Once Upon a Dream

Prologue

For many years King John and his wife Mary, longed for a child, ever since the two married to unite their kingdoms, the court was urging them for an heir. The two weren’t going to be around forever and with no heir, the kingdom would surely fall into chaos. Even though the two had taken in a young squire named Dean, his father had died on the battlefield and had no mother. So the two agreed to take him in since they were both fond of him, still they longed for their own child. After a whole year of failed attempts a son was finally born, he was born at midnight and the royals named him Sam after Mary’s father. Dean became attached to the new infant instantly and even refused to let any of the maids hold Sam. 

“Dean sweetie, they only want to help,” Mary said to him. “Can’t they hold him?” 

“No they might drop him,” Dean responded. “And I don’t want him to get hurt.” 

“Well I’m sure he won’t.” Mary responded. Affectionately touching Sam’s forehead and telling Dean to prepare for the christening tomorrow. Even though Dean really wanted to stay with Sam he decided that it was best to listen to what Mary had told him to do. Defeated, he carefully handed Sam over to one of the maids who smiled sweetly at Dean and took the young infant while another maid led Dean back to his room. Dean glanced back at the maid and Sam before he saw them disappear around the corner. 

***

The next day near sun down, Dean was dressed in royal attire which made him uncomfortable despite his father being part of King John’s army, he still hated it. The King and Queen were sitting comfortably on the throne as the room was full of soldiers and people loyal to the king and queen. In a small cradle lie the sleeping infant who barely made a peep. Dean leaned over looking at Sam, as if registering that Dean was standing over him, Sam opened his eyes and giggled. Suddenly horns sounded and Dean snapped his attention away from Sam and to the double doors where a king from another kingdom stepped forward with a young girl around Dean’s age. 

“His royal majesty! King Daniel and Princess Madison!” the young princess with brown hair stepped toward the cradle, she had been told that she was going to meet her betrothal. But when she approached the cradle and glanced inside it, she was not too pleased that her betrothed was a baby. Dean worried that Madison would try something and stepped forward ready to protect Sam as much as he could. John glanced over at Dean and nodded his head signaling for Dean to remain calm and that nothing bad would happen to him. 

“But he doesn’t even know her.” Dean said in a small voice. 

“They will once they get to know each other.” Mary reassured Dean who simply nodded. Once Madison gave her gift to the infant, a woman dressed in mostly dark red stepped forward and smiled down at the young child. 

“My young prince,” the woman said “My name is Rowena and I will grant you three gifts, the first being the gift of kindness,” Rowena said and spoke a spell before letting the red sparks sprinkle on the young child who giggled joyfully. “Next I shall give you the gift of intelligence.” another wave of her hand and the same sparks sprinkled safely onto the infant, however, before she could give her third gift all of a sudden the room began darkening causing everyone’s focus to be away from what Rowena was doing to the center of the room where green fire appeared and revealed a woman dressed in nothing but black robes and long black hair. 

“What is this?!” the woman exclaimed everyone gasped and backed away, it was Ruby, the worst villain of the land. She was cruel and never cared for anything that came to love and life, she didn’t even like King John and Queen Mary. It was one thing to completely shun her and her kind but it was worse to not invite her to the christening. “I came to this castle only to find out that you have not invited me to your son’s christening?!” Fearing the worst, Dean stood in front of the cradle protectively. 

“Stay away from him you big meanie!” Dean yelled but the king and queen got up from their throne and Mary picked up her son keeping him close to her body. “You don’t belong here!” Ruby glanced at the five year old and laughed, the five year old was acting so protective as if they were brothers. Rowena stepped close to Dean also trying to protect him from the evil fairy. 

“This is too funny!” Ruby exclaimed. “Well King John and Queen Mary, I am pleased to announce that I am only here to give the child a gift of my own,” Dean at this point got close to Rowena worriedly. “Listen well! All of you!” she exclaimed, slamming her staff on the ground and causing people to stumble and the ground to rumble. “The child shall grow up brave and handsome, but before the sun sets on his sixteenth birthday,” she moved her hand around the small glass ball on her staff as an image appeared from it and floated directly in front of everyone in the palace. “He shall prick his finger on the spindle of a spinning will, and die!” Everyone in the room gasped and Mary held the child as close as she could her stomach turned and her heart pounded as the monstrous being was placing a curse on her beloved son. “If anyone interferes, they will meet the same fate!” Angered by what Ruby threatened to do to his son, John ordered the guards to grab her but the woman vanished before their very eyes. Tears fell down Mary’s face as she realized that Sam was now in danger and she needed to find some way to protect him. 

“Your majesties,” Rowena said once the screams died down and Rowena turned toward the king and queen. “I have a way to combat this, I can’t lift the curse, but I can find a loophole. Please lay Sam back in his cradle.”

“What are you going to do?” Dean said in a small voice. Without answering, the queen had placed Sam back in the cradle and Rowena set to work. 

“While this terrible curse is placed on this young prince, instead of death, does the prince fall into a deep sleep but through true love’s kiss, the spell shall break.” a chorus of angels sang as the last of the sparkles fell upon the infant. 

***

After the christening, Mary spoke with her husband, her face covered in dried tears. She had since put Dean to bed but it was hard. Both Mary and John, despite their belief that the curse will be lifted, they still ordered every spindle in the land to be burned to keep their son protected. But that wouldn’t be enough, rather, Mary told her husband about how Rowena and Dean could raise the young infant until he reached sixteen and with that help it would hopefully prevent the curse from coming into play. At first, John was hesitant, but seeing no other way, they made the choice. So, Mary approached Rowena and told her of her plan. Rowena worried that the plan might not work but it was the only plan they had, Dean would just have to grow up sooner than expected. Especially due to the way Dean wanted to protect Sam like they were brothers. Even though they hated it, Rowena gathered both the infant and Dean up and the three left that same night behind them, the king and queen watched with overrun sadness to see their only son leave before their very eyes. It didn’t matter, In fact, if it was the only way to keep Sam safe then that was the best plan they were going to use. 

Rowena and Dean left the castle that night and headed for the old woodcutter’s cottage. Old and desolate Rowena worked hard to put the place back together and created two bedrooms one for the prince and the other for Dean. While it was old, at least it was a place they could call home until the curse wore off. Or at least was invited. Which is where this story begins.