Time to finally update Disney What-ifs. It's been too long

I just want to say due to the volume of requests I get please don't feel offended if I can't get to yours. I pick and choose the ones that look the most fun to write because I must have at least 40 or more requests between reviews and PMs so please bear that in mind.

Sara Rose 29: Sleeping beauty. What if Aurora had listened to the fairies and not touched the spindle?

I have not seen this movie in many many years, so I apologize if this isn't my best what-if. Any serious continuity errors please point them out.

A note about the timing: Jumping between chracters is not always in one strait line, events may be occuring simutaneously so you will read one section, the next may be occuring during the same time period not necessarily immediately after.

Rating: T, for violence


The edges of her vision were clouded, her ears deaf to sound save a strange melody coming from the center of the room. Her legs moved her foreward, and a hadn reached out to touch the spindle with the music. Her body felt numb, and she moved without thought or intention. A voice touched her through her trance, a memory breaking through the spell. Her vision began to clear and the music dulled. Her eyes focused on the point of the spindle, such an innocuous object. Dull white wool thread was wound about the spindle, dust settling on the unused seat. Why would this spindle be unused? The kingdom was always in need of thread. Fear. She wasn't sure why the strange emotion came to mind, but it was a deep and real as any other. She feared this object. But why?

Her heart began to throb in her chest, her breath quickening. It seemed to be the nudge her body needed to snap fully out of the strange. The music stopped, and her vision returned. The spell, a curse. If I touch it… She stepped back, looking over her shoulder for the doorway. She had to escape, get out of here. She didn't recognize the room, or the connected hall. How did I get here? She broke into a run, hearing the music begin again. She covered her ears,

"No no no no..." but it grew louder, and she hesitated in her run. She felt her vision once again beginning to blur, and her ability to think was clouded. The music. It's the music. "I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream," She began to sing, to give her ears other music to focus on. If she could fight the music, she could fight the trance. Already she was able to force herself to move back through the hall, down a staircase that was hidden behind the fireplace. She repeated her song, singing louder to drown out the powerful magic threatening to overtake her.

"You are stronger than I thought you were my dearest Aurora," She stopped, looking for the source of her voice. In her hesitation she stopped her song, and the music quickly returned.

"That visions are seldom what they seem!" She sang louder, her heart racing faster throbbing in her ears. She looked around the room for the source of the voice, but it had seemed to come from all directions at once.

"You cannot resist me, sweetest Aurora, you will fulfil the curse,

"But if I know you, I know what you'll do!" She continued her song, fearing what would happen should she stop. If she fulfilled the curse she would prick her finger upon the spindle, and fall into the deepest sleep. Where are you my fairy godmothers, I need you. She wasn't sure how much longer she could fight the powerful magic. Even through her song the music was growing louder, the urge to turn back to the room swelling inside of her. Run. Run. She tried to tell herself,

"You cannot fight it child. Give in, you will fall asleep. Simple sleep. No more fear, no pain, no worry. Peace, rest." Aurora shook her head, covering her ears and ran for the doorway, she had to find the three fairies. If anyone was powerful enough to fight this magic, it was them. They had taken away the stronger poison of her curse, rather than death it was slumber she faced. If they could take away the power of death, they could eradicate this trance.


"Something isn't right," Flora stopped, looking around her. She sensed a powerful magic, a power she hadn't sensed in sixteen years.

"What is it sister?" Fauna asked, looking to her sister and seeing the aprehension in her eyes.

"Oh it's probably just her dress isn't pink enough,"Merryweather replied. "I still say blue is better,"

"It's not that. Maleficent…" Flroa interjected, holding up her hand trying to resist starting another color-battle with her sister. "Aurora, where is Aurora?"

"I'll never get used to calling her that. Briar Rose was such a pretty name…" Fauna lamented

"Come on!" Fauna fled the room, trying to find the source of the magical force she was sensing. How can Maleficent get to her now? It is only hours before sundown, we destroyed every spindle in the .kingdom! They've spend years importing thread from faraway kindoms so a spindle would never be necessary. This can't be happening! We should have waited at the cabin for just one more day! She followed her intuition, hoping they would find Aurora in time. "Aurora!"


"You'll love me at once, like you did once upon a dream," The young woman continued to sing, looking fearfully at the tall figure before her. She almost looked familiar, a shadow from a childhood nightmare.

"Just give in, and sleep. You can dance with your love in a dram. You are a princess, you will never marry the boy from the woods. But if you sleep, you will be with him once again. I promise my dear. I am only looking out for you,"

"I dreamed we'd be together, in love forever," She refused to give up her song, she could fight the music as long as she continued to sing. If she could hold out until the fairies found her she would beat this. They will come to protect me, like they always have. They can't help but dote it's in their blood.

