Disney's World Of Adventures: Princess Alliance
Chapter 05 - The Witch, The Dragon, And True Love's Kiss
The five heroes (and Gruber) hacked their way through the forest of thorns until they neared the end. Upon leaving the thorny thicket, and having worked up a sweat from their hacking and slashing, they stopped to catch their breaths and wipe the sweat from their brows. Gruber, who had barely lifted a finger to lift his own sword, merely brushed the dust off his trousers with a huff.
"About time we escaped those dreaded thorns." He pressed his hand upon his heart and lifted his chin proudly as he flicked his hair back. "No need to thank me."
Susan rolled her eyes behind his back and muttered under her breath, when she finally caught it, "No one was going to."
Gruber pointed to the path ahead of them. "Onward, fellow adventurers. Time is of the essence, and the darling princess—my princess!—awaits her rescue."
If Susan wasn't disgusted at his refusal to help them through the thorns, she was appalled now that he dared imply his efforts would rescue her friend. Unfortunately, she and the others were too exhausted to rebut him. All they could do was follow.
The six of them traveled by foot the rest of the way. Their horses remained tied to their posts on the other side of the forest, as they refused to travel through the thorns. Fortunately, their equine companions, having been fed and watered, would be safe alone for the time being.
Along a winding road among rolling hills they traversed until they reached the foot of the mountain range bordering the kingdom. Their path soon led them to a ravine. At the end of the path spanned a stone bridge, where stood a tall tower on the other side. Along the bridge rose a series of pillars, each bearing the worn, faded colors of hanging banners. Both the bridge and tower were hewn of stones that appeared much older than even the surrounding mountains. At the top of the tower was a stained-glass window, its panes the only hue among the gray stone. No doubt this was where the witch had trapped the princess.
"At last, we've arrived!" Gruber stretched forth his arms to greet his destination. "And in yonder tower, dreaming of her true love, awaits the lovely Princess Marianna."
Once more, he pressed his hand against his heart. Closing his eyes and gleaming his pearly whites, he gesticulated to the others.
"I have no further need of your assistance, thank you," he said. "It is I who will brave the tower and rescue the princess from the clutches of the wicked witch—"
He turned to gaze into the sickly green eyes of the witch herself as she stood before him, her crooked yellow grin inches from his face. Her sudden appearance startled him and forced him to leap a yard back.
"Bruja Dama!" Reflexively, he drew his sword and aimed it at her with trembling grip. "Stay back, foul wretch, or I shall smite thee with my—"
"¡Venga ya!" she rolled her eyes with arms akimbo. With a single slap, as casually as if she were swatting away a fly, she sent his sword flying from his grip and across the ground. "I take it you're the príncipe valiente who's come to rescue fair maiden?"
With a yelp, Gruber rose both fists in front of his face. "Y-y-yes! I am the man who will fight for her honor. Now unhand her at once."
"Come to bargain, have we?" The witch studied her fingernails before glancing back at the poor, pathetic excuse of a prince cowering before her. "Pues vale. I will trade the princess for the entire kingdom. I very much want my pueblo back on the top of the hill, though the castle will suffice as a suitable upgrade."
Susan, from where she stood yards away from the Prince, pointed an angry finger at her. "You will hand my friend over at once, or you will have to contend with us!"
The other four nodded in agreement as their hands hovered near their weapons.
Gruber nodded furiously and pointed at the others. "Y-y-yeah! What she said."
Bruja Dama flicked her wrist. "Have it your way."
She rose several feet into the air and stretched forth her arms. Her eyes glowed green as she chanted: "Ahora deberás tratar conmigo, y todos los poderes del mal."
Yelling the last syllable, she became enveloped in green flames, which snuffed out into a plume of green smoke. As the vapor dissipated, in the place of the witch appeared a dragon. Its size filled the entire space of the bridge, the beast being as wide and as long as the stone structure it stood upon. Its neck and head towered higher than any of the nearby pillars and even the trees of the surrounding forest. Only the tower looming behind it stood taller.
Gruber stared with his mouth agape at the beast looming before him. He scampered onto his hands and knees, and like a frightened child, crawled behind Susan's legs. A sudden roar forced him to hide underneath the lady-in-waiting's cape.
