A Dream Most Grimm - Chapter 1

(Those who commented on the prologue, thank you very much ^^)
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(Now, dear reader, there are some things similar between the two stories. For example: there was a baby who was so beautiful they called her Beauty and she was in fact cursed by a terrible old hag. But the similarities end there.)

Ten year old Bria, known mostly as Beauty, gazed out of her window. She was very excited about the events that were soon to come. Today was the day of her christening a moment in her life, aside from her sixteenth birthday, when everyone's attention would be on her, and she couldn't wait! After the peek she had sneaked earlier, a sight filled with balloons, food, and a tall, tall cake, she was overcome with eagerness.
She heard the door behind her creak open.
"Princess," her maid called, "It's time."
Bria hopped out of her seat by the window, skipped to her maid's side, and followed her into the main room.
Her parents, King Herald and Queen Elizabeth, stood there waiting with large smiles on their faces. They pulled her into their arms and turned to face the crowd.
"Welcome," boomed the King, "To the christening of Princess Bria!"
The crowd cheered.

Time passed quickly for Bria, and she was enjoying herself very much. Her and her friends pranced around joyously, dancing with older men who'd also come to see Bria's christening and enjoying the great amounts of food that had been laid out. Then it was time for the giving of gifts.
Each fairy who had come to the ceremony would bless with a gift they believed she would need to make it in life. Bria couldn't wait to see what gifts would be given to her!
As the first fairy steeped up, Bria began to wiggle with excitement.
"Beauty," the fairy said.
"Yes?" Bria asked.
The fairy blinked, "That is your gift, beauty."
Bria found that to be a bit repetitive, for she was already quite pretty and well-known for that fact, but she thanked the fairy all the same.
Then the next fairy stepped up.
"Extraordinary craftsmanship," she said.
And the pattern continued, the fairy would state her gift and no matter what it was Bria would thank them, until the 99th fairy.

The fairy stepped up and smiled at Bria brightly.
"I have a special gift for you," she said.
But before she could tell Bria what her gift would be, a thick black smoke began to fill the room. It reeked of wet dirt and rotted flesh. It wrapped itself around everyone in the room as if it were alive. And then in stepped a woman completely dressed in black. She had black hair that swept below her shoulders and to her waist. On her feet were black pointy slippers. It was the 100th fairy, they only fairy in the kingdom not to be invited to the christening.
Aphra, that was the woman's name, was a haggard old thing. Although she was very helpful when it came to the community, she was horrible at gift giving. The king and queen had every right to fear for their daughter.

(For instance, dear reader, Aphra had once given a child who had just been blessed with a wondrous singing voice, the gift of silence. Not much good comes from that now does there?)

Aphra was a very beautiful woman, but she stood with a slight hunch and always had her hands curled into claws at her sides, and her soul was dark as night. In Fact, she was more witch than fairy.
"How dare you," Aphra screeched, "I have more right to be here than the child does! How dare you?!"
"We feared for our child!"the queen pleaded, "You are well-known for giving such horrid gifts, we couldn't help but be cautious!"

(Now readers, you may be thinking this is the stupidest thing to say an angry witch...I'm thinking you're right.)

To the king and queen's surprise the witch smiled, but the gesture didn't look quite right. It looked as if there had been a needle on the ground and Aphra had stepped on it.
"What," Aphra asked, "Did you think I would do something cruel like wishing the child death?"
The king and queen looked at each other warily.
The witch laughed, the sound like a cackling hen.
"Don't be so foolish," she said, "I have come to give her the gift of eternal beauty."
The queen spoke carefully, "She was already given that gift..."
"No," the witch said, "She was given the gift of beauty, but she will eventually age. So I will give her a gift that will keep her beautiful through all of her years. So if you'll let me by..."
The king and queen had been standing in front of their daughter, hoping to shield her from Aphra. The king and queen were still skeptical, but they moved aside and allowed Aphra to get to their daughter. After all, they did not wish to provoke the witch any further.

"Thank you," she said politely.
Then she roughly grabbed the young child's arm and smiled at her with sharp teeth. Bria cringed and whimpered.
"As punishment for your parents' actions," Aphra said, "I curse you with eternal beauty."
Bria was confused; she didn't understand how such a gift could be a curse. But then the witch continued.
"If you are ever to cut yourself; no matter what the place and no matter what the object, whether intentional or unintentional; you will fall into an endless sleep. It will be a nightmare composed of the worst fears of the people in the world and you will live it for all of eternity. For once you enter the dreamscape, you will no longer age and you will never die. But I assure you after no longer than three minutes in the nightmare, you will wish you were dead."

Then the witch tilted her head back and let out a high, ear splitting laugh.
The king and queen looked at her with despair.
"What," Aphra said looking at them, "Do you not like her gift? I have given her eternal beauty and life. Surely I have given her the gifts that all have wished for."
Then she turned and faced the crowd.
"That'll teach you to never cross me!"she bellowed.
She then let out another laugh and was gone.