Title: Sleeping Beauty
Character(s): Lenus, Emille, Albert
Summary: A painting of Princess Emille…
The painting at the entrance of the elder princess's chambers was a new addition to the room, and while not uncommon for one of royal blood to have her image preserved in a portrait, its intention was not narcissism. Truly however, the canvas was beauteous, extraordinarily lifelike even. Every delicate curve of the princess's face, every glitter in her vibrant eyes, and even every strand of hair streaming from her lovely head was present.
As if the very woman herself was sitting within those frames. Trapped.
And her double, delighted, threw her identical head back and laughed—a sound that was just a little deeper and a little rougher than the voice of the fair princess. This was an imperfect copy, a crude doppelganger, and yet few dared to ascribe her degenerate personality to the notion that this wasn't real.
And her fake found it enormously uproarious.
~:~
Sleeping beauty slept upright this time, gracefully poised in a royal chair. It was high-backed and glimmering gold in the mysterious light that magic made. She dozed without a sound. Neither snore nor murmur disturbed the room which, aside from the hum of the dimensional enchantment, was otherwise quiet. Her fair, dainty hands were folded neatly in her lap, draped with the folds of her favorite dress. Her hair, bright as the namesake of her tower, fell in elegant locks over her slender shoulders.
She looked deep in thought, but the truth was opposite. She thought nothing. Time had since paused for her within the modest chamber she was enclosed in. It sat as she did, waiting for the one to come and stir the princess to wakefulness, just the way Prince Charmings were wont to do.
Though it wasn't exactly a kiss that woke her.