King Stefan and Queen Leah, are the happiest couple when their princess was born. The symbol of their love. She was born in the dawn. So, they kept 'Aurora' as her name. Against the name suggested by a fairy, later who turned into evil.

Princess Aurora, with her little magnetic orbs, attracted many of the people in Kingdom. Stefan and Leah were caught in euphoria. A beautiful moment. To make the day memorable, Parents threw a grand party. Fairies, the kingdom and the people from another kingdom too arrived at the organised party in the Palace. Princess Aurora was blessed by the fairies, the people; everyone was awed by the little princess, bought her gifts and blessed her with love. And soon, Stefan and Leah took pride in, as for them, their little princess was endowed. But for them, the happiness was short-lived. As the fairy who was outrageously rejected by King and Queen, turned upon the door, only to curse the little Princess.

"I, in the presence of air, water, fire, land and sky; curse you. The day you touch the flax, which you will do-will be the day- you would sleep forever."

And soon, the next day, King Stefan and Queen Leah called up the fairies, in hope of freeing the curse of their Princess. However, the fairies were not much helpful.

The fairies said, "The curse is too strong to get rid of it, King. However, if she will get love, she will wake up from her sleep."

"What if she doesn't get love," King Stefan asked, worried for his daughter.

"As the curse is connected to the flax, she has to burn the flax without anyone's help. As she will be in deep sleep, it is not possible. However, you can safeguard your daughter within your Palace, My King."

And from then, Princess Aurora was brought up within the premises of Palace. The same Palace was glorified as ordered by their King. No flax seeds were allowed inside the Palace. King Stefan condemned Aurora from crossing the threshold. The little Princess wings were cut, brutally as the years passed. And the moment, from when, her emotions were Concealed, with each passing second, it intensified more.

It's after 2 days of Aurora's 7th birthday when Aurora saw some children playing outside. So, she asked her father, "Dad, May I go and play with the children out there. It will be fun."

"No, Princess. You have your own kingdom to play. Play anywhere in the Palace. But I strictly condemn you from playing outside. Remember that. It's for your own good." Although King Stefan was meant to protect his daughter from flax, he didn't know that he is forcing his daughter to conceal her emotions. And that is what Aurora did, would do, always; just the way she did now. Hiding her disappointment. For her, the joy didn't exist in her Palace-which was more like a jail, tho.

For one, Childhood should be carefree, joyous and free of conditions. And in no way, Aurora's childhood was that.

*

Aurora was 13 years old when she was fascinated to plant trees. So, she asked her mother, "Mom, I want to plant seeds and nurture it."

To which Queen Leah outrageously rejected Aurora, "No, Princess. I strictly condemn that. You are not allowed to touch any seeds."

Queen Leah, afraid about her daughter's curse, began to act overprotective. Not knowing how is that affecting the child there. Once more, Princess Aurora has to hide her disappointment, like every time. As in no way, she can confide in with her disappointment, precisely emotions, as whenever she did, either she was rejected or was ordered not to make her parents angry.

*

It was a few months before Aurora turned 14, she has seen dancers dancing. She was instantly attracted to the Belly dance, as everyone named it as it is. With a little hope in her heart, she went to her father to ask, "Dad, can I learn dance? Please, don't reject me."

King Stefan went into thought for a while before saying, "Okay. But I have a condition. You will learn to dance in the Palace itself. In no way, you are allowed to go out."

Princess Aurora was beyond happy. As for her, she got what she wanted, for the very first time. King Stefan arranged the masters for his daughter to learn the dance. Soon, within the premises of Palace, Aurora began her first step towards dance, her dream. A way to seek comfort. A way to comfort her concealed emotions.

With the guidance under her master, she became an expert in Belly dance as a year passed. Along with that, Dance became her compassion, her friend, her comfort. Her lonely heart took the liberty of comfort in dance. Lonely heart because she was never the one to share her emotions with anyone. Such was the troop that was implicated on her.

It was yet another day when she danced to her heart content, to pour out her emotions as she was condemned to attend the fest in the Kingdom, like always. She poured her emotions out as she gracefully attracted the walls by her belly dance. One can notice her emotions, only if they can read her moves.

