A/N: Thank you for the kind reviews - I hope you all enjoy this chapter (and hey, let me know if did or even didn't). '

Just to be clear, this is when Aurora's heart is gone, but before they know that it's been taken.

Chapter 2: Muffled

It was strange. She'd heard the tales, as all in her kingdom did as children, about how the journey changes a hero - not that she considered herself a proper hero. That was Mulan or Snow White. Even Emma, not of this world, was more hero than herself. Of course, she was born to be the Savior, so it made sense. But that aside, Aurora could pride herself on having engaged in more heroics and adventure than she ever thought she would, and survived to tell the tale. Not bad for a young, 'spoiled' princess. So, yes, she supposed she should have expected to be changed by it all, like any real hero.

But what was strange was how she felt she'd changed. Over the past couple weeks of adventure and strife she'd felt herself grow bolder, and thanks to Snow, probably wiser. She could see why the older woman was a renowned Queen, as she'd somehow, without Aurora even being aware, taught the princess how to tamp the flames of her fiery temper; something her mother would've marveled at having achieved with her daughter. She wondered where her family was.

Strange how distant that homesickness was now. Having Mulan's company had tempered it to a degree before, but now... it was barely a whisper. But then, ever since she'd escaped Cora, everything had been muted. It seemed a strange change, but her other more experienced companions seemed to have a better hold on their emotions than her. Perhaps this was just how gaining experience and courage changed a person? Perhaps this was what maturity felt like. Everything less vibrant, her feelings muffled, as if buried under her thickest goose down mattress back home.

She sighed and rolled over to stare at the fire. If this was what being a world-weary, mature woman was, she wasn't sure she liked it. Her passion may have made her lash out violently at Snow in the beginning, or have caused her to spend many nights crying herself to sleep - missing home, family, and Phillip - but it had also let her laugh freely and love her friends deeply and... well, just feel. The quiet times, like now, were the worst, as they allowed her the time to reflect and truly feel how numb she was. The detachment was especially strange because sometimes, she didn't feel like herself at all. She'd speak words that didn't seem to have been formed in her own mind. Or do things, or examine things around them, but could find no purpose in her doing so. It frightened her, well, what little fear she could feel, but she couldn't bring herself to speak of it. All of it was unnerving, and yet, even occasionally feeling like a puppet wasn't the worst of it.

The worst of it was she couldn't hold on to her strength; the last thread she had to Phillip: Mulan. Before she'd been abducted, the warrior had been a source of comfort and warmth. It had been like she'd never lost Phillip, because, true to her word, the outwardly prickly woman had done everything Phillip would have done for Aurora. It had been strange at first, as she'd become acquainted with her new rescuer, to feel such a pull when they were practically strangers, but then she realized it was the woman's eyes. Or, rather, what she saw in them when Mulan thought she wasn't looking. What she saw was herself reflected back. All the pain at losing Phillip, as well as the guilt, and the determination to make those responsible pay. First Snow and Emma, but then Cora, who had held them away from the curse. If what Snow had said of Princess Ella and her reunion with the missing Prince Thomas, perhaps the curse would have reunited herself and Philip... if only they'd been taken. Instead, Phillip was dead, and while the hurt wasn't real in her heart anymore, the echo of her love for him was. It was what bonded her and Mulan together - a shared guilt that he'd sacrificed himself for both their safety, and that they owed him to ensure not just the other woman's physical safety, but the safety of their hearts as well. It was unspoken, but she knew Mulan would guard her heart, just as she would guard Mulan's.

It truly was like having Phillip still with her.

She let her eyes drift to where Mulan lay, just a few inches away, beside her in the tent. She watched as the firelight danced on the woman's ebony hair which draped like a curtain down her back. She didn't know if everyone in Mulan's homeland were blessed with such beautiful tresses, but she doubted it. What was quite out of character for Aurora was that the usual flame of jealousy didn't flare in her heart like it normally did when she admired the other woman's beauty. And she certainly hadn't grown past such feelings - Snow and Emma both had qualities that she coveted. But with Mulan... well, it was like she coveted the whole woman, yet didn't begrudge her her wonderful qualities.

Alright, so, maybe it wasn't exactly like having Phillip.

The woman lit the same spark in her, though. Made her feel safe like he did. Ad on the rare occasion that they touched, there was something electric. She found herself going out of her way to find excuses to engage in even the briefest of moments, even as she was afraid Mulan would notice her odd excitement. She wasn't sure why she was afraid of that, but somehow... it was just frightening; especially the thought that Mulan didn't feel the same. And why would she? She was the amazing one; Aurora was just a spoiled princess who wasn't supposed to have come along to begin with. So, she stole her touches and looks where she could, feeling like the silly princess she knew they saw her as for her fear that Mulan wasn't as fond of her as she was of the warrior.

Or, she had, until Hook had let her go. Ever since she'd gotten back, that flutter of excitement and nerves was dulled, just like everything else. She should be frightened by this change, shouldn't she? It seemed to take the most extreme circumstances to really move her over the past few days. Even as she'd been lost, alone, trying to find her friends after her escape, she'd barely been able to touch the fear below the surface. She should've been terrified, shouldn't she.

