Editor's comments and actions are denoted by [brackets]. Sound effects are written {like this}. (Parenthesis) indicate side notes in the dialogue bubble or the mangaka's note. And finally, italics are thoughts.

"Close your eyes, I am only sleeping in a forest of thorns, anything and everything is shut up in an empty box......"

Once upon a time, in a kingdom far away, there was a Queen who was troubled because she was not blessed with a child. One day, while bathing, she received a message from a crawfish.

"As you have wished, you will give birth to one daughter."

Just as those words had said, the Queen gave birth to a child and invited twelve witches to the celebration of her birth. However in that country, there were thirteen witches, so one witch was not invited. It was simply because on the gold plate in the castle, there were just twelve invitations. The witches gave the young princess presents. Just as it became the twelfth witch's turn...

Witch: I give the Princess a just and virtuous heart——

Witch: I grant the Princess dazzling beauty.

Witch: The Princess will be highly intelligent, even at subjects like Japanese, and become bilingual.

{soundf/x ba: the bang of the window bursting open}

The thirteenth witch who was not invited came forth very angry.

13th Witch: HEY HOLD ON WHA——T I——S THI——S? I'M INCRE——DIBLY OFFENDED—!! This means there's something about me you can't stand———

{sound f/x vooo: a cold wind blows through}

13th Witch: THAT'S IT!! That's—— (I'm gonna brew up some trouble) I knew it, you're all rejecting me and having your fun——— It's unjustified resentment, but at any rate I'll curse that princess. MY ANGRY CURSE IS THAT WHEN THIS PRINCESS TURNS FIFTEEN, SHE'LL PRICK HERSELF ON A SPINDLE AND DIE——~

Witch: Wh~... Why a spindle!? (Get out of here)

Witch: What's the reason for waiting fifteen years and not killing her now~?

13th Witch: SHUT UP Anyway she's cursed!

Yet, the twelfth witch had yet to give her blessing. She said, "However, this will not be a true death. The Princess will simply sleep until the day when her fated Prince gives her a kiss, and the curse will be lifted."

——And so fifteen years later as the witch had prophesized, the beautifully grown-up princess pricked her finger on a spindle and was thrust into a 100 year sleep. Before long, thorns had grown in around the castle, and even now the people inside of the castle continue to sleep, waiting for a Prince to break the curse.

Will: —as I was saying, if you would just listen to me——

Ludwig: [filing his long, perfect nails] Your report had a serious short-coming—— What are the princess's measurements?

He is a certain country's Prince Ludwig, Prince Lui for short.

Now that the prologue is over, to set the stage: Prince Ludwig is the prince of a miscellaneous 19th Century country. Currently, Ludwig and his friend/servant Wilhelm (Will for short) are riding in a carriage through a forest. Everyone looks 19th Century... except for Lui. His current outfit consists of something involving leather pants and a flowing, leopard print coat and matching cape with feather trim. He's your 19th Century J-rock Prince, only more flamboyant.

Will: [sweatdropping] Prince... I can't ask things like that, can I...

Ludwig: Isn't it okay? The question is, whether or not she has huge breasts. But, you can't have them done up until they're about to pop, either. (There's a limit to things.) Anything else?

He's searching for his own Princess worthy of become his Queen. He's traveling with Wilhelm, who he's known since he was a child.

Will: ...Ummm, her name is "Friedrich"...

Ludwig suddenly looks outside.

Ludwig: Oh, what a beautiful hill.

Next thing you know, Ludwig is relaxing on the flower-covered hill.

Will: PRINCE——~

As always, he's a Prince who does things his own way.

Ludwig: I got sick of your dull explanation. "Friedrich" huh...

([pointing to the last line] He was listening perfectly.)

Ludwig: Surely will be a beautiful maiden, just like these erica. It's groundless, but still. Hm? [For those who care, erica is apparently a genus of plants that include heath (and NOT the x-japan bass player...). Sometimes are parasitic, depending on other green plants for nourishment. Food for thought.]

{sound f/x ka: glint of light}

Ludwig suddenly notices a glint in the flowers. A beautifully decorated pocket watch lies on the hill.

Will: [carrying Ludwig's discarded cape] It's...a pocket watch? It looks as if it was buried in the ground, but then was washed up by the rain.

Ludwig: [inspecting the watch intently] This fine gold work says that it can't be one of the commoners', huh.

