Princess in the Rough
Chapter 23

Echo

“Go ahead. Yell at me. I deserve it.” She whined in a raspy voice.

“H-how? W-why?” I started backing up, but I tripped and fell backwards, down the stairs. Right before I hit the stairs with my head, something stopped me in midair.

“Tcahc ehr!”

A strange green aura surrounded me. It felt like a cozy blanket was surrounding me on all sides and holding me in place. The green aura lifted me up and placed me in front of Maleficent again.

“Thank you.” I whispered, all my previous courage gone. Her eyes crinkled at the edges and her lips twitched oddly. I think she was smiling for the first time, or at least for the first time in a long time.

“Misunderstood.” She said simply. “Cine aihcr.” A comfy chair appeared behind me. I tested it with my foot first, than I sat down, wondering why she would save me. “Tell me about your friend, in return for me saving you.” Was that the only reason she saved me? So she could force me into a deal?

“Well, she grew up with wolfs. In Hunter’s Arrow Woods, she said she didn’t originally come from there, but she’s not sure where’s she’s from, I don’t either. Today, we found out that she was the lost princess of Forest Majesty, so that’s new. But she’s asleep, because of your curse.” I said the last part slower, in case she didn’t like it.

“The king’s missing daughter; Elegance Majesty, but they would call her Elle for short.” Maleficent informed me.

“How’d you know that?”

“Because,” She sighed. “I cursed her father and followed in the footsteps of my grandmother. I swore I wouldn’t but that changed at his coronation.” Her voice broke at the last words and the first tear rolled down her cheek; showing she did have a heart. “Everyone knows my name as Maleficent, the evil, jealous, fairy. That was my grandmother. Have you heard the tale of Romeo and Juliet?”

“Yeah. I think it’s beautiful.” I answered, maybe opening my heart up a little. But only a little.

“That was my father and mother.” She paused so I could soak it in and pick my jaw up off the floor.

“What happened?” I asked, solely interested in this conversation.

“With my brother? I was the oldest child, I was to inherit the kingdom, but my brother, five years younger than me, got the kingdom because he was the first son. At the coronation, I ran away and hid in this castle, my grandmother’s castle, and plotted revenge. My thoughts were clouded with rage and I set a curse on his daughter on accident. I used the same curse as my grandmother and everything, but with a twist. It was custom for the three fairies to bless the first child and so I thought I’d contribute.

Listen well, all of you, the child shall indeed grow in strength and charm, beloved by all; but, when the sun rises at noon on its fifteenth birthday, it shall prick it’s finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and die. I leave this curse to Chance. Only true love or a pure heart can save this child now.

That was the curse I brought to this world, upon an innocent baby. I didn’t watch my words and when I meant for the curse to go to Chance, I meant the prince, but the curse took a chance and changed victims. The curse landed upon Elle, before she was ever even born.” As she explained, choking on every other word, images appeared between us, as if as she told the story, a movie was being projected.

“I only found out when they had her. Three weeks after she was born, I thought I could save her from her cruel fate by giving her to the moon wolves. Special, merciful animals, one of the only ones that will take in babies of different species and raise them like they were their own.

“I thought by doing that I could save her. But, in order to do this right, I had to do some wrong. I burned down Elle’s nursery and told the fairies that if they gave me the child, I would spare their lives. After great sorrow and much apologies, that gave me her.

“I didn’t hesitate giving her to the wolves, thinking that was the best thing for her, but, you cannot avoid fate. It replaces those who tries to avoid it and takes them down at the worst time.” She finished and weeped into her hands.

I couldn’t say anything. I understood why she was angry, these fairy tale laws are messed up. Just because she’s a girl, she doesn’t get the throne. What the heck? It’s like saying you don’t get to ride on your swings, just because you’re too short, and you can’t help it. It’s just who you are.

“I’m sorry that happened. It’s not exactly fair.” I finally said.

“Oh, well. It’ no excuse for trying to curse your nephew, but cursing your niece instead.” She said through her tears. “I planned on taking her back to her family the day after she turned fifteen but fate intervened.”

“What do you mean?”

“If you haven’t caught on yet, I was going to take Elle from the moon wolves and put her back with her family tomorrow, but you come to me with news of her being put under the curse.”

I sighed and rolled my eyes. “I meant the fate intervened part.”

“Oh!” She chuckled. “Of course! Silly me. I meant that Elle’s fate caught up with her, oh, how do I explain this. Elegance couldn’t escape her fate, she was going to get pricked one way or another, no matter what I tried to intervene.”

“Is there anyway you could save her now that she’s asleep?”

“Yes, is there anyone who fancies her? That’s how the last Sleeping Beauty was saved. If we can get somebody to kiss her, oh, I didn’t think this curse through! I didn’t mean to be evil!” Her voice cracked in despair.

“The only one’s I can think of are the wolfs. They love her more than anything.”

“Where is that wolf you brought with you? Night Cry. Is she the one who took care of her.”

“I thought it was Ice Water or something.”

Maleficent chuckled. “I have no idea who any of the wolves are.”

“Honestly, I don’t know either.”

“I will go to the palace and see what I can do. I suggest you come with me, I don’t think the occupants would respond to me very well.” Maleficent said, looking at me with pleading eyes.

“Good idea. I need to pick something up at the palace. Something for a friend of mine.” By friend, I meant Flea Breath, if that’s even his name. While we were making the potion, Zavana said that only a close friend could administer the potion, I didn’t know the werewolf/alpha very well, so it wouldn’t work for me.

“Should I change forms? I could be Ela again, or maybe I could look like Night Cry.”

“No, no. I think you should go normally and try to gain their trust. Maybe an act of true virtue?”

“What do you mean, child?”

“In the original Sleeping Beauty, the kingdom was surrounded by thorns once the princess falls asleep. Perhaps if you undo the thorns, they’ll trust you.” I suggested.

“That’s a good idea, but, how do we know the thorns will appear? I didn’t include that in my curse.”

“I guess we’ll think about it on the way.” Most of this plan is based on a fairy tale. It’s a good thing we’re in a fairy tale world.

“I do not know what you mean, child, but I suppose so.” Maleficent said and walked down the stairs, wincing every other step.