This is dedicated to my first two beta readers,
Alyssa and Kim,
They've given me great advice on how to improve it since I've started on it.
Well, thanks guys!
xoxoxo
Summary: I was the younger sister of the renowned Princess Aurora Rose Bordeaux; she has many names now - Briar Rose, Rosebud, Talia - but, perhaps, you'll recognize her more easily as Sleeping Beauty. I was the Dark Princess, the Forgotten Princess, the Invisible Princess.
A/N: Hey, this is my first fanfic. I put a lot of effort and loads of time in it. I hope you enjoy it. And feel free to give advice!
Update (9/23/10): I'm re-continuing this fanfic. Much has been rewritten.
Chapter One: The Unfavored Sister
Once there was a royal couple who grieved excessively because they had no children. When at last, after long waiting, the queen presented her husband with a little daughter, his majesty showed his joy by giving a christening feast, so grand that the like of it was never known. He invited all the fairies in the land – there were seven altogether – to stand godmothers to the little princess; hoping that each might bestow on her some good gift, as was the custom of good fairies in those days.
After the ceremony, all the guests returned to the palace, where there was set before each fairy-godmother a magnificent covered dish, with an embroidered table-napkin, and a knife and fork of pure gold, studded with diamonds and rubies. But alas! as they placed themselves at table, there entered an old fairy who had never been invited, because more than fifty years since she had left the king's dominion on a tour of pleasure, and had not been heard of until this day. His majesty, much troubled, desired a cover to be placed for her, but it was of common delf, for he had ordered from his jeweller only seven gold dishes for the seven fairies aforesaid. The elderly fairy thought herself neglected, and muttered angry menaces, which were overheard by one of the younger fairies, who chanced to sit beside her. This good godmother, afraid of harm to the pretty baby, hastened to hide herself behind the tapestry in the hall. She did this, because she wished all the others to speak first–so that if any ill gift were bestowed on the child, she might be able to counteract it.
The six now offered their good wishes–which, unlike most wishes, were sure to come true. The fortunate little princess was to grow up the fairest woman in the world; to have a temper sweet as an angel; to be perfectly graceful and gracious; to sing like a nightingale; to dance like a leaf on a tree; and to possess every accomplishment under the sun. Then the old fairy's turn came. Shaking her head spitefully, she uttered the wish that when the baby grew up into a young lady, and learned to spin, she might prick her finger with the spindle and die of the wound (1)
I assume you've heard the tale? The romantic legend where love conquers all, and good and evil are so easily defined. A beautiful princess and a handsome prince, a wicked faery and a deadly curse, a happy ending; it has all the elements of a good story. But not all stories are true, are they?
I was the younger sister of the renowned Princess Aurora Rose Bordeaux; she has many names now - Briar Rose, Rosebud, Talia - but, perhaps, you'll recognize her more easily as Sleeping Beauty.
I was the Dark Princess, the Invisible Princess, the Forgotten Princess.
I am Princess Aura Ebony Bordeaux.
If you would please indulge me, I would like to tell you my tale; a tale of the loneliness, tragedy, betrayal, and, strangely, love.
There is no need to disclaim Aurora's beauty - she was as beautiful as the sun. She had our mother's fair beauty: golden hair that surrounded her head like a halo, eyes as blue as the bluest ocean, lips the color of a rose, and skin so fair.
When I was born, my parents were expecting a boy, a prince who would someday inherit the kingdom. You see, they already had their beautiful princess, but now, they needed a handsome prince. I don't think my parents would have minded so much if they had had another fair princess to show about, but it was obvious I had little in common with Aurora the moment I was born; and it became even more apparent as I grew up. Disappointment accompanied my birth, and it has accompanied me since.
My entrance into the world was quiet and obscure - in fact, though only a few kingdoms knew of my existence, rumors of me quickly flew unchecked. Tales were woven of the deformed prince of Germenia; a half-male, half-female baby, with a deformed head, a weak heart, and grotesque to behold. These were all untrue, of course. I was not unattractive, though I favored my father more than my mother, but I could not say I was a beauty, either. My features were too strong, too male. Had I been born a male, I would have no doubt been handsome like my father, but as a girl, I looked too handsome, too plain, too odd, especially when compared to Aurora. I was dark - hair black as night, ghost-like skin, red-rose lips, and silver eyes. My face was more square than the delicate oval of Aurora's and my limbs were too long and too thin; I towered over her even though I was a year younger.
Sometimes, I envied her. She was loved by everyone, her smile could brighten anyone's day, even rooms took on a different air when she entered. Her sewing and embroidery were all perfect, getting the praise and acceptance from mother I longed for. Mine were always careless and slipshod, but that was unintentional, womanly crafts and pursuits were often trying to me. My parents had expected great things from me, but I always let them down. Aurora had set such high standards and she succeeded at everything she undertook. She made them laugh and smile. Oh, how I envied their love. Whenever I saw the three of them, I saw a perfect, happy family. I never fit in, I was never a part of the perfect picture they had created. I was lonely, with books as my only friends. I secluded myself and distanced myself away from them. With my books, I escaped into a world of science, theoretics, arithmetic, history, and fantasy. It was easy to say that I was the smarter of the two of us, and although Aurora had the ability to learn, she hated it.
To hear this now, you would not understand how Aurora's story came to be, but, listen, and you will uncover the truth.
It started long ago...
A/N: Well, press the little blue button down there and comment please? I hope you liked it~
(1) I took this story directly from 'The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood' from The Fairy Book.