Dream Trysts: A Sleeping Beauty Story (Passion-Filled FairyTales Book 4) (18 page)

Maurelle realized too late his aim and, unable to stop herself, landed in the thorns with an inhuman cry of pain that sounded part lion, part banshee.

James rolled and stood up, turning toward her, his sword drawn, to see that Maurelle, in her pain, had transformed back into her fairy body. It was impaled with thorns, through the stomach, the arm, a leg, a large spike having gouged part of the right side of her neck. There was blue blood streaming from her, pooling on the thorns. He went over to her, to get a closer look, to make sure she was as wounded as he thought. And though he hated to think it, to finish her, if necessary.

But as he got a closer look, and heard the gasping wheezes issuing from her, he knew she hadn’t much time left. It was too late. Her large, black eyes appeared less dark now as the life poured from her body. She looked almost helpless and sorrowful. The mean line of her lips was pitiful as she gasped for air. He could see, as life neared its end for her, that she had probably been kind once, had probably been better than this. Her eyes found his and even, for a second, looked like they wondered if she had done the right thing. He reached for her, and as her gasps for breath stretched further apart, he took her hand and said, “I’m sorry.”

She gave a final gurgle of air, and went limp. With her death, the thorns started to shrivel and wither, and finally break into small pieces. They looked like dried broken leaves now. James, reached down to touch them, and they felt like sand. This last vestige of Maurelle’s power was waning. He looked toward the castle. Rose was in there, somewhere, he knew.

He took a step forward, but then stopped and turned around. In the distance, he saw Dwennon, still laying there. He went to check on the old fairy.  He crossed the area where he’d battled the wicked fairy and found Dwennon lying beneath the tree. He knelt down, placing his ear near the wrinkled face of the fairy. He could feel warm breath. He placed an ear on Dwennon’s chest, and heard a heart beating. He was alive, just unconscious. He wondered for a moment if he should wait for him to wake, but then he saw an elderly woman appear as if from nowhere. He assumed she was a fairy. She seemed matronly and kind, but he did worry if Maurelle had supporters. He eyed her carefully, but she didn’t seem to mind.

“Rose is waiting for you,” she said. “I’ll sit with him until he awakens. He’ll be fine.”

James stood, and nodded to the woman. Something about her made him feel content, like he was doing the right thing.

He turned and ran toward the castle. All were sleeping, everywhere he looked. People who seemed to have been at work one moment when they suddenly just fell asleep. Men loading carts asleep atop crates. The royal guard asleep at their posts. It was such an odd thing to see.

He blocked it out as he ran through the castle, searching for the tower he’d seen in his dreams of Rose. “I’m coming,” he called to her in his mind. Only it felt like he was calling into nothingness. It felt like she was gone.

Something inside him knew that whatever connection they’d forged to defeat Maurelle was now gone. He wasn’t sure how he knew it or why, but he knew their link was broken. And now would be a great time to have it, for he wasn’t sure where to go next. He wandered the castle, using his memory of the outside to guide how he moved inside, hoping to find the tallest southwest tower.

At last, he found a doorway with a narrow winding stairwell, and he felt sure this was it. He climbed the stairs and appeared in a small room at the top of a tower.  And there, lying like a vision of perfection on a bed of satin, was Rose.

“I’m here,” he said, as he ran to her side. Her eyes were closed, her lips parted just slightly, and her chest moved up and down slowly. She was perfect, even in sleep.

At her side, he leaned over and pressed his lips to hers. They were soft and moist, and after a moment, he felt them prickle and slowly respond to him. Soon, her kiss was more than just two sets of lips touching, lightly, it was tongue and passion and desire.

He stroked her cheek as he kissed her, and she pulled away from him, with a smile. “James, I dreamt of you,” she said.

He laughed. “It was more than a dream, you know,” he said with a wink.

She nodded, and he gave her some space to sit up. “It still feels a bit dreamlike, though,” she said, as her eyes scanned the room. She took a deep breath and stretched out her arms. “My body feels like it’s been asleep so long.”

“It was certainly less than a hundred years,” he said, as he watched her test her limbs. “And you look much better than I did when I awoke from my enchanted sleep.”

