It took a few minutes before he realized he was following the scent of magic, not simply the thorns. The path was much easier to follow once he figured that out. He was able to use that knowledge to identify the magic that ruled his curse. They were different in flavor, the thorns smelled akin to spring, flowers, and sunlight. His curse was closer to old stone.
The horizon darkened as the scent strengthened. It was odd, sunrise should be approaching, not night. Beast slowed his approach. He continued forward, cautiously. There was something off about this. The first rays of sunlight allowed him to see the truth.
It wasn't the horizon. The dark shape in the distance was the thorn wall. He could make out burned patches either from lightning strikes or someone attempting to get inside. There were a few campsites scattered before it, all looking long abandoned. The healthy portions of the thorns shivered as sunlight touched them. It was moving, alive.
Flowers mixed in among the thorns puffed out little clouds of tiny thorns. It didn't seem to increase the area. Their purpose was simply sending needle-thin shards into the air to get people to stay away. He plucked the thorns from his forearm and flicked them away. They stilled in the air before drifting over to the gathered cluster.
Beast was drawn from his examination by the sound of wings. They sounded much too large to belong to a bird. He searched for the source to find a large creature flying toward him. It had a set of iridescent black wings sprouting from its back. Each feather caught the light in a way that sparkled like stars. Two swept-back horns rested on the creatures' head, though the face was completely exposed.
She landed a short distance away. What he had taken for scales was actually a dress of some sort. Her horns weren't natural it was some sort of headdress. She was beautiful in an almost eerie way. The lines of her face were too sharp, her eyes lacked pupils. Her skin had the slightest tint of green. Turning his attention away from her face, her hands were elegant, each finger ended in with claws. Her wings vanished. They didn't fold away, wrap around her, or shrink. One moment they were there, the next gone.
"Quite the mess, isn't it?" The woman asked.
Beast nodded.
The woman sighed as she studied the thorns, "it wasn't supposed to be like this."
Beast cocked his head to the side in an unasked question.
"Those damn trio had to meddle with things," she shook her head. "Messing things up with proper magic as always." The woman quirked a small smile, "not much of a talker?"
"I've learned to hold my tongue," Beast rumbled.
"A wise lesson," the woman nodded. "This was my curse."
Beast felt the urge to rush her. He wasn't sure if killing her would break the curse, but it was a good place to start.
"Calm yourself," she rolled her eyes. "I wouldn't approach you if I didn't have designs."
Beast growled, "speak your words, witch."
"Witch?" The woman let out a faux gasp. "I am not some mere conjurer or cauldron bound pretender."
"What are you?" Beast shifted his feet.
"I am Maleficent, Dark Fae and Mistress of All Evil," she announced. "Or so I fashioned myself when I was young and dramatic."
"And now?" Beast asked.
"Maleficent, caretaker of the thorns," she waved a hand toward the barrier.
Silence stretched between them. Nearby animals were too scared to call. Even the bugs kept quiet.
"You created this?" Beast asked.
"To dissuade too curious travelers," Maleficent nodded.
"How kind of you," Beast let out a small chuff. "You can't end the curse?"
"No," she shook her head. "The curse was altered after I had set it in motion. The princess was supposed to die on her eighteenth birthday, not fall into a magical sleep. My anger was directed at the king and queen, not the common people."
"How do you explain this?" Beast asked.
"Meddling fools," Maleficent snapped. "Another fae changed 'death' to 'sleep' without considering the repercussions. The spell spread beyond the castle, as you can see."
"Yes," Beast shook his head. "Sacrificing an innocent princess is the better choice."
"It would have been simpler," Maleficent continued without acknowledging his words. "My anger had cooled by the time the changes were known. They hid the princess, keeping her away from the king and queen. She grew to be a caring woman, nothing like her parents. I was perfectly fine allowing her to live. The curse could be broken by a kiss from a prince. True love is not required, but the faeries didn't taken human nature into account. Her betrothed was killed when the neighboring kingdom invaded. No prince to kiss her and all who entered the lands would fall under the sway of the curse."
"I am a prince," Beast said. "I was, before I became this."
"A prince is a prince," she waved away his concern. "A kiss is a kiss." She flashed a smile that held no humor. "You kiss her, the curse is broken."
"And my curse?" Beast asked. He hated the naked hope in his voice. "If I kiss your princess, would that break it?"
Maleficent studied him for a long moment.
"Yes," she said with a sad smile. "If you were cursed."
"Do you see me? Am I not cursed?" Beast barely contained the growl in his voice.
