CHAPTER I (PROLOGUE) The Cottage in The Woods
Deep in the Willow Wood, lay a humble woodcutter and his mules, chopping away at an old pine. The tree itself was massive, a beast of atleast 67 hands. With each swing of his mighty axe John Cutter sliced his way through the tree. An echoing SHUCK could be heard through out the forest, scaring away the rens and larks, leaving it strangely and uncomfortably quiet. It made you feel a complete sense of loneliness, with the closest town over 20 miles away. John had learned to live comfortably in the silence, barely speaking a word to himself or even the mules the entire time he was in the wood. To the woodcutter, this was the closest thing to paradise that you could get. No noisy streets or screaming children, no smelly sewers or yelling vendors. And most importantly, no people to waste his time with.
A final muscular swing finished off the wise old tree, sending it crashing to the ground and into the small creek nearby. The woodcutter quickly got out of the way and climbed over a mossy rock, watching the tree in its desent with a hand over his eyes. "Hup!" He called, his mules trodding over from the bank. He attached his cast-iron hooks deep into the tree so that the mules could haul the log the long journey to the mill at the base of the river.
Three strapping lads, each sons of the Lumberman, came to John's aid in hauling the log to shore. "You'll fetch a pretty penny for this'in, Johnny." A dark haired boy peared over at him from across the log. He turned to his brother and both went to retrieve their father. John took off his sweaty leather gloves and sat down on a decrepit workbench by the mill. A boy with shockingly red hair walked around the bottom of the tree and began boring a hole into the top, checking the tree's health. "You must get all the good ones, being in the heart of the forest and all. I bet those squirrels drive you crazy." The red headed boy shot a grin in John's direction and continued drilling, unanswered. "Have you heard the news about the birth of the princess? All are welcome to the festival which will be held in two weeks time. You must go into the city. Surely you grow lonely up there all by yourself." John looked over at him and shook his head. I'm never going back there again, he thought.
A jolly thin man with missing front teeth bounded down the hillside with a fat bag of coins in his hands. "What a fine pine! Alroy, have you measured it?" The red headed boy, Alroy, nodded and said, "12 hands by 68. And healthy all the way through." The old man chuckled a husky laugh and turned to John, who was walking over to claim his reward. "I'll give you 125 pennies. What do you say, Cutter?" The woodcutter nodded and muttered, "Thank you." He took the coin and unhitched his mules. The journey back to the cottage was a long one; why waste time chatting with the locals.
When they finally arrived back home, it was late in the evening, and the shadows of the night settled quick in the forest. He kicked open the charmingly carved doors of the cottage and threw down his silver axe, which gleamed in the light of the moon peaking through the window. John trod over to the hearth and lit a fire to fix his stew. He stripped of his leather boots and heavy wool shirt and sat down in his easy chair. Listening to the crackle of the fire, he returned to his sanctuary of silence. Bending over to stir his cast-iron bowl of gruel, his old back popped and he returned to his seat. Waiting for his meal to cook, he drifted in and out of sleep.
Hoo! Hoo! An owl perched outside the thin pane of glass overlooking the forest. The woodcutter stired from his slumber only to find that his fire was dying and his soup was once again cold. He decided that his aching bones needed a good night's rest and he lurked over towards his straw mattress in the corner of the murky room. Once his weary eyes were closed and his cloak was wrapped tightly around him, he once again fell asleep. Only this time, he would never wake up.
TWO WEEKS LATER
~ Joyfully we now to our princess we come
Bringing gifts and good wishes too
We pledge our loyalty anew
Hail to the princess Aurora!
All of her subjects adore her!
Hail to the king!
Hail to the queen!
Hail to the princess aurora!
Health to the princess
Wealth to the princess
Long live the princess aurora! ~
The sounds of trotting horses and bustling streets filled the air of the excited kingdom. Today was the day of Aurora's Great Festival, a tribute from her loving parents to their long-saught after daughter. The Queen, long believed to be competely barren, declared this day free for all citizens of the kingdom, a symbol of her loving and generous nature. King Stephen on the other hand, wishing to keep their lovely daughter safe, brought out all of the royal forces for protection against potential threats in the joyful crowds of the party. All around, guards were at their posts, an army in themselves.
Each one was more fearsome than the next. Some were missing eyes while others had scars all up and down their sides. The tales that some of these men could tell would be some of the most intimidating you'd ever heard. In fact, one was being spun as we speak.