"You fight so hard, but you cannot win. Just give up, give in, and you will rest," Maleficent was growing impatient. It was close to sundown, there was less than an hour before her curse would be broken. How dare this petulant little child defy her magic? None in the kingdom were as powerful as she, not this pathetic little girl, not her pathetic fairies. She had managed to keep that hidden spindle a secret for sixteen long years, the kingdom had let its guard down and recalled it lost princess a day too soon, her curse would be fulfilled. None could defy her. Just give in you pathetic whelp.

"Once upon a night, I was wishing for a never, a never ending,"

"A defiant one you are," She flicked her wrist, and the music swelled. Aurora covered her ears, tears brimming in her eyes . It felt as if the sound were a physical force crushing her beneath it. She sang louder, but the music was too loud it was drowning everything out. "Give in, give in, and sleep. See your beloved once upon a dream," Maleficent laughed, watching as Aurora stood, her arms dropping by her sides. Her eyes dilated, the black nearly overtaking her iris. She turned, and began to head towards the source of a music only the girl could hear.

"Maleficent! You stop this vile magic at once!" Maleficent turned, hissing, seeing the three fairies who had defied the strength of her curse so long ago.

"I see time has not aged you well," She mocked. "I cannot sense the magic on you that I once did. You are too late," She laughed. Flora waved her wand, Merryweather and Fauna following suite. A glowing ball eminated from the tips of their wands and floated into the room, "Is that all you have, little balls of light?" She laughed, and the balls quickly collided to the floor and exploded into fine powder, filling the room with acrid pink blue and green smoke.

"Hurry!" The fairies flew through the room, bypassing the coughing Maleficent. The smoke burned their eyes, stung their airways.

"Oh, I've never used magic to hurt someone before," Fauna whined, looking at her wand questioningly. "We're good fairies…"

"Sometimes you have to do something evil, in order to serve the forces of goodness. We can lament about this later sisters, we must hurry to Aurora!" Flora replied as they hurred up the staircase behind the fire. The smoke was making its way up the staircase, making it difficult to see.

"All three of us may have been a bit much… the smoke is coming up the stairs. I can hardly see!"

"Then neither can Maleficent!" They heard a tortured scream come from the room below them,

"Hurry! She will come to make sure her curse is fulfilled!" The tumbled out of the upper doorway, colliding with eachother in their rush to protect the child they had raised.

"Briar Rose!" Fauna shouted, seeing the girl approaching a spindle. She hesitated, her fingers hovering over the tip of the spindle. She was singing, a temor in her voice, but it was still that same beautiful voice they had come to love.

"Fauna, go get the prince. I fear Maleficent's rage is not something we can face alone if we break her curse,"

"Right away!" The green fairy flew through the nearest window, taking deep gasping breaths for fresh air free of the smoke-filled environment. The two remaining fairies rushed to Aurora, grasping her arm,

"Aurora! Stop! It's us! You can fight this!"

"I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream!"

"Yes dear, yes! Keep singing! You can fight this!" Flora shouted, tears mounting on her eyelashes.

"Briar Rose! She responded better to the name Briar Rose!" Merryweather shouted, looking to her sister. "When Fauna called her Briar Rose she hesitated, we can break through whatever is happening to her,"

"I know you, that look in your eyes is so familiar a gleam,"

"Fight it, fight Rose. You can do it!" They were holding back her arm, the girl's hand still trembling, slowly forming a fist, "Yes dearest! Yes! Fight!"

"And I know it's true, that visions are seldom all they seem"


Fauna flew, faster than she knew she could. The muscles in her back that controlled her wings ached, screaming for releif. Wind bit at her face, small pellets of half-frozen rain beating against her skin as she soared through the clouds hoping to stay hidden should Maleficent give chase. Her dress was saturated, weighing her down making flying that much harder. She dipped below the clouds, searching for the castle of the neighboring kingdom. She could make out the structure, she had nearly missed it hiding in the clouds. She dived, squinting at the stinging wind and halted her fall shortly before the ground. She flew over the walls, no time to argue with the guards. She had been here before, when Aurora's parents wanted to arrange the engagement of Aurora to Prince Phillip. The window to the center keep was small, and high up to keep arrows from penetrating.

"Magesties!" She called out, surprised at the weakness in her own voice as she huffed for breath. "Magesties!" She collapsed onto the carpeting, gasping for breath as guards rushed to her.

"It's one of the good fairies!" A guard shouted.

"The Prince… I need… the Prince…"

"Summon Prince Phillip at once! And notify the king!"

"Yes sir!" Several guards vanished, the captain and one other soldier remaning behind with Fauna.

"What's happening? The King and Queen of –"

"They were safe last I left, but Princess Aurora…"

"The Princess has returned?"

