Aurora looked from Phillip to Maleficent, and then out over the gathered crowd. They had seen such horror. What could possibly be done to fix the terror Ingrith’s reign had brought upon them all? Then a smile began to spread over her face.
Taking a deep breath, she stepped toward the crowd. “Our two worlds will be united — right here, right now!” she declared.
Moving to stand beside her, Phillip nodded, a smile on his face. Aurora didn’t need to say more. He knew what she was thinking, and with a strong voice, he added his support to her idea. “Let fear no longer divide us,” he announced. “Today marks a new way forward — together!”
As faeries and humans began to cheer, Aurora looked over her shoulder at Maleficent. To her surprise, she saw Lickspittle coming up behind the Dark Fey. In his hands, he held the spindle. Aurora cocked her head, unsure of what was happening. Lickspittle had been Ingrith’s pawn for so long. Was he there to hurt Maleficent — or help them in their new path forward?
“I believe this belongs to you,” the pixie said, answering Aurora’s unspoken question.
Reaching out, Maleficent took the object. In the light of day, it looked so harmless. The item had brought such sadness, yet in its own way, it had forged the path that had led them all here. This simple piece of wood had brought Aurora and Maleficent together; it had brought Aurora and Phillip together; and in a way, it would soon bring their kingdoms together.
“Curses never end,” Lickspittle added as Maleficent stared down at the spindle. “They break.”
Maleficent nodded. With a flick of her finger, she lifted the object into the air, where it hovered.
Below, Aurora addressed the crowd. “Today, there will be a wedding,” she said. “It is not a union of two people, but a union of two kingdoms. All are invited. All are safe. All are welcome!”
As loud cheers filled the air, Maleficent let out a stream of green magic. It hit the spindle, shattering it into a thousand pieces. As it did, a shock wave of magic washed over the grounds of the castle. Flowers in the garden burst into bloom and butterflies swooped through the air as nature returned to Ulstead. In the middle of a gravel path, a huge willow tree shot up into the sky, its long, weeping branches drooping to the ground. The curse that had hung over so many for so long had finally ended.
Well, for most.
Hearing a shriek, Aurora turned and saw Ingrith being dragged out of the castle by the Dark Fey. The queen flailed and screamed, but her protests were in vain. Her clothes were ripped, her cheeks stained with dirt. Her usual composure was gone and panic was in its place. But no one stepped forward to save her.
“You cowards,” she screeched. “We cannot live among monsters like these—”
Ingrith didn’t get to say another word. Maleficent’s fingers twitched and a ray of green magic blasted toward the queen. It faded with a puff of smoke and, standing where Ingrith once stood, was a goat. The animal let out a plaintive “baaa” and then sneezed.
Aurora stifled a laugh. There could be no worse punishment for the queen who hated nature than to spend the rest of her days trapped as a goat.
“Someone should really cover her horns,” Maleficent said, meeting Aurora’s gaze. Then she flashed a smile — fangs and all. Aurora laughed and the sound broke any remaining tension between them. The curse was truly broken. It was time for a celebration.
Chapter Nineteen
WHEN AURORA ANNOUNCED THAT SHE AND PHILLIP WERE GOING TO GET MARRIED THEN AND THERE — SHE HADN’T ENTIRELY THOUGHT IT THROUGH. Now, as she stood protected from the eyes of the gathered crowd by the leaves of the willow tree, she momentarily regretted her impulsivity. While she’d never been one to be particularly vain, the idea of getting married to Phillip in a dress that was ripped, torn, and covered in filth was…disappointing.
Aurora turned at the sound of rustling leaves and saw Maleficent entering the canopy. “How do I look?” Aurora asked, trying to sound happy as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
Maleficent’s eyes narrowed and a frown tugged at her lips.
Not good, I guess, Aurora thought.
But before Aurora could make any excuses, Maleficent flicked a long finger and magic washed over Aurora. When it cleared, Aurora’s hair was smooth and her face was clean. A new dress had replaced the tattered one she’d been wearing. And unlike the heavy, severe dress Ingrith had given her, this dress was breezy and light and allowed her to move freely. Covered in fragile pink flowers, its train billowed out behind Aurora like a lace river. The bodice was made of the purest white silk and the fabric of the thin sleeves was nearly translucent. The skirt of the dress flowed out from Aurora’s hips, covered the ground at her feet, and made it seem as though she and the dress were part of the same ground. It was strong, yet fragile. Bold, yet timeless. It was the embodiment of Aurora and the Moors themselves.
Looking over at Maleficent, Aurora clapped her hands. “It’s beautiful,” she breathed. “Thank you.”
For a moment, mother and daughter stood quietly. The air felt heavy with emotion. There were so many things Aurora wanted to say. Apologies for what she had done and how she had acted, promises for the future. But it felt like the wrong time. Those words didn’t need to be spoken. She knew Maleficent had forgiven her. Instead, she posed a very important question.
“Will you walk me down the aisle?” Aurora asked.
There was a pause.
“You know, they say it is bad luck to deny a bride on her wedding day,” Aurora added.
Ever so slowly, a grin spread across Maleficent’s face. “Very well. If you insist.”
As relief — and happiness — washed over Aurora, she peeked out at the castle through the willow’s branches. Like her, it seemed lighter, happier, and the feeling of hope began to grow. And as she spotted someone emerging from the castle doors, the hope grew. It was the king! The spindle’s destruction had awoken him. He was dazed but okay.
While Phillip ran to him, Aurora turned back to Maleficent. The day had been full of heartbreak. But things were changing. The spindle was destroyed. Ingrith was gone. The king was awake. Maleficent was alive and well. It was time to look to the future. It was time for a wedding.
As the setting sun filled the sky with a riot of colors, Aurora stood at the end of a long makeshift aisle in the middle of Castle Ulstead’s lawn. Beautiful flowers lined her path, draping the ground in petals and filling the air with their perfume. Firefly faeries flitted above, creating a twinkle of lights to brighten her way. On either side, more faeries stood intermingled with humans, at ease and at peace as they waited for Aurora.
Aurora thought her heart might burst as she looked out at the guests and farther along to where Phillip stood beside Diaval. She smiled as she saw King John approach and embrace his son. He whispered something into Phillip’s ear and then, with a happy smile, stepped back, allowing his son the place of honor at the head of the aisle. A moment later, Ingrith, in her goat form, skipped in front of the men. At this, Aurora’s smile faltered only slightly. While it was bittersweet for them to see Ingrith this way, she knew that neither Phillip, nor his father, truly minded the outcome. Aurora shook her head. Now was not the time to dwell on the sad moments or the lives lost. She had imagined this day for so long. And now it was here. And it was better than anything her dreams could have conjured.
Maleficent’s eyes were full of emotion as she stood beside Aurora. Aurora squeezed her mother’s hand, and the music began to play. Together, they walked down the long aisle. Stopping in front of Phillip and King John, Maleficent gazed at Aurora. Aurora didn’t need words to know what her mother was thinking. She could feel her love. As Maleficent gently placed Aurora’s hand in Phillip’s, Aurora knew the faerie was giving her a mother’s blessing.