"And so I took my great hammer and threw it down upon his head, splattering it in two. Parts of his insides were all over me! The blood from his skull had splattered all across the field, soaking the grass red like the hair on your young head," the old man paused to point over at a young man listening in the corner. Some of the soldiers laughed. "As soon as I turned back around, the giant heathen king stood right over me, his bloodied club held high, ready to strike! You wouldn't have believed the shear terror he brought to the battle! Fear was in his every breath! I looked him up and down, but couldn't keep my eyes from his-" A young hand yanked on the old man's chain mail, leading him to look down and grin. A giant hairy hand roughed up the lads' blonde hair, and his deep growl of a voice asked, "What, Phillip?" The little boy giggled and whispered in Otto Stonehammer's cauliflower ear. "Can I tell this part? It's the best!" The old man chuckled and said, "I bet you know it better than I do!"
"...But I couldn't keep my eyes from his," he turned his voice into a growl and hunched over, earning a laugh or two from the audience. "ONE DEAD EYE!" His little finger pulled down his eyelids and the crowd went wild. Stonehammer picked him up and chuckled at him. "I bet your father is waiting for you inside the keep. You'd best go find him. Run off." He set the little Phillip down and watch him scamper into the crowd. A war beaten soldier spoke up and yelled, "How is the old blubbering fool?" The group of warriors hollered in laughter as well as his massive younger brother. "Hubert is... Quite the blubbering fool."
"Their most honored, and exalted excellencies... The Three good Fairies!" A noble voice echoed throughout the massive great hall of the palace. Extravagant riches, paintings and tapestries hung from every corner of the grand castle. To the average fief, this place was better than the usual grass hut and muddy garden. The King and Queen sat in solid gold thrones, each adorned in rich fabrics and beautiful jewels. Across from them sat a crib adorned in blue flowers and a silver cross containing saphires of large sizes and quantity. Every noble in the room was dressed in their finest silk or lynx attire, adorning rubies or emaralds and other family riches. But what mattered more than the riches and the gold, was how happy everyone was. The light that emitted from that room was truely a strong one, and it all started with the little baby princess.
As if appearing from the Heavens, a light shot from the vaulted ceilings of the palace. In it's golden glow, three small figures flew down and on to the marble floors in front of the King and Queen. "Mistress Flora." The tallest of the three, a middle aged woman with salt and pepper hair and a sensible red robe clicked her heels across the floor to greet her majesties. "Mistress Fauna." The oldest and thinnest of the group, a woman in the same robe but green trodded through the hall in salutations. "And Mistress Merriweather." A chubby lady in blue appeared, the youngest and full of spirit. All at once, the good fairies bowed (Merriweather a bit late) and said, "Your majesties." Obviously the leader of their little group, Flora steps forward and begins with, "Each of us the child may bless with a single gift. No more, no less."
Her little red cape flowed freely behind her as she floated over to the crib of the child Princess. She grinned at her little fleshy features and pulled out her sparkling wand. With a wave of her petite, aging hands, a beautiful blue light shot from the end of the thin little stick. "Sweet princess," the light grew into a thousand aquamarine diamonds, spinning around the great hall and covering its' entirity in the shocking light. "My gift shall be the gift of beauty." At that moment, the baby princess appeared paler and rosier than she had before. Her little blonde curls grew more radiantly golden and her eyes opened to reveal the same shockingly blue color as the glowing diamonds around the room. The Queen gasped at her little daughter's dramatic change, but never the less was pleased with the lovely gift.
"Tiny princess." The oldest one dressed all in green stepped forward and gracefully leaned over the edge of the bassinet. The sleeves of her green robe slipped over her arms as she raised them in her spell. "My gift shall be the gift of song." Another spiral of cerulean diamonds erupted from the wooden wand. As her spell ended, six white larks landed in the windows of the hall and whistled a bewitching hymn. The audience of nobles oohed and ahhed at the lovely blessing.
The last fairy, a short and stocky black haired Merriweather glided over to the sweet child. "Little Aurora, my gift shall be-"
Just then, a massive gust of air burst open the metal doors of the hall. Tapestries and banners flew off the walls and the humble audience was left on their knees, holding each other to keep from flying away. King Stephen left his chair and glared out the doorway and into the disgusting storm brewing outside. A wall of solid black clouds and streaks of white lightning blanketed the sky. The rumble of thunder was so loud, children and even the good Queen herself cried out in fear. Covering their ears, they all fell to the floor in panic, leaving only the Three Good Fairies standing in the presence of the freak storm. Merriweather's face twisted in anger.
And just like that, the entire room went black. No one could see in the insane darkness, leading the Queen to feel around for the baby Aurora. Before she could reach her, a giant streak of green lightning shot through the open doors of the great hall, leaving a cracked stone floor in its wake. After the the screams of the audience had ended all was quiet; no one dare make a sound in the darkness of that moment, leaving the hall as silent and supernatural as the grave.
