A/N: hello and welcome to my Snow White and the Huntsman fic! I started writing this after I saw the first movie, so this is as if the second movie doesn't exist. Not that I didn't LOVE A Winter's Tale, but for this story to work, it doesn't exist, LOL So, for all my usual readers, new readers and fans of The Huntsman, here's the first chappie! enjoy!


Chapter 1: Meeting

Eric glared at the dance floor. He hoped Snow White didn't force him to dance. It was her coronation, but he refused to dance. The crowd parted and he smiled when he saw Snow White and William dancing, the courtiers all around them. His smile fell when he recalled a time when Sarah tried to teach him dance. She'd gotten so frustrated with him that she'd given up and decided on not teaching him anything.

"Eric?"

He jumped with a start out of his musings at the sound of Snow White's voice and he looked to her. She was suddenly right next to him, looking up at him with concern. "Are you alright?"

"Majesty," he nodded, respectfully. "I'm well. Having a fun time?"

"I would be, if I saw you dancing," she smiled slyly, making him groan aloud.

"I do not dance, Majesty."

"You must."

"I save your life and this is how I am repaid? Forced to prance around like an idiot?"

"I shall pick your partner, and I already have someone in mind."

"One of your ugly stepsisters?"

"Humorous, Eric. No. She is from one of the villages. Wait right here. I'll be right back."

"No, wait, Snow—!"

He sighed when she hurried off into the crowd. It was bad enough that he was wearing this ridiculous get-up and his hair had been cleaned and combed, but now he was going to be forced to dance with some buck-toothed little snob, he was sure of it. As soon as he saw Snow White hurrying back toward, dragging someone behind her he turned his gaze away, trying to look distracted.

"Eric, this is Aurora," Snow White smiled. "Aurora, meet Eric, the Huntsman."

Snow White tugged on his arm, making him roll his eyes before turning to her just as she pulled Aurora next to her. He couldn't help his stare when he was met with the sight of a young woman around Snow White's age and height with golden hair like the sun that fell loose to her waist, ruby lips that shamed the rose and violet eyes that shone more brightly than any stars in the night sky.

"Ah! An easy dance. The Waltz!" Snow White grinned.

Before Eric could say a word, she gripped his hand and placed Aurora's in it to push them toward the dance floor. Eric stumbled amongst the crowd when Snow White shoved him hard enough and he quickly turned to catch Aurora when she stumbled after him.

"Sorry," he blurted, staring down at her with his arms around her and she looked up at him with wide eyes and a delicate blush over her pale cheeks.

"It's alright," she murmured, averting her gaze and he lowered his arms to his sides as she placed her hands behind her back, both glancing everywhere but at each other.

"I…don't know how to dance," Eric confessed, making Aurora look up at him and give a small giggle before taking one of his hands in hers then placing her other hand on his arm.

"I'll teach you," she smiled. "The Waltz is simple."

Eric cleared his throat before placing his free hand chastely on her waist and she guided him in the dance.

"I'm sorry Snow White forced me on you like this," she said, making Eric look down at her in wonder. "She scolded me for being such a wallflower and before I could stop her she rushed off to find a dance partner for me."

"Worry not, my lady," he assured her through a smirk. "I was similarly treated."

"I cannot imagine a man such as yourself would allow, even a queen, to scold him," she smiled, shyly.

"I have seen her fight," he replied. "It is wiser that I allow her to scold me."

Aurora giggled, making him give a nervous chuckle, but she winced when he stepped on her toe.

"Ouch!"

"Sorry, Aro…Ara," he stepped back but still held her, sputtering as he tried to say her name. "Blast my feet and accent! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Eric," she couldn't help but giggle.

"Here, sit down," he ordered, pulling her off the dance floor and toward one of the cushioned chairs around it. He sat her down and knelt in front of her. "Lift your foot."

"Eric, honestly, I'm fine," Aurora giggled, moving her feet away from him and he looked up at her. "Stop fussing. Your feet are not to blame. All beginners step on their partners' feet eventually, and as for your accent…I rather enjoy it."

"It keeps me from pronouncing your name properly," he replied, still kneeling at her feet.

"Then let me make it easier for you," she smiled. "Call me Rose. My godmothers use that name."

"Godmothers?" he echoed with a frown.

"I have three," she nodded. "They are here somewhere."

"What of your parents?"

Aurora bit the edge of her lower lip as she gazed down at her lap, twiddling her fingers.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean—"

"No, it's alright," she cut in with a small smile. "I don't know who my parents are. My godmothers won't tell me. Not until my sixteenth birthday in a month."

Eric nodded in understanding before glancing back at the dance floor and finally standing. She looked up at him in wonder as he held a hand toward her.

