Briar Rose (30 page)

‘It’s kind of pretty,’ Briar said.

As the dust sank deep within Aurora’s skin, her body shuddered.

‘I pray that we have not harmed her, that this wasn’t the fata’s plan to destroy her,’ Ruric murmured.

‘They wouldn’t have known we were going to do this,’ Briar said. At least she hoped that was the case.
Was I wrong to trust them?

Warily, Ruric leaned over and kissed the girl once again. This time he did not linger, but stepped away immediately, on guard.

Briar stuffed the pouch back into her corset, then crossed the fingers on both her hands. This
had
to be Aurora.

The figure began to tremble again as the blonde eyelashes fluttered and opened. A deep breath followed as the eyes slowly focused.

‘What do you think?’ Ruric said.

‘We’ll know soon enough.’
Come on . . . show us some attitude.

The princess slowly pushed herself up off the divan, just like before. She dropped the rose as if surprised to find herself holding it.

A deep yawn came next, her arms stretching up above her head, tightening the fabric over her ample breasts. A sight that neither of the guys missed.

‘My princess,’ Ruric said. He did not go down on one knee, still wary.

Aurora stared at him, her eyebrows furrowed in displeasure.

‘Who are you?’ she demanded, her voice a bit higher than Briar’s. It was the kind of tone bred by years of expecting servants to cater to her every whim. ‘How
dare
you come into my chambers without my permission?’

Briar grinned. ‘Guys, I think this is the real thing.’

For a brief moment, Ruric was speechless. Then he regained his composure and went down on one knee.

‘Princess Aurora, I apologize for entering your chambers in such a bold manner. I am Prince Ruric, the third son of King Leovold, from the kingdom of Angevin.’

She wasn’t impressed, glaring at him now. ‘I do not care who you are. Where is my governess? Why has she allowed you here?’

‘Oh, yeah, we got a real piece of work here,’ Joshua muttered. ‘At least now you get to go home,’ he added, giving Briar a sidelong look. ‘Right?’

She didn’t bother to answer.

Ruric went on a charm offensive. ‘Please pardon our intrusion, but it was the only means to break your enchantment.’

The frown deepened. ‘I wasn’t enchanted. I was resting, you oaf, and you woke me.’ She glanced around and grew more confused. ‘Why are my chambers in such a state? Why
haven’t they been cleaned?’

Ruric rose with a frustrated frown of his own. Apparently he’d expected the girl to leap into his arms and proclaim her undying love.

‘You have been asleep for a very long time. Ten years, in fact.’

‘That is nonsense,’ the girl said, rising. Then she saw Briar. ‘Who are you and how dare you . . . resemble me?’

Oh boy. We definitely got attitude.
‘Actually it’s the other way round – you resemble me,’ Briar said, stifling a grin. ‘Go figure.’

‘Who are you? Are you this man’s harlot?’

Harlot?
Briar’s temper unsheathed its claws. ‘We’re the people who just saved your butt. A little gratitude might be nice,
princess.
’

Aurora stared at her in shock. Apparently nobody had ever called her on being a diva. The next stage would be panic, culminating in her shouting for help.

‘Guys, can you give us a moment?’ Briar asked. ‘I need to bring her up to speed.’

‘Good luck with that,’ Joshua whispered. He and Ruric promptly backed off, no doubt relieved she was taking the lead.

Briar sat on the princess’s bed, despite the glare it earned her.

‘How dare you—’ the girl began.

‘Don’t say it!’ Briar said, raising a finger for silence. ‘The reason your room . . . chambers are a mess is because you’re being held prisoner. If we don’t
get you out of this castle, your kingdom is going to be destroyed.’

‘My father will—’

Now Briar did have to be a jerk. ‘I sorry, but both your folks are dead. So is all the court. The regent killed them after she enchanted you.’

‘Regent? We have no regent in this kingdom. Who is this person?’

‘She’s your governess,’ Ruric chimed in.

Briar shot him a frown.
Now you tell us.

The princess shook her head, tossing curls in all directions. ‘You are lying. Hildretha is a loyal servant. She saved me from the spell that the fata laid upon me.’

‘It is all true, I swear,’ Briar replied. ‘We need to get you out of here.’

‘Might I suggest that you switch clothes with my cousin?’ Ruric said.

‘With her? Whatever for?’ Aurora replied.

‘Briar will distract those who might want to harm you, at least long enough for me to help you escape.’

‘I am not giving my fine clothes to some village girl,’ the princess complained.

Being a village girl was a step up from harlot, but it still rankled.

‘Briar is
not
some village girl. She and this young man have risked their lives for you, so show some kindness.’

‘I will not—’

‘Exchange clothes and let us be off,’ he said tartly. ‘We do not have time to argue.’

Aurora grumbled under her breath, her eyes promising payback.

‘I am sorry for being so abrupt, but after we wed this will only be a bad memory, I promise.’

‘Wed?’ The girl’s expression went from annoyed to suspicious in an instant.

Nooo!
That probably hadn’t been Ruric’s brightest move. Great kissing skills did not equal a guaranteed trip down the aisle.
Or a kingdom.

The princess eyed her, her expression changing as if she’d come to some decision. ‘None of my gowns will fit you. You are too plump.’

Joshua whistled under his breath. ‘No people skills there,’ he murmured.

‘It’ll be fine,’ Briar replied through clenched teeth. ‘Can you two give us space?’

‘Come on,’ Joshua said, waving Ruric along. ‘Let’s talk.’

The pair of them exited into the antechamber. As the door closed behind them, they began to murmur in lowered voices, probably Joshua pointing out that Ruric’s courting skills needed some
serious help.

Briar began unlacing her corset.

‘You want my kingdom – I can see it in your face,’ the princess said as she fumbled with her own laces.

‘No, I want to go home, and the only way that will happen is if your kingdom is regent-free.’
Or at least I hope
that’s the case.

‘You are mistaken. My governess would never harm me. She has been with me for many years.’

‘But she was there when the curse went down, right?’

‘If you mean, was she near me when I fell asleep, yes. She promised I would not die. Clearly she told the truth. It is only proper that she has become regent while I was asleep if all my .
. . family are . . . gone.’

Briar heard the hitch in her voice. ‘I’m sorry about that.’

‘You are not lying, are you? About them?’

‘No. That’s why the regent has to go. She’s killed them and she’s been torturing and executing people all over the place.’

The girl blinked in consternation. ‘Again you lie. You do not know her as I do. Many fear her, but it is only because of the mask she must wear.’

‘And why does she wear that and the gloves all the time?’

‘Hildretha was burned as a child and hides the scars so none will mock her.’

How convenient.
‘Have you
ever
seen her face?’

‘I had no need to do so,’ was the swift reply.

To speed things along, Briar had to unlace the royal’s dress for her, making her wonder if the girl had ever performed such a menial task. The switch was accomplished with a lot of
complaining on the princess’s part.

‘Your clothes are filthy. Do you not wash?’

‘I’ve been a bit busy,’ Briar replied.

Somehow that petulant attitude never came across in any of the fairy tales. In those stories, Aurora was portrayed as a demure and kind young woman, not at all like the one wrestling herself
into Briar’s clothes and bitching up a storm.

Even worse, the princess had been right – her gown didn’t fit Briar.

Aurora smirked. ‘I did warn you.’

‘Just lace it as far you can. You have a cloak, right? It’ll hide it.’

The royal did as she asked, despite the four-inch gap at the back.

‘We’re about ready,’ Briar called out to her companions.

She found a comb and began to tidy up her hair in the dusty mirror. The best she could do was braid it and tie it with a small piece of golden cord she’d found near the comb. It was still
black and there was nothing she could do about that. If she pulled up the hood of the cloak, maybe all they’d see was her face.

A snort came from behind her. ‘Is that the best you can do? Your hair is like an untidy bird’s nest.’

Briar whipped round. ‘Your people adore you, but I swear I have no idea why. You’re just a spoilt brat.’
There’s no way I could have dreamed you up.

Shocked, the princess stepped back, unable to formulate a suitably haughty response.

‘Ohhkay,’ Joshua said. ‘Moving right along . . .’

Briar rummaged through the wardrobe, shoving aside dusty gowns. Finally she pulled out a travelling cloak, which set off another round of sneezing from Joshua.

