After the Kiss

Sleeping Beauty-Chapter Three

Chapter Three:

Briar:

Prince Phillip ran off with his horse, leaving Briar stranded, which she was not happy about. Angrily, she picked up her slippers and put them on, preparing to walk home. She was stopped when a man and a woman on two horses rode up.

“Excuse me, Miss?” the man called. Briar turned around, and the man saw her tiara. “Ah. Your Highness. I'm looking for my brother.”

“Your brother? Is his name Phillip?”

“Yes, actually,” the man said.

“You just missed him,” huffed Briar, and the woman sensed her mood.

“Are you upset with Phillip?” she asked. “What has he done?”

“We came here on his horse, but not seven minutes ago he jumped up and galloped away, leaving me to walk back to the castle in the dark!”

“What?” the man snapped. “I can't believe that my brother has done that.”

“Well, believe it,” Briar retorted. “I am most upset with him.”

“I can see why you would be. I will deal with my brother later, but for now, let's get you back to the castle,” he said and looked at his wife. The woman smiled and got off her horse, offering the reins to Briar. She got on the man's horse as Briar mounted the pretty white horse.

“Thank you so much,” Briar said as they started back to the castle.

“It is no trouble,” the woman assured her. “How do you know Phillip?”

Briar sighed, but started telling her story. When she finished, the woman looked surprised. “If Phillip is your true love, then why would he leave you like that?”

“I am not sure that he is my true love.”

“No, he is. He has to be. I'm familiar with the sleeping curse, and I know that only true love's kiss can break the spell,” the woman said.

“But why did he run off?”

“Did anything happen before he left you?” the man asked.

“Yes... A strange pink mist came forward and he breathed it in. Maybe that has something to do with it?”

“Yes, it does. That was a spell, either from a fairy or a witch. Do you know any?”

“I know one fairy, the one that cast my sleeping spell, but she's good. She wouldn't do this.”

“Then I'm afraid I can't help you,” the woman said as they arrived at the castle gates.

“Both of you have helped me, just by bringing me back,” Briar assured them. She thanked them and the man bowed as the woman squeezed her hand. They rode away after.

Just as she was about to push open the gates, Briar noticed a small cottage to the right of the gates. It was stone with a little chimney... that had traces of pink mist curling up from it.

Frowning, Briar walked over to it and reached out to knock on the door. Before she did, she hesitated.

This might be dangerous, she thought, but her hand was already rapping the wooden knocker.

The door creaked open slowly. Behind it was Miranda.

Miranda:

Phillip kissed Miranda, and it felt wonderful. They were perfect together.

They were interrupted when Miranda heard her alarm bell go off gently. It was a quiet, chiming sound, that let her know someone was outside. Someone unwanted.