IN DREAMS : THE TRUE & FACTUALLY ACCURATE TALE of SLEEPING BEAUTY
On warm days, he worked in the gardens naked from the waist up. Princess Brier-Rose had begun taking lots of walks, though only on warm days.
Her birthday is in two days time, and the green eyed gardener agrees to help his best friend complete a quest given by the Keeper of the Books.
A prophesy made when Brier-Rose was named must not come to fruition. The lives of more than the princess alone depend on it.
Prologue
-oOo-
As the princess strolled by, head bowed, long blonde hair hiding her features, her four ladies-in-waiting trailing behind her began to giggle. Without raising her head, the princess gazed from under hooded eyes through the curtain of her hair at the cause of the giggling amongst her ladies, and felt herself blush. Certain the flush to her cheeks would only serve to highlight her prettiness, she wasn't too concerned. Of late, however, the sight of the gardener, or rather his well muscled torso, working shirtless in the warmth of the day, sweat glistening, highlighting his pecs and the eight ridges of abdominal muscles, was having a strange impact on her in other places, private places, and she liked it. On the pretence that she was losing the golden slipper off one perfectly formed and dainty foot, she came to a stop. Bending over gracefully, she pretended to re-settle her slipper, all the while letting her eyes roam slowly over the gardener's physique. Imagining his tanned and muscular arms enfolding her, pulling her into a close embrace. Her gaze rested on the gardener's slim hips before following the line of golden downy hair that began below his navel, running over the soft rise of his belly, leading her down to where the trail disappeared under the low slung waistband of his tight calf skin breeches.
"May I help you, Your Highness?"
Her musings were interrupted by the oldest of her ladies, the Princess straightened up hurriedly.
"No...Thank you."
Lady Garritass' eyes flicked from the pretty flush on the Princess' cheeks, to where the gardener worked, and back at the princess; who lifted her pert little nose in the air haughtily when she realised she had been caught out.
Lady Garritass glanced coyly over to the gardener again.
"Would Your Highness like to take time to inspect the rose boarders? I believe they will very soon be in full flower."
Trained from the day she could walk, the Princess maintained a perfectly neutral exterior, as if going anywhere near the rose boarders...And him...held no interest for her what-so-ever.
"Then I shall consider inspecting them at that time, and not before. You may all escort me back to the palace then leave me alone in my chambers. I have an utterly complex piece of embroidery to finish, and I must be free to concentrate."
Lady Garritass was wise enough to know that what the princess was actually saying was, I wish to laze around on my daybed, daydream about the gardener and address those funny feelings that thinking about him causes; just like any other normal, healthy young woman who has recently discovered fun things to do in private. She dropped a deep curtsy.
"As you wish, my Princess."
-o-
The gardener turned, his green eyes bright with amusement, watching as Princess Brier-Rose's retinue began tripping up over themselves to catch up with the unexpectedly speedy pace set by the princess as she suddenly changed direction and headed back towards the palace. He briefly wondered what it was that had triggered the princess' rapid about turn?
"Hey! Deannick (Dee-ann- nik) Will I be seein' you down at the tavern tonight?"
A large hand clapped the gardener in the centre of his back and he turned, grinning, to look up into the hazel eyes of his best friend, a sergeant in the King's archers.
"Where else would I be Sam? Winner at the popinjay buys?"
"You're on...And it's Sampson."
-oOo-
Chapter 1
-oOo-
"I just don't understand you, my friend. We could really use someone as skilled with the bow as you are. Why can't you accept that you were born to be an archer?"
"Why can't you accept that I love being a gardener?"
Sampson handed his friend a tankard of ale and sat down opposite Deannick at a wooden bench table in the busy Crimson Moon tavern.
"Because you're a better archer than most of the Kings own archers, and yet you spend your days fiddling with your foliage."
The foamy head on Deannick's ale sprayed over the table top when he snorted with laughter while he was about to drink. He used the back of his doublet sleeve to wipe away the foam hanging off his nose.
"Really...Whereas you archers spend all day polishing your shafts! So much more fulfilling."
Sampson grinned and winked.
"Absolutely it is...Bertha, my lovely. What can me and my green fingered friend do for you?"
Sampson greeted the dark haired tavern wench as she approached their table, grabbing hold of her hand, turning her and easily pulling her down onto his knee. Giving Sampson a good natured slap, she just as easily slipped out of his grasp and stood up again.
"Why do you hang about with this wanna be jester Deannick? Surely you've got other friends?"
Sampson answered before Deannick could.
"Because I'm way more fun than they are, and because he loves me like a brother. Isn't that right Dee?"
Deannick rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, like a complete pain in the ass little brother."
Bertha glanced at Sampson in amusement then looked back at Deannick.
"You're kiddin' right? Sam here is nobody's little anythin'!"
Sampson's smile grew broader.
"You got that right beautiful, who's been talking?...And, it's Sampson."
Deannick paused with his tankard half way to his lips.
"Hasn't anyone ever told you? Size doesn't matter. I'm the oldest, by four years, so that would make me the big brother and you would be little Sammy, my itty bitty baby brother..."
Bertha held up one hand.
"You can argue this out on your own. Kelper has asked me to collect names for the story telling challenge later. Either of you two givin' it a go?"
Deannick shook his head.
"Not me. Sampson here's the one with the tales of daring do."
Sampson disagreed.
