Mirror, Mirror, On The Wall
The doors to the grand chambers are held open for her and closed behind her without a sound, not even that of the heavy wood scraping across the stone of the castle floors. She stands before a golld-engraved mirror hanging on the wall.
"Mirror, Mirror, on the wall," she says, her voice light but commanding, "who is the fairest of them all?" In the darkened mirror, the picture of an auburn-haired princess riding a white stallion through a snowy forest appears.
"Peace Rose is the fairest of them all," answers the mirror that hangs on the wall, "with auburn hair as fierce as she is strong and fair, eyes, like the ocean, and lips the colour of the dawn of the new day and the morning sunrise, for that is when she rules the land."
"Mirror, Mirror, on the wall, how can I become the fairest of them all?"
"Peace Rose has the purest heart of them all," answers the mirror that hangs on the wall, "place her to an eternal sleep on the Lake of Undestanding and Enchantment and cut out her heart. Place it at the roots of the Peace Tree that grows in the far off mountains at sunset and you shall be the fairest of them all."
"Mirror, Mirror, on the wall, how should I place her to an eternal sleep?"
"Peace Rose is the most trusting of them all," answers the mirror that hangs on the wall, "give her this cursed apple and she will sleep for eternity, only to be woken by the kiss of her true love," a ruby red apple appears in her hand and glows diamond white with the poison for a mere instance. The mirror that hangs on the wall darkens again.
"Guards!" the doors slid soundlessly open. "Bring me the Huