Thorns By Dawn

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With Grimnir away on one of his hunts, Aurora busies herself gathering baskets of blankets, pillows, favorite books, and every soft thing she could find, driven by her rabbit instincts to build the perfect nest in the final months of the baby's arrival. Trailed behind her are the distressed maids with strict orders from the king that she be cared for.

Unfortunately, Aurora ignores them. By the time the king returns from the hunt, half the castle will be missing its cushions, and their bedroom will have become the cosiest nest in the realm.

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“The girl with no name, yet the thread that holds the world together.”

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ℜ𝔬𝔩𝔢: Protagonist / Dawn Goddess / Threadbearer / Cursed Princess

𝔒𝔯𝔦𝔤𝔦𝔫: Born in the late 1400s, deep in the last age of magic, when the fae were hidden, faded from mortal view, and remembered only in stories. Aurora was the result of a forbidden tryst between the Faerie Queen and a mortal King of France. Her birth was prophesied to unravel the balance of the two worlds. Before her mother could bestow a true name upon her, a sacred rite that binds the princess to the fae world, the Queen was killed, leaving the child unnamed, a thread considered untethered. To prevent her ascension, a death curse was laid on her. Hidden away behind walls of living thorns to forstall her curse, she was raised by her doting aunts and grew up a secret, a symbol, and a danger, a thread tying fae and mortal worlds. A child of both worlds, she exists outside the wheel of fate, unseen by destiny, yet bound to it. As Aurora blossomed, she began to see what no one else could. Shimmering threads of magic woven through every living thing, binding past to future, choice and consequences, never knowing they all lead toward her own fate and death.

Ingenuous: She wears her heart on her sleeve.

Feisty & Capricious: Her moods shift like storms and her grudges can last forever.

Romantic & Coquette: She enjoys being admired and teasing her affection.

Book Smart, but Airheaded: She’s smart, but often oblivious

Inquisitive: She questions everything, especially what others want to hide.

Feminine, vivacious, & Proud: She embraces power in softness and beauty.

Slightly Spoiled: She’s used to things going her way and is unused to cruelty.

Charismatic: She's trained in the art of diplomacy and conversation. People are drawn to her sharp wit and viibrant personality.

Magpie Princess: Like most fae, she has an uncontrollable love for pretty things, coins, and shiny trinkets.

Vain: She loves mirrors, dressing up, and compliments.

Tends to Hop or Bounce When Excited: True to her lapine nature, she has a literal bounce in her step. When she’s excited, she sometimes hops.

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“If I’m going to die, I want it to be for something beautiful.”

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"What is spun must be cut. Every story must end."

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⊱🙡────────────────────────────────────🙣⊰ A Faery's Kiss '𝑌𝑜𝑢 𝑚𝑎𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑟 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑑, 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑎 𝑘𝑖𝑠𝑠.'

Grimnir knew where to find her, basking underneath the moonlight, its silver light spilling across the frost-covered courtyard of his keep. She sat on a half-crumbled wall, her bare feet swinging as she ran a brush through her hair, humming to herself. He didn’t speak. He simply watched until she felt his eyes press in on her like ice. 

“You’re always staring,” she said, without looking at him. “Is that what hunters like you do with caged creatures?”

He stepped closer, slow and calculated, like a man inching towards something he knew was dangerous and wild. His voice was cold. “You don’t know what you are.”

“No,” She spoke, turning to him now as he approached. “But I know what you are. And I’m not afraid.”

The air went still. 

Grimnir wanted to say something cruel. Something that would scare her. Something to remind her that he was the monster she should fear. The hunter to the fae. 

But she leaned in close. He could smell the soft scent of roses drifting from her. “Is it true?” She asked softly. “That men go mad from a faerie's kiss?”

He laughed bittterly. “Only those too weak to survive it.” 

She leaned closer. “Then I hope you don’t.”

Aurora kissed him. It was soft. Brief. Not romantic. Not even kind, but it was raw and real. It was fae. A kiss carrying wild magic, ancient and forbidden. A kiss with no name. His body froze instantly. His hand twitched at his side. Not from pain, but as if something deep and buried suddenly shifted inside him. Something long since dormant.

He didn’t speak. He ddn’t look at her. He straightened slowly, as if the bones beneath his skin were no longer set right. Aurora said nothing more. She waited, but he didn’t dare meet her eyes. He turned and walked away, just like he always did, but this time his steps were unsteady. This time... His heartbeat was loud in his own ears.

And when he returned to his chamber, he did not sleep.

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One of Grimnir's early encounters with his captive fae princess. He didn't count on her being such a handful.

Based on real tales that say a kiss from a faery could be a blessing. Or a curse that could drive men crazy~

Among the Aes Sidhe, the ears are held as a symbol of beauty.

Because their ears are long and expressive, leaving them entirely uncovered is often seen as informal by the older noble society. Some high fae women, therefore, bind and veil them as elaborate headdresses inspired by hennins and bicorn hennins with long flowing veils.

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GRIMNIR

“I’ve forgotten what it feels like to want something and not hunt it.”

Species: Elk Beast-God / Bear / Wolf

Role: Protector / Antagonist-Turned-Ally / God of the Wild Hunt / Cursed Executioner

Origin: A fallen mortal warrior-king, once favored as champion of the Aes Sídhe and used as an instrument of war. He disobeyed his masters and paid a heavy price. Twisted by hatred and grief, Grimnir surrendered his heart in exchange for a weapon that could destroy the high fae and made a binding oath: He could never pass on until every drop of the royal blood was spilled. He forever stalks the edges of myth, hunting his prey. Once a liberator, he has become something darker... A divine predator.

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This blog is dedicated to the world and story of Aurora, a dark fantasy retelling inspired by Sleeping Beauty, based on fae folklore, dark fantasy, ancient curses, and the concept of fate itself unraveling.

Here you'll find:

⚜ character art + designs ⚜ worldbuilding and lore ⚜ snippets and dialogue ⚜ story concepts and scene ideas ⚜ relationship dynamics ⚜ aesthetics, inspirations, and ramblings ⚜ Me yapping about my OCs

This project means a great deal to me, and I wanted a place to gather everything together as I continue to build on it

If you enjoy: dark fantasy, tragic romance, gothic fairytales, fae folklore, disney and naming magic, “monster” love interests, doomed royalty and death curses

Then you’ll probably feel at home here!

Thank you for stopping by. I hope you enjoy wandering through the thorns with me. ♡ ⊱🙡────────────────────────────────────🙣⊰