With a shaky finger, he pointed at the beast roaring and looming before them. "W-w-well, go ahead! The dragon's all yours!"
Susan clicked her tongue and waggled her finger at the cowering prince behind her. "Really? I thought you didn't need any further assistance. After all, you said you would rescue the princess."
Gruber peered from under her cape. "That's before I knew the witch could turn herself into a dragon."
Susan grabbed him by the collar and flung him forward, sending him stumbling in front of her. "But the prince is supposed to save the princess from the dragon." She swatted her hand in a shooing gesture. "So go and save your princess, O brave prince!"
Gruber crawled toward his sword lying upon the ground and, with trembling knees, stood up. The dragon stared down at him with a flaming green glare.
With a huge gulp, he clenched closed his eyes and raced forward with sword raised, screaming at the top of his lungs. He swung his blade, striking the dragon's leg with an echoing metallic clink.
He opened his eyes and saw that his attack barely grazed the beast, which gazed down at him indifferently. With that same leg, the dragon kicked him, sending him flying back several feet onto his rump.
No sooner had he landed that he leaped up and raced frantically in the opposite direction. He dared not look back, running as fast as his legs could carry him. The dragon flew into the air, and in a single bound, landed in front of him. Its tremors forced him to fall back once more upon his rump. Frantically, he tried to rise again to his feet, but could only scamper away on his hands and knees.
The dragon lurched its head back, widened its maw, and flinging its head forward, let out a jet of green fiery breath. The flames licked his backside, forcing him to his feet. Arms flailing, and crying loudly as an overgrown toddler, he raced to the bridge. He intended to cross it, thinking he could escape the beast if he were to retreat inside the tower.
All the while, the other five heroes watched from where they stood. Some like Aurora and Phillip watched in morbid curiosity, their hands raised to their lips in astonishment. The others watched with crossed arms and smirking smiles.
Eugene glanced at Rapunzel, who appeared to be smiling the widest. "You're enjoying this too much, aren't you?"
Rapunzel nodded. "Yup."
With his arms flailing and his lungs nearly bursting from excessive screaming, Gruber raced across the bridge. He nearly reached the tower's oak doors when the dragon once more intercepted him. Once more, the force from its landing knocked him onto his rear.
The dragon raised its front leg and swatted the prince across the bridge's span. Gruber tried to lift himself, but having become so battered and beaten, could not find the strength to do so. He could only remain where he lay as the dragon scurried toward him.
The dragon stomped across with thunderous footsteps. Each step reverberated the entire ancient structure and the pillars lined along each side. These pillars soon toppled onto the bridge and crashed atop the dragon, their rubble crushing it with their weight, and sending dust flying into the air, enveloping and obscuring its entire figure. After the last of the rubble fell and the dust settled, Gruber raised his cowering head and cautiously pried open one eye.
"The dragon's dead?" Both his eyes shot open as he surveyed the ruins before him with the dragon buried underneath it. He promptly stood, leaned upon his sword, and cleared his throat.
"Of course, it's dead!" he boasted, placing his hand against his chest. "For I, the brave Gruber, have defeated it. Certainly, this feat will serve as the climax to my story on how I rescued the fair princess, marrying her and living happily ever after."
He rose his sword and struck a triumphant pose. So enamored was the vain prince in his delusions of grandeur that he failed to see the dragon's head rise out of the rubble and lurch toward him. He barely uttered the last word when the beast opened its mouth and unleashed a fiery breath that scorched him entirely. He let out an ungodly screech as he became engulfed in green flame like the wick of a candle. What little remained of him was promptly gobbled upon by the beast, which lurched forward and swallowed him up with one bite.
Susan and the others could only look away as the dragon burnt the prince like a marshmallow and ate him whole like a freshly-cooked s'more. When the deed had been done, they turned to see it licking its lips with a satisfying slurp.
"Well," Eugene said. "At least it's full. I doubt it'll be hungry for anything else."
The dragon roared before lurching to snap at the others, forcing them to leap back.
"I take it back. This dragon wants seconds. And thirds. And fourths. And fifths. And pretty much the entire human buffet."
With each fragment he uttered, Eugene and the others took a cautious step back as the dragon shook away the fallen rubble and began inching towards them. Soon it reared its head back, opened its mouth, and unleashed yet another fiery breath.
