Princess in the Rough

Echo

I took out my book and my sword and sat down. Amber and the wolves almost went back to burying Maleficent until I stopped them.

“No! No! She’s not dead! She’s just asleep.” I warned and dragged Maleficent out of the hole.

“Oh; then I know where to put her.” Amber rounded up the wolves to help her move Mal. They walked over to a secluded area with trees, vines, and bushes making it completely hidden. Wildflowers popped up almost everywhere, and here and there were three distinct marks; as if something or someone visits that spot a lot.

“She’ll be safe here until she wakes up.” Amber said softly. After taking her hand and gently licking it, which I’m sure was supposed to be a kiss, she left.

“I’m so sorry, Maleficent. I never wanted anyone to get hurt. None of this would have ever happened if I hadn’t picked up the stupid storybook.” I whispered, letting a single tear role off my cheek and on to her face.

I started to walk back when something caught my hand. I looked back and saw a shadow, standing up like it was a person, a being.

“Be careful, it’s a dangerous world out there. The darkness is rising.” It warned me in a discernible voice then left.

“Maleficent?” I said hoarsely, then ran out of the clearing.

“Echo! You forgot your sword.” Amber handed me my sword when I reached her. “Is everything okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” She chuckled.

“Yep, Maleficent’s.” Was all I could say.

“Okay… So how can I help you get home?”

“I don’t know; but you’re a fairy tale character so I thought you’d be able to help.”

“I’ll see what I can do. Open your book.”

I did as she said and turned to the last page where I had seen the new words before the flood. They were beneath the words that I had read out loud to get to this fairy tale world. I flipped through some of the other pages and landed at the front, where there were actual words.

“Your quest is not complete, you cannot yet return home,” I read for Amber’s benefit. My quest was not complete? First of all, I didn’t even know I had a quest. Second, how is my quest not complete? Amber’s awake, the whole kingdom is awake, and hates me. What more did the book want from me?

“But, never mind.” Amber started, probably thinking the same thing as me. “Echo?”

“Hmm?” I hummed, lost in thought.

“Thanks for helping me.”

“No problem. Anything for you, Princess Elegance Majesty.” I joked.

Suddenly the book felt bigger. I picked it up and looked over it. I noticed the back cover was thicker. I opened to the back and there, right behind the page that Zavana would write to me, was a case with imprinted foam inside. Each inprint had a gold plaque above it, but each inprint and plaque was empty; except one

In the first inprint was a black amulet with a silver crescent moon. In front of the crescent moon was a howling, amber colored wolf wearing a crown.

Carved in silver words on the plaque above the amulet was:

Sleeping Beauty

Amber Fur/Elegance Majesty

“How peculiar.” Amber mumbled. “What is it?”

“It says your story, Sleeping Beauty, and then it lists both of your names, Amber Fur and Elegance Majesty.” I told her.

“Why?” She asked and picked up the amulet. She rolled it around in her hands admiring it. On the other side, was a mirror. “Cool.”

She set it down between me and her, next to my sword. Suddenly, they started to vibrate violently.

“What’s going on Echo?”

“I have no idea.” I grabbed Amber’s hand and moved her away from the vibrating objects, ducking behind a bush for cover. No! I left my book over there!

There was a flash of gold and the amulet disappeared. “Where’d it go?” Amber asked and walked up to the sword.

“It’s on the sword.” I pointed at the hilt, or at least what I thought was called the hilt, where the amulet was now located, instead of the lowest ruby.

“How did that happen? What’s going on!” Amber was clearly distressed. “You know what, never mind. I don’t even care anymore.” She picked up my book and handed it to me and then my sword. When they touched the sword disappeared. “Why does everything keep disappearing!?” She groaned and sunk to the ground.

“That’s a good question. Maybe…” I opened the book up to the page with the amulet indents. Sure enough, the amulet was there, but without the sword. Instead, above the plaque was a tiny sword icon.

“Why am I surprised?” Amber said, her voice dull. “Any other unexplainable things?”

As if on cue, the third to last page glowed faintly. The one with the foreign languages. I flipped to that page to find that the new passage was glowing.

“I’m going to read these words aloud. If I disappear, don’t freak out.” I warned Amber. “That’s exactly how I got here in the first place.” I leaned over and hugged Amber. “Goodbye, and thanks for everything.”

Gosh, it would be so humiliating if nothing happened.

“Thank you, Echo. You gave me back a life I never even knew I had.” She chuckled and let go of me.

I looked at her one last time, said the words “Emmenez-moi dans un pays de merveille,” probably incorrectly, and fell from the sky.