In the murkiness of the room, a single green light began to grow from the middle of the room. Eventually, it grew to the size of a human, a woman to be exact, and one that did not look too friendly. "Why, it's Maleficent." Fauna muttered to herself. "What does she want here." Merriweather added. Flora quickly silenced her with the wave of a hand and looked onward in fear.
Her solid black figure stood still in the midst of the room. Anyone around her swiftly ran as far away from the black mage as possible, leaving her alone in the crack of the cold stone floor. "What a glittering assembledge you have, King Stephen. Royalty, nobility, the gentry. And even the rable." Her snake-like eyes drifted over to the Fairies and her thin red lips spread into a pompous smirk. "I really felt quite distressed at not receiving an invitation." The Queen shuttered and Stephen glared. Merriweather yelled at the creature, "You weren't wanted."
Maleficent's green eyes grew wide at the thought. "Not what?" She giggled. "Oh my. What an awkward situation. I had hoped it was due to some oversight." Her long black fingernails stroked the white lark that had landed from the window. Suddenly, all of its' feathers fell off and were replaced with new, shinier black ones. The bird had transformed into a hideous Raven. "Well, in that event I'd best be on my way."
The sweet Queen, not wishing to offend the evil witch spoke up, "And, you are not offended your excellency?" The blackened wretch turned back around with another wicked grin. "Why no, your majesty. And to show I bare no ill will, I too shall bestow a gift on the child." At this the fairies grew quite afraid and they quickly drew their wands in defense.
"Listen well, all of you! The princess will indeed grow in grace and beauty, beloved by all who know her. However..." She withdrew her thin hands and circled them around her huge spear of a staff. A green mist emitted from it and covered the palace in its' darkness. "When the sun sets on her 16th Birthday, she will prick her finger... on the spindle of a spinning wheel... and die!" At this, the Queen ran to her daughter and lifter her from the embellished crib and held her close. "No!" she screamed, sending Stephen in to a panic. "SEIZE THAT CREATURE!"
A hundred guards poured in to the great hall, spears at the ready, but this did not phase Maleficent. She only laughed and screamed "Stand back, you fools!" At this, the green light appeared once again and she was gone in a flash. The Raven was left alone to fly off through the window.
The Queen's shrieks over the child could be heard all over the kingdom and her tears could be felt in all their hearts. Stirring from the shock, Flora nudged Merriweather over to the weaping Queen. "Do not fret, my lady. Merriweather still has her gift to give." The Queen and King looked up in their dispair and had just a hint of hope in their eyes. "So, you may undo this fearful curse?" Stephen whispered. Merriweather shook her head in defeat and replied, "Oh no, sir. Maleficent's powers are to strong. But... I can help!" The queen held out the little doomed child as Merriweather cast her spell.
"Dear princess. If through this wicked witches trick, should your finger on a spindle prick; A ray of hope their still may be in this: the gift I give to thee. Not in death, but just in sleep, the fateful prophecy will keep. And from this slumber you may wake, when true love's kiss the spell shall break."
Three Days Later, late in the evening
A steady rain poured down on the little kingdom and its' inhabitants. The little farm by the castle had fields now flooded from a constant down pour and cattle deserate for a place out of the cold and wet. As the Three Fairies and their bundle passed the farm, Fauna made their farmhouse just a wee bit bigger, giving them a nice dry place to spend the night. A wagon had been sent to take them into the woods and was waiting for them around the bend. The driver was a smelly little brown man who took too big of a sip from his liquor flask. He helped them load their things and whisked them away into the darkness that was the Willow Wood. When he asked who the baby belonged too, none of them answered in hopes of keeping it secret. The princess did not stir even once the entire ride.
When they were a good two or three miles into the muddy, mossy forest, the driver told them to get out. "It's as far as the mules can go." Merriweather took the babe from Flora and started the trudge deeper into the woods. They didn't know what they were looking for. Hopefully a cave to spend the night in. The looks on their faces when they found the rundown cabin were ones of relief. Maybe the owner would be friendly to the old women.
"Hello? Anyone home? We are three old maids and a babe wishing to spend the night." No one answered Fauna. Flora looked in the rain pelted windows at a flameless fireplace and an empty evening chair. They decided to go in. Merriweather used her wand and told the lock to unbolt itself. After they heard the click, they slowly opened the creaky door and walked in to the living room. It was completely dark as well as silent but for the rain outside.
"Fire. Raise your flame." Flora called out, and the hearth came to life. A bowl of moldy stew appeared to be sitting over the fireplace and a silver axe was leaning up against the brickwork. "This must be a woodcutter's cabin." Fauna said, looking around cautiously. "Wonder what happened to the man." Flora and Fauna both went to the fire and warmed up, leaving Merriweather and the girl by the door. "I think I know." She said, looking at the frozen corpse.