She stood at the window side, as she was tired after the dance. And that's when a parrot tumbled over her shoulder.

"Hi," Aurora said to the parrot.

"Hi," Parrot mimicked her.

Aurora laughed at the parrot.

"Hihihi," Parrot mimicked her again.

And that's the moment, Aurora got a true friend-parrot. A parrot who is going to be her bellwether.

Aurora, the princess began playing with her new friend, parrot. She named her as well. Charlie-the name of the parrot. Charlie and Aurora became best friends. Charlie used to stay with Aurora most of the day and would later fly in the sky as Aurora didn't cage her. Which is the reason why King Stefan and Queen Leah doesn't have an idea about Charlie? As for Charlie, she doesn't like to be caged. She likes to be loved. Which in turn meant, Charlie is being loved by Aurora. Aurora exactly knows how it feels to be caged, so she doesn't let her friend go through the same. Such was the understanding between them, that they just know when to spend time with each other and when to not. Such was the nurturing they developed towards each other as a year passed.

It was yet another day when Aurora was strolling in the garden of her Palace when Charlie toppled over her shoulder.

"Hi," Princess Aurora greeted.

"Hi," Charlie greeted back. Yes, she greeted back. Not mimicked.

"How was your day, " Charlie asked.

"Good enough. Yours?"

Charlie said, "Good. Good."

"King and Queen," asked Charlie.

"They went to the fest." Charlie squeaked at her answer.

As the conversation started between both of them, Princess Aurora and Charlie kept strolling in Garden. And that's when Aurora's eyes fell on flax outside the Palace. She doesn't know it is the flax. Even if she does, she never knew that she was cursed. Blame King Stefan and Queen Lean who kept her in dark, caging her innocent heart.

"Charlie, seems like some seeds. Come, let me feed you," Princess Aurora went outside, breaking the threshold. In her excitement to feed Charlie something, she touched the flax. And the curse came true. She fell down asleep. Charlie followed her friend. And as soon as she spotted her friend, on the floor unconscious, she became worried. She doesn't know what to do. Charlie sped towards some of the guards who are sleeping and began waking up them. Yet they didn't budge. And that's when Charlie heard a scream.

"Princess!" Charlie heard King Stefan and Queen Leah scream. She went back to the place where Aurora was asleep.

"What happened?" King Stefan began screaming at his guards who woke up startled.

"Princess, wake up," King Stefan shook his daughter. But she didn't budge and that's when his eyes fell over her palm.

Flax seeds.

Queen Leah's orbs turned moist along with King Stefan's. Their plan of safeguarding her in their cocoon didn't work after all.

"What were you doing when Princess crossed the threshold?" King barked at the guards. Guards couldn't help but bow down their head in shame. All the while, Charlie was shedding tears sitting beside Aurora.

*

King Stefan, tightening his heart from shedding tears, took his asleep-daughter to his palace which was located at Jungle. Princess was accompanied by fairies, who would stay with her, except for some days. By this time, Charlie got to know about the curse. She couldn't help but curse herself. As she believes that Princess Aurora touched the flax, only for her. Charlie accompanied her best friend, Aurora to the Jungle.

King left her in the Palace surrounded by woods. It became her home. A Palace where there are no disturbances.

After 20 years,

It has been twenty years. Fairies kept protecting the Princess. There were times when fairies had to leave Aurora alone, as the works fairies have, caught up with them. However, Charlie never left her best friend's side. Kept protecting her from everything bad around her. With the hope that someday her friend would wake up. She even kept the flax seeds in a corner after she got to know that it can free her from the curse, hoping for a miracle to happen. But it never did for 20 years.

It was yet another day Princess Aurora was deep in sleep. It was the day fairies caught up with their work again. So, Charlie was alone with Sleeping Beauty.

And that's when Charlie noticed a man around 30-year-old enter the room. Charlie was on alert.

As soon as the 30-year-old King noticed a woman sleeping on the bed, he instantly got attracted to her. Fascinated by her beauty. He tried to wake up her but she never did wake up. And that's when the King thought to have his way with her, when Charlie attacked him to protect her friend. As soon as Charlie attacked the King, he caged her, closing the way for Charlie to protect her.

