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Aurora didn’t mention the kiss to Devon, and she let him believe he dreamt it.
“It will only make things strange between us if he knew the truth,” she said to herself. “It is for the best.”
Aurora hoped it more than believed it to be true.
She tried to forget the kiss, even if she felt herself burning with the thought of Devon's lips on hers. She didn’t even want to admit to herself that it happened, or that she longed for his touch.
Despite the turbulence in Aurora’s heart and mind, the journey to the waterfall was uneventful. They saw no demons during their journey, and Aurora hoped it stayed that way. Devon already had his sword ready, treating the quiet day warily as the calm before the storm. He was also carrying a bigger bag than he usually did. Aurora wondered what was inside.
They heard the roar of the waterfall as they approached it. It was as beautiful as Aurora remembered. The area a green oasis, the birds chirping merrily on the trees. The water cascading from a rocky ledge into the plunge pool below. She hoped again that the witch’s demons did not guard the entrance. The air was still fresh, with no stench from the demons, so that was a good sign.
“Where is the entrance?” Devon asked.
“There is a cave behind the waterfall. We have to go there on foot, so we should leave our horses here,” Aurora suggested.
“Ok, but I rather not tie them. They need to escape to safety if the demons show up,” Devon said.
Aurora nodded in agreement. They both got off their horses.
“Will you stay for us until we come back?” Aurora asked their horses. The horses neighed in return.
He patted his horse on the head. “I assume that means a yes?” Devon said, smiling.
“I am surprised that the entrance to the enchanted forest is here,” Devon said, looking around. “Anyone wandering around here could find it.”
“Only if they know magic or know what to say to open it,” Aurora said. “Otherwise, it is impossible to find the exact spot.”
“How did the witch find you then?” Devon asked.
“She found us when she sensed my fairy godmothers’ magic,” Aurora said. “From there, it was easy for her to find the entrance.”
They did it for me, Aurora thought. My fairy godmothers were only trying to make my birthday special.
They walked to the edge of the blue pool. Unlike the lake of fears, the pool showed their reflection as they were, both clad in their travelling cloaks. Nothing was amiss, and Aurora didn’t sense any lurking shadows or danger here. The world was as it should be. The golden fishes swimming peacefully in the tranquil water. Aurora was tempted to dive in the water, but she had more important things to worry about.
It was a small hike once they reached the waterfall. The rocks were slick because of the water, and there was a ledge they had to cross before reaching near the entrance. Devon offered his hand at the more slippery parts, but Aurora kept her distance. Devon just smiled and kept going, not minding her aloof behaviour.
“There is nothing behind the water. It is just a stone wall,” Devon yelled over the roar of the waterfall.
“It is there. Just keep going,” Aurora said.
Devon reached out his hand to touch the stone wall, and was surprised when it went through. He looked back at Aurora, who smiled encouragingly. She saw him go through the wall behind the water.
They had reached the cave that led to the enchanted forest. Aurora knew there was another barrier before they reach the entrance.
“What’s next?” Devon said, looking at the wall a few feet away from him.
There was a door carved into the wall with intricate vines and flowers around it. The waterfall was a translucent curtain behind them, so it was still bright enough to see in the cave.
“We say the magic words,” Aurora said.
“Please and thank you?” Devon asked.
“Good manners will open many doors, but it won’t open this one,” Aurora said, smiling.
“Will it open the door to your heart?” Devon asked hopefully.
Aurora shook her head. “It won’t perform miracles, Devon.”
Aurora tried not to smile when Devon gave a big sigh. “So what do we say to open the door?”
“The words are simple: abre a porta ao bosque encantado. Todos somos amigos aquí,” Aurora replied.
“And that means?” Devon asked.
“Open the door to the enchanted forest. We are all friends here.” Aurora replied.
“I wonder how the witch said that with a straight face?” Devon asked, amused.
They waited in the cave. Aurora’s heart was beating fast; she felt Devon’s presence acutely in the small space.
“Did it work?”
Moments later, they heard a loud click echo in the cave. The lines of the carving glowed blue as the door slowly faded away. Instead of the stolid stone wall, now there was a long dark path going deeper into the cave.
“It worked,” Aurora replied, almost relieved to be moving away from Devon.
The cave was darker here as the light from outside didn’t reach as far. They could hardly see anything in front of them. Aurora wasn’t worried, as she knew the path ahead, even with her eyes closed. She wasn’t paying attention, but Devon saw a movement from the corner of his eyes.
“Aurora, wait!” Devon said.
Aurora gasped as he pulled her into his arms.
Devon saw a cursed branch reach out, but it grabbed nothing but air. It was a close call, as Aurora had been standing in the spot moments before.
Devon realized with dread that the cursed thorns were covering the cave. Their path to the forest was completely blocked.
“Sorry about that,” Devon said as he let Aurora go. He ran a hand through his hair nervously.
“I am sure you are not. You were just waiting for the moment to have me in your arms,” Aurora replied.
Aurora didn’t sound annoyed, Devon thought with relief. Was she trying to hide her smile?
Devon’s jaw dropped. Wait, was Aurora flirting with him?
“I would be lying if I say I hadn’t dreamt about having you in my arms,” Devon said, grinning. “But this moment was unplanned.. not as romantic as I had hoped, but not unwanted.”
Aurora shook her head. “This is the witch’s doing. She expected our coming here.”
“You are right. Only this time she didn’t use her demons,” Devon said. “Is this the only entrance to the forest?”
“There are others, but I think they would be guarded, too,” Aurora said, sighing. “We might waste our time if we try to see them all.”
“If we can’t find another path, then we have only one option,” Devon said. “We have to make a path through here.”
“But the thorns?”
“They are a nuisance, but I have gone through them before, back at the tower,” Devon said. “It won’t be easy. But it will be easier with two of us.”
Aurora nodded grimly. Devon pulled out his sword and a shield from the bag. The shield had the same carving as his sword of the two lions.
So that was what he was carrying? Aurora realized. She could see more details on the wider surface of the shield than she could on the sword. The lions were circling a crown in the middle. There was an inscription which read: “No mercy, save justice.”
Aurora wondered what it all meant.
Devon lit up a torch and asked Aurora to hold it.
“I want you to light up any branches that reach us on fire as we go through them,” Devon said solemnly. “I will have the shield in front, so just stay behind me, Aurora. Are you ready?”
“Yes. I am ready,” Aurora said grimly. “We will go through it together.”
“Let’s go meet your fairy godmothers,” Devon said. “I can’t believe I am already meeting your family.”
He gave a wink, and Aurora groaned in response.
The branches grew thicker as they made their way deeper into the cave. Devon slashed through them effortlessly, and Aurora lit up any branches that snaked forward. It was tiring work. They must have been at it for hours.
The branches were thickest at this point. Aurora could feel a breeze coming from up ahead. They must be getting close to the exit. The cursed branches were all around them, snaking and try to grab them.
Devon must have lowered his shield a few inches, because a thick, thorny branch wrapped around his arm. Devon swore in pain and dropped his sword. His arm was bleeding as the branch twisted deeper around his arm.
“Devon!” Aurora cried. He couldn’t reach for his sword, so Aurora quickly picked it up. The sword was light, and it gave her a warm feeling. She hacked at the branch that was twisted around his arm and watched it fall to the cave floor. Aurora saw the sword glow faintly.
“Thanks, Aurora. I can see the exit right ahead. We are almost there!” Devon said. He was still wincing with pain. His arm was a bloody mess, as the branch had left black thorns in it.
“Let me move in front,” Aurora said. “Give me the shield.”
Devin took the torch from her and gave her the shield. Aurora could see light come through among the thick branches. They were near the forest! It took another hour, but they made it through the cursed branches. Both of them sighed in relief. They looked back and saw the path they had made through the cave was closed again.
“We will have to find another way back,” Devon said. Aurora nodded.
“Wow!” Devon said. The enchanted forest took Devon’s breath away. It was the most beautiful place he had ever been to. Fairies could live here, Devon thought. Then he remembered that Aurora’s fairy god mothers did.
He saw Aurora looking at the forest wistfully.
“Are you glad to be back?” Devon asked. “You are back home.”
“I longed to be back here. I thought I would be glad to see the forest again... but I am having mixed feelings. So far, nothing has been the same. My world has changed completely, but the forest looks the same as I left it,” Aurora said.
“I would take that as a good sign, Aurora,” Devon said. “Where is the cottage?”
“It is less than a mile away. We should take care of your arm first,” Aurora said with concern. His arm was still bleeding a lot.
“I rather go find the cottage first,” Devon said.
“You might pass out from the blood loss. I am not carrying you there,” Aurora said grumpily.
Devon laughed.
“You could just leave me and go?” Devon suggested.