Her brow creased, and she frowned. “I’m sorry for that.”

He shook his head. “No need for apologies. I’m happy you’re awake.”

“You slayed the proverbial dragon to ensure it.”

“Well, I prefer the proverbial dragon to the real-life lioness.”

They both laughed, and a moment later, the older woman who’d appeared below entered the room using the staircase. Rose looked over to the woman and seemed to recognize her. “Hilly,” she called out. “Are you alright?”

“Yes,” she said. “I just wanted to let you both know that Dwennon was alright. The rest of the castle seems to be awakening. Maurelle must have tied their slumber to Rose’s.”

Rose smiled, as did James.

Once the castle was awakened, a huge celebration for the kingdom was had. All rejoiced in news that Briar Rose was returned home and free of the wicked curse. They also celebrated because James, upon meeting King Edmund, had asked for Briar Rose’s hand in marriage, to which Edmund gladly agreed.

The morning after the grand celebration, Rose was awakened in her chamber by her mother, who bade her to hurry as there were important decisions to be made today.

Rose left her bed reluctantly. Despite being in an enchanted sleep, if one stayed up ‘til the wee hours in revelry, one was still tired after only an hour or two of slumber.

Rose went quickly with her mother to her parent’s private chambers, where she was surprised to be greeted by Dwennon, Hilly, and James.

She looked around the room curiously. No one was speaking, and all eyes flew to her the moment she entered. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

Her mother patted her on the shoulder and said, “You and James have some decisions to make.” She gestured toward James and added, “You two should listen together and decide.”

Rose made her way over to James, who was settled near a window. He looked almost a bit sparkly with the sunlight streaming in behind him. She joined him and turned back to face the room. Dwennon walked toward them and spoke in a low voice.

“As you know, Maurelle, was the queen of our realm,” he began. “Her death left the throne vacant. Maurelle had no natural successor because she had no children. Blissa is ineligible because she returned her fairy powers to the well and gave up her claim. But you, Briar Rose, have both the familial claim and the power claim to rule our realm.”

Rose tilted her head toward him. She must have misheard him. “Me?”

Dwennon nodded. “You are the granddaughter of King Roldan. And you have an elemental power. Our realm’s best rulers have had elemental powers.”

Rose shook her head, the astonishment of the suggestion still not quite settling in. Her throat felt dry as she tried to form some sort of response. A better response than the one she’d just given. Only, her mouth seemed only to be able to utter the thoughts roiling about in her mind. “I’ve just barely learnt I am a fairy, let alone how to be one, but you think I can rule an entire fairy realm?”

Dwennon nodded. “With good advisors and a desire to do so, yes.”

Rose looked around the room. Her father stood holding her mother’s hand. He looked happy — quite delighted, in fact. Her mother’s face was hard to read, but Rose could tell it wasn’t happiness. Perhaps apprehension. Hilly, the woman who had cared and nurtured her and been like a mother to her, well, Hilly’s face was kind and strong, and, as it had been in most times, reassuring.

She turned to look at James, and he seemed pensive, and unsure as well.

She looked back toward her mother. “But I can’t,” she said. “Didn't’ you say the reason you abdicated was because fairies are not allowed to marry humans? I love James and we’re going to be married.”

Her mother released her father’s hand and walked toward her. “Well, my dear,” she said. “Certainly, if you become ruler, I would advise that you rescind that law. Our races were not meant to fight. For centuries, we have intermingled. But the law, whether you leave it in place or rescind it, won’t impact you and James.”

She stared at her mother quizzically, and her mother had a bizarre grin on her face. She turned to Hilly, who shared that same silly grin, and then to Dwennon. He wasn’t grinning, but he did nod and tip his head toward James. She turned back to look at him, and she realized he was different. The sparkly effect which she’d attributed to the way the light was pouring in was still there. It was a low, shimmery thing and she realized that it was something more than light. It was an aura, a haze, something connected to James that was causing it. “What’s happened to you?” she said.

