Anonymous asked you: Snowing(Snow/Charming): Real James never was killed in battle. Fake James never had to go and replace him. Snow is still on the run from her stepmother but not a theive.
AN: Hope this is in a sense of what you were wanting and hope you enjoy, Anon.
Snow had gotten away from the Queen. She'd spent so much time in the enchanted forest she thought she knew it backwards and forwards. She would meet Red on rather desperate occasions, but generally speaking, she was doing well fending for herself. The only thing she always made sure she had was the whistle that the huntsman gave her. She knew if nothing else, the wolves or her best friend during the full moon would be able to help her.
She had scoured throughout the forest, but never had she come across this land before. It was far enough from her kingdom that she knew she wouldn't have to worry about being chased down for the first couple days. She came across a clearing and started up towards what she thought was going to be a town. It wasn't a town, only a small house.
She wasn't sure how to approach or who was inside, but it turned out it didn't matter.
"Yah! Yah! Come on!" Snow turned to see a man about her age herding goats up the hill. She knew that he saw her, so she stood frozen to her spot. He took his green eyes away from her hazel ones and saw a straggler but trapped it in with the rest of them, "You didn't see that coming, did you?" He grinned as he locked the gate and turned to the woman in his yard.
Snow smiled, "Me? No… I didn't."
He gave a hearty chuckle, "No not you… The goat." He pointed with his head to the animals in question. "Is there something I can do for you?"
Snow stared for a moment, "I, uh… I was wondering if there was a town nearby?"
"It's almost three hours by horse." He crossed his arms.
Snow looked to the pink, setting sun, "Three hours… And is it hard to find in the dark?"
"Yes." He said. "You need a place to stay." He pointed out, "Just so happens, I live in that house there." He pointed to the cottage, "I can set you up for the night. I also have to take a load into town tomorrow for my mother; I can take you there if you like."
Snow smiled, "That's very kind of you…?" She waited for a name.
"David."
"David." She nodded, "It's very kind."
"It's not trouble at all." He grinned, "What is your name?"
"Sn…." She bit her lip, "Mary."
"Snmary?"
"Just Mary."
He grinned, "Alright, Just Mary. Follow me. My mother's about to set dinner out." She followed him quietly into the home, "Mother?"
"Yes, my boy?"
"I've found a stray." He said as he let 'Mary' into the house, "She needs a place for the night."
"Oh please!" His mother came over to her, "Come in, come in! We have plenty of room!" She took hold of Snow's hands and led her around the house. "David, honey, check on the stew for me while I take our guest and show her where to wash and where she'll sleep."
David only nodded and checked dinner. Deciding it was done, he served the stew for the three of them. When the women came back into the house, they had a prayer and sat down to eat. David's mother talked with Snow the whole time. They talked about everything, but she always brought the conversation back to her son and how good he is… 'Although he could use a hair cut' were the words she used. She talked until she couldn't keep her eyes open.
After, she retired, Snow looked to David, "Your mother is lovely."
David gave her a charming grin, "She is. She thinks you're lovely as well. She doesn't give a lot of women our age the time of day… You're special."
"I wonder why that is…" Snow knit her brows.
David shrugged, "I'm not entirely sure."
"So, do you enjoy herding?"
The smile in his green eyes faltered, "I enjoy freedom. It gives me freedom."
"Ah, I see, the only thing you have to do is cut your hair for your mother."
There that smile was again, "Exactly."
In a bold, out of nowhere move on her part, Snow stood from her spot, walked over to him and ran her fingers through his long hair, "She's right. You could stand to get your hair cut." She said, "I could cut it for you tonight and when we leave tomorrow, your mom would see it and she would be pleased, I'd bet…"
"She would indeed." He nodded.
They looked into each other's eyes for a moment before Snow turned away, "Do you have any shears?"
David's mother came out the next morning, David already having been up and loading the wagon, to find her handsome son and that nest on his head gone, "David!" She walked over to him and took his face, "Look how handsome you are!" She looked behind him to see 'Mary' loading something into the wagon, "Look how handsome he is!"
Snow smiled, "He is very handsome…"
David and Snow rode together in silence for a while before the raven haired woman decided to speak, "My name isn't Mary."
She watched him grin, "You don't say, Snmary…"
"It's Snow White. As in Princess Snow White. As in the princess that is wanted dead or alive for treason, treachery and murder."
"Yeah, I uh… I know."
Snow pulled the reigns on the horses making them stop, "You know?"
He shrugged, "I found this yesterday on a tree." He pulled the poster of her face out of the space between his chest and shirt, "And then I found you in my yard." He shrugged, "I seem to keep finding you."
Snow stared at the poster then back to him, "So you do…"
~0~0~0~0~0~
Snow was hunted down in the town. She and David escaped back to his farm, but left there as well at his mother's insistence. The woman believed Snow was her son's true love. She told her that before they left the cottage.
They'd made friends with the dwarves after getting away from the queen's men, and finding their house by happenstance. Snow also found Red Riding Hood and Granny. They eventually recruited enough friends and allies to take her throne back. It wasn't until they were crowned did they know that David had a twin brother, who had originally been Snow's 'business arrangement' of a future husband—that was of course before her stepmother killed her father and took over the kingdom with the evilness she was.
They eventually had a child, Snow and David. And, as the saying goes, they lived happily ever after.