"Shall we try at my lesson again?" he smirked. "Or have I damaged your foot beyond saving?"

"Perhaps we can resume your lesson in a less formal setting," she suggested, taking his hand to let him pull her to her feet.

"I know just the place," he smiled, warmly and she felt her heart skip before he gripped her hand a little tighter and pulled her after him.

People passed by her in a blur as he weaved expertly through everyone until they came to a set of stairs that coiled around a column and led to a hall with a view of the garden filled with moonlight.

"An empty garden with an open courtyard," Eric smiled, leading her toward the trail leading to the center of the garden. "No one to bump into and we can still hear the music."

"Oh, I'm certain we could make our own," Aurora smiled back as she framed herself in his arms again for the dance then began humming a suitable tune. He stared at her as she guided him to lead her, making her stop and frown as she looked to him in wonder. "Is something the matter, Eric? You're hardly moving your feet."

"I'm…I'm sorry. I just… You have a lovely voice. Has anyone told you?"

She gave a shy smile as she averted her gaze from his stunning blue one.

"My godmothers say I was blessed by the fairies in my cradle in beauty and song," she explained.

"Richly blessed in both," he agreed, lifting a hand to stroke a stray golden lock behind her ear.

A blush graced her cheeks again as she looked back at him with wide, violet eyes and swallowed.

"Th-Thank you," she breathed before lightly chewing on her lower lip and looking to their feet. "We…We should get on with your lesson."

"I would like to hear you sing first," he argued, gently, making her shoot her wide-eyed gaze to his smile again. "Sing something? Anything. Please?"

Aurora swallowed, feeling her heart start to pound in her ears, its pace quickening in nervousness.

"I…I suppose I could," she nodded, finally pulling her gaze from his and turning out of his arms to step toward a rose bush. She took in a breath to slow her frantic heart, but she felt his eyes on her, heard his footsteps shuffling closer toward her and she kept her gaze on the roses blooming from the bush to distract her.

Dark the stars and dark the moon
Hush the night and the morning loon
Tell the horses and beat on your drum
Gone their master, gone their son

Eric recognized the song, and though it was a sad song that brought a sad memory, he couldn't help but stare at Aurora, even as she kept her back to him, examining a rose on the bush she stood before.

Dark the oceans, dark the sky
Hush the whales and the ocean tide
Tell the salt marsh and beat on your drum
Gone their master, gone their son

Aurora swallowed and turned to face him just as he sat on a nearby stone bench, staring at her and she was surprised that even in moonlight she could see how blue his eyes were.

Dark to light and light to dark
Three black carriages, three white carts
What brings us together is what pulls us apart
Gone our brother, gone our heart
Hush the whales and the ocean tide
Tell the salt marsh and beat on your drum
Gone their master, gone their son

She sighed in relief that she'd finished, not knowing how much more her nerves could take and smiled shyly when he clapped.

"That was very lovely, Rose," Eric smiled. "I've not heard a voice like that since…"

Aurora frowned in wonder when he trailed off then looked to a spot on the ground before he finally explained.

"Since my wife, Sarah."

Guilt instantly flooded her as she stepped toward him and sat next to him on the bench.

"I'm sorry, Eric, I didn't mean to—"

"No, don't apologize," he cut in, shaking his head. "It's not your fault. I asked you to sing. It was very beautiful."

"Thank you," she nodded, saying nothing more about it as she lightly bit her lip in thought of what to say next.

"You shouldn't bite your lip that way, Rose," he smiled, drawing her gaze back to him as he lifted a hand to her chin, gently taking it into his forefinger and thumb to tug her lip from her teeth. "Do I make you nervous or do you do that while thinking?"

She stared up at him, noting that he'd yet to release her chin even though she was no longer biting her lip and swallowed before answering.

"I was…thinking," she replied, honestly. "Did you want to finish your lesson?"

"Nah," he sighed, finally lowering his hand from her face to lean forward, sitting his elbows on his knees. "Dancing's for nobles and royals. I'm a huntsman. What do I need with dancing?"

"It could help with your footwork in a fight," she answered, thoughtfully, making him look back at her as she set her hands in her lap to twiddle her thumbs. "Just a thought. You do fight, don't you? The duke's son, William, said that you fought in the battle against Ravenna."

"I did," he nodded. "What else did he say of me?"

"Both he and the queen Snow White say that you handle an axe, sword and daggers with great skill, and that you're unmatched when it comes to tracking," Aurora replied.

"They're generous with their compliments," he scoffed, looking ahead to scan the garden. "Or easily impressed."

"Or perhaps you are far too modest?" she guessed, making him look back at her as he sat up, slowly, staring at her. "I would like to see your talents with an axe since you have heard me sing."