“What kind of person would that make me?” Aurora said. “I am not heartless.”
“Ok, fine. I wouldn’t want to be such a burden anyway,” Devon said, smiling. “Let us find a safe spot.”
They looked around and found two flat boulders to sit on close to the cave they came out from. Aurora took out the first aid supplies from the bag.
She braced herself for what she was going to say next.
“Devon, take your shirt off,” Aurora said, trying not to blush.
“Excuse me?”
“It is so I can properly bandage your arm!” Aurora exclaimed.
Devon raised an eyebrow, and Aurora blushed. Thankfully, he said nothing.
Devon unbuttoned his shirt and took it off, wincing. Aurora held her breath and tried not to stare.
Seeing Devon’s bare torso was testing Aurora's willpower like nothing had before. She felt she was in front of Adonis, trying not to melt into a puddle. Every inch of his sculpted body made Aurora’s heart beat faster.
Devon was not self-conscious at all. He meant what he said back at the lake of fears; he wasn’t nervous about stripping down.
Devon looked at her with a curious expression, like he was trying to read her thoughts, but Aurora quickly said, “I can’t do this with you looking at me.”
She pointed towards his bloody arm that was pierced with the cursed thorns.
Aurora knew it was an excuse, but Devon bought it and believed her. He nodded and closed his eyes, and Aurora sighed in relief. She was relieved that her voice had been normal, even if her heart was beating like crazy.
“Thank you for doing this,” Devon whispered.
“You did the same for me,” Aurora said.
Devon took care of her injured wrist at the tower... the first time they met. Back when they were strangers and when she furiously threw a candlestick at him. Things were different now, Aurora thought. They might not be strangers anymore, but she still might throw that candlestick at him.
Aurora washed the blood off with the water in their flasks first. Wherever Devon’s blood spilled on the ground, red flowers bloomed. Aurora had stayed in the enchanted forest nearly all her life, but she still didn’t know all of its secret wonders. Aurora noticed that Devon’s arm kept bleeding where the thorns were. She had to get them out fast.
Devon kept quiet, but winced each time she took out a thorn. It took a while to get them all out of his arm. He sighed in relief when she was done and moaned softly when she applied the salve on his wounds.
Why was it so hot suddenly? Aurora blushed harder.
Her traitorous eyes went towards Devon’s bare torso again. His tan skin gleaming with sweat. Aurora’s gaze lingered on the flat panes of his stomach, and then the tattoo on his chest. It was the same as the carving on his sword and shield. The image of two roaring lions circling one another.
“Is everything alright?” Devon asked, still with his eyes closed.
“Yes, why?” Aurora asked, her voice cracking slightly.
“You have been very quiet,” Devon said.
“I am almost done,” Aurora replied.
Aurora put the bandage on his arms, trying to be both gentle and quick about it. When she was done, Devon opened his eyes and turned his body towards her. Aurora tried to keep a neutral expression and tried not to stare directly at the wall of muscles.
She noticed another tattoo on his arm. It was a plain circle with an intricate sword in the centre. Devon caught her looking at the tattoo.
“Everyone in the Circle has this tattoo,” he said, wincing as he put his shirt back on.
Aurora tried not to show the disappointment she felt as he covered his gorgeous body. At least she could breathe evenly again, even if her heart was still pounding fast.
“Everyone does?” she asked. “Do they all have it on their arms?”
“Castian says he has it somewhere else,” Devon said with mischief.
“Where?”
“Way way way down," he said, his eyes twinkling. "We might see it if he goes skinny dipping, though I suspect Anya might have seen it."
Seeing Aurora’s shocked expression, Devon laughed. “I was joking, Aurora.”
Aurora rolled her eyes.
“Thank you for treating my arm,” Devon said. “I might have bled to death otherwise.”
“Don’t say such grim things,” Aurora said.
“If I didn’t know any better, I would think that you cared about my life?” Devon asked.
“It has proven useful,” Aurora retorted. “I don’t want you talking like that again.”
“Ok, princess,” Devon said, smiling. “I promise I won't.”
Devon rose from the flat rock he was sitting on, but still looked pale. Aurora looked at him with concern.
“We will go to the cottage, and then you can rest there,” Aurora said. “You lost quite a lot of blood.”
Devon nodded and didn’t argue. He was moving slowly, so Aurora carried the sword and shield with her.
They made their way down the familiar path to her fairy godmother’s cottage. She could see the house in the distance. The golden straw covered roof, the warm tones of the brick walls and the neat garden in front, blooming with roses.
