The pines popped in the crackling fire, illuminating the faces of six young men, all wrapped up in animated conversation. The roar of the fire was lost to the voices, and they scarcely noticed as it dissolved to a dull glow.

"All right, all right," hushed a large, dark skinned boy. "Everybody quiet down."

It was like a switch had been flipped. All faces turned toward the boy in rapt anticipation. Thresh was a raconteur. He spoke softly, but with feeling. Everyone had to lean close to hear, but that only heightened the experience. His words caressed around the other boys, giving the night an eerie, mystical feel. Now, all that could be heard was the soft susurrus the fire was emitting, along with Thresh's low, baritone voice accompanying the fire ash into the sky.

"Nearly two decades ago, was born a beautiful babe to the royal family. The King and Queen were overjoyed, for not only was she the most exquisite site, but it had been said that the royals could never have a child.

At the child's christening, a terrible witch, jealous that this baby would be so powerful, disguised herself as a distinguished guest. She asked to hold the girl, and immediately cursed the child to a fate of living death. 'Soon enough, you will prick your finger on a spindle and so be condemned to a fate of perpetual sleep.' Then, the witch fled.

The King and Queen, the entire kingdom, were beside themselves with worry and fear, for never was there more beloved a princess than Lady Katniss of Panem.

Every spindle in the kingdom was destroyed, and beyond any law was the law banning them from Panem. The child lived happily, but all in vain, for when she was a mere five years in age, she stumbled upon a hidden passage-way in the castle. She followed the hallway and came across a strange, golden object. This object was a spindle. Having never seen such an object before, the curious princess reached out to touch it. Her finger was pricked, and before she had time to react, she grew so tired she could not even make it to her bed chambers before she was fast asleep.

The Queen herself found the hidden door ajar, and, having never seen this door, decided to follow it out of curiosity. She saw the spindle before she saw the sleeping child, but immediately knew what had happened. Completely forlorn, she draped herself over the sleeping girl, begging her to wake up. Physicians were called, healers were summoned, priests from around the world came to try and awake the child, but to no avail.

They pleaded with the evil witch to wake their child, but she couldn't even if she had desired so. The Queen, driven mad with hopelessness, took her own life. The King, once a family of three and now all alone in the world, fell at the witch's feet and again pleaded, 'Was there no way to lift the curse?' The witch said there was only one way. 'Love,' she said. 'If a man of pure heart was to fall in love with her, and was to kiss her, that would bring her back to life.' The King was confused. 'She is just a child.' The witch answered, 'She will grow just as she would have, in body and mind, and soon enough she will be of age.' The King asked, 'But how will a man fall in love with her, truly fall in love with her, if he cannot meet her?' The witch replied, 'Precisely.' After that day the witch was never seen again, and the princess still lies in the castle, her other-worldly beauty pure, innocent, un-touched."

I don't intend for this story to be long, five to ten chapters I'm judging. I will post one more chapter this week, but I am going to Nicaragua on a mission trip for three weeks directly after, so the rest will be up after that! Chapters will vary in length by quite large margins. Thank you for reading, reviews are always welcome!

EmmaoftheValley