Chapter 8: The Impostor

Maleficent sighed deeply as she stretched a thin hand towards her minions who were wriggling behind her, talking all at the same time, hoping to get their dear Mistress' attention.

She slowly turned her head towards her most faithful servant. The black bird was flying around her horns in circles and croaking loudly in her ears without stopping, probably trying to bring the wicked fairy back to her senses.

All of a sudden, Maleficent turned away from the window of stone and faced all her slaves.

''SILENCE!'' She yelled senselessly at both Diablo and the little ugly monsters.

They shut their mouth all together. The raven flew away and shielded himself behind a prominent stone of the wall while Maleficent's minions either threw themselves to the floor, or hid in different dark corners of the throne room, terrified.

She didn't know what they all wanted from her. They wanted to go after the princess Aurora and bring her back to the Forbidden Mountains. They could not understand why she had let her go.

Poor fools, you don't understand a thing, Maleficent thought with disdain.

Then she focused her attention on what aroused so much her servants' thrill, she grasped her staff with a firm hand.

The yellow ball revealed in a greenish smoke the princess' body, kicking around between brambles and bushes. The girl was running without thinking, lead by an inexplicable force. Tears were soiling her pink cheeks. But she didn't seem to feel the pain.

The wicked fairy gritted her teeth.

''Very well! Let her leave! I won't stop her!'' She snapped angrily.

She heard hesitant footsteps coming towards her. A shaking, husky voice raised in her back.

''But, uh... Mistress, you— Uh, I mean... Maybe you shoudn't let her go. She's your prisoner, she belongs to you. And, uh... I-I think the little girl likes you, so uh...'' Hector stuttered miserably.

Maleficent abruptly turned around in a harsh and theatrical move.

''Shut up, you idiot!'' She cut him off sharply. ''Who do you think you are to tell me what I must do?! I let the princess Aurora go in order to serve my own interests. I acted that way to allow my curse to fulfill, as I always wanted. And nothing nor nobody could ever stop me from getting what I want!'' She lifted her scepter above the imp's head as she threw a death glare at him.

Hector ducked his head shamefully and stepped backwards carefully before he joined his comrades, far away from the Mistress' fearsome fury.

Maleficent turned away from her servants, causing her cloak to fly in her wake. She groaned as she hit the rocky ground with her staff.

''GET OUT! IMBECILES! WORTHLESS FOOLS! GET OUT! ALL OF YOU!'' She shouted madly, the powerful sound of her uncontrollable voice echoing against all the fortress' walls.

One second later, the throne hall was deserted, except from the fairy's presence who walked to her throne in which she sat with nonchalance and weariness.

Aurora must pay for defying her. She deserved what was happening to her. She could not win. No. No one could ever defeat the Mistresss of all Evil.

She shall triumph, at any cost, even if that lead Aurora straight to her death.

This child had caused too much damage already. Maleficent couldn't suffer her influence anymore. She needed nothing nor no one, she listened to nobody and she acted in nobody's interests but her own.

The wicked fairy made the princess' vision disappear with a wave of her hand above the gleaming ball.

The girl's fate was none of her concern. She was a danger to her power, and therefore a danger to her freedom. If her power weakened, then she would be unable to ensure her independence over the monarchs, not to mention her fairy rivals. That was why she had to protect and preserve her magical abilities.

And the princess was an obstacle in her road. A pitfall of great importance the prophecy had foreseen, a thousand years ago, and which she had promised herself to erase. And if Maleficent had to kill Aurora for that, then so be it.

However, this idiot fairy Merryweather had to distort her curse and turn death into an everlasting slumber. First, this unfortunate plot twist had made Maleficent mad. But eventually, with an afterthought, she realized the good fairy hadn't been so smart after all. How the princess could possibly be awaken by True Love's kiss if she was locked up in a small cottage into the woods, unable to meet anyone?