‘Allow me to assist you,’ Ruric said, taking the garment from her and placing it on her shoulders. ‘Should anyone interfere with your progress, order them to stand
aside,’ he said. ‘Aim for the front gate and when you reach it, run. The princess and I shall find another way out, and then we shall join up with the others in the village.’

‘Others?’ the princess asked.

The prince turned towards her, his eyes filled with pride. ‘There are many who wish to see you free. They will rally to your side and we will wrest your kingdom away from the
tyrant.’

Aurora’s blue eyes grew chilly. ‘I know a way out that none will expect. We will be unchallenged.’

That’s optimistic.

Briar paused in front of the exterior door, gathering her courage. She had to be more of a princess than the real thing.

‘Don’t worry. This will work,’ Joshua said from her side. ‘You can do it.’

‘Thanks,’ she said, pleased at the vote of confidence. She gazed over at him, wondering what else she should say that might make it right between them again. ‘I’m sorry
for what I said. About the curse.’

‘Is there some reason we are not moving?’ the princess asked. Briar swore she heard the girl’s foot tapping in annoyance.

‘Just making sure I have the proper bitchy attitude,’ Briar replied, pulling up her hood.

Part princess, part Saralyn, part stuck-up snob. Yeah, I’ve got it.

After a long spiral staircase that required serious concentration, given the weight of her gown, she reached the main floor where she encountered two astonished guards.

‘There you are,’ Briar said. She doubted anyone would remember the exact timbre of Aurora’s voice: it’d been too long since they’d last heard it. It was the
delivery that counted. ‘I am awake now.’

‘Your . . . Your Highness?’ one stammered, shooting the other guard a quick look.

‘Indeed. Escort me to the front gate without delay,’ Briar ordered.

‘But—’

‘That was not a request,’ she said, sweeping ahead as if she knew exactly where she was going. Luckily she’d chosen the right direction and they fell in step around her. If
Briar could keep their attention focused on her, they’d not realize Joshua was creeping along behind them, or that the Ruric and his shrewish wife-to-be were making their own exit.

‘How did this happen, Your Highness?’ one of the men asked.

‘I do not know. I woke, that is all. I yearn for fresh air, for it has been long since I have felt it on my face.’

Hey. Listen to me. I’m pretty good at this.
That one summer she’d tried to memorize
Romeo and Juliet
had actually been helpful.

Now that they were strolling through the hallway of very dead suitors, Briar forced herself not to look at them, as she knew they’d upset her. She could do nothing for them now. Instead,
she kept her eyes locked on the double doors at the far end of the hallway. The doors that led to the castle’s front entrance and freedom.

She marched onward, keeping her chin up and her movements regal. The swish of the skirts on the stone floor was a subtle accompaniment to the heavy-booted steps behind her. They exited the hall
and entered the large chamber that led to the doors and the courtyard.

Almost there.

The ambush came so quickly that Briar never had a chance to cry out. One moment she was sailing right along, and the next she found a sword at her throat, held there by a guard who’d
seemingly come out of nowhere.

‘Be silent or you’re dead,’ he warned.

‘Run, Joshua!’ she cried, and then dived away to avoid the blade. The princess’s gown was Briar’s downfall, tripping her after only a few steps. A shout erupted, then
came a solid thud as Joshua hit the floor at her feet.

She looked up to find three guards. The newcomer, the one with an eye patch, nodded appreciatively.

‘Get them up,’ he ordered.

One of the guards grabbed her arm and hauled her to her feet. Briar shook him free. ‘Don’t touch me.’ She’d sounded so imperial the man backed off, confused.

‘You sure about this?’ the man demanded.

The one-eyed guard nodded. ‘She’s not the princess,’ he said, pushing back her hood. ‘See?’

Joshua was on his feet as well, secured by a pair of guards.

‘Sorry, I thought I’d fooled them,’ she said.

The lead guard pointed at Joshua. ‘Haul this one to the dungeon. The regent wants to see the girl.’

‘No!’ Joshua lunged, his hand shooting towards her. She reached out as well. Mere inches stood between them, and then the old fear rose once again, but this time she didn’t
pull back, and neither did he. Instead, Joshua strained harder, his fingers edging closer to hers. If the guards hadn’t interfered, they would have touched, for good or ill.

As he was hauled away, he shouted, ‘I’ll come for you!’

It was a futile boast, but it gave her much-needed strength. He wasn’t giving up.