Once Upon A Curse

Dreams & Wishes Part 1

Rosaline sat Astra down and explained to her everything as she finished the ointment. For a while all Astra did was spin the rose in her hand not knowing what to say. Once Rosaline strained the ointment through the cloth she smeared it on his forehead and old him to hold it there for a while. Rosaline came back into the diner to see Astra still twiddling the flower with her fingers.
"All this time... i thought i was alone." She finally speaks. Rosaline takes a seat opposite her.
"Can i ask? What's your uhh." Rosaline tries to choose her words carefully but Astra gets what she is trying to ask.
"I can't sleep, never." Rosaline thinks about her words, it doesn't sound so bad.
"So you never get tired?" Rosaline asks and Astra shakes her head.
"I was 9, the day she cursed me is the same day she killed my parents."- Astra grips tighter on the Lavender rose. -"She thought we were a threat. But i have no idea what for."
"I'm sorry." Rosaline simply says not knowing what else to say.
Astra slightly smiles but her eyes looks pained. "I can't believe there is actually a way to be free. Every birthday, shooting star and wishing well it was always the same thing." Rosaline examined the way she sat so straight and envied the politeness of how she speaks. She's the perfect definition of a lady. No wonder her mother wanted her to act like Astra, even Rosaline liked the idea of it. If only she could make her a dress.

"Thanks for helping peter." Astras gaze fixes on Rosalines dark eyes.
"Not a problem. I feel like I'm forgetting something." Rosaline cups her chin with her hand. "Oh!" Getting her satchel she pulls out the mirror with Killian in his usual spot glaring at Rosaline. A nervous smile appears on Rosalines face.
"I was wondering why it was so peaceful." Rosaline kids as Killian starts tapping his fingers on his crossed arms.
"I was watching everything." He deadpans, Astra hears his voice and recognises the mirror from Rosalines story.
"Your highness,"- Astra says standing up to come around to face him. -"I'm really sorry for making you wait in the bag." Astras words make Killians glare becomes a smirk.
"I like her. It's a good thing she's sticking with us." Killian says to Rosaline.
"Who do we need to look for?" Astra asks.
"Well the last one is con-" Killian grimaces mid sentence putting a hand to his head. Rosaline and Astra share a confused glance before turning back to Killian.
"Killian?" Rosaline eyes cloud with worry.
"Don't worry about it."- he runs a tired hand through his hair -"Her name is Catherine but the mirror refuses to show me anything but that name."
"Oh, thorns." Rosaline sighs.
"Can i explain this to my brother, peter? I don't want to disappear without him knowing." Astra interjects.
"Yes, of course." Rosaline watches Astra leave the room. Rosaline looks back at Killian who has a smug look on his face. "Go to sleep, we will look for Catherine tomorrow." She says making his smug face become a groan.
"That girl is killing me. It's the first time I haven't been able to see someone or their history. It's frustrating."
"Rest up." Rosaline places the hand mirror on the table. Killian was going to say something but the aching feeling in his head made him rethink his decision and do as the marchioness suggests.

Astra and Peter don't own any other beds besides the one in peters room so Astra set up a few blankets that Rosaline can sleep on in Astras room. Rosaline tried her best to go to sleep but she could feel the hard floor under the blankets and she couldn't stop thinking about the dress Astra drew. She could picture the fabric she would use in her mind and the colour choices oh! She's been so excited to try layering different colored fabric. Maybe she would make a dress for Astra, with her beautiful slight curls in her hair that Rosaline envied she could look like a Marchioness. Rosaline starts to wonder about what colour she would use. A smile appears on Rosalines lips. Blue, obviously. She thinks about her blue eyes that resemble a shade of grey close up. Rosaline sits up. She can't sit still when she's thinking about an amazing dress idea. From the diner Rosaline hears the sound of glass shattering. Immediately Rosaline takes off.

