The Sleeping Princess

3- A Peasant's Life

"You talking about me?" said the now familiar voice. Hermione walked in and quickly shut the door behind her as she brushed pieces of hay out of her hair.

"How's the cat?" Harry asked, taking a quick taste of lunch before adding some more salt.

"He's doing a lot better," Hermione said as she slumped over in another chair, opposite of Ron. "Don't know what he was thinking when he fought that wild dog. He's lucky he didn't get his throat ripped out."

"Well, this should cheer you up!" Harry called happily. "Food's almost ready!"

"Can I help?" Ron asked, feeling that it was the least he could do.

"You can help set the table if you want," Hermione said at once as she led him over to the cupboard as Harry took the pot off the fire.

It was by far one of the most wonderful things he'd ever tasted. Even better than the food from the feasts that his parents had. His stomach was almost singing at the end as he moaned into the brew.

"Sounds like you haven't had a warm meal in a long time," Harry said, noticing his blissful face. "That, or I'm a better cook than I thought I was."

"It's wonderful," he muttered, trying to get another mouthful, even though his cheeks were already full.

"I'll take it a compliment," Harry laughed.

"So, Ron," Hermione asked as she buttered some bread. "You said that you were looking for someone?"

Ron stopped, his next spoonful halfway to his mouth.

"Ah, yeah," he muttered carefully. "See, my ah… mother," he said, thinking fast, "Told me to bring someone back home, but to be honest, I ran out before I even got a name or know what he looks like."

"What?" Harry asked in surprise, "So… what? All you know is that he's out here somewhere?"

"Pretty much," Ron muttered. As he watched his two new friends look at each other, as if worried for him, he then changed the subject. "Look… while I was travelling, I went passed a kingdom that was covered with thorns. Do either of you know it?"

Now he was getting somewhere, judging from the started looks on their faces.

"Oh, you've seen the Kingdom of Thorns?" Hermione asked. "You don't get to many people facing that place anymore."

"Why?" Ron asked, hoping that he didn't sound too eager. "What's its story?"

"You must come from far away if you don't know about it," Harry answered as he swallowed. "See, a long time ago it used to be a peaceful kingdom. Until it was cursed."

"We don't know for sure what the whole story is," Hermione said, "But according to the legend, there was a princess who lived there."

Ron's hands twitched slightly as he listened.

"They say that the princess was cursed since the moment she was born," Hermione said. "And that the day she turned sixteen she fell into a deep enchanted sleep."

"And the moment that she did, so did everyone else," Harry finished for her. "After that, thorns grew up around the kingdom and time froze inside it."

"And…" Ron said slowly as he gulped. "How long ago was it?"

Hermione thought it over for a moment. "About a hundred years ago I think."

Ron dropped his spoon as he stared at them in horror. A hundred years? He thought that they'd only been asleep for a few months at least. But a hundred years? He suddenly felt a little dizzy. Luckily, they seemed to take his shock for a different reason.