Chasing Aurora

“If I take my hand off your mouth, do you promise to be quiet?” Flora asked. I simply nodded. She removed her hand from my mouth and took a step back. “I need you to stand up dear, we need to fight our way out of here.”

“I won’t be of much use. What about the way you came in?” I slowly pushed myself to my feet. My legs felt wobbly from all the abuse they had taken.

“Unfortunately, you won’t fit through a mouse hole.” She said looking me over, “Maleficent has really outdone herself this time. Don’t worry, I’ll have you as good as new in no time.” I was about to question her when suddenly I saw a pink light surrounding her hands. I held my breath as she reached out to me. She placed her hand over my heart, and I felt this surge come over me. I was come over by this burst of energy that took me over. All the pain that had been plaguing me left my bones leaving me completely revitalized.

When she took her hand away, I couldn’t resist looking down. All the cuts and bruises had completely disappeared. I looked up at Flora in complete disbelief, “How?” I asked.

“Magic darling.” She grinned as she snapped her fingers. The manacles came off and fell to the floor with a loud clatter. My arms had never felt so light. I jumped a little on the spot. I can’t remember ever feeling this good.

Suddenly another woman appeared. She seemed to be about Flora’s age, but she was slightly shorter with brown curly hair tied back in a ponytail. She looked at me with a smile, “Hi Piper, so good to meet you. I’m Aurora’s Aunt Fauna.”

“We don’t have time for this. What did you find?” Flora interrupted.

“Oh, right. There are two guards down the hall, two at the gate, and a young woman and an old man are sitting upstairs. No sign of Maleficent or Aurora.” Fauna said.

“Maleficent took Aurora overseas. I don’t know where yet.” I jumped in.

“Okay. Time to fight our way out. Our sister Merriweather is waiting for the signal to pick us up in the car.” Flora turned to me. “We’re counting on you. We’re not fighters, but we will try our best to help.”

“The sword. Give her the sword.” Fauna said.

“Uh, I’ve never used a sword before.”

“Trust us, you’re a natural.” Flora waved her hands and a gleaming sword appeared, hovering in mid-air.

I felt this pull towards the sword, drawing me in until I took it by the hilt. It felt so natural in my hand. I gave it a few practice swings testing the weight of the sword. As freaked out as I was, I knew I was also dealing with powers I didn’t understand. Maleficent could do things I didn’t think possible, I could speak with Aurora through my dreams, and Aurora’s Aunts seemed to use magic. Who was I to question why a magic sword felt so good in my hands? I looked up at Flora and Fauna to see them both watching me. I smiled at them, “Let’s fight.”

The two women shared an approving smile before they turned to the door. I watched as their hands began to glow, Flora’s a hot pink and Fauna’s a brilliant green. Flora raised her hand and the door swung open. I walked right past them and looked into the hall. Guard 4 peeked his head into the hall and our eyes met. I smirked at him and began sralking towards him, holding my sword ready. His eyes widened as he tried to back his way back into their back room. I picked up the pace and got there just in time to kick down the door. I looked at the two men as they tried to find their weapons. Number 4 and 2 were about to get crossed off my list.

“What’s wrong? Afraid of the girl now that she’s no longer chained up?” I asked as I stepped towards them. Number Two pulled a gun and levelled it at my head, but I didn’t feel any fear.

“Get back or I’ll shoot.” He said but I could hear his voice tremble. He was scared. Gun versus sword, I know how this usually played out. Yet, the sword in my hands practically hummed in my hands telling me not to be afraid. It would show me what to do.

I just had to let go.

My body moved like a trained dancer. It knew exactly what to do. Before Number Two could even pull the trigger, I was bringing the sword down on his hands slicing them right off. Before he could even let out a scream, I was plunging the sword straight into his stomach. I could feel my mind freeze for a moment as I realized I had just taken a man’s life, but then I remembered this was survival.

I pulled my sword from the belly of Number Two and in one movement, sliced at Number 4. He fell to his knees and onto the floor. I stood there for a moment before I turned around to Flora and Fauna. Neither of them seemed phased by what I had just done, they actually looked pleased. “Come on dear, we need to get out of here if we’re going to save Aurora.”

Aurora. Right. Our perfect life. I strode from the room and began checking for any signs of life. Once I was sure there was no one else in the basement, I went over to the stairs. I didn’t check to see if Flora and Fauna were following. I had to focus on what was ahead.

Once on the main floor, I could hear two people talking. I looked back at Flora and Fauna and raised a finger to my lips. I turned back and began to creep towards the voices. I pressed myself against the wall and slowly peeked around the corner. Natalie and Doc were sitting there laughing of all things. I could feel that cold fury that had been burning in my chest ignite. They both had their backs to me, focusing on the roaring fireplace in front of them. I smiled knowing they were going to finally pay.

I crept up behind Natalie. I barely breathed out of fear that they would hear me. In one fluid motion, I pulled her to me and pressed the bloody sword to her neck. “Surprise bitch.” I whispered in her ear making her scream. I maneuvered her so I could keep my eyes on Doc. I smiled at the fear in the sadistic bastard’s eyes.

“H-How’d you get out?” He asked.

“Doesn’t matter. Now tell me where Maleficent took Aurora, or I kill you both.” I said pressing the sword deeper into Natalie’s neck. I heard her whimper, but I focused on Doc.

“I don’t know. I swear, I’m not that important. I just do what she says. Please don’t kill me.” He begged.

“Maleficent sure has a bunch of gutless employees. The second the girl isn’t chained up, you lose your bite.” I spat, “I guess I’ll just have to kill you both.”

“France! She took Aurora to the south of France!” Natalie yelled, her body began to shake, “Please don’t kill me.”

