“Just like I told you. When I came into the piano room to look for Dani, my stepdad was there and said she’d left in a hurry. Something about her not feeling safe anymore and wanting to move back home. I assumed it was something I said to upset her, so I hurried over here as fast as I could to see if I could change her mind about moving.”
Dorothy directed her next question to me. “Did you ever hint to Mr. Haney that you didn’t feel safe?”
“No. I said I was tired and asked him to tell Nate I had gone home. I never told Mr. Haney I was moving, either.”
“Very strange,” Wendy muttered.
“Indeed,” Dorothy agreed. “It’s a good thing he doesn’t know we are the three fairies. Otherwise, he would have been more cautious around us.”
Another knock came at the door. It sounded less urgent than Nate’s pounding, but it still startled us.
“Maybe that’s Hank coming home from his extra shift at work.” Dorothy quickly went to the door.
“Why would he knock on his own door?” Nate asked me quietly.
Good point. Holding my breath and clinging to Nate’s arm, I waited for the reveal of who was on the other side. Never in a thousand years could I have guessed who it was.
“Sorry to bother you,” said a girl’s sweet voice. “I’m looking for Princess Danielle.”
“Cathy?” I shrieked, then raced to the door. “What are you doing here?”
My maid was standing on the front porch of Dorothy’s house. I was shocked, to say the least.
“Princess, I’m so glad I found you.” A sad expression crossed her face. “Something’s happened.”
I stepped closer. “What’s wrong, Cathy? Why are you here?”
“I’m so sorry, Princess.” She bowed her head.
Fear crept up my back. “Please tell me what’s wrong.”
“It’s your father,” she said quietly.
Now I could hardly breathe. “My dad? What’s wrong with him? Is he all right?”
“They think he’s had a heart attack.”
I gasped, then covered my mouth with my hand.
“He’s still alive, but he won’t respond to anything,” Cathy said. “I had to find you and tell you.”
My mind whirled. This can’t be happening.
Looking at Dorothy, I spoke with the decisive authority of a princess. “I need to see him. I must leave now.”
No more hiding. I was going home.
Chapter 23
A Note from My Dad
(When I Was Eleven Years Old)
Dani Girl (he was the only one who called me that),
You are the light in my life. Just like your name, Aurora, you bring the dawn into our lives. You make your mother and me so happy. You are the sunshine when skies turn gray.
Thank you for putting up with my sour attitude. Sometimes the demands of being a king take their toll on me. I apologize if I haven’t always given you the attention you’ve needed.
I know I expect a lot out of you, and I am sorry for being so strict. I guess it’s because you are my only child and I want to keep you safe.
I am glad you are my daughter. You make me so proud. I hope we can always be close. Remember that I will love you forever.
Love,
Dad
Going Home
“Let’s think about this, Aurora,” Dorothy said. “You’re still in danger.”
“I don’t care.” I was tempted to stomp my foot to emphasize my words. “I’m going home.”
“I agree with Aurora,” Alice stated as she joined us. “She needs to go home to see her father.”
The two women shared a long exchange of silent communication before Dorothy said, “We’ll make preparations and leave first thing in the morning.”
“No, we need to leave tonight,” I argued. “Who knows how much longer my dad has.”
Dorothy shook her head. “Sweetheart, it wouldn’t be wise to leave in the dark. It’ll be better to get a good night’s sleep and travel in the light of day.”
Deep down I knew she was right. “Fine,” I muttered.
“Then it’s a plan. We’ll leave early in the morning.” Dorothy turned to Cathy. “What was your name again, sweetheart?”
My maid dipped into a curtsy. “It’s Cathy, milady.”
“No need to do that here, dear. Just call me Dorothy.”
“Sometimes I miss the curtsying and polite introductions,” Wendy said.
“Well, we definitely don’t miss the horrid corsets, do we?” Dorothy winked at Cathy and me. The women giggled, but I covered my burning cheeks, surprised they would talk so openly about undergarments in front of a gentleman.
