Ethan let out a groan and put a hand to his throbbing head. He hurt everywhere. Even his skin hurt. He wanted to roll over and sleep, but his body wouldn't listen. Daylight streamed in the windows, burning his eyes as he opened them. Professor Ardeneaux leaned over him and smiled slyly, "Awake at last?"
Ethan groaned again. Ugh, why do I have to deal with Ardeneaux first thing in the morning?!
"I'll take that as a 'Yes Professor.'" Ardeneaux sat in a chair across from him.
All the events from last night replayed in his head as he remembered how he'd gotten here. He closed his eyes tightly, "At last? How long have I been asleep?"
Professor Ardeneaux looked thoughtful, "It's Tuesday afternoon."
"Tuesday?!" Ethan sat bolt upright though his body screamed in protest. He looked down at the professor's robe he was wearing and then started scanning the room for his clothes. He pulled himself up off the couch and started riffling through his bag till he found his trousers, shirt, and boots and started pulling them on. "You're telling me I've been asleep all weekend and half of this week?!" Ethan shook his aching head. "My mom's going to kill me..."
Ardeneaux was sipping his usual cup of tea, "Yes. You're welcome." he stated sourly.
Ethan paused, "Ah... right. Thanks for the fix-up Professor Ardeneaux. I mean... what happened? I don't even remember coming here..."
Ardeneaux raised an eyebrow, "That's what I'd like to know."
Ethan frowned and wouldn't make eye contact, "Sorry to have been a bother. I guess I'll take my leave." He pulled on his boots and grabbed the remainder of his tattered belongings. "Right. Thanks again."
"Wait." the professor looked at him evenly. "I have a few things to say to you Mr. Fawks."
Ethan looked at the ground and nodded, "Yes sir."
He handed Ethan a yellowed manuscript. Just three or four pages long. "This is important Ethan. I want you to hold on to this for me. Your friend, Miss Briar Rose, she---"
"She's not my friend..." Ethan mumbled.
"Regardless, these documents are of dire importance." He looked around and once again erected the 'purple bubble' he'd used when Briar Rose had visited before. "There's something I've never told you about Ethan. Before I came to this place, hiding in the shadows like I am... I worked in the palace. I was his highness' advisor and magician. But... The king and I had our differences. It was over a trivial matter... and Lance had never been a trivial man..."
Ethan nodded and sat back down on the couch to listen. "He started acting strangely, and I knew it was because of an enchantment..."
Ethan interrupted, "I thought you couldn't use the Rune Arts to control someone..."
Ardeneaux smiled, "almost. It takes a very powerful occultist to be able to do such a thing. But it wasn't just his highness. It was the queen as well, half of her court, and even one of the thirteen fairies."
Ethan shook his head, "But that... that'd be impossible! Are you sure?"
Ardeneaux nodded, "There is an item... and... very few can even speak of it... It would be powerful enough to do such things. Last I heard it was safely tucked away, but I fear that is not the case. It is known only as 'The Book'." Ardeneaux finished and took another long sip of his tea.
"A book?"
"Not just any book Mr. Fawks. You see, this book began as an empty tome. The pages were blank. But, as soon as something was written upon it... it started to happen. And so it goes. Whatever is written upon the book becomes fact."
Ethan looked a little disbelieving, but didn't dare contradict his master. "So... this manuscript..."
"Yes. It's a copy of a portion of what is written in that book. Someone wrote a story. In a normal book it would have been harmless, but unfortunately that's not the case. The story was written over fifty years ago. But... it has taken that long, just to set the stage. Briar Rose, the king, the queen... they're all players in this story..."
"So that means..."
Ardeneaux sighed, "Sometimes they can't control how they act. The story forces it upon them. The king was forced to give up his first and only child... The thirteenth fairy was forced to place a curse upon the child... and now... that curse is about to be carried out..." Ardeneaux finished.
"You mean..."
"Yes. Briar Rose is in actuality the princess, the king's daughter. I'm sorry Ethan. Whether or not you ever had a chance to have her, I couldn't say. But I know that many of her actions are not her own... Which ones... I can't tell. I just thought I would give you this manuscript... because... you aren't in the story Ethan. Perhaps... there's a chance you can change it..."
"Me? Why me?" Ethan looked flustered, "No. I couldn't even stop that idiot Jacob Thompson and his lackies from beating me senseless! How do you think I can stop a spell that powerful?!"
"Because she cares for you Ethan." Ardeneaux stated without changing his expression. "Whether she's aware of it or not. She took care of you while you were sleeping. She and your friend Christopher came everyday to check on you. I wouldn't be surprised if she showed up soon."
Ethan grabbed the manuscript and folded it, then placed it in his bag. He slung it over one shoulder and walked deliberately toward the door. "I need to think about this..."
Ardeneaux dispelled the bubble that had been blocking the ears of anyone listening. He nodded and drank the last of his tea. "Think quickly."

