Sleeping Beauty's Spindle

by Shonna Slayton

  Briar didn’t want to be cruel, but she couldn’t let Isodora go free only to hurt someone else. “You must be able to do something. Release the Prince family. Seal up the spindle where no one can get to it.”

  “But then I’ll forever be like this,” Isodora seethed, glaring at Fanny.

  “You’ll be alive,” Briar said.

  Isodora made another move to save herself, and gasped as the spindle pierced deeper. Her eyes took on a wild look, and she began to wave her arms. In her struggle, she slapped her arm against the candle, which had been balanced on the frame. It fell, quickly setting fire to some cotton fluff along the way that then fell to the floor. It burned bright, fueled by grease that had dripped from the frame.

  “No!” screamed Isodora in anguish as a sickly green cloud rose up from the poisoned spindle and surrounded her. Her own magic was working against her. The spindle must have gone deep enough to pierce her heart. The green cloud grew large and dense as it swirled around Isodora, until they could no longer see her. When her screams faded away, so did the cloud.

  The fairy was gone.

  But now the fire was spreading along the oil-soaked wooden floor.

  “Run!” yelled Briar.

  “Benny!” called Jack. His twin was still tied to the second frame.

  “Go with Miss Fanny. I’ll get Benny,” Briar said. Before Jack could argue, Fanny had his little hand firmly in her grip and they were racing to the single door.

  The smoke filled the room ahead of the flame. “Hold your breath,” she said to Benny. “You’re almost loose. When I say go, duck down to take a breath, then run with me.” Her fingers worked quickly to break the rushing, thankful Isodora had used the loose cotton, which was easier to break apart. The smoke burned her eyes and throat, but she broke the bonds. “Go!”

  The two ducked below the thick smoke for a quick breath, and they ran. Briar led the way, knowing the shortest path through the spinning frames. Fanny was waiting with the door open. Jack was already at the bottom of the stairs, immobile, watching for the rest of his family to emerge.

  In the distance, the briar hedge was shrinking and snapping and disappearing with loud, angry cracks and pops. Miss Olive stood at an opening near the gate, holding Pansy’s hand and waiting. Henry was trapped in one corner where the briars were still the thickest. Only his head and arm were visible. Prudence was to the right of Henry, and as the branches surrounding her collapsed to her feet she stood still, waiting. Observing. Observing what?

  Chapter 45

  Briar looked behind and saw the flames leaping out of the spinning room, but that wasn’t where Prudence’s gaze was directed. She watched Fanny carrying Jack, all snuggled up in her arms. Briar hefted Benny to a better position on her hip.

  Why is Prudence so intent on Fanny? If Fanny were to get in trouble for any of what had taken place, Briar would be the first one to defend her. If it weren’t for Fanny, who knew what would have become of the children when Prudence left so suddenly?

  As the last of the sharp briar branches fell to the ground, Henry and Miss Olive were released. Henry, scratched and bleeding from the briars, rushed to take Benny. “Hey there, buddy. You okay?”

  Benny coughed, but nodded that he was okay. “Fire.” He wrapped his arms around Henry and squeezed hard.

  “And you?” Henry asked Briar. He pulled Benny’s arm to loosen the boy’s grip around his neck, and then reached for Briar. He tipped her chin, his gaze searching hers. “Are you all right? When I lost my grip on your hand, I was afraid I’d lost you, too.”

  She smiled at him with nothing but love and hope in her heart. “It’s over. I don’t think you’ll find a spindle in those ashes. Isodora intended for me to prick my finger again, but she fell onto her own spindle and it pierced through to her heart.”

  “It’s not over at all.” Henry looked very serious.

  Confused, Briar glanced back at the mill, angry flames bursting out of broken windows.

  Henry shifted Benny so he could put his arm around her. Dipping his head close to hers, he said, “I want you to know that we are just beginning. We’re not even close to being over, ever.” He kissed her forehead, then transferred Benny into her arms.