Oblivious, Nate motioned to Cathy and asked me as he approached, “Is this a friend from your kingdom?”
“Yes. This is Cathy, my maid.”
She curtsied and Nate tipped his head. “Nice to meet you,” he said.
“Likewise.” She smiled.
Feeling suddenly jealous, I put my hand in the crook of his arm. “Cathy has been my maid for the past four years.”
She nodded slightly. “Danielle is not only my princess but also my friend.”
“Do you know about the curse?” Dorothy asked Cathy.
“Yes, the princess has confided in me.”
“She knows many of my secrets,” I admitted.
“She is a true friend if she traveled all this way to find you,” Dorothy commented.
“Yes, she is.” I smiled at my loyal maid.
“How did you know how to get here?” Alice asked Cathy. “Did you come alone?”
The room went quiet as everyone waited for her answer.
“I traveled alone. Jack told me your location before he left. When I received word of your father’s condition, I went to Sherwood Manor to find you. Jack’s aunt showed me the magic door.”
“Is that the first time you’ve passed through it?” questioned Miss Alice.
“Yes, and it was quite extraordinary,” Cathy replied.
Suddenly, it hit me. “We need to tell Jack and Abby!”
“Let them sleep,” Dorothy said. “We’ll talk to them in the morning before we leave.”
“Will Abby come with us?”
“Traveling to your world can be quite a shock for some people. She may not be ready.”
I still held onto Nate’s arm. He put his other hand on top of mine and said, “I should go home for the night and keep a watch on my stepdad—see what he’s up to.”
My fingers tightened. “I don’t want you to go.”
“I’ll come back early in the morning.” He squeezed my hand and leaned in. “Don’t leave without me.”
My heart sank and I let out a sigh.
He bent down and kissed my forehead. “Get some sleep.” Then he said goodbye to everyone else and left Dorothy’s house.
The three fairies rushed around packing and making sack lunches for our trek. I stood helplessly amid all the action, wishing I could go back in time. Back to a healthy dad in the castle I couldn’t leave. Back to before the curse could bite.
“Aurora.” Dorothy came to stand beside me. “I’m so sorry.” She reached up to wipe away the tears I hadn’t known were falling down my cheeks.
“He’s always been healthy,” I burst out in a half sob.
“I know.” She wiped another tear from my face. “Cathy will sleep with you in your room, if that’s all right.”
“Of course.” I sniffled, trying to be brave.
Dorothy nudged me toward the stairs. “Come on. The quicker you go to sleep, the sooner you can go see your father.”
Cathy followed me upstairs to my room, where we sat on the bed. She gathered me in a hug and let me cry. After a few minutes, she told me gently, “You need to return home now, not wait for tomorrow. Your father may not make it through the night.”
I stood up. “Why didn’t you say something downstairs?”
“It’s not my place, so I waited to talk to you privately.”
> Pacing the length of my room, I planned out loud. “We can bring flashlights—that way we can travel in the dark. Jack knows the area by Sherwood Manor, so it shouldn’t be difficult. The three fairies can catch up with us tomorrow if they want to wait until the morning. I wish we had a horse so we could travel quickly. What about Abby? She’ll need more time—”
Cathy jumped up and grabbed my arms. “Princess, we need to leave now. Alone. We can’t have anyone slowing us down.”
“Alone?”
“I brought one horse to the manor. You and I can ride it to the castle. We must make haste if you want to see your father.”
“Let’s go,” I said, not wanting to waste another minute.
}
Ten minutes later, after I left a note on my bed explaining why I couldn’t wait to see my dad, Cathy and I climbed out my bedroom window. The three fairies were still in the kitchen plotting and talking quietly. When I passed the nearest window, I ducked close to the ground and managed to cross the yard without making much noise.
Cathy followed close behind, and we soon headed down the road. I kept close to the fence lining the path and hoped nobody looked out their windows and noticed us.
