Once Upon A Dream

Chapter 1 - The Flowers

* Reminder - THIS IS A SEQUEL! There are, of course, going to be things you won't fully understand if you don't read the first book called EYES OF BLUE FLAME. Please, just go read the first book! *

Ch. 1 

I danced with Owl with a red cape and red hat in the forest, singing: 

"...that visions are seldom all they seem." I batted my eyes at him, my voice carrying the words, "But if I know you-" Then I spun, turning my back on Owl. "I know what you'll do." I spun back, thinking it was Owl that was holding me once more. "You'll love me at once-"

Another voice, one much more masculine than my own, cut me off as it rang out: "The way you did once upon a dream." 

My eyes widened so much you'd think that they were about to pop out. As he finished singing, I turned to see Owl caught in branches and vines. He looked back at me and stopped struggling with the plants to shrug at me, letting out a 'who-who-whoooo' laugh. 

"Oh!" I exclaimed in astonishment, pulling myself free on the stranger's hands. I turned to face him as his hands grabbed mine once more. 

He talked to me in a coaxing manner that the audience at the Kennedy Strauss Theater in LA as convinced as Rose, my character. One of my friends, Lance Alberts, took on the role of Prince Philip. Owl, over in the corner and just finishing get untangled from the vines, was played by Patrick O'Neal, who was the crush of one of my best friends.

As Lance and I finished our song, Patrick and some of the other stage actors and actresses finished the song while watching Lance's and my characters. We walked away from Patrick and the others into a more private area of the stage. I leaned against Lance, who leaned against a fake tree while we stared off the stage into the audience as if they were the magnificent scenery. 

~

I entered one large room filled with room-like spaces separated by curtains. The girls' dressing room. Women of all ages filled it. Some men visited the them, offering up flowers and hugs. I smiled, waved, hugged, and conversed with a few of the women.

No man would be coming for me. I hadn't dated since last year. Since high school the guys I had gone out with weren't exactly spectacular or even loving so this year I'd given up and stopped looking. 

"Oh, Kate, you did so great! Congrats!" squealed Danielle Cash, who played Maleficent. She was still in her grandly dark costume.

Danielle wore a large black and purple robe that sported a collar, heeled black boots that thudded on the stage, and a black choker. She had in bright green contacts and on her head sat a pair of large horns. I didn't know how the make-up artists got them on, but I was positive it wasn't an easy task. Her skin was covered with pale gray-green make-up. I'd felt the make-up once, and it was like sticky cream.

It was laying in the corner of her little dressing room while she talked to me, but part of her costume was a long, skinny, wooden, black staff with a knob at the end and a green ball of light in the knob. During the show, Danielle would press a little button that the audience couldn't see, and the ball would light up. 

After talking to a few others after Danielle, I went to my space, slipping in and tugging the curtains closed. I looked in the mirror, studying my costume. My orange hair was hidden by a blonde, wavy wig that fit snugly. I had two different costumes: Princess Aurora, which was the costume I ended the show with, and Brier Rose. 

As Rose, I dressed like a peasant girl. I had on a white petticoat, a black bodice, a tiny hoop skirt, and a light gray blouse with long loose sleeves. I went barefoot as Rose. 

In contrast, as Princess Aurora, I wore an embroidered corset, a large hoop skirt, a headdress or crown, and black-laced heeled ankle boots. The shirt was puffed at my shoulders but tight around my arms. My dresses changed from blue to pink through out the time I played Aurora, but when the play ended, I always had on a pink one. 

"Knock-knock," called Lance from the other side of the curtain as I removed the wig. 

Smiling, I yanked back the curtains. "Hey! Nice job out there! Still in costume, I see." 

Lance wore his a tan tunic over a black long-sleeve and belt wrapped tightly around his waist over both. He also wore brown pants, a pair of boots, a red cape, and a red hat. He reached up and tilted his red cap at an angle. 

"Thank you, thank you, and you weren't too shabby yourself," he said with a small smirk. 

"Thanks," I told him, running a brush through my orange hair. I noticed he kept his hands behind his back. "And what are you hiding, Lance? Chocolates?" 

Lance chuckled. "Ha-ha, but no." He pulled out from behind him a lovely bunch of lillies. 

"Oooo," I said happily, taking the flowers from him. "They'll look great in my apartment!" 

"Yeah, I know," he teased smugly. "That's why I chose them." 

"Ha-ha," I told him. "Very funny, Lance." 

"Kathleen DeTress!" called a deep voice. 

"Here!" I called, pushing past Lance and poking my heads out of my curtains room. 

A man walked up to me. "These are for you." 

I stared at the beautiful bouquet of bluish, golden, and red flowers. 

"Oo-la-la," teased one of the extras as she walked past. 

Danielle shoved her way over to me. "Oh, wow, Kate. Must say I'm jealous. Who's the admirer? Care to tell so that maybe we can meet him?" 

"From you?" I asked the delivery man, but he frowned and shook his head. 

"You good? Good. I got to deliver the rest of these." He motioned to the cart of other flowers. 

"Danielle Cash! Cash!" 

"That's me!" 

I stepped back into my dressing room. Lance looked out the flowers, and I saw disappointment flicker in his eyes. 

"Kinda make mine look crappy," Lance mumbled as I set them down next to my wig. 

"No, no, they don't," I assured him, giving my friend a hug. "There's no note, nothing, and thus I can't brag who they are from. So, these will stay here while your will sit on my dinning room table." 

"Yeah, so you can admire these in my face?" Lance half-joked. 

"If you're going to fuss, then yes," I told him defiantly. "I will." 

"All right, all right," he grumbled. "I'm sorry. I know, they're just stupid flowers." 

"Yeah," I told him. "So, let it go that some flowers from some stranger just happen to have more color than yours do. Don't be stupid, Lance. Quit thinking that the color is more important than who it's from. Now go get changed, and we can all go to dinner to celebrate how great the opening was!" 

"Okay, okay," Lance said. "I'm going. No need to say more. I know when I'm not wanted somewhere." 

"Yeah, so get out," I teased dryly, even giving him a playful push. He turned, and we smiled at each other. "See you at dinner, Lance." With that, I jerked the curtains shut to change. 

I frowned as my eyes landed back on the bouquet, one of my necklaces laying next to them on the opposite side of the wig. It was a red rose with a gold chain. I pinched my nose and let out a breath. 

And the blue flowers. They seemed so...fiery. 

I scoffed at myself, mentally calling myself an idiot as I shook my head. But I could stop the smile from making its way across my face. I just couldn't help it. 

* Please, leave a comment. It would mean a lot. Who do you think the flowers are really from? From Ash or just remind her of Ash? Also, to the right is the picture of Kate now that she is a few years older. *