"That's not entirely true. I saw you only yesterday...You single handedly took down that thorny thing that was trying to climb up the palace wall. Not only did you defeat it, you managed to walk away without a scratch!"
"Ahh, but...That's nothing compared to you, Sammy. I saw you yesterday as well... It was unbelievable Bertha. He was completely on his own and carrying just six arrows, but that hay bale? It had no chance. Hit it with all six. Shot it dead he did. Now that's what I call heroic!"
Bertha looked from one to the other.
"I'm takin' that as a no from the both of you then. Enjoy the rest of your evenin', an' Sam? I'll be sure to shout for you if I see any threatenin' hay bales hangin' around."
"It's Sampson!"
-o-
When the story challenge came around, there were only four contestants, including the landlord himself, Kelper. Once all four contestants had told their story, the winner was then decided by who drew the loudest and longest round of applause from the audience. Kelper, an enthusiastic showman, quite often won, and it sounded like that was going to be the case that night, until the tavern door swung open while the audience were enthusiastically clapping and whistling Kelper's tale. A solid figure stood motionless, silhouetted in the tavern doorway.
"HOLD!"
The newcomer's powerful and commanding voice carried easily above all the cheers and the banging of hands on the table tops. There was instant silence. He stepped forward into the candle lit tavern, and a murmur began to spread amongst the drinkers once they saw who it was that had joined them. The Keeper of the Books scanned the whole of the room. Never before had the Keeper come into the tavern and everybody's eyes were on him as they silently waited, all recognising that something huge had either happened or was going to happen, it was the only possible reason for a real Keeper to be here in this place. The Keeper was clutching a book almost as big as a shield. Bound in deep green leather, the tavern candles highlighted the glimmer of gold on the cover. As landlord, it was Kelper's duty to welcome guests. He cleared his throat and bowed low to the Keeper.
"Welcome, Lord, to the Crimson Moon. The finest tavern in all of...
Cutting the landlord off in mid greeting, The Keeper of the Books cast his eye over the silent drinkers.
"I come to this place with a story. A true story. A story that still seeks it's Hero. Perhaps one of you good men here tonight will volunteer to fulfil that role? If you believe you have the right attributes, I ask you to step forward once my story is told. But, be warned, I will not look kindly on time wasters. I am not one to suffer idjits gladly...Hearken one and all!...Once upon a time..."
-o-
At the end of his story, the Keeper gazed around at his silent audience, quite a few of whom lowered their eyes when he looked their way.
"So?...Is anyone here going to put themselves forward?...Anyone?...No? Am I to assume that there are no hero's in this establishment tonight?...None at all?...Not even an idjit who thinks he's a hero?"
Sam stared in horror as Deannick raised his hand. The Keeper turned, fixing the gardener with his steady gaze, hitching one sardonic eyebrow.
"I applaud your honesty boy."
-o-
Deannick frowned as nervous laughter spread around the room.
"Huh? Oh! No. I'm not...I mean...I just wanted to ask a question!"
The keeper raised one hand to silence the laughter and now looked at the gardener with interest.
"So. Ask it then, boy."
Deannick managed not to react to the swift kick he received from Sampson under the table.
"Your story. It's obviously already written, so how is it possible for that Brier-Rose to be the same person as Her Highness the Princess Brier-Rose?"
"What's your name boy?"
"Deannick. I'm the gardener at the palace."
The Keeper smiled a fraction.
"Gardener eh? Tell me. Have you ever looked at a flower in all it's glory and thought how beautiful it was, but might it be even better were it to come in a different colour?"
He looked at Deannick expectantly, as did their impromptu audience.
"Oh. Not rhetorical then? Um, Yes, I suppose."
"And do you know that it is possible to cultivate said flower in such a way so that, eventually, you can make that species of flower bloom in the colour you desired?"
Deannick shook his head.
"I haven't heard of anything like that sir."
The Keeper's smile grew.
"One day, such practice will be common place. The story I have told was written when the princess was named. A gift from an evil old hag who, feeling she had been overlooked, set out the future for Brier-Rose. That future is nearly upon her; and that future must change...It must be made to blossom in a different colour...To achieve this, the story must have a new ingredient added. A Hero. Someone not bound to this story, someone with the courage to make a new ending...Tell me, gardener. Am I looking at that person right now?"
Deannick flushed as scattered laughter came from various parts of the tavern, the soldiers and warriors who were present finding amusement in the idea of the gardener being the hero that the Keeper was seeking. He lowered his head, ashamed, and felt Sam rise to his feet and stand alongside him.
"I will volunteer to be your hero. I'll take your challenge, Lord Keeper."
The Keeper tilted his head to one side as he gazed at the astonishingly tall young man.
"And you are?"
"Sampson. Sergeant in the King's Own Archers."
The Keeper considered Sampson thoughtfully, and finally gave a brief nod.
"Very well then. I will take the both of you. Please come with me."
-o-
The Keeper of the books turned and strode towards the Tavern exit, clearly expecting Sampson and Deannick to follow on after him. Deannick looked to his friend in confusion.
"But...I didn't put myself forward for anything!"
Sampson grinned.
"I don't think the Keeper cares somehow. Come on gardener, time for you to become a real Hero. Don't worry, I promise you, I'll make it my job to look out for you and to keep you safe."
-oOo-
Thank you for reading. Don't want to give too much away, but I promise things will start to make sense! Please don't give up yet ;p
(Also, reviews help me to know there are people out there) :D