  Briar’s heart fluttered. Henry Prince. Who would have thought? Her cheeks warmed, but not from the fire as she watched him run to the mill fire station to sound the alarm.

  “Let’s go quickly,” Prudence said, waving everyone over to her. “The fog is lifting and Henry is calling in help. We shouldn’t be here when they arrive.”

  “Can’t you stop the fire?” asked Briar.

  “Fire is not under our control. The townspeople will need to take care of this.”

  They hurried down the quiet street when the clanging of bells sounded out in the stillness. Ting, ting, ting, ting, trying to wake the whole town. Fires were serious business and a mill fire was dangerous.

  Once inside, Miss Olive turned on one of the parlor lights, and at first, they all stood in a circle looking at one another.

  “Sit down,” directed Miss Olive. “I already had some tea brewing. Be right back.”

  The two other fairies gathered in whispered conversation near the piano. Briar chose the long sofa and the children all piled up around her. Pansy sat so close to Briar she might as well have sat in her lap. “I flew,” she whispered. “In the wind, with Miss Fanny.” Her face shone with excitement.

  “What was it like?” Briar whispered back.

  “It was like being on a cloud.” Pansy thought for a moment. “Do you think she’ll take me flying again?”

  Briar examined the straight back, narrowed eyebrows, and pinched lips of Prudence as she listened to Fanny’s enthusiastic telling of what went on in the spinning room.

  “No, darling. I think that was it. Store up the memory in your heart so you can tell your own daughter one day.” Like Mam told us. Briar shook her head. Oh, the questions she had for her mam.

  Miss Olive came in with a cup of tea and handed it to her. The cup rattled in the saucer as Briar took it. Now that she was safe, the shock of it all was overwhelming. In the moment, one does what needs to be done, but anything could have happened in that room. To the boys, to her.

  “They told us how flammable the room was, but I had no idea it could catch fire so fast.”

  Miss Olive nodded. “And you got everyone out. Your mam would have been quite proud of the woman you are becoming.”

  The way she said it made Briar gasp. “You mean you knew her?”

  “We spoke once. When she first started at the mill and shared with me her concern that you’d have to join her. And you did. And now you have fulfilled her wishes for you.”

  But she hadn’t. She had no home for the children, and no way to keep them together. Prudence didn’t need to protect any girl in Sunrise Valley anymore, so they were on their own. Maybe the Princes could take the children now that the spindle was gone.

  Jack interrupted by patting Briar’s arm. “I wanna watch them put out the fire an’ see the fire wagon come. May I go back?”

  “No, you curious thing. You’ll want to join right in and carry a bucket.”

  “Can I?” Jack’s face lit up at the idea. “Please, Bri? I want to be with Henry.”

  “Let’s watch on the porch.” Briar was worried about Henry, too. He would want to go to the exact location where the fire started to make sure the spindle was gone. He’d need to know he and his family really were free.

  By the time Briar and the children had gotten to the door, a flood of boardinghouse girls in their nightclothes came streaming down the stairs, all blurry-eyed and wanting to know what was going on.

  “Was that the fire bell?”

  “What’s happening?”

  Miss Olive came in to restore order. “Listen. Listen, girls. Our mill has caught fire. But don’t you worry. You are all safe here. I’m sure they’ll have it out in no time.”

  “Fire!” The flood of girls continued out the door, pushing
Briar and the children outside with them.

  The dancing orange glow stood out against the dark sky. There were distant shouts and clangs from the horse-drawn fire wagons. All the boardinghouses up the road had their doors open and the mill operatives spilling out of them to see what was going on.

  Miss Olive wouldn’t let her girls get closer. She stood on the street with her arms open and waving her charges back into the yard. “Stay put. You can see just fine from here.”

  “Briar! You’re back,” someone called out, noticing her standing with the children.

  Quickly, the mill girls gathered around her. “Are you feeling better?”

  “Completely healed,” she said, glancing at Miss Olive.

  “Look at that,” said Lizbeth as there was a distant crash and a flare of orange. “There go our jobs.”