The five evaded the attack by ducking behind a fallen column. They could feel the heat from the flames licking the other side of the stone pillar. Each of them ducked low with their legs pressed against their stomachs and their eyes forced shut.
"What are we going to do now?" Susan raised her head.
Phillip sat on one knee and carefully peered over the column at the approaching dragon.
"I have plenty of experience killing dragons, but if we're going to defeat this one, we'll need to work together."
Aurora sat up next to him and peered at the looming beast. "We'll need a distraction. Preferably something wild and unruly to divert its attention."
Eugene rushed over the column in a single leap. "Leave it to me!"
He cupped both hands to his mouth. "Hey, you giant ugly lizard! Wasn't your mother turned into a handbag?"
The dragon replied with a roar, then thrust its head forward to snap at him. Eugene leaped away from its attack.
"Ha! You missed!"
Once more, the beast snapped at him.
"Missed again. Are you as blind as you're stupid?"
The dragon retaliated by unleashing another breath of fire.
Eugene leaped away from the flame and onto the dragon's head. He straddled its neck as a rancher would straddle a bull. Even as the beast whipped its head back and forth, he remained sitting upon it, covering its eyes with his hands.
"Guess who? I'll give you three guesses and the first two don't count."
As Eugene kept the dragon blinded and distracted, Rapunzel and Aurora rushed from their hiding spots and flanked it. Rapunzel unfurled her golden hair and snared its neck like a lasso; Aurora swung her sword, her blade extending into the rosewhip that likewise ensnared its neck, the metal bits digging deep into its flesh. Both women pulled back to hold the dragon's head and neck as still as they could.
"Alright," Rapunzel struggled to keep her grip. "We have it tied down, but not for long."
"Quick!" Aurora replied. "Attack it now while we can still hold it."
Susan looked at Phillip. "I guess that's your cue, huh?"
Phillip glanced back at her. "Actually, I believe it's yours."
Susan blinked. "What?"
The prince put his sword in her hand. "Maria is your friend. You should be the one to deliver the final blow and rescue her."
Rapunzel grunted, struggling to keep her grip. "Hurry! We can only hold for so long."
Susan glanced at her rapier, then at Phillip. He smiled and nodded. She nodded back.
Giving the loudest yell she ever screamed at the top of her lungs, she raced forward and, in a single thrust, plunged the blade deep into the dragon's chest.
The dragon likewise screamed as the blade pierced its heart. The pain forced it to lurch its head back, flinging Eugene off, and releasing itself from Rapunzel's hair and Aurora's rosewhip. All three fell to the ground as the beast flailed about in its death throes. Soon it keeled over limp and lifeless and disappeared in a puff of green smoke.
Only the sword that slew it remained lying on the ground. The others lifted themselves and dusted themselves off. Susan remained where she stood, heaving in a heavy breath. She still couldn't believe what she had done, but smiled when she finally realized it.
"I did it! Or rather, we did it."
The others gathered around her to congratulate her on a job well done.
"Well, the good news is that the witch is gone," Phillip said.
"But the bad news is that so is Prince Gruber," Aurora added.
"Is that really bad news, though?" Eugene asked.
"Yeah," Rapunzel asked. "Not to sound heartless, but I'm not exactly sad he's gone."
Susan nodded. "Hard to disagree with you there."
She then gazed at the tower looming before them. "What matters is that we get to Maria and rescue her."
The others nodded and raced with her to the tower's entrance.
Once, twice, three times Eugene and Phillip rammed themselves against the oaken doors at the top of the staircase. Upon the third thrust, the two princes pried them open. Susan, Rapunzel, and Aurora swiftly passed through with the two princes following after.
The five entered a vacant room save for a stone altar. There, glowing under the sunlight streaming through the stained-glass window, was Princess Marianna. She lay motionless, still, silent, her eyes shut, her mouth unmoving. Not even her chest rose or fell with breath, if she were even breathing at all. She appeared more like a statue than someone sleeping.
"Maria!" Susan called out, her arm outstretched, her voice echoing against the walls
If Maria were sleeping, not even the resounding voice of her closest friend could rouse her from her slumber.
