Briar Rose, A Tale of the Fairies

3

"Briar? Briar! Wake up! You missed dinner! The queen is furious," the last sentence was whispered as Briar winced, feeling a harsh pull on her hair. She opened her eyes to meet bright green ones, full of worry and curiosity.

"Ow, Ella stop," Briar held her head gently as she stood, feeling the familiar brush of wild grass tickling her thighs. She looked around the see the fields surrounding the castle, no longer in the presence of the cottage or lagoon. "What time is it?"

Ella pointed up at the sky where the sky had turned from a bright red to soft orange and pink disappearing into darkness. "Past dinner."

Briar uttered a noise of protest, when a sudden memory of the long gone evening hit her. Her eyes widened, "I have to go, I need to go find my mother!" she exclaimed before plowing through the grass and towards the castle. Ella only watched her in growing curiosity and disbelief, her head tilted to the side until the princess disappeared from her view.

Briar stumbled into her room, her cheeks flushed and hair strewn about, only to see Ruby Red stand waiting in her chambers, her arms crossed in impatience and the continuous tick in her perfectly symmetrical jaw suggested trouble. "Mother!"

"Briar Rose, I let you wander before dinner as a privilege and what do you do? Abuse my generosity," Ruby Red began. "I cannot believe you, and tonight was a special night as well. I might as well revoke all your privileges."

"Mother!" Briar protested once more, "It was not a choice of mine! In fact, I'm afraid by such news I've discovered in the woods before I lost track of time!"

Ruby Red sighed in frustration, "Explain yourself, you look quite the mess."

"I-I happened upon a woman in the woods, she claims to read the future. I asked her to read mine..., and she told me something I think has something to do greatly with you and your past."

"How so?"

"The woman warns me of a cursed future, mother, and it reminded me of your curse. I'm afraid, mother. She also told me I must be careful as to the fact that ominous events lie ahead of me," Briar explained fearfully, "Is it something that has to do with your childhood and...and the dwarves?"

Ruby Red studied her daughter, "No," she said carefully, "However there is something I must tell you, Briar, about your own curse."

Briar stared unbelievingly at her mother, "I'm cursed?"

Ruby Red sighed once more, "It is not a curse like mine, child, this was a curse placed on you after your birth. One that is removable, however highly unlikely due to the magic being who had put the curse on you," she explained slowly, as if deliberately choosing her words.

"M-magic being? Someone cursed me?" Briar stuttered, grasping at this new information brought to her.

"Your christening, my darling, was the grandest event of the year in the kingdom. Every being was invited to celebrate this holy event, every being but one, whom was excluded accidentally," Ruby Red explained, "The Black Crow of the Enchanted Forest."

Briar could only stand in shock, "I've been cursed because someone was not invited to my christening?"

"Yes," Ruby Red answered grimly, "By the Black Crow himself."

"M-may I ask what will happen to me because of the curse?"

"It is a curse like mine; a curse that is of which long term and will begin to grow as a part of who you are as a person," the queen explained once more, "You are unable to perform magic, darling."

Briar let out a sigh of relief.

Ruby Red reached out to her daughter, pulling her into a hug, "I ask of you to listen to this woman's advice, please be careful Briar."