"No," she shook her head. "Your freely entered the deal with intent and understanding. Whatever your bargain is would be broken along with the curse. This," she motioned to him. "is a bargain, not a curse. Your form is the price for something. A deal that was made. Changing you back would break the deal."
Breaking it meant dooming all of those people once more. They would return to being living objects at best. At worst, they would be permanently changed into items with no sense of self. He would not break his promise.
"Can you open the way?" Beast asked. "I'd rather not have to spend hours picking thorns out of my fur."
Maleficent flashed a wry smile at him. She pointed at the wall of thorns where a wide path had been cleared for passage. The fae approached him with ethereal grace. Beast narrowed his eyes but stayed his hand. She stood eye-to-eye with him, impressive considering he was at least seven feet tall when standing straight. Maleficent motioned for him to lower his head. He shrugged then did so. She placed a kiss on his forehead. He could feel a shiver of magic along his spine.
"I wish you luck," Maleficent bowed.
Beast dropped to his hands and feet then bound through the passage. He could feel the curse wash over him, trying to take hold. It tried to take hold as his vision blurred slightly before the magic that held his form and the combination her blessing was stronger. Villagers had fallen asleep mid-action, yet looking as though not a single moment had passed. There was no rust on the tools, the food in the market hadn't rotten, and the forge still burned in the blacksmith. Unfortunately, some people were not as lucky as others. The blacksmith, for example, had been reduced to a half-charred corpse. What appeared to be some sort of laborer was crushed under a crate. Those were just the ones he could see. He didn't want to think about the poor folk inside the buildings. He forced his attention to his destination. The castle loomed ahead. It would have been gorgeous if not for the looming wall of thorns.
The octarine scent grew stronger as he got closer to the castle. His eyes started to water once he made it into the courtyard. He spotted a servant girl draped over a basket of laundry. Carefully, he shifted her over and took a piece of clothing to wrap around his lower face. The scent of laundry dried in the sun blocked the overpowering stench of octarine as he got closer to the princess.
Beast bound through the castle. His claws clacked rhythmically on the stone. Guards, servants, and unknown people in quality clothes were dotted around the place. It would have been funny if he didn't know how long they had been asleep.
The laundry lost its effectivity as he climbed the tower. He burst through the door to the final room to find the princess on an ornate bed ceremoniously. Gossamer curtains, sculpted lighting, and each piece of furniture were carefully crafted to march the bed. He had to admit; the princess was indeed beautiful. They had dressed her in a light blue silk dress. A silver tiara with sapphires that matched her dress had been placed on her brow. She had golden blonde hair, cute nose, and full ruby lips combined with her nubile body would have made her intended prince fall in love with a single look.
Beast braced himself for screams as he walked closer. He sighed, drew aside the curtains, and placed a gentle kiss on the princess' lips. A pulse of magical energy spread out from the epicenter of the kiss, washing over the castle then continued to the thorn barrier.
The princess took a deep breath as she sat up. No screaming. Instead, she gripped her throat and let out a little squeak. He scanned the room to see a pitcher of water on the nearby table. Beast poured some in a cup and offered it to her.
She gave him a grateful smile before taking a sip. The princess let out a little moan as the water worked its magic.
"Thank you," she managed to whisper.
Beast nodded, "thank you for not screaming."
She smiled then took another drink. Her eyes closed in contentment, simply holding the cup.
"I have been watching the kingdom for years," her voice was firmer now. "I learned how to walk through the dreams of the people. It was an unexpected blessing that kept me sane. I saw their memories, nightmares, and fantasies." She smiled. "You would be amazed at some of the things the castle maids have thought up." She reached out and ran a hand along his arm. "I'm sorry, I'm rambling. My name is Aurora, Princess if you must."
Beast bowed, "Beast."
"The prince of beasts," she giggled.
Beast smiled. He listened for a long moment. The people were starting to rouse. Oddly enough, it was those at the edge of the thorns. The magic was fading at a glacial pace. It would probably take a day or more before it reached the castle.
His attention returned to the princess as she started to move. She wobbled when she tried to stand and he was there to catch her. He was reward with a dazzling smile. Much to his annoyance, he felt his heart flutter. He had done his duty. It was time to move on. The sound of fabric slipping along skin shattered his thought process. He turned to see Aurora nude standing beside the bed. She held a hand to him.
"I've been waiting over a hundred years for my wedding night," she beckoned him closer with her fingers.
Beast found himself moving closer, "I am a beast."