She was home.
The cottage looked untouched and just as she left it. Aurora couldn’t help herself. She dropped everything and ran to the front door.
Devon looked at her quietly. He picked up the sword and shield she had left behind. He hoped that whatever truth Aurora found in the cottage, she could handle.
Aurora reached the cottage and called out her fairy godmothers’ names.
“Luna! Celestia!” she cried.
At first there was silence, and she felt her heart sinking. Then Aurora could hear arguing coming from inside.
“I heard Aurora, I tell you!” said a musical voice. “I am not insane!”
The voice felt like a breeze on a cool, moon-lit night.
It was Luna! Aurora thought.
“You keep hearing her voice, Luna. You know what the crazy part is... now I am hearing it, too!” said another voice.
This voice was fiery, like a hot summer day.
It was Celestia! Aurora thought.
Aurora could almost weep with joy.
“Fairy godmothers, it’s me! It’s Aurora!” she cried. “Please open the door!”
Aurora’s heart was pounding so hard she didn’t hear the door open. Both her godmothers were standing in the doorway. They were beautiful. Luna with her cascading white hair and star speckled blue skin. Celestia, with her ebony skin and golden hair tied in a bun on top of her head, with loose strands framing her delicate face.
“Aurora!” they both cried as they ran to hug her. They all were hugging one another and crying, with Aurora in the middle, between her two fairy godmothers.
“I never thought I would see you again!” Celestia cried. “I thought the witch did something horrible to you!”
“I knew you would return!” Luna said. “My heart wouldn’t give up hope. I knew I would hear your voice calling for us one day!”
Aurora wept as her godmothers fussed over her. They hadn’t forgotten her!
Devon finally made his way to the cottage. He had seen the joyful reunion from afar.
“How did you make it through the cursed thorns?” Luna asked. “It is impossible to go through them without magic. We weren’t able to leave because the witch took our wands. We only had some magic left but not enough to free ourselves.”
“We made it here, thanks to Devon,” Aurora said with a smile.
Luna and Celestia looked at the handsome stranger who bowed his head towards them.
“It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance at last,” Devon said. “It is an honor to meet the people Aurora cares so much about.”
Luna and Celestia bowed their heads. Their beauty would mesmerize any human that saw them, but Devon seemed unaffected.
“How did you make it through the thorns without magic?” Celestia asked.
“It was thanks to my sword,” Devon said, patting the weapon hung at his side.
Celestia and Luna looked at the sword Devon was carrying.
“That is no ordinary sword,” Celestia remarked. “Who gave you that?”
“I am no ordinary man,” Devon said with a smile. “It is an heirloom. My father gave it to me as a present for my sixteenth birthday.”
“Your father?” Luna said. Both Luna and Celestia looked to one another with a knowing expression.
Devon still looked pale. Aurora noticed him wince and she said quickly, “Devon got injured by the thorns. He lost a lot of blood. He should rest immediately.”
“I am ok, Aurora. Don’t worry,” Devon said.
“No, she is quite right. An injury from the cursed thorn takes longer to heal. I will give you a healing potion and you can rest upstairs in our guest room,” Luna said.
“I am perfectly alright,” Devon said.
“Please, Devon?” Aurora asked. Devon was reluctant, but he nodded his head at her request.
“Please come inside, you two,” Celestia said.
They all made their way inside the cottage, and Celestia quickly closed the door. When Aurora looked at her in surprise, she said, "We are safe as long as we are in the cottage. Once in a while, the witch sends her demons in the enchanted forest to keep tabs on us."
Devon and Aurora nodded their heads. Luna settled Devon in the guest room and with the healing potion, while Celestia took Aurora into the kitchen.
Aurora felt a pang in her heart seeing the cozy kitchen again, well lit with natural light coming from outside. The familiar potions and colorful plates in the kitchen cabinet. The lush greens of the hanging potted plants against the warm tones of the wooden oak table and chairs.
“My child! How are you?” Celestia asked, hugging Aurora again.
“I missed you so much,” Aurora said. “At least I can see you again, but my parents... “
Aurora cried, and Celestia felt her heart breaking at her sorrow.
“I am so sorry, my child. We were too helpless to do anything,” Celestia said, crying. “There was not a day where we didn’t try. There was not a day where we didn’t think about you. Praying, wishing, and hoping for you to return to us. The only laughter and joy we had in this cottage was when we thought about our times together. Your memory kept us going. Your memory kept us from going insane, Aurora. My dearest child.”