Eric arched a dark brow at her before nodding, "Really? Alright then, tomorrow we shall meet outside the castle and I shall show you where I practice and you may judge my skill. How does that sound?"

"That sounds agreeable," Aurora smiled with a huge nod. "And perhaps we can have a dance lesson then as well?"

"It's a deal," he smiled, lifting his right hand to lightly spit on his palm before holding it out to her then mentally kicked himself for it. He recalled how Snow White had been hesitant to shake his hand when he'd done that with her, no doubt finding the ritual repulsive. He was about to pull his hand back and apologize but his eyes widened and he froze when she lifted her own hand to lightly spit in it as well and clapped it into his to shake it.

"Deal," she smiled, widely.

He scoffed with a smirk of awe before the hairs on the back of his neck stood up and their hands pulled away as if they'd burned each other as Aurora stood up, confirming his instinct. Someone had found them.

"Oh, there you are, Rose!" one of the three old women stepping toward them called, hurrying toward Aurora as Eric stood, respectfully. "We were looking everywhere for you! Snow White said she found a dancing partner for you but when we looked for you on the dance floor you weren't there!"

"I'm fine, Aunt Fawna," Aurora smiled, sweetly as the old woman in green fussed over her.

"And who is this young man?" the shortest woman in blue questioned, and Eric could tell she was the feistiest of the three by her tone and her gaze at him.

"Oh, Aunt Flora, Aunt Fawna, Aunt Merryweather, this is Eric, my dance partner for the evening," Aurora introduced. "He was having a bit of a hard time dancing in the crowds so we came out here for more—"

"Privacy?" the one in red, Flora, guessed in a disapproving tone.

"Please, don't be cross with her," Eric stepped in, drawing all of their gazes to him. "I suggested we come out here. I stepped on her foot in there and I didn't want it to happen again. The garden is beautiful at night and—"

"Romantic, as well," Flora interrupted with a nod.

"Nay, that's not—!"

"How dare you try to seduce an innocent young maiden?!" Merryweather, the one in blue gasped, grabbing Aurora's hand to pull her away from him as he sighed in exasperation.

"I was not trying to seduce her!" he tried to explain again.

"What's going on?" They all turned to the trail to see Snow White stepping toward them, causing them all to bow or curtsey as she approached. "Please, stop bowing. That's all everyone's been doing around me all night. Now what's happened?"

"This brute was seducing Rose!" Merryweather instantly replied, pulling Aurora farther away from Eric by the arm and he sighed again.

"Would you explain to them that's not what was happening, please?" Eric requested of the queen who couldn't help but smirk at his predicament.

"I'll admit, Merryweather, he is a bit of a brute," she smirked, making him give her an unamused glare. "But I can assure you, he was not seducing your goddaughter, ladies. I made him her escort for the evening. This man saved my life on several occasions and fought with me in the battle against Ravenna. He is trustworthy and honorable, I assure you."

Aurora pulled her arm from Merryweather's loosened grip as the three women looked to Eric with wide eyes. Fawna was the first to speak.

"Forgive us, Eric," Fawna nodded, taking his huge left hand into both of her smaller ones. "We only want to protect Rose, you see?"

"I understand," he nodded in return with a small smile, and he honestly did. All he ever wanted was to protect Sarah when she had been alive, and Snow White when they had met. The desire to protect your loved ones was something he was very familiar with, and unfortunately he was also familiar with failure in being able to do so.

"Come everyone," Snow White smiled, gesturing down the trail. "Let's rejoin the celebration."

"Oh, forgive us, my queen, but we must be on our way home," Flora replied, reluctantly. "It's a long journey back to our cottage."

"Oh, I am sorry to hear that," Snow White frowned, taking her hands and patting them, reassuringly. "You should have an escort home. I'll see to it, and I won't take no for an answer."

"Thank you, your majesty," Fawna smiled sweetly for all of them before turning to Aurora. "Come along, Rose."

Aurora sighed in disappointment before pouting, "Yes, Aunt Fawna."

"If she wishes to stay here longer, I can escort her home when she's ready," Eric blurted, causing all eyes to shoot wide at him and he felt like he needed to run and hide from them all. "If…If that's agreeable to her godmothers and your majesty."

"I certainly have no objections," Snow White replied before looking to the three old women. "Ladies?"

"Please?!" Aurora burst out, gripping Fawna's hand in urgency as she glanced between the three of them. "Please let me stay! I'm having such fun!"

The three women glanced between each other, making Eric frown in wonder, his instincts telling him something was amiss with all of this. They were hiding something, he could tell.

"I suppose, if you promise to return her to our cottage at a decent hour, Huntsman," Flora decided, sending a glare to him.

