Sleeping Beauty (Faerie Tale Collection)

PRAISE FOR JENNI JAMES

Beauty and the Beast (Faerie Tale Collection)

“Jenni James takes this well loved faerie tale and gives it a paranormal twist. Very well written and hard to put down, even on my cruise vacation where I had plenty to do. Looking forward to others in Jenni’s Faerie Tale series. A great escape!”

—Amazon reviewer, 5-star review

Pride & Popularity (The Jane Austen Diaries)

“This book was unputdownable. I highly recommend it to any fan of Jane Austen, young or old. Impatiently awaiting the rest of the series.”

—Jenny Ellis, Librarian and Jane Austen Society of North America

“Having read several other Young Adult retellings of
Pride and Prejudice
- I must admit that
Pride and Popularity
by Jenni James is my top choice and receives my highest recommendation! In my opinion, it is the most plausible, accessible, and well-crafted YA version of
Pride and Prejudice
I have read! I can hardly wait to read the [next] installment in this series!”

—Meredith, Austenesque Reviews

“I started reading
Pride and Popularity
and couldn’t put it down! I stayed up until 1:30 in the morning to finish. I’ve never been happier to lose sleep. I was still happy this morning. You can’t help but be happy when reading this feel good book. Thank you Jenni for the fun night!”

—Clean Teen Fiction

Northanger Alibi (The Jane Austen Diaries)

“
Twilight
obsessed teens (and their moms) will relate to Claire’s longing for the fantastical but will be surprised when they find the hero is even better than a vampire or werewolf. Hilarious, fun and romantic!”

—TwilightMOMS.com

“Stephenie Meyer meets Jane Austen in this humorous, romantic tale of a girl on a mission to find her very own Edward Cullen. I didn’t want it to end!”

—Mandy Hubbard, author of Prada & Prejudice

“We often speak of Jane Austen’s satiric wit, her social commentary, her invention of the domestic novel. But Jenni James, in this delicious retelling of
Northanger Abbey
, casts new light on Austen’s genius in portraying relationships and the foibles of human nature—in this case, the projection of our literary fantasies onto our daily experience.”

—M.M. Bennetts, author of May 1812

Prince Tennyson

“After reading
Prince Tennyson
, your heart will be warmed, tears will be shed, and loved ones will be more appreciated. Jenni James has written a story that will make you believe in miracles and tender mercies from above.”

—Sheila Staley, Book Reviewer & Writer

“Divinely inspired, beautifully written—a must read!”

—Gerald D. Benally, author of Premonition (2013)

“
Prince Tennyson
is a sweet story that will put tears in your eyes and hope in your heart at the same time.”

—Author Shanti Krishnamurty

ALSO BY JENNI JAMES

Jenni James Faerie Tale Collection:

Beauty and the Beast

Rumplestiltskin

Cinderella

Snow White

The Jane Austen Diaries:

Pride & Popularity

Northanger Alibi

Persuaded

Emmalee

Mansfield Ranch

Sensible & Sensational

Eternal Realm Series:

Eternity

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank my Heavenly Father for helping me create such a unique and magical story. And for allowing me to wake up and bravely face the world as it truly is.

This book is dedicated to my dear friend Tiffani

Thank you for the wonderful shopping trips, giggles and princess name calling.

You will forever be Sleeping Beauty to me!

CHAPTER ONE

QUEEN ALEYNA’S EYES FLUTTERED open and she smiled at the shimmering sunlight which streamed through her bedroom curtains. Another beautifully perfect day. She stretched and wiggled her toes under the navy blue crushed velvet duvet and slipped out of the golden sheets to pad across the floor to her window.

The world beneath her castle tower was bathed in a sea of greens and yellows and glorious multicolored blossoming bushes and trees. Her village was nestled among rolling hills and streams and winding cobblestone paths that jutted out all around the lower portion of the mountain, where her castle was happily situated, and spread to the valley below. Many homesteads and farms and fields of bounteous crops covered the great landscape as far as the eye could see.

Indeed Aleyna’s kingdom was one of the most sought after and desired realms in all the world. She could not believe her good fortune in having such a prosperous and superior land. Her subjects were also known to be quite magnificent and studious in their own way as well. And to reward them for their kindness and diligence she always guaranteed they were treated above that of other monarchies and rulers around.

Her people were given several holidays each year, multiple gifts of food, household supplies, adornments and even many frivolous items would find their way into their homes from their dear queen. How she loved them. How she loved her land, her people, her life.

It was undeniably faultless.

An enchanted kingdom to be glorified and loved by all.

Aleyna sighed in contentment as she rested her head against the smoothly-plastered stone wall and looked out the windowpane. The birds chattered and chirped and flew in delightful winging dances in the sky as they popped in and out of wistful clouds. Here was joy. Here was life at its best and she could never imagine desiring anything more.

And yet, if one could step back and see the tragedy behind her contentment, one would know that all she witnessed below her, all she imagined above, all her hopes and dreams—were just that—dreams.

An illusion.

