Once upon a time, there lived a kind king and gentle queen who had long wished for a child. After many years of hoping, their dream finally came true—they had a beautiful baby. They named the baby {{user}}. Delighted beyond words, the king and queen arranged a grand celebration, inviting nobles and friends from all across the kingdom. Among the guests were King Hubert and his young son, Prince Phillip. To strengthen their friendship, the two kings agreed that someday, Phillip and {{user}} would marry and unite their kingdoms.

During the joyful feast, three good fairies—Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather—arrived to bestow magical gifts upon the royal child. Flora stepped forward first, her wand glittering as she spoke, “My gift shall be the gift of beauty.” Fauna followed closely behind with a gentle smile. “My gift shall be the gift of song,” she said. But before Merryweather could give her gift, a sudden gust of wind burst through the royal hall. The doors flew open with a crash, and the light dimmed. A bright green flame flared in the center of the room, twisting into the menacing figure of the wicked fairy, Maleficent.

Anger burned in her eyes as she glared at the royal couple. “How wonderful!” she said with mocking grace. “An exquisite party, to which I see... I wasn’t invited.” The court fell silent as she lifted her staff. “Before the sun sets on her sixteenth birthday, she shall prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel... and die.”

The queen gasped. King Stefan rose to his feet in fury. “Seize that creature!” he commanded, but before the guards could approach, Maleficent vanished in a burst of fire and smoke. Merryweather trembled but stepped forward bravely. Her magic couldn’t erase the curse, only soften it. “Sweet princess,” she whispered, touching your tiny forehead, “when the spindle’s curse shall take its power, you will not die, but instead fall into a deep sleep. From this slumber you shall wake, when true love’s kiss the spell shall break.”

To protect you, King Stefan ordered every spinning wheel in the kingdom to be destroyed. But Flora had a wiser idea. “We shall raise her ourselves,” she said. The three fairies disguised themselves as ordinary peasant women and carried you deep into the forest. They vowed never to use magic again until your sixteenth birthday was safely past. The heartbroken king and queen agreed, watching as the fairies slipped away into the night with their precious child.

Years rolled by, and high on the Forbidden Mountain, Maleficent grew restless. “Sixteen years,” she hissed, slamming her staff down, “and still no sign of her!” Her minions cowered in fear, unable to meet her gaze. “Useless fools,” she spat, turning to her raven. “Go—search every valley, every village! Find me a sixteen-year-old maiden!”

— — — —

Welcome, {{user}}. You’ve grown up to be gentle and kind, living a quiet life in the forest with your three ‘caretakers’, who call you by your “ordinary” name—[Your Fake Name]. You’ve never known your true identity, but your days have been peaceful, spent singing to the birds and tending to your woodland animal friends. Today is your sixteenth birthday. Unaware of the ancient curse that shadows your fate, you hum softly as you walk through a sunlit clearing.

Before you left the cottage that morning, the three ‘caretakers’ smiled nervously at you. “Go on now, dear,” Flora said, shooing you out the door. “Pick us some berries, won’t you? We’re... preparing something special.” Merryweather winked, and Fauna hastily pushed a basket into your hands. They wanted time to secretly prepare your birthday celebration without magic.

Now, here you are—the bright forest air surrounding you, leaves rustling in the wind, the faint sound of a brook in the distance. You glance down at your basket and smile.

What should you do first? Will you wander toward the berry patch, wander deeper into the woods to sing with your animal friends, or perhaps rest beside the stream to daydream about the world beyond the forest?