"Yes, but she is in grave danger! Maleficent… she's trying to fulfil the curse! My sisters are with Aurora, but we can't stop Maleficent alone. We need help," The captain looked at her, but trusted the good fairy was telling the truth. The captain turned to the soldier,

"Notify the other captains at once, gather a force to return with the good fairy to assist our allies. Princess Aurora is Prince Phillip's betrothed and she requires our help! Get your men together at once! The Prince will provide further orders!"

"Yes sir!" The man vanished through the doorway, his footsteps echoing against the stone stair before once again settling into silence.

"Are you alright? You're absolutely soaked! Come, here, by the fire," He gestured to the roaring fire at the mantle, "Lucky for you the royal family likes to keep this room warm at all times,"

"Thank you," Fauna, smiled, fluttering to the fire. The warmth was a welcome releif, and she wondered if she had overreated when she decided to hide in the clouds. It wasn't a long wait before Prince Phillip followed closely by his father the King came running into the room.

"So he was saying true, one of the good fairies…" The King gasped.

"Prince Phillip!" Fauna shouted, getting to her feet at once, bowing her head. He held up his hand, gesturing for her to stop,

"The good fairies will never have to bow to us. But where are your sisters?"

"Back home, with Princess Aurora. Prince Phillip, I beg you, you must come to the kingdom at once. Maleficent… we thing we stopped her curse but we can't fight her alone. We need your help,"

"Meleficent…" The King whispered, obvious fear marring his features, "She cursed the young Princess with death,"

"Upon pricking her finger on a spindle before sundown on her sixteenth birthday. Flora was able to reduce the curse, to slumber. But we may have stopped the curse altogether," She looked out the window, the sky was dark the sun nearly fully behind the horizon. "They only have to hold out for a few more minutes. But we need help to fight Maleficent! We can't do it alone, even our power can't match hers alone,"

"We will do whatever we can to help our allies," The King replied, and turned to his son,

"Phillip, take what soldiers you can and hurry. Maleficent is powerful, do not underestimate her,"

"She's just one woman, how many men could I possibly need?"

"Don't be a fool boy! If you want to rule you have to understand the strength of your enemy. She may be one woman, but she is the most powerful being alive. Take all the men you can, and hurry! I don't know how long our allies can resist her alone,"


Flora and Merryweather looked out the window, the last sliver of sun was dipping below the horizon, they turned to Aurora, who was continuing to sing her voice horse, cheeks stained with tears. Her hands were balled into trembling fists as she continued to fight the magic that was threatening to overpower her.

"Just a few more moments love, you can do it!" Flora urged, her own muscles straining with the effort of helping Auorora hold her arm back. The trio continued to strain, groaning, crying, singing, fighting the powerful magic with all the effort they could muster. And all at once, Auorora collapsed.

"It's gone… the music… it's gone!" She cried, buring her face into her hands sobbing loudly, her shouders shuddering. "I did it… I did it…"

"Powerful little one," The trio turned, seeing Maleficent standing in the doorway, "But not strong enough!" She shouted, slamming the butt of her staff onto the floor and throwing her arms dramatically out to her sides. Thick smoke once again began to fill the room, blinding the trio of women sitting on the floor.

"More smoke…" Merryweather complained, as she helped Flora pull Aurora to the back wall of the room, as far from Maleficent as they could manage. The witch was obscured by the smoke, and a deep laugh began to echo through the stone. The tone grew deeper, and the stone under her feet began to groan.

"Oh no…" Flora looked up, seeing a glimpse of the nightmarish creature that was growing from the smoke. The laughter grew deeper, and the creature pressed against the walls of the room, the stone groaning with the strain before finally shattering, sending cracks through the stone floor before slowly giving way, "No!" Flora and Merryweather took to their wings as the stone floor gave way beneath them, having no chance to reach for Aurora before a great dragon reached it's head and grasped her in it's jaws, it's great black wings spreading, shattering what remained of the upper tower and taking to the sky, flying to the southern tower, the tallest in the castle.

"Aurora!"

"Briar Rose!" The fairies hovered in stunned silence, eyes blurred with tears,

"A dragon… she turned into a dragon…" Flora said,

"The Prince will be here soon! Maleficent won't win!"

"I don't understand what she's trying to achieve… she just took Auorora without any demands, or grand monologues, threats, or promises. What is she up to?"

"Maleficent doesn't need a reason to do anything, it's Maleficent when has that witch ever made sense?" Merryweather huffed, taking in a deep breathing and puffing out her chest, pounding her fist over her heart, "We'll stop her! Good always triumphs over evil!"

