DREAMS of a CLOUD
Peruse the many random ramblings of a writer-in-training as I build stories and develop my craft.
30 November 2022
Hannah nodded. “And that’s why. I want to make as many special memories together with Aurora as I can before we’re separated. Not many people are lucky enough to get advance notice on when their time will run out, after all.” She turned to Rapunzel. “Of course, that’s only if you’re okay with it, Aurora. It is your birthday, after all.”
Rapunzel blinked. She’d never thought about it that way before. She still didn’t think she’d consider herself lucky, but it did make her feel more positive about the circumstances. “Yeah… Yeah. I like that idea.”
29 November 2022
“So… what now? I’ve never really been part of a family before. And not to be a stick in the mud, but I don’t have a lot of time…”
The air in the room turned frosty, until Isaac spoke up. “Whatever we do, I think we should do it here. I don’t want to waste the last few days we have with you traveling.”
Hannah nodded. “I want to get to know you. What has your life been like? What are your interests? Things like that.”
A small smile curled at one corner of Rapunzel’s mouth. “I’d like that.”
28 November 2022
“But you’re my family, too.”
Tower couldn’t respond for a moment. Then he swept her in a hug. “Thank you.” When he pulled back, he stared straight into her eyes. “But isn’t that all the more reason for me to do this?”
Aurora bit her lower lip, then looked over to Isaac. He just watched her, and when their eyes met he nodded to her once. He trusted her; the decision was hers.
26 November 2022
Once they’d all returned to the capital - for the most part via carriage - King Frederick and Queen Hannah declared the date they reunited with Aurora to be a national holiday. They formally accepted Venwald as an ally, and lauded Queen Brynne (or Maleficent) as a friend and hero. For the next two weeks, the capital celebrated like it never had before.
21 November 2022
When the witch-queen finally saw her, her eyes widened, and she slowly walked up to Aurora. Aurora bit her lower lip and looked away. Maleficent slapped her and said, “You foolish, foolish girl!”
Before Aurora could protest, however, she was shocked to see tears in Maleficent’s eyes. She pulled Aurora into a hug and whispered, “I thought we’d lost you forever.”
20 November 2022
He and Rapunzel made eye contact, and Rapunzel gave him an awkward wave. He stopped mid-sentence and walked over to her. He stared at her face long enough she started to get uncomfortable, before he finally said, “Aurora?”
“Um, yeah.” Rapunzel looked down at the ground and rubbed her arm. “Although, um, I actually go by Rapunzel now.”
Frederick gingerly raised a hand to Rapunzel’s cheek. She looked up at him, and in the softest voice he said, “You have your mother’s eyes.”
13 November 2022
Aurora burst into another round of tears. “No. Please don’t do this.”
Frederick responded by squeezing her tighter. “I’m just sorry we couldn’t be there to watch you grow up. Let us do this much for you.”
He nodded to Maleficent, and she began to cast the spell. She wove words from the ancient faerie tongue into the magic and Frederick and Hannah sank to the floor. Only the slight rise and fall of their chests gave any indication they were alive at all.
6 November 2022
The girl, Aurora, was different. There was none of the hostility or wariness Maleficent would have expected, especially considering she had doomed the young girl to death just after she’d been born. No, Aurora studied her like a puzzle she hadn’t quite figured out yet.
Maleficent turned back to Hannah. “You requested to see me?”
Hannah nodded, then glanced back toward Aurora. “When I went to see you earlier, you said that the gifts a fairy-blessed child receives must be paid back, correct?” When Maleficent dipped her head, Hannah asked, “Does she have to be the one that pays the price?”
2 November 2022
Frederick turned to the blue fairy. For her part, Gothel still seemed unaware of any of them; her focus was solely on Aurora. She murmured to herself, “She is such a beautiful baby, isn’t she? Too beautiful for this cruel world. Cruel people, cruel destinies. No, we must keep her safe.” She snapped out of her reverie, and looked defiantly at Frederick and Hannah. “I will keep her safe!”
And with that, she scooped the baby in her arms, snapped her fingers, and disappeared. Silence enveloped the ballroom.
1 November 2022
Maleficent strode through the massive double doors into the ballroom, paying no mind to the guards scurrying this way and that. A quick survey of the room confirmed her suspicions; of the rulers of major nations in the region, all others were already represented, which meant she was the only who had not been invited. That, in itself, was fine; expected even, given recent events. But the sight of the trio of fairies… that infuriated her.