Queen Aleyna’s life was so desperately heartrending, so tragically sorrowful, that one would need to enchant the beautiful queen and all those surrounding her and with her—all of her dear subjects—into a state of never-ending bliss.

To allow her to unknowingly sleep through this horror, to allow her to heal through the pain she could not feel, to keep her from all those memories that would threaten to disarm and own her—she had to be kept in such a state. Until one who was worthy enough could come along and teach her, hold her, comfort her, release the joyful spell surrounding her contentment, and more importantly kiss her awake to the true being that was hers.

Until then, until one such worthy man came into her life and bravely fought those demons who sought to destroy her, Queen Aleyna’s existence was perpetually on hold.

And she was forever trapped within a state of no progression, wrapped in a bubble of peace, almost like a ghost, and eternally asleep to the harsh realities awaiting her. Ignorant to all but what she knew and could remember, she would be forever known as the Sleeping Queen…

***

Prince Darién laughed as he dodged another wayward thrust of the king’s sword. At this rate he and Michael, the King of Alemade, would be at it all night. He hooted as his friend lunged forward again. And as Darién quickly sidestepped the attack he could not help but taunt him, “Is this the greatest you’ve got within you? How can you hope to defend yourself, let alone a whole kingdom?”

The king grunted and swung his sword, missing the prince by a good six inches. “Perhaps if you held still long enough, I could show you how good my maneuvers are!”

Darién chuckled and took a step back, his foot slipping slightly on the wet grass of the castle lawn, before deftly lifting his sword and blocking two more wild attempts from Michael. “Admit defeat, old man, and I may let you live to see another day.” It was the same thing he said to the king each week as they practiced, and true to form his friend was quick to respond in kind.

“If you were not such a coward and could fight like a real man, I would be able to blacken your lights for you instantly.”

“Aw, yes, but we are not using fisticuffs, now are we? In fact we are—”

“And another thing! I am
not
an old man.” The king huffed as he haphazardly sliced his blade through the air. “I—” he stepped forward, “—am only—” steel smacked against steel, “—five years older than you.” Michael wiped his brow and cursed Darién’s impeccable sword fighting skills, it was impossible to attempt to break through any of his defenses. “And the last time I checked, you were twenty-four years old.”

“Yes, but twenty-four is still much younger than you!” Darién took two steps forward, arching his blade in the air and swiftly popping Michael’s sword right out of his hand. It flew gracefully, allowing the handle to be caught up by the prince, signifying the game was at an end.

Michael was drenched in sweat while Darién looked as though he had merely taken a leisurely stroll upon the grounds. “One of these days I am going to learn your secret,” said the king as he wiped his mouth on his shirtsleeve.

“My secret?” Darién walked over to the bush where they had hung their royal coats twenty minutes earlier, placing the swords down, he collected them. “And what secret is this?” He raised a dashing brow as he handed Michael’s bright green coat back to him.

The king shook the garment and waved off the servant who had run up to help, before slipping his arms into the sleeves. “Your ability to look so dashed cool and unaffected—so debonair—whilst in the midst of dueling, no less.”

Darién’s eyes twinkled as he put on his coat of navy with silver trimmings. “Did you not know? Us single men must practice these things in the looking glasses at home, just for such an occasion as this, for who is to know whether a stunning female will not come by and catch us looking a spectacle.” When the king grunted, he continued, “Well, you do have Cassandra, you know. And she is by far everything on this good earth that is praiseworthy indeed. But, with such a woman at your side and as your queen, be grateful you do not have to practice like I do.”

Michael raised his eyes heavenward briefly as he straightened the coat over his tan colored breeches. “If I believed half the nonsense you sputtered out, I’d be a very foolish man,” he said, before walking to the bush, collecting his sword, and sliding it within its sheath.

Darién laughed as he buttoned his coat. “You’d be a very foolish
old
man.”

“You know, I’d watch your crowing if I were you.” The king smirked and turned around. “Remember, boy, I know what truly does put you out of countenance—what you are most afraid of in all the world. So do not keep spouting your old jokes, for I guarantee I can make you squirm and sweat just like the rest of us.”

The prince snorted and walked over to his sword. He tilted his head to the side and smugly grinned as he looked up at Michael while sliding the blade in its scabbard. “There is nothing I’m afraid of on this globe. Nothing at all—so whatever you have against me, remember it is merely a child’s imaginings.”

“Oh-ho! First I am too old, and now I am a child who imagines?”

“That is not what I meant, and you know it.” Darién’s gaze settled on his friend, they were almost brothers—had been raised like brothers—and there was no one he trusted more. The redheaded king was handsome, extremely so, and had a beautiful blonde queen at his side to prove it. They’d begun to have a score of adorable little redheads and blondes themselves, and with the birth of the last one—a little girl all fiery curls and giggles—Darién founding himself longing to settle down as well. If only he could find a woman half as agreeable as Cassandra, he might just do it too.

But this sort of thinking would get him nowhere. He cleared his throat and explained, “I meant that whatever you believe me to be afraid of was most likely something you conjured up back when we were boys. So if in reality, I am afraid of it—which I highly doubt—then it was something that I’ve long past put behind me.”