Author's Note: I can't explain it, but for some reason the pairing of Phillip and Aurora has always been my favorite Disney pairing ever since I was a little boy, and it has not changed then – I really think they just are perfect for each other. This story will be adapted from printed media like 'Aurora's Royal Wedding' and 'A Moment to Remember'.
Three days after the events of the first movie...
Princess Aurora yawned as she sat up on her bed and stretched herself in her pink nightgown. She couldn't believe it was two days since she had been first told she was a princess – the daughter of King Stefan & Queen Leah. Aurora smiled to herself as she thought of the past two days before, where she spent time getting to know her new parents. Despite spending the first 16 years of her childhood away from them, Aurora had bonded with them surprisingly fast, especially with her mother Queen Leah.
Today, she remembered, she was going around with Prince Phillip. Her heart leapt with excitement & joy at the thought of spending the day with her bethrothed. She hurriedly changed out of her nightgown into her typical pink princess dress. Later on, she met Phillip outside the stables. Her true love was already standing next to a white horse.
"Hello, dear." He said, smiling brightly at her. "This is Samson. He's been my steed for many years since I learnt how to ride."
Samson neighed at Aurora cheerfully. The princess giggled and petted the horse's muzzle. "Nice to meet you too, Samson."
She then turned to Phillip. "Phillip, do I have a horse of my own?" He nodded.
"You can choose your own horse. Come, I'll bring you to the stables."
As they reached the stables, Aurora carefully examined all the other horses who looked at her expectantly, but none seemed to fit her. They just did not seem to click with her, as Phillip had told her. Apparently that was how he had chosen Samson.
Just then, a beautiful palomino horse came over. Her mane appeared to have been braided like a girl's. On seeing Samson, she neighed happily. The white stallion suddenly blushed a bright red, trotting behind his master Phillip.
"Samson? What's going – Oh. Come on, boy, you know you like Mirette." Phillip laughed at his usually aloof horse's behavior. Samson looked sheepish, before neighing back at Mirette shyly.
The palomino mare turned her head to Aurora, who was staring at her. "Wow, you're gorgeous!" Aurora exclaimed joyously, reaching out her hand to the mare, and Mirette relished the feeling of the princess petting her.
"Do you want me to be your rider?" Mirette neighed happily, pawing the ground with her hooves, and Aurora grinned. "Alright then. Phillip, I've chosen my horse."
"Great choice, dearest! Samson here will be pleased." Phillip said, wryly smiling at his horse who was blushing even more at this point. Aurora burst out laughing at him as well.
The Prince & Princess then mounted their horses and rode out into the forest. As they trotted along, Aurora was increasingly amused at Samson's obvious attempt to remain aloof to Mirette's affections, even though he clearly reciprocated them. She bent down and whispered something into Mirette's ear, who nodded and trotted up to Samson until their bodies were only a few inches apart. Samson, alarmed at the proximity, tried to trot off, but not before, Mirette pressed her muzzle to his face's side in a horse's kiss.
Samson's face turned as red as a rose, causing Phillip & Aurora to burst into laughter and for Mirette to snicker amusedly, a light blush also forming on her equine cheeks. Soon, Samson's stunned expression turned into a goofy, horse-smile, before suddenly he shot off in a rapid burst of speed.
"Woah! Samson, slow down!" Phillip yelled, taken aback, but Samson was so pumped up with adrenaline at being kissed by Mirette that he only ran faster. That is, until he heard a loud SPLASH.
Samson trotted up sheepishly to the stream where his master had fallen into... again. He gave an apologetic whinny as Phillip gave him an exasperated look. "Why does this look familiar?" He sighed.
Aurora soon arrived with Mirette on the scene, looking extremely worried. "Phillip! Are you alright?" She asked, her eyes wide with concern as she alighted from her horse's back and helped Phillip from the stream. "I'm sorry, this is all my fault..." She said, her voice breaking.
"I'm alright, dearest, don't worry," Phillip said, brushing her cheeks tenderly with his hand. Again, he was reminded by how kind & tender she was and why he loved her so much. "This isn't the first time this has happened to me."
"Really?" She asked in surprise.
"Yep, the first time was when I first heard you singing in the forest. Samson here didn't want to go, but I convinced him after promising an extra bucket of oats and a few carrots. Unfortunately... he was so excited that he failed to notice a log that caused me to fall into the stream." He said, looking at his horse, who looked even more sheepish than usual.
Aurora giggled. "Well, he did help in our first meeting though." She looked around in the clearing around her. "Ah, I can't believe it was only 4 days ago that I still thought I was a peasant girl."