Susan rushed to the altar and knelt next to Maria's side. The lady-in-waiting placed her arm against the sleeping princess' shoulder and shook it several times. In normal circumstances, this would have woken her; yet she remained unaroused.
Phillip knelt next to Susan. The prince gently placed his hand against Maria's temple. Her skin felt cold as clay to his warm touch. Aurora walked to the opposite side of the altar. She placed two fingers against the sleeping princess's neck. She did not sense a pulse. She then used both fingers to pry open one eye. The dilated pupil stared back cold, unflinching.
"There's no mistake," Aurora released both eyelids as they snapped shut. "She's in the same enchanted slumber Maleficent placed me under."
"Indeed," Philip nodded. "Then the only thing that will awaken her is true love's kiss, the same kiss I gave you to awaken you from that same enchantment."
Aurora smiled upon remembering that fond memory, but frowned upon realizing their current predicament.
"Yes, but there is no one to give her that kiss. The prince who would have kissed her is no longer with us."
"Not going to lie," Eugene scratched the back of his head and jerked his thumb to the door, "but even if our prince hadn't become a dragon's hors d'oeuvre, I doubt his kiss would have woken our princess here."
Rapunzel nodded. "Can't disagree with you there. Gruber didn't seem to have any real affections for Maria, and Maria didn't exactly share any affections for him either, so his kiss wouldn't have been true love."
"Aye, that's the rub," Phillip stood as Aurora joined him. "And unfortunately, none of us know her that well to have even a platonic love for her, so none of us can rouse her."
Aurora nodded, taking his hand. "The only kiss that can awaken her is the kiss of true love. The only person who can give her that would be someone who truly cares for her, someone who has known her for a long time, and someone who shares with her the deepest bond. Only a person like that can give her true love's kiss."
As soon as she said that, she, Phillip, Eugene, and Rapunzel shot a glance at—
"Me?" Susan asked as they cast their gazes upon them.
"Susan," Rapunzel said. "You've known Maria for the longest time. You said the two of you have been close friends ever since you were kids."
"Indeed," Aurora said. "You've said yourself how deeply you care for her, and she hinted to us that she cares deeply for you."
Susan blushed. "Well, yes, but—"
"If what you say is true," Phillip replied, "then the two of you share a close, personal bond together—a bond of love."
Eugene nodded. "Yeah. You love her. She loves you. You love each other. It's love—true love."
Susan continued to blush brighter and brighter. "Of course, I do. But, I mean, we're just friends, I don't love her that way. I—"
Within her chest she felt a surge of emotions rise inside her until she could no longer keep them contained, releasing them through an exacerbated moan.
"Oh, who am I kidding? I can't pretend any longer. Yes, Maria and I have been close ever since we were little. I've felt we've shared a close, personal bond, almost as if we're sisters. But I feel we're more than that. I care about her. Really care about her. A lot. Not just as a friend. More than that. I love her. Really love her. Very much!"
She gasped upon realizing what she said. Blushing even further, she asked, "None of you think that's strange, do you?"
Aurora shook her head and hummed, "nm-mm!"
"Of course not," Phillip added.
"Why would we?" Eugene shrugged with arms crossed.
"Love is love," Rapunzel finished.
Susan sighed with relief. "Thank you all for understanding. I've needed to let that off my chest for the longest time. You don't know how relieved it feels to finally confess my true feelings."
Rapunzel nodded. "I'm sure Maria would love to hear that too, once you wake her."
Eugene motioned to the sleeping princess with a bow. "Your princess awaits, milady!"
Susan blushed as she curtseyed. She approached her sleeping friend—or rather, her sleeping love—and knelt by her side. She glanced at her sleeping face, still, quiet, calm. Susan had gazed upon that face many times before, but this was the first time she looked at it honestly for what it was: as the face of someone she loved.
She gave a gulp. "I hope this works."
With a deep sigh, her heart pounding furiously, she closed her eyes, gently lowered her head, and kissed Maria. At first, her sleeping love's lips felt cold to the touch, but as hers lingered there for a few seconds, they began to warm. Susan then felt the rest of Maria's body regain heat.
Parting her lips away, she gazed upon the sleeping princess. She noticed her lips begin to quiver, her chest rise and fall, and her eyes dart back and forth under her eyelids before opening.
