Sleeping Fairy

Chapter I

Fifteen years later

"But why can't I leave???" A fifteen-almost-sixteen-year-old voice rings out in frustration. The sad, motherly voice that replies says,

"You just can't." The queen sighs, brushing her wavy, knee-length white-blonde hair aside.

"I. Am. Fif. Teen. I am old enough to leave! Most other girls my age-" Rose retorts, waist-length chestnut hair whipping around her hips.

"Most other girls your age aren't princesses in line to the Faylinnian throne."

"As I was saying, most other girls my age are already married, or at least betrothed! I, on the other hand, have never even met a man my age!!"

"Rose." Malrece scolds, entering the room, "Be gentle with your mother." Rolling her eyes emphatically, Rose turns and flies out the door. Soaring high, she sings to herself, "Soaring high, into the skyyyyy, you'd think I was freer than the birds. But my wings have been clipped, my power stolen from meee. Oh, how I wish that I could fly away, far, far into the sunnnn. I wish that I could fly away, away, away, awa-ay-ayay. I wish that I could soar from this war inside me. Fly-y away fa-a-a-r away-ay-ay-ay. - Far away" "BOOOM!" Taken from her fantasy, Rose is thrown higher by a huge explosion below her. Diving down, she sees Ralie Castle in flames. Shocked as a possum in the road, she hovers, then dives further, releasing herself to the water that she calls from the air, ground, and people around her. As she does all she can, she searches for her parents. Instead of them, she sees the arsonist, secreted away behind a bush. Eyes blazing with fury, Rose swoops down and hauls him from hiding in one smooth movement. Clutching the squirming man by his shoulders, Rose flies above all the firefighters and people of the castle, shouting,

"I am your princess! This is the man responsible for the destruction of our home, and the injury of many!" People begin to look up, comprehending the fact that this is the fabled feathered princess. "Stop squirming or I will drop you." Rose hisses to the man in her hands. As the man continues to squirm, Rose rolls her eyes, saying, "You asked for it." Her grip on him releases, causing the man to scream and curse in Grenril. "Thought so," Rose says, catching him. "You look Grenrilian. I wonder what your king will think when he hears of this. And don't give me that look." She glares at him, countering his puppy dog eyes. Handing him over to the police, Rose turns and flits above the castle ruins, looking for her parents alongside the other searchers. Finally, she spots her father's crown and

swoops down to it. Calling frantically, she finally hears an answering voice. Fluttering towards the voice, she finds her father pinned to the ground by a heavy column, pixie wings crumpled under him. "Papa!" she cries, landing. "Don't worry, I'll have you out of here in a jiffy."

"Rose." Malrece groans, "It is my time. Falreanne is calling me home."

"Yeah, well, sorry, but your home is right here with me." Rose retorts, working away at the column and brushing his dark hair out of his eyes.

"Rose, *cough, cough, hack* that is most dis*hack, hack* respectful." Malrece sighs as he is pulled from under the column.

"Papa, I'm not about to let you get away from me so easily!" Rose laughs mournfully.

"I know, Queen Rose. I love you...." Malrece sighs as he drifts off.

"Papa! Papa! I'm not the queen!" Rose cries as she feels him go limp in her arms. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. You can't do this! Come on, Papa, wake up!! Papa! Pa-a-apa, nooooooooo. AAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHA!" Rose screams, lifting into the air on golden wings. "Mama, Mama!" Soaring around, she sees her mother, though her legs are pinned under the throne. "Mama!" Rose dives, do it. I'm a failure!" pulling her out, and falls into her mother's arms, sobbing. "I tried to sav-ave-ave h-i-i-i-m, but I couldn't."

"Who, darling, who?

"Papa-a-ahahaha."

"Oh. Mal. Hmmm. You're not a failure, darling. If anything, I'm a failure for keeping you here, away from the world." Tilia replies. "What did he say to you, before Falreanne called him home?"

"He said*sniff, sniff* 'I love you'." Rose replies.

"So typical of Mal. 'I love you' Hmm." Tilia gazes off into space.

"Mal?" Rose asks, "What?"

"That was my nickname for him. We met in school, and he didn't want anyone to know he was the prince. Seems like it was yesterday, when I met him. Anyways, you are now the ruler of Faylinn, so we must get you ready."

" Mama, you are fit to be ruler. I'm not. If the people find out that I couldn't save Papa, but helped you with my powers, the first person they will target is you, for being a traitor and harboring a witch, me. If I disappear, you will be safe here. I have to go." Rising into the sky, Rose flies away on her golden wings, far away.