"I am far from the only woman in this kingdom that has fantasized about being taken by a beast," Aurora purred as her hands make contact with his arm. "The lady in the bakery has quite a few fantasies about horses." She swirled a finger on his forearm. "I am under no illusions that you are staying."
Beast felt the animal urge to breed this eager woman roar to life. He closed his eyes to wrestle his instincts under control.
Aurora removed his shirt as his eyes were closed. Her eyes roamed his body and was pleasantly surprised to see his form was mostly human aside from the clawed hands and feline feet. She could make out every muscle in his arms along with his well-defined chest. Loose pants covered his lower half, and she could make out his cock through it. Aurora's eyes were locked on the outline of his equipment. He was big. Thick and long in a way that made a tingle that spread through her lower half in anticipation.
Beast stopped fighting it. He threw off the loose pants. His cock was mostly human but had raised ridges along the length. He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her up effortlessly. His teeth ghosted along her skin as he began to kiss her collarbone and neck. He set her in the center of the bed moving along her body kissing and sucking her breasts as the pads of his fingers played the length of her slit. The scent of her rising arousal was driving him crazy. He moved down until his face was at her opening.
Aurora let out a gasp as she felt his hot breath on her pussy. She looked down to see the horns among the fur on his head. Beast looked up at her flashing her a hungry smile. He lowered his mouth on her. His tongue licked her slit top to bottom before swirling around her clit. She could feel her juices starting to flow. His tongue had little raised bumps on it that made her eyes flutter.
Aurora's thighs clamped down on his head. Her hands found his horns by instinct. Beast didn't seem to mind. She came so fast and hard as the lubricated bumps hit just right. He could feel her fluids now coating his lower face. Aurora's eyes were closed tight as her back arched and she had Beast in a death grip with her legs. Beast carefully pried her legs apart then guided her hands from his horns. He moved up from the bed, so he was above Aurora.
She was on the verge of losing her nerve now that an orgasm had cleared. Aurora was nervous as she looked down to see his raging erection pointing straight at her. They locked eyes. After a moment she nodded.
Beast reached down and placed his cock at her entrance. Rubbing the head up and down her slit teasing her for what was about to come. After a couple seconds of teasing, he pushed inside of her. Aurora's pussy felt heavenly having no problem taking his length to the limit.
When his cock was fully inside of her best friend Aurora's eyes were closed trying to get used to it.
Beast pulled his hips back pulling half of his length out of her soaking pussy before pushing slowly back in. He didn't put all of the force he wanted to into it managing to keep the feral drive in check. The next thrust made Aurora's eyes snap open. She let out a long moan as she looked down half-expecting a massive bulge coming out of her skin. His cock felt like it was stretching out her flat tummy.
Beast proceeded to pick up speed and started thrusting in and out. Aurora's pussy was already starting to squeeze his cock wildly. He was going to cum faster than he wanted if this kept up. Beast pulled his cock out. She gave a little whine at the unexpected emptiness.
He put Aurora's legs on his shoulders as he started to saw into her with a medium amount of force. Beast was getting closer due to Aurora her panting and moans. Leaning forward he bent Aurora almost in half. The focus it took to kiss her safely helped him last longer.
They both were breathing hard. Beast was so close but couldn't tell how close Aurora was. He picked up his speed trying to get her over the finish line before he did.
Aurora wanted to scream as his speed increased. Her orgasm was rapidly approaching. He moved one hand to her clit, rubbing the pad of his finger along her button. Her pussy clamped down, triggering his own orgasm. He just let out a rumbling growl as he came inside Aurora.
She was about to pass out as Beast fucked her through her orgasm. Beast couldn't hold back anymore. He put more weight on her putting her in a full mating press. He could feel his cock head press against her womb and her contract even harder. He wished he did this from the start because Aurora's eyes rolled back into her head. Beast embraced the primal drive and started to pound into her. He didn't last much longer. His second load was announced with a roar that rang through the room.
Aurora's legs fell boneless onto the bed as his cum started to leak out of her. Her pussy was a gaping mess as it tried to close to keep the cum inside of her. It was a beautiful sight he would treasure for the rest of his life. She was lost to her orgasm and the feeling of being filled so deeply.
"Just.. let me… rest for a moment," Aurora spoke between deep breathes. "Then we can go again."
Beast was breathing deeply as well. He wasn't sure how much longer he should stay. The king and queen would not be happy to find their princess in bed with a monster. He didn't argue, though. It would be worth it.