Black As Night

A Snow White & the Huntsman Story

Night loomed across the castle like the essence of perfume on a woman's neck, creating a more powerful sense of loneliness than what was present before. She could feel slight flakes of snow kissing her cheeks as she looked up at the moon from her balcony. It had never seemed clearer before, nothing had, not even her life. Not until she met Eric. He came on her mind every moment, and though she felt guilty for it, how could he not be on her mind?

He was a breath of fresh air in all the suffocating, warmth in absolute coldness, a heart beating in a comatose state. She had never felt so safe with anyone, never trusted anyone as much as she did with him. She smiled at the thought of him being with her and then she took one last look at the moon. "My Heavenly Father. Thank you, thank you for bringing me him. Please watch over him. Please watch over my huntsman."

Crank! The log on his stump split at the strength of his axe. He stopped and tossed the firewood into the wheelbarrow planted firmly in the dirt nearby. He was sweating profusely, with streams of sweat dripping down his face. Not a single brush of wind whirled through Marigold Forest, which lied five miles away from the nearest village. He took a deep breath and gazed at the moon shining brightly upon him. The white of the moon immediately made him think of her. But then again, everything made him think of her. The feel of rose petals on his fingertips made him think of her soft skin, the intense color of red apples made him think of her lips, and the light green grass in the meadow by his cabin made him think of her green eyes. He quickly grew furious at this, considering he had secluded himself to the forest to forget about her, and he was failing at it. He knew she would be happy as Queen of the Kingdom; helping the people, attending parties, and enjoying the little things she had missed out on as a child due to her imprisonment. "She is better off." He muttered to himself.

He sliced another piece of firewood before pausing, and taking one last look at the moon. "God or, whoever is up there, please...watch over her, for me. Please watch over my Queen." My Queen... He thought, before a single gust of wind blew against his face. His hand extended openly to feel the whirling air on his aching hand and in an instant, an almond flower landed on he center of his hand.

Rip! The comb ravaged through Snow's thick mane, pulling out her tangled strands and creating a wave of hair as it relinquished her locks from its bristles. She clenched her teeth at the pain and Laura, her maid, could sense it.

"Sorry, your majesty. It's just these locks of yours are as tangled as a knot. Traveling through the dark forest will do that to ya! Your hair is never quite the same." She said in her light, flowing voice.

Snow just smiled at the thought of her adventures with Eric in that horrific place.

"But no need to fear, we'll have your hair all shiny and tamed by your one year coronation ball tonight."

A whole year has gone by? Snow thought in amazement.

"Prince William will be amazed at your beauty tonight, your Majesty." Laura said, going much slower in her stripping of the knots in Snow's long raven hair.

Snow had seen him time to time when he would visit for holidays or meetings with the council. They would take long walks in the garden and ride their mustangs through the beach, as though they were children again. She felt happy in his company, as just one joke from his sweet lips could make her smile and forget all that was troubling her. She had missed him during her imprisonment. He was her friend, her confidant, her only source of fun now.

"I doubt it. William and I are simply friends." She said with such certainty. She had not remembered the kiss between them in the forest after Ravenna had poisoned her. She had only remembered waking up and feeling a new sense of warmth in her heart.

"I don't know. With all the work I'll be doing on you, he might change his mind about just being your friend."

Snow just smiled in the mirror with Laura and waited in anticipation for her royal ball.

"Presenting the magnificent Queen Snow White!" The servant called out to the guests, leaving an echo in the castle's grand ballroom.

Trumpets flared and the applause from her loyal guests made her smile joyfully. All she ever wanted was to rule the Kingdom. Continue her father's legacy and bring peace and prosperity to the land. And she had found it. She walked down the marble staircase, with her royal purple silk grown clasped in her fingers, giving way for her black lace bow shoes to complete her stylish entrance. Thick strands of her hair were pulled back and braided, and a thin rose gold wreath nestled gently on top of her head. She was dazzling, paralyzing everyone in the room with her beauty. Especially William, who waited at the foot of the stairs, with his hand outstretched for her to take. She smiled as she looked at him and took his hand as he guided her to the lavish party.

"My, my Snow, you look incredible. Just like your mother. She would be so proud." The Duke's wife said as she and her husband descended upon the happy couple.

"Truly amazing!" The Duke added.