It had taken only a short time to get three troops of soldiers together, and within the hour Phillip was leading a squadron of thirty soldiers, the King had argued it was too few and Phillip had boasted it was too many. Most of their men were off fighting a war to the south, he couldn't leave his own kingdom unprotected. The ride to the Princess's kingdom was long, and he hoped he would arrive on time. But it was a few hours ride; if the good fairy told true, they may arrive too late. And a ride through the wilderness after dark was never a safe journey.

"We must hurry… I only hope we will not be too late," Fauna lamented, seated behind the Prince on his horse, still too exhausted to endure a grueling flight home. The gate was open, and Phillip wasted no time in urging his men onward, thanking the powers at be that the moon was full to provide them with enough light to navigate their journey.

They pushed their horses to their limits, the men with aching legs, bruised sacrum, chaffed thighs as they rushed to the aide of their allied kingdom. Phillip squinted at the distance, thinking he saw a dark sillhouette on the skyline as the castle came into sight.

"What is that?"

Aurora looked down in horror as Maleficent burned her home. Much of the village inside the castle gate was aflame, people fleeing in all directions but unable to find safety. The good fairies were nowhere to be found, and the smoke was beginning to choke her. The great dragon flew about the castle, casing green flam eto mark her path. Aurora fell to her knees, barely supporting herself with her hands, Malefecents words repeating in her mind,

"You should have taken my deal little one, you could have just gone to sleep. A simple, peaceful rest, where you could have been with your lover. But now I will show you the price of defiance. You will watch your home burn, your kingdom destroyed. You will go down in history as the last Princess." She had been abandoned atop this tower, forced to remain helpless as the dragon made true on her promise. She had been dropped atop the tallest tower, and used her flames to weld shut the access door. Aurora had tried to break the wooden door but the heat from the flames below quickly made the task impossible. She reflected back, wishing she had just pricked her finger. An eternal dream would have been bliss. But now she was forced to watch her world burn.

A sudden blast threw her to the side, and she whimpered painfully as she pat out the flames licking at her dress. The wooden access door had burst open as the flames below grew overwhelming. She turned, looking down from the tower for a way to jump, but it was a sheer drop. She was unsure if she had the skill to scale the stone wall.

"What?" She strained her red and irritated eyes to focus on the horizon, and thought she saw the blurry form of movement. It was too far away to make out, and she wondered if her allies had seen the smoke and come to the rescue of her kingdom. But all they would find here was destruction. If only she had a way to warn them of what they were walking in to. "Maybe that's where the good fairies went… for help," She bit again at her thumbnail, already short and bleeding.

Heat quickly stopped her thoughts and her doubts, she was faced with burning alive or risk the climb down. She looked down once more, and swallowed her fears. Her decision was made for her. She swung her legs over the warm stone, and she hoped the wall below had not been heated beyond touch by the fires. She clutched the end of the stone lip, struggling to find a foothold,

"I should have taken off my shoes…" She muttered, straining to hold her body weight with just her hands as she struggled to kick off her shoes, pushign her bare feet against the warm stone in the shallow grooves between the mortered stone. She slipped her foot down, then a hand. Slowly, carefully, she made her descent. But she had moved down but ten feet when the temperature of the stone became painful to touch. "No…" She groaned, struggling to put her foot down on the next hold, the stone beneath her hands growing hotter by the moment.

A blast caused a shudder through the tower, and Auorora's grip slipped, her scream lost with the sound of grumbling stone as the great tower began to collapse. She flailed her arms for anything to grab on to. She fell through the wood and straw roof of the great hall, and her world fell black as she descended into the burning building.


It didn't take long for the blurry dark silhouette on the horizon to clarify itself as smoke. His betrothed's kingdom was aflame, a great winged beast torching the city with green flame.

"What is that?" He shouted to his captain riding beside him.

"It looks like… a dragon, your grace."

"But, those are just stories!" Philip shouted incredulously to the man beside him, glancing over his shoulder. The same expression of fear was evident on their faces even in the dim light of the moon.

"I think it's not just a story anymore,"

"Well… finally, a challenge." He replied with a confidence he wasn't entirely sure he had. But he would not be known as a coward. He would save his allies from total destruction or he would die a hero. He reared his horse back, siding up beside one of his men,

"Wolfgang, I need you to go back to my father, I know you see what I see. Tell him what we're up against. We may need reinforcements,"

"Right away your grace,"

"Godspeed soldier,"

"You too," The man turned and rushed back to his native home, Phillip praying that reinfocements would arrive before this kingdom was completely destroyed, and the royal family lost. He throught about the Princess he was betrothed to, and tried to think of her as the motivation he needed to surpass his fears. But he had only met the royal family once, and the last he had seen of the Princess she was but an infant babe. His mind wandered to the peasant girl he had become enamoured with. I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream. Even the memory of her silky voice could set his heart racing. He knew so little of her, he was so far from his own kingdom it was likely the burning kingdom was her home.

