Chapter 4: The Woman of Her Dreams

The next day, Briar Rose didn't speak to her aunts. She woke up earlier than usual, took her basket which she filled with some food and a flask of water, and she fled to the forest, her only shelter, far away from this life made of lies.

She was a princess, and her aunts were no aunts. Her name was not Briar Rose. And she was dreaming every night about a strange woman who scared her as much as she attracted her. But this dream was the only thing she could hold on to. It must mean something...
This voice... She couldn't do anything but listen to it. Rose had believed this woman, this witch, this demon, or whatever she was. She couldn't say why, but she knew, deep inside, that she didn't lie to her. The life she had lived was not hers, her whole childhood was nothing but a beautiful and meanless illusion.
And now, all she had to do was to understand.
When she arrived into her beloved woods, she started singing. She hoped the mysterious woman would hear her call and come to her, like the day before...

''I wonder...''

Why her aunts had lied to her? Rose clenched her fists.

''I wonder...''

Why all of this had been just a lie? She closed her eyes.

''If I could, like pretty mermaids...''

The young girl opened her eyes and looked at the birds who were surrounding her. Oh God! They were so lucky. At least, they were free.

''Sing desire...''

Desire... Her dream... The woman of her dreams... Her... She wanted it. All of it.

''To the woman...''

That terrifying woman. But yet, so beautiful...

''Who haunts my...''

Her body and her soul. Not a second could pass that she didn't see her face...

''My nights, in ever—''

''—lasting dreams.''

Oh, those dreams! If only they could come true! If only she could see this woman, talk to her... If only that shadow could touch her, and take her with her...
They never stopped, not a single night. These dreams were so sweet, so hypnotizing, so appealing... All she wanted to be true was just an illusion, and all she wished never existed was too much real.
She would probably never see that woman again. She would perhaps die before, or she would simply fall into an eternal slumber. Why stay in this world, anyway? All of it was nothing but a lie. She was not Briar Rose, she was not a peasant, her parents were not dead and Flora, Fauna and Merryweather were not her aunts. And she was going to die soon, putting an end to this life of nonsense. The evil fairy who cursed her had surely no idea of the great favour she had done to her!
Rose realised, while she was crossing the cliff walking on a large felled tree trunk, that salty, bitter tears were running down her cheeks. Tears of despair, or anger maybe. Now that she finally knew the real sense of her life, she had to give up on it...to die.
When she arrived on the other side of the ravine, she went towards the edge of the hill, where her favorite oak tree stood, this beautiful and tall tree where she loved to rest. And she kept singing, her purple eyes lost in the immense landscape in front of her.

''I wonder...''

How would it be if everything were different?

''I wonder...''

''Why could not everything stop right here and then?

''If my voice could tell her...''

Oh! She wanted to tell her so many things... Please, tell me everything you know! Please, don't lie to me! How do you know all of this? Who are you? Why can't I stop seeing you in my dreams?

''Come to me...''

Yes, she wanted to see that stranger who was haunting her dreams one last time before her death.

''Please get out...''

May she appear in front of her, now.

''Of the shadows...''

May she stop hiding from her.

''I shall...''

I am Briar Rose. No. I shall be a princess. No, it can't be. I will be Aurora. No. I am nothing.
Rose crossed her arms on the oak tree branch and put her head upon her arms, her gaze setting on the horizon, drops of water shining in the corner of her eyes.

''Be her sleeping...''

''...beauty.''

She burst into tears. She was going to die. She was going to sleep for all eternity. She would never see the woman of her dreams.

All of a sudden, she raised her head, alerted by a cracking sound in her back. She turned around slowly...
She couldn't hold back a cry of surprise.
The dark shadow, the unattainable shape, the graceful ghost, the creature of her dreams...
She was here.

Here, right in front of her.

She was tall, slim, all dressed in black with a touch of dark purple on her loose sleeves. Her immense dress was falling down and the fabric was spreading all around her feet, covering her entire body.

Her staff overcome by a yellow ball which she was holding fiercely in her left hand served as a perch to a raven as black as night who was staring at Rose, bending his head, curious. Her other hand with a skin so white it looked like an eerie green was stroking the frightening bird's feathers.

Her lips as red as blood were distorted into a cruel grin. Her long and thin head had two symmetrical horns on its top. Her chin was lifted defiantly.

No doubt.

It's her.

Finally, the beautiful creature opened her mouth...

''Please, do save your vocal cords, princess. As you can see, I am here, right in front of you. I came 'out of the shadows'. So, what is it you want?'' The voice Rose knew too well said in an amused tone.

''I...I...'' The young girl sputtered, scared by the presence of the woman who had only been a shadow in a dream since now. ''I...Oh!'' Her voice broke into a sob of fear while she took one step backwards.