He bit his lower lip, and looked at her, for the first time ever, with uncertain eyes. “I’m not sure, exactly,” he said. Then his lips didn’t move and he spoke to her in her head. “I seem to have picked up fairy powers. I’ve been feeling strange ever since the fight with Maurelle, but this morning, when I awoke, I wanted a cup of water, and one floated across the room to me.”

She stared, wondering how he was speaking in her head. The connection they’d had the other day seemed to have died when Maurelle did

“How?” she said.

“The Sacred Pool,” Dwennon answered. “When our forces are out of balance, it bestows powers to those who are capable. We are fairies, but we have not always been blessed with power. The Sacred Pool remembers. Men who are great, men who are above, men who love, have always been considered worthy recipients of fairy status. Though, some of our rulers like to forget such things.”

She looked at James, who seemed a tad lost in this. Then, she turned back to Dwennon. “But I thought our connection, his ability to receive, ended when Maurelle died.”

“It did,” Dwennon said. “But he is capable and worthy, so the Sacred Pool has bestowed upon him a permanent gift. You and he may marry, and you may take your place as rulers of the realm.”

“And if I don’t want to rule a fairy realm?” she asked.

“Then you will not have to,” he said. “No one can force you to lead. We will seek a ruler from among the populace. But know that the ruler may, like Maurelle, fear your claim to the throne. So, if you wish to truly be free of danger, you should forfeit your powers and your claim so you can live a happy, untethered life.”

A happy, untethered life. Dwennon’s eyes were sorrowful. A deep mourning seemed to be behind them. “Have you had a vision?” she asked.

He shrugged his shoulder, but looked weary. “I see the streams of possibilities, the things that could be, not what will be. You know that. What happens, what comes to be, depends on the actions people take, the decisions they make.”

He had told her as much before, but the way he repeated it now made her nervous.  He had seen something. “And based on the stream, what decision would be best to make?”

“I think you will make the best decision with James at your side. We should leave you, so you can talk.”

Dwennon turned and headed out of the room, with Hilly following. Rose’s mother and father left, too. She turned to see James, standing in the light. “You’ve been so quiet,” she said.

“I know,” he admitted. “This is all just new to me. It’s a surprise. I’ve always been normal, and now I’m a fairy.”

She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t expect this.”

He patted her gently and said, “It’s not something bad. It’s just unexpected.”

“And what do you think?” she asked. “King and queen of a realm we know nothing about, or go back to your home, the way I’d expected? Go back and be prince and princess, and eventually king and queen.” She leaned into him and rested her head on his chest.

“I think we should do it,” he said.

Rose lifted her head, leaned back and look at him. She squinted at him in the light. “Become rulers of the fairy realm?”

“Yes,” he said.

“But why? We don’t know anything about fairies, about our powers.”

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and opened them. “That’s just it,” he said. “I don’t know much about my powers, but I know that I want to explore them, with you in this new realm. And I feel that we should.”

She stared into his eyes, and saw the excitement, the wonder. “You really think we should? I mean, we were happy when we were both normal.”

He chuckled lightly. “Were we ever really both normal? You sucked me into your dreams, and I came. I thought nothing of the magic of it. I accepted it gladly because it meant I was with you. And you accepted it gladly because you were with me. I think maybe we’ve always had magic in our lives, only we were too foolish to notice.”

She couldn’t help but smile at that. It had always been there, she realized. She sighed. “I wish we saw the future, as Dwennon does.”

He squeezed her close and kissed Rose’s cheek. “But we do see the future. We just see much less of it. We see only the decisions we are about to make, and from that we can guess at their consequences. For me, I see us together, being happy, learning our kingdom, loving our kingdom, yet still embracing the humanity that we started with. Maurelle hated humanity, and it brought her only misery. Dwennon said the Sacred Pool grants fairy magic to those who are just. We should remind our kingdom how to be just so we can keep the joys of this magic.”

Rose pulled away from him, startled. She wondered for a moment who he was. Was this the same boy from her dreams? Just, righteous, brave, wanting good for the world. And she smiled. But of course it was. Isn’t that what their years of dream companionship had taught her about him? He was a good man, and he would be a good fairy. They both would. “I think you’re right. We shall rule together.”