Chapter 14: Aurora's Letter
Aurora...
A voice was calling for her.
Aurora.
She could not say whether that enchanting voice came from inside her head, or from the outside.
Aurora!
She felt a light tremor in her whole body and she quickly realized someone was shaking her by the shoulders. Finally, she opened her eyes.
''Sometimes I wonder why I racked my brain to curse you to fall into a sleep like death,'' Maleficent sighed, slightly amused, ''it seems you are naturally inclined to fall into an everlasting slumber.''
Aurora straightened her back and sat on her bed, smiling. ''Well, maybe you should have kissed me,'' she smirked defiantly, ''I'm sure I would have woken up faster...''
Maleficent suddenly turned her head towards Aurora, one fine eyebrow arched quizzically. She gave the Queen a cold threatening glare which caused the young woman to look away immediately.
She lowered her gaze to her lap, feeling more and more remorseful for what she dared to say at loud.
How silly could I be?
''Never mind,'' she cleared her throat, feeling quite uncomfortable.
The wicked fairy remained quiet for a while before she leant closer and reached out towards Aurora. The younger woman raised a questioning eyebrow at that stretched hand, but Maleficent did not seem willing to withdraw it, nor explain her course of action. She looked up at the older woman, finally allowing their gaze to meet and she took that welcoming elegant hand. She let Maleficent help her stand and bowed her head in a gesture of thanks. She motioned to take back her hand, but the dark woman held it even more tightly.
''I must inform you that I have received some... unpleasant news from your kingdom.'' The fairy declared sternly as she looked right into her eyes.
''Y-You... What?'' Aurora gaped in disbelief.
''Your dear aunt Flora sent a carrier pigeon to deliver me a very clear message.''
''And... what is that message?'' The Queen asked, her voice hushed and hesitant.
''Well, she knows exactly where you are and she wants you back, obviously.'' Maleficent rolled her eyes in annoyance at the thought of the good fairies' foolish manners.
''Oh. Then I guess they knew you were still alive as well.'' Aurora put her head down, sadly. ''So my aunts betrayed me too... and for that, they are worse than Phillip!'' She clenched her fists in pure anger.
The wicked fairy let go of Aurora's hand, cool fingers sliding down her skin gently. ''I suppose they acted this way for your own safety and well-being.''
''Oh no!'' Aurora laughed mirthlessly. ''Trust me, they didn't. They knew how much I... how much I...'' She averted her gaze, feeling her cheeks gradually warming up, her marble features tinting in light rose. The older woman raised a curious eyebrow, urging her to continue. ''How much I... cared for you. They just made the decision for me, like they always did. And that decision was certainly not the good one...''
Maleficent nodded in agreement. ''Fair enough.''
The Queen slowly looked up at her, tears forming at the corner of her purple eyes. She took an hesitant step towards the dark woman.
''Maleficent...'' She began, her voice husky with dread.
The fairy looked down at her, frowning fiercely. ''Yes?''
The young woman quickly turned away, shaking her head miserably. ''Please...'' She took another step forward. ''I don't want to go back.'' Her shining eyes finally met Maleficent's dark ones. ''I...'' She moved forward, breaking the distance which still separated her from the fairy. She reached out and grabbed Maleficent's cloak in her tiny trembling hands. ''I don't want to leave...'' Aurora burried her head into the woman's black robes. ''I don't want to leave you...'' She muttered, her voice muffled by the thick fabric.
Maleficent froze in astonishment, unable to perform the slightest gesture as the Queen embraced her. Eventually, she wrapped her arms around Aurora's small body and stroke her golden hair in a soothing way. She kept quiet for a while, waiting for the young girl to calm down.
When she did, Maleficent let go of Aurora's waist reluctantly as the Queen was slowly pulling back.
''Please, Maleficent... I beg you.'' She looked straight into her eyes, and the fairy knew she would not be able to refuse. ''Don't let them take me away from you.''
The Mistress of All Evil sighed deeply. She moved forward and she reached out to caress Aurora's cheek, wiping away her tears tenderly. The Queen smiled shyly and leant into her hand, causing Maleficent to shiver. The dark fairy cupped Aurora's chin in her thin hand.
''Listen to me, Your Majesty. I once let you go, and someone took you away from me. I am not going to repeat that mistake ever again. This time, I promise I will not let you go.'' She brushed the young woman's lips with her thumb. ''Believe me, Aurora, as long as I will live, no one will ever take you away from me.''
When Aurora looked up to meet Maleficent's deep gaze, her eyes widened. This was probably the most gentle thing the fairy had ever told her. A genuine smile adorned her red lips as she reached out and took Maleficent's hand in hers. She pressed the older woman's hand against her lips and kissed it. The wicked fairy glared at her blankly as a wave of warmth slowly engulfed her.
''Thank you, Maleficent.''
The wicked fairy withdrew her hand and nodded, her mouth suddenly dry, unwilling to utter a single word.