Finally, Maleficent had even managed to make fun of the irony of the situation. By willing to save her, Merryweather had succeeded in condemning the princess to a far more tragic fate than the one Maleficent reserved her at first.

What a pity! So well intentioned, and yet...

She let out a sarcastic laugh.

And now, the princess Aurora would rather seek refuge with her at the Forbidden Mountains than with her lovely aunts. What a pleasant coincidence, indeed!

Of course, the princess had run away today. But there was nothing surprising about that. On the contrary, the fairy was utterly astonished she didn't leave her sooner...

Curiosity, perhaps? This young princess was definitely driven by a strange kind of determination the wicked fairy couldn't scarcely fathom. In fact, this morbid curiosity seemed to take over all the girl's other feelings.

Yet, the dark woman must admit Aurora's courage and willingness had impressed her. No one had ever dared coming to her domain unarmed and defenseless like the princess did.

Thinking about it, no one had ever reached the Forbidden Mountains before. This girl was the only one to solve her enigma.

Maleficent laid her hand on her forehead, rubbing her temples with her long, spidery fingers as she sighed again.

Ah! This damned prophecy! If the princess Aurora had been able to come to me, then she must indeed be the girl of the prophecy.

Because, if she first had the idea of casting a spell on her sixteen years ago, it was only a matter of precaution, actually. But now, her suspicions had been confirmed. And that was only complicating matters.

This meant she had to get rid of the princess Aurora, whatever the cost.

If a flick of her hand, the yellow ball shone.

Maleficent frowned.

The young girl was rushing straight towards the cliff. That was truly embarrassing! It was unlikely she could survive this, unless maybe if the bushes' and trees' branchs amortized her fall...but nothing was less certain.

Maleficent couldn't suppress a cruel, satisfied laugh.

Run, princess, run... Have courage. Run, and everything will be over soon... She spoke to her in her mind, her lips pursing into a sadistic smile.

This seemed to be on point. The princess had to die, one way or another, and there she was, running straight towards her own downfall...

Interesting. So everything would be finally over, like she had always wished.

How convenient.

But as strange as this might sound, that didn't thrill her as it should. Certainly, the girl mustn't stand on her way. But the fairy had no interest in precipitating her end. The curse of the eternal sleep would be the perfect ingredient for that.

Letting the princess die right now wasn't such a good idea, since that would be the end of the game. An exciting and addictive game which Maleficent started to enjoy more and more everyday, truth be told.

It seemed she did care about Aurora's fate, after all... This young girl was full of secrets, secrets she had promised herself to bring to light.

No, the princess doesn't have to die. Not yet. Maleficent thought, tapping her blood red fingernails on the stone armrest.

I still reserve her a few little funny tricks of mine...

The wicked fairy smiled in the dark.

''Diablo!'' She called in an authoritative tone, stretching a hand to the sky.

A few seconds later, the crow appeared in the window frame and flew towards his Mistress, croaking wildly.

Maleficent smiled ruthlessly, her scarlet mouth and supernatural white teeth shining in the dark.

''Come here, my pet, come here.'' She said smoothly to her faithful companion, while the bird posed gracefully on her beloved Mistress' long hand.

''Take your flight, my pet,'' she whispered in the raven's ear who croaked with delight, ''go to the woods and find the princess. And make sure she lives.''

''I am not done with her...'' She added in a breath, as if for herself.

The black bird spread his wings and flew away by one of the windows overlooking the valley.

No, this won't be. If the girl of the prophecy, that one who will cause my downfall, has to die, that shall be in my hands, and nobody else's.

Maleficent clenched her fists.

No, Aurora. I won't let you be my only weakness... Never.


Briar Rose was running. Her skinned feet, her tattered dress, her eyes welled up with tears, her heart torn apart by hatred and despair were not enough to stop her. On the sharp rocks, on the ruined stones, on the thorny herbs, she was running.

