Day 6: Prince Charming

Dedicated to: Caroline Foster

Statement of Witness

Your details:

Name: Leah Rose

Address: 21 Aurora Crescent, Auckland

Date of Birth: 30 May 1978

Occupation: Beautician

Phone: 0210 272 0551

Email address: queenleahrose@gmail.com

Your statement:

1.       My full name is Leah Rose. I have known the accused, Phillip Hubert-Prince, for 12 months. Last year, Phillip had a relationship with my daughter, Briar Rose, which lasted a few weeks.

2.       After the relationship ended, Briar came home from school on several occasions crying. She told me that Phillip had been taunting her at school and calling her a ‘tease’ and a ‘frigid bitch’. She did not wish me to tell anyone, including the school, and eventually I thought the bullying had stopped.

3.       About a month ago, Briar was very upset again but this time she wouldn’t tell me why. Her friend Cindy Heller told me that Phillip and a group of boys had been following Briar home and had attempted to grab her. Briar would not discuss this with me. I contacted the school, but they said that without Briar making a statement, nothing would be done. Briar refused to speak to anyone.

4.       On 31 December 2017, Briar and her father, Stefan Rose, argued. He wanted her to stay at home in case Phillip was at the new years’ eve party she was going to. Briar was certain he would not be. We agreed that Briar could go and I would pick her up at 1am, or earlier if she or Cindy called me. At 9pm, I drove her to the party at 30 Kingdom Close. It was being hosted by Eric Marcher.

5.       At 11.15pm, I received a text from Cindy.

QUOTE ‘Phillip is here, but his not doing anything. Briar is OK bout it. xx ’ END QUOTE

I replied

QUOTE ‘Thanks, Cindy. Should I come and get you? xx ’ END QUOTE

Cindy replied

QUOTE  ‘We r fine now but will let u no.’ END QUOTE

6.       I didn’t hear from Cindy or Briar again, but I left early to pick them up. I arrived at the party at 12.30am.

7.       The house was busy and I could not find Briar or Cindy, so I asked one of their friends, Tiana Naveen, if she had seen either of them. She said Cindy was in the back garden and she thought Briar might be in the upstairs bathroom as she’d cut her finger. I went straight upstairs to look for Briar.

8.       Briar was not in the bathroom. I saw Eric, who told me she was fine but a bit drunk and having a lie down in his parents’ room.

9.       I found Briar and Phillip alone on Eric’s parents’ bed together. Briar was unconscious on top of the covers. Her dress was pushed up around her waist and she did not have underwear on. Phillip’s shorts were pushed down. Phillip was on top of Briar, kissing her on the mouth and neck. His hand was on one of her breasts and he was masturbating with the other hand.

10.   Phillip saw me and jumped up. I shouted ‘you evil, wicked, disgusting, rapist bastard.’ He ran out of the room.

11.   Cindy and Tiana came into the room. I sent them out and told them to call the police and stop Phillip from leaving. I did not see Phillip again that night.

12.   I pulled Briar’s dress back down and tried to wake her up by shaking her and saying her name. Her eyes opened a few times, but she made no sound. She was asleep the whole time.

Declaration:

I believe that the facts stated in this document are accurate and true.

Signed:

L.Q.Rose                      

Date:

02 January 2018

Words: 618

Explanation

My lovely cheerleader Val thought that this story might need some explanation to be fully appreciated. Of course, you don’t have to read this and can enjoy (or hate) the story as it is.

The story is a commentary on traditional Disney fairytale tropes. 

Prince Charming’s plot is based on Sleeping Beauty. Briar Rose, Queen Leah, King Stefan and Prince Phillip all feature in this fairytale. Briar cutting her finger is a nod to the spinning wheel needle in the original story and Phillip’s assault of her is based on the end of the story when the Prince kisses Sleeping Beauty in her sleep.

Other characters are named after famous Disney princes and princesses. Eric of Kingdom close is of course Prince Eric from the Little Mermaid. Cindy Heller is Cinderella and Tiana appears in the Princess and the Frog.

The plot of Prince Charming however, places the mother and Cindy at the centre of the story; they are women guarding women against men who threaten their agency.

I think (though I can’t now remember) that I read a Zoe Fairbairn writing challenge, which was to re-write a traditional story from another perspective.

Anyway, like they don’t say, the best stories all require a five-paragraph exposition to be understood and enjoyed. 😊