Many years ago, a long-awaited princess named Aurora was born in the kingdom neighboring his. This is not her story. And yet, Phillip's fate was to be intertwined with hers for when she was still a babe and he but a small boy, the two were betrothed to be married. Effectively, this did nothing all to change Phillip's life as a prince until sixteen years later when he returned to the neighboring kingdom to meet his bride. Presumably, they would have actually met before that save for one, small detail.

One of the fairies had not been invited to the christening of baby Aurora and, in a fit of pique, she laid a curse on the child that on her sixteenth birthday she would prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and die. Luckily, one of the other fairies present was able to the weaken the curse so that young Aurora would merely sleep until true love's kiss awoke her. Even with that, her parents were determined to do what they could to avoid the curse. Her father ordered all the spinning wheels in the kingdom to be burned and Aurora was given over into the care of three good fairies and given a new name as she lived like a peasant in the forest.

Because of this, you see, Phillip never knew his intended. Which became awkward when he met a beautiful peasant girl in the forest and fell in love with her. She was equally as enraptured with him and they made plans to meet again at her home later that night so they could tell her "family". Phillip raced back to his father to inform him the wedding with his betrothed was off because of course he was going to marry the woman he loved. Little did he know that meanwhile, his beloved was being informed that she was the princess Aurora and as such, could hardly marry some man she'd met in the forest and was expected even that night to return to her home in the castle.

By the time Phillip made it to the cottage in the woods, the cottage was deserted, save for the dark fairy who had cursed Aurora sixteen years before. Knowing that Phillip was her true love, the fairy could hardly leave him free to break the curse so easily. So she had her minions capture him and drag him away to her dungeon. There, it was she who informed him that his betrothed and his beloved were one and the same and that she slept without end in the castle. She informs him she will hold him captive for but a century, which is but a day to a steadfast heart. Then, old and decrepit, she will release him to his true love who, in her enchanted sleep, will not have aged a day. And prove, of course, that true love conquers all!

Indeed, it is a diabolical plan but once again, luck is on Phillip's side in the form of Aurora's three fairy guardians who rescue him from his chains. Freed, he is able to battle his way past the obstacles to the castle only to meet the dark fairy in dragon-form. This obstacle too he battles and manages to destroy her. After this Phillip climbs to the castle's top-most tower where his beloved awaits and whom he does indeed awaken with true love's first kiss.

But the story doesn't end there! For before the two can be married, Phillip hears a strange song while riding in the forest. He follows the tune until he comes to a path where the Piper awaits. He is given the choice of going to the Village or to Handel's Tears and home does not seem to be a part of either though Phillip's first response is to ride back through the forest as if he could return home. And yet, he always only seems to find that crossroads again and, finally weary, he finds himself in the Village and makes his home in the Castle.

For all that has happened to him, he is still determined to return to his bride. It should also be mentioned he has little care for the things of magic. Magic, he says, never seems to particularly end well. Even when one has good intentions.