Sleeping Fairy

Prologue

Prologue

Once upon a time, in the Faerie kingdom of Faylinn, a princess was born. Her parents named her Rosalianna, and hid her away, because on the day that she was born, she soaked her nanny to the bone with a storm cloud that followed her around for six hours. The King and Queen threw together a private christening extremely fast, hoping that the four good fairies would be able to help Rose control her powers or, even better, cure them. In their rush to get the christening ready, the King and Queen had forgotten to invite the fairy Extia. Three of the fairies gave their gifts of beauty, grace and a talented voice. But, just as the fourth fairy was to give her gift, a howling wind screamed through the chamber. Arriving on a gust of that wind, a fairy swathed in darkness perched herself on the window of the chamber.

Shrinking back in fear and clutching Rose closer, Queen Tilia hissed,

"Stay away from my Rose, Witch Extia"

"Fine." The fairy sighed, as she shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly, "I will give her my gift from here." After muttering in Darkspell, the language of Dark Witches, Extia switches back to Faerie, saying, "On the eve of her sixteenth birthday, the princess shall lose her elemental powers, prick her finger on the thorn of a rose, and die!"

"Guards, seize her!" King Malrece shouted, cutting her off "and don't let her escape!" Cackling madly, Extia vanished in a flash of smoke just before the guards could seize her. Silently, the four good fairies left, but just before the last one exited the chamber, she whispered her gift under her breath, her voice quietly lilting.

"She will not die, nor lose her powers, but simply fall asleep until her true love kisses her awake."