The sister's curse did not awake immediately. It was a gradual descent. A lethargy fell on the youngest princess. The moonlight seemed brighter and the shadows darker. Her limbs were so very tired tonight.
In this half-dreaming state she wandered back to her rooms, losing more and more of herself to sleep as she moved.
The candle lay forgotten on the floor, still glowing in the abandoned room at the top of the tower.
The curse completed its long descent and she fell to the bed, dark hair framing her pale face. And a single drop of blood frozen onto her index finger.