"I'll save you, like I did once upon a dream," He whispered, feeling only a breif glimmer of guilt that another woman was his motivation for saving his betrothed's kingdom. "And we will once again dance with eachother," He spurred his horse back to the head of his men, coming up beside his captain. "Stay brave captain, the men will rely on us for courage. If they see us succomb to fear, then so will they and the kingdom will be lost. We are their only hope," They rode in silence for the remainder of the approach, stopping but a mile from the gate. He held up his hand, signaling his men to stop.

"Dante, I want you to take your men to search for survivors and get them away from the city, there is a river two miles west take them there, tend to their injuries. If you find the royal family guard them with your lives! Stefan, you and your men with me! Becket, you and your archers are to aim at the dragon, drive them out the North gate where Stefan and I will be awaiting with our men! If you find survivors direct them to Dante's men or tell them to meet his men at the river! If you find the royal family your new mission is to protect them with your lives! Do you understand me men?" A loud corus of cheers and chants greeted his ears, bringing a smile to his face, "Make me proud men, return home heroes! Stefan with me, to the north gate where we will ambush the dragon after Becket's men have run it North." He moved north, praying that his ambush would work.


Dante led his men to the gate, looking at the burning bridge realizing the horses would never cross. He dismounted signaling his men to cross the bridge,

"Sir, this may be a trap!" He looked to a young man who was the source of doubt, "Why would the gate be down? Why didn't they lift it?" Dante pointed to the chains that are used to pull the gate up to protect the city and the castle. The metal had been heated to melting, the stone supports at the near side of the moat cracked from the sidden impact. Much of the wood was burned, the metal supports distorted from the heat.

"The chains were melted, and the gate fell. Stay clear of the metal, it will still be too hot to touch, and avoid the blackened wood!" Dante shouted, running ahead to show his men the path. Once inside the city Becket and his men were quick to follow, sharply turning East as Dante and his continued south. "Cliff, Blake, Walker, I want you to search these houses and shops. Take them to the river swe will regroup there! The rest of you, with me! To the keep! The citizens may have fled to the protection of the castle," They ran through the city center, weaving through the debris field until they reached the stair that would lead to the great hall.

"Sir, it appears that the tower has collapsed, we have to be careful if it took out the southern wall the structure will be unstable, the whole thing could collapse!"

"The more reason to search there for survivors! This is the main hall into the keep, through the tower you reach the entrance to the castle proper. Citizens may have fled there for protection, in this burning city where else could they possibly go?" Dante shouted to his men, "Show courage men, it is the only way we will be able to keep them calm if we find people in there," They ran up the stair, placing a hand against the wooden door, "It's not hot. This room may have been spared fire thus fire," The men pushed, groaning against the resistance,

"They must have put down the bar, to keep the dragon out!"

"Like a wooden beam could stop a dragon!"

"At least they are doing something to protect themselves, futile or not this is the sign of a brave people. They haven't given up! We will show them their hope is not in vein!" Dante snapped at his men, angered by their lack of faith. They strained against the doors for several momvents more before stopping, "We have to find another way," he panted, resting his hands on his knees as he faught for breath,

"We may be able to enter through the windows on the east side, a dragon can't fit through them so they might not have barricated it like the doors,"

"Maybe this is a sign that there are people inside, someone had to be in there for them to barricade the door," Jack, the man who had shown doubt at the gate was the one to offer this voice of hope. Their hope however, was quickly diminished as the fires on the eastern side stopped their progress.

"Try the western windows!" They ran again, praying that this last mode of entry was clear. Their prayers were answered. The fires had not yet reached the structures on the western side of the main hall. "Boost me up!" Dante commanded, and with the help of his men reached the window. He reached down, and pulled the remaining men one at a time through the window before dropping from the sill himself. Inside was filling with smoke, the room hazy and it was difficult to see through the acrid air. It was stiflingly hot, and the men began to cough almost immediately.

"Hello?" Jack shouted, straining to see through the hazy air. "We are here to help you, sent by King Hubert! You will be safe with us!" Quiet murmuring met their ears, and the men all exchanged looks and ran to the source of the sound. A women appeared through the haze, colliding with Dante,

"Oh thank the heavens!" She wept, buring her face into his chest, "You have to hurry, the Princess… she, she fell through the roof…"

"What? Show me." He commanded, and followed the woman. Several people were gathered around an unconcious woman, and looked up at Dante with frightened eyes, "Don't be afraid. We were sent by King Hubert to help you," He knelt beside the Princess, and looked at the young woman with dread, "Is she?"