She wanted to meet her so much, but now that she was right in front of her, she didn't know what to do nor what to think anymore.

All of a sudden, Maleficent vanished into thin air, leaving Rose speechless, catching her breath, before she appeared again the next second a few inches away from the young woman.

Her face devoid of any emotion bent towards the princess, whose back was leaning desperately upon the oak tree. At that very instant, Rose didn't know whether she would rather disappear or stay here, her body pined against the bark of the tree, at the mercy of this indestructible creature.

''Oh. Did I scare you? Forgive me, princess. I didn't mean to frighten you,'' The woman apologized in an ironic voice, letting out a blow which instantly immobilized Rose who was still struggling to find the strength to breath.

''I...I... I'm not afraid of you,'' The young girl tried, looking down for she couldn't look into the devilish woman's black eyes.

''Oh, really? I don't scare you, princess?'' The smooth voice sneered as red thin lips pursed into a mocking grin.

Rose slowly raised her head to look at the woman she saw in her dreams, so many times. A green hand wearing a dark ring set upon the tree, right next to the young girl's face. The black body of the thin shape came closer, so close Rose felt the black and purple fabric caressing her arms, her hips, her breast... She couldn't avert her gaze from those red lips, which were getting closer and closer.

Oh God! They are so close...

''Not even...a little?'' The scarlet mouth whispered against the princess' cheek, her breath warming up Rose's trembling lips.

A hand took her wrist. Rose managed to look away from this mouth as red as blood to look at Maleficent's dark pupils, which were not setting on the young girl's purple eyes anymore. They seemed frozen, busy staring at something, some place lower than her eyes...

Of course. My lips...

Rose closed her eyes. A mere second later, they fluttered opened. She was losing her mind, she was sure of that.

''N-No.'' She reached to say in a breath, her look finally fixed on the fairy's bottomless gaze.

The lips suddenly pulled away, the pressure upon her wrist vanished, the hand set next to her cheek disappeared. Maleficent had faded away. Rose sighed deeply, before she let herself slide along the trunk, and fell to her knees, her head leaning against the tree. Tears was flowing down her cheeks endlessly. She couldn't tell if it was tears of joy, or tears of fear. But she had succeeded. She had looked into the dark woman's eyes. She had survived.

''You must know I feel quite distressed,'' a voice declared, a few meters away from Rose.

Briar Rose slowly raised her head. The fairy had come back into sight in front of her, looking at her in curiosity, frowning slightly.

''I beg your pardon?'' Rose questioned her, widening her eyes, faithless.

''Well, I usually don't hear someone telling me they are not afraid of me while looking right into my eyes,'' Maleficent argued in a sceptic voice, raising one eyebrow.

''Oh. Then, please forgive my boldness, but... Why is scaring people so important to you?'' Rose dared to ask, looking down.

Maleficent opened her mouth, but she shut it instantly. She frowned again and took a step towards the young princess, reducing the distance between them.

''You are very curious, princess... Cheeky girl.'' The black fairy chuckled darkly, smiling as she stroke the raven's wings, which was still perched on the top of her staff.

''I...I am sorry... I— My aunts always tell me I ask too many questions,'' Rose muttered as she felt heat gradually spreading across her face.

''Perhaps because they cannot give the answers to your questions. But I can,'' the woman said as her red lips curved into a sugary and charming smile.

Maleficent took a last step towards the tree against which the young girl was leaning and reached out to Rose, who glanced up at her quizzically, before she took the outstretched hand hesitantly. The wicked fairy helped her getting up.

Once the young girl back on her feet, the frightening woman dragged Rose towards her, pulling sharply on her hand. Rose couldn't dare to cross the impenetrable gaze of this fantastic creature, nonetheless she managed, with all the efforts of the world, to look up at Maleficent's stony face, so close to hers...

Then, even though she didn't know why Briar Rose fisted fiercely the fairy's cloak's purple lining at the bust level and drew the older woman slowly towards her in a firm gesture. The black woman was forced to lean down even closer towards the princess, a glow of shock in her eyes, but fast erased by an amused smile. She seemed to rather enjoy this turnaround situation.

''You are the answer to all of my questions. That is why I dream about you every night. Aren't you?'' Rose whispered, her voice shaking, unable to look away from Maleficent's black eyes.

The long black shape raised a hand ended with red nails, which she slid into the younger woman's hair. She wrapped her bony fingers behind her neck, drawing Rose's face towards her.

''Of course, princess. Don't forget who I am. I am the woman of your dreams, after all...'' Maleficent's icy voice murmured into the girl's ear.

Rose was frozen to place, petrified with horror and longing.