"Thank you, really." Snow said, blushing so hard her cheeks had turned a rosy pink. William just stood right next to her, smiling at her, with such awe at what an incredible Queen she was. As if he ever doubted her.

"I propose a toast..." William said as the server came around with four chalices of wine. "To the beautiful Snow White. You've brought healing and hope into your people after Ravenna's destruction. I toast to more years to come with you as our Queen. Cheers!"

"Cheers!" The family said together before sipping down their wine.

After an hour of schmoozing and formally greeting her guests, Snow retreated out the grand doors and onto the back courtyard. A slight frost had settled on the petals of the crimson roses and gusts of chilling wind swayed her wavy locks across her face. She looked out from the stairs to take it all in as she walked down to the center of the cobblestone courtyard, where trees surrounded her and she had a view of the vast beach below. She stood there, listening to the music through the doors, and thinking of the luxurious ball her guests had prepared for her. She had met many guests-old and new-and enjoyed their company dearly. But still her heart yearned for the one guest that wasn't there-Eric.

"What kind of a queen doesn't enjoy her own party?" A husky voice said from behind her. He stood against the castle wall, wearing a cape with a thick hood, which shaded his face.

She smiled at him, as she could recognize his voice from anywhere.

"What can I say? Parties aren't quite my style. Isn't that what you always say to rationalize people throwing you out of them?" She said playfully.

He grinned at her comment. She smiled as well, at the private joke they had concocted. Those times had touched them both and they could hear it in each other's laugh as he walked closer to her. They were so close they could hear each other breathe.

"Are you going to put the hood down so I can see your face?" She smiled halfheartedly, thinking of the pain yet the joy she was feeling in that one moment with him. "After all it has been a whole year."

She gently pulled it down, letting the velvet mask descend, revealing his breathtaking and handsome face. His hair was constrained in his usual bob fashion, mud smoldered against his face, due to the forest's harsh conditions, and his eyes projected the hardened feelings beckoning inside him.

Her hands slid down from the hood's rough edges and onto his tense shoulder blades. She clenched gently, yet tightly, trying to secure his location. She even tried not to blink, for fear he would disappear from her again. Her hand immediately reached for his face, caressing it when she finally secured it, and letting her eyes speak for her heart.

They soon became entwined in a moment of barefaced enchantment with one another. He gazed into her minty green eyes and took a moment to enjoy the warmth and the smoothness of her hand on his face. The love he felt for her when she looked into his damaged and broken soul enchanted him. But the fire he felt in his heart from that gaze caused him to pull back. His eyes diverted to the ground, unable to bear the guilt any longer. His hand went for her wrist and he deferred it as he took a few steps backwards, enough to be out of her reach.

"I can't, I can't, Snow. This isn't right." He muttered, as he sought for the strength to look into her eyes and not be overcome with emotion enough to cloud his reservations. He then thought of Ravenna and the hell Snow went through under her control. He thought of the dreams she had for her father's reign, and then his wife and how he couldn't bear to endure such a tragic fate for another woman he loved.

"Do your eyes know that?" She asked, dumbfounded by this resistance.

"I know that this is unconventional and it can't happen." He said sternly.

"Since when do you live your life conventionally?" She said sarcastically.

He shot her a last look of disapproval, to which she reciprocated.

"I made you a promise to you, two promises in fact, one that I would take you the Duke's castle and the other that I would help you fight Ravenna. I have done them both. It's time for us to go our separate ways." He said fiercely, though the sternness in his voice didn't make her shutter as it would've any other person.

"Why did you kiss me then?" She retorted, taking a step closer and fixating her gaze into his eyes. "Why did you tell me you loved me and that I made you feel whole again?"

"You surely must have tasted the alcohol on my breath." He said, disdaining the moment where they had first realized the chemistry lurking between them. The mood had hardened and blackened at the conflict creeping in each other's presence.

"If that is so, why are you here?" She denoted. "If you wish for us to go our separate ways, why do you return from your seclusion? To belittle me? To just be cruel?" She shouted.

"To stop you from thinking of me anymore." He said. "These wishes you had, will never come true."

He looked at her face, which had grown solemn, yet still impassioned. He managed to rip his eyes from her sight and he marched from the courtyard and into the darkness, once again leaving her abandoned.

As he walked away, her lips rippled like a wave, as a single tear shed and descended upon her burning cheeks. She gathered herself together, wiping away the tear, and taking a breath that at that moment made her feel unable to breathe again.