  “We can move to the new mill,” said Mary. “They’ll take us since we don’t need training.”

  Ethel shrugged. “We can check with the other factories in town first. Shame to leave all our friends.” She smiled at Briar and Mim.

  Briar smiled back, watching the fire reflected in her friends’ faces. They’d grown so close these last few weeks together. She couldn’t even imagine the hole they would leave behind if they moved to Burlington. She squeezed in between them and tucked her arms in theirs.

  Briar no longer wanted to leave Sunrise Valley. She wanted to be near her family and the three fairies. And Henry. She rested her head on Ethel’s shoulder. But with the spindle gone, there wasn’t reason for any of the fairies to stay in the valley. What would they do next? The Prince family? Would they all leave? Briar still didn’t know what was going to happen to the children.

  “You okay?” Ethel asked.

  “I will be,” Briar answered. Her whole life could change now that she’d decided she didn’t want it to.

  By the time the sun rose, the fire was under control.

  The main building was a loss, but the surrounding outbuildings had been saved.

  The boys had done their best to stay awake, but after Miss Olive brought them blankets, they each found a cozy spot in the parlor and fell asleep, much to the amusement of the mill girls.

  With no work that day, the operatives set out to find word on employment in Burlington or to enjoy a rare day of relaxation. Several took turns using the bicycle to wheel to the mill and back with reports on the progress of the firefighters.

  Briar was exhausted but fought to stay awake until she heard from Henry. The latest news was that the fire was out, but still he didn’t come. She watched scores of men walk by, their faces blackened by smoke and ashes, but still no Henry.

  The boys woke and wanted to play games in the parlor, so Briar propped open the front door to keep an ear out while she sat on the porch steps to watch for Henry. By the laughter she knew the boys were having a grand time playing Tiddledy Winks, and the mill girls were won over by their adorableness.

  Jack came outside, bouncing. “Briar, they telled me I should be a candy boy and they would buy all their sweets from me.” He grinned wide. “But then Benny said I would eat it all myself, and I think he might be right. It would be hard for a fella to watch someone else eat all that candy and not take one or two for hisself.”

  “You would make a fine candy boy.”

  “I’ll tell Benny you said that.” And off he went, back into the parlor.

  Finally, Henry came ambling down the road, soot covered and looking more like a coal miner than a mill worker. Briar relaxed her clenched hands, relieved he was okay and she could see it for herself.

  He had something wrapped up in his hand, and he wasn’t smiling.

  No. The spindle couldn’t have survived. As much as Briar wanted things to stay the same, she didn’t want that.

  She stood and braced herself for the worst.

  Chapter 46

  Briar craned her neck to see what shape the wrapped bundle was, but when Henry got closer, he hid it behind his back.

  Her heart sank. Their family wasn’t free after all. She rose and went to meet him. The Prince family was able to guard the spindle for hundreds of years. They would continue to do so. And now that she knew the secret, she could help.

  Henry stopped to talk with Fanny, who, after checking up on the boys, had gone down the steps ahead of Briar to join Miss Olive and Prudence who were talking across the road.

  When Henry saw Briar, he smiled.

  “What happened in there?” she asked, being obvious about trying to see behind his back; he being just as obvious about blocking her view.

  “We managed to save all but the one building. It could have been a lot worse.” He sounded tired and not at all victorious as she’d expected.

  “What’s behind your back?”

  Before he could answer, Miss Olive interrupted. “You are all invited out to the country, courtesy of Miss Fanny. She says she needs the help eating all the goodies the neighbors brought to her house.” She turned to Henry,

  “Would you get the wagon for us, please?”

  “I’ll show you later,” he whispered to Briar, mustering up a smile before jogging back down the road.

  With several whoops, the girls ran inside to grab their bonnets.

  “I’ll go get Ethel,” Mim said. “It’d do her some good.” She followed the others inside.

  “And I’ll gather the children,” Briar said, curious about when “later” would be.

  By the time everyone filed back out to the street, Henry was there with his wagon, and he’d recruited George with another wagon to fit more girls.