"Ethan! Where have you been?! I was worried sick!" his mother stomped over to him as soon as he walked in the door. He'd been rehearsing what he'd say, so he just brushed past her and headed for his room, "It was a long weekend. I had to stay over at Chris' to cram for an exam. Sorry."
His calm demeanor and stoic face just made his mother worry ever more. She put a hand to his head. "Yes... well... alright then. You don't look well sweetie. Why don't you go rest? I'll call you when dinner's ready. I want to hear all about the ball."
Ethan nodded and walked down the small hallway to the room he shared with his three brothers. Andrew and Luke ran screaming past him, heading for the front door.
"Hey Ethan!"
"Hi Ethan!" was all he heard before the door slammed behind them. Ethan sighed and walked into the bedroom door. He dropped his bag beside the bed and didn't even bother to get out of his regular clothes before flopping down on the bed. He just felt like all the life had gone out of him. Too much, too fast. He lazily opened the bag with one hand as he lay on the bed. He fished out the manuscript and decided to take a look before he fell asleep.

And so on the night of her sixteenth birthday, Briar Rose carefully made her way up the winding staircase to the highest tower in the castle. There was a small door at the top and she opened it slowly. Inside was a small bed and an old woman, spinning flax on a spinning wheel. Briar Rose had never seen such a machine before. She watched the spindle slowly bobbing up and down. She spoke to the old woman and they talked for a while, chatting happily. The old woman offered to let her try to use the spinning wheel. Briar Rose was delighted and reached for it, only to prick her finger. The old woman laughed and changed back into the wicked fairy. "And now Briar Rose, as I have promised, you will die after pricking your finger upon the spinning wheel."
Briar Rose fell onto the bed and immediate was overtaken by not death, but a deep sleep. Everyone in the castle began to fall asleep as well. The king and queen on their throne, the cook as he prepared the next meal, the children that ran happily through the halls. Even the fire in the large stone hearth curled up and fell asleep. Thorns grew tall around the castle and princes from all across the land came to try to rescue the sleeping princess. For, the good fairy had foretold that a prince's kiss would break the spell. Many princes tried to cut through the thorns, but they all died horribly. Many years passed, until finally one day a prince came upon the castle. He walked curiously up the thorns and as he approached, they became flowers. He walked further into the castle, and watched as the way behind him closed up and was once again replaced by thorns. The prince wandered through the castle, marvelling at all the people sleeping. Finally he found the stairs that led up to the tall tower. He pushed open the small door and saw upon the bed the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen. He immediately was overcome and couldn't help but kiss her lips.
Briar Rose batted her eyes as the magic of the prince's kiss woke her from the deep sleep. The entire castle woke once again. The king and queen upon their thrown, the cook began again to prepare the meal, the children ran and laughed, and the fire burned brightly. And Briar Rose and the Prince lived happily ever after.

Ethan threw the papers on the floor. Of all the stupid ideas. Idiotic tales. Who had written this?! Cursing a girl so she sleeps until a prince comes to wake her? What nonsense... He rolled over onto his back and closed his eyes. His body didn't hurt much anymore, but his heart wouldn't stop aching. What was this feeling?

Ethan was rather somber in class the next day. He could do nothing but think of what he could do about this "book," this "story." Class ended without much fanfare and Ethan walked slowly out of the classroom. He walked with his head down and didn't care to look up at any of the other students. Jacob Thompson walked by with his gang of thugs and punched Ethan in the arm, "How's it goin' pauper?"
Ethan didn't answer, he just stood there, staring at the ground. He didn't feel like fighting anymore. Jacob smiled, the smile of one who knows he's won. He flicked Ethan in the head before continuing to walk triumphantly down the hall. Ethan sighed and continued walking. There was a light tap on his shoulder.
"How could you let them treat you like that?" Briar Rose was there, looking worried.
Ethan shrugged her off. "I suppose a pauper should know his place..." He turned and kept walking, leaving her in silence. He supposed he shouldn't have been so harsh. She was one of the only people that was still treating him like a human being. He shook his head and walked out the front door. He felt another light tap on his back and turned, expecting to see Bri standing there once again. Instead it was a different girl, one Ethan knew was in their class, but couldn't remember her name. Leah something...
"Hi Ethan!" Her voice was bubbly and immediately irritated him. He wasn't in the mood to talk right now.
"Hello."
"Well um... if you're not busy this Friday after school, Briar Rose's birthday party is coming up and she wanted to invite everyone in our class." She handed him a cheerfully decorated paper invitation, finished nicely with the "I's" dotted with hearts in them. Ethan accepted it without much gratitude.
"Thanks." he mumbled without feeling and walked on.

Christopher finally caught up to Ethan as he walked past the shop. Ethan looked down and couldn't meet his friend's eyes. He didn't know why he was in such a depressive state, but he couldn't help feeling this way.
"Hey Ethan!" Chris' voice was excited, "Ardeneaux said you were doing better. I'm glad you're ok."
"Hey Topher." he muttered.
"Well um... I have some good news Ethan. The king liked our performance and wants us to do a repeat at a party this friday at the palace. Isn't that great?!" Christopher smiled.
Ethan looked up, "yeah... yeah, that's great Chris. I'll be there. I don't have a nice costume anymore, but hey, maybe we can change our name this time to 'the prince and the pauper,' eh?"
Chris rolled his eyes, "Whatever Ethan. Just come anyway. They won't care how we're dressed. Oh, wait," Chris dug in his pocket, "Here's your share of the pay for the ball last Friday." he dropped a handful of coins into his hand.
Ethan looked at it, "This can't all be for me. I can't take this. It was your hard work that got us there..."
Christopher shook his head, "I won't take it either. You helped just as much as I did."
Ethan shrugged and stuffed the money into his pocket, "Friday then."
Topher nodded, "Five o' clock. Don't forget."

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