She awakened bleeding and sore
from where half the men
in the kingdom
had passed through Godmother’s
brambles, and then had pricked
her while she’d slept
until her prince came—
satisfied, dashing,
sword drawn—
but too late to do any good,
and gave Aurora
one more kiss
she didn’t want.

Kelly Dwyer’s third novel, GHOST MOTHER, will be published by Union Square & Co. In August 2024. Her flash fiction is often inspired by her imaginings of the Disney Princesses at middle age. Say hello at KellyDwyerAuthor.com.