Thus, the princess felt herself invaded by an oppressive green smoke which smothered her, tightening her throat, to such an extend that she thought her trachea was going to explode. She released reluctantly the black fabric of the mysterious creature's dress, who was escaping her once again.

Rose lost herself in a coughing fit which doubled her over, forcing her to fall on her knees.

The last thing she distinguished in the dying green light was a toothy grin tugging at mesmerizing red, red lips.

She had the vague feeling her body tipped backwards. She thought she was going to hit the ground, yet she felt a far more smooth, cold touch which caught her with strength and agility, keeping her above the earth in an enchanting embrace.

Then...

Darkness.

Briar Rose lost consciousness.


When Briar Rose opened her eyes, she was lying on her bed, in the cottage she occupied with her aunts—well, the three women who raised her. The room was plunged into thick darkness, the shutters were closed, and the door shut, as if the young woman never got up and fled into the woods a few hours ago.

She sighed deeply and slip her arms over the sheets, folding her hands upon her belly.

What if all of this had been just a dream, after all?

Today, she didn't know how to distinguish between the false and the true. What if she was really the daughter of humble peasants who died when she was two, and then have been adopted by her mother's sisters? What if this mysterious woman all dressed in black had never existed, but in her wildest dreams? What if she was nothing but one of her mind's creations to escape this gray and boring daily life?

She didn't know anymore.

She straightened to lean against the pillow. Then her throat tightened, like caught in a vice, and she couldn't hold a coughing attack which tore her chest apart. She put her fingers before her mouth and as she removed them, she felt something into the palm of her hands.

She disregarded the white sheets on the bed, got up slowly to walk towards the window and opened the shutters by an elbow strike, while keeping her hands joined together. When a ray of light finally entered the bedroom, Rose let out a gasp of surprise.

A greenish dust rested in the hollow of her palms.

Then, she remembered the evil fairy dressed in black and purple, so close to her, her red lips whispering temptingly in her ears, her sweet and green hands intertwined in her hair, her smooth voice fading away gradually, the smoke all around her, the pain in her lungs and her throat, then nothing.

So, it wasn't a dream. But, then...

Before she could consider the question, the door opened on her three aunts.

Flora first, like always, she told to herself bitterly.

Rose sat on her bed, tired of thinking.

''Rose, finally you're awake!'' The old woman all dressed in red cried out. ''It's almost midday! Everything was closed, we believed we should let you sleep, but— Is everything alright, darling? You are so pale!'' She enquired in a worried voice as she came closer to the young girl.

''Oh, poor child!'' Merryweather added in a compassionate tone, putting a hand on Rose's shoulder.

''She may be ill,'' Fauna suggested, her voice filled with concern as she touched the girl's forehead with the back of her hand. ''God! She is burning!''

''Rose, darling, I think you should stay in bed for a while...'' Flora started.

''Yes, we are leaving for a few days to visit an old friend who lives far away from here, at the border of the North Kingdom.'' Merryweather nodded.

''But—'' Rose tried in a husky voice.

''But we won't let her all alone for three days?!'' Fauna objected in a soft voice, while stroking Rose's cheek.

''We have to, dear. See for yourself, she is unable to go on a journey with us,'' Flora said, throwing an eye towards the young woman who was staring at the floor in silence.

''But...letting her alone here would be unconscious, Flora!'' Merryweather contradicted her. ''Anybody could enter! And what if she got out? There are too many dangers, who knows what could happen during our absence...?''

Flora remained silent for a while, scratching her head, lost in thought.

''You are right,'' she finally admitted. ''We will shut the doors and the windows and bring the key with us, so that no one would come in and Rose won't be exposed to any risk.''

''But, Flora... We cannot lock Rose up into the house for three days...! How will she go pick some fruits? You know how much she loves to wander into the woods!'' Fauna tried to reason her.

''Yes, we cannot let her here for three days,'' Merryweather agreed. ''How will she eat, and—''

''Well, we will leave her with some supply, obviously! In less than three days, we will be back. My ladies, our little protégée will soon reach sixteen years, we must remember that. She can survive alone in this house for three days,'' Flora's authoritative voice cut them off.

''But...'' Merryweather started.

''What do you think, Fauna?'' Flora interrupted her as she looked at the little woman dressed in green.

''Yes, you are right,'' Fauna muttered, staring at her feet, as if reluctantly, feeling the gaze of her two sisters upon her, waiting for her to settle their dispute.

''Very well!'' Flora concluded cheerfully. ''Now, let's collect our things. It is already late! Rose, darling, don't worry, we will be back soon enough. Everything will be alright,'' Flora reassured her with a smile before she left the bedroom.

''We will give you everything you need and some things to distract yourself on the kitchen table,'' Merryweather promised her before she kissed her cheek gently and walked down the stairs.