Late that night, Will and Ludwig check into an inn.

Voice: ...What did you say, you say you're going to that thorn castle!! You'd better give it up, sir!

Voice: Hey, if you talk about this then...

The door bursts open. A "mysterious" caped witch begins screaming at the confused Will.

Witch: Of course that castle is cursed...!!

{sound f/x batan: the door being flung open}

Voice: I knew it, she came!

A few men begin struggling with the witch, trying to force her back out the door.

Witch: Don't you know how many men have lost their lives trying to wake the beautiful princess from her sleep and win her back to their kingdom... Not one of them has returned alive~~~~ I'm not just saying bad things. ...If you don't want to die, don't get near that castle!

Will: [sweatdropping] ...Who is that old woman...

Bartender: [whispering] She's a fortune-telling witch who lives on the edge of the village. In this area, we have a custom that highly prizes witches, you see.

{sound f/x ban: door slamming shut}

The men in the inn finally manage to force the witch outside and slam the door behind her.

Will: (Huh?)

Voice: But it's true that the castle is really dangerous!

Will sadly tromps his way up the stairs of the inn.

Will: But if I start to tell him, Prince Lui won't listen to me, huuh... (We're probably going aren't we, ah I knew it.) [long hopeless sigh]

Voice: Moh~!!

{sound f/x gatan: a loud clattering}

At the top of the stairs, a young woman is yelling at a closed door.

Woman: What do you mean by inviting me in then saying, "I'm tired so I'll go to sleep"! That's why I hate sweeet-talking nobles!

{sound g/x doka: the woman kicking the door}

Woman: Hmph!

Will enters the room to find Prince Ludwig fast asleep on top of the sheets.

Will: How rare. That the perverted...really just lustful Prince didn't do anything and went to sleep...

Will tucks the sleeping Prince into bed.

Will: Truly, it's been a lonely upbringing for the Prince, carrying the responsibility of being the eldest son in the royal family... that's probably why you want a warm body next to you. (Hm?)

Will picks up a lacy garter belt from the Prince's hand and sweatdrops, blushing.

Will: ...No. It's really just ordinary lust... (Looks like it, huh.)

In a field of flowers, Ludwig raises his hand against the sun.

Ludwig: This is... the hill of erica from this afternoon...? ...Hm? Someone's here...

In the distance, a young girl is crouched on the ground. She turns around and looks at Ludwig.

Ludwig: Silver hair... Beautiful...

The girl stands up suddenly with her hands on her hips.

Girl: What do you want. I'm disgusted by men with long hair. Are you lost or something? Go away, you're a damn eyesore. This is only my secret place.

Ludwig draws his handgun.

Girl: ...What's that. You're going to shoot me? ...That's fine. Try and kill me. You'll see my time has been stopped. Eternally...

{sound f/x don: gunshot}

A flower gets blown to bits.

Ludwig: [staring down at the girl] Why do you run.

The girl picks herself up from the ground. A flower smoulders behind the point where she had been standing.

Girl: YO~YOU SERIOUSLY SHOT~~~~~~!!

Ludwig: Since you were looking at me like a good-for-nothing and talking back to me, I had to.

Girl: YOU SERIOUSLY SHOT AT A WEAK WOMAN! YOU'RE THE WORST TYPE OF MAN!

Ludwig: A maiden?

Ludwig begins very visibly checking out the girl.

Ludwig: [pondering] Okay then, I don't know about your front or your back, but do you have hills somewhere on your body? With these poor breasts, you wouldn't usually be called a maiden.

Girl: WH~ I can't believe it!! Lecher!! Pervert, sexual harassment——! (Do you mind———~!!)

Ludwig: In this country, is pointing out a woman's physical weak points sexual harassment~?

{sound f/x doka: hitting sound}

Girl: It's like that throughout the world!

Ludwig: Oww~!! If you're a maiden, then be good and don't hit~!

Ludwig holds onto the girl's hands. She's still trying to beat him down.

Girl: People like you who only care about a person's outward appearance and don't look inside, I hate you the most! [panting]

{sound f/x gi gi: evil noises in the background}

Ludwig: I was just interested. I can't forgive even the existence of people who use their fists before their mouths.

Girl: Well excuse me!! My name is Idich.

Ludwig can only stare as a pocket watch begins floating in front of his eyes.