And soon King started having the pleasure of joy with Princess Aurora. Princess Aurora didn't wake up, as for her, it was not love. Charlie couldn't help but cry in helplessness. After the King was done, he went away leaving behind a naked Aurora. After a few more hours of struggle, Charlie was able to get out of the cage. By the time which fairies got back only to get a shock looking at their princess in such state.

Fairies started dressing up Aurora while Charlie just kept crying for the hurt her friend has to go through. As the fairies started dressing her up, one of the Princess's hand fell over the table beside her. The lit-up candles fell over the flax seeds which burned them down. Which meant, Princess Aurora was free from the curse. She woke up. After 20 years of sleep, she woke up. Charlie was happy to see her best friend wake up.

"Aurora!" Charlie fell over her chest in joy.

"Charlie," she cried in happiness hugging her best friend, Charlie.

Fairies were so happy that they just fled to the Kingdom to deliver the happy news.

Princess Aurora started to wake up when she felt sore.

"Why I am feeling sore?" she asked to no one.

And that's when Charlie filled up the happenings of her curse and the hurt she had to bear a few hours back. And then Aurora broke. She cried. She just cried. A certain amount of her concealed emotions broke, not completely, tho.

"Why?" she whimpered.

"Why did Mom and Dad kept me in dark? Destroyed my childhood? Only if they have told me, I would have been careful. Wouldn't have I?"

" And the King, does he really loves me?"

"No, he doesn't," Charlie said, becoming her bellwether.

"What if he does?"

"He doesn't. Because if he does, he would have just admired you with love. But he didn't. Instead, he caged me, forced me, forced you, disrespected you."

"What if," Aurora like a teenager asked in hope.

"You act like this, you would know if he loves you or not."

And soon after that, Aurora and Charlie went back to the Palace. Charlie, as she promised, found out about the King.

"He lives in the south," Charlie informed.

"Okay."

Aurora left the Palace along with Charlie. And as suggested by Charlie, Aurora painted her body with black-brown skin tone. And went to the Kingdom.

*

"I want to meet King. I need help," Aurora in her disguise said.

Guards let her in and Aurora reached the King and said, "I Love You, King. Marry me."

"What the hell? Who let her in," King screamed looking at an ugly-looking Aurora. Not recognising her. And that's when, King got a slap.

Aurora poured water over her body, revealing herself. And King was shocked looking at her.

Aurora just went away with Charlie to her own kingdom as her little hope broke. And that's when her Concealed Emotions crashed as she danced gracefully pouring out her emotions. All the while, Charlie stood like a pillar.

As interviewer played the Audiobook again, claps began.

"How does it feel to listen to your own Audiobook?" Adina was asked the question.

"I feel satisfied."

"As you know there are many versions of 'The Sleeping Beauty', your version is becoming quite famous as well, along with its uniqueness. How did you get the idea about it," Adina chuckled at the question.

"I didn't exactly get the idea about this version. I'm used to hearing tales from my Grandmother. That was another day when I listened to the story of sleeping beauty. At that time, I wasn't mature enough to know that whatever happened with Aurora was not love but was lust. I wasn't mature enough to understand the effect it may leave on others mind. But when I think of it now, I can only ask some questions."

"What were those questions?"

"You would know if you read the book," she declared.

"I read the book. But I haven't found any questions," the interviewer put forth his view.

"Have your daughter or sister read the book?"

"Yes, my daughter did."

"Well, haven't your daughter said to you that this is what you should do to the man who has no respect towards the woman? Or just let me know if she read the previous versions, haven't she for one-second thought that Princess was disrespected? Haven't she for a second thought that Princess childhood was something she couldn't think of? Hadn't she for a second think that if the Princess was ugly, there were fewer chances for the King to get attracted to her?"

The interviewer has no answer to say, and Adina ended the conversation with a smile lingering on her lips.

The End

Word count - 2511 words

This is just a small treat. My general fiction, short story - Mother's Love, has won in 'TheHeraAwards'

This is the third time I won in some Awards or contests in just one month. So, I call it a hat trick. 💃💃

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