[center][img]http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/wolflover114/Aurora/ezgif.com-crop.gif[/img][img]http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d94/Malfoys_one_and_only_girl/Signatures/Freya.jpg[/img][h1][color=crimson]Aurora Rose[/color] and [color=Darkorchid]Freya Beauchamp[/color]
The Moors ~ Thirteen Years Ago[/h1][/center]

Aurora lay in her bed high up in her tower, the wind whistling through the window, playing with the curtains. The small princess tossed and turned in her bed, whimpering. Nightmares had been disturbing the girl's sleep since Maleficent had stolen her away and brought her to the castle. She often cried out in the middle of the night for her mother and father as she had done the day she was taken. Aurora finally escaped her nightmare with a loud scream as she sat up. She looked around the room as she shook, pulling her blanket up to her nose. Her eyes scanned the dark room for the monsters from her dreams. Her eyes saw the shadows of the curtains on the wall making frightening shapes and screamed once more before she pulled the blanket over her head entirely, hiding away. She sat there, her arms wrapped tightly around her legs, her blanket drapped over her as she whispered, "Go away. Go away. Go away," Tears poured from the small girl's eyes as she tried to will away the shadows that danced on her walls... 

Crossing her legs under the desk she shifted in her seat her back straightening as she leant forward her eyes lowering down to the piece of paper that she was using her fingers moving the quill over the top of it leaving her words behind in bright green lettering, reaching out she carefully dipped the tip of the quill back into the ink her face scrunching up and her shoulders hunching over in slight annoyance as she once more heard the shrill screams of the young girl she had taken in as her ward allerting her to the fact that there was going to be another night in which the peace of the castle was to be interupted... How someone so small could make such a noise was beyond her, and even after putting her up in the highest tower away from all the other rooms she was still able to hear it... While she wouldn't admit it, she was quite impressed by the set of lungs on the little child.

Groaning in frustration knowing that she wouldn't be able to get her work done until the child was settled and once more sleeping she lowered her quill bringing herself back to her feet before she moved away from the desk her fingers reaching out to glide over the books closest to her before she took hold of one pulling it down as a thick plume of purple smoke surrounded her whisking her away from her study and up into the girls room, "Enough... And no, I will not go away. Little beastie, if anyone is to be going anywhere it will be you if you aren't careful..."

The lump jumped when Maleficent spoke up, the small child's heart pounded in her chest as the woman spoke. She shook her head under the blankets, causing strands of hair to escape from her braid and go every which way. She spoke from under the blankets, "Not you... The monsters," She pointed to the wall that the shadows had been on fron under her blanket, "O-Oogie Boogie sent monsters," She said, terror in every syllable as she cried more.

Sighing almost inaudibly she stood stock still her eyes locked on the rather large lump in the blanket that she knew was the young princess hiding away from whatever it was that had frightened her, turning her gaze away she glanced around the room her free arm coming up as she sweeped it around above her head the action causing the room to change from the dark decor to that which the child would be more used to, the walls brightening as toys of all shapes and sizes began to pop up around them the once dark and scary looking curtains changing into something heavier though brighter so that they wouldn't be blown about while keeping the wind from entering the room. Crossing over the room she reached out taking the blanket off from over her face as the bed changed underneath her becoming a large and beautiful four-poster bed complete with curtains, "Enough child... Are you happy now? If yes, then go to sleep, I have work I need to do."

Aurora heard the woman sigh and rested her head on her knees. The two sat in near silence, the only noise being the sniffles coming from Aurora under the blankets. Suddenly the blankets were being pulled away and Aurora looked up to see Maleficent looking down at her. Slowly, she let her wet eyes scan the room again as she looked over the new toys and decor. She reached one hand out and took hold of the curtain, "Will this keep the monsters away?" She asked as her eyes returned to looking up at Maleficent, "Will you keep the monsters away? Are monsters scared of you? Cause you've got magic?" She used the back of her hand to wipe away her tears, "Are [i]you[/i] scared of monsters?"

Straightening her back in slight surprise Maleficent furrowed her eyebrows together her soft pink lips parting ever so slightly as she tried to sort through the questions the young girl was asking her carefully chosing her words as she tried her best to answer them though why she was doing so in the first place was far beyond her, "Both..." Turning her gaze to the curtains she lifted her hand up letting her fingers glide over the material causing it to sparkle like the stars in the sky, "Both child. Monsters will not come for you as long as you are in the safety of my charge and as long as you have these curtains surrounding your bed..."

Bringing her hand back in to the book she turned lowering herself down onto the edge of the bed her legs crossing as she looked over the small child her hands folding neatly over the leather bound cover in her lap, "I am scared of monsters child... Though my monsters are a lot different to the ones that you are afraid of... My monsters, are ones that you will never have to face, not if I can help it."