Astra is scrambled on the floor with a miniature dust pan and broom with shards of glass surrounding her. Rosaline runs in and freezes when she sees the sight of Astra cleaning the glass shards with tears falling down her face. Without saying anything Rosaline starts helping with the glass as Astra refuses to look up and tries her best to wipe her face.
"What happened?" Rosaline asks breaking the silence placing the glass in the pan.
"I uh, wanted to put the rose in the vase and i was trying to place it in the perfect spot and i, well slipped." Astra quietly sniffles.
Rosaline finishes picking up the last shard and checks the hand mirror on the table. You couldn't see killian, it was just a mirror. He must of slept through the noises. Rosaline peers to look at herself and scrunches her nose when she sees that her lips were naked. If only she packed some lipstick. Astra dumps the shards into a bin and places the dust bin and broom beside it.

Rosalines satchel was still on the table so she pulls out a tissue and walks over to Astra who's looking down at her bare feet. Rosaline reaches the tissue to her face about to wipe her tears but hesitates and places it in her hand instead. Rosaline tries to bob down her head to look at her face but Astras a lot shorter than her.
"Was the vase really valuable or something?" Rosaline asks. Astra wraps her arms around herself.
"No, it wasn't i just-" she hesitates looking down once more at her feet but this time with discomfort. She places her body weight on one side of her foot so she can raise the other. Blood.

Rosaline pulls out a chair for Astra to sit on. Rosaline pulls out a glass shard from the heel of her foot and covers it with a wet cloth.
"So, why were you crying?" Rosaline sits on the table. Astra takes in a sharp breath.
"It's just"- Astra starts fiddling with her fingers. -"I'm the poorest commoner in this kingdom and i can't do anything because no one wants to hire me. I have all the time in the world and i spend it by cleaning the house because i have a perfectionist problem. All i had that mattered when i was younger was dreaming. I know i sound ridiculous but i could dream of a life outside these rags and scraps. I'm just happy to eventually being free." Astra pours out her heart and Rosaline makes sure she listens to every word.
"I'm gonna help you." Rosalines words are full of confidence.
"Thank you, i really to admire your confidence. But how?"
"Well, I'm a Marchioness"- Astra snaps her head to look at Rosaline only now noticing how well dressed and educated she was. -"And sleeping beauty over there is going to be king. Helping him be free will make him in debt to us and I'm sure he's going to help improve this ecosystem." Astra then smiles, and Rosaline can see her eyes squint once again.
"I believe with all my heart, that he's going to make everything right." Astra tugs at her oversized rags reminding Rosaline of the dress idea.
"Well first things first, I'm going to need a small favour from you." The corner of Rosalines mouth lifts.
"Of course, what will it be?" Astra gets closer til she's on the edge of her chair.
"Your drawings. Show me more of your drawings." Rosaline requests and Astra suddenly felt flustered.
"My drawings?" Astra repeats. Her blue eyes gaze at the ground shifting like she was thinking. Rosaline had helped her so much, the least she can do is show her some drawings. "In the Cabinet." Astra nods her head to the small cabinet below a rusty window.

Rosaline eagerly walks over to the cabinet, opening it to find a stack of papers. Rosaline smiles to herself picking up the papers and holding them close to her chest.
"Is it okay if I take my time to look at them?" Rosaline out of habit bites her lip, as Astra smiles flattered at the idea that anyone would want to see her drawings.
"It's the least I can do." Astra sits her injured floor on the floor testing if it hurts. Rosaline hesitantly watches Astra stand up hoping it wont hurt.
"Maybe for future reference, wear shoes." Rosaline jokes but Astra looks embarrassed as her eyes avert to Rosaline brown eyes to her bare feet.
"I've never owned shoes before." Astra admits and Rosaline suddenly felt guilty.
Reaching Astras foot, Rosaline takes the cloth. "How does it feel?"
"As long as I don't put too much pressure on it, it's okay." Astra smiles and slowly walks to the bench to pick up the lavender rose Rosaline bled. "It's so beautiful, I just wanted it to be in a perfect place." Astra twirls the flower with her finger, Rosaline quickly makes her way so she's standing in front of Astra.
"I have an idea."- Rosaline smiles taking the flower. -"I might no nothing about magic, but I know a thing or two about beauty." 
"You might have to teach me. I could deal with a few tips." Astra teases gesturing to her rags.
"Beauty is easy if you know how to trick the eye."- Rosaline places the rose on Astra so its sitting on her ear. -"But some people don't need the tricking part."