She rushed in the brambles without a second thought, the spines dug into her flesh, leaving some blood trails on her arms, her legs, her face. But no sound, no whine escaped from Rose's mouth.

This pain didn't matter.

Her body had already been broken, her soul had already been shattered to pieces.

The woman of her dreams was the wicked fairy who cursed her when she was only a baby. The elegant woman who obsessed her night and day had put her to death sixteen years ago. The frightening creature who charmed her in the woods wanted her dead.

She, who had hoped the fairy could feel at least a little empathy for her, she now knew that hope was now definitely dead.

Then, Rose realized something which surprised and scared her at the same time. She didn't hope anymore. She had lost all hope.

She had finally met the woman whose thought and presence had been haunting her for years, and she now knew why this face had never left her mind.

Maleficent was her worst nightmare. But also her most beautiful dream. She felt an indescribable and unbearable attraction towards that damned— and satanic— fairy.

But Maleficent wanted her dead. She had cast a spell on her which had linked her to the wicked fairy, and this until...

Death.

Briar Rose couldn't hold back a dark chuckle.

She was bound to Maleficent.

The victime linked to her tormentor.

What an irony!

At this moment, the young girl reached the conclusion as obivous as terrifying that maybe she prefered her life of lies and illusions. A life where lust, fear and sadness did not exist.

Better a false life than a real one, but full of misery and suffering.

Suddenly, the ground slipped away under her feet. Her body fell down, she felt trees branchs closing up on her arms, trying to hold her back from her endless demise.

Finally, she hit the ground. And everything became dark.

Only an unpleasant noise was still sounding in her ears. A far off cry. A croak.

What does this bird want? Rose wondered.

Oh! Can't you see I cannot help you? I just want to die, please leave me alone...

This strange bird seemed to want to tell her something. The maiden felt his beak squeezing her neck.

Maybe I am already dead? And this death bird is here to put an end to this...

The bird didn't stop squeaking, drawning on something hanging around her neck.

But what is it you want?!

Briar Rose was waiting for one single thing: her so expected end.

Thus, everything came back to her mind.

Her determination. Her willingness. Her desire.

No, she could not give up now. Maleficent hadn't win yet. She had to survive. She could not give her the satisfaction of dying already.

Finally, she understood.

The whistle.

Fauna had given her this strange object for a reason. She said she should use it to call her aunt in case of need.

While her vision was starting to blur and her hearing was vanishing gradually, Rose managed to grab the little white whistle and place it between her lips.

She took a deep breath...

But unfortunately, her eyes fluttered shut, and her hand fell back.

Everything went black.

She didn't hear anything. Not even the raven shouting in her ears, trying desperately to give the young girl something to hang on to, just in order to prevent her mind to sink into darkness.

But all his efforts were futile.

Briar Rose lost consciousness.


''Rose! Oh, Rose! Please, wake up...'' A plaintive voice filled with worry echoed into her painful eardrums.

Some little clammy hands cupped her face, trying to warm up skin as cold as ice. The voice coming from above her kept calling, probably hoping to bring her back to life.

But Briar Rose had only one name, once face and one voice in mind.

Maleficent.

''W-What ? Rose, what did you just say...? No, it's me, aunt Fauna! I came as soon as possible... Oh, I thought you—'' The green fairy suppressed a sob as she lifted the young girl's body, grabbing her by the shoulders.

No. I am not Rose. I am Aurora. Her bain was protesting and claiming her true identity.

This time, her aunt burst into tears as she held the princess tightly in her frail arms.

''Oh, Rose. Rose, darling, I am so sorry...'' She wept against Rose's cheek.

Did her aunt hear Maleficent's name? Did she speak aloud? She didn't know anymore.

Eventually, the young girl seemed to recover her senses and opened her eyes. Suddenly panic-stricken, she freed herself from Fauna's embrace and stoop up abruptly, forgetting about the surprise to feel her muscles and whole body moving without difficulty despite the fall she just suffered.

