The lie of happily ever after.
You may know my story, or rather the story of my sister, Snow-white and me. We were always close, as close as two sisters can be. We were also best friends and shared everything. We always had each other to talk to about our wishes, our dreams and our hopes. We always had someone to tell our deepest secrets to. Although we were sisters, twins even, we were totally different. Snow-white takes after our mother with honey-blond hair and clear blue eyes. She's the quiet one. I'm totally different. Mother always said, "You remind me of your father with your chestnut hair and your forest-brown eyes. His turned black when he was annoyed, just like yours."
I haven't got many memories of father. He died when Snow-white and I were still very young. But he left the rosebushes behind. When we were born, father gave our mother two rosebushes, one with white roses and one with red roses. They were and still are mother's pride and joy.
We didn't have an easy life. We had to work hard, spinning, weaving and selling our wares in town, whenever we could. We got by reasonably well that way.
One winter's eve, when snow was thick on the ground and frost held the land in its icy grip, somebody knocked at the door of our cottage. It was a decisive moment in our lives though at the time we didn't know it. Mother thought it might be a lost traveller and told me, "Rose-red, open the door and let the poor man in."
If I had known then what pain awaited me I would have kept the door shut. But I didn't. And I opened it. I can tell you, I screamed when I saw it was not a man but a bear who wanted to come in, and so did Snow-white. Mother didn't lose her calm.
"Let the poor creature inside, Rose-red," she said. "With that wind howling and the cold weather it really is no night to be without shelter."
The bear came in and thanked mother, "It is very kind of you, ma'am. I would have frozen to death out there."
It was clear this bear was not going to harm us. Soon Snow-white and I were playing with him. The whole of that winter the bear come to our cottage at sundown and every morning he left. He became our friend. Sometimes we teased him and joked with him. He was so kind and had such gentle eyes. His laugh and his voice made me feel all tingly inside. It was a shock to me when I realised I was falling in love with this bear that acted like a human. Snow-white didn't have a problem, clearly.
"Don't you find it strange to play with the bear?" I asked her. "He's like a man."
"It's just an animal, Rose-red, a pet," she answered.
The last week of winter I kept myself away from our usual frolicking. Humans can't love animals, can they? It hurt though to see Snow-white and the bear together.
When springtime came our friend left and I missed him when he didn't return to our cottage.
I'm sure I don't have to tell you the strange adventure Snow-white and I had that spring and summer. This strange dwarf kept crossing our path. We got him out of some sticky situation a time or two, even saved his life, but all he did was moan and insult us.
The last time we saw him we were on our way home, later than usual. We came upon him rather suddenly and there he was, hiding treasure. I'd never seen so many precious stones in my life. Actually I'd never seen any at all. As soon as he saw us he started shouting insults.
"Stupid geese, get lost! Spying on me, are you? Thinking you can come back and steal my treasure! Well you won't! You're too stupid to find them anyway! Buzz off! Beat it! Leave! Go away! Scram! You dimwits!"
His infernal noise had caught the attention of someone or something. Breaking branches, growling and a big bear came crashing through the bushes. Immediately the dwarf changed his tune.
"Please, kind Mr Bear, don't eat me," he begged. "I'll give you my treasure."
The bear growled again. The sorry little dwarf was shaking with fear and showed his gratitude for all the times we had saved him by saying, "You can have those two girls, Mr Bear. They're young and tender and much tastier than I am."
The bear growled one more time, ran to the dwarf and swiped him with his paw, killing him instantly. Snow-white and I decided not to hang around and started running. Then we heard a familiar voice.
"Snow-white, Rose-red, don't run. I'm your friend, your winter guest."
We recognised the voice, stopped and looked back. It was our friend from the past winter. As he came up to us the bearskin dropped away and there stood a handsome man in rich clothes.
"I'm the son of a King," he said. "The dwarf had cursed me, changed me into a bear, and only his death could break the curse."
We went home to mother first. The prince told us his name was Eric. He talked till deep into the night about everything that had happened to him and about his family whom he hadn't seen for over a year. He had still the same gentle eyes, the same voice and laughter. He was a man and I could love him. That thought was like a warming ember deep inside me.
When we finally went to bed, Snow-white whispered to me, "He's so wonderful. I'm in love, Rose-red. I love Prince Eric."
Next day it appeared Eric too had fallen in love. He told mother he had fallen in love that winter, not knowing if he would ever be able to break the curse and ask for his loved-one's hand in marriage. I'm sure you're not surprised that he asked for beautiful blond-haired, blue-eyed Snow-white's hand in marriage. I was happy for her, I truly was, even though my heart was breaking.
We moved to the royal palace immediately. To my surprise Eric's father didn't object to his marriage to the daughter of a poor widow. But then the worst thing came. Eric, Eric's father, my mother and Snow-white all thought it would be a good idea if Eric's brother, Marcus, and I would marry as well. Marcus didn't object. He didn't seem to care either way. I wasn't too sure but everybody insisted it was a great idea – and Marcus looked so much like Eric – that I eventually agreed. I hoped that in time I would stop loving Eric and start loving Marcus.
The wedding feast was a sumptuous occasion. Mother was so pleased that we both had found good husbands. Snow-white radiated with joy and I did my best not to spoil her feast. The king gave a grand speech. He mentioned the transformation of Eric and the breaking of the curse and added, "and they lived happily ever after."
That was three years ago. Snow-white and Eric are living their 'happily ever after'. They have two children, a boy and a girl. Twins of course. Mother is the proudest grandmother ever and the King is beaming whenever he looks at his grandchildren.
I have no children as yet and I very much doubt there will be any. My husband is friendly, I can't fault him there, but he doesn't love me. He very much has his own life and I have mine. We haven't shared a bedroom since our wedding night and that was a total disaster. I was still too much in love with Eric and Marcus is not like him, however much they look alike. I talked to mother about this – the first time Snow-white wasn't my confidante but I couldn't very well tell her I loved her husband – and mother just told me to give it time.
"Ultimately love will come to your marriage too," she said. But all the time in the world won't help us if we can't even talk to each other or find something, anything, in common.
And there you have it. Mother had the two rosebushes transplanted to the palace garden, where they bloom more profusely than ever before. They all lived happily ever after, the story says. But sometimes the stories lie.