Title: All Is Calm
Author: tromana
Rating: PG
Characters: Prince Charming/Snow White
Summary: Charming had always loved Christmas as a child.
Disclaimer: Not mine
Spoilers: Up to 1x03 Snow Falls
Notes: Written for jungle_ride in the 2011 Stocking Swap on LiveJournal. Also? Shameless fluff. *cringes*

All Is Calm

Charming gazed out of the window, to survey his land. The first snow of the year had fallen and automatically, he smiled.

His wife, Snow, ironically enough, was with child. Far enough gone for it to be safely announced, but still a considerable distance from the birth, if all went well. Which it would; it had to. They deserved some cheer; not just himself and Snow, but the land as a whole. The birth of a new child, a new princess, would do just that.

The Queen's threat still haunted the people he ruled over. Nobody knew exactly what she meant by stealing everyone's happily ever afters, nor did they know what she intended to do. That was precisely what made the threat so powerful. The Queen was spreading hysteria purely through not knowing and that in itself was ruining people's existences. Whatever the actual threat she intended would be, it had to be a thousand times worse.

And the sooner they knew something, the sooner they could make plans to do deal with it. To save themselves and their happily ever afters.

He shook his head. It didn't matter. Not now. It was nearly Christmas.

He'd always loved Christmas as a child. Building snowmen with his father, adorning them with plastic crowns and making them princess snow ladies to go with them. Charming (he smirked, his wife even had him calling himself by that silly little nickname now) had always said they were the most beautiful princesses he'd ever seen. Who would have thought that one day, he would actually be married to a woman with skin as white as snow?

And she was a cheeky devil, too. Just yesterday, he'd caught her rifling through the cupboards, claiming to be looking for a blanket to keep out the chill. In reality, he'd known she was looking for one thing and one thing only: his Christmas gift to her. Well, that was safely locked away, in a place she (hopefully) wouldn't dream of looking. Snow would have to be patient for a change, though he doubted she knew the real meaning of that word.

Instead, after she awoke and had breakfasted, he had suggested they take a quick constitutional. Just because she was having a baby, it didn't mean that she had to stop. Besides, the fresh air would do her good, provided that she wore the appropriate attire. And as for the scenery, well, it was second to none. If she hadn't been pregnant, he would have suggested ice skating on the lake. Instead, this year, they would have to make do with watching the village children frolic on the frozen ice, imagining the year that their own daughter would be joining them. Provided of course, they manage to nip the Queen's threat in the bud. Which they would, it was his duty to do so.

Naturally, Snow had other ideas in mind. They were barely two steps outside before he felt the tell-tale thump of a snowball on his back. Charming couldn't help but let out a laugh. He hadn't been involved in a snowball fight since he was a child. He could remember his elder siblings ganging up on him and his mother chiding him whenever he tried to shift the focus onto the younger ones. Christmas had always been his favorite time of year and he doubted that would ever change. He just hoped that he could create just as many happy memories with Snow and their growing family as his mother and father had done so for him.

Snow planted her hands on her hips when he didn't throw a snowball back at him, pouting slightly as she did so. But how could he retaliate, especially so as she was just beginning to show? He didn't want to risk hurting her or the baby. There was enough threat in their life, without adding to it with avoidable ones.

Instead, he looked upwards and Snow did the same. Mistletoe. The servants must have put it into place just the night before. Swiftly, Charming closed the gap between himself and his wife and wrapped an arm around her waist. He kissed her chastely, not because he didn't want to be more passionate, but because they couldn't put on such a scene in public. It just wasn't the done thing to do. Besides, he knew that he could always save it for later, when they were in private.

Gently, Snow placed her hand in his own and they started walking towards the lake.

If only things could stay like this.

end