This girl is going to be the end of me... Me, the Mistress of All Evil!
The next day, Aurora entered the library with hesitant steps. The wicked fairy had heard her since she got up from her bed and climbed down the stairs. Maleficent was sitting on a huge comfy chair in front of the window, and as soon as the Queen stopped at the doorstep, the older woman smiled at herself.
''Please come in, Your Majesty,'' she challenged the young woman in a mocking tone.
Aurora rolled her eyes and moved towards the black-dressed fairy who was peacefully reading a crimson-covered book. Maleficent chuckled as Aurora approached her carefully.
''I am afraid I still don't understand your strange sense of humor, you know...'' The former princess folded her arms across her chest.
''Well, you better not worry yourself about that, Your Highness. No one does.'' Maleficent smirked.
Aurora sighed in annoyance and sat in the chair next to the fairy's. She lost herself in the contemplation of the landscape which spread right before her eyes. An awkward silence took over the place, but neither of the two women dared to break it for quite a long while.
''Aurora,'' Maleficent began quietly. She posed her book on her lap and turned her head towards the young woman.
The Queen sneaked a peek at the fairy, letting their eyes meet, and she realized an odd, gloomy flame was slowly invading Maleficent's dark pupils. Something like sadness, remorse, care or maybe...
''Yes...?'' Aurora replied, and she suddenly found it hard to avert the fairy's intense gaze.
''Why did you do it?''
Aurora wriggled her eyebrows in confusion. ''Why did I do what?''
''Oh please, don't play innocent with me,'' the older woman chuckled darkly. ''You know exactly what I am talking about. Why did you try to put an end to your life?''
''Oh, that.'' Aurora said, her voice suddenly hoarse. She looked down to hide the gleam of pain and shame which inhabited her purple eyes. ''I don't know... I guess I didn't have anything to cling to anymore.''
''Do not lie to me, princess,'' Maleficent retorted coldly. ''Why did you write this?''
''What—'' Aurora interrupted herself, frowning, while Maleficent was waving her hand in mid air, and a piece of old and shattered paper appeared in her stretched hand.
The Queen knew exactly what was written on it, but strangely, she took the paper and read it, even though she already knew those words by heart.
Dear Prince Phillip,
To you who thought I was waiting for you,
To you who imagined we met once upon a dream,
To you who believed I needed to be saved,
I know you thought I wanted Maleficent to die,
I know you thought you could understand me,
I just want you to know that you failed.
I was able to see the woman beyond the dragon,
But now she is dead...
Because of you.
And now, I will do what she always wanted me to do,
I don't want to be saved anymore.
I still hear her voice whispering in the dark...
''Aurora, listen to me, come with me.
Touch the spindle, take my hand,
Follow me into the dark...
You'll be my Queen, and I'll be your Mistress,'' it says.
I can't help it, I can't stop listening to that voice...
I can't stop thinking about her.
Even in Death,
I keep seeing her in the shadows,
I keep feeling her touch on my skin.
She's my obsession,
She's hypnotizing me.
She's calling me...
And I can't resist her any longer.
I shall follow her green light until the end.
I am sorry,
My heart will never be yours, for she stole it a long time ago,
And it died with her when you stabbed her in the chest.
Now I shall fall into a sleep like death,
But this time, I will never wake up.
And in my eternal sleep, I shall be with her...
Forever.
Goodbye, Prince Phillip.
Aurora had written this letter to Phillip before she tried to kill herself. She thought she had lost it for ever, because she never found it in her bedroom when she came back from the dungeon. Then she thought maybe it was all just a dream... but it wasn't. Maleficent was truly there, and she was the one who took the letter.
''Oh. You kept it.''
''Yes, I did. And now, you are going to tell me why you wrote this,'' Maleficent stared right into her eyes, as if to compell her to speak the truth.
''I... I just couldn't keep living that life... I... I thought you were dead and... well, Phillip never tried to understand me, or at least he thought he could... but he never did!'' She cried, clenching her fists. ''I didn't want to be the crazy woman everyone can make a fool of! I didn't want to hear their lies anymore! I didn't want to see your face, to hear your voice in my twisted dreams! I didn't want to live with the man who murdered the woman I—'' She paused abruptly, holding her breath, as if caught by a sudden rush of fear, ''—cared for. I just wanted to be... free. And I thought maybe if I died, your death would not be worthless, and in the end, you would finally get what you always wanted... Since you were dead, there was nothing left for me in this life anyway.''
Maleficent kept quiet, her dark endless eyes locked with Aurora's.
''I know you probably don't care, but... I just couldn't imagine my life without you,'' Aurora sputtered, her voice cracking. She looked up at the wicked fairy, already worried about her reaction.
But Maleficent stayed still. She looked away and set her impenetrable gaze on the horizon. The most powerful fairy on earth was unable to speak.
Aurora sighed and straightened up, ready to leave Maleficent in her deadly silence and exit the room.
