In other words, this is where my Fairy-tale-land plot bunnies are going from now on. And trust me, I've got plenty of those.

Enjoy!

True Names (Part I)

The pair escaped the hunting party without a hitch, and by the time the sky began to lighten with approaching dawn they were well out of harms way.

Snow realized that she had no idea where they were going. Away was all that had been needed at the time. And away they were. Now what?

She didn't ask Red, though. The girl was crying silently beside her, and Snow felt should not be troubled with questions just then.

They hadn't gotten very far before Red had first thrown up, still sobbing from the realization that she was, in fact, a bloodthirsty werewolf. That she had killed men. That she had killed her Peter. It was more than any person should ever have to face. Snow could offer no words of comfort – her sheltered princess upbringing had not prepared her for moments like this. Nothing she could have come up with would have helped anyways.

So when the red-cloaked girl had composed herself more, she urged her back into motion. Keep moving, she kept telling Red, just keep moving.

And keep moving they did.

Now, a sort of uncomfortable silence had fallen over them in the early morning. It amazed Snow how little she was afraid. She has seen Red as a wolf, devouring a helpless young man. But she had seen her scream and cry out in anguish as she realized what she had done. She could not help her curse. She had lost so much; she did not need to lose her friendship.

"W-where are we going?" Red asked. Her voice was surprisingly calm, though her face was pale and tearstained. It was a wonder she was still sane.

Snow looked around them. The landscape was foreign to her, but then, most landscape was. The land forests thinned to the occasional field, empty save the knee-high grass. "I don't know."

"We could find a village. Settle down, where no one knows us."

"You could," Snow said, a slight bitterness creeping into her usually meek voice.

Red looked surprised and a touch hurt. "You'd leave?"

This wasn't a conversation she'd wanted to have, ever. But Red was distracted, at least a little, from the horror she'd seen and been through. She wanted to keep her diverted. And true friends deserved true names.

"My name's not really Mary," she said, by way of explanation.

Red said, "I know," solemnly nodding. Snow missed her innocent, though a bit naïve smile, just as much as she missed her own. We're too young for tragedies, she thought. But fate didn't seem to care.

She took a breath, and couldn't help but look around her despite being very much alone. "I'm Snow. Snow White."

Red looked at her for a long moment while Snow gauged her reaction. Finally she said uncertainly, "That's a pretty name…"

Snow let out a quiet laugh, "I forget. You're- you were so sheltered, you probably never heard."

"Heard what?"

"I'm a princess. Well, I was a princess." There was no way to properly tell this story, and no way to sum it up. "I- I caused my step mother pain and she drove herself mad with want for revenge. She murdered my father, and sent a huntsman to kill me. He pitied me, told me to run. That was, oh, a month before I found you."

Red's eyes had gone wide, "so when you said someone was looking for you…"

Snow nodded, "I've heard rumors that she's claimed I'm a traitor to my kingdom, in order to gain support. She could have my father's entire guard after me. And if I were to go to a town, even one that doesn't know me now…"

"It'd only be a matter of time before word reached them."

Another nod. "Red, I'm alright with running, but if you were caught with me you'd be in danger. I don't want that."

Red gave a shaky smile, "I understand." There was a pause before she said, "I just won't stay in a town, then."

"Red…"

"If I found a cottage. Out in the woods like this. No one could find us."

"Red, what would we do?"

"I'm a good hunter, you know that," she said it before she thought and the pain glazed over her eyes again. Too good.

Scared that she might lose her to tears and memories again, Snow broke in, "That wouldn't be enough. Red, if you want to settle in a town where you can be happy, do. Please."

"I would be a danger there. This cloak isn't perfect, I know it isn't. What if it's magic wore off? I couldn't risk that either, Snow. I'll be fine on my own. I can support myself."

She sounded like a different person to her. More confident, more assured. More capable of overriding any of Snow's protests.

"I just want you to have happiness," Snow said softly.

Red smiled. It was a sad smile. The smile of someone who had learned all the hard lessons in life that make smiling difficult. "Then help me find this cottage, alright?"

She had no reply for that, but trudged in the snow with her friend, indeed looking for some sort of abandoned cottage with which Red could make a home. She didn't like the idea of her friend living alone… but wasn't that exactly the future she had planned for herself? Who was she to deny her of it?

"And… maybe visit?" Red added, after the momentary silence. Snow opened her mouth but was cut off, "Every once and a while. You wouldn't have to stay long. But if people want you dead… I'd like to know you're living."

Snow found herself smiling at that. She reached for Red's hand, giving it a comforting squeeze. "I'll visit you, Red. Of course, I will."

The silence felt more comfortable, as the sun reached above the trees. Red was still pale, still in pain, and Snow would stay with her a while, just to make sure she was surviving. And perhaps one day, they'd no longer need to be alone. Snow had a feeling theirs was the kind of friendship that would be as strong that day as it was then.

But first, they needed to find that cottage.

Just some platonic fluff for you guys. I love Snow and Red's friendship. Expect more scenes soon! :D

Reviews = love. Always.