"Yes," said Phillip, coming up next to her. She took his hand in hers as she looked up at him lovingly, and he did the same for her. "It was here we first danced. I wasn't a Prince, you weren't a Princess, it was just... us."
Aurora frowned. "You... don't like being a Prince?"
Phillip's eyes widened before shaking his head. " No, no, that's not what I meant. As in, I was fine with being a Prince, but commoners always bowed or curtsied when they saw me, and I couldn't really hold normal conversations with them as people, because of my royal status. It's why I ride out in the woods with Samson in this attire," he gestured to his red hat, and his simple black shirt with the brown tunic over it. "So that I can escape from the hustle-bustle of the castle, and so that no one will think I'm a prince."
Aurora nodded in understanding before resting her head on his shoulder. "You'll always be my Prince, regardless of your legal status."
Phillip kissed the top of her head before resting his head over hers as well. "And you'll always be my Aurora, my light."
Suddenly, he drew away. Before Aurora could ask what he was doing, he had gotten down on one knee and in his hand he held a small, velvet box. He opened it to reveal a glittering diamond ring.
"Aurora, I love you with all of my heart & soul. I know our parents wanted us to marry since we were children, but I want to marry you because I love you and I will never love another like you. Will you marry me?"
Aurora gaped at him. A sob escaped her throat as she covered her mouth, tears forming in her eyes. Phillip looked at her intently – they were so focused on each other that neither noticed that all the forest animals; the owl, the songbirds, the squirrels and the deer and the two horses had gathered to watch.
"Aurora?" Phillip asked, tentatively.
"Yes." Aurora whispered, tears of joy sliding down her cheeks. "Yes, with all my heart!"
The forest animals cheered, and both Samson & Mirette whinnied happily as Phillip hugged Aurora and spun her around joyfully in the air. She laughed and embraced him as well, before their lips met in a passionate kiss.
They had such a blessed relationship – they had fallen in love, not as prince & princess, but as a boy in the forest, and a girl from the glen. He had slain a dragon for her, and she had waited in the tower for him, pining for him rather than relishing her new life as a princess.
When they returned to the castle and annouced the news, the entire kingdom set off to prepare for the wedding. Phillip made sure Samson took a bath... after promising him some carrots, and Aurora letting Mirette bathe besides him. King Hubert & King Stefan busied themselves with tasting the delicacies to be served at the feast.
Prince Phillip busied himself by choosing his best formal wear for the wedding. Princess Aurora, meanwhile, was celebrating with her mother, Queen Leah, and the three good fairies – Flora, Fauna & Merryweather.
"I couldn't be more delighted that my daughter is home and getting married." The Queen annouced, pouring her beloved daughter a cup of milk tea.
"We're so happy for you, Rose." Fauna said happily. They still called her by her old nickname, Briar Rose, out of habit, and she still loved that nickname. Aurora was very glad that both Phillip and her mother approved of the nickname and used it from time to time.
"I'll leave you now, Aurora, so you can make all the royal decisions for your wedding. Good luck!" Queen Leah said.
"Thank you, Mother." She said, hugging her mother goodbye. As soon as the Queen exited, the dressmakers burst in with many dresses and gowns of various colors and styles. Aurora was spoilt for choice. "They're all so lovely... how on earth will I choose?"
Choosing the table settings were even more confusing. "Ugh... I just can't choose. Maybe...Nope, this won't do. I can't be a princess like this." She said, discouraged.
"Maybe I'm not ready to be a princess."
"Oh, fiddlesticks and nonsense. You'll be the finest princess this kingdom has ever seen." Merryweather encouraged her, but Aurora still wasn't certain.
After a mentally torturous two hours of selecting the table settings, she was back to selecting her dress when Prince Phillip.
"Would you get to go for a walk to get away from the wedding planning a little while?"
Aurora's eyes lit up. "Oh, that's a splendid idea!"
They both strolled together with their hands joined in each other's. "I'm not sure I know how to act like a princess! I can't even choose a dress! The gowns the dressmakers brought aren't what I imagined." She said, looking downcast.
Phillip cupped her chin to face him, gazing at her with the tenderest love. "My dear, you will be a wonderful princess. I also was as inept when I first started out this sort of thing as a prince. If you're worried, I know someone who can help."
Prince Phillip went off to find Queen Leah, who had been like a surrogate mother to him since he was a child after his own mother had passed away. It was also a contributing factor why Queen Leah supported Phillip & Aurora's marriage so much.