{sound f/x fuwa: the pocket watch floating}

Idich: Don't come back here again!

Ludwig tries to protect himself as vines of thorns rush towards him.

Idich: You were born from a beautiful person, so you can't understand my feelings!

Ludwig: !

{sound f/x dosa: thud, someone hitting the floor}

Ludwig: [opening his eyes] A dream...?

Ludwig is lying half off of the bed in the inn, on the floor. Will lies on the floor underneath him, barely keeping a bowl of water upright.

Ludwig: I woke up horribly...!

Will: Prince, I did, too...

Ludwig: That little girl, Idich or whatever, did she leave that part out! Just arbitrarily kicking people out of their dreams. What a rude girl.

Will sweatdrops and leaves the room as the Prince gets himself dressed. [I'd like to point out that his next outfit consists of leather short-shorts, strappy leather boots, and a furry white jacket. He reminds me of T.M.Revolution in concert.]

Will: (He's still in his dream...)

Ludwig: Why, why in the world, did I have that dream...

{sound f/x kasha: rustling as the pocket watch shifts towards him on the bed}

Ludwig: !

Ludwig picks up the pocket watch that shifted towards him when he sat on the bed. He picks it up and studies it.

Ludwig: This was...it looks like...the one that girl was holding in the dream. ...Impossible...

Ludwig and Will ride horses out until they see the thorn covered castle.

Will: Prince. You can see it now, the thorn castle... But from now on we've made it. I've told you that it's dangerous, so have you given up on going?

{sound f/x gori: Ludwig cocking his gun at Will's head}

Ludwig: ...Have not. It's that dream woman's fault that I feel so disgusted. Can't forget that for no reason a beautiful woman was practically thrown into sleep.

Will: At least please say something like, "An unfortunate Princess was put." (Your motive is a little too blunt...)

Ludwig inspects the thorn-covered castle.

Ludwig: But still, these are amazing thorns.

Will: AH~!! ...! Prince!!

Will points a trembling finger to where still clothed skeletons lie tangled in the thorns on the wall.

Will: Im... Impossible, this was the end of the people who became missing.

Will turns and begins shrieking at Ludwig.

Will: Prince, in fact, the rumors were true! These thorns are dangerous! (Therefore, let's give up! Huh? Huh? Huh?)

Ludwig: Oh well. [staring at his hands] I'll break my nails, and I spent so much time growing them. (It's just that I was so hard on myself to do this.) [Sensei possibly wrote that. She has pretty difficult handwriting...]

Will crouches in a corner.

Will: ......

A voice suddenly calls out from behind Ludwig.

Voice: Have you seen it? The end of those who opposed the witch's curse———~

The mysterious caped witch from the inn stands on top of an archway, shrieking at the two men.

Witch: You should leave right away if you don't want to be overpowered by the magic power of the castle of thorns~~~~~!

Will: Ah~ Last night's old woman...!

Ludwig: Huh?

Will: [rushing up to Ludwig] She's a witch that lives on the edge of town and told me about this castle... Prince, we should listen to what she said——~

Ludwig: Old woman?

To the shock of Will and the witch, Ludwig suddenly leaps up to the top of the archway.

{sound f/x zaa: sudden movement}

Witch: Wh~...

Ludwig whips off the witch's long cape, revealing a rather busty, young looking figure in tight black.

Ludwig: Where is she an old woman?

{sound f/x ba: sudden movement of Ludwig whipping the cape}

Witch: AH~

The horrified witch fights with Ludwig for her cape.

Witch: What're you doing~~~~~ Knew it, everyone's jealous of my good looks and so they make fun of me———~

{sound f/x gigi: the witch tugging on her cape}

Ludwig: Delusions of grandeur are no help to the masses of victims.

The witch angrily whips her cape back on and adjusts her mask before bounding off.

Witch: I hope someone like you is sucked up by Princess Idich's curse and dies———~

{sound f/x basa: the cloth of the cape rustling}

Will: ...Yo...you knew, didn't you. That's the Prince for you...

{sound f/x dan: the witch hitting a rooftop as she bounds away}

Ludwig: My Big Breast Sensors were working.

Idich: [in flashback] My name is Idich.

Ludwig: [pondering] Princess Idich? Now I see... "Idich" is a nickname for "Friedrich."

Back in the inn, Ludwig picks up the pocket watch and prepares for bed. The bed is now entirely covered in a massive leopard print blanket.