''... even if you still want to kill me — and I must say you almost succeeded,'' the Queen laughed mirthlessly. ''Well, now if you don't mind, I'll just... leave.''
She got up and lead towards the door. Suddenly, the deep, smooth voice she was desperate to hear interrupted her.
''Aurora, wait.''
The Queen froze and did what she was told, waiting for the hypnotizing voice to speak again.
''I do not want to kill you,'' Maleficent said in a neutral tone.
''Well, I guess that is a start.'' Aurora shrugged her shoulders, the corners of her lips twitching into a small smile.
She stepped towards the door, but she stopped at the doorstep once again. She turned around abruptly.
''Maleficent?''
''Yes?'' The dark fairy answered nonchalantly, almost mechanically.
''What did you reply to my aunt's message?'' She asked, biting her lips in apprehension.
''Oh well, nothing truly original I am afraid. I just informed Mistress Flora and her dear sisters that if they want you back, they will have to come here and take you themselves.''
Aurora was about to talk, to fight back, say that she did not agree, but she found herself unable to find one single word to say.
''But...'' Maleficent raised from her seat and turned around to face her, ''that shall be over my dead body.'' She knocked the ground with her staff in an intimidating way, showing all the power and grace she possessed with one single gesture.
Aurora reached out to her mouth, suppressing a giggle.
Maleficent was not going to let her go. And that was all she wanted to know.
She glanced up at the wicked fairy and nodded appreciatively. She offered a warm smile which the older woman gave back, and Aurora exited the room, still grinning.
Someone is becoming even more attractive when getting angry...
''We need to go and rescue her!''
''Merryweather, you know she doesn't want to be saved.'' Fauna sniffled.
''What?! She doesn't want to be saved, you said? She is held prisoner by the most evil and ruthless creature on earth, and she doesn't want to be saved!?'' Merryweather shouted in a burst of anger.
''Of course she needs to be saved!'' Flora huffed. ''That is why we are leaving to the Forbidden Mountains right now.''
''Flora, please...'' Fauna begged her with tears in her eyes. ''You know we cannot do this. We cannot take Aurora away from Maleficent, not again. If we do, she will never forgive us and she will escape again, and again...''
''Then we will make sure she won't escape anymore,'' Flora replied in a firm voice, as if voicing the evidence.
''We cannot just lock her up in the castle. She is the Queen, the more we can do is to advise her, but when she makes a decision, we have to oblige her.''
''Not if that decision is foolish and dangerous! Our primary role is to protect her,'' Flora reminded her severely.
''Yes, but she does not need our protection anymore! You know that very well, Flora. She is with her. She will protect her in a way we cannot even imagine! She is so very powerful, and—''
''Maleficent? Protect our little Rose? Pfft! Non sense, Fauna! Please watch your words!'' The red fairy snapped.
''You know I am right.'' Fauna sighed, weary from endless minutes of fighting. ''And you must know I will not help you hurt Aurora. She deserves to be happy, and we both know the happiness she seeks does not involve King Phillip...''
''Maybe it does not!'' Flora cut her off violently. ''But it certainly does not involve that wretched witch either!''
''Oh, trust me it does!'' Fauna contradicted her bravely. ''That is why I will not let you separate them. I promised Mother that I would protect them. She knew you would try to keep Aurora away from Maleficent.''
''Well, Mother was wrong,'' Merryweather intervened dryly, crossing her tiny plump arms over her chest. ''We are not going to take Aurora away from that wicked fairy.''
Fauna frowned in incomprehension, waiting for her sister to express her thought.
''We are going to kill Maleficent.'' Merryweather gave a twist of her wrist, waving her wand, and a great glowing sword appeared out of nowhere.
Flora nodded to the blue fairy and grabbed her own wand, ready to transport herself. But she was interrupted by a heart-rending howl she never expected to hear.
''NO! Stop it! Oh Goodness, we can't!'' Fauna screamed at her sisters and aimed her wand at them. A bright green ray hit them right in the breast, compelling them to fall to the ground.
''What has happened to you, Fauna?'' Flora asked from the floor, rubbing her sore back, her blue eyes widened in shock.
''Why are you fighting us? We are not your enemy, Fauna!'' Merryweather mumbled, slightly breathless.
''Or... maybe you are not telling the whole truth,'' Flora began, raising a hand to scratch her chin thoughtfully. ''Why cannot we kill Maleficent? You know she is no good to Aurora, nor is she to anyone, for that matter. So why are you protecting her? I know you did not tell us everything. What are you hiding from us, Fauna?''
Suddenly, Fauna broke into tears as she fell to her knees, her wand landing at her side in a loud clinging noise.
''B-Because—'' She sobbed miserably, and she sounded as if what she was about to say would change their perception of the world for ever, and somehow it was true.
''If Maleficent dies, Aurora dies.''
Author's Note:
Thank you very much for reading. Your feedbacks are very welcome, please share your thoughts and leave a review!