Ever After What? (A Thorn Anongst Roses)

I’m sure you’ve all heard the story of my sister. Gorgeous, talented, kind, smart Briar Rose. Or in some versions Sleeping Beauty. But what if it didn’t happen that way? What if that last gift that saved my sister’s life had already been given when Maleficent showed up? Well, the story you’ve been told is false. It really didn’t happen that way.

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Let me give you some backstory here. Once upon a time, my older sister was born. My mum and dad threw this massive party for her, but they didn’t invite one fairy. They invited all the others, but this fairy was often doing activities that didn’t agree with my parents’ view and choices. But she was still a fairy. 

So, after the news got to her that there was a party, because in a small kingdom news travels fast, she was mad. Naturally. She timed it right, so all the gifts would be given, and everyone would be having a lovely feast, when she literally blew into the party in a chaotic whirlwind. She blasted a bolt of magic at my sister, and then gave her ‘gift’.

“On her 16th birthday, she shall prick her finger on a spinning wheel and die.” Were the exact words. That was, of course, a slight on the kingdom, as we had plenteous sheep, so spinning wool was a very common practice. Of course, that made the curse even more sinister. Ok, maybe she overdid it, but she was mad. I know I get mad and say things I don’t really mean sometimes. Well, more often than I should as a princess anyway.

Back to the story. She cast the curse, Mum and Dad go into obsessive mode and start burning all the spinning wheels and have me while everything is in chaos. To avoid another cursed baby, they keep my birth in the palace. All the staff are paid highly enough to keep me a secret, and I’m left to my own devices mostly. No one bothered with me until my sister’s 15th birthday. Then the hell started.

Previously, I had been ignored, left to do whatever I wanted, and constantly scolded by the staff because I would get in everyone’s way. I think deep down my parents knew I’d one day have to become the Crown Princess in my sister’s stead, but they acted as if a cure for a hate-fueled magical death curse grew on a tree somewhere, and they just had to find that tree. While everyone else was obsessing over the curse aspect of the magic that ruined our lives,  I decided to get to the root of the problem: magic in general.

I spent hours in the libraries looking for magic books, but those were almost as scarce as spinning wheels. Eventually, I found some in the public libraries, and I started reading them. But then my sister died.

The whole kingdom mourned her death, and suddenly, I was the one that was watched. I was the one that ‘had’ to be ‘perfect’. But perfect was never a word to me. Unless it was ‘You are perfectly troublesome.’ or something to that effect. I was never cared about, I was second, and I was never expected to be or do anything. But now?

Well, the stress nearly killed me the first two months. But then I found Mason. His piercing gray eyes and magical talents saved me from a posture-lesson-induced death. Although, sneaking out of a palace that your paranoid parents run is never easy. Thankfully though, there was a young guard, about my age, maybe a year or two older, who happened to think the world of me. I’d give him a smile and a wink and sneak out to see Mason, practicing magic almost the whole night. He’s teach me things I could do discreetly when I needed an extra boost in the day, giving myself extra energy, or being able to absorb a book’s information in a few seconds.

Sometimes, Mason couldn’t make it to our nightly practice sessions, and on those nights, I’d have a little fun. Because I’d learned how to apply a magical massage to a surface, I would go around, causing trouble and then leaving a rose imprinted on a wall or a table or something, almost like my calling card. It was mostly to annoy my parents, and I would only upset royal property. I soon became known as the Rose Rebel. I think that’s quite a catchy name.

Sometimes, Mason would come with me, but it was very rarely, as his mother didn’t want him to be caught and arrested, like any other person caught using magic. But I didn’t care. It was a way for me to finally break free from the tight confines of the palace. But in one night, that all changed.

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I was walking to the door of my wing and I knocked with the special knock I always use to let Harry know I was ready to come out, but this time, he took longer than usual to unlock the door. When he finally opened it, I give him a glare.

“What took so long?” I asked, stepping forward to go out of the door, but Harry doesn’t step back, leaving us physically closer than we’ve gotten before. He looks at me for a moment, his eyes boring into mine.

“I can’t do this anymore.” He said softly. “I can’t let you sneak out. There’s that Rose Rebel about and frankly, I need this job, and if anything happens to you, or your parents find out I’ve been letting you sneak out, that’ll be the end for me. They might even execute me.” I could see the concern for me, and the fear for himself, in his green eyes.

“Harry, it’s ok. I can manage myself, and besides, if my parents find out, I’ll take full responsibility. I’ll tell them I manipulated you into doing it.” He looked at me for a long moment, our faces still uncomfortably close. His eyes flicked down for a half a second, and then back to my eyes.