"Before the dawn and perhaps a little after midnight," he nodded. "Depending on how far your home is."

"Or perhaps she can stay in one of the guest chambers here?" Snow White offered, making everyone turn to her. "I doubt she'll be alert enough to direct him to your home if she is sleepy after a night of dance and revelry. We can return her to you first thing in the morn."

They looked to each other again before looking to Snow White and nodding.

"Wonderful!" the queen smiled, brightly before gesturing that they all follow her. "We shall return to the festivities, and I'll see to that escort for you, ladies."

She led the three godmothers back toward the castle as Aurora grinned at Eric, rushing toward him to throw her arms around his chest in a tight hug. He grunted when she landed against his chest and he stared down at her with wide blue eyes.

"Thank you, Eric!" she whispered through a grin before looking up at him, her violet eyes glowing in the moonlight and he felt his breath catch at the sight. "They hardly let me go anywhere. Thank you for offering to escort me home. I'm having such a wonderful time!"

"You're…welcome," he replied, studiously trying to sound normal as his heart thumped in his chest. He cleared his throat as she stepped back, still smiling at him and rolled his shoulders, trying to relax before asking, "Shall we…head back inside?"

"I like it out here," she smiled, stepping around him and when she was behind him he took in a deep, silent breath to calm his heart before turning to her again. She sat back on the bench where they had been and patted the stone next to her, entreating him to sit. He stepped closer and sat next to her, keeping a decent distance between them, but she shifted closer to close the gap between them. "Do not let my godmothers scare you, Eric."

"They haven't," he argued. "It would take a bit more than three old women worried for their goddaughter to frighten me."

"Certainly," Aurora smiled, slyly. "What was I thinking? I'm sure nothing can frighten you, hm?"

"Oh…a few things," he admitted through a small smile. "But not your godmothers."

She giggled before the hooting of an owl made her jump and look up into the tree they were sitting near.

"It would seem we have an eavesdropper," she smiled, lifting a hand toward the owl and it swooped down to perch on her forearm.

"Rose, be careful," Eric warned, reaching for the owl. "The talons."

"It's alright," she smiled, reassuringly. "The owls near my home perch on my arm this way."

"Yes, but still—Ow!"

Eric yanked his hand back when the owl pecked at his hand, making Aurora gasp as the bird flew off her arm and into the air.

"Eric! Are you alright? Let me see your hand," she urged, taking his hand in both of hers to look at the spot of blood on the back of his hand. "It doesn't look deep."

She took the long sleeve of her dress and pulled it up over the heel of her hand to press the material over the cut.

"No, Rose, don't! You'll stain your sleeve!" Eric protested, trying to pull his hand away but she held fast to his fingers.

"Stop! You'll make it worse! Hold still."

He sighed in defeat as she dabbed his hand before muttering, "You've stained your sleeve."

"I don't mind," she shrugged, slightly. "Now, every time I look to this stain, it will remind me of this night, and what fun you and I had."

"Aye…the night when I stepped on your toe while learning to dance, your godmothers accused me of seduction and I got pecked at by an owl," he muttered. "Memorable indeed."

Aurora giggled, making him unable to help smirking at the sound.

"Surely, you will remember more than that," she smiled, lifting her sleeve from his hand to make sure the bleeding had stopped.

"Of course," he confirmed, moving his hand from hers and making her meet his gaze in wonder as he lifted his hand to gently stroke her cheek, causing a blush to wash over her pale cheeks. "I'll remember your joy at being able to stay here, and the way you cared for my battle wound against that owl."

She giggled again as she took his hand in both of hers once more and pressed a kiss over the small wound, making his heart skip.

"I'm afraid there will be a scar," she apologized.

"I have many scars, Rose," he replied. "But this one I'll never forget."

She smiled, her blush returning before something caught their eye from the sky.

"Eric! Look!" she gasped with a grin, pointing to the sky. "It's a shooting star! Quick, make a wish."

Aurora grabbed his hand and set it on her knee, closing her eyes to make a wish and he stared at her in surprise before looking to the sky and making his wish as well.

"And may your wish come true," she grinned, still holding his hand as she looked at him.

"What did you wish for?" he asked.

"Eric! I can't tell you," she laughed. "If I tell you it won't come true."

"Of course," he nodded. "Forgive me."

"And don't tell me what you wished for, either," she warned.

"What if I make it come true, even if I told you?"

"That's cheating," she giggled before standing, still holding his hand. "Come on! Let's go back inside. The queen might be looking for us both."


A/N: Aurora is my favorite, so I had to do it. Similarities with the Disney movie, as you can tell, but I couldn't resist it. reviews?