"You see, your Majesty – I mean, Leah," he corrected himself after she gave him a significant look. "I think she would appreciate some help – some reassurance from you, her mother." Leah and the three good fairies smiled. Phillip was indeed the perfect husband for their Briar Rose.
All together, they lead the Queen to Aurora.
"My dear Aurora, I understand that you are worried, but being a Princess isn't about what you do, fundamentally. Rather, it's about your character – that you are honest, compassionate, intelligent and kind. And there's no doubt that you are all those things. Once you have the right heart, everything will fall into place naturally."
"Oh, thank you, Mother!" Aurora exclaimed as she hugged her mother joyfully. "I just had an idea about a wedding dress. Could I wear yours, please?"
The Queen smiled. "I married your father in a simple but beautiful gown. I think it will fit you perfectly." And it did, when Aurora later tried it on.
On the day of the wedding, a week later, the entire kingdom celebrated with unprecedented fervor. Prince Phillip, clad in his finest formal wear, smiled as he saw his future bride walk down the aisle, accompanied by her father King Stefan. He beamed at her, and she smiled radiantly back. She looked every bit a princess in her mother's white wedding dress, and was beginning to feel like one, too.
The soon-to-be couple stood in front of the minister.
"Aurora," Phillip began, gazing into her eyes. "When I first saw you, you were only an infant, and I was only 4 and a half years old. My father and I came to your christening, and it was there our bethrothal was annouced. Admittedly, I was less than impressed, thinking, "This is who I'll be marrying? A baby?" Laughter rang throughout the entire hall, including from Aurora. Phillip chuckled and continued.
"I never saw you again for sixteen years, because of the curse Maleficent put on you, and you were forced to go into hiding with your three aunts. And then, sixteen years later, I met you, drawn by your beautiful singing. I had no idea you were the princess I was bethrothed to, but when I saw you, I knew you were the one for me, once upon a dream. It didn't matter that you were a peasant girl... no princess could ever be as beautiful and kind and caring as you, and I was prepared to defy my father's wishes in order to marry you." King Hubert laughed and nodded, remembering the time Phillip had told him about that 'peasant girl'. He thought he would die from a heart attack.
"As it turned out, though, I didn't need to. You were my bethrothed all along, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I, Prince Phillip, take Princess Aurora to be my dearly beloved wife." Aurora cried tears of joy as Phillip finished firmly, and the hall also erupted into applause. It was her turn to give her speech.
"Phillip, throughout my entire life, I have always wanted to find my dream prince, my one true love. I do not know why, but I did. And so it was, when I met you in the forest, I knew you were my dream prince, once upon a dream. I had been warned by my aunts not to ever talk to strangers, but I couldn't help it when I spoke to you and danced with you. When I learned I was a princess, and that I had been bethrothed to someone else and could never see you again, I was heartbroken. It didn't matter that I should feel thrilled that I was royalty... I would give that all up just to be with you. Even when Maleficent put me to sleep, all I could dream about was you. And then, I was overjoyed to find that my one true love and my bethrothed were one and the same, and I wouldn't have it any other way either. I, Princess Aurora, take Prince Phillip to be my dearly beloved husband."
Queen Leah surreptitiously wiped a tear with her handkerchief as Phillip and Aurora joined together in a tender yet heated kiss, and the hall erupted into applause again.
After the ceremony, the couple greeted all the guests at the reception, and fed each other pieces of the magnificent wedding cake. Then, when the ball started, Phillip and Aurora danced happily with each other, never taking their eyes off one another. It was all just perfect.
At the end of the wedding, as Phillip and Aurora drove off for their honeymoon in a carriage pulled by both Samson and Mirette, Aurora reflected that the wedding was exactly as she had imagined... once upon a dream.
THE END
Ending Trivia:
1. At the wedding, Aurora was sixteen, Phillip was twenty and a half.
2. When King Hubert died, Phillip became King at twenty six, and Aurora became Queen at twenty one and a half.
3. The couple had four sons and three daughters, and were both loving & kind parents. They both saw their children find love, get married and bear grandchildren, and watch them grow up. Their eldest grandson just married before Aurora passed away.
4. The couple reigned for forty years, and not only ruled with great wisdom and kindness, but were revered as the most harmonious and loving couple in the kingdom. And no, it wasn't just their PR status at work, they really were as loving & harmonious a couple as one could imagine.
5. At the end of their reign, Phillip abdicated the throne to his eldest son so that he could retire and spend more time with Aurora.
6. Phillip died at the age of eighty-four. Aurora died six months after at the age of eighty-one. Both were buried together, and their story continues to be circulated amongst the kingdom and throughout the Disney Ultra-Verse.