We passed the old schoolhouse and approached the abandoned home with the magic door. The dark night engulfed the shattered building, making it hard to distinguish the frame from the blackness that surrounded it.
Feeling the dark sinking around me, I halted near the front door, put down the backpack, and fished out the flashlight.
“What is that?” Cathy came to inspect the gadget whose beam now illuminated part of the house.
“There are so many strange things in this crazy world,” I said. “I can’t even begin to describe them.”
Cathy passed her hand through the beam of light. “How wonderful. It’s not hot like fire, yet it gives out the same glow.”
“We need to hurry.”
She stepped onto the rickety porch. “Yes, Princess.”
Using the light to guide us, we walked into the house. “Do you know how to open the magic door?” I asked. “Jack and I tried everything and could never open it from this side.”
“Yes. Jack’s aunt showed me how.”
“I’ve never met Jack’s aunt Maryanne. Is she a lot like her sister, Jack’s mom?”
“Yes, very much so.”
We arrived at the broken staircase and took turns using the stack of old bookcases to pull ourselves up to the second floor.
“Didn’t you meet Jack’s aunt when your father brought you to Sherwood Manor?” Cathy asked while we were sitting on the floor catching our breath.
“No. We arrived at night and were alone in the kitchen.”
Cathy stood and walked over to a bag lying on the floor. She picked it up. “I didn’t know how long it would take to find you, so I packed a few things.” She reached into the bag and pulled out something wrapped in cloth. “Are you hungry? I brought some biscuits.”
My stomach clenched at the thought of food. With all the events of that evening, I had forgotten to eat dinner. And the snack that Dorothy and the other two fairies prepared had been forgotten when Cathy arrived.
“They’re your favorite,” she said. “I grabbed them fresh from the kitchen this afternoon before I came to find you.”
“These are from the castle?” I jumped up excitedly.
Cathy unwrapped the cloth and handed me a beautiful, golden biscuit. My first bite melted on my tongue. When I finished eating the biscuit, she handed me another one.
“Sit and relax while I try to get the door open” She put her bag down and moved to the door.
I sat down and continued to eat the second biscuit. “Are you certain you know how to open it?” I asked, watching Cathy scan around the door frame and push at different spots.
“Jack’s aunt said I needed to locate the two buttons and push them simultaneously to make the door open.” She reached above the door and pushed along the edge.
“Did you meet Maryanne’s husband too?” I asked. “Jack says he loves to tell jokes.”
“Yes,” Cathy replied, still searching around the door. “They seem like a very happy couple who have spent many blissful years together.”
As I stared at my now-empty hands, the outline of my fingers began to blur. I tried to raise my arms, but they were too heavy, and I felt impossibly tired. The day’s events must have finally caught up to me.
My sluggish brain finally realized something odd in Cathy’s answer. Jack’s aunt Maryanne was much younger than his mom and only recently married. Why would Cathy say the couple seemed to have spent many happy years together? Is she lying about meeting Jack’s aunt? I wondered.
I tried to focus on another question that would test her honesty, but my mind started playing a lullaby. Finally, I managed to say, “How about Maryanne’s children? Did you meet them?” My voice sounded slurred.
“Yes, everyone was so friendly and polite.”
It felt like someone had punched me in the stomach. Cathy’s entire story was a lie!
I kept my gaze on her, but my eyes had a hard time focusing. The outline of her body drifted in and out of a fog.
I need to get out of here, I decided. Something is wrong.
I tried to stand, but my body wouldn’t cooperate. I couldn’t even bend my legs. Clouds rolled through my mind, and the entire room started going fuzzy.
All of a sudden Cathy was sitting next to me and saying, “You should lie down.”
“I don’t want to.” My tongue felt swollen in my mouth. What is happening to me?
“Lie down.” She gave me a little push, and I collapsed to the floor.
Before I surrendered to slumber, I heard Cathy say, “Good night, Sleeping Beauty.”
