Author's Notes: This was written for 'The Fear Challenge' and the 'Challenge - Evanescence and Within Temptation' challenges. The song that inspired this was 'Snow White Queen' (hence the title) written and sang by Amy Lee (the band is called Evanescence). It's about Amy's experience with a stalker (she couldn't go home and had to live in different Hotels for like a week), and the twisted way he thinks of her. Hope you enjoy (and review)!

Snow White Queen

You'll never know the way your words have haunted me.

I can't believe you'd ask these things of me.

You don't know me.

Now and ever.

You belong to me,

My snow white queen.

There's nowhere to run, so let's just get it over.

Soon I know you'll see,

You're just like me.

Don't scream anymore my love, 'cause all I want is you

Snow White Queen - Evanescence

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The night was black. There was not a single star in the sky; the moon was hidden by a thick group of ominous clouds. There was no comforting yellow glow from the streetlamp outside. The night was not polluted by noise - except for the occasional scampering of mice or flutter of wings from outside. A sudden streak of lightening light up the sky - like someone had turned on the sun then let it flicker off and fade into the ebony shadows. It was followed by a great rumble of thunder and the soft and gentle pitter patter of raindrops.

There was a soft moan of fear from the bed in the centre of the room. A curved figure lay beneath heaps of blankets. Her body shivered reluctantly even though she was completely surrounded by thick and warm fabric. The fire in the corner was burning so fiercely it was almost dancing over the grate, yet nothing could warm her flesh - for it was not the cold that was making her shiver. What made her shiver was the thought of cold fingertips on her shoulder and her neck, the thought of hearing his silky velvet voice whispering cold threats in her ear and letting him slowly and painfully chip away at all that was left of her sanity. The fear shook her until she couldn't breathe, couldn't think, couldn't move. She was bound by it - held immobile and silent by her own worst nightmares.

She promised she wouldn't be afraid, that she would stand strong for him. She promised. And she had fully- no, completely intended to keep that promise. But now, she is not sure she can. How could she serve him with her comrades, when the thought of his smouldering gaze terrified her so much that she could no longer sleep for fear? How could she murder and torture and capture people for his cause when being in the same room as him made her tremble with anxiety? How could she have believed she could do this?

A mouse scuttled along the floor and she flinched - she had been expecting him of course, coming to torture her, to threaten her and her family. Noises in the dark where scary enough, without the thought of 'him' stuck in her mind like some terrible disease that couldn't be cured. Tears spilled over the brim of her eyes and trickled down her cheeks - they were warm, but they made her frozen cheeks sting. She let out a sob and tried to stuff her fist into her mouth - but as everyone who has tried to stuff their fist into their mouth knows, it doesn't work. Out came another sob. A bat suddenly flew past the window, with its wing scratching against the window. More tears. She let out another sob and wrapped her arms around herself, trying desperately to cling to any source of comfort she could find.

At the moment, she did not feel stupid or babyish or humiliated. There was only one thing she felt, stronger than anything before. Fear.

His cruel words had haunted her for weeks; every night she had been tormented by nightmares or she had no sleep at all. Not since August, when she had been innocent of all of this pain, had she had a proper nights sleep. No spell could bewitch her and no potion could lure her into a dreamless sleep. No matter how hard she tried she had always woke up screaming and shouting for mercy. Making her look like a fool even in front of her sister. But none of them new what he could do - no one knew just how powerful and possessive he could be. No one understood that she was his. He was free to torture her, to harm her and even control her. She had fought so hard to be an equal to them all, to be respected, only to be cut down and left even weaker than she was before.

A sudden torrent of cold air extinguished the fire and made the window rattle. It caused her mind to submerge her in fear, smothering her, covering her mouth and nose. Then she sat bolt upright, sobbing and gasping. Never before had she had something to fear this badly. Her father, his drunken friends, the older boys at school; they had been all she had to fear before. Stupid little men only concentrating on one thing - she could handle that. It was nothing. Now, it was different. He was so different. She had greedily lunged at the opportunity to prove herself - like a parched man finding water. She had joined with her friends to fight for the cause that they wholeheartedly believed in, awestruck by this wonderful man. Now she was stuck. In too deep - drowning in her own irrevocable fear.

She stumbled off of her bed and over to the window, pushing it as far open as possible and breathing in deeply the smell of clean air. It was almost as if the rain had washed away all of the impurities in the landscape - leaving only what is beautiful and true. If only that is what happened to people. Another wave of fresh air, her lips almost curving into a rare smile. Then she felt it. She felt the ice-cold tips of his fingers on her neck and a cool hand slipping down her front to around her waist; his soft hair brushing against her ear and his teeth sinking into her skin. She could feel him twisting a curl of her ebony hair around his finger and sniff the smell of her perfume that still lingered in it. He let it fall back into place and pressed his face against her cheek. She opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came - she shook with fear as his hands ran up her body to around her neck.

"Don't be afraid," he whispered softly into her ear," - and don't scream anymore," Then the pain hit. He let her tumble to the floor: letting go of her curved waist, and watched in delight as she writhed in agony, as an invisible fire ravaged across her entire body and knives slit her skin.

The only comforting thing about nightmares is that they always end happily - you wake up. But no matter how hard she tried to convince herself, this was not a nightmare. This was real - there would not be a happy ending.

Author's Notes: Probably the darkest thing I have ever written. Is it normal to freak yourself out writing a story? Because I was shaking when I wrote this. Or maybe I'm hungry... I've been so caught up writing this I have eaten a proper meal all day... or done my homework xD Please Review - I'm not sure if it's any good, but I really needed to write this plot bunny down, and these two challenges have been perfect. If anyone hasn't cone over to the Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges yet, you really should. They're a really good source of inspiration. And sick-atxxheart's challenges are really just perfect for anything you want to write. :)

EDIT 08/02/10 - I've received a couple of reviews explaining that sometimes this story doesn't make sense, so I've decided to just go over it and sort out any mistakes. Nothing major changed, just a few extra sentences and spelling corrections. Hope I've caught everything ^,^