''Oh. Aunt Fauna, I-I am sorry for disobeying you, oh! I didn't want to, it was just— I...I wanted to go out, and walk into the woods, and breath the fresh air, but—'' Rose apologized, tears in her eyes, suddenly regretting her defiance and all that madness that took over her those last few days.

''Oh! Rose, my little Rose... You don't have to apologize. We shouldn't have locked you up, I knew it! I regretted doing so since the very moment I left you. I should be the one to apologize. Oh! If only you knew...'' The old woman murmured weakly, looking down.

Smiling, the young maiden moved forward and grabbed her tiny hands.

''Please, aunt Fauna... Don't tell aunt Flora, nor aunt Merryweather... I just wanted to get out. But I made a mistake. I won't do it again, I promise!'' The princess begged her.

The fairy raised a shy smile as she nodded.

''Of course, darling. I will bring you back home while Flora and Merryweather are still on the road. We are a bit ahead of them. I'll close the doors, shut the windows, you'll lie on your bed and we'll pretend nothing has ever happened. Do you agree?'' Fauna asked her softly.

''Yes, promise,'' Rose nodded as a soothed smile slowly graced her features.

The two women took the road, hand in hand, both of them released that everything had finally turned right.

But Fauna couldn't help wondering why she had found the girl wandering into the woods, so close to the Forbidden Mountains. How did she manage to open the door which was sealed by Flora's magic? What was she doing here? Did Maleficent have anything to do with Rose's fugue?

Oh God! Please, don't let her find her, I beg you! Don't ever let her find her.

Briar Rose was pondering about what she should do now, and most of all, what attitude she should adopt. Should she keep pretending nothing ever happened? Or on the contrary, should she act in accordance with what she knew and what she truly felt?

Perhaps she should better forget everything...

Maleficent, the Forbidden Mountains, the test, the library, the Universal Book of Magical Powers...

All of it.

Maybe it was for the better.

After all, Maleficent had already forgotten her.

You know it's not true, a voice whispered in her mind.

Rose shivered as a chill ran down her spine. She shook her head and struggled to divert her attention from the little voice which wished to take control of her brain, in spite of herself.

You know you won't forget me.

I am the woman of your dreams.

You worst nightmare.

You will never forget me...


When they got into the empty, dark cottage she had left almost three days ago to go to the Forbidden Mountains, Rose went to her bedroom, she closed the shutters and lay down on her bed without a word.

Meanwhile, Fauna was hiding any trace of the young maiden's mysterious escape, tiding and cleaning the house as Rose would have in their absence and locked all the exits as Flora did before they left. Once her bait settled, the green fairy transported herself outside after she had taken a thick brown leather covered book beneath her bed, as if she really had made a detour via the village to buy a cookbook— which she in fact already possessed— as she had told Flora and Merryweather when she heard the whistle's sound calling for her.

Even though she was released to have found the girl before it was too late, Fauna couldn't help thinking about her inexplicable escape. Why did she leave? What happened during those three days?

Briar Rose never disobeyed, she would never run away from home without any reason!

Unless...

No. She musn't think about that option. She simply couldn't.

She shall hide this misadventure from her sisters, for Rose. But one day, she will understand what really happened in this cottage after the three fairies' departure...

That, she promised herself.


The following day, Rose woke up, smiling, as usual. As if those last days had been nothing but a nightmare which she had now forgotten. This night, for the first time in years, she had had a dreamless sleep.

It was her birthday. Today, she was turning sixteen. Today, she was going to die. But she tried hard to look happy and peaceful to her aunts. The whole morning unfolded as usual, despite a certain amount of agitation she spotted in the three women's behaviour, probably due to her birthday's preparations. She feigned interest in her strange attitude, but she didn't insist nor ask too much questions.

After all, it didn't matter.

