p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanRose awoke from a strange series of dreams that involved dark, misty woods, hands holding her as if in dance, and glints of apple-green eyes. She had to disentangle her legs from her sheets and prop up a pillow to help her sit up. She must have been very deeply asleep. When she stood up from the canopy bed, her head swam. When she reached up to hold her head, she felt her hair was tangled and frizzy. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThe curtains were drawn closed and the fireplace was cold. No one had come in to wake her or help her dress, but she was sure it had to be daytime. She pulled open the curtains and was startled to find a thick covering of vines over the window. They were so dense that scarcely any light came through them into the room, and she couldn't see anything beyond them but a white-grey haze. When she uncovered the rest of the windows, she found more of the same. She attempted to open a set of windows, but the vines held them fast. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanRose cautiously went to the door. She held her ear against it for a few moments and listened for any sign of other people. Silence. She opened it. The braziers in the hall were lit, a table decorated with a vase of some purple flower. Rose approached it and picked one bloom out of the vase. She winced as its prickly stem poked at her fingers. It was a thistle. She scowled at the weed and tossed it aside. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanAs she strode down the hallway she contemplated on the fact she did not recognize the nightgown she was wearing. It was made of impossibly light silk that flowed around her ankles like a cool mist. She didn't, in fact, remember what had happened before she fell asleep. She retraced her actions—she had returned to the palace after a long absence in order to take her rightful place as princess. The fairies had led her into the palace through a hidden entrance, to keep her out of sight from evil Maleficent…but then what? The pervading memory was the color green, the candied green of sour apples, but that blurred into her dreams. She couldn't tell where memories stopped and the dreams began. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanShe didn't really know where she was going, having been absent from the palace for 18 years, but the hallway was straight. She eventually came to a wide staircase, which she supposed would lead to the throne room or the kitchen or somewhere where there were people. Still, though, she couldn't hear anything. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThe hall downstairs was wider and branched off. She chose to go left. Past a few dark archways was a huge room with vaulted ceilings and windows high up letting in light. The floor was polished stone, colorful banners hanging from supporting columns along the edge of the room. It was completely empty. Frustrated and unnerved, Rose shouted, "Hello?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanSomething moved at the opposite end of the room. A figure stood in the shadow of the throne/spanspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #222222;". Her heart skipped to think it could be her mother or father, whom she had never met./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%; background: white;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #222222;"But that hope was dashed when he stepped forward into the cold light. He rested one long-fingered hand on the edge of the throne, as if claiming it. He wore satin deep purple robes, his heavy cloak shimmering like a night sky. He had raven-black hair, olive skin, and most shockingly, bright green eyes. Unnaturally green. Rose was struck with a familiarity she couldn't place./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%; background: white;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #222222;""Sleep well, Princess?" he asked. His voice was soft and gentle, but his tone was distinctly sarcastic./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%; background: white;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #222222;""Who are you?" she asked./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%; background: white;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #222222;"He smiled at her down his slightly hooked nose. "I suppose we haven't really met, have we? I am Maleficent. My friends call me Mal."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%; background: white;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #222222;"Rose took a reflexive step back./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%; background: white;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #222222;""M-Maleficent?" Her godmothers' warnings about the evil fairy rang in her ears. Cruel, spiteful, and above all, relentless. "I thought you were a woman," Rose said, stupidly. She couldn't think of anything else to say./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%; background: white;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #222222;""Ah, but of course you're thinking of my mother. She who placed the curse on you. But no, think of the name as more of a title. A mantle passed on from one spectacularly powerful fay to another."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%; background: white;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #222222;"Rose suddenly became aware of her surroundings./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%; background: white;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #222222;""Where is everyone? What did you do to them?" she demanded./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%; background: white;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #222222;"Mal frowned. He began to descend the stairs in front of the throne. "Not a thing, Aurora. They are just where you left them."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%; background: white;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #222222;"Rose tensed at her true name—it felt utterly alien to her still. "What are you talking about?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%; background: white;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #222222;"He took his time walking up to her until he was just an arm's length away. She was painfully aware of her heart beating. Though he kept coming closer, those eyes boring into her, she held her ground./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%; background: white;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #222222;"He stretched out his hands to either side, revealing the breadth of his chest and his fine silver-accented clothing "This is but a dream, Princess. My particular talent. It may feel real, but in actuality you are still asleep in your bed. And so is everyone else in the castle."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%; background: white;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #222222;""How long have I been asleep?