Rose felt a feather touch on her lips. It was warm and familiar and she blinked her eyes open. A man looked down at her.

“Maric,” she whispered. “Is it really you?” A faint shudder of fear passed through her thinking of the dream Maleficent tried to trap her in.

“Yes.” He leaned in closer and Rose could see his face, weather worn, with the long scar down across his left eye, and the nose that had been broken so many times before. She sighed out in relief. She loved that nose.

“You’re awake.”

“And, you are too,” he said.

Rose laughed. “I was supposed to kiss you awake this time.”

Maric arched an eyebrow. “Were you really?” He plopped down on the bed next to her and laid down, his eyes closed. Rose laughed and leaned over him. Even though he still looked the same as before, there was a lightness to him now. His face was relaxed and a smile played on his lips. Rose’s heart constricted for a moment as she reached out her hands and placed one on each side of his face as she leaned in and kissed him. His eyes fluttered open and he smiled widely as he grabbed Rose around the waist and flipped her on the bed so she was pinned underneath his body.

She shrieked out and slapped him on the shoulder. “That’s not how it was supposed to go.”

“I like my way better.” Maric pressed his lips hard against hers and Rose shifted her body under him until she could feel him between her thighs. Maric groaned against her cheek. Rose saw the heat in his eyes.

“I love you, Rose… Aurora,” he paused briefly. “Jacques. I love you in whichever name you take.”

“And, I love you too, Maric…” Tears filled her eyes. “Philip.” Maric grabbed one of her hands and kissed it as she continued, “I always loved you. And, I am sorry it took me this long to realize it.”

“It does not matter. As long as you love me now and forever.”

Rose nodded, the tears spilling from her eyes. She would never run from him again.

The bedroom door opened and Maric cursed as he rolled off of Rose’s body. “Will we never get one moment’s peace?”

“Not if I can help it,” Alistair said as he strolled through the doorway. Odette followed. “I can’t have you monopolizing the most beautiful woman in the kingdom. No offense, Odette.”

Odette shot him a glare before turning to Rose. “How do you feel?”

Rose sat up, while Maric stood. “Fine, though a little sore.” She realized then that she was covered in tight bandages made from clean strips of linen. She should have felt more pain than she did, but somehow she felt light and free. She only felt a dull pain from her injuries. “Though I don’t remember much. What happened? How did I get here? I presume we are all back at Beaumont.”

“You defeated Maleficent,” Alistair answered. “We were on our way to the keep when we saw a bright flash of light in the sky.”

“The goblin army?”

“Vanished,” Alistair said. “We saw evidence of their march, but none were to be found. Most likely once Maleficent was defeated, they fled.”

“How did I get here?”

Alistair turned to look at Odette. She seemed to shy away, but locked eyes with Rose. “I was climbing the tower steps when I saw the light. I found you just before the tower collapsed. You were unconscious. I grabbed you and jumped to the river below.”

Rose held Odette’s gaze. “Thank you.”

Odette nodded stiffly.

“It is over,” Maric said, reaching out and clasping one of her hands in his own. “The moment Maleficent was defeated, I woke up here in the castle wondering why I was home. You see, Rose, I remembered everything then. I was back in my old room. I was Philip once more.

“And, I remembered you, as Aurora, as Jacques, and finally, as Rose, my saviour.”

“Then the curse is lifted?”

“Yes,” Nymphea said as she walked in the room. She glanced at Odette quickly before moving to stand next to the bed. “I no longer feel her presence in this world. She is dead.” She turned to the others. “Aurora will need her rest.”

Alistair, Odette, and Nymphea left the room leaving Rose alone again with Maric.

“There is more that I remember. After I received your letter all those years ago, I went looking for you.”

“I know.”

“How?”

“Athena told me that she saw a man that looked like you five years ago when I first began living with the troupe. I didn’t know what she meant then. I didn’t make the connection that it was you, Philip. And, I am so sorry that I ran away. If I hadn’t, none of this would have happened. You wouldn’t have been captured by her. You wouldn’t have been tortured and cursed.”

Maric shook his head and grabbed Rose’s hands tightly in his. “Never apologize for that. When I found you, I saw how happy you were with the troupe. I could not take you away from them. Even though I loved you, I wanted you to be happy. And, you were. I was traveling back to Beaumont when I was attacked in the middle of the night and brought to the keep. It was then that I realized that Maleficent was still alive, but I could not make my escape to warn anyone. When I realized that she was still after you, I must have purposely blocked all memories of you and of who I was until it was real.”

“Then she cursed you to make it permanent as punishment for not telling her where I was.”

“I believe so. But, you saved me. You saved all of us, Rose.” Maric leaned in close, until their foreheads touched. “Rose, my love.”

***

“How is she?” Adrian asked as Maric stepped into their father’s study. No, Adrian’s study, Maric corrected.

“She is tired, but she is well.”

“Nymphea told me that the curse is gone. Maleficent is truly dead.”

Maric nodded at Adrian’s words. He had felt the weight lift off his mind as if there had been a dark curtain that hid his memories. He wasn’t exaggerating when he told Rose that he remembered everything. It was if he could, suddenly, see his whole life play out before his eyes. He remembered who he was. And, he remembered Adrian, though he was no longer the child on the cusp of manhood he had left five years ago. Now stood before him a young man, the same age when Philip met Princess Aurora, the same age when he kissed her awake, and they were to be married and live happily ever after.

So much has changed since then.

“Now that you have returned, Philip, the kingdom is yours,” Adrian began. “I have only been keeping the throne warm for you.”