{sound f/x chara: rattling, the pocket watch getting picked up}

Will: Prince? You're already going to sleep?

([pointing to the sheets] A special brand of sheets.)

Ludwig: An experiment.

Will: (Huh?)

Ludwig: [peeking around the edge of the door] Now don't you be kissing me while I sleep or lusting after me.

Will: [twitching] I WON'T DO IT. (for heaven's sake...)

Back in the dream world, Idich, er, Friedrich turns around angrily.

Friedrich: What is it. I told you not to come back here, didn't I.

Ludwig: [pondering] ...And this means that I'm dreaming again. Looks like the experiment was a success.

Friedrich: What do you mean, experiment.

Ludwig holds out the pocket watch for Friedrich to see.

Ludwig: In reality if I hold this when I go to sleep, it looks like I can come here.

Friedrich looks at the watch in shock.

Friedrich: My watch!!

The two compare the pocket watches together.

Ludwig: I see. They're the same thing.

Friedrich: ... ...So you found it... Not in the dream, but the real thing.

Ludwig: Idich... no, Friedrich... Are you the sleeping princess in the thorn castle?

Friedrich: That's right... you heard about it. I'm sleeping in that castle. That day, I buried that watch in this flower garden.

In Friedrich's mind, she sees the events of her childhood.

Young Friedrich: Mother, will Father not be coming today either?

Queen: Father went to receive the country's fortune told from the witches who live in the tower at the edge of the castle. [handing over the pocket watch to little Friedrich] I shall give this to you, Idich. It's a pocket watch that Father gave me long ago.

Friedrich: Father wasn't very interested in my mother or myself. Desperate to win my father's favor, I spent time on studies or etiquette. In order to acquire all kinds of education, I worked hard without sleeping. But, Father and for some reason the surrounding people didn't recognize my hard work. I never even received praise on my appearance from others. I was excelling at having a natural reaction to all of this. And then, when no good results came of this, unreasonably, I showed my discouragement. I completely became a guilty idler.

In the past, a teenaged Friedrich looks out of her window. She looks very much the same as in the garden, but only with long hair and fine clothes.

Young Friedrich: Father... is he going to that tower again?

Friedrich: The tower where the King had a handful of witches. Other than Father, no one was allowed to enter or leave it.

The young Friedrich wanders out into the grounds of the palace.

Young Friedrich: Even on my fifteenth birthday, where in the world is he going... Your Highness...

Voice: My beloved highness...

Young Friedrich: [turning around] Ahh...

In a deserted garden, a masked woman approaches the young Friedrich.

Young Friedrich: You shameless person!! Who in the world are you!

Woman: Maa... I was secretly peeping at you. You are certainly the Queen's child...! You have a vulgar disposition...!

Young Friedrich: Wh~... What did you say? You cat burglar~...!

Woman: You don't know anything, happy Princess... But those inside of the palace know. Long ago, when the Queen was bathing, a crawfish blessed her with you. Do you believe what I am telling you!? The truth of that story is this... When the Queen was bathing, she was assaulted by a ruffian.

The young Friedrich breaks down in horror as the woman continues to speak.

Woman: Distracted by the crawfish's tale, the Queen was daydreaming...! At that time, the child she was blessed with was you! At the ceremony celebrating your birth, the witches from the tower presented you with beauty and intelligence through magic one after another... At that time, according to the curse laid upon you by the thirteenth witch, it was predicted that you will prick your finger on a spindle on your fifteenth birthday and fall into a 100 year sleep. You didn't know anything, did you!? Therefore, according to royal command, all of the spindles in the country were burned. But, I know something. At the top floor of those witches' tower there is one spindle...!

Young Friedrich: Liars... They're all liars!! They all knew that it was presented to me by others, so is that why no one noticed any of my hard work or anything else!?

Woman: [cackling] If you doubt my tale, please, why don't you climb the tower and try touching the spindle!?

{sound f/x zaki: cutting sounds}

Back in the palace, maids desperately try to stop Friedrich, who's cutting her hair off at her shoulders.

Young Friedrich: I don't need it!! I don't need it! I don't need beauty given to me by someone else———!

Queen: [rushing in] Idich!! Stop that!

The Queen calls down a hall after Friedrich.

Queen: I don't know what anyone told you, but at that time, I was already pregnant with you! Believe me!! You are the daughter of the King and me!