Chapter 24
Sleeping Beauty in the Wood
by Charles Perrault
And now the King, who came up at the noise, bethought himself of the prediction of the fairies, and, judging very well that this must necessarily come to pass, since the fairies had said it, caused the Princess to be carried into the finest apartment in his palace, and to be laid upon a bed all embroidered with gold and silver.
One would have taken her for a little angel, she was so very beautiful; for her swooning away had not diminished one bit of her complexion; her cheeks were carnation, and her lips were coral; indeed, her eyes were shut, but she was heard to breathe softly, which satisfied those about her that she was not dead. The King commanded that they should not disturb her, but let her sleep quietly till her hour of awaking was come.
The Curse Is Real
When I woke, it took time for my body to catch up to my mind. The only movement was my slow breathing. My mouth was dry and I felt weak, but after a while I managed to open my eyes. I lay in a small room made entirely of gray stone, the floor cold and hard underneath me. On a table in the corner was one lit candle that scarcely illuminated the room. The table also held a pitcher of water, and a few empty vials. Against the walls, several shelves overflowed with books.
Slumped in a partially sitting position, I carefully turned my head to the side and located the only door in the room. Maybe if I scooted toward it, by the time I reached it my body would have recovered enough energy to open it and try to escape. Mustering all my strength, I attempted to scoot but only moved about half an inch. I tried again and was rewarded with maybe a full inch. Time after time I scooted closer to the door. With each try, I managed to move a little farther than the last.
When I got within about three feet of the door, I heard footsteps on the other side. The clunk-clunk-clunk echoed the bang of my heart against my chest. With nowhere to hide, I didn’t bother trying to move. The footsteps came closer.
“How many biscuits did she eat?” asked a man’s voice.
“Two,” Cathy’s voice answered.
The door flew open, almost hitting me. Mr. Haney stepped inside the room. Somehow he was taller now, and even with the high ceiling, he had to bend over. How did
he get so big? I wondered.
He looked down to where I sat on the floor at his feet. “Well, she’s awake,” he said. “I guess two biscuits weren’t enough.”
Cathy stared at me from the doorway. I couldn’t get up and fight, but I gave her a cold glare. “She fell asleep before I could give her another one,” she said, though it sounded more like a bark to me.
Mr. Haney squatted down in front of me. “I was hoping you wouldn’t wake up until our wedding tomorrow, but I guess this will have to do.” He placed a hand on my leg.
I used what little strength I had to smack his hand away.
Looking shocked, he glanced at Cathy. “The potion in the biscuits has almost worn off. It’s time to give her a drink.”
Cathy hurried over to the table and filled a glass with water from the pitcher. She came back and handed the glass to Mr. Haney, who then offered it to me.
“I don’t want a drink,” I said.
“Your mouth is dry from the biscuits—the water will help.” He pushed the glass to my lips, but I kept my mouth closed.
“It’s only going to get worse if you don’t drink this.”
At his words, I felt the dryness in my mouth increase. He pushed the glass against my mouth again, and this time I opened my lips a little.
The warm water trickled into my mouth and I swallowed it. “There you go,” Mr. Haney said.
I looked up at Cathy, who had been my trustworthy friend, someone I told everything to. “Why?” I asked her sadly.
“You have no idea what your family has done to mine?” She looked at Mr. Haney as if seeking his approval to continue.
“This started a long time before I made the deal with your mother,” he told me.
“You admit you are the wizard then, Mr. Haney?” I asked.
“With pleasure.” He bowed grandly. “However, do not call me Mr. Haney. I only use that name in the other world. Here you will call me Rumpelstiltskin.”
I pointed to Cathy. “Are you his daughter?”
She laughed out loud. “No, he’s my father-in-law.”
“You’re married?” I exclaimed.
“Yes, and you’ve met my husband. Remember Matthew from your birthday ball?”
Like a hand coming out of nowhere and slapping me in the face, I recalled the eerie guy who said he knew about the curse. In fact, he was the one who set off the curse’s domino effect.
Finding Sleeping Beauty Page 16