift
of beauty." "And mine", said Fauna "shall be the gift of song."
Before Merryweather could speak, the castle doors flew open.

In a faraway land, long ago, King Stepan and his fair Queen wished for a child. At last a daughter was born, and they named her Aurora. To honor the baby princess, the King held a great feast. Nobles and peasants, knights and their ladies- everyone flocked joyfully to the castle.

King Stephan welcomed his good friend King Hubert
to the feast. King Hubert had brought his young son Phillip with him. The Kings agreed that someday, Aurora and Phillip would be wed.

Among the guests were three good fairies, Flora, Fauna and Merryweather. Each wished to bless the infant with a gift.
Waving her wand, Flora chanted: "My gift shall be the gift
of beauty." "And mine", said Fauna "shall be the gift of song."
Before Merryweather could speak, the castle doors flew open.

A tiny flame appeared and grew quickly into the form of the evil witch Maleficent. Maleficent was furious for she hadn't been invited to the feast. "I too have a gift for the child", she sneered. "Before the sun sets on her sixteenth birthday, she shall
prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and die." With a bolt of lightning, the witch was gone.

But Merryweather still had a gift to give, and so she said:
"If through this witch's trick A spindle should your finger prick
Not in death, but just in sleep And from this slumber you shall wake When true love's kiss, the spell shall break"

King Stephen still feared for his daughter, so the good fairies hatched a plan. They would take Aurora to live with them deep into the woods. To guard the secret, the fairies disguised themselves into peasants and changed Aurora's name to Briar Rose.

The years passed and Aurora became a beautiful young woman.
It was near her sixteenth birthday, planning a surprise, the fairies
sent her out to pick berries while they prepared the cake and a gown.

Meanwhile, in the forest, Aurora was telling her animal friends about a dream she had of meeting a handsome stranger and falling in love. A handsome young man, was walking by, and when he heard Aurora's beautiful voice, he hid in the bushes to watch her. Then, he reached out to take her hand. Aurora was startled but had the strange feeling she had met him before. The man did not know that she was Princess Aurora and she did not know he was Prince Phillip to whom she had been betrothed many years before. When Aurora went back to the cottage, the fairies gave her the surprises and told her the truth; that she was a princess betrothed at birth to a prince. Now it was time for her to return home and see her parents. Maleficent's pet raven, perched on the chimney had heard everything and it flew off to tell the witch. At the castle, Maleficent lured Aurora to a high tower where a spinning wheel appeared. "Touch the spindle", hissed Maleficent. The three good fairies rushed to the rescue, but it was too late. Aurora had already touched the spindle and fallen into a deep sleep.


Worried about the King and Queen's reaction, the fairies put a dreamlike spell on the entire castle. They would sleep until the princess awakened.

Meanwhile, Maleficent had captured Phillip and chained him in the dungeon. Using their magic, the good fairies melted Phillip's chains and armed him with the Sword of Truth and the Shield of Virtue. They sent him off to the castle to awaken the princess.
When the witch saw Phillip escaping, she transformed into a monstrous dragon. Maleficent breathed huge waves of fire but Phillip ducked behind his shield. The prince fought bravely. Guided by the good fairies, he threw his magic sword straight as an arrow into the evil beast's heart. It fell to its death. Maleficent was no more.

Phillip raced to the castle and gently kissed the princess. She slowly opened her eyes and awakened. Now everyone in the castle awoke, smiling. The King and Queen were overjoyed
to see Aurora again and wedding plans were soon made.
And they all lived happily ever after." Mali fell silent after relating the story to them.

[kaelin]

Somewhere in the middle of the story, Kaelin had followed Quinn's example and pulled Kevyn close. He couldn't bare to see his sister like this, even when she was sleeping she wasn't this still.

[kevyn]

Kevyn came silently when Kaelin tugged her close. Putting an arm around him for support she listened to the story, there were similarities... very disturbing similarities. "So if what Flora did to her is anything like the story then Tash will sleep until we can find her 'Prince Philip'?"

[mali]

"Until true love's first kiss." Mali grimly nodded, "At least that's the assumption I'm going with. Aurora was blessed because her betrothed was her true love and the spell was broken before to long but I have also heard versions where the princess didn't wake for a hundred years. The spell is set up so that to her a hundred years would seem little more then a couple of hours."

[quinn]

"True loves first kiss huh." Quinn put a hand to his chin pondering. "Does the story say it has to be a Prince, or just her true love?"

[mali]

"I think it's just her true love. Because Maleficent captured Phillip when Phillip went into the forest to visit Aurora again, neither knowing the other was royal. But being a prince really couldn't hurt things for the story, it probably added to it. It does seem to be either the prince's or the peasant boy's that rescue the damsel."

[kaelin]

"Then it really could be anyone that wakes her. Is there any way you could do a spell or something to find who we're looking for because.." Kaelin stopped unable to continue, he knew the others knew he couldn't handle seeing his little sister like that.

[kevyn]

"Probably." Kevyn said, "The only way to know for sure is to hit Alfea's library and see what it has on the subject. It also might not hurt to ask Miss Faragonda."

[erisan]

"Even if you do find one, how do we know who it will point to?" Eris-an asked, "There are hundreds of male students at Red Fountain alone, if he is even there."

[quinn]

"Well I guess a good start would with the guys Tash is closest to, friends from Red Fountain and such, that aren't either related or otherwise tied to someone." Quinn suggested, Eris-an had a good point.

[kevyn]

"I don't want to dash any hopes but what if there isn't a spell. Then what?" Anara asked, brushing the bangs from Tash's face.

[quinn]

"Then we'll have test out different people, again starting with the guys she knows best, until we find someone." Quinn answered, "We won't give up one her." He reassured Kaelin.