“That is what I came to speak to you about,” Maric hesitated. “I do not want the throne, the kingdom, to be king. I never had.”

“What do you mean?”

“I was unfortunate enough to be born the first son. You do not understand how much I envied you when we were growing up. You had the freedom to do and become whatever you wished. I would always be king, my fate cemented the moment I was born.”

“But it is your right!” Adrian protested.

“It is my choice to abdicate the throne to you, Adrian. I’ve traveled all across these lands these past few years as Maric. I know how much you are loved by our people. You are the king that they deserve, one that cares and one that rules justly.”

“It does not mean you will not.”

Maric shook his head. “Yes, you are right in that. It does not mean that I would rule any better or worse than you, but you are their king.”

“I cannot take this from you.”

“Do you want it? Do you want to be king? I will not force you either.”

Silence fell between the two men, Adrian deep in thought. “I love my people, our people. And, I want to do what is best for them always. And, these past five years, I’ve learned a lot about what makes them content in their own lives. I am content in my own life.”

“They are loyal to you and Queen Nymphea. They love you both. If you wish it, stay as their king.”

“What of you? What will you do? When the people find out that you are alive, they will expect you to become king.”

Maric sighed, turning his face towards the window. They stood in their father’s study, a place that held fond memories. He and Adrian would spend hours of their childhood in this very room in the company of their father as he read letters and missives from around the continent. This was where they all retreated to when his mother died. But, even as a young child, as much as he admired his father, Maric knew that he never wanted to be king. He wanted adventure, to be a swashbuckling pirate, or a soldier in the king’s army, or… Maric smiled wryly, a monster hunter.

“Philip is dead. It is time to bury him.”

***

Rose and Maric stayed on for Prince Tristan’s christening. Nymphea loaned Rose a dress for the occasion, a velvet dark pink gown with roses embroidered in the trim.

“Thank you,” Rose whispered to Nymphea as she traced her fingers along the roses. The gown was beautiful.

Nymphea smiled. “I thought it was fitting.” Nymphea helped her into the gown. It felt strange wearing clothes that Princess Aurora would have once worn everyday.

As Rose checked her reflection in the glass, there was a knock on the door. Rose could hear Maric’s low voice as he stepped into the room. “You’re beautiful.”

Nymphea quickly excused herself.

“One day you will tire of saying that,” Rose said teasingly.

“Never.” He wrapped his arms around Rose from behind.

“Be careful! You’ll crush the dress!”

Maric raised one eyebrow. “And, when did you begin caring about courtly gowns?”

“Since this is the last time I will be wearing one. I’m not going back to Liyonne. I can’t be Princess Aurora. You see, I was never her to begin with.” Rose felt the fear gather in her chest. Maric and Philip were one in the same. And, Philip was king. Rose had played those thoughts over and over in her mind in the past day. Philip was king, but she could not be his queen. She loved him, but it was not the life she wanted. And, it tore her heart apart knowing that she would have to leave him again.

Maric tightened his hold on her and she turned to face him. “I love you, Philip.”

“Philip is dead.”

Rose’s eyes flew open. “What do you mean?”

“Just that. Philip died five years ago. Adrian will make the announcement today. You see, Rose, I was never Prince Philip either. I never wanted to be king. I want to be with you wherever you go.”

Maric raised his hand and brushed away the tears on her face. “I love you, Rose. And, if you will have me as this, poor, ugly, and a disreputable monster hunter, then I am yours forever.”

“I will have you,” she whispered as he leaned in close and kissed her soundly on the lips.

“Then you will have me.”

***

The long awaited baptism of Prince Tristan was held in the early afternoon. Cheers resounded throughout the kingdom for the young prince. But, by the late afternoon, tears were being shed as Adrian held a funeral for his long lost brother, Philip. Most people already knew in their hearts that Philip was dead and it eased their mind that the young king had finally accepted the truth. They loved King Adrian and his wife, Nymphea. The kingdom would continue to thrive under their rule.

Rose and Maric left soon after the funeral, slipping away after a quick farewell to their family and friends who knew their secret.

The sun was rising as they climbed over the last hill. Rose sat in the wagon with Margot, while Maric rode Clover to her right and Pierre rode Daffodil to their left. Pierre, after having recovered some in the past week, refused to spend another day bedridden. He soundly refused to lay in the bed they have set up for him in the wagon. He said that if he could not ride his way back to the farm, then they might as well leave him behind. Margot called him all kinds of stubborn, but Pierre got his way. Even now, as Rose looked at him, his skin was ashen with pain and exhaustion, but there was a bright smile across his face. They were all happy to be going home.

The farm laid below them in the valley. Rose could see sheep and goats grazing in the fields below, dotting the landscape with whites and grays. They baaed contentedly to one another as if they didn’t have a care in the world.

“It is good to be home,” Margot said, smiling at Rose.

Rose smiled in return and turned to Maric. He reached down a hand to her and pulled Rose up out of the wagon seat and across his lap in the saddle. Margot hid a smile and ushered the horses on, leaving Maric and Rose alone on top of the hill.

“Though Margot and Pierre would always welcome us with open arms, this is not our home,” Maric said.

“No, our home, we will find together.”

Maric leaned in to kiss Rose and she felt his love for her radiating off his body. “Are you disappointed?” he asked as he pulled away. “Sleeping Beauty found her happily ever after in the end.”

“No, I am not,” she said, kissing him in return. “Anyways, her story is not yet finished. There is still a ballad to write.”

Maric groaned as Rose laughed.