Once Upon a Dream

The relief was almost tangible as the awkwardness lifted, and Florian let a smile form. Thank goodness. He waved a dismissive hand at her apology. This woman really was too kind for her own good. “No, no, you definitely don’t need to apologise. The fault is all mine, if it’s anyone’s,” he assured, chuckling a little, both in response to her laughter and the entire scenario. “Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Aurora,” he replied, taking her offered hand in a handshake. “So, have you been in Elias long?” he asked, curious. If he was going to be stuck here for a while, he might as well befriend someone who knew their way around, and Aurora seemed - awkwardness aside - like a lovely person. Certainly memorable, at this point. “Actually, do you want to show me one of those presumably lovely cafes you mentioned, and pretend the first half of this conversation never happened?”

“Then let’s just say it was no one’s fault and call it even?” She was more eager than ever to put the entirety of their interaction thus far behind her. Off-days were rare for Aurora, and she could only hope that whatever initial awkwardness he’d experienced wouldn’t completely damage his impression of her. “Nearly ten years. Longer than most, I suppose, but it still feels like it’s been no time at all.” Granted, it had been long enough to leave her restless. That was an inevitability - Elias was wonderful, but there was till so much still waiting for her that only seemed to get further away the more time she spent spinning her wheels in California. That being said, she didn’t get the time to allow that thought to settle, as her attention had been so quickly been captured by his request, and she very quickly perked up in response. “Of course! It’s a bit of a walk from here, but maybe I could show you around town on the way? I hate to sound presumptuous, but... I’m assuming you’re new around here?”

The Moors, Kit nodded a bit stiffly.  He didn’t know much about the place.  Well…that’s not entirely true.  He knew a lot of hearsay and rumors and plain good old fearmongering, but he knew very little actual fact, and that was all that mattered to him.  And a part of him couldn’t help but wonder how such a sweet and seemingly normal girl could stomach living so close to such a place, as she said.  But he immediately shook that thought away.  He’d only known this girl for a few minutes maximum, and here he was trying to piece together her life story.  Some things never change.

“Well, in any case, I hope your time in California is treating you well.  Are you here permanently?”

The minute shift in the man’s expression didn’t go unnoticed. Aurora had long since grown used to the averse reactions that typically followed any mention of the Moors, but she would continue to firmly stand by the belief that it was all thanks to misinformation. She’d been there before after all, and the sheer beauty of it had left her knowing that if others - just like the man in front of her - could just see it for what it was... well, perhaps their impressions could be changed.

The clickety-clack of her keyboard filled the mostly quiet air, but Tiffani could feel the eyes on her. Maintaining her focus, the tiny blonde finished typing her last few sentences before the thoughts abandoned her, her own gaze glued to the screen in front of her. Finally, ripping the glasses from her face, blue eyes met the starer’s in a challenge. 

“What?” She hit the t with intentional aspiration. “You’re supposed to wear glasses when you work on the computer–so you don’t go blind.”

Kiara giggled at the nudge, rolling her eyes. “If you say so,” she replied, more eager to hear Aurora’s secret than debate the semantics of being sneaky compared to being opportunistic. Not that she personally saw much of a difference. That was besides the point. What Aurora was taking an excruciatingly long time to tell her was the point. “A boy?” Kiara grinned eyes lighting up as she leaned in close. Well, that was definitely exciting. “Spit it out. Tell me everything.”

It felt as if she’d burst at the seams if she kept it in any longer, and yet Aurora would be lying if she said skirting around the topic wasn’t at least a little enjoyable. “Well, since you asked so nicely...” She paused, reaching up to fidget idly with her earring and seemingly deep in thought. Turns out explaining what had transpired over the past few weeks without sounding like a loon was more difficult than it sounded. “Okay. Do you remember whole story about my sixteenth birthday? The one with Sebastian?” The nickname seemed out of place now that she knew his name, but Aurora at least figured it would jog Kiara’s memory enough to provide enough context for what would follow. “Well... turns out that’s not his name. Tragic, really.”

     Most  people  in  any  situation  would  be  glad  to  no  longer  be  cooking  for  seven  –   but  instead,  it  marked  a  point  of  solace  for  sorrel.   it’s  a  bit  awkward,  when  you  bake  to  get  rid  of  stress,  and  now  instead  of  an  entire  cottage  ready  to  devour  anything  you  baked  –  well,  now  it’s  just  sorrel,  herself,  and  i.

         an  excess  of  pie  however?   an  excellent  icebreaker,  she  had  considered.  who  doesn’t  want  to  be  friends  with  a  supplier  of  baked  treats?  with  a  soft  smile  on  red  lips,  sorrel  reasoned  that  this  was  the  best  time  to  move  –  she  might  be  alone  in  elias,  but  that  didn’t  mean  she  had  to  be  lonely  at  the  same  time.

