[[Spoilers: For Azran Legacy, and er- Sleeping Beauty.
Set: During AL.]]
Sleeping Beauty
"Once upon a kingdom, a princess was born. Throughout the land, there were celebrations and people flocked to meet the beautiful young girl. Her name was Aurora."
A living mummy. Luke hardly thought that was the right way to describe the seemingly youthful girl suspended in the ice. She had hair of gold and skin as white as snow. Her lips were parted slightly in sleep. She wore an elegant dress, pointed slippers, and a curious pendant on her forehead, like a crown.
It was wonder at first sight for Luke. "Wow," he breathed. "She's beautiful..." Never had such eminence been witnessed by human eyes.
The girl's loveliness only became more apparent when she was freed from her frozen prison. Arms outstretched, Luke rushed forward to catch her, but Professor Layton beat him to it. (Always the hero...) It didn't matter— the girl was moving!
She was alive.
"Alas, not everyone was joyful. A dark force descended on the royal house and made a terrible prophesy: In her sixteenth year, the princess would prick her finger on a spinning wheel— she would die. The kingdom went into uproar. It was decided that the good fairies would whisk Aurora away to grow up in safety."
No sooner had she awoken, a shady group arrived to kidnap her, to use her for their own selfish means. Luke insisted on going with the professor to save her, helping him storm the enemy ship.
Once Aurora (that was her name, they had discovered) was safely reunited with them, she was given the option to join them on their adventure. Without her memories, where else could she go? She agreed, and Luke assured her that their trips were always fun.
So, they traversed the globe together. An ancient visitor to a foreign realm, Aurora learned the ways of their human culture. She beheld the world's marvels, experienced their modern society and dined on rich delicacies such as cake. But most importantly, she felt empathy and friendship for the first time.
In turn, her protectors... her companions learned much from her. Particularly, Luke enjoyed playing the role of her mentor. While uncovering the Azran Legacy would be incredible, the journey itself was reward enough. His greatest treasure was seeing her smile.
"On her sixteenth birthday, the fairies sadly told her of her true heritage. She was the lost princess, and one day she must take her place as queen."
In that moment of realisation, she knew she would never smile again. She would have to abandon the human family she had found, and her happiness, to embrace her destiny.
She wasn't a princess. Life wasn't a fairy tale. It was unfair.
"With a heavy heart, Princess Aurora returned home to her castle, to her tower. But she was far from safe there, for the dark prophesy still remained. She found a spinning wheel and pricked her finger, as was foretold."
They didn't find solace and answers waiting for them at the Azran Sanctuary, but Targent and betrayal.
Countless millennia, and yet nothing had changed...
By this point, Aurora had lost all faith in humanity. She stared at the man— How could someone be so misguided, so cruel?— as she was locked up and he clutched the sacred sword, weighing up her life. This was the trial of mercy, which Leon Bronev failed.
The Azran had dismissed the golems as sentient beings, but they had still given Aurora a voice to scream and a heart to break and blood to bleed.
"No, Aurora!"
"Please help me, Luke!" she wanted to cry. It was impossible though, for she was enthralled by the power of a thousand vengeful Azrans.
"Aurora fell into an eternal slumber. All hope seemed lost... until a prince came across the sleeping maiden."
When she had finished informing the worthless fools about the folly and the fall of the Azran, her mission was finally over. With a sigh, Aurora fainted. She opened her eyes to find Luke had caught her this time. Her head was in his lap.
"Are you ok, Aurora?"
"I am now," she whispered, offering him a wan smile.
They were sitting at the sanctuary's entrance, watching the golems destroy their wonderful world. Perhaps this would not end in happily ever after for both of them, but at least they could face it together.
"The prince was so enchanted by her beauty that he kissed her frozen lips. Aurora's eyes fluttered open, the colour flooded back into her cheeks and she smiled at her true love. The kingdom rejoiced once more and they lived happily ever after."
The professor closed the book and glanced at his apprentice— a young girl with blonde hair and big blue eyes. She snuggled under her blanket and begged, "Can you read it again, pleeease?"
"I think that's enough for now," he laughed. He put the book aside and kissed her on the head. "Goodnight, dear."
"Night, Uncle Luke!"