“You should have thought about that sooner.” I dug the sword into her throat before I dumped her on the floor. I didn’t stop, lunging forward and driving the sword through Doc’s stomach. I turned back to Flora and Fauna who had just watched. “So, what’s the signal you have to send Merriweather?”

“Set the place on fire,” Flora said.

“Do it. I’m going to get the guards outside.” I strode from the room and walked straight out the front door. I spared only a moment to look around at the sprawling grounds of the country estate. It didn’t seem to be near anything either. It would be a long trip back to the city.

“Hey! Stop right there!” Guard 5 yelled as I walked up to the gate. I didn’t stop, even when he raised his gun. I heard his gun go off and the whole world slowed down around me. I lifted the sword and felt the impact of the bullet as it hit the metal and ricocheted off. I could see the guard’s eyes widen but he didn’t get a chance to fire again before I ended him. I turned to his partner, Guard 9, and sliced. The two men fell to the pavement and I was left standing alone.

I turned to see the two women exit as flames took over the house. I looked down at my hands that were covered in blood and felt strangely detached. I killed six people, but they were going to kill me and Aurora. We were probably not the first. I did the world a favour, at least, that’s what I told myself.

A car pulled up in front of me with the window down. A larger woman with black hair looked at me with a smile from the driver’s side. “You must be Piper. I’m Merriweather. Let’s get you cleaned up.” She lifted a hand that glowed blue and snapped. I looked down and the blood was gone from my clothes and sword.

“Get in dear. We need to get as far away from here as we can.” Flora said. I nodded, getting into the back of the car. Flora sat up front while Fauna slid in beside me. I sat there for a moment before I realized that today was the most batshit crazy experience of my life.

“Can someone please explain to me what the fuck just happened? I stopped a bullet with a sword and you guys are using magic. I feel like I walked into some Harry Potter shit. Are you guys witches or something?”

“No, not witches, we’re fae. We get our powers from different places than witches do.” Fauna explained.

“Fae? Like Fairies? You guys are fucking fairies?”

“We prefer fae, but yes some people call us fairies. Maleficent is fae too. Although, she’s a much darker kind of fae. You’ve also got some fae blood in you, just enough to make you special. You’re a Guardian. A race of people who protect the humans from the fae like Maleficent.” Flora explained and I think my jaw just about hit the floor. Not only are they saying that they are fairies, but now I am?

I was about to argue with them that there was no way, but then the memories of my conversations with Maleficent travelled through my mind. She had called me a Guardian several times, but I just brushed it off. Then my eyes travelled down to the sword. I still hadn’t let go of it. I could see my reflection in the metal. I had done things today that I didn’t believe I could. I don’t think a human could have done this either. There were a few questions I still had.

“What about my parents? They would have told me if I was a Guardian.”

“Most Guardians don’t know what they are. They tend to be drawn to athletics or military careers. They have a desire to protect people, like your family with your cybersecurity firm. For the most part, they live pretty normal lives. It isn’t unless they are awakened do they come into their full powers.”

A flash to Flora’s hand on my chest and the power I felt flowing through me. Everything they said made sense. I can still feel it humming in my veins. Every fibre of my being was screaming at me to listen to them, that they were telling me the truth. The logical part of my brain was telling me that I was losing it, but if this is the only way to save Aurora, then I’ll do it.

“Okay, so why does Maleficent want Aurora dead?” I asked.

Fauna sighed, “It started about eight hundred years ago, Maleficent had a son, Thibault. He was just as dark and twisted as his mother and was terrorizing this town. People were dying, crops were burning, and the people were desperate. That is when one young man in the village named Louis Dubois decided enough is enough. He planned an elaborate dinner for his family, knowing that Thibault would come to ruin it. Louis took a bottle of wine and dosed it with a sleeping draft. When Thibault came, he forced Louis’s family to watch as he ate their dinner and drank their wine. By the time the sleeping draft kicked in, he couldn’t even get up from the table. That’s when Louis dragged Thibault from the house, into the town square and killed him. While the village was happy to finally be free of the terror that Thibault had caused them, Maleficent was heartbroken and vowed her revenge on the Dubois family.”

“But Aurora isn’t a Dubois,” I said.

“She is.” Merriweather said, “Maleficent has been slowly killing the descendants. Forcing the parents to watch as she kills their sleeping children, just like Louis did to her. When Stephan and Leah found out that she was coming after Aurora, they managed to find us. We agreed to hide her away in the hopes that someone would come who could protect her.”

“Like the Guardian she was destined to fall for.” Flora finished looking at me.

I could feel my head swimming with all the information that they had given me. All the pieces were finally coming together, and everything was starting to make sense. I could feel a plan start to fall into place in front of me. “Do any of you have a phone?” I asked.

“Why do you need a phone?” Fauna asked.

I laid out my plan for them and Fauna handed over her phone. I dialled Robby’s number thankful that I had memorized it years ago. He picked up after only a few rings. “Hello?” He asked.

“Robby it’s me, Piper.”

“Holy shit Piper! Where are you? We’ve been worried sick about you. Are you alright?”

“Robby, I know you have a lot of questions, but I need you to shut up and listen. Actually, write this down because I need you to make sure you do everything I ask.”

“I will, just let me know that you are safe. Are people holding you hostage right now or something?”

“I’m safe now, but Aurora isn’t. I promise I will explain everything in person. Just trust me and do what I say.” I began listing off everything I needed him to grab from my apartment. I told him to meet me at the front entrance of my dad’s office. When I hung up the phone, I just had to put my faith in him not to mess this up. I gave Fauna back her phone and leaned back in the seat. I closed my eyes and let out a deep breath. My heart warmed as I sent out a silent thought to Aurora.

I’m coming for you baby, and no one is going to stop me.