“I am the girl called Sleeping Beauty. I never answer to that name, for I am slave to love and duty. It was the kiss that brought the chain.” – taken from ‘The Witch’s Boy’ by Michael Gruber.

That, you may blame for the plotbunny

 

Title: Wake Unto Me
Author: Shadow/Phantomness
Pairing: Championshipping (Lance x Red)
Fandom: Pokémon

Theme: #14, Sleeping Beauty
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfiction belongs to me under international copyright laws and taking it is plagiarism. Thank you. *Phantomness bows*

Notes: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics if a pokemon talks

Warnings: AU, gender-bent, het, angst, Character Death

 

            It was supposed to be happily ever after. She had woken up, seen the handsome prince standing there, in gilt-edged black with long red hair spilling over his shoulders. Finally, the evil fairy’s spell was broken, and she had wakened from her century-long sleep. In that moment, she thought she was in love with him, and they had danced happily along the glittering tiles of the ballroom, kissing again and again and again.

            It hadn’t lasted.

            It was obvious, of course. They didn’t even know each other, so they weren’t really in love, were they? But the honeymoon period had been sweet, with fancy dress and delicious feasts, and a truly marvelous wedding, and Red had worn a gown with a hundred diamond flounces and kissed Lance while the faeries smiled.

            But what happened after the wedding?

 

            They were too different – it was hard to reconcile how the world had changed in the hundred years she had slept. Lance was cool and confident, a wonderful swordsman and an excellent archer, but she didn’t know him at all. They tried to make conversation, but she did not know what to talk to him about and mostly just stared into her embroidery while she listened to him speak. Even though his voice was soothing, it didn’t mean anything!

            They did not seem to have anything in common. Perhaps all royal matches were the same, and there was no love, but what could she do? She sat around and looked pretty, and she hated – hated it!

 

            She wanted to run free in the woods and pick flowers and dance with the animals. Now, all the flowers she saw were artificial, and all the animals were embroidered in tapestry or served roasted, baked or boiled.

            She had no companions. Her maids-in-waiting were silent, and she was lonely. She missed the freedom she once had. She could behave as a princess, receive flowery compliments and dance a little, but she wasn’t meant for this life!

            She had never expected this!

            If this were what her future spanned, she would rather die… or sleep forever… Yes. It was so much better to dream. There she could dance in the woodlands and see the sunrises and eat fresh blackberries wet with dew. There the wild birds and beasts would be her friends and she had three kind aunts to raise her.

            Her aunts were gone now, off doing other fairy business. She had no friends – the other royal ladies talked of naught but jewels and the handsome young men, and for sport they tossed a golden ball to each other slowly, while ladies-in-waiting held embroidered canopies over their heads. There was no way to see the true sky, the true air…

            She felt stifled.

 

            Lance did not understand why his new bride was so distant. He was quite sure that she had everything her heart could desire, but her silence was disconcerting. She never seemed to speak to him, and her eyes were always gazing off into the past, or perhaps the future. Their conversations were uncomfortable, stilted, and when he suggested they ride out to hunt together the look she gave him was pure horror.

            She did not enjoy swordplay or hawking or any of the things princes did, but of course she was a princess. Common ground was nigh nonexistent, and their lovemaking became a strained affair. Finally, she asked him if he would leave her and wed another, and his heart broke. What had he done to her? Was he that loathsome?

Her request stung, but what could he do?

            His kingdom needed a queen, and if Princess Red refused to take her place, than he had no choice. Already his aging parents were frowning – she had not produced a single suitable heir, and she was hopelessly backwards at times.

            This would be quick and clean, but… well, if it was what she wanted.

            “Very well.”

 

            Two months later, Lance married a new bride. Red did not care. She was kept in the company of two discreet maids, and they thought her strange. Every day, she did little but sleep, and every night, she would wander the halls like a ghost. With her paler skin and dark hair, she did look like a ghost, so no one commented on it, choosing to believe a lie. Even the King and Queen eventually forgot who she had once been.

            Lance did not.

            Sometimes, at night, he would watch her, and feel pity, but whenever he approached, she would leave the area, until finally, he gave up. He wanted to speak to her, to comfort her, to tell her that she did not need to be alone, but he could not. She was determined to be miserable, and what could he do?

            If this were the way she wanted to live her life, he would allow it.

            He had no choice.

            After all, her life was hers to choose, and sometimes, he regretted waking her from her enchanted sleep.

            If she had been happier there, he should never have shattered it.

 

            She was still beautiful, but her beauty was of a sickly sort, and he had preferred her better when she was bright-eyed and rosy-cheeked. But now, she was forever lost to him, and it was his entire fault.

             He wished he could atone for his faults somehow, but she would not let him approach. His wife gave birth to twin boys, and his duty was done.

           

            He wanted Red to be happy. He wanted her to smile again. He wanted to laugh with her and run through the fields together, but she hated him. He wanted to comfort her and cuddle her and yes, he missed loving her and sleeping in her arms.

            He wasn’t sure when he had fallen in love, but now, the pieces of his broken heart cut deeply into his soul, and it was so hard to continue living like this.

           

            “What would make you happy, Red?” He asked one night, before she could flee.

            She did not answer, but the hatred in her eyes was enough evidence. She hated him. She hated the curse his love had wrought. She hated her life.

            He did not want her to live out the rest of her life in hate.

            He should have never awoken her.

            He wanted her to smile again…

 

            It was so easy to do, and almost painless. He closed his eyes, knowing that in the morning, there would be terror, but at least now Red would be free. His love need not bind her any longer.

            Love, after all, was sacrifice.

           

            When Red walked the halls that night, it was to the sound of mourning, and it was not until she entered the great hall, silent, that she saw the cause. The Prince looked almost asleep, with his hands crossed over his breast, folded around the sword he had used to free her, but the blade was no longer polished steel – it was dark with dried blood. Edging closer, she saw, almost hidden, a slip of white.

            She was not squeamish, so she drew out the handkerchief, paling at the words written in blood.

            You are the girl called Sleeping Beauty. You never answer to that name, for you are slave to love and duty. It was the kiss that brought the chain.

            I’m sorry.

 

            He had done this for her sake? Why would he do such a thing? Why…

            She fell to her knees, remembering longing glances, and soft words, and a brilliant night under the stars, and the tears welled up in her eyes as she realized what she had lost. If she had chosen to open her heart to him, if she had been willing to adapt, she could have had love, but she had been stubborn and wallowed in her anguish, not thinking of what he might have thought.

            He had suffered to keep her happy, but now, he had made the ultimate sacrifice, and it was too late.

 

End Fic

Started 4/11/07

Completed 4/12/07

I don’t think Sleeping Beauty would be happy. I know she didn’t have a ‘princess’ upbringing since the faeries raised her away from court (thank you Disney version). And Red is selfish. I write about selfish characters a lot. *Nodnod* and I have no idea why Lance is so submissive. Maybe it’s because he really is in love with her…?