Aurora looked at Maleficent as she spoke explaining that she too was afraid of monsters. When she finised, Aurora tossed her blanket off her shoulders and backed off of the bed. She rose onto her tippy toes and untied the first curtain from the post and let it hang down before she ran around and put down the rest until they were completely surrounding the bed. When she finished, Aurora pushed aside the curtain and grabbed onto the blanket of the high bed and pulled herself on before she ensured that the curtain returned to its spot. She looked up at Maleficent before she sat down in front of her, "There... Now the monsters won't come for you either."

The girl was frightened of Maleficent but she was also curious about her. Lots of people at home were really scared of her and Aurora didn't know why... Maleficent could keep monsters away... She looked over the woman's face for moment, "You're really pretty.... Why are people scared of you?"

Raising her eyebrow her head turning slowly as she watched as the young girl moved about the bed lowering the curtains so that they draped around them causing her to lift her legs up resting them on the bed as she waited to see what it was that the child had in store for her the kind words leaving her lips causing the Queen to become slightly taken aback, sliding the book to the side she let it and her palm rest upon the matress her head tilting to the side as she waited watching with a new found curiousity for the girl her eyes softening a tinge at the unexpected compliment that she had been given, "Child... People in this world are scared of what they do not know nor understand... Most wish to live their lives in such ways and therefore do not and will not change. I just happen to be the one thing they fear... In their opinion, I am the root of all nightmares."

Aurora shook her head furiously when Maleficent said people believed her to be the root of all nightmares, causing more strands to slip from her braid and stick up every which way, "Nuh uh, Oogie Boogie is the... root of all nightmares. He's scary.... His monsters go like this," She rose her hands above her head and made a face that she deemed scary before dropping her hands and looking up at Maleficent, "You're not scary," She scrunched up her nose, "Not like him, at least..."

She crossed her legs and yawned, "Can you stay with me? So the monsters don't come... for you?" She added, trying to act braver than she really was, "Who knows what will happen if you go out there... Mr. Boogey man could come for you and gobble you right up!"

Closing her eyes she lifted her hand up to cover her lips unable to help herself from chuckling at the small girls words about the man she wasn't very fond of herself, he was immature... Childish... More than Aurora was, and far worse when he threw one of his many temper tantrums, "I will be sure to pass on your critique the next time I see him. But remember what I have told you, there are no monsters... Not even Oogie Boogie, who will hurt you while you are in my care. No man will lay a finger on my little ward..."

Pursing her lips slightly she turned her head looking over at the door before she tore her gaze away once more returning it to the young princess sitting in front of her, "I will stay until you have fallen into a peaceful slumber, I still have work that I must do... Now, come on. Lay down, under the blankets." Lifting her hand up she flicking her wrist gently watching the flames of the candles in the room dim slightly though still leaving enough light for the two of them to see each other, "You say that I am pretty. If you wish to be pretty as well, then you must sleep when you are told to. Like you're being told to now."

Pulling back the blankets, Aurora slid under them and laid down as she was asked. She looked up at her from the pillow as she told her she had to sleep when she was told. She quickly closed her eyes and lay there in silence for several moments before she whispered, "I can't sleep..." She opened her eyes again and looked up at Maleficent. Her eyes flicked down to the book the woman had brought into the room with her, "Can you read to me? My mommy used to read to me..." She looked up at the Queen, "Please?"

Moving her body after a few moments of the girl having closed her eyes she placed the ball of her foot against the ground her body stopping in its tracks as she heard the soft voice speaking to her once again this time asking her whether she could stay and read to her rather than just staying in silence as she waited for the girl to sleep, "I-... Oh, alright, if it will get you to sleep the night through..."

Shifting her position on the bed she leant back against the bed head pulling the book back into her lap before she sighed opening it up to the first page her voice softer than normal as she began to read, "Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and having nothing to do: once or twice she had peeped into the book her sister was reading, but it had no pictures or conversations in it, 'and what is the use of a book', thought Alice 'without pictures or conversation?'-..."

Lifting her free hand up she ran her fingers through her hair pushing it back through the gap between her horns allowing them to keep her long dark brown locks from falling back down over her face, "..So she was considering in her own mind (as well as she could, for the hot day made her feel very sleepy and stupid), whether the pleasure of making a daisy-chain would be worth the trouble of getting up and picking the daisies, when suddenly, a White Rabbit with pink eyes ran close by her..."

A smile play on little Aurora's lips as Maleficent agreed to reading to her. She looked up at her as she shifted positions and opened the book to start reading. The little Princess watched her as she read before she scooted under the blankets toward her. She managed to slip under the woman's arm and rest her head against her chest. She looked up at the book she held her eyes scanning over the meaningless words, the young girl learnt very minimally about reading before the Queen had whisked her away. So instead of reading along, the Princess looked over at the little picture of a young girl and a rabbit. 

Aurora enjoyed the pictures and was fighting sleep a little to see them all. However, sleep did come as the small girl closed her eyes and curled up against the Queen. She was rocked into her slumber by Maleficent's easy breathing and lulled by her quiet tone. Soon enough, the girl was fast asleep in the arms of her captor.