  George offered a hand to each girl as she climbed up in the back, but when Mim walked out with Ethel, he abandoned his post and jogged up to her with a silly grin.

  “This way, ladies,” he said with a wide, sweeping gesture to his wagon. In return, Mim flashed him her best smile and looped her arm through his.

  Ethel and Briar exchanged a look.

  “You go with Henry,” Ethel said. “I’ll take this wagon and keep an eye on them.”

  Briar hopped up on the wagon beside Henry. “What about the three ladies over there?” Fanny, Miss Olive, and Prudence were having a strong discussion across the street and out of earshot of the boardinghouse.

  Henry shrugged. “I think they can get back to the cottage on their own.”

  Fanny looked over and met Briar’s gaze. She smiled and nodded once as if she’d heard.

  Briar turned back to Henry. “You’ll have to tell me all you know about them.”

  “I don’t know much, but I can guess what they are talking about now.”

  “The future?”

  Henry nodded. “But I have no idea what they will decide.”

  “What about the mill? All these girls are out of work.”

  He smiled. “I heard there was an anonymous pledge to cover the cost of rebuilding. Some wealthy German investors, I believe. It shouldn’t take too long to be up and running again. Those who can’t wait can move on if they wish. It’s not so terrible to leave the valley. It’s a beautiful world out there, too.”

  The mill girls sang songs all the way, giving the ride a festive air. Briar wanted to ask Henry about the spindle, but she couldn’t press him because then the girls would wonder.

  She didn’t want any more secrets between them, and she didn’t think he did, either. She watched his profile as he stared out over the valley, giving it that Henry look.

  He turned and caught her staring. He wiggled his eyebrows, and she laughed. Henry Prince.

  These feelings she could trust. Henry was true.

  At the cottage, the girls spread out, playing with the animals and hiking in the woods. After Henry washed up, Briar tried to corner him about the bundle he was hiding.

  “Later,” was all he said, jerking his chin at all the people gathered around.

  When it was nearing time to eat, Briar tried to go inside to help serve, but Pansy took her hand and led her out back to check on the bunny.

  �
��We were gone all night and the animals missed us. They need to see you, too. They want to know you are healed.”

  It sounded like an excuse one of the boys would make to get Briar’s undivided attention, so she played along. Maybe Pansy was overwhelmed with all that had happened, and now all the people invading their home. Briar could give her a quick bit of quiet and attention. “I feel great, Pansy. Almost like I was never sick. Don’t you worry.”

  Pansy had knelt down and was petting the bunny, but kept looking over her shoulder like she wanted to join the gathering in the cottage.

  “We can go back, if you think you’re missing out on something,” Briar said, confused by Pansy’s mixed messages.

  “No, a few minutes more,” Pansy insisted.

  Briar found a Solomon’s Seal plant growing near Fanny’s garden patch. She plucked it and tucked it into her hair.

  Henry sidled up next to her and bowed. “Your presence is requested in the cottage.” He gallantly held out his arm and winked at Pansy.

  Pansy raced ahead and disappeared around the corner.

  “Alone as last,” Briar said, looping her arm through his.

  “Now will you tell me what happened with the spindle?”

  “It’s gone,” he said. “No trace of it or Isodora.”

  Briar was confused. “But I saw you bring something from the mill. If not the spindle, what was it?”

  “Be patient. I’ll show you soon.” He dropped his arm and guided her ahead of himself into the cottage.

  “Surprise!” yelled everyone. “Happy Birthday.” Miss Fanny stepped forward with the cake Mrs. Clover had made for her.

  Briar held her hands up to her mouth. In all the excitement she’d forgotten her birthday. She was seventeen. She was alive.

  “Now we can finally eat this cake,” Jack said.

  While everyone was busy eating, Prudence took Briar aside. “The ladies and I have come to a decision. Fanny is to be your new caretaker until the children no longer need one.”

  Briar looked up to see Fanny watching. Fanny grinned and waved.