I stand outside the cottage, waiting for the boy to arrive. Diablo is on my shoulder. I can sense his disapproval, but he supports my decision nevertheless. He is my only friend. I sometimes wonder about the fact that he stays, although he knows me. And I wonder if that means someone - anyone - else would ever stay with me if I allowed them to get to know me. Well. It's an interesting idea, but it will never be tested. Deception hurts too much. Why humans constantly expose themselves to the risk of being harmed, of trusting only to be let down, I will never know. Because they are weak, is what I have believed. I wonder if I was mistaken about this as well. Maybe I have been the weak one.

Diablo caws and I can hear the sound of a horse approaching. What am I doing here? Am I honestly going to undo the work I have dedicated sixteen years to? Apparently, I am. If this is what love does to people, change their nature completely, I'm not entirely sure I want it.

My jaw slackens in surprise when I realise it's not just a peasant boy, it's the prince. Prince Philip, the man she is betrothed to. What an irony. How I would have laughed at this if I hadn't been so… what? What am I? Distressed? Am I, really? Well. It doesn't matter. If it is a prince, perhaps it means that the princess will get her happily ever after. He slides off his horse and approaches the cottage, filled with the loathsome testosterone-induced confidence only very young and very inexperienced men have. Diablo nudges me, as if to remind me of my decision. For a moment I hesitate. Let the prince believe his little girlfriend tricked him, but...

But.

I step forward.

"The girl you are looking for is not here," I say. He turns around and gasps in fear when he sees me. I wonder if it is because of the usual; that I look frightening, or if it is because he knows me from the princess's christening. He was but a small child then, but I look the same. And the situation would have been rather traumatic for him. You always remember the things that scares you the most.

"You," he says.

"Me," I agree. "Listen to me, boy. You might have a chance to save the life of the girl you claim to love. If it is true love. You look for a peasant girl. You have been misled. She is really the princess Aurora."

He gives me the defiant glare of youth.

"Why should I believe anything you say?"

"Because I know what I am talking about. Unlike most people, it seems. Aurora has been taken to the castle. She did prick her finger, and she is in a deep, enchanted sleep that can be broken only from true love's kiss. If you are her true love, you can save her. Go."

He takes a few steps towards his horse and then stops.

"Why are you telling me this?"

"I have my reasons, sweet prince." This time I can't hold back my mockery. Men have always brought out the worst in me. I have a really low tolerance to them, the cockier they are, the lower my tolerance.

He does not respond, he only mounts his horse and rides off. Ah, a valiant figure indeed, straight and tall. I shake my head and stroke Diablo's feathers.

"Come, my pet. We must go and see if it works. If it doesn't…" I trail off. If it doesn't, I am willing to mix my magic with Merryweather's and see if our magic combined can put an end to this. However, I hope it won't have to come to that. I fear that further mixing Good Fairy magic with Wicked Fairy magic might kill the princess rather than saving her. But I am at a loss of what else to do.

A/N

So, I got some extra time to write this morning, and so I could get this part done. One more to go. Hope you like it! :)