a/n I wrote this for school, and I decided to post it.

"Time: Real and Imaginary"

She was thrown harshly into the crude dungeon of the castle. The guards slammed the door and turned the key in the old rusty lock. Aurora fell down onto the old dirt floor. Her turquoise eyes looked upon the mold creeping up the wall as she thoughtfully twirled her blond hair. Suddenly, a large rat scampered across the floor and through a large hole in the wall. Aurora instinctively jumped. Now that she was once again on her feet, she wiped the dirt from her best robes and slowly walked towards the small barred window. There, before her, was the beautiful countryside that she knew so well. It had been a long day. She felt exhausted and collapsed upon a pile of hay in the corner of her cell. Swarms of insects scampered from underneath the hay and towards the walls. Aurora was too tired to care and fell asleep clutching her wand underneath her robes.

Aurora awoke the next morning to the bright sunlight streaming through the small window. Her bones ached as she stretched her long legs and arms. Why had she been shoved into this hellhole? The past few days had gone quickly, but surely there was an answer hidden in the events of the past days. She guessed it had started a few months ago when she had been called to study under the sorceress, Isis.

Aurora remembered the day she had walked towards the great stone gates. Passing through the gates and anxiously twirling her hair, she gazed upon the great stone castle with its high towers and watchful gargoyles. The thick oak doors swung open and the marble floors reflected the light of the day. On the walls hung beautiful tapestries with illustrations of heroic deeds from days past woven intricately into their fabrics. She smiled weakly as people passed her by. An odd looking women, with a crooked nose and a large mole on her chin, appeared.

" Are you Aurora?'' the women asked. Aurora nodded her head.

" Follow me," she said. They curved through many hallways and passed many people. Aurora's steps seemed to echo loudly along the expansive corridors. They stopped abruptly in front of one of the many doorways.

"What am I to expect?" thought Aurora.

"This is it, I will check to see if she is in," the plump women said as she popped her head inside the door.

" You may go in," she said pushing open the door. Behind the door was a big room with a small collection of books and three more doors. Two of the doors opened to large bedrooms with flowing bed covers and colorful window linens. The remaining door was slightly open. Inside this door appeared to be an office with sturdy chairs and a gray marbled desk. Aurora knocked on the partially opened door.

" Come in," a voice said from behind the door. Aurora pushed open the door and walked in. A tall woman sat at the marbled desk with her jet- black hair up in a bun. Her green eyes sparkled with sagacity.

"Pleased to meet you. My name is Aurora," Aurora said curtseying.

"Come closer," said the woman. She introduced herself as Madame Isis. Madame Isis then ushered her towards a large carved armoire. There were dragons and birds with wings of fire carved deeply into its' wooden doors.

" What hand do you eat with?" Madame Isis inquired.

"My left," Aurora replied. She thought this was a very odd question to be asking upon their first meeting. Madame Isis turned the brass knobs of the grand armoire revealing numerous pieces of wood inside.

"Try this one," Madame Isis said. Aurora lifted the smooth piece of wood into her hand, and waved it in the air. Yellow and blue stars flew from the end of the wand. The room was drenched in brilliant light. The shadows disappeared and time seemed to be frozen in that instant.

" Just what I thought; fourteen inches of oak, and two strands of unicorn hair," Madame Isis said. Aurora rolled the wand comfortably in her hands, knowing this was hers.

" You must keep this safe, and carry it everywhere," Madame Isis said looking deeply into Aurora eyes.

" I promise I will," Aurora said. As she turned to walk away, Aurora glanced back at Isis to see her green eyes sparkling with a wisdom collected over centuries of time.

Aurora smiled as she remembered those precious days of learning. A grating noise brought Aurora back to her present reality - a dark, damp and filthy cell. A guard slipped a small plate of food under the cell door. The plate was cold and dirty with nothing more than a piece of bread. Aurora ate the bread and hoped for something more, but it never came.

Gazing out upon the setting sun, Aurora remembered how the King had grown ill. The best doctors came from everywhere, but a cure could not be found. After much debate among the royal court, it was decided that Madame Isis might be able to cure the King.

Aurora had been sitting in Isis' office when a sharp knock came at the door. Aurora opened the door and saw a young man of about 20 standing on the other side. The man arrogantly strode into the office and demanded to see Madame Isis at once.

" Is Madame Isis in? This is urgent!" the young man announced. His dark shifty eyes and slick blond hair gave him a lecherous appearance.

" Have a seat. Whom may I tell her is waiting?" Aurora asked.

