Briar Rose (A Noir Sleeping Beauty Retelling)

4. sacred rose

Despite the carnage that had unfolded, all was quiet as Richard carried Briar Rose up the stairs to her room.

Setting her gracefully on the bed, Richard pulled the white duvet over Briar's body. Her golden hair was spread elegantly on the pillow, her youthful face lost in a deep slumber.

"She must rest," Iniid whispered into Richard's ear as he rose from his kneeling position by the bed, letting go of Briar's hand.

Tobias and Iniid fled the room, leaving Richard standing in the doorway. He turned off the light and looked over his shoulder at the sleeping beauty. Blue bioluminescent magic illuminated the bullet wounds scattering Briar's body under the duvet, signifying that the healing had begun.

A dark day had begun for the Rose Estate. Cleaners were brought in to dispose of the bodies littering the main hall. They mopped the puddles of blood and swept up the shells of ammunition with diligence. By the morning of Briar Rose's twenty-first birthday, the house showed no evidence of any bloodshed.

Phillip Spade and his wife arrived by motorcar before breakfast was served, excitement pulsing through their veins. However, when the news broke of Briar's condition, Phillip was far from pleased.

"Asleep? For how long?" he demanded.

"Until the curse is broken," Iniid said, standing at the front door wearing a black blouse and skirt. "Vita must be killed."

"Then kill the damn witch!" Phillip shouted, throwing his hands in the air. "You have until tonight to get your daughter on her feet, or else the union is finished!"

"Will you not help us?"

"I will not intervene. Your quarrel is with the Hex Syndicate, a house of sorcerers and witches. I will not risk my family's safety."

Tobias glared his eyes. "You coward."

Phillip pulled out a gun and pressed the barrel into Tobias's forehead. Richard and Iniid drew their pistols in response.

"Drop it," Richard snarled.

Avelyn drew a six-shooter from her purse, pressing it into the back of his neck.

"You first," she said.

"How predictable for you to abandon us as trouble dawns on the horizon," Iniid said.

"We had a deal," Phillip said, pointing at Tobias. "Fix this issue, or you and what's left of your family will be dead before the sun sets!"

A threat from the Spade family was not to be taken lightly. Unless Vita Hex was defeated and Briar Rose awakened by true love's kiss, the Rose family would have to worry about another threat that could accelerate their impending downfall.

"We must kill Vita," Richard proposed as he huddled around the dining table with Tobias and Iniid.

"It's not that simple," Iniid reminded him. "We can't. Only Briar's true love can defeat Vita to break the curse."

Tobias swore under his breath. "Then the Rose empire is truly finished."

Richard slammed his hands on the table. "You can't give up! Not now."

"What else can we do?" Iniid asked. "Without knowing Briar's true love, we are lost."

It was at that moment that a thud echoed from the second floor. Richard looked at Iniid and Tobias.

"That came from Briar's room."

The three raced up the steps of the stairs, panting as they charged into the bedroom, guns drawn. A young man leaned over Briar Rose, his eyes wet with tears. Iniid lowered her weapon.

"Julian?"

"Sweet Briar Rose," Julian said, taking Briar's hand. He held it to his cheek. "Her shine has faded. Is it true? Has Vita's curse taken her away from me?"

Richard and the other glanced at one another, a hopeful glint in their eyes.

"To protect her from death, Briar Rose has been put into a deep sleep, only to be awakened by true love's kiss."

Julian looked around the room and found the white rose he had gifted Briar the night before. He laid it on her chest.

"It's you," Iniid said.

"A kiss? Is that all I must do to get her back?"

Iniid approached him. "You must first kill Vita to break the curse. Only then will the kiss work."

Julian clenched his jaw. "Then I know what I must do."

Richard took out his pistol, holding it firmly. "I'll join you."

Julian nodded. "Let's go cut the head off the snake."