𝕎ℝ𝕀𝕋𝔼𝕋𝕆𝔹𝔼ℝ 𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟚

25 - TEMPTING

A/N: This one is Sleeping Beauty inspired!

You didn't want to marry whatever prince your parents had betrothed you to. You were a baby when they decided and you didn't even get a say. When the news came that your 18th birthday would double as your wedding you decided enough was enough.

It wasn't hard to bribe one of the fairies your parents had exiled to curse you. If anything the male had seemed ready to take out his frustration with your parents on you.

"Alright. You get me into the castle that night, I'll curse you with the 100 years of sleep, I'll disguise myself with a servant's clothing and sneak out in the chaos." He narrated. You nodded, handing over the payment. He smiled.

"Leave a window open in the room you want to sleep in. Even if you aren't in that room, you'll know exactly when I arrive." After a shake of your hands that left your arm tingling with magical residue you made your way back to the castle.

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You were pacing your room anxiously as your godmothers fretted over your outfit. It didn't matter to you whether the dress was white, cream or peach, you just wanted to sleep away your worries. Earlier you had opened the window in the highest tower of the castle where your grandmother used to sleep before she passed.

You were a second away from breaking down when your arm tingled, his magic was pulling at you. While your godmothers were distracted you slowly backed up before running out of the room. You weaved in between servants until you reached the hidden staircase. You locked the door behind you as you entered only to see the fairy sitting on the bed.

"There you are. I was starting to get worried you chickened out." He said, standing up. You shook your head.

"Well then, here you go." He handed you an elaborate hair clip. You glanced at him.

"It's enchanted. If you place it in your hair you'll fall asleep either until it's removed or until the enchantment wears off, which will be in 100 years." You gingerly took the object immediately feeling a bit sleepy. Faintly you could hear someone banging on the door of the stairs, someone else calling your name.

With that you pinned the clip neatly in your hair, instantly going limp. Your vision slowly faded as you fell asleep.

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Aeden was ready to poison you at first. What a naïve heir to think that you could ask for a spell after what your parents had done to his mother.  Her exile for illegal magic had been false and they knew it.

But as you'd explained your situation he'd slowly decided against poisoning you. Maybe it would be enough to get revenge on your parents through watching them panic as their heir succumbed to a sleep they wouldn't wake from for 100 years.

But then he'd observed you. He sat on your windowsill as a crow and watched as you went about your day. You were so kind to the people who helped you. You let the kitchen staff keep leftovers for their families. You regularly stole from your parents to help your servants survive.

Compared to the prince you were supposed to marry, who was a complete slob, you were an angel.

Now you slept in his arms, so defenseless and tempting. He smiled, hearing the stair door finally splinter. He held you in a princess carry as your parents and godmothers entered. Your godmothers, he recognized now, were some of the only fairies who'd allowed themselves to be controlled by the royal family instead of keeping their old ways.

Maybe if they'd been like the rest they wouldn't be watching as he stole the heir to the kingdom from right under their noses.