So they're married in this one, but I don't know how or when, it just happened m'kay? You know how I love my plot holes. I don't own, I don't profit.
Fear gripped her. Terror so all-encompassing she was unsure whether she would ever leave this place. Perhaps she would perish here.
The flames burned, of course, but they hardly held the same hold over her that the images did. Sights of monsters and witches were fairly common, but it was the personal scenes that really struck her hard.
Some false scenarios showed her war ravaged kingdom, that anger all of her people must have born against her, the disappointment of her parents to be cursed with such a burden of a daughter. Some were of being tortured, for days, before finally being offered the sharpened point of a spinning wheel.
In some of her more terrifying nightmares she was forced to watch as anyone she loved or even associated with was killed. But of all the most frightful, were the thoughts of doubt that bombarded her.
Doubts of self-worth, of causing pain and anger, of driving every one away to the point of solitude.
Doubts of Phillips love for her.
She knew they were nightmares, of course she knew. It was hard not to notice when she was constantly navigating through a maze of fire. But knowing it wasn't true, didn't stop the fear from worming into her heart and driving her into a state of panic.
Exhaustion caught up with her, running from her nightmares always made for unrestful sleep. Dropping to her knees she forced herself into a fetal position, hoping that becoming a smaller target would decrease the chances of fire getting to her.
And she hoped for rescue.
Phillip had noticed her nightmares, it was hard not to when she whimpered and twitched in her sleep. The sounds tore at his heart, and looks of despair that crossed her features almost bore a physical pain.
He had confronted her at first, she would wave it off. A side effect of the curse, she claimed, and one that would disappear with time. And she often noted that the nightmares were only terrifying when she was actually having them. But he wasn't fooled, especially when she flinched at the sight of fire, and sometimes she looked at him as if he would disappear, clutching his hand to anchor him into place.
Although she no longer returned to a wakeful state with burns, he sometimes worried that the psychological threats were causing more serious harm.
And there was nothing he could do.
Lately he opted to only wake her when the nightmares caused her to become more agitated. Little rest was better then no rest at all. But she always cried out when he did, shuffling away to the edge of the bed, knees brought up to rest her forehead against. He would shift forward, and attempt to comfort her. Wrapping his arm around her shoulder, she would wrap hers around her knees, and he felt like he might have failed as a husband. He couldn't even protect her from this.
She would never talk about the nightmares. A few moments would pass and she would ease against his frame, before apologizing-again. And he would assure her there was nothing to be sorry for-again.
A never ending dance, and one he didn't know the steps to.
Tonight's particular nightmare was rather intense, judging by the way she clenched the bed sheets in her fist, knuckles turning white, and the small murmurs she groaned out through clenched teeth. The same words over and over, "Please leave me be."
Phillip sat up on his elbows to inspect her, she looked terrified, and he couldn't take it anymore. Nor did he want to go through their familiar motions of half-comfort.
Raising into a sitting position he moved her sleight frame into his lap, wrapping his arms around her torso to subdue her arms. Perhaps a bit tight, but he did not want her to flail out and hurt herself. Nor did he want her to run away as she had in the past.
It was easy to wake her this time, she practically clawed her way into a wakeful state. But being awake did not make her aware, and she gasped out, arching away from the binds that held her.
Phillip shifted his grip on her allowing his forehead to rest against her own. Gently he spoke to her, pressing kisses along the arch of her eyebrows until finally, she relaxed.
"I'm sorry." She whispered.
"As am I." He replied. Her head shifted to regard him at this confession.
"You have nothing to be sorry for."
"And neither do you, yet you insist." Her gaze dropped, unable to read his face.
"You should go back to sleep, I'm fine now." He barked out a harsh laugh at this statement.
"I doubt that you are Aurora." She shifted in mild offense at the words, true though they may be, and attempted to squirm out of his grip. "Not so fast my love, I want you to tell me what it is that frightens you so."
"It's nothing Phillip, just bad dreams."
"Hardly just bad dreams if they happen often enough to become a ritual."
"They will fade, in time."
"I understand that, but what can I do to help NOW?"
"Phillip, they will-"
"Aurora, I can't help if you don't-"
"Why do you even love me?!" She shouted in frustration, before her eyes widened. He released her in shock, allowing her to scramble to the edge of the bed.
They were silent for long, uncomfortable moments. Her chin nearly scraped against her chest, her head was bowed so low. He could do nothing but reach a hand out, brushing at phantoms.
"I didn't mean to say that. I'm just so tired, and the nightmares keep nudging at every dark thought I have. Sometimes it's hard to separate the two." Her hand lifted to brush some hair behind her ear. It shook. "I don't mean to sound childish."
"Do you doubt my love for you?" She shrugged her head at the question.
"Not at first no, but I spent twenty-eight years questioning why a man would fight so hard for a girl he had only met. And the longer I spent in that state the less I appreciated my own self-worth. Then I awoke and you were gone nearly as fast, then Mulan took over the fighting and I could never understand why? Why fight for me?" Looking away to study the paneling on the opposite wall, she nearly missed when he shifted closer. But she couldn't miss the gentle hand under her chin, guiding her to look at him.
"I fought because I love you, and I would fight for you still if only you would let me." His thumb traced along her jaw-line. "These nightmares are a product of maleficent's evil. Please don't let her come between us anymore than she already has."
Aurora leaned into his hand, his palm was warm against her cheek. He bumped his nose against hers, grinning at the evidence of her failing resolve.
"I love you, and I love you more than my own soul or well-being. Please don't doubt that, in the end it's all I have to give."
A tear slipped down her cheek, brushing against his thumb. But she was smiling, and he was content with that.
"I love you too Phillip. I don't know if I can express how much."
He only smiled at her in return, leaning in to brush a kiss against her lips. It was tender at first, but he was elated with this breakthrough and the kiss quickly deepened into heat and touch.
He placed kisses along her collar bone, trailing up her neck, and settling behind her ear. He adored the way she trembled in his arms.
Her hands wrapped around his shoulders gripping him closer. Her breath puffed against his neck, he was warm and real. Everything she had ever wanted and it was all here in her arms.
It was slow, and soft. He needed to convince her, and she needed to feel something other than the fear.
Eventually he found himself catching his breath against her neck, His body draped over hers like a blanket.
A very heavy blanket.
"Unless you intend to smother me in my sleep, I must ask that you roll over." His response was to laugh before making a show of heaving himself to the side, bringing her with him and tucking her against his chest.
"You are so pushy."
"Yes but I hear you love me despite all of that." His grin was wide as he brushed a kiss against her temple.
"Mmm, yes. It just adds to the charm, truth be told." He settled an arm around her body, tracing patterns against the skin of her hip.
"Phillip?"
"Hmmmm?"
"I love you."
"I love you too, more than anything."
And she believed him.
She still had nightmares. Fire and terror, scenes of destruction.
But never doubting Phillips love for her.