Maria blinked several times as she awoke. Her eyes peered back into those looking into her own, and the two of them smiled at each other.
"Maria!" Susan pounced upon her loved one in an embrace, one that Maria soon reciprocated as she embraced her lady-in-waiting.
Aurora and Philip sighed in relief. Eugene smirked satisfyingly with arms crossed. Rapunzel folded her hands together and raised them to her sparkling eyes and smiling lips, eliciting an "aw!"
Maria pulled away from the embrace of her friend and looked upon her with brows raised.
"Susan?" she asked, her waking voice cracking. "What happened? Where am I? The last thing I remembered was being taken away by that witch. Everything else after that was a blur."
Susan clasped her friend by the shoulders and gazed longingly into her eyes.
"Bruja Dama placed you under a sleeping curse. The one where only true love's kiss can wake you."
"Really? Who kissed me?" Maria asked before gasping in horror. "Oh, please don't tell me it was Gruber."
Susan laughed and shook her head. "No. He's dead. Eaten by a dragon. Long story."
Maria wiped the sweat from her brow and exhaled a sharp "phew!"
"¡Qué alivio! I'm so glad he's not my true love." The expression on her face shifted from relief to befuddlement. "But if he didn't kiss me, who did?"
Susan smiled and placed her hand against her heart. "I did."
Maria blinked several times before pointing at her friend. "You? You kissed me? Then—that means you—you're my true love?"
Susan looked down nervously, then back at her best friend. "Can I say something crazy?"
Maria stared at Susan for a few seconds before silently nodding.
Susan inhaled deeply through her nose. "We've been friends since forever. You know that? Right? We've been as close as sisters. And I've always valued our friendship as something special. But I've always wondered if it was more than that. I've been wondering that for the longest time. Now after trekking all the way here to save you from a witch turned into a dragon, I've realized that our friendship is more than that. I don't just like you as a friend. I love you—like, love you, love you! And I always will."
At this point, Susan was blushing the brightest red and trying her best not to look her friend—her love—in the eye. As much as she wanted to keep her gaze averted, she inevitably had to return it.
"I hope that's not too crazy?"
Maria pursed her lips, gazed down, then returned her gaze into her friend's eyes.
"Can I say something even crazier?"
Susan blinked several times before answering, "Yes."
Maria smiled, and replied, "I feel the same way, too."
No sooner had she said that, Maria leaned over and proudly planted her lips onto those of her friend—or rather, her love. Susan blinked a few moments in astonishment before closing her eyes and welcomingly embracing Maria's lips. She placed her hand against Maria's cheek as the two remained lip locked for several long seconds.
A loud squeal interrupted their alone time, and the two withdrew from each other's kiss. They saw Rapunzel gleefully squealing with her eyes closed, her hands raised to her blushing face, and with her spinning in a full circle upon her tiptoes. The other three merely gazed longingly and happily at the couple.
Maria gasped. "You all are here, too?"
Susan smiled at her. "They helped me get here and defeat Bruja Dama."
Maria pointed at the princes and princesses looking at them. "None of you think this is odd, do you? You know, a girl like me and a girl like her—"
Rapunzel could only shake her head, her hand trying—and failing—to conceal her smile. The other three simply shook their heads.
"Well," Maria said. "I'm glad you all understand. I just hope my father does. I doubt he will. I can only imagine what he would think."
Rapunzel placed her hand upon Maria's shoulder. "I'm sure if your father loves you very much, he will."
"What do you mean Prince Gruber is dead?"
Susan, Maria, and the others returned to the palace and reported the news to the King. Judging from the way he tugged on his hair, he did not take the news lightly. Neither did the Duke of Weselton, both his hands pressed against either side of his face.
The six other royals shared looks, wondering how to reply. Eugene took the initiative to step forward, cupping one hand in the air.
"Well, to put it simply, he has passed on. This Prince is no more. He has ceased to be. He's expired and gone to meet his ma—"
"Enough!" King Hernandez barked, face bright red, forcing Eugene to slink back.
"This is a disaster!" The King tossed his hands in the air. "I plan the biggest wedding in the kingdom so that my daughter can finally marry, and her groom gets eaten alive by a dragon. How can there be a wedding if there's no prince for her to marry?"
