Sleeping Roses

True Love's Kiss

Briar's eyes snapped open and she sat bolt upright, her breath coming out in a sudden, sharp gasp as she looked around.

Then she looked around again.

Where was she?

This wasn't the castle.

It looked like an entrance hall, stairs winding upwards out of sight before her, pillars wrapped up in soft, sweet smelling roses, dew glittering in the sunlight that trickled through the windows. A bird flitted in one window, singing as if greeting a morning before darting out another window.

Getting to her feet, she walked to the stairs and peered upwards, but she couldn't see any end. Where was she? This tower... was it her tower?

Her heart squeezed instantly, fear thundering through her veins.

Was she back?

Had Mother come back? Had she put her back in the dream world again?

Lifting her skirts she started to run, racing up the stairs, panic making her breath hurt. What about the servants? Had they been brought back as well? She couldn't, they'd just been freed!

The stairs seemed endless and she was exhausted when she finally saw the light of an archway.

Gasping for breath, she planted a hand on the doorframe, doubled over, breathing hard before looking up and, instantly, she wasn't quite so out of breath.

It was her parlour, the same as the way she'd left it, quiet and undisturbed, the doors to the hall and dining room open.

And Kilan was there, stretched out across one of the sofas, a cup of tea on the table, a book in his hand.

"Kilan?" she gasped, staring at him.

He looked up at his name, then smiled. "Good evening," he said, closing the book and setting it aside before standing up.

Briar just stared at him. Tears started to sting her eyes as she sank to the ground.

"Now Briar, no need for tears," Kilan said, walking forwards and Briar pressed her hands to her face as she started to cry.

Kilan knelt down in front of her and gently wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her onto his lap, tucking her in close to his body and hugging her tightly, gently hushing her, closing his eyes.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" Briar cried.

"It's alright, Briar, it's not your fault," Kilan said, stroking her hair.

"What do I do? I don't know what to do!"

"Simple, you go travelling."

Briar shoved backwards to look at him and Kilan scooped her up into his arms, standing up and walking back to the sofas, dropping her onto her usual seat and walking to one of the tables where several books lay. Grabbing one, he walked back to her, opening it and setting it on her lap, sitting on the arm of the chair and pointing.

"There's the world," he said, pointing at a world map on the first two pages of the book, "Go see it."

Briar stared at him. "That isn't fair! How can I go out and see the world while you're stuck here?!"

"How can you possibly consider staying in a castle when you now have the opportunity to see the world?" Kilan replied, "Now that's unfair. I switch places with you and you stay locked up? I might as well have left you here and gone on my merry way."

"But Kilan-" Briar started and Kilan slid off the arm of the chair, into the seat, partially squashing Briar, making her glare as she wriggled out from under him.