   “ oh,   i’m  sorry  to  interrupt,  it’s  just  well – “ she  produced  a  tupperware  stacked  with  slices  of  apple  pie, “  i  seemed  to  have  packed  too  much  for  just  little  old  me,  and  well,  i  wondered  if  perhaps  you’d  enjoy  a  slice  as  well? “

❝ there is no magic nor curse that could ever tear me away from you. ❞

“It’s not the only thing that’s beautiful.” Philip hummed as he stood beside Aurora with a fond gaze. Okay, call him absolutely cheesy but the prince couldn’t help him. He was smitten with Aurora when he was sixteen and that fondness had only grown since reconnecting with her. He was raised to be charming for crying out loud it was basically his last name. Philip was love-struck and wasn’t ashamed of that fact. Hell, he’d scream to the heavens how much Aurora meant to him if he could but he needed to relax and take things slow. “Neither can I. they really outdid themselves. It reminds of-” he paused, remembering he hadn’t exactly let it slip that he was royalty himself. Although the clothes alone could give that away. “Many other gala’s i’ve seen on the internet. Quite extravagant.” he smiled, clearing his throat a little as he changed the subject. “I brought a lantern for us to lift off. i was told when you lift it you let it go with your greatest wish or desire and mind and hope it comes true. I thought…you’d maybe like to let one go with me.”

Her expression softened significantly, warming as her gaze landed on Philip. “Mhmm, you’re right. Can’t forget about you, can I?” Even if that wasn’t what he’d been insinuating, there was no denying it was true. He was devastatingly handsome on his own, but dressed up and looking downright regal? There was truly no comparison. Her brows raised in curiosity as he stopped himself short, curiosity piqued with the mystery of what he’d intended to say, and yet she couldn’t help but giggle amusedly as he finished. “Oh? Sounds like you’ve done your fair share of research, then! Are you looking for a future career in party planning or is it just some sort of niche interest of yours?” God, how he knew how to turn her into a lovesick puddle over something as silly as a lantern. She averted her gaze demurely, suddenly feeling just as shy as she’d been the moment they met the first time around as her face turned rosy. 

Marinette was kicking herself for coming at a time like this. She was already known to be rather shy and clumsy, adding in a party was not the ideal situation. At least she had a dress ready to go, not that she would’ve had time to make something new. At least there could be better memories served here then back in Paris. Aware she had drifted so close to another woman she nodded, “Uh, yeah at least it’s something I would have thought might be in a fairytale book.” 

“I think so, too. Whoever planned this really had their work cut out for them.” She grinned warmly at the girl before turning back to regard the ballroom surrounding them, that look of wonder never quite wiping itself from her face. “I do wonder how long it must’ve taken them to pull all of this together. It must’ve been quite the workload, don’t you think?”

“It’s all so magical. I can’t believe it either.” Reagan beamed, taking in the entire space like she had the entire night. Someone needed to pinch her right then and there. She still couldn’t believe how beautiful everything turned out to be. “Cass really went out of her way to make this entire night special. If you see her definitely give her a big kuddos!” the blonde smiled. “You look stunning by the way! Your dress is so beautiful. You look like a princess. Everyone does or some sort of royalty.”

Aurora brightened as soon as she registered that it was the birthday girl of all people stationed next to her. “Reagan! Oh my goodness, how are you? I figured you’d be absolutely swamped with well-wishers by now.” She almost immediately pulled the princess in for a tight hug in greeting. “Cass has truly outdone herself. I’ll try to catch her, but please send my regards just in case - she deserves enough praise to last a lifetime.” A princess - oh, if Reagan only knew. She laughed sheepishly, struck by the irony of her comment as she shrugged her shoulders in response. “Thank you. You’re right, though - seems that Elias as a whole really knows how to dress. You though - you look like you stepped right out of a magazine. Absolutely gorgeous.”

“No, of course not.  It’s just, it’s been so long…”  Frankly, Penelope was surprised Aurora was still here in the first place.  It seemed only natural she would get tired of this place and make her way back to France.  “Yes, and what a fashion it is.  My God, look at you.  You’re a star.”  Stepping back and twirling around, she took in Aurora’s ensemble from all angles.  The dress was so soft and light, but warm…perfectly her.

