Princess Aurora's Arc

Chapter 2 of 4

Aurora was marking roads on the map when she heard the crack of wood splitting. She went to the window. The thorns from the east tower had reached the courtyard, dark vines thick as her wrist pushing through the stone. They were moving toward her tower. She could see them spreading, fast enough to watch. She grabbed what she could carry. The maps went into a leather case. The journals she'd started went on top. She looked around for anything else that mattered and saw nothing worth the time. The thorns had already covered the statue in the courtyard, wrapping the carved woman until only her face showed through the vines. Aurora didn't know how long she had before they reached the tower door. She descended the stairs and pushed through the entrance just as the first tendril reached the threshold. The thornfield stretched across the forest floor ahead of her, a massive tangle of blackened vines that had consumed trees and brush alike. She could see a path through it, narrow but clear, leading toward the old castle gates on the far side. The gates were buried in roses now, bright pink blooms covering the stone towers. She ran. The path closed behind her as she reached the gates. Thorns sealed the way back to her tower, cutting it off completely. She pushed against the rose-covered iron and it held. She pushed harder and felt it give slightly, the metal groaning beneath the vines. On the third push it swung open. Beyond the gates lay open ground, untouched by thorns. She had lost her tower, but she knew now that the curse was still growing. It had forced her out, and that meant it wanted something. She would need to find out what before it spread further.