A Mixed-Up Destiny Disaster

Chapter 23- Sleeping Dust

The next few weeks were spent helping me settle into the castle and introducing me to the people of Sherwood Forest. Sparrow helped me unpack the boxes that were sent to me from my old home. Sparrow and I would sneak away from the castle together occasionally, spending time under a tree practicing our guitars or watching the sunset.

I definitely changed my style of clothing thanks to my new destiny. I started to dress more medieval-like, but still kept the punk side of me the same.

I still always wore the necklace Sparrow gave me, no matter what I wore. It reminded me that I always had him with me, and I was thankful for that.

Finally, the day I was going back to Ever After High came. Sparrow and I helped each other pack, both of us not needing that much. I looked around the room, looking for anything else I might want to bring.

"Are you ready?" Sparrow asked, walking into the room and wrapping his arms around my waist.

"Am I ready to go back to school with a new identity and a new destiny? Yeah, sure I am." I laughed at my sarcasm.

Sparrow smiled, laying his chin on my shoulder. "Relax. I'll be there with you every step of the way."

I nodded and removed his hands from my waist. I walked over to my bed, picking up my bookpack full of things and my guitar. As I walked out the door with Sparrow, Electra waddled behind me. I smiled and walked out the castle doors and into a carriage with Sparrow. Electra curled on my left while Sparrow sat on my right. He put his backpack and guitar across from him, along with my stuff.

I shut the door and sat down with Sparrow as the carriage started to move. I laid my head on his shoulder, feeling my eyes droop. Sparrow smiled and held my hand as I fell asleep, laying his head on top of mine. He soon fell asleep himself, just as the sun disappeared below the horizon.

~~~

As the carriage came to a stop, Sparrow jolted awake. He turned his head to see a still-sleeping Maria and smiled. She looked like his Sleeping Beauty, ready to be woken up by her prince. He placed kisses on both of her cheeks, then her forehead in an attempt to wake her up. She didn't move.

"Are you part Beauty?" he joked.

He then noticed something curious. There was gold, shimmering, speck-like dust in her hair. It was sleeping dust, like the dust used in Sleeping Beauty to make her fall asleep. Sparrow opened the door to the carriage and put their guitars and backpacks on the grass. Raven and Apple, noticing him, walked over to him with a smile.

"Hey, Sparrow! How are you?" Apple asked sweetly.

"I'm great, thank you," Sparrow blurted. He turned to Raven. "Something happened to Maria." Sparrow motioned to follow him.

They both went into the carriage and Raven saw Maria laying there. She looked so peaceful; so much, it frightened Raven.

Raven turned to Sparrow. "We need to take her to Madam Yaga."

Sparrow picked her up and carried her out, following Raven to Baba Yaga's hut. Raven knocked on the door and the door opened by itself. Baba Yaga sat by the fire on her floating footstool. She looked over at Raven, then Sparrow, and then Maria.

"What happened?" Baba Yaga crossed her arms.

"We were heading back to the school and while you were asleep somebody thought it would be funny to sprinkle sleeping dust on her." Sparrow shrugged.

Baba Yaga sighed and picked her up from Sparrow's arms. Baba Yaga placed her on an examining table. Baba Yaga took some tweezers and carefully removed the specks of sleeping dust from her hair. When she removed all of the specks, she was still fast asleep.

"The sleeping spell has taken full effect, so it should last one hundred years. Unless you know who her 'Prince Charming' is, she won't be waking up anytime soon," Baba Yaga explained sadly.

Raven nodded sadly as Sparrow picked Maria up from the table. They carried her back to the dorm room, where her stuff was waiting for her, along with Cupid sitting on her bed. Cupid smiled, then frowned as she saw Maria.

"What happened to her?" Cupid asked as Sparrow placed her on her bed.

"Sleeping dust," Raven said simply.

Cupid glanced at the sleeping girl, then at Sparrow. "Have you tried to kiss her, Sparrow?"

"I'm afraid it won't work," Sparrow argued.

"You're her boyfriend!" Raven snapped.

"Fine. I'll kiss her, but not while you're in the room," Sparrow sighed.

Raven, Apple, and Cupid left reluctantly, closing the door so Sparrow knew they left. He hovered over her, looking down at her beautiful face. "Please work, please work." He leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips. He straightened and looked at her.

Nothing happened.

Tears filled his eyes, knowing that his girlfriend was not his true love. She was not the one he was supposed to wake up to every morning. She was not the one he would steal kisses from every five minutes. The very thought made him want to break.

"Sparrow? What's wrong, babe?"