“Would you believe me if I said I missed it?!” she cried with a small, incredulous laugh as Aurora wiped the tears away.  “Traveling was wonderful, I saw so many things I’ve only dreamed about.  I wound up in London, I had a job, but…it just didn’t feel like me.”  She snapped her fingers, staring into space for a moment.  “What that thing called?  When they put you in the tank and then–suspended animation!  That’s what it felt like!”  As if her soul had been gently sucked from her body a year ago, and replaced with something similar but not yet the real thing.  Going through the motions, trying to retrace the steps of the soul who last inhabited her.  (Okay, no more X Files on overnight flights.)  “This is the first time I’ve felt so alive in months.”  She leaned in close with a lowered voice.  “Don’t tell Kiara, but I was dangerously close to bangs territory.”

“Oh, hardly.” A crimson flush bled across her cheeks at Penelope’s gratuitous compliments, though it did nothing to hinder the sheepish grin that had instinctually made its way to her face. “If anyone’s the star here, it’s you. Your taste’s nothing short of impeccable as always, dear.” And god, was it - Penelope clearly knew how to put an outfit together, and as she was right in this moment, shrouded in bright hues and adorned with gold… it was bold and unapologetic, just like her dear friend.

Penelope whirled around as soon as she heard the voice, heart swelling like a balloon.  “Rora!  Chérie!” she squealed, not even waiting for the girl to finish her breath.  And with that, even just for a moment, her internal scale balanced perfectly.  Everything was right.  She flung out her arms and more or less attacked the girl into a hug.  “Kiara said you were coming but…”  Her voice fell away, unsure of what was even supposed to follow.  She just squeezed Aurora tighter.  She was the only princess that mattered, when it all came down.

“I’m so glad to see you.  Oh, God…”  There went the familiar sting in her eyes.  She pulled apart just enough to let a hand fan at her face.  God forbid she have her makeup ruined tonight!

Aurora was absolutely pleased with the fact that she’d actually managed to surprise Penelope - especially considering the fact that she was notoriously terrible with such - but considering the fact that it had been so long since they’d been together, she surmised it was all worth it. She squealed in delight, hopping ever so slightly on the balls of her feet as she reached out to pull the blonde into a tight embrace. “Bonjour, ma cher ami!” Her arms squeezed a fraction tighter around her waist, and truthfully, she didn’t want to let go. Not when it had felt like ages since she’d so much as seen one of her closest friends. “You didn’t doubt me, did you?” Her tone lilted, obviously teasing as she murmured it into her friend’s shoulder. “You did hear what I said earlier, didn’t you? Fashionably late.”

Smiling at Aurora’s compliment, she takes one last look at the stairs before she decides to turn her head to the girl beside her. “Well pink is perfect for you, especially with your skin tone.” She says with a smile, “well, I’m sure we’ll see the birthday girl eventually, but we could always look around. I’ve heard the gardens here are absolutely breathtaking… want to take a look?”

Aurora’s cheeks flushed in response to Ella’s compliment in return as she hurriedly waved her off. “Oh, please, you’re too kind. But thank you nonetheless.” Gardens. She brightened immediately at the suggestion, clasping her hands together in delight. “Oh, that sounds wonderful! C’mon, let’s find them.” Her excitement trumped whatever logic she had, and almost immediately Aurora grabbed Ella’s hand to pull her along on the grand hunt for the gardens in question. 

Galas hadn’t always been her thing, but she was finding herself becoming used to them. Her last had been a wonderful success, but now she was looking for a princess and a place to sit. “Has anyone seen her yet?” she asks to the person beside her, “i’d love to wish her happy birthday before she gets ambushed…”

“Mm. No luck yet.” It seemed everyone around here was looking for Reagan - a thought that left Aurora feeling that much more sympathetic for the poor girl. Rora had a sinking feeling that if the girl had managed to make it on time, the crowd had likely managed to swamp her the moment she stepped in the door; she could only hope that the princess got some time to herself that night, at the very least. “Who knows, though? The night’s still young and the party’s just starting, so she’s got plenty of time.” Her eyes flickered over to Ella, glancing her over her quickly, before she continued, “You look beautiful, Ella. Really. Blue’s your color for sure.”

“What’s that?  Is that her?”  Penelope perched up on her toes as best she could, peeking over shoulders in the direction of a crescendo in the crowd.  “No, no, that’s not her.  Couldn’t be her.”  Truth be told, she didn’t really know what Princess Reagan looked like in the first place.  She just believed in her heart she’d know her when she’d see her.

Aurora craned her neck to peer over the crowd in the same direction as Penelope, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly as she scanned the faces for anyone she recognized. “No, I don’t believe it is.” Not that she could be entirely sure either considering she’d only met the girl once, but if her friend wanted to see a princess, Rora was going to make sure she made it happen. “You know,” she hummed, turning to regard her companion with a warm smile, “I’d assume she’s not even here yet. I may not know much about royals, but I do know they’ve got quite the penchant for running fashionably late.”