"She's alive. But she hasn't woken up. We don't know what happened, she just came crashing through the roof," A woman explained. Dante looked her over, but he had no medical training he wasn't able to identify injury. "Men, you remember our mission. Use the wood and fabric in here to make a stretcher, get her out of here. And these citizens. Lead them all to the river. I'll continue searching for more survivors and we can meet up with the others,"

"But sir,"

"Do not defy orders soldier! Get these people out of here and protect the Princess with your life if necessary! Am I clear?" He boomed, and his men began to construct a stretcher and evacuate the citizens without argument. "I'll meet you at the river, there will be many others and I still have to find the King and Queen. Get these people to the river. Once there, Jack, I want you and William to guard them. The others, return to the kingdom. Continue to search for survivors,"


Becket led his team through the gates as ordered, and began to search for the dragon. He gripped his bow tight, his knucles white. His other hand clutching an arrow, ready to notch and fire at any moment. His men were close behind him, scanning the skies for the great beast. They could hear it's bellowing roar, but it was difficult to see anything in the night through the thick black smoke blanketing the sky above the city.

"It sounds close, be ready men. We have to drive it north, away from the city, save the city more harm so Dante can evacuate the survivors and Phillip can send this beast back to hell where it belongs!" His men cheered, raising their fists to the sky. Becket hoped that the noise would attract the beast. He was growing impatient, he was ready for his glorious battle. Dragons, creatures from stories, and he would be one of the men to bring it down. They would be written into history, fairy tales, songs and stories.

"There it is sir!" Henry, one of his most seasoned men, pointed to a hardly discernable shadow in the sky, "There! Heading to the southern towers! We have to turn it around!" An arrow flew into the sky before Henry had finished his words, quickly followed by a volloy from the entire squad. The beast roared, and the stream of green flames stopped abruptly,

"Ha! We hit it!"

"No premature celebration boys! Another volley! Loose at will!" The men fired another rain of arrows, another wail echoing through the darkness, "Back to the gait, it'll follow us! It wants to stop the volley!" Becket ordered, and the men paused their run to loose a third volley before making their way to the northern gate. The roar of the beast grew louder, and a burst of heat warned them how close the beast was. As the flames grew closer a agonized cry shook the men, but the heat at their backs prevented them from stopping. "Almost there men!" They ran. The roar of flames nearly drowning out his words, masking the sound of two more desperate screams. They turned the corner, seeing some of Dante's men leading a large group of people through the shattered gate, carrying a makeshift stretcher between them. "Run!" Becket warned, but before he had spoken the men had seen the source of their fear.

The dragon circled above them, laughing as it passed overhead enjoying the smell of fear and pain. It made the pain of the arrows stuck throughout her body worth it, just to hear them scream as she burned the flesh from their bones. Her eyes scanned for them, and saw them disappearing through the gait. You will never stop me. This kingdom will burn. The Princess is lost, the King and Queen are lost. Most of the people of this city are dead. That will teach them to defy Maleficent! She dove for the gate, crashing through the stone supports shattering the wall.

Nearly all the people had made it through the gait before the wall collapsed. At the sound of crumbling stone Dante's men turned to see nearly twenty of the survivors they were trying to rescue crushed beneath crumbling stone and burning wood as a collumn of green fire silenced the pained screams coming from the rubble.

"No!" Willaim shouted, starting to move towards the destruction but was pulled back by his squadmates,

"Stop you fool! Remember our orders! We can't help them now but we can help these people here! And the Princess! Protect her with your life remember? Now come on! Becket and Philip's teams will take care of that beast, we have our own job to do!" Jack hissed, taking control.

"I should be there, with the battle! I am a soldier!" William defied,

"And you will do as ordered! We will be needed to protect these people, and bring them to the river! The most important job isn't always the one full of blood and glory,"Jack replied, remember the first lession he was taught so many years ago as a page. William hesitated, and tuned to catch up to the fleeing men and citizens before him.

Becket ran towards where Phillip and his men were hiding in ambush, it seemed Phillip's plan was working. Many citizens had been successfully evacuated, despite the casualties under the crumbling wall. The dragon was following their arrow fire North, now all that was left for it to engage them in battle. If they could just bring it down, destroy the vile beast, the battle would be won. King Hubert would send reinforcements, they could use water from the moat to control fires at the gate, dig through the rubble, regain entry to the city and finish evacuations. Rescue the King and Queen. The day would be theirs. I will go down into song and glory was the last thought to pass through his mind before he was overtaken by green fire.


Phillip watched in horror as Becket was the last of his squadron to fall to green flame. He just prayed their death was painless and quick. I will avenge you and your men Becket, you fought and died bravely. I will see you did not die in vain. He charged, his men screaming and charging behind him. The two archers with him show arrows overhead, one successfully striking the beast in the neck, abruptly stopping its flow of fire and its agonized roar had a distinct pained hoarseness to it.