" Prince Kendrick," he said as if she should know. Aurora walked quickly into Isis' back room to announce that the Prince was waiting for her.

" Send him in," Madame said. Aurora ushered the Prince towards the back room and returned to her lesson on freezing time. After a long while, Prince Kendrick strode out of the back room and looked at her to open the door. Aurora opened the door just to be polite. As soon as the Prince was safely outside of the confines of the office, Madame Isis started on the allaruces potion.

"Three pieces of spider hair," Madame said. Aurora walked over to the large rows of the ingredients on the south wall.

"There are not many left," Aurora said.

"That is strange. I just gathered some the other day," said Madame. Aurora grimaced at the thought of this wondering where the missing spider hairs could have gone.

" I thought spider hair was poisonous," Aurora said remembering her lesson.

"It is unless used with mandrakes syrup," Madame said. The potion was finally complete, and it was time for the potion to be taken to the King's room.

" Aurora, please mix this in with the King's drink," Madame requested.

Aurora had arrived at the King's corridor and quickly walked to the King's bedroom. She passed the Prince on the way into the King's bedroom. The Prince was smiling oddly as he exited his father's bedroom. Aurora stepped into the lavish room. The room was spectacular. It gleamed with gold and was filled with ornate furnishings and bold tapestries.

"We were expecting you," said a servant.

" Follow me," said the other. The servant led her across the room to where the food was being prepared. She slowly mixed the potion into the King's drink. As she was mixing, Aurora thought she noticed something strange about the pheasant meat on the King's plate. She spoke with the royal cook about the odd appearing meat. The cook took note of her comments, but said everything was fine. Aurora left the room, but couldn't help thinking about the King's meal. Something didn't seem right. Aurora slept restlessly that night.

The next morning, the Prince made an announcement.

"Our dear beloved king, who made this kingdom so great and rich, has died by poisoning," he said without the slightest bit of hesitation or sadness in his voice. People started whispering. Then one of the Prince's attendants whispered something into his ear.

" I have just been made aware that Madame Isis' apprentice went into my father's corridors yesterday and mixed something into his drink," the Prince said pointing to Aurora. There was an uproar in the hostile crowd. Somehow, Aurora managed to slip quietly from the room. Aurora ran towards Madame's office and locked the door. "What would happen now?" she thought. Even if there was a trial, the person who was truly guilty was the Prince, and he would be the judge. A knock startled her to her senses.

"Who is it?" she asked.

"Madame," the voice replied. Aurora got up and wiped the tears from her eyes. She opened the door to see the all-knowing eyes of Madame Isis.

"Your trial is in an hour," she said.

"Only one hour of freedom left," Aurora thought.

"I am sorry to say I will not be there," Madame also said.

"Why?" Aurora asked.

"All I can say is that I am needed elsewhere," she replied. Aurora nodded her head to that.

" I do have some advice to you. Always be prepared," Madame said leaving the room. The hour ticked by slowly. Finally it was time for Aurora to appear in court. She walked apprehensively down to the throne room and bowed to the Prince.

Before any statements or evidence was heard, a sentence was laid upon her head.

"You shall be burned at the stake for my fathers death!" Prince Kendrick said. Then two rather ugly large guards dragged her down to the dungeon and into the cell where she was now.

Loud footsteps and laughter brought Aurora back to reality once more. "Be prepared." These words kept running through her head. Could the time freezing spell stop the flames and give her enough time to escape? She had never been able to master it completely. Could she risk her life on it? She hoped with all her might that this would work. She stood next to the door waiting for the guards to come and collect her. As they paraded her through the palace, many eyes watched her with disgust and hatred. She was roughly taken to the courtyard. In the middle of the courtyard, stood a large wooden stake with a pile of wood below it. Many faces stared at her, but none were familiar. She was on her own.

The guards tied her arms behind the stake and secured her feet to the ground. They lit the fire and stepped away. The angry faces in the crowd leered at her. It was now or never. The simple charm "ptos emit" left her lips.

"Oh, no. It is not working!" she shouted to no one in particular. She could feel her feet burning. She said the charm over and over. Finally, she shouted it once more at the top of her lungs. Everything stopped. The once leering mob looked like statues. The ropes loosened. The fire was bright, but was no longer burning - consuming her life. Aurora stepped away from the fire and ran with her feet burning with pain. She did not know where she was going, or how she was going to get there. She remembered the words that had saved her life - " Be prepared". From now on, where ever she went or whomever she meet, she would be prepared for anything.

a/n I hoped you liked it. Do you see that button , yeah right need to push this and review.