Welcome to my one-shot Snowing fic based on Phoenix-Talon's prompt, "Midnight, Charming's castle, Snow looks out and sees the first snowfall of the year."
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In the time he lived in the castle, James had yet to not awake at the midnight toll from the belfry. This night was no exception. He felt a slight pang of longing for the quiet, peaceful nights in the countryside from his youth. In his half-awake state he saw the rolling green hills and expansive blue skies, but a chill breeze came and ushered the dream away. With a yawn he reached out for the form he had so quickly became accustomed to sleeping beside in these short months. She wasn't there.
Startled out of his slumber, James looked across the darkened bedchamber. He scanned over the forms of furniture, dismissing each as he went, to the balcony. It took him a moment, as his eyes adjusted, to realize what he was gazing at. The doors to the balcony were wide open, a dusting of snow swirled in the wind. His own Snow stood with her back to him, facing the night sky. She looked angelic with her white gown flowing gracefully from her body and her dark hair cascading down her back. So mesmerized was he at his wife standing there that James did not immediately process just why she was doing so. When he realized this, he swung his feet out from the coverlet and felt the sting of the winter air on them. The tunic he slept in came to his knees, but below them the air nipped at him. The tiles were also cold beneath him as he crossed the room to meet her.
Lights from torches that dotted the small village below wall shone palely through the twirling flakes. Snow stared, enchanted, as her namesake fluttered about her. Lost in thought, she did not hear her husband behind her.
Without a word, James wrapped his arms around her, inhaled her sweet scent, brushed his lips on her neck. He felt her jump slightly at his initial touch, but then she settled comfortably in his arms. He marveled at how perfectly she felt there, as if they were made for this. They did not need to speak.
Snow reached up and caressed his hair, and he held her closer. After a while, Snow remarked softly, "I hope I didn't wake you." She nuzzled into his neck and felt his warm breath on her forehead.
"I hope you haven't been awake long," he replied in kind, "Can't sleep?"
Snow clasped her arms around his, holding on to his embrace, and continued to stare into the night, enchanted by the fluffy white flecks.
"Snow?" He asked after she didn't respond. His voice was twinged with concern. He felt the corners of her mouth turn into a slight smile before she turned her face to him. The smile calmed him.
"It's the first snow," she remarked. James felt worry grow inside him again, but the delighted twinkle in her eyes again calmed him. "When I was a girl, I would sneak out of my chambers, down to the courtyard, and dance in the snow. I would dance and dance, imagining that my prince was there," she swayed in his arms, recalling her memory, "and I wouldn't stop until I was so cold that I could no longer feel my feet, or my chamber maid noticed my absence and came calling for me." She giggled at this, reveling in her adventures.
James loved the sound of her laughter, but he sensed that something was off. Once more, worry rose up inside of him, and this time he asked about it. "Love, what's troubling you?"
Snow became still in his arms and looked away. "I didn't say—"
"Something is," he remarked, rubbing her bare arms, they were like ice, "Have you not noticed the cold? Something is troubling you, what is it?"
Snow broke away from him and strode to the edge of the balcony. Her bare feet left imprints in the snow on the balcony floor. Another layer of snow sat upon the railing.
"I admit that I haven't been sleeping well, not since… Not since her."
"The queen?" James asked gently, now beside her, an arm around her shoulders.
"Yes," Snow replied shakily. She absentmindedly twirled her finger through the snow on the railing. "I have a deep sense of foreboding, it weighs heavily on me," she confessed after a moment. Her eyes shone with tears as she looked up at her husband.
James felt a wave of sadness wash over him. How had he not seen this? His bride was clearly distressed, had there been signs of this that he missed?
"Are… are you unhappy here?" He asked finally, "with me?" His breath became shallow, the cold air clenching his throat.
Tears spilled down Snow's rosy cheeks, and she fervently shook her head, "Of course not, I love you. You are the one thing that is dearest to me… If I ever lost you…" Her face crumpled and he drew her into a firm embrace.
"You will never lose me, Snow White." His own tears splashed into her midnight hair and mingled with the snow flurries there. He tightened his grip on her.
"I feel as if I will," she sobbed into his chest, "I feel as if a great storm is coming, one that will rip us apart, forever. And all will be lost."
"No, Snow White, we will fight it. We will fight as we always have. Evil cannot win, not forever." He kissed her forehead.
"I wish I had your faith," she replied with a hiccup, clenching the folds of his tunic in her hands as if something was pulling him from her. "I wish I could chase away this darkness I feel. I once thought that I would never be happy again, and now that I am – I'm the happiest I've ever been – I'm terrified that it's all going to be taken from me."
"Snow, think of everything that has tried to keep us apart," James asked, drawing her back into the relative warmth of their chamber; both of them were now shivering. He hated the way her face darkened at his words. "King George made you tell me you didn't love me. The evil queen tried to kill you. If this wasn't true love, we wouldn't be together now. But we are, and it is. It's the strongest thing in the world."
"Aren't you at all scared?" Snow asked, tracing the outline of his face with her hand. "True love is stronger than her, yes, but she's still terribly powerful. True love didn't keep me from hurting you before and it didn't keep her from giving me that apple. It brought us back together, but what more will happen before she's finally gone?" Snow looked back to the balcony, and added in more of a whisper, "Will she ever be?"
"I guess it picks its battles," James said with an irresistible smile that melted Snow. Before she had a chance to say something else, James developed a sparkle in his eyes. With a broader grin he pulled on his fur lined cloak that was hanging on the wall and grabbed Snow's. "Come with me," he told her as he wrapped her cloak about her.
"Where?" Snow asked, but she allowed him to lead her into the hallway and down the service stairwell. She had a slight hunch.
Neither guard nor maid was about the inner courtyard when they arrived. The snow was still falling and it had turned the courtyard into a magical place, not unlike the one Snow remembered from her childhood. She let out sigh of awe, enthralled by the sparkling snow.
James kissed her cheek and whispered, "No matter what happens, remember, I will always find you."
With that he bowed deeply and asked, "May I have this dance?"
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