"Good shot men! I think we seriously wounded it!" It was distracted, and Phillip hoped it would be enough for them to finish it off. He shifted his shield, and saw the beast rear its head. He ducked behind his shield, hardly having time to give the command to his men to shield up before the fire soared over them. Too late Phillip realized his archers didn't carry shields, and their screaming was mercifully brief.

The shield was quickly becoming too hot, the edges glowing red hot the pain in his arm growing increasingly intense as the relentless fire continued. Just as the thought he was going to drop his shield and be consumed by flame the beast stopped, once again crying in agony. Phillip dropped the glowing shield, and charged the dragon, brandishing his shield. It turned suddenly, swinging its tail. Phillip ducked, narrowly avoiding being hit but two more of his men were not so quick. I can't lose any more men. He stood, quickly, trying to find a weakness. The arrow that seemed to be causing the beast such great pain caught his attention, it was stuck between two plates of the dragon's neck, which was a green to contrast it's black scales. Between the green plates, that is where it is weakest "Aim for under the plates men!" He charged, and swung his sword, burning it deep into the dragon's belly as it turned into his blade. It reared up, but Phillip stubbornly clung to his blade, groaning as the beast thrashed, throwing him through the air. He impacted the water of the moat with such force he briefly thought he hit the ground before unconsciousness took him.


"Your grace… your grace…" Phillip groaned, aware someone was calling his name. He opened his eyes, the sky above was a deep red. The sun was rising, the light turned red from the smoke and dust. "Your grace… can you hear me?"

"Yes… what…?"

"You did it sir! When you stabbed the dragon in its belly you weakened it, when it reared our men were able to bury our swors into its belly as well. It fell, and turned into a woman. She didn't survive her wounds. To think… that dragon… was a woman. She must have been the most powerful witch the world has ever seen,"

"Survivors…" Philip groaned, sitting up.

"Your father sent reinforcements. They were able to put the fires out at the collapsed gate and make way into the city, they are searching now. No sign of the King or Queen. It appears Dante's men made it to the river."

"Dante?"

"I sent a scout, he hasn't returned yet it's only been a few minutes,"

"Becket?"

"Lost… sir. It appears all his men were lost too. We found eight bodies outside the walls, we're hoping to find his last two men alive in the city,"

"Your men?"

"Only myself and Bernard survived, your grace," The man's tone was somber having to report such a high volume of casualties. Phillip rested his head in his hands, trying to come to terms with his losses. He slammed his fist into the ground,

"Damn it! I should have insisted on more men, if I set out with more… the others might have survived,"

"Your grace… you commanded wonderfully. No one outside of stories and songs has ever taken down a dragon. You took down a dragon your grace. There must have been at least a hundred people who escaped before the wall came down, the Princess one of them. You stopped the most powerful witch we have ever known, the one who tried to curse the princess with death," Before Phillip could rebuke three fairies came rushing to him,

"Your grace! You're alive! The entire kingdom is indebted to you!" Fauna shouted, throwing her short arms around the Prince's shoulders. "We will never be able to thank you. You stopped Maleficent…"

"Aurora! Is there any sign of Aurora!" Flora cried,

"Our little Briar Rose…" Merryweather echoed

"The river, two miles west. The men were instructed to take the survivors there. We believe the princess to be among them," Stefan explained, and the trio of faires exchanged glances and were quick to soar to the west, vanishing quickly into the smokey haze.

"My horse?"

"Unharmed your grace,"

"Help me onto him,"

"Your grace… you should rest.,"

"I need to make sure the Princess survived. And stop calling me your grace. We just killed a dragon together. If that doesn't earn you the right to call me Phillip then nothing will," the Prince replied, taking Stefan's extended hand.

"As you wish. Bernard! We are to escort the Prince to the river! He wishes to check on the Princess,"

"I just hope all of Dante's men made it out alive. I need to know at least one squadron didn't suffer near-total casualties," His two surviving men nodded, and began the short two mile ride to the river. Phillip wanted to run, but after how they had exhausted the horses on the ride from his home kingdom, he thought it better to maintain a casual pace. The dead men's horses were grazing the land untouched by flame around the castle, and he trusted them not to wander far.

The ride was short, and the aching men were thankful for this one mercy. Phillip smiled as they approached the river, what he saw was a welcome sight for a battle-weary heart. Children playing and splashing in the river, men and women alike tending to the wounded, and he saw seven men tending to a young blonde woman in a makeshift stretcher. He squinted, something about her seemed familiar.

"The Princess sir, she's alive!" But the words fell on deaf ears. Phillip dismounted from his horse, and quickly approached the men.

