Sleeping Beauty [Camren]

chapter three

Many sad and lonely years passed by for King Alejandro and his people. But as the time for the princesses eighteenth birthday drew near, the entire kingdom began to rejoice. For everyone knew that as long as Maleficent's domain, the forbidden mountains, thundered with her wrath and frustration, her evil prophecy had not yet been fulfilled.

Up on Forbidden Mountain, Maleficent was furious. Thunder and lightning displayed her anger from the outside. Her armies of goblins and ghouls ducked whenever a lightning bolt was aimed in their direction.

"Eighteen years! And not a trace of her!" the evil witch shouted. "It's not like she could have vanished into thin air! Are you sure you searched everywhere?"

"Yep, yep. Everywhere. We all did." a ghoul stated as the others agreed.

"And what about the towns? The forests? The mountains?" Maleficent demanded.

"We searched the mountains and forests, houses and uh...all the cradles."

"Cradle?" Maleficent asks in confusion.

"Yep, every cradle."

"Cradle!" the witch exclaimed before turning to pet raven. "Did you hear that my pet? All these years they've been looking for a baby."

She then began cackle hysterically. Her laughter echoed throughout the stone castle. Her army soon joined her, thinking that they were off the hook for botching up the one job she had assigned them. Maleficent then stopped laughing abruptly and threw fire balls in their direction.

"Fools! Idiots! Imbeciles!" she screeched as they ran for cover, soon making Maleficent alone with her raven. "They are hopeless. A disgrace to the forces of evil. My pet, you are my last hope. Circle far and wide. Search for a maid of eighteen with hair black as ebony and lips as red as the rose. Go and do not fail me."

The raven flew out of the castle. His destination: wherever the young maiden was. It was up to him to fulfill his mistress' wish. Only he could she count on.

And so for eighteen long years the whereabouts of the princess remained a mystery, while deep in the forest, in a woodcutter's cottage, the good fairies carried out their well-laid plan. Living like mortals, they had reared the child as their own and called her Camila.

That morning, Camila woke up and began her daily routine, not knowing that this would be the last day in her beloved cottage. For the past eighteen years, Camila was raised by her three aunts. When she was younger, she would often question to where parents were. Every time she brought them up, her aunts would always change the subject. It was if she was brought into the world without parents.

While Camila was getting ready for the day, Ally, Normani and Dinah were planning a small surprise party for her before she was to be returned to the palace. The three were huddled together as they planned their surprise. All three were too engrossed in what they were doing that they did not hear the young woman come down the stairs. Camila was getting ready to sweep the floor. She heard the quiet whispers of her aunts.

"Well, what are you three up to?" Camila asked making her presence known.

"Up to?" the three questioned as the scrambled to hide something.

"Nothing, Dear. We just were uh..." Ally stammered trying to come up with an excuse.

"We want you to pick some berries." Dinah covered as she picked up a basket.

"That's it!" Ally announced. "Berries!"

"Lots of berries!" Normani added as they Camila the basket and a shawl.

"But I picked berries yesterday." Camila stated as she was ushered out the door.

"We need more, Dear." Ally commented.