Chapter 8

                                    

                                          
I was a little confused in the morning when I woke up. To begin with my maids hadn't barged in yet, which was what usually woke me up. Instead I woke on my own and it was barely dawn. There was an odd chill in the air other than the fact that the sun was barely out and there was no fire in the fireplace. Then all of a sudden there seemed to be a little shift in the air. I had felt the same shift in the air before when Maleficent disappeared in front of me in the woods then again when she disappeared in this room.

                          
	I quickly grabbed my bow and slung the quiver of arrows over my back. Just as I notched an arrow Maleficent appeared. She looked at me with the usual half sneer and half amused look of hers. "Hello, dear Aurora. Must it always be with the weapons with you?"
                          
	"Must it always be with the surprise visits with you?"
                          
	"I wouldn't be received otherwise, thus the need for surprises. And I do so enjoy our little encounters."
                          
	"Why have you been following me around, and how did you learn my name?"
                          
	"My child," she laughed coldly "You seem to know who I am, but you do not seem to completely comprehend. Shall I show you?" With a wave of her hand a fire roared to life in the fireplace.   
                          
	"While that is incredibly impressive that still does not explain why you are following me."
                          
	"I saw you at the lake watching me then again when we arrived at the castle. You have payed me a visit almost everyday since I have been here. Now, why are you following me? I am not the one who you have been searching for. You should have already figured that out." 
                          
	"Oh— that silly, sad excuse of a decoy. She may be close, but she is not the one I seek. Honestly, it is a little insulting that they think they could trick me by covering her up as that sorry little brat I cursed. They played out that strategy way too quickly to be successful."
	
                          
"Elanore isn't the princess?" I was so confused. 
                          
	"Catch up dear Aurora, has the king ever come out and said she was his daughter? Come on, think about it. You have such potential to be brilliant and yet you choose not to think completely, or observe. Observe, child, that is my advice to you. You may find some of the answers you seek."
                          
	"What do you want to do to the princess?"
                          
	"You are not quite ready to know that."
                          
	"What is the curse?" If she wasn't going to tell me why she was looking for the princess she was at least going to tell me what the curse was.
                          
	"I suppose I could give you that much. Do me a favor and put that blasted thing down. I don't appreciate having weapons pointed at me."
                          
	"I don't appreciate feeling threatened."
                          
	"Have I threatened you?" She quirked an imperious eyebrow at me. 
                          
	"Doesn't your very presence usually involve a threat?"
                          
	 "Well, I can't argue with you there, but I can assure you I am no threat to you. . . yet." She chuckled. 
                          
	"I won't put it away, but I will put it down."
                          
	"Wise choice. The curse is to this day my greatest creation. Let us just say that the princess won't make it past her birthday. The details you shall know later."
                          
	"When is that?"
                          
	"Soon, Aurora, the princess' birthday is but a few days away. A week to be exact."
                          
	"That can't be, my birthday is in a week."
                          
	"Is it?" She said in mock surprise. "Like I said, your uncle may be great on the battle field, but his intelligence lacks considerably. Thinking is usually your aunts department, but I hear she is a tad distracted lately. Surprisingly, I have also found you to be distracted as well." She made a cynical smile.