Friedrich: From the time I was a child, I often came with my mother to the erica garden...

In the garden, young Friedrich buries the pocket watch.

{sound f/x za: rustling of grass, Friedrich digging in the ground}

Young Friedrich: Un~n... I don't need it... This kind of fake love...

Queen: Believe me, Idich!

Young Friedrich: Even I want to think that they're lies. That my face and intelligence and everything aren't natural. And that I'm not Father's child. That when I turned fifteen I'd prick myself on a spindle and fall into a 100 year sleep——

Woman: If... If you doubt this, touch the spindle in that tower and see. Then if you fall asleep, everything is the truth.

Young Friedrich, her hair now shorn, climbs the tower to the waiting spindle at the top.

Young Friedrich: Ahh, God please. Let nothing happen when I prick myself on the spindle. Say everything's a lie. This is my wager.

She approaches the spindle and reaches out with her finger.

Young Friedrich: Please...

Friedrich: And then——— Time stopped——— Everything was the truth, so I of course fell into a deep sleep. Before long, thorns had grown in thick and completely surrounded the castle. The people inside of the castle are also in a 100 year sleep, waiting for someone to rescue them.

Ludwig: ——And?

Friedrich looks affronted.

Ludwig: You probably got beauty and brains from someone else, but even if they were originally good, if you neglect them then you're just a normal person, right. You don't need anyone else who doesn't realize the sweat you're putting in to it to make you know that.

Friedrich: !

Ludwig: Those in power of a country naturally only have two or three people who love them. In many other countries, you hear that there are often loveless marriages of convenience. You should at least know that much. Weren't you just caught up in the castle... no the country that you were raised in uncontrollably. You said to yourself, "Poor me" or "No one sees the real me." And then you said, "Why is no one overcoming these thorns to save me?"

A well-dressed young man with long hair is surrounded by toys, playing alone.

Ludwig: From the time they're born and fall onto this earth, everyone is lonely. Instead of just waiting, I think you have to gain something for yourself.

Ludwig waves over his shoulder.

Ludwig: See ya, Sleeping Beauty.

Friedrich suddenly kicks Ludwig as he leaves.

{sound f/x doka: Friedrich smacking him a good one}

Ludwig turns around in frustration.

Ludwig: So if you're a woman, stop using that kind of violence...

Friedrich's face is contorted with tears. Ludwig regards her in shock.

Ludwig: For the first time since I was born, I hated the cruelty of my own thorns.

Friedrich: Don't come here again!!!

Back at the inn, Ludwig ponders the dream.

Ludwig: The Briar Princess's thorns wounded the surrounding people and made them bleed. Those thorns prevent anyone from touching her...

Will sleepily looks up from where he's been resting at a table.

Ludwig: We're going witch hunting, Will. Where's the witch's mansion?

At the witch's house, she looks none to pleased to see her visitors. As it turns out, she's a very busty, young looking woman dressed in black lace and leather. The room is decorated with candles and skulls [just like Gackt's room, or so I've heard] as well as whips, racks, and other various torture devices.

Witch: WH~ WHAT'S WITH YOU TWO——~ I'M GONNA SUE YOU FOR TRESPASSING———~ DON'T YOU KNOW? I'M TELLING YOU, YOU GOT THE WRONG PERSON FOR THAT THORN CASTLE DEAL~!

Ludwig grabs the broom that the witch has been holding and looks very indiscreetly down her chest.

{sound f/x pa: Ludwig suddenly grabbing the broom}

Ludwig: I'm not mistaken. You're the witch from the other day.

Witch: [dryly] Where are you looking to tell people apart. WHY DO YOU THINK THAT THIS IS A WITCH'S HOUSE!? WHERE'S YOUR PROOF!?

Ludwig: I knew at first glance.

The witch sweatdrops as Will holds her back. Ludwig inspects her walls.

Witch: Wh... what are you talking about. There's nothing...

Ludwig: You've got pretty good hobbies, huh.

Ludwig picks up one of the whips off of a rack on the wall.

Ludwig: Especially this part, it's my specialty.

Witch: [looking nervous] Y... You tease a witch and you'll get cursed———~

The witch jumps backwards as the whip smashes a shelf right next to her.

{sound f/x baki: bang of the shelf crashing}

Witch: EEE~

Ludwig readies the whip again as Will simply sweatdrops and whispers in the background.

