“It was just a dream...” I thought as I woke up, sitting up in my King size bed, the dream coming back to me. Fairies, dancing animals, a spinning wheel where I fell into a deep slumber. I looked around my room and everything seemed normal. The blue and pink walls with dancing fairies and animals on one side, art and pictures I drew on another and a full painted portrait of my parents and I. I was only 15 but I was still in love with fairies, the thought of a prince coming to save me, and other fairytale things. My head was in the books, my mother, the Queen, would say. I tried to make sense of the dream, it felt so real. I looked at my finger and was surprised to see a small wound, like my finger was pricked by something. That’s weird...I thought as a knock at the door startled me. “Yes?” I called and my mother came in. “Good morning, dear.” She said, smiling at me with loving eyes. “Good morning, mother.” I said back, matching her smile. “Did you sleep well?” she asked and my mind wandered back to the dream. “I had a weird dream.” I said as she sat on my bed, looking inquisitive. “There was 3 good fairies and a really bad fairy that cursed me to fall into a deep sleep on my 16th birthday. It felt so real, mother.” I said and looked at her face, seeing worry and fear. “What’s the matter?” I asked and she shook her head. “Nothing, my love. Get dressed, your father is waiting for us to join him for breakfast.” She said and I couldn’t help but think why she looked like that. Fairies and curses don’t exist...do they? After getting dressed, I walked through the castle hallway, wondering and pondering what could have caused my mother to look like that. I entered the dining room without even realizing it and my father and mother were conversing amongst themselves so I took my seat on the left side of my father, across from my mother. “Good morning, Aurora. I hear you had quite the dream.” My father said and I nodded. “Well, let’s not let fairytale creatures ruin our day, shall we? You have to be alert for your violin class. Remember you have a concert in 2 days after your birthday tomorrow. We’re looking forward to hearing your progress!” He exclaimed, looking proud, and I knew I couldn’t let them down. We ate breakfast, talking back and forth about different things. They wanted me to have a huge birthday ball with all the kingdom invited. I only wanted a few friends and my parents there. I didn’t understand why it needed to be a ball. “Alright, Aurora. Off to violin. We’ll see you afterwards, dear.” My mother said and I merely nodded, getting up and placing my napkin on my plate. I got to the door before my father called me. “Yes, father?” I said as I turned back around. “Please wear a dress for your birthday. Not your...jeans. A princess must look her best. Not casual.” He said before he turned back to my mother to continue their conversation. I didn’t see anything wrong with jeans but he’s the boss. A dress it is. Maybe I can ask Camilla for help. She’s got an eye for fashion. As I got to my violin class and grabbed my violin from the closet, I couldn’t stop thinking about my dream I had. It felt like a premonition of doom more than it was a dream. But I’ve never seen a fairy or anything mythical so it couldn’t be real. Maybe something bad will happen but I don’t think it’ll involve fairies. I kept thinking as I practiced notes and the song I was supposed to play in 2 days. God, I really didn’t want to perform in front of thousands of people but it was required of me. As I finished the final note, I was struck with an eraser in the head. “Hey, dork.” A voice sounded near the door. I turned around and looked, seeing my best friend, Camilla, standing in her best outfit yet. Bell bottom jeans, a tie-dyed shirt with the colors of blue, teal and white and she had a beautiful jade necklace on that complimented her dark eyes and features. “Hey, I’m almost done.” I said, putting my stuff away and in the closet. I walked up to her, slinging my arm around her shoulder. “So, birthday ball tomorrow huh?” She asked and I sighed. “Yeah. My parents want a huge party for me. Not every day you turn 16, I guess.” I said, melancholic. “Oh, cheer up. Maybe Phillip will be there.” She said, waggling her eyebrows. Phillip was a prince of the neighboring kingdom and we have always had a good relationship, and he’s going to be a great King one day. We’ve talked about our future occasionally but we don’t know if it’s for us or our parents so we never actually have gone on a date or anything. Nevertheless, I blushed because regardless of the uncertainty of our future together, I still have a crush and I hoped one day, our future would intertwine together. “Oh, shut up, Cam.” I laughed, softly punching her shoulder. We walked into my room and sat on the bed, calling room service for our onslaught of snacks and movie marathons. Our butler, Mike, came in with a tray, stacked high with chips and candy and a few bottles of pop. “Thanks, Mike!” Camilla said and he simply bowed before leaving. We flipped through the movie channel on my TV before settling on a romantic comedy. While we watched and ate, I kept having a sense of foreboding. Something was coming. And it was for me. I woke up the next day and had the same dream. Only it was more intense. My parents were fighting the fairy the cursed me with their army but they lost and had to surrender the entire kingdom for her to stop. Maleficent, was her name. What an odd name. Unique. But odd. I got up and got dressed, focused on the dream. I went down for breakfast, not paying attention to anything my parents were saying. To me or otherwise. I could tell they gave up because I looked up and