In the hall, Maleficent anxiously waited, straining to hear what was going on. While she had been surprised to hear Phillip say his father was a king, she was rather pleased. It seemed only right that if Aurora, a princess, were to be awoken, it would be by the kiss of true love from a prince.
“What’s your name?” she heard Knotgrass ask, followed by the sound of footsteps as the group made their way toward Aurora.
“Phillip,” he answered.
“Well, Prince Phillip, meet Princess Aurora,” Flittle said.
Maleficent didn’t have to be in the room to know that as Flittle stepped aside, Phillip would see Aurora and his eyes would widen as recognized her from the forest.
Sure enough, his next words were “I know this girl.”
Not satisfied only to listen in on the events unfolding, Maleficent stepped out of the shadows. The two guards had only a moment to recognize the horns before Maleficent lifted her staff and quickly knocked them out. Turning, she gestured to Diaval to follow her.
Silently, they slipped through the open door. A huge bed dominated the center of the room, heavy curtains draped on either side of the massive headboard. Intricate carvings were etched into the four wooden posts that held up the bed. And flowing down from the top, covering the now sleeping form of Aurora, was a thin white translucent fabric that made Maleficent think of a spider’s web. Seemingly weak, but actually strong enough to keep things trapped inside.
Glancing around the rest of the room, Maleficent felt a wave of sadness flood over her. This was clearly the room that had once been intended as Aurora’s nursery. A small crib, the same translucent fabric covering it, was pushed against one of the three giant windows that lined the far wall. But while the large bed was clean, the crib was covered in a thick layer of dust, as were the toys and rocking horse pushed into the far corner.
This is my doing, Maleficent thought, gazing around the sad room. This was where Aurora would have spent hours playing, reading with her mother, pouring tea with her imaginary friends. But I took that from her. I even took her chance of happiness in the Moors away from her. And now she lies here, lifeless. And I have no one to blame but myself.
Shaking her head, Maleficent moved a bit closer, careful not to make any noise that would alert the pixies or Phillip. There was still a small chance, a very small chance, that all was not lost. But it depended on something intangible.
“Why is she sleeping?” Phillip asked, unaware of Maleficent’s arrival.
“She’s trapped in an enchantment,” Knotgrass answered.
Maleficent rolled her eyes. The three pixies were hopeless. Phillip knew nothing of magic. Telling him it was an enchantment could frighten him away.
Luckily, it didn’t seem to faze Phillip. He took a step closer to Aurora. “She’s the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen,” he said.
The three pixies exchanged excited glances. “Do you want to kiss her?” Thistlewit asked.
Phillip nodded. “Very much.”
“Go on, then,” Knotgrass said, gesturing toward the bed.
“I wouldn’t feel right about it,” Phillip said, hesitating. “I barely know her. We only met once.”
In the shadows, Maleficent’s heart began to pound. He had to kiss her. He had to! The faeries couldn’t let him walk out the door just because he was being a gentleman. This could be their last chance. This could be true love! Feeling Diaval’s gaze on her, she turned and shot him a look. She knew what he was thinking. He was thinking I told you so. True Love’s Kiss can exist. But she didn’t even care. Hope was flowing through her, pushing aside the old, hard skepticism that had filled her for years.