Sleeping Beauty
Disclaimer: I dont own the shows or characters from Xena: Warrior
Princess and Hercules Legendary Journeys. I wouldnt want to take the
blame for all the bad stuff that has happened, that means EVE. I also
dont own the story Sleeping Beauty, so if Disney or anyone with rights to
it comes along, please dont sue.
___~~~***~~~___
Queen Cyrene and King Atrius had been trying for a baby for years
and finally the Queen announced she was going to give birth to a baby
girl in a couple of months. I dont know how they knew it was a girl, the
local oracle probably told them that. They called in the royal
decorator, Salmoneus to prepare a baby shower for when their little beauty
was
born. It was decided she was to be betrothed to Prince Ares, son of
King Zeus and Queen Hera of Olympus.
The months went by and finally it came time for the little princess
to be born. She had the clearest baby blue eyes anyone had ever seen,
and hair as black as ebony (I know thats what they say in Snow White,
but put up with me). What a beauty she was. Unlike most babies that look
just like babies when they are born, the princess looked like a little
girl. The King and Queen were delighted, she was everything they had
hoped and more. They named her Xena.
Salmoneus planned the big party and invited everyone in the kingdom,
well everyone but the blonde, village burning, psychopathic,
Goddess/Evil Witch Callisto. He didnt think it was such a hot idea. During
the
party Xena and Ares were to be in a official ceremony to announce they
were betrothed. The fact that Ares was only three and Xena just a new
born baby made it hard, especially when Ares just wanted to go play with
his best friend Prince Joxer instead of hang around with some dumb
baby.
Just as they had finished Callisto appeared in a shower of flames.
She looked rather unhappy that she hadnt been invited. Her eyes lit up
and she broke into a evil smile as she spotted the baby lying in the
royal crib.
Well, well, well. What do we have here, a little baby. You didnt
invite me, so you must punished. She held out her hand and a fire ball
appeared in it, she was about to throw it at Xena when she got a better
idea.
On her sixteenth birthday she will cut her finger on a chakram and
die. She laughed, then disappeared like she had come.
Cyrene broke down in sobs. Then the three good fairys stepped
forward.
Like that doesnt have to happen to the little princess babe. The
first fairy informed them, her name was Aphrodite.
We cant stop it from happening, but instead of death, she will
just sleep, but will only awake with a kiss from her true love. The
second fairy, Gabrielle informed them.
Please, do that. Cyrene pleaded.
First Aphrodite and I must give her other gifts the Ephiny can
perform the spell.
The pink clad Fairy stepped forward an laid her perfectly manicured
fingers on the babies hands. She then made a glitter dust appeared and
that fell all over the little princess who in turn sneezed.
I Aphrodite, first of the good fairys give the gift of everlasting
beauty, not that you need it kid, you already got that one. You will
grow and be beautiful, inside and out.
I Gabrielle, second of the good fairys give you the gift of being
able to get yourself out of any situation. You must understand Queen
Cyrene, in know way are we giving these thing to her, only enhancing what
she has. Little Xena already has beauty and brains.
I Ephiny, third of the good fairys give you the gift of sleep.
When you cut your finger, you shall not die little one.
Although the fairys gave Xena these gift the King and Queen still
worried, and from there they made the hardest decision of their lives.
Hercules, the loyal castle guard looked on as Cyrene and Atrius gave
their precious daughter to the fairys.
___~~~***~~~___
Sixteen years passed and Xena, who was known as Diana knew nothing
of her parents or family. She had asked once, the fairys had told her
it was complicated and she never asked again. The Princess had grown to
be a divine looking woman, probably the most beautiful in the world.
She still had her baby blue eyes, and ebony hair, which was very long.
The time for Xena to go back to the castle was coming to soon for the
fairys. They had six months until Xena turned sixteen and she had to
marry Ares.
Diana was out walking when she came across a horse tied to a tree.
This made her curious, as people never went out into the woods as far
as she was. Too far from the villages. The only people she had ever
talked to had been the fairys, and people in her dreams. Although she
didnt know the fairys were fairys.
Prince Ares had been out riding thinking about how he had to get
married in six months, he hadnt even met the dam woman. He had tied his
horse up and sat by a small lake. It was there he met Diana, and fell in
love with her. Each week they would meet in that spot by the lake. He
didnt tell her he was a prince. Neither told their families, as it
would be disastrous. Diana knew he was betrothed but on the day of her
sixteenth birthday they were going to run away together.
But Aphrodite caught Xena packing. She knew what had been happening,
she could tell, Xena had that Im in love look. As much as Dite
wanted her to be happy, she had a duty. A duty to return the Princess that
night, to be wed in the morning with Prince Ares.
What are you doing Xena?
Just packing away some old cloths. She lied.
Youre in love.
We are going to run away. Please dont tell? Xena pleaded.
Im so sorry. I cant let you go. All I want is to see you happy,
but I have a duty.
Please? Just let me go. I wont tell anyone you know.
Youre not going Xena, thats the end of it.
With that Dite left the room, locking the door behind her. She went
over to the window, but as she went to open it, it disappeared into
thin air. Xena sat down on her bed and just stared into space. She didnt
understand why they didnt want her to have what she wanted, and she
didnt know how the window disappeared.
Dite gathered the other fairys for a meeting.
Gabrielle, Ephiny, we have a problem.
What? Gabrielle asked.
Xenas in love. I caught her about to run away. I know we promised
to return her when she turned sixteen, but maybe we should let her be
with this man. She is a person.
We have to take her back. She is betrothed, to a Prince. A very
powerful Prince. She is going back, no more about this to anyone. Ephiny
demanded.
Ares waited for Diana for three hours, she never showed up. In the
end he went back to the castle and waited for his future to start with
Princess Xena. He was heartbroken.
Dite, Gabrielle and Ephiny went to tell Xena of her past and what
was to happen in just a few short hours. Xena was furious, how could
they keep this from her. She was a Princess, she was betrothed to a
Prince who happens to have a father that rules half the land. With this
marriage and when their fathers give up the throne, they would rule three
quarters of the land. Most of all, she was heartbroken.
That night Xena was taken back to the castle. She was in her room,
waiting to meet her parents when a blonde woman appeared and though a
room shiny thing at Xena.
Catch Princess.
Xena being good at martial arts and gymnastics also had wonderful
reflexes and she caught the round thing easily. But it just cut her
finger a little. The last thing Xena saw before she passed out was the
blonde woman laughing. The fairys along with Queen Cyrene and King Atrius
came into the room just in time to see Xena drop to the floor and a
chakram in her hand.
Word was sent to King Zeus and Queen Hera that Princess Xena had
been a victim of Callistos wrath. Ares was informed. He decided to talk
to the one person he knew he could. Hercules, the now retired guard of
Xenas castle.
___~~~***~~~___
What do you know about the Princess Herc?
Not much I am afraid. I was there when the fairys took her into
the woods to live. Pretty baby, looked like a real little girl. Bright
blue eyes, raven hair, always alert. Brought her back last night,
Callisto had cursed her with death but the fairys changed it a little. I
believe she will sleep until a kiss from her true love will wake her.
Sounds complicated.
Yeah, poor little thing, didnt even know she was the princess.
Thought her birth name was Diana. Sheltered from everyone, being so far in
the woods.
Diana?
Yes.
Ares nearly had a heart attack. The woman he was going to give
everything up for, was really the woman he was intended to marry, and she
was under some witches spell.
Ares you okay Hercules asked.
Ares didnt have time to waste he just ran out the door. He had to
get to Xena, and fast.
TBC