Her aunts told her about their trip while they were cooking and laying the table, and Rose marveled at the things Flora and Merryweather were describing her with such passion and eagerness. With relief, but also with a bit of frustration, Rose noticed her aunts didn't ask her once what she had done during these three days.

In the early afternoon, the three fairies begged her to go pick some blackberries in the forest. The young woman was tired and she had absolutely no desire to go for a walk into the woods, so she told them she had already picked some berries yesterday, and the day before as well, but the three old ladies didn't listen and after putting her purple shawl upon her shoulders and placing her basket in her hands without her consent, they threw her out.

Briar Rose got into the woods, but not without waving her hand in a perfect ironic gesture towards those stupid fairies who still took her for the queen of fools, thinking she didn't understand a thing. But she couldn't tell them she knew everything and that there was no use to pretend anymore. She didn't want to break her aunties' heart, not on the day of her death.

So she kept quiet, and she went to pick berries, like always.

As she started singing to her forest friends, an idea crossed her mind. An excellent idea.

After all, what did she have left to lose?

Nothing, the little voice answered.

She smiled.

Finally, her lips pronounced some words she never said before...

Lies.


''I wonder...''

''I wonder...''

''If my heart keep singing,''

''Will my song go winging,''

''To a man,''

''Who'll find me,''

''And bring back...''

''...A love song to—''

''Me.''

Maleficent quivered behind the tree she used as a hiding place.

That is impossible, she is lying, she was repeating to herself as she reminded the princess' words. The girl was now leaning on a branch of her favorite oak tree.

Aurora had had no dream that night. She dreamt of nothing, not of her, nor of anyone. Maleficent knew it perfectly. For the simple reason that today was the day of the spell's achievement, and as a consequence, the day of her death.

So why lie? Why affirm she had dreamt of a young man? A prince, what is more!

This is non sense, the fairy told herself, gritting her teeth.

She followed the young maiden as she arrived in a small clearing and sat in the hollow of a tree trunk, still talking to her forest friends.

But the wicked fairy was soon aware of a distant sound of hooves. Hidden behind a big oak tree, Maleficent made appear a greenish vision above her staff with a twist of her hand.

The boy was galloping towards the princess Aurora, mesmerized by her angelic voice.

The fairy smiled in the shadows. With a flick of her wrist, the white horse reared and the man fell down in the river. Maleficent couldn't hold back a satisfied laugh.

All of a sudden, the princess looked up from the squirrel she was gently petting and smiled.

The older woman froze, pretty sure the young girl had heard her, but if it was the case, she didn't let it show. Instead of that, she started dancing with a owl and some rabbits dressed with clothes stolen from the young man.

Maleficent sighed with exasperation.

Pathetic, she thought as she frowned with disdain.

But the princess moved so gracefully the fairy couldn't take her eyes off her. And suddenly, the words she was singing came up to her.

''I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream.''

''I know you, that look in your eyes is so familiar...''

''...a gleam.''

The beauty of this show did not leave her indifferent. She knew what that song meant and to whom it was addressed. She was so sure she would put her hand in the fire.

After all, fire cannot kill a dragon, she told herself, slightly amused.

The princess had certainly been very smart in hiding her true desires between those lines, but she was able to read between the lines, as she had been able to read her mind...

Maleficent allowed herself to close her eyes. She will never be tired of hearing this wonderful voice. Yet, this voice was going to be silenced forever.

''But if I know you, I know what you'll do.''

Maybe it was not too late?

''You'll love me at once...''

The prophecy didn't matter.

''The way you did—''

Maybe if she joined her right now, if she entered the dance, if she told her she...

Maleficent opened her eyes, which instantly widened in horror. A low and unpleasant voice had joined Aurora's sweet and enchanting one, to finally cover it completely.

This imbecile again. She had forgotten him. She thought she had pulled him away for long enough, but she was wrong.

And now, there he was, holding fiercely the young girl's hands in his own, drawing her towards him.