Ludwig: Perhaps I should tell you that in the basement of my own house there's a private torture room.

{sound f/x pan!: snap of the whip}

Ludwig: Now, are you going to talk? Why did you leave the thorn castle?

Will: (He's being serious, really. Really if you don't stop him he'll do it. He'll do it re—al good. By the way, when you're threatened by the Prince, all of your senses cease so if you throw up it's okay! No I'm serious! Really!)

{sound f/x kyaaaa: the witch screaming}

Much later, the witch is tied up in a corner of the room, sobbing.

Ludwig: ...and so, you are the witch who placed a curse on Princess Idich?

Witch: That's right. So then, I thought I'd be a li—ttle bad and give a little warning to anyone who came near that castle you see——~ Still——~ I didn't think that think kind of thing would be that important, really~~~~~

The witch points to countertop where a small vial rests.

Witch: There, look. That's the same potion that I spread on the needle of the spindle~~~

Ludwig grabs the vial angrily and turns to leave.

Witch: Amazing... this man... he forced me without letting up one inch... just dealt with me with his whip...! Why am I... strange...!

Ludwig: [putting on his cape] Let's go!

Will: [cutting the rope off of the witch] Y...yes, sir!

The witch suddenly hurls herself, glomping onto a shocked Ludwig's leg.

Witch: W... Wait...!

{sound f/x ga~!!: the witch's glomping sound}

Witch: Just once more... Just once more dominate me...!

Ludwig desperately fights her off.

Ludwig: Stop it, you perverted masochist... I mean witch! Let's go, Will! To the thorn castle!

{sound f/x doka: Ludwig whacking the witch}

The witch lies, crashed into a pile of torture equipment as Will screams after Ludwig.

Witch: ......

Will: Prince... Please wait! Please, you can't leave me in a place like this——~!

{sound f/x hiii: horse whinnying}

{sound f/x pakapaka: clop-clop, horse galloping}

The witch picks herself out of the wreckage, holding a high-heeled boot shaped bruise on her face.

Witch: It's the first time for this pleasure... this shock... Yes... it's my first time... with that type of person. Ahh...!

{sound f/x zokuzoku: the witch getting the chills}

Witch: The merciless sense of being at the bottom of a cold beer... Like I want to chase after him until the ends of the earth...

Back in the forests, Ludwig and Will ride their horses towards the thorn castle.

Ludwig: Will. You go ahead of me.

Will: Huh? What are you going to do...

Ludwig: You rip up the thorn hedge before me. You can thank me later for guarding the rear.

Will: I KNEW IT——

A mysterious, ominous voice suddenly cuts across the surrounding area.

Voice: Go away.

{sound f/x gogogo: ominous atmosphere}

Ludwig: !

Voice: Go away right now.

A strange, frightening female apparition floats towards the top of the castle.

Voice: You should leave, foolish trespassers. How many people have come to the thorn castle to wake the sleeping princess. No one can disturb Princess Idich's sleep.

Will: ...A witch...!?

Stones? Thorns? Heavy objects begin hailing down on Will, striking everywhere at once.

{sound f/x dogagado, etc: massive crashing noises}

Will: U UWAAAAH!!!

{sound f/x dan: gunshot}

Ludwig stands in front of Will, smoking gun in hand. On his gun hand, his fingers bleed from broken nails.

Will: Prince!! You broke you nails! ...There's blood!!!

Ludwig: Shut up. I won't die from a nail or two.

Ludwig holds up the vial to the apparition.

Ludwig: Do you know what this is, Idich?

Will: Idich!? Th...this is the Briar Princess...!!?

Ludwig: This is the potion that the witch who cursed the thorn castle spread on the spindle. It's just a quick acting kind of sleeping medicine.

Friedrich: !

Ludwig: There was never any curse. All of the witches that excluded the thirteenth one, they weren't real witches. Essentially, the tower was where the King kept his mistresses. Wasn't there one of the witches who was jealous of the Queen and said malicious things to you? They weren't real witches, but those women presented you with abilities. They were all nothing more than ceremonial things. They didn't have those kinds of bold powers. In other words, your beauty and abilities were your own that you had since birth. Do you understand!!

The apparition of Friedrich looks at Ludwig, shocked.

Friedrich: Th...that means ... It's not that it was all given to me... Everything was mine...