"We can still have a wedding, Papa." Maria raised a finger. "I can marry my true love, the one who rescued me from Bruja Dama and woke me from the curse."
"But Prince Gruber is dead." The King cupped both hands in the air. "You can't marry someone dead."
Maria shook her head. "Gruber's not my true love. He's not the one who rescued me."
"But if he's not your true love," her father asked, "Then who is?"
"She is," Maria replied, pointing to—
"Susanna?" The King could hardly believe her answer. She might as well have said she wanted to marry a rock. "Your lady-in-waiting? You want to marry her?"
"Yes, I do." Maria clasped Susan's hands. "We've known each other since we were little. I thought I only liked her as a friend. But now I know that I love her, very much. There's no one else in this kingdom who knows and loves and cares for me more than she does. And I know and love and care for her as well. That's why I want to be with her together, forever!"
Susan clasped Maria's hands. "And there's nothing I want more than to be together, forever, with you." She turned to face her. "I love you, Maria!"
Maria gazed longingly into her eyes. "I love you, too, Susan!"
They both exchanged a kiss, eliciting an "aww!" from the others.
The King, banging upon his throne's armrests, did not share their sentiment.
"This is an outrage!" he barked. "Do you even hear yourself talk? Are you un poco loco? Never mind the fact she's a woman: she's a lowly scullery maid."
"I don't care," Maria leered at him as she embraced Susan. "I love her regardless."
"You would rather marry a chambermaid than a prince?"
"I'd rather marry someone I know and love rather than someone I've only met and whom I don't love. That is what true love is."
"I do not care." The King flung both arms before him in disapproval. "I simply will not allow it."
As the King seethed in anger, and the couple gazed forlornly at each other, Rapunzel stepped forward and curtseyed.
"Your majesty!" she said, rising. "Forgive me, if you will, but I wish to voice my support of Princess Marianna and her decision to marry her true love. She has my blessing and the support of the Kingdom of Corona."
Aurora likewise curtseyed. "Your majesty, if you will: I, too, wish to express my support for her. She also has my blessing and the support of the Kingdom of Talia."
"Dear princesses," The King rubbed his temple as he cupped one hand. "With all due respect, while you two may have authority over your respective kingdoms, your authority has no power here within mine."
Aurora crossed her arms. "We may not have authority in this kingdom, but our fathers have authority over our own. And if you insist on forbidding Princess Marianna from marrying her true love, then we will implore our fathers to reconsider our kingdoms' relations with your kingdom."
The King furrowed his brow as he clenched both of his armrests. "What are you implying?"
Rapunzel smirked, crossing her arms. "Simple: if you don't let your daughter marry whom she wants, then we'll ask our fathers to cut ties with your kingdom."
The King cupped his hand once more. "You would have your fathers forfeit our trade agreements just so my daughter can marry some lowly chambermaid?"
Aurora nodded. "We'd prefer that our kingdoms only do business with other kingdoms that are forward-thinking and not tied to antiquated notions of marriage, especially those tied to blind bigotry and prejudice."
The King began rubbing his temples once more. "Both of your kingdoms have been trade partners with my kingdom for years. Cutting ties with us would devastate our economy."
Eugene stepped forward, arms crossed, smirking. "Well, then, I guess you have to decide whether you care about your daughter as much as you care about your kingdom's economy."
Phillip stepped forward. "It's the current year, your highness. You're living in the past. I suggest you and your kingdom come join the rest of us living in the present."
The King furrowed his brows further and massaged his temples harder as his face glowed redder and redder. Unable to withstand the pressure any further, he released a long, heavy sigh.
"Alright! Fine!" He flicked his wrist in defeat. "Maria, you're free to marry Susanna. Heaven knows we have to do something with this wedding I planned."
His answer prompted Maria and Susan to embrace once more and kiss each other in celebration while the others gave a hearty cheer. While the King was not visibly pleased, even more displeased was the Duke.
"B-b-but your Highness," he sputtered, "What about our trade offer? What about the Southern Isles?"
The King could only gesticulate to him. "You're all free to attend the wedding, too!"
"But Prince Gruber—"
"Is obviously unable to attend, now isn't he?"
The Duke could only faceplant at this utter humiliation. He clasped both hands over his face and knelt forward, causing his hair to flip off his head.
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