Instead, there was merely weariness. It was like the life had gone with her feelings, and it was an effort to feel what she should be feeling during the day. She gazed at the back of Mulan's head, remembering all the nights she'd done exactly the same thing, wishing to seek comfort in the other woman's arms like she used to be able to do with Phillip. Snow's embrace was nice, and she certainly appreciated it, but it was motherly and made her feel small, like a child again. And everything that had gone on since she'd awoken - living in this vast wilderness - had made her feel small enough as it was. No, what she wanted was a partner to face the world with. She thought, those first few days, that she'd lost her protector forever. But now, she realized, she still had her own personal savior.

Aurora sighed, ready to flip over again, when Mulan shifted, turning over onto her back to face the starry night sky. Her eyes were still closed, and she seemed to be asleep as she moved her right hand from her belly, up to her head, her fingers grazing her ear. The princess felt a small smile tug at her lips as she watched the other woman switch into what seemed to be a favorite sleeping position. It always reminded her of the kitten she'd had as a child when it would lay out in the sun, and she'd wondered more than once how Mulan would react if she started addressing her by her cat's old name. Her smile grew a little wider as she tried to imagine how many times she could say it before the newly christened "Miss Meow Meow" threatened to cut her tongue out. That was the other thing her savior shared with Meow Meow - both kitties had claws. What was amazing was how safe that made her feel. Or had. It was a whisper now that she wasn't even really feeling afraid.

The weariness and the craving to feel more deeply, that was all she really felt anymore. But if there was anyone who could make her feel more... and she desperately wanted to feel more. She bit her lip. The one bright side was that that same fear that had kept her from doing what she wanted to before was also dulled. She could do what she dreamed - and sometimes literally did, waking to find herself oddly disappointed, and confused by why that should strike her so deeply.

She glanced to check that Emma, who was currently on watch, still had her back to them - and she did. Why the need to not be seen, she wasn't sure; just that she was certain that this was a private moment between her and Mulan. Certainly, if she were rejected, she wouldn't want to have it a public event, no matter how much she trusted their companions. Satisfied, she quietly scooted closer to the warrior woman, and to her amazement, there was the faintest spark of that nervous flutter in her veins. She held her breath, hoping to not rouse Mulan until she'd at least achieved her goal. Anyway, maybe this was another one of those things she did or said that didn't seem like they were really her own actions. It wouldn't be that difficult to convince herself of it.

Gently, she laid her head on Mulan's shoulder, the rest of her body just barely touching the other woman's side. And even though she felt she'd somehow been missing her heart, a well of feeling suddenly sprang forth, as if Mulan's presence had somehow tapped a spring. Somehow, she was simultaneously joyous and utterly content. Electrified and soothed. And she wanted to snuggle closer, but was deathly afraid to break the contact. She nearly leapt up right there was she felt Mulan's arm, the one under Aurora's head, shift, but remained still. To her utter surprise, it simply wrapped around her, pulling her closer to the supposedly sleeping warrior. She had to be asleep, right? She would never allow this kind of contact with anyone when awake - not even Phillips. She was certain of this, and confused when she realized that she was soothing her own jealous thoughts about the two, but the possessive feeling was centered on Mulan - not Phillip. How could her own heart be so confusing?

She was torn from these thoughts as she felt Mulan's fingers intertwine with her own, and she marvelled at their landscape. Alternately rigid in spots from callouses created by a lifetime of swordwork, but unlike any man's, extraordinarily soft between those ridges. Softer, even, that Aurora's, and she wondered if that had something to do with spending most of their time protected by gloves.

"Nightmares?" Mulan suddenly whispered, her breath warm on the soft skin behind Aurora's ear.

Yes, that would make a lovely excuse. Even if she hadn't sought comfort from Mulan before. "Yes," she replied simply.

Mulan's only answer was to pull Aurora closer, and the younger woman decided to follow what was left of her heart and drape her arm over Mulan's stomach, hugging her back even as she snuggled her head into the space above the warrior's collar bone. She was remarkably soft beneath all the armor and Aurora let out a comforted sigh.

Yes. Whatever was happening to her - whether she was growing up, or something was horribly wrong - she never stop feeling altogether, as long as Mulan was at her side, because she would always make her feel... something. What it was could wait for another day - and truth be told, she was a little afraid to admit, even to herself, what it might just be. All she knew was that Phillip had given her and Mulan a gift. What it truly was remained to be seen, but she was never one for self-reflection, so it was a worry for another day.

"I will always keep you safe, princess," came another whisper.

For now, she had her savior.

A/N: I'll be doing at least one more chapter, taking place after Aurora has her heart back. Maybe some other stuff - I'm kind of leaving this fic open as a repository for any Sleeping Warrior nuggets of inspiration the show stirs up in me. So, if you have anything you'd like to see (serious, fluffy, funny, whatever floats your boat), drop me a line and I'll see what I can do.