A/N: From watching the Movie version of the Ballet 'The Sleeping Beauty' I was inspired by the idea of someone protecting the princess before the spell was cast. So obviously, this story starts off as it would be Sleeping Beauty (my favorite story) but continues in another direction.

The Brave Nurse

Chapter One: Standing Firm

Once upon a time in a far away land lived a King and his Queen. For many years they wished for a child, for there were growing fears of no one to take over the kingdom. But soon, the Queen fell pregnant and a child was born. Word went out across the kingdom searching for the best nurse to look after the princess. It quickly reached the ears of the King and Queen that there was a local woman named Catherine who had looked after children for many years of her life.

Catherine was instantly summoned to the palace and offered a wealthy sum of money to look after the child. Agreeing, Catherine was moved to the palace to begin her new work. Soon, the child was born, a beautiful young girl whom the King and Queen named Aurora .

Catherine started her new duties and never left the Princess alone for more than a minute. The Queen became very fond of Catherine. One day while the Queen sat with Catherine and Aurora, she asked what would be the best way to celebrate the childs birth.

"Invite the whole kingdom," said Catherine, "and allow them to meet the young Princess. Also send word for all the Fairies to come and bless the Princess, for she will need the protection throughout her life. For each fairy who comes, make her a present of cuttlery with precious stones in them, and present each of them with a goblet of the same. This will please the fairies to use their magic to bless your daughter." And so the Queen went and discussed it with the King, who sent out the invitations and had the cuttlery made.

When the day of the feast and the christaning came, many people flocked to the palace bringing gifts and their best wishes for the princess. But most splendid of all were the seven chariots that came, each one bringing a fairy and being led by different creatures. When the fairies entered the palace, they were treated most kindly, and each was presented with their specially made cutlery and goblets. Each fairy in turn was pleased and they sat down to eat. But before the food was served, a harsh wind rose and blasted the doors open. Appearing suddenly in a flash of lightening and fire was the eighth fairy, Caraboose. She was long believed dead or missing, as no one had heard form her in many years. She was treated with the same curtiousies, but there were no more sets of cutlery for her. She took out her own and sat down to eat. When the time came for the blessings, the youngest of the fairies hid behind a curtain, fearing Caraboose would do something horrible.

As each fairy approached the craddle, they bowed to the princess and then commended Catherine, having each heard of her great work. The fairies blessed princess with beauty, intelligence, courage, song, grace and diplomacy. But then it was Caraboose's turn.

"You royal fools," she snapped at the King and Queen. "You did not invite me, nor did you respect me at your table, now your daughter shall pay for your short-comings." She turned to the craddle, but Catherine had stood up between it and Caraboose.

"You shall not harm this child with one word of your dark magic," Catherine said in a very disapproving tone.

"Step aside wench, for none shall stop me," Caraboose said.

"You cannot hurt her as long as I stand on this spot," Catherine yelled. Caraboose turned her attention to one of the men standing near the King and Queen. Approaching him quickly, she took out her wand waved it in one furious stroke and he was suddenly bald from her magic. Another wave and he followed her around the room as she danced wildly with him mimicing her movements clumsily. With another wave of her wand, the man fell over dead.

"Do you still challenge me?" Caraboose demanded.

"You cannot hurt this child as long as I stand on this spot." Catherine repeated, folding her arms in defiance. Again, Caraboose looked around the room and pointed her wand at one of the banners that portrayed a picture of a lion. The lion came to life, roaring and leaping to the floor. It appraoched Catherine, but she stood her ground and the lion did not jump.

"You cannot hurt this child as long as I stand on this spot," Catherine said again as if telling off an imputent child.

"Fine then, I shall curse you instead." Caraboose put her wand away and pulled out a green crystal ball. Waving her hand over it, black smoke swirled and she looked into it. "For every child you louch, each one shall fall ill. Every child you hold shall contract a fatal illnesses, and you shall never be happy with your work again." With that, Caraboose laughed wickedly and disappeared. Catherine huffed but did not dare turn to the Princess whom had just woken up. The Queen rushed over to her daughter and held her and slowly backed her away from Catherine.

"Fear not," came a voice, as the youngest fairy appeared from behind the curtains and stepped forward. "The Princess cannot be hurt by Caraboose's spell, for Catherine stood to protect her. But Catherine shall be much troubled after her work here. Each child she looks after will become either blind, deaf of dumb, but none shall die. For a woman as brave as you to stand up to Caraboose, you shall be relieved of this burdon when you have cursed one hundred children."

As the day drew to a close and Catherine was putting the Princess to bed, she thought hard about what she was going to do. Her work here wasn't going to last forever and afterwards she was going to be cast out of the village, for no one would want their child to be disabled. Making up her mind, she was going to flee the kingdom the day she was dismissed.

Five years later, Catherine was summoned before the King and Queen, and they both thanked her for all her hard work, but said it was time for Aurora to start being looked after by a tutor. Giving her the last of her money and wishing her well, Catherine went on her way the following morning. As she was walking through the streets, some children ran past playing a game. As they continued down the street, one little girl tripped and fell. Forgetting herself, Catherine ran over to the girl to help her to her feet and to see if she was alright. But as Catherine touched her, the girl went ridgid for a moment, then screamed. Many women gathered around and soon discovered the girl was now blind.

"What did you do to her?" The women of the town demanded.

"You stole her vision, you witch!" One woman yelled. Catherine, in sorrow and fear, ran from the town. As she reached a forest, Catherine stopped to catch her breath. As she rested, a child who was playing in the forest came up to her.

"Why are you crying pretty lady?" he a hand on her. As he did, his hearing was sucked away from him.

"Oh my boy," she said, trying to communicate with him, but no matter what she said, she couldn't get a word to him. Finally, he ran away in fear. Catherine went deeper into the forest until she came across a tiny little hut. It was abandoned and drafty, but she managed to set it up for the night. Looking around, she fould an old quilt and some sewing items, amoungst which was some gold cloth. Sitting herself down before a small fire, she began to sew into the quilt two golden stars, one for each child she had cursed. She swore to herself that, reguardless of what happened, she would rid herself of this curse. As she said this, she pricked her finger and a drop of blood fell onto the quilt.