"I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream

I know you, that look in your eyes is so familiar a gleam..."

These words hovered above the castle with a lilting tune of nostalgic merriment. The man that I'd followed stared curiously about his dreamscape in the hopes of finding something—someone. I crept behind a tree bordering the front of the castle.

"Phillip!"

My father—the king—came striding out of the castle. His robes were in disarray and his hair askew. He was an absolute mess.

This was Phillip? I had followed Phillip into the woods—into his dream? I cursed inwardly. Of course. My first attempt at finding prince charming would lead me to the very person who would soon be inheriting the kingdom.

"She has my daughter!" my father wailed.

Phillip shook his head angrily but offered nothing to console the distraught king. My poor father. I reminded myself that this was just a dream. This offered me little comfort as I realized the probability of him reacting the same way in real life was rather high. I couldn't imagine losing a child to an evil daemon, no less the mother of your own child.

Phillip waved my father off dismissively. He wasn't interested in speaking to him over something that he could not help. I swallowed a dose of incomprehensible rage and raced out onto the field to greet him.

"Aurora!" my father cried. "She has freed you!"

With a flick of Phillip's hand, my father disappeared and he turned to face me—a broad smile stretching his fair features and his blue eyes ablaze with mischief. He had baited me.

"So that was you following me in the woods?"

I was taken aback by this accusation. He had seen me? I'd broken a law?

"Worry not—the law is that you can't reveal yourself to a human. And I am not. Believe it or not, I'm the same breed of creature as you," Phillip teased me lightly. "I won't report you for being so careless."

I could swear I saw the ghost of a wink as he reached out to place his hands upon my shoulders. I tried in vain to slink away from his touch as he peered into my eyes for some hope of a clue to why I'd followed him.

"I take it your mother taught you the art of Traumwanderung then?"

I nodded. I found that, in my haste to chase Phillip down, I'd forgotten to take any bravery I had within me along for the ride to voice my disapproval of his distasteful excuse for manners. How dare he trick me like this? Suddenly those blue eyes of his were far from anything along the lines of "captivating".

"Cat got your tongue?" he winked.

What a card. As if that were an original thing to say.

"Don't you have anything better to do than trick people?" I finally asked, my voice stammering in an attempt to finally stand up for myself.

"No, I rather enjoy playing games. Why did you follow me?"

"I... I was hoping to get some answers..." I offered weakly.

"Or... I think you like me," Phillip smiled.

A deep crimson flooded my face and left me helpless without a voice once again. So he knew. I doubted I'd ever delve within this man's—creature's—dreams again. I could hardly bear to show my face.

"Don't be ashamed. We are betrothed after all. Where are you housed?"

I shook my head.

"Come now, I want to come rescue you. It is my job as your prince, after all," he laughed.

To my disgusted surprised, he pressed his lips to mine. He pulled away to flash me another devilish grin before twirling me about on my heels. Though I'd never admit it, I found some sense of comfort in his charms. It was as though I'd known him all my life. Besides, was I not the queen of playing tricks like this on people myself? How many villagers had I played with so effortlessly in my youth? All innocent crushes and nothing more, but I'd let them believe there was hope. It was time that I was paid back in full, I presumed. Except, I wondered if he was genuine?

"I thought your kiss was supposed to wake me up," I countered.

"In person, darling. All in due time. I really do want to save you though," his face bearing a new mask of seriousness.

But was it all a ruse to fool me again? I wouldn't fall for a daemon's tricks again. I'd already fallen for my mother's cruel trap. I couldn't afford to free myself of this terrible dream just to live in a world of nightmares in the real world. I would hate to return to my dreams to find refuge where I'd once found the same places oppressive. I would not be some handmaiden to bear offspring just to secure the kingdom's lineage. I was worth more than that. In that respect, my mother was more than correct. There was a sad expectation of me on the part of the kingdom; I couldn't stand the thought of fulfilling their intentions for me.

"How do I know you mean what you say? Mother told me that I would have been forced to marry you, and you me. Why would you choose to love someone you've never met?"

"Oh, but haven't we?"

I frowned, considering his words carefully.

"When would I have met you?"

"You don't remember?" he inquired, his mouth slightly agape at the offensive words I'd apparently uttered.

I blinked.

"Apparently you think we've met before?"

Phillip laughed, his blue eyes returning the tremors of amusement that had been absent for far too long. One thing was sure: I could certainly find myself getting lost in them if I didn't make a point of pulling myself to shore from their icy grasp before going too deep. Good lord, what was wrong with me?

"Don't you think it odd that you always had a village boy to dote on you? Or what about those strange little animals that were intent upon being just a bit closer to you... to feel your finger brush across their noses with that tender kindness you give all creatures," Phillip whispered.

I shrieked.

"That was you?" I demanded.

His roaring laughter was enough to make the crimson flush twice as dark and shameful. So his trickery had lasted me far longer than I could have ever wanted or acknowledged. Tears threatened to spill from the corner of my eyes. A frown pulled at his lips and he held me gently.

"I only did it because I liked you. I promise you I intended no malice..."

The tears were coming full force now. I didn't bother to push him away as he gently pulled me into his arms to console me. I shook forcefully from the weight of everything that had haunted me since the day I was born and the deceit I'd been subjected to unwillingly by everyone that I had met that wasn't a faerie. And, even then, I wondered now if the faeries had known.

"I promise you that you'll see that I meant no harm. I really do love you. If you hadn't felt anything for me, would you have followed me into the forest and into my dreams? And had I not loved you, too, would I have then let you intrude upon my dreams?"

I shook my head softly.

"Then why do you worry?" he asked softly, his eyes appraising me gently.

"All I've heard since I went to sleep are lies. My mother said she would help me; instead she left me with the knowledge that you're going to get the kingdom and that I can't save my father," I sobbed.

"That's not a duty I wanted to assume by myself. That's why your father is so upset. He does like me, you know. It's not a tragedy that I'm taking over—it's a tragedy that he's lost his daughter and I my wife. I wouldn't have married anyone after you. You do realize that the kingdom would die with me? That's why the people are so upset. We would unite our kingdoms and, undoubtedly, our families would squabble over who replaced me and we would ultimately end in tatters," Phillip explained.

The light of realization came on swiftly inside my head. Was that why everyone else was so upset? Why was it that I'd thought it such a tragedy that he should take over? I wished that I had not so willingly believed my mother.

"I guess that makes sense..."

"Of course it does! Why else would everyone be upset? My dear, they want you because they have lost their queen and the kingdom's peace as a result!"

I envied him quietly. He was so good at explaining things, speaking and thinking beyond the surface of how things presented themselves. I wished that I had been raised in the kingdom, but I could never regain those years that I'd lost. Instead, I resolved myself to have him help me. There was no sense weeping anymore. I had lost time, but it was long overdue that he should help me escape so that I could live out the rest of my life where I should be—my home.

"Then will you help me?"

"Certainly! Why wouldn't I?"

I swallowed another heaping pile of dread. I hoped that he would not betray me as my mother had. But I had no choice. I had to be free; I couldn't wait even the six months that I had thought remained to save the kingdom from Phillip. Now it was clear what we were protecting the kingdom from—its own nobility.

"So how do we get started?"

"Well, first, we have to wake up. Then you can leave the rest to me," he winked.