"Your grace!" They all stood quickly, save one who was tending to the woman's wounds. The good fairies were there by her side as well, and looked up to smile at the approaching Prince.

"Report,"

"The Princess-" The rest of the report failed to register, he knelt beside the young woman. I know her, I know her! This is the peasant girl! I danced with her once upon a dream… He reached out, brushing some of the soot from her cheek,"

"This is the princess?" He looked at the good fairies incredulously, and back down to the beautiful face he had fallen in love with. He brushed her cheek tenderly, and the touch caused her to stir. She moaned gently, "How can it be? She was a simple peasant girl? Could heaven be so merciful as to betroth me to the woman I love?" He gasped.

Aurora stirred, she thought someone was touching her cheek. There were many voices, familiar voices. The fairies, and a man. Someone she had danced with once upon a dream. But she doubted her senses. Her ears were ringing and her vision still blurred from smoke irriation. Her mouth, throat, and chest burned. How much smoke did I breathe in? Then the pain began to register. Her entire right side was pure agony, her fingertips numb. She tried to open her eyes again, and saw a familiar face. Is my mind playing tricks? Did I hit my head? She could see the sky, a deep red with clouds of thin grey and black. She tried to remember what happened. She thought she remembered a spindle and a tower, a dragon and green fire consuming her home.

"A witch… a dragon, and green fire…" She moaned,

"Maleficent dear… the witch who cursed you. But she was stopped. Thanks to your fiance, the prince," She looked to whom the fairies were gesturing to and saw the blurred form of a familiar face to match a familiar voice.

"You? It can't be you…" She gasped, shifting to sit up but was pushed back down by a gentle hand,"

"And you. I believe I danced with you once upon a dream," He smiled, echoing her own thoughts. "But now is a time for rest, you are injured my Princess, Aurora,"

"Please… call me Briar Rose…" She smiled, and he returned it,

"Briar Rose… much prettier. I like it," He chuckled, and leaned down to kiss the lips of the love he had thought lost.


Epilogue

In the aftermath of the battle it was found nearly a two thirds of the citizens had lost their lives, having been trapped in the city after the wall collapsed most succumbed to the flames. The remaining survivors were found among the houses and shops of the western wing, where Dante had sent two of his men to scout and the survivors attributed those soldiers to their survival.

The King and Queen had sought shelter in their chambers with their strongest men, but the flames had overtaken much of the tower blocking their escape and they succumbed to the smoke. Much of the city was destroyed, but King Hubert had extended his hand to offer any relief support the kingdom needed.

Aurora, taking the name her fairy caretakers had given her, was crowned as Queen Briar Rose at her coronation, and took charge of leading her kingdom in this time of crises. Her time raised by the fairies away from the lavishes of palace life gave her a gentle and generous heart. She refused to eat unless her people had food for themselves, to bathe unless there was enough clean water for all to drink, to drink in lavish linens unless her people had shelter and a place of their own to rest. She was wed to Prince Phillip shortly after relief efforts began, to give the kingdom a King. Seeing how the people adored their Queen, Phillip gave most of the power of the kingdom to his bride, who went down into history as Queen Briar Rose, the Gentle. Her husband forever known as Phillip Dragon's Bane. Together, they lead the kingdom. Briar, named by the people for their beloved queen. She led them through the disaster into a time of prosperity. She slashed taxes, refusing to live a life of luxury at the cost of her people. Farmland expanded, and they had so much food and livestock. they were able to export goods to neighboring kingdoms, the entire region began to prosper.

Three sons were blessed to the couple, and one daughter. The understood the obligation for their children to have an heir, but they both agreed they would not betroth their children. They had known the pain of love, and nearly losing it, and never wanted to cause their children such pain. Briar held all the prosperity it needed, and Phillip and Briar Rose has no desire to collect more power. Their people were happy, they prospered. Poverty was unheard of, and even orphans were a rare sight.

Phillip stood beside Briar Rose on the restructured balcony that overlooked their kingdom, and he took her hand gently,

"Could you ever dream the kingdom could bounce back from disaster with such strength,"

"Never underestimate the people,"

"They just love their Queen. And I can see why," He smiled. His hair was peppered grey, and even Briar Rose was showing streaks of white through her blonde hair. He found it made her all the more beautiful. The wrinkles at her eyes showed how she smiled, every feature that showed her age only made him love her the more. "Will you join me in a dance,"

"Well, I did dance with you once upon a dream," She smiled, loving the feel of his hand around her waist, the other clasping her own hand.

"Reality is so much better than any dream, while I have you in my arms, I never have to rely on dreams"


I hope you enjoyed this, it was a blast to write! Sorry for the cheesy epilogue… but after 8,000 words I had to just cut things short at the river. This could have been an entire story on it's own.