“I can’t Poppy. I just can’t. It would kill me if I knew that you got hurt one of these nights and it was my fault, because I wasn’t doing my job.” My usually charming smile faded to a cold expression. I’d always tried to sweet-talk Harry whenever he got difficult, but I could tell that he was not going to be persuaded.

“Harry. Move. Now.” I demanded, my voice firm. I couldn’t see the surprise in his eyes, but he didn’t budge, his large frame easily blocked the doorframe, and prevented me from getting out.

“No.” He said, his voice wavering slightly. I immediately called his weakness, and he must’ve seen it in my eyes as well. He looked mildly scared of me, although he had no idea what I could do to him with magic.

“Harry. Don’t make me mad. Move.” I said more forcefully. His expression wavered, but he took a deep breath.

“No.” He said again, his voice slightly more stable, but I could see the panic below the surface. I snapped my fingers and a ball of red flames appeared in my palm. His eyes widened and he stumbled back, half shocked and half terrified. I took the opportunity and slipped past him, running down the hall and disappearing into the dark hallways of the palace. I could hear his quiet cursing behind me, but I had gotten out now, and I doubt he’d bother my tomorrow night.

I soon came to the part of the woods Mason and I usually meet, but he wasn’t there yet. I waited for a little while, and then I heard voices. Two voices, one belonging to Mason, the other an older woman by the sounds of it. I wait until they come into the little clearing, wat hing as the moonlight illuminates Mason, and then a woman I recognise, but have never met. Maleficent. The fairy who killed my sister.

Now, I know that I never really liked my sister, mostly because of all the attention she got when she was just going to die anyway, but this fairy had gotten a lot of bad publicity, mostly by my parents. So I had no idea who should hate who more at this point. I wasn’t even sure I was supposed to hate her. What do you do in these kinds of situations?

She and Mason walked over to me and Mason introduced her, although I didn’t see what that was necessary until he finished his sentence.

“Hi Poppy, this is Maleficent, my mum.” I think at that point I looked like a very awkward fish out of water. My mouth was opening and closing and I was blinking entirely too much. And it didn’t help that I still had no idea if I was supposed to hate or pity this woman.

“Nice to meet you too, dear.” Maleficent said sarcastically. At that I regained my abilify to function like a normal human.

“Yes, a real pleasure.” I responded i the same tone, and I could see that I had passed some kind of test, because one corner of her mouth twitched up and she glanced at Mason, who was looking at her.

“So I wanted you two to get to know each other a little before I went on with the lessons… Mostly because Mum wanted to meet you.” Mason broke the silence by talking to me. I gave Maleficent a once-over, getting a feel for her, and trying to figure out her magic type in my head.

“Well, this certainly is a very interesting meeting.” I said, smirking slightly. “ I never thought I would meet my sister’s killer.” I said, just to test her reaction. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and she returned my smirk. Definitely a purple.

“Mm, yes, it’s always nice to see what legacy spoiled brats will leave behind, and in this case, I think the result was half-decent.” I figured that was the closest I’d get to a complement from her.

“It’s always interesting to meet your heroes in real life.” I said, giving her a slight smile before looking at Mason. He smiled and nodded at me, almost like he was congratulating me on a job well done.

“Alright then, I’ll let you to get on with your lesson.” Maleficent said, before breezing off into the night. Once she was gone I turned to Mason.

“Seriously? She’s your mum?! Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked him, not sure what to make of that strange encounter.

“Sorry, but you were going to find out eventually, and besides, you can’t exactly say no to my mum.” Mason said, his expression not the most apologetic. I raised my eyebrow at him.

“Still. A little warning would be nice.” Mason sighed.

“She respects you a lot, you know. She admires the Rose Rebel, and when I told her that was you, she demanded to meet you. Sorry I didn’t warn you.” I glared at him for another moment. Then I rolled my eyes.

“Fine, but she’s definitely a purple.” I said, giving him a side-eye that said ‘I dare you to disagree.’

“Yeah, she is. But like I said, she admires you. It’s not every day you meet a red that’s almost completely in control. You know your type’s reputation.” I nodded and let a little fizzle of magic fizz between my fingers.

“I have no idea what my parents would say if they knew that everyone has the capabilities to do magic. They might actually have heart attacks.” I said, watching the little spark of red magic dance around my knuckles. Then, a little thread of blue joined my magic’s dance and wrapped around my spark, putting it out. I looked up at Mason, his trade-mark smirk there as his blue magic also faded. 

“Come on, let’s do something fun.” I said, turning and walking through the woods towards the town. I can hear Mason’s footsteps behind me, but little does he know, I’m going to get him back for the little stunt he pulled back there. I mean, who just randomly introduces the most wanted fairy alive to the daughter of the King and Queen?