Briar Rose remained silent, her purple gaze still locked at the floor, filled with untold weariness. Fauna took her hand and stoke her cheek fondly.

''Rose, my dear child, I am sorry we have to leave you alone for three days. I promise you I will do everything I can for us to come back as soon as possible. Oh! Here, if something goes wrong, blow into this and I will hear you,'' her aunt told her with a comforting smile before she put a little white bird-shaped whistle into Rose's hand who blinked at her in astonishment.

''Everything will be alright, I promise you,'' Fauna repeated, as if she wanted to convince herself. She kissed the young girl's cheek too and got out of the room hesitantly, before she closed the wooden door behind her.

Rose nodded, sat on her bed, alone in the dark, whereas her aunts had left for a while already. She didn't know what to say. She had nothing to say, and she couldn't say anything. She would stay locked up in here for three days and no one would know. Not even...

No. Don't think about her.

A tear rolled down her cheek. Like always, she was powerless, unable to take her fate into her own hands and say ''No.'' once and for all.

She went in front of the window to observe her aunts leaving the house and walking away into the forest. She rubbed her hands together before she dusted them against her nightgown. None of the three women looked back.

Rose turned around, she laid down on the bed again, lowered the blanket over her and wrapped up in the sheets. She didn't want to move anymore, she didn't want to talk, she didn't want to think.

She only wanted to sleep, sleep, and never wake up.

Suddenly, the shutters closed in a banging noise, plunging the room into darkness once more. A green glow arose from a corner of the bedroom.

Rose straightened and sat up, folding the blanket upon her, covering her whole body including her neck. She waited, her heart pounding in her chest, not daring to breath.

A black shape appeared slowly, emerging from the greenish light. The shadow got closer towards the bed where the young girl was curling herself, breathless.

Then, she thought she saw a green hand with a black ring, holding a staff, a long dark and purple dress, a pale face overcame by two horns on its top, lips as red as blood, frozen into an eternal terrifying and heartless smile.

''You.'' Rose murmured in a trembling voice, tightening the sheets against her chest.

''Yes, it is me. At your service, Your Highness,'' said the deep and smooth voice sarcastically. The creature of darkness made a graceful and ironic curtsy in front of the younger woman.

''I...I am dreaming, am I not?'' Rose asked hesitantly as she closed her eyes before opening them again to look right into the dark and shiny eyes of the frightening fairy.

''Oh! No you aren't, princess. The woman of your dreams, I fear, is very well real,'' the enchanting voice whispered.

Rose closed her eyes again, struggling to believe the events she was witnessing.

When she opened her eyes, she restrained a scream. The ghostly shadow was bent over her. What happened next went so fast...

It seemed so real...and yet impossible.

She felt an icy hand at the beginning of her neck, freezing her blood in her veins. Rose, petrified by fear, couldn't perform the slightest gesture to keep herself away from those thin fingers. She stood still, staring at the ceiling with her eyes wide opened, while the cold and sweet hand slid, slowly caressing the neck, then the throat of the young girl. Her heart stopped, her legs stiffened, her arms muscles contracted all together...

Then, Briar Rose had a sudden movement, quick and inexplicable. Without thinking, she took that hand whose touch made her lose her mind, without knowing whether she wanted her to stop, or, on the contrary, she wished it would never stop. She was derived from her disturbing thoughts by a cynic sneer which rang not far from her ears.

An other long and thin hand caressed down slowly the young girl's cheek.

''So, what do you say, princess?'' Maleficent's voice purred in her ear. ''Am I worthy of the woman of your dreams?'' She asked smoothly as Rose's hand grabbed the green fingers which were walking through her cheek, preventing at all costs that soft hand with a bewitching touch from going away.

''Yes,'' she breathed.

She felt a long finger varnished with red on her lips, forcing her to be quiet.

Rose kept quiet, for she didn't have the courage to keep talking, and she didn't know what to say anyway. She was impossibly powerless in the hands of this wicked fairy.

Then, since she had no other choice, she gave herself over the contact of those icy and yet warm hands.

A finger was drawing the contour of Rose's mouth in a slow and sensual dance. The young girl couldn't prevent herself from sighing with delight.

A long and deep sigh of pleasure, a little voice in her mind was torturing her.

You know you want it, Aurora.

She merely distinguished Maleficent's red lips curled up upon radiant white teeth. A wide smile of satisfaction, as if she already knew the sinful thoughts which were now overwhelming her brain.

Of course I know... The voice continued.

Briar Rose's eyelids fluttered closed. She believed she heared a murmur against her lips. Or maybe was it in her mind too?

''Sweet Aurora...''

Finally, she fell into the world of limbo, letting herself be enchanted by this languid voice and those delicious hands until her mind couldn't take it anymore...