"It was a very hilly place surrounded by towering mountain ranges. It was a surpringly dismal land, although the twins weren't sure what they had expected. All the fields were dry, and all the tress were bare. Everything seemed like it hadn't been alive for a very long time."[1]
Characteristics
The third largest kingdom, stretched along the east. The kingdom used to be known as the Eastern Kingdom, but it was renamed after the entire kingdom fell into a deep sleep due to the Sleeping Curse.
The kingdom is ruled by Queen Sleeping Beauty and her husband King Chase Charming. When Alex and Conner first lay eyes on the kingdom in The Wishing Spell, it is in poor shape and its inhabitants have trouble keeping awake. In The Enchantress Returns, the kingdom has recovered from the curse and is renamed The Eastern Kingdom.[2]
The kingdom has a history of "spindle-related" misfortune due to the Evil Enchantress Ezmia. She has held a grudge against the royal family of the Eastern Kingdom for decades, first cursing the old King for not returning her feelings and falling in love with a spinner girl instead of with her, then cursing his son so he would only fall in love with a woman who could spin gold out of hay, and finally, cursing his granddaughter so she would die when she pricked herself on a spinning wheel.[3] This curse was weakened by a fairy, turning it into the Sleeping Curse instead.
History
The Dragon Age
The kingdom was consumed with volcanoes. Dragons would lay their eggs in the magma so their offspring could grow in the heat.[4]
The Age of Magic
The Happily Ever After Assembly is founded and the kingdoms are devided. The kingdom falls under the Sleeping Curse; eventually the curse is lifted by Prince Chase Charming, and he and Sleeping Beauty are wed. The kingdom is renamed the Eastern Kingdom.
The Golden Age
After years of "living happily ever after", the Enchantress threatens to take over the Land of Stories. Roughly a year later, General Marquis and the Grande Armée arrive and attack the kingdoms. When that crisis is overcome, the Masked Man attacks the kingdom.
Story
The Wishing Spell
Alex and Conner meet Queen Sleeping Beauty and she allows them to borrow her spindle if they promise to bring it back. They then go to the other kingdoms to fetch other items for the Wishing Spell, and return to the Sleeping Kingdom to go to the Thornbush Pit and the Abandoned Castle.
The Enchantress Returns
The Sleeping Kingdom is the first kingdom to be attacked by Ezmia, the enchantress who originally cursed Sleeping Beauty and her kingdom with the Sleeping Curse, and for a long while she assumes the enchantress has returned to "finish the job" and kill her. Ezmia corrects her and makes it clear she means to take over the entire Land of Stories. The kingdom is briefly surrendered to Ezmia before she is defeated.
A Grimm Warning
Once the threat of the Grand Armée becomes real to the inhabitants of the Land of Stories, each kingdom begins organizing their armies. The Masked Man leads the Grande Armée to the Eastern Kingdom to hatch their dragon egg. Villagers are kidnapped to work for them. The Eastern Kingdom army fights along in the battle.
Beyond the Kingdoms
After the Masked Man travels into works of literature to recruit for his army, the Eastern Kingdom is attacked by the Queen of Heart's Playing Card Army.[5]
An Author's Odyssey
At the beginning of An Author's Odyssey, it is mentioned that after the Playing Card army attack, the kingdom ceased to be and was integrated in to a large empire ruled by the Masked Man. When he is deposed by the Queen of Hearts, Captain Hook and the Wicked Witch of the West, the three literary villains take over the rule of the Land of Stories. Queen Sleeping Beauty and King Chase Charming are saved by Jack, Goldilocks and their friends.
Notable Places
- Sleeping Valley - a village in the Sleeping Kingdom
- Sleeping Beauty's Castle
- Sleeping Beauty's Bedroom
- Sleeping Beauty's Castle
- The Abandoned Castle : hiding place of the Evil Queen
- Pinocchio Prison : home to the most dangerous criminals in the kingdoms
- The Thirteenth Floor : cell of Rumplestiltskin
- The Masked Man's Cell
- Gretel's Cell
- The Thornbush Pit
Notable Characters
- Queen Sleeping Beauty : ruling monarch
- King Chase Charming : husband of Queen Sleeping Beauty
- Princess Ash : Sleeping Beauty and Chase's adopted daughter
- Sleeping Beauty's royal advisor : a short, old man with a white beard.[6]
- The Eastern Kingdom army: In A Grimm Warning, the army is said to have approximately 1,500 soldiers (before fighting the Grande Armée).[7]
- Farmer Robins
- Rook Robins
- Rumplestiltskin (while imprisoned)
- The Masked Man (while imprisoned)
- Gretel (and presumably Hansel before he died)
- Lady of the East