The christening that marks the beginning of Aurora's story commences a week after she is born, to the day.
A July Leo, the little Princess arrives into the world at the height of a flourishing summer heat, when the golden sun is at its most brilliant. Her mother was a deeply spiritual woman, a quality Aurora would inherit from her, and considered the strong daylight to be a good omen for her daughter's future health.
The path to carrying a child had been an arduous one for the Queen, the royalty concerned for her welfare after the suffering of many stillbirths. When she initially discovered she had been pregnant with Aurora, she was buoyantly joyful until the Court Physician told her she likely could not have the baby and live. Devastated, she beseeched the Three Good Fairies to search for another opinion. Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather sought out all the wizards and wise men of the realm before they happened upon a young doctor who was convinced the Queen could have the baby if she stayed in bed nearly the entire time of her pregnancy. The King was so loving and attentive to his wife during this time.
Now, as the happy news of his daughter's safe arrival reached him, Stefan- too- seemed enveloped by the embrace of the dancing sunbeams on that July day. Like his daughter would later be, he was of an expressive, poetic nature. To his Queen, he suggested the name Aurora- after the dawn- for she filled their lives with sunshine and so that all days could be as golden and warm as this one. They planned for the christening to be a full seven days out, as was the custom at the time due to the mortality rate. A master calligraphist who successfully copied many legal documents by his own hand, the King set about penning and addressing all the invitations personally.
Now, on the very first day of August, the July heat gave way to a balmy breeze. As all gathered around the castle gates, the name of the infant Princess was finally announced. Taken by the song of her epithet, the Knights and Ladies, townspeople and peasants, all joint in song to the processional chorale, "Hail to the Princess Aurora."