they were just talking to each other. I got up, finished with my breakfast, and walked back to my room. As I got there, I wondered if my parents were withholding information from me. They, or at least, my mother, knew something and she wasn’t talking. I suppose I just wait until tonight. I stayed in my room most of the day, not having any activities today due to it being my birthday. So, I just decided to draw and listen to music in my room. I drew the 3 good fairies I seen, then Maleficent, then the war that happened. I didn’t know how long I was drawing for but my mother was suddenly beside me. “Aurora? We’ve been ringing you for hours. It’s time, get dressed, your guests are waiting.” She said and left, closing the door lightly and I sighed. What joy...I thought and looked at my pink and blue dress on the mannequin that Camilla had picked out. It was beautiful but held a feeling of dread. “Alright. Let’s do this.” I said to no one but myself and got ready. A half hour later, I was walking towards the ballroom dressed to the nines. My long blonde hair cascaded down my shoulder with diamond pins holding it together, my dress flowing around my ankles, my pink heels clacking against the linoleum flooring, and my pink satin gloved hands placed delicately in front of me as I walked. I was the epitome of perfection in this moment and I held my head high as I entered the ballroom. Everyone in the ballroom turned their heads and held shocked, in awe, faces. I smiled as I descended the stairs, looking for anyone familiar. I found Camilla, Robin and Chase by the punch bowl, watching me as I walked down the stairs. My parents met me at the bottom of the stairs and were beaming from eye to eye with smiles. “You look beautiful, dear.” My mother said and my father nodded, taking my hand and leading me to the stage. I knew this was coming, a speech for the birthday girl. God, why did he have to do this every damn year. “Everyone! Today, we celebrate my daughter's 16th birthday! We have 3 special guests, all of which you know, they come from The Moors and are here to bless my daughter.” He said, cheer and joy evident in his voice. Wait. The Moors? That’s the dangerous forest that’s off-limits. How are people coming from there? I thought it was filled with dangerous animals and bandits. Suddenly, the doors at the top of the stairs opened and 3 women flew down. One was dressed in all pink, one blue, and one green. Oh god, the dream was real. I stood petrified as they stood in front of me. “Your Majesty’s.” All 3 of them said in unison. They turned towards me and bowed as well. “Aurora, I am here to bless you with the gift of beauty. As you grow, you will become more and more beautiful, captivating all those around you.” The one in pink said and tapped her wand on my head, eliciting a shower of pink dust and butterflies. The one in green came up next, “Aurora, I am here to bless you with the gift of song. Your voice shall be melodic and sound more beautiful than any instrument.” She said and did the same things, green dust and music notes showering around me. The blue one came up last, “Aurora, I am here to bless you with the gift of d-” She was cut off by a loud cackle and menacing green and black smoke came from every direction. Maleficent...I thought and grabbed my dagger I hid in my dress. I’ll kill you before I go into a deep sleep. I thought and waited for her to show herself. “Well, well, well, a beautiful party for a beautiful princess and I wasn’t invited? How...disdainful.” A womans voice came from behind me and I spun around, coming face to face with a woman who’s features would be beautiful if not for the grotesque horns on her head and snake eyes. “Maleficent...” I heard myself whisper. “Oh, how lovely, the little princess even knows my name.” She said, laughing but I was sure she didn’t find it funny. “Maleficent! What are you doing here?!” My father exclaimed. I knew it...I thought and felt betrayed. They knew of this...monster...and didn’t even warn me. I didn’t even know they existed! Now, I was mad, hurt and betrayed. “Why? I came to bestow a gift on the princess as well.” She said and laughed again. No, you don’t. I thought and took my chance. I unsheathed the dagger and took the 3 small steps needed and rammed the dagger into the top of her skull. She let out an ear-piercing scream and suddenly exploded into a showering rain of green and black smoke. I was breathing heavily and turned to my parents. “You knew?” I asked, my voice filled with venom and malicious intent. “You knew and didn’t tell me?!” I screamed and ran towards my father, stabbing him repeatedly in the chest, my mother and the rest of the kingdom screaming. I stopped once he stopped moving and turned on my mother, going after her as she crawled away. “Please, Aurora, please! I’m sorry!” She screamed but I didn’t care, I jumped on her and started doing the same thing to her as I did my father. After it was done. I was alone. No one was in the ballroom anymore and the 3 fairies that were here, were gone now. I walked towards the front gate before I felt it, the ripple of power through my skin. I looked down and green and black smoke was emanating from me. “So, I gained her powers.” I said coldly and whipped my hand towards the thrones, a blast of green lighting destroying the chairs. I noticed a woman, cowering in the corner and I just stared at her. “Who are you? You’re not the same princess.” She whimpered and I thought about it. I was supposed to go into a deep slumber. What started out as a dream, became reality and now I’m the most powerful creature. “You can call me...” I smiled maliciously at her. “Sleeping Beauty.” And I pounced on her.