Ludwig: But rather than being of sacred witch's blood, weren't you the Queen's? If then, why. This castle is a vision created to protect yourself when you closed your heart. The instant you fell asleep with this sleeping potion on the spindle, you believed the curse. You despaired and closed up your heart in a cage. ...But for the surrounding people, they were not just caught up in an illusion.

Friedrich: Ah...!!!

Ludwig: The time that you stopped for yourself has been moving. But I don't care about all of the men who died coming to this castle. Did you think at this rate no prince would come for you?

Ludwig smiles at the apparition. Friedrich covers her face in shock and vanishes.

{sound f/x za: the apparition fading away}

Friedrich: Idiot... You aren't really... I can't believe it...

Ludwig starts running through the opened gate. Will chases after him.

Will: Prince~...!!

{sound f/x doka: Will hitting his foot}

Will hits his foot on something as he runs into the castle. It turns out to be the skeleton of a castle guard. Will looks around at the other scattered skeletons in shock.

Will: ! Th...this must be the people from the castle who are sleeping with the Princess!? Th... That's right! This castle has passed 100 years closed off by thorns!! But then that means, when you undo the magic...!!

Will cries out to Ludwig, who has already reached the top of the tower where the princess sleeps, her hair long and beautiful.

Will: YOU CAN'T DO IT, PRINCE!! PRINCE LUI!!!

The Prince was captivated by the sight of the beautiful sleeping Briar Princess. He gently kissed her. And then...

Friedrich opens her eyes and raises a hand to Ludwig softly.

Friedrich: Only you have been able to touch me, full of thorns as I am... You discovered the real me.

Friedrich and Ludwig cling to each other in the small room.

Friedrich: So I'm... happy. Very...

And then at once, the spell was broken. Time began to move. The two became happy until death do them part.

Ludwig continues to cling to Friedrich as her arms drop to the bed. A spinning wheel and spindle are set up next to the bed. On the sheets, the pocket watch ticks off the time.

Until death...

{sound f/x kachi kachi: ticking of the clock}

The pocket watch drops into a hole dug in the ground. Will walks up, looking concerned. Outside of the no longer thorn covered castle, Ludwig stands in a field of grass.

Will: Prince... Did you plant... all of the flower seeds that you bought up from the shop?

Ludwig: Of course I did. Next year, this castle will be covered in beautiful purple ericas blooming all over. It suits her far more than thorns, wherever she is...

Will: Prince...!

Ludwig: Have you found her? The next bridal candidate...

Will looks at the Prince in shock.

Will: Y—Yes. In the next village there's not a princess, but there's a girl who has a reputation for being quite beautiful... [looking at his notes] Only, a lord called "Blue Beard" is also pursuing her...

Ludwig: If he's Red Beard or Close Shave Blue Beard I don't know and don't care. Obstacles are just lots of things to burn.

Will: Prince... I'm a bit anxious but, that witch named Dorothea...

A little picture of the masochistic witch pops up with "Dorothea" printed next to her.

Will: Those days were 100 years earlier, so how in the world...

Ludwig mounts his horse.

Ludwig: Don't think scary things. Let's go!

Friedrich: You won't be coming here again, will you. No matter how much you want to see me.

Ludwig looks back over his shoulder to the ghostly vision of young, dream Friedrich in the field picking flowers.

Ludwig: It's your fault. Thanks to you, can I never go searching for another woman.

Medetashi medetashi.

[The last words of this are "Medetashi medetashi." Literally, it just means that something has been beautiful, good, and really moving. It's not Yuki-sensei patting herself on the back; it's a rather old phrase used often in literature for the soothing, rhythmic, repetitive nature of the words. It was used a lot in old literature, i.e. Sei Shonagon was apparently a big fan of putting "medetashi medetashi" everywhere in her Pillow Book.]

[What. This is a Yuki Kaori. You didn't think it'd be, like, happy or something, did you? Happy Valentine's Day, everyone.]

Manga belongs to Yuki Kaori, Hana to Yume, and Hakusensha, taken from the Hana to Yume, 2001 Volume 4 (2/5) publishing. Sorry, it hasn't been published into a volume, or at least not yet. Romanized and translated into English very badly by Mina-P, with desperately needed help, as always, by Mako-chan. Any comments or corrections can be mailed to Mina-P at Minako@senshigakuen.com.

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