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%; background: white;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #222222;"Mal stared off into the thin air as if examining an invisible calendar. "Well, since the solstice was just last week... I believe we are going on a hundred years now."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%; background: white;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #222222;"Rose blinked. "A hundred...? But that's not possible. I only just fell asleep."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%; background: white;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #222222;"Mal inclined his head. "Alas, no. Up until now I have let you be in your deep sleep. You were so beautiful, I couldn't bear to disturb you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%; background: white;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #222222;"Rose though she saw tenderness in his face, but she ignored it. She crossed her arms, self-conscious of his gaze on her. "So why wake me now?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%; background: white;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #222222;""Well, you're not really awake," he began, but stopped when he saw her angry eyes. "Yes, well. Your prince has come. I thought you might like to meet him."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%; background: white;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #222222;""Prince?" Rose echoed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0in .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #222222;""Indeed. Shall I wake him, as it were?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%; background: white;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #222222;""No!" Rose blurted out. "I can't meet a prince looking like this! How did you even get me into this, you perverse—"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%; background: white;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #222222;""I did not lay a hand on you, Aurora," Mal said, putting up his hands. "In this place, what you will becomes true. As long as it does not conflict with the wishes of another. So you won't be able to leave, but you can certainly change your clothes."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%; background: white;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #222222;"Rose gave him a pointed look before considering her thin nightgown. What would she even wear to meet a prince? She recalled the gown her godmothers had designed for her to meet her fiancée that night, the beautiful gown with satin sleeves with diamond shaped cuffs, the dramatic neckline, the sleek bodice and skirt. It took shape on her body, as if it was unfurling from the nightgown. But what color? It seemed silly at the time, but she understood why the fairies had argued over it. The flush of a pink blossom, or the glittering blue of a flawless gem? She considered both colors as they washed over the gown in turn./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%; background: white;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #222222;""I like the blue," Mal said, interrupting her thoughts. "It brings out your eyes."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%; background: white;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #222222;"She looked up at him, immediately filled with anger. Eyes locked, she willed the dress to become pink./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%; background: white;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #222222;"She asked lowly, "Where is the prince?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 150%; background: white;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #222222;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%; background: white;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #222222;"As she followed Mal down the hall, Rose still found it hard to believe this was a dream. The floor was solid enough underfoot, the air replete with a certain mustiness. Then again, there was no way to explain the transformation of her dress except if it was all an illusion./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 150%; background: white;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #222222;"Eventually they came to a door at the end of a hall, nearly identical to the one where Rose had woken up. She wouldn't have been able to tell the difference but for the lack of the vase of thistles./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0in .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #222222;""He's just inside," Mal said. "But, before you go in…."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%; background: white;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #222222;"With a gloved hand he brushed aside a lock of her hair, laying it carefully over her shoulder. She froze at his touch, staring at him wide-eyed. He met her eyes and smiled. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%; background: white;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #222222;""You might want to fix your hair," he said quietly. "It's a bit tangled after all these years."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%; background: white;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #222222;"Rose's hands shot up to her hair, feeling the matted mess. Mal stepped back./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%; background: white;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #222222;""I'll leave you two alone for now. Just call if you need anything, and I'll be at your side."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%; background: white;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #222222;"With a pleasant smile he left, gliding down the hall and around a corner, out of sight. Rose combed through her hair with her fingers, trying to get her heartbeat under control./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%; background: white;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #222222;"Even after her hair was presentable, Rose stared at the door for a little while. The prince. She had assumed it was her fiancée, come to rescue her, but she didn't really know. She should have asked. /span/p
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tbody
tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"
td style="width: 33.0pt; padding: 0in 12.0pt 0in 12.0pt;" valign="top" width="44" /td
td style="width: 839.4pt; padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in;" width="1119" /td
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p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%;"emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"No,/span/emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;" she thought. emit doesn't matter. Whoever he is, we can find out a way to get out of this place together./em/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Rose smoothed down her skirt one last time, and with a deep breath, opened the door. span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span/span/p