Sleeping Beauty

The prince knocked on the gardeners door. Hansel opened it. "My prince," he said with a smile, "come in."

Kyrell came into the house. He sat down at the kitchen table, and Hansel sat down after. "I'm here to talk to you about Raelynn."

"Yes, sir. Did I do well." The gardener was ready to be told he had done well. The impure enjoyed punishing the girl. He thought he had done well.

"Oh, yes, if disobeying my direct orders is good, then yes you have done excellently."

"Sir, I thought you wanted to punish her."

"I told you not to touch her. She's on deaths door. Your in his arms."

Kyrell did what he had to and burned down the cottage. The maids that tended the garden just ignored it.

Kyrell went back up to the room. He stepped in quietly. Wilfred stood, bowed, and left.

Kyrell walked over to the bed. He sat down next to her. "I'm sorry, princess. I wanted to watch you squirm not die. I never meant for this to happen, princess. I swear; if you pull through this, no one will ever touch you ever again." He took off the compress and kissed her. He then got in the tub and washed all the blood off.

He decided to read to her. He picked up Hidden Valley. He began to read aloud. He stopped after a while and spoke with her. "You wanna know why I bought you that day. I saw the fire in those Jade eyes of yours. It's the same fire that burned in my sister's eyes. She was a lively one you would have loved her. Dagen and Branwenn are actually her kids. She died a while back. I never thought I'd ever find anyone with the same drive to do the right thing, but then I saw you. I also saw how uncontrollable your power was. I figured I could help you. My garden garden needs help now." He laughed. He looked at her and just stared for a moment. He never realized how beautiful she was untill now. Her Crimson hair flowed on her pillow. Her porcelain skin was highlighted with red cheeks. Her lips were a light pink, and it took everything within him to keep from kissing them.

The next morning, she still hadn't woken up. He had been sleeping in the room she had stayed in the first night. She seemed to have gotten worse throughout the night. He decided he would give her a bath and change her into something cooler.

He had maids help bathe her, and he searched for something less hot. His sister's old clothes wouldn't work they were all warm. He pulled out one of his thin linen shirts, and he cut the sleeves off.

The maids dressed her. Then they left to prepare breakfast.

"I'm sorry I have to leave you, princess. I have a lot of work today. I'm leaving you with Wilfred. I'll be back before dinner." Kyrell listened to the steady rhythm of her heart before he kissed her forehead, and put a new cold compress on her head. He got up and left the room.

After his work, Kyrell rushed to Raelynn's side. He sighed "You will not believe the day I've had. Mr. Acres said I needed to find a wife soon so my father can retire, and Mrs. Spruce was throwing her daughter at me. Then there was the ship christening and the new buisness ribbon cutting and the meeting on the decorations for the spring solstice festival. I've had it up to hear with these people. I feel like I could rip out someones heart, and then I come home to you. Something about you, even like this, calms me." He listened to the steady beat of her heart. "You know what the best part is. I can come home and see you every day for forever because you're a fae, and will live just as long as I will. You won't even age last twenty." He sighed. "I've never been so happy around someone before."

He opened up the boom and continued reading. After midnight fell, he sang her a lullaby and went to sleep in his own room.

Every day for the next three days was the same. He would have the maids give her a bath. He would say sorry for leaving kiss her forehead then leave. He would return to his sleeping beauty before dinner. He would tell her about his day and then read to her. Then he would sing her a lullaby "to keep the night terrors away."

But today was different. He woke up, kissed her forehead, and left. Then Wilfred took over looking over her. She stirred and sat up. She immediately winced in pain from her back.

"Raelynn?" Wilfred was shocked.

Raelynn was still a little delusional. "Hey, Wilfred."

"Raelynn, are you thinking straight." He had seen each and everyone of the family members with a fever. He knew when they first woke up they were a little out of it.

"I don't know." she was quite a minute. "Did Kyrell kiss me on the forehead a few times."

"Yes, don't tell him I said anything, but I haven't seen him so happy to see someone since his sister."

"I have a secret too," she whispered sweetly. "I think I fell in love with Kyrell since he's been so nice to me lately. I know he didn't mean to let those bad things happen. He's read me stories, and he keeps talking to me about what's in here." She pointed to her heart.

She smiled. Wilfred smiled softly at her. "I think Master Kyrell would be pleased to hear that. Now, he told me to make sure you take your medicine as soon as you wake up."

She nodded. She drank it, and made a disgusted face. Then she got sleepy again. She yawned. "Wilfred, I'm really hungry."

"I'll be sure to get you some porridge when you wake up."

When Kyrell got home he went into the room as always. He looked down at her. He kissed her on the lips. He couldn't help himself any longer.

A few minutes later. Her eyes fluttered open. She realized where she was. She practically fell out of the bed. Then memories came rushing back. Why had she told Wilfred that? Her cheeks turned an even darker red.

Kyrell came into view. "My sleepy little lamb's awake." He heard her heart flutter when he came in sight. Is she afraid of me?