Maleficent's stony face distorted with a grin of disgust.

When Aurora freed herself from his embrace to run away, she couldn't suppress a satisfied laugh. But the boy hold her back.

The fairy frowned.

What that fool is hoping for?

The maiden tried to escape again, but she failed.

A little voice in her head was telling her to interfere, to throw that stupid man a thousand miles away from here and take the princess with her, but Maleficent didn't move an inch.

Instead of that, she listened to the conversation between the two teenagers.

''A stranger? But we have met before!'' The young man said almost proudly, lifting his chin.

Maleficent arched an eyebrow, sceptical.

What this worthless boy is implying?

''Ah...?'' Briar Rose replied hesitantly.

''You said so yourself, once upon a dream...'' He added as he started singing again, taking the young girl's hand and leading her into a waltz.

The princess seemed uneasy and disturbed at first, but after a few glances between the two young people, she finally gave herself into the waltz.

No, this won't be.

This dream didn't belong to him. These words didn't belong to him. This song didn't belong to him.

Aurora didn't belong to him.

I am the woman of her dreams.

Princess Aurora is mine.

The fairy's dark eyes twinkled threateningly with pure fury and hatred. One could say that if the princess hadn't been there, the young man would have died a painful and horrible death right away.

Diablo had left her scepter to perch on a tree branch a bit further, worried.

I won't let that fool stand in my way.

He is going to pay for this!

He is nothing.

Maleficent stretched her arms to the sky and, with a last howl of boundless anger, she vanished into a burst of green flames.


Briar Rose sighed as she laid her head on the boy's shoulder.

After all, it might be not so bad. He was so sincere, so kind and sweet, and above all, he was here, with her.

With him, I might succeed in forgetting about her...

She realized she had stopped listening to the young man for a few seconds already. What was he saying? Something about a name... It didn't matter anyway.

Suddenly, a chill ran down her spine, as if a cold blow just brushed her white sensitive skin.

Rose slowly raised her head, she felt the man's gaze upon her, but she didn't care.

A voice echoed in her mind, a voice she knew too well, and which turned her blood to ice in her veins.

The young maiden abruptly pulled away from the boy and ran towards the cottage. He tried to hold her back, of course, but this time he failed.

Then, he asked her when he will see her again.

She first replied quickly. ''Oh, never, never!'' For how could he? Even though it was possible, he should better not see her ever again. Only God knew what Maleficent could do to that poor boy if she was aware of that...

Finally, she decided herself to tell him to meet her at her house tonight.

What was the matter, anyway?

Tonight, she will be dead.

Maybe the worst about it was not to know when she will die, nor how...

While she was running back home, her mind began to race.

Maleficent was watching her. She never took her eyes off her, she could feel it.

She had sung for her, she had danced for her, she had hoped she would answer her call, and come to her... But the fairy had remained in the shadows.

Why? What was she afraid of?

Briar Rose knew how much she craved for it.

She couldn't say why, but she also knew that, at this very instant, ever since she had met the young man, Maleficent got angry. Very angry. She had become literally out of her mind.

She could feel the tension in the air, the sky and clouds stretching and closing around her, as if menacing to implode.

The wicked fairy won't let the boy go anywhere near her, she was sure of that. But why?

She was going to die tonight. So, what was the matter?

Why didn't she let her know a little happiness before she died?

Why didn't she let her forget about her, even for a second?

Why couldn't she meet that young man one last time?

A tear rolled down her cheek.

Briar Rose stopped running and wiped away this hot tear drop with irritation.

Then, the word which resounded in her ears a few minutes earlier, pronounced by that voice as alluring as frightening echoed again in her head.

And now, she could hear it very well, very clearly, as if it was murmured into the hollow of her ear.

Her throat became dry, her eyes twitched, her mouth opened but no sound came out.

Everything finally made sense in her troubled mind as she heard this odd, scary but yet so obvious, sensible word a second time...

Impostor.