Hi there! So i'm new to the world of Once fanfic, but there is a distinct lack of Aurora and Phillip so here I am! I've tried to keep it as close to canon as possible, the small amount we know of their back story anyways. It's set before episode 2x01, mainly centering on Aurora, but Phillip plays a big role too! This will be a multi-chapter story, and i know where it's headed, but beware update times may vary.
Reviews make me feel warm and fuzzy inside and motivate me to write! Constructive criticism is always appreciated too :)
So if you want to read what happens next let me know and I will continue!
Disclaimer: As you can probably guess I sadly don't own any of the characters in the show (otherwise Phillip would have a soul and my otp would live happily ever after ...)
'I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream ...'
The young girl walked slowly through the forest, humming quietly to herself. Upon the sounds of the birds joining her, she began to sing to them, laughing as they joined in with her melody. She embraced her current freedom, making the most of it while she could.
She found that walking in the woods helped clear her mind. Disguising herself as peasant girl was easy enough, although admittedly she did miss her own beautiful dresses as soon as she stepped out of them. Nevertheless she would always choose to wear rags if it allowed her just a few hours of freedom on her own. It was difficult to get out of the castle unseen, but a few friends in the right places, in this case the kitchen workers, allowed her to escape for a little while. She didn't do it often, that would be impossible, but everyone seemed to have been keeping a much closer eye on her as of late and she needed some time alone.
Out here she wasn't Princess Aurora, daughter of the King and Queen, and a future queen herself. No, here she was whoever she wanted to be. She was Briar-Rose, she had decided, a simple peasant maid on an errand and taking a short-cut through the forest. It was a strange feeling to be free of the burden of royalty, of course she was never left wanting for anything, but she felt like she was trapped in a gilded cage. She had no control over her own life, decisions were not her own and she had to put on a mask every time she left her room. It didn't help that her parents were too protective of her, especially recently as it came closer to her 16th birthday. Though they never told her why, and that was what upset her the most.
Her parents no doubt loved her, but her father was always too busy to pay her much heed. She was, however, close to her mother. The Queen was the only one who she could talk to about anything, and the only one who would really listen to what she wanted, with one exception: her betrothal. Aurora was adamant that she would marry whom she pleased, yet both her mother and her father scolded her for being selfish and not thinking about the needs of the kingdom. Aurora felt that she had already given her fair share to the needs of the kingdom, and there was no need for it to steal her heart away as well.
It was the latest argument with regard to this that drove her to leaving the castle that very evening. Her father had informed her that the man she was to marry, a prince of the neighbouring kingdom whose name she hadn't even wanted to know, was to be arriving for her 16th birthday celebrations in a few months time, wherein they would announce the preparations for the wedding to unite the two warring realms.
Aurora had soon resigned herself to her fate, reasoning it would be for the good of the people. Her people. They needed a sense of stability and peace, and she couldn't be the reason for the conflict between the two kingdoms to endure any longer. She decided to push all thoughts of marriage out of her mind and stopped to listen again to the birds. They seemed to pick up the harmony of her earlier tune and Aurora joined in with them again, swaying as she took in the beauty of the forest as the sun slowly began to set above the tree tops.
Suddenly a noise cut through the calm, snapping her out of her thoughts and silencing her song.
Aurora gasped in surprise as she caught sight of movement to her left; a red cape in stark contrast against the green of the forest. Her eyes were quickly drawn towards its wearer; a young man, perhaps around her age, partially obscured by low hanging trees.
Instinctively taking a small step back, she took a breath to calm herself before turning fully around to face him, trying to muster up some courage; "Who are you and why are you following me?" she demanded, thankful she managed to keep the quiver out of her voice.
The man took a step to the right, out from behind the branches so that he was directly in her line of sight. He couldn't help but smile at her commanding tone. Aurora's eyes followed him warily as he came into view, "You know it's rude to follow unaccompanied ladies in the woods without announcing yourself, anyone would question your intentions."
"I wasn't following you," he innocently responded, hands up in surrender.
She raised her eyebrows, unconvinced.
He flashed an amused grin at her reaction, before immediately attempting to compose himself. He schooled his features, his previous smile replaced by a mock-serious expression, one perhaps reserved for formal occasions, but with a glint of amusement still remaining in his eyes.
He cleared his throat before announcing with an exaggerated bow in her direction; "My Lady. I am deeply sorry for startling you, I was merely riding through the forest and was drawn to your beautiful voice," he lifted his head as he rose up again, looking towards her with attempted sincerity, although Aurora didn't miss the enjoyment in his expression despite how he half-heartedly tried to hide it, "and I do so wish you could forgive me for my discourtesy."
Following the bow, Aurora found herself laughing despite herself at this unusual, but no doubt handsome, stranger. She quickly schooled her own features and found herself playing along as she held her skirts and dipped into a low curtsy "Good Sir, it is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance." She smiled as she rose, and then paused, head tilted slightly to the right in thought. "Perhaps I shall forgive you," she announced cryptically, "if you tell me your name."
He let out a short laugh in delight and took a few steps towards her, "My name is Phillip" he answered, dropping into another quick bow.
Upon closer inspection Aurora couldn't help but falter as a flicker of recognition hit her. She wasn't sure what it was, but there was something about his face that seemed so familiar, but she couldn't quite place it. "Have we met before?" she asked, curious.
"I think I would have remembered" Phillip responded, eyebrows furrowed slightly.
"I suppose …" Aurora reluctantly agreed, though not entirely convinced.
"So now that you know who I am, may I have the pleasure of your name?"
Aurora paused in thought, undecided on how much she should reveal. In the silence the birds began to sing again, their own tune this time, the chirps echoing softly around them. She soon decided to not tell him everything; she had only just met him after all, and she couldn't risk the danger to herself if she were to reveal herself as the princess Aurora.
Instead she diverted the conversation, taking a step towards him "Do you dance, Phillip?"
He laughed and gently took her hand, responding by pulling her into a twirl, both of them moving together effortlessly. Aurora couldn't hold back the laughter as he spun her around, both of them stepping in time to the tune and the song of the birds who suddenly surrounded them.
Aurora felt like hours had passed and they fell into an easy silence, as if they'd known each other for years, rather than barely having met. They walked through the woods, talking of nothing and everything, and ended up sat on a fallen tree at the edge of the forest. She felt as if she was in a dream, certainly one she didn't want to wake up from.
Suddenly, upon realising it had gotten dark, Aurora seemed to snap back to reality and jumped up from where she sat, startling Phillip in the process.
"Oh! I must go, it's late and if my mother finds me gone she will be worried," and then the alarm will be raised and the royal guard will be dispatched to find me, she added to herself. She couldn't have that happen, and then who knew when she'd have the opportunity to slip away again? She pulled on her cloak around her shoulders and backed away quickly towards the direction of the castle.
"But you still haven't given me your name!" Phillip called after her.
Aurora turned back to him and seemed to think on it a moment before replying, "You can call me Rose."
Phillip looked at her intently, "Is that truly your name? Or do you not trust me?"
She laughed, "Do I trust the stranger I just met? Maybe, maybe not. And as for my name," she began with a smile, "well I guess you'll have to ask me again next time."
That immediately got his attention and his face lit up in delight. "Well my Lady" he began, before issuing her another bow as she walked away, "until we meet again."
"I hear tomorrow shall be a lovely day for a stroll" she announced offhandedly as she gave him a short curtsy then turned around to walk away with a knowing smile, casting one last glance back at Phillip where he stood, unmoved, with a look of boyish glee on his face, before she pulled up her hood and picked up her pace.
She wouldn't be there the following day.
