Aurora's door opened. The brush was still over her head when Genevieve walked in, a basket of clean clothes in her hand.

Startled, Aurora almost screamed. The brush fell onto the bed and jumped off if it onto the floor. Aurora hurriedly picked it up, her eyes wide.

Genevieve turned and saw the princess. Aurora looked scared. "Princess, are you alright?" Genevieve asked, placing the basket down on a chair. Aurora nodded. "Y-yes. I'm f-fine," she stuttered.

"How come you are not with your brother?" Genevieve asked, eyebrows furrowed.

Aurora shrugged

"Are you feeling ill?"

Aurora shook her head.

"Has he done something to anger you?"

Aurora shook her head again.

"Then what is it, princess?" Genevieve asked, walking over and sitting next to Aurora on her bed.

"It is nothing. I'm fine, Genevieve." Aurora answered, setting the brush down in front of her again. Genevieve raised an eyebrow, then put a hand on aurora's small ones. "You can tell me anything, okay?"

Aurora nodded.

"I have to get going. If you need me, send for me." She said, giving a warm smile.

Aurora smiled back and nodded. "Thank you." She said to Genevieve as she opened the door to leave the princess' chambers.

"For years our kingdom has gone against magic and its horrors," the kind began to speak to the swarm of people below him. "This man has gone against our laws. He has been practicing magic in secret. For this act of treason…" he passed, looking around at all of his people. "He will be burned at the stake." Uther looked at one of his knights and nodded.

The man tied up cackled. "Oh, the things you don't yet know, your majesty! One day, oh one day you will see!"

The knight threw the lit torch onto the pile of wood. A large flame came up and the man's screams of pain and anguish filled the square.

Aurora, who had been standing behind her father, winced as she heard the screams. There was a moment of silence before the people in the square began to go back to the normalities of their day.

Uther was merciless; there was no denying this.

After the incident from the night before, Aurora had been confused. She didn't know what had caused. She didn't know what had caused the toys to fly across the room. She had believed it was magic, but was hoping for it to be something else. Anything else. It wasn't until that afternoon in her bedroom that she was sure it had been magic, her magic that had caused it.

This frightened her. If Uther sentenced that poor innocent man to death for magic, what would he down to his daughter? He wanted nothing to do with magic. If he found out someone of his own blood had magic… Aurora shook her head and took in a deep breath.

She wouldn't tell him. She couldn't tell him. She'd have to lie to him. This also conflicted her. She couldn't lie to her father! Especially about magic. If he ever found out, her punishment might be worse…

For the rest of the day she decided to play with Arthur.

They ran around the castle, chasing each other, hiding behind walls and using knights on duty as shields.

At one point, out of the castle and inside the village, they knocked down a fruit stand as they ran by. Red in the face, heavily breathing, and grinning, they apologised and picked up the mess.

"What did my favourite children do today?" asked Uther, taking a lettuce leaf into his mouth. Arthur giggled. "We're your only kids, father."

Uther pursed his lips and pretended to think for a second. "You know what? I think you're right!" he laughed.

Aurora forced out a laugh, trying not to let the fact that she was scared beyond belief that her father already knew of her magic show.

"Me and Aurora accidentally dropped a lot of fruit form the stand," Arthur said, mixing his food on the plate. "But we helped pick it all back up." He finished, smiling up at his father. Uther nodded, pleased that his son and daughter did something to correct their accident.

"And you?" Uther asked, eyes on Aurora. "You weren't with Arthur before lunch, were you?" Aurora shook her head no. "So what did you do in that time?"

Aurora hesitated before answering, "I was in my chambers,"

Uther nodded slowly. "And what were you doing in there?"

Aurora shrugged. "I slept for a while.

Uther nodded again and the rest of the dinner was spent in silence.

Genevieve pent the night with Aurora in her chambers. She wanted to keep an eye on her and make sure she wasn't having any nightmares.

Aurora had told her she was fine, but Genevieve was having none of it. She knew Aurora was a brave child, but she felt as if she had to make sure she was okay.

The stars were out and the only thing illuminating the room was a lit candle. Genevieve had long gone been asleep, but Aurora was still very much awake. She turned her head to look at the calmly sleeping Genevieve. She looked at her darker skin tone and at her slightly bigger nose. Her dark her and long lashes. Carefully, Aurora lifted an arm and pressed her wrist softly onto her cheek.

Aurora forgot about everything from the night before. All of the fright from the nightmare, practicing magic in her bedroom was out of her head. She focused on one confusing question: Why?

Why did Genevieve do everything Aurora asked her to do? Why did Genevieve serve them food? Was it because Aurora was a princess? That didn't make sense because there were a whole lot more people in the village who didn't work for her or her brother or her dad. Why Genevieve?

Aurora's mouth opened widely and she let out a loud yawn. This made Genevieve take in a deep breath and her eyelids to open tiredly. "Princess?" she asked, opening her eyes a bit more. Aurora hummed. A small, tired smile grew on Genevieve's features. "Were you asleep?" she asked quietly.

"Yes," Aurora lied.

"Mmm. Good. Now go back to sleep." Genevieve said, closing her eyes again.

Aurora did as she was asked and closed her small eyes, waiting for sleep.

"You don't belong there. With them." He said.

Aurora furrowed her eyebrows. She was in her room, sitting up on her bed. There were no other people in the room besides her and a boy around her age.

Needless to say, she was confused. Where is Genevieve? she thought to herself.

"Who-who are you?" she asked demandingly.

"Not yet. Soon, but not yet. You need to come here. Find me. Find us."

The boy was wearing a long, dark green cape that looked like it was made out of velvet. He had hair as black as night that went all the way to his shoulders. His eyes were as green as a leaf in the summer.

"What do you mean?" Aurora asked. The boy took a step forward.

"You can't stay there. You need to come find us. Aurora, you have an amazing gift. A gift that your father doesn't trust. He wants to murder everyone like you. I —we—can help you. We c an help you lean to control it and do new things with it," he said, stepping closer to Aurora's bed. She had decided to stay in her bed, not sure if she could trust the boy.

"How do I find you?" Aurora asked, sitting forward.

"You'll know. You'll figure it out." He smiled. "Aurora? Aurora?"

"Yes?"

"Aurora!"

"Yes! Yes! What is it?"

Her eyes opened. A light breeze and light drifted in through an open window. Genevieve was standing over her. "Are you alright? I was afraid you weren't going to wake up. Did you sleep soundly, princess?" she asked. Aurora nodded. "Very well. It's time to go to breakfast. Your father and brother are waiting for you." Genevieve smiled.