Celestia held Aurora’s face in her hands and wiped her tears.
So the image in the mirror of truth was true? Aurora thought. But it didn’t show everything. Luna and Celestia never gave up on her. They had been thinking of her at that moment. Devon was right to say that she should find out the complete truth, before believing what the mirror showed her.
“Tell me all that happened,” Celestia said.
Aurora told her everything that happened to her since she woke at the tower. She told how she met Devon and found out about the Circle. She told her about going to the forest of no return and then getting the mirror. Celestia had a grim expression on her face as she listened intently. She sighed when Aurora told her about seeing the prince in the lake, and then a tear fell down her cheek as Aurora talked about seeing her parents.
“They are gone now,” Aurora said sadly. “My parents are long gone but to me only a brief time has passed since I last spoke to them.”
“Yes, dear,” Celestia said. “They died too soon. They are buried near this cottage.”
“I would like to visit them,” Aurora said with a broken heart. “I am not sure how I will face them.”
“They loved you, Aurora,” Celestia said. “They would be glad to know that you are alive even if they are not here themselves.”
Luna returned from upstairs and was listening to Aurora by the kitchen doorway.
“Devon is resting, though he refused to take the potion,” she said. “He said he didn’t want to fall asleep.”
Luna shrugged her shoulders and said, “I tried my best. He is a little stubborn.”
“Reminds me of someone else,” Celestia said, smiling at both Luna and Aurora.
Aurora remembered about Devon’s father. She remembered how the mirror showed the image of the cottage when she asked it about how to cure him. She asked both luna and Celestia what it meant.
“It probably means that magic was involved,” Celestia answered, in deep thought.
“We can’t do anything to help unless we get our wands back,” Luna remarked. “Whatever magic we use now leaves us weaker. If we use it all, we will fade away forever. We need to get our wands back.”
“The witch has your wands?” Aurora asked.
“Yes, but we don’t want you risking your life to get them,” Celestia said. “It is enough that we got you back.”
“I met a demon that said Malorna was waiting for me at her castle,” Aurora said, and both Luna and Celestia shuddered at the name. “What does she want from me?”
Both Luna and Celestia stayed silent.
“What aren’t you telling me, fairy godmothers?” Aurora asked. “If she wants something from me, she will keep sending her demons to find me.”
“You will be safe as long as you stay in the cottage,” Luna said.
“And become a prisoner again? I already have spent a hundred years locked in the tower!” Aurora exclaimed. “Tell me, please. What does the witch want from me?”
“It has something to do with the prince,” Celestia replied.
“The prince? Didn’t she already have him? She married him, didn’t she?” Aurora said angrily.
“He left a letter for you. The witch has been trying to find it,” Celestia said.
“What letter?” Aurora asked.
Celestia went to the other room and came back after some time. She handed the envelope to Aurora. Aurora looked at the fading paper and the fading letters that spelled her name. She was reluctant to break the wax seal that had the prince’s royal emblem.
“What does the letter say?” Aurora asked, her voice shaking.
“He didn’t tell us everything,” Luna said with concern. “I think you should read it for yourself.”
Aurora kept the letter, but did not read it. She would think about it at a quiet moment, but for now, she wanted to clear her mind.
“I am going for a walk,” Aurora said.
“It might be dangerous to go outside,” Luna exclaimed, but Aurora already made her way to the front door.
“Aurora! Wait!” Luna said, but Aurora wasn’t listening.
“Let her go. She needs some time alone,” Celestia said, sighing.
Devon heard the commotion downstairs and was standing in the stairway when he saw Aurora leave outside, alone.
“Where is Aurora going?” he asked the fairy godmothers.
“She is upset about what we told her,” Celestia said. “We don’t want to bother her but she shouldn’t be alone outside.”
“I will go after her,” Devon offered, and Celestia nodded, relieved.
“Do you think Aurora will be ok?” Luna asked, concerned.
“Yes, she must. Aurora is stronger than any of us,” Celestia said.
Celestia watched as Devon took long strides to catch up to Aurora.
“And she has made a good friend in the boy. He saw her when she was invisible to the world. He found her when no one else could,” Celestia said finally. “He could help find her again.”
Luna saw Devon call out to Aurora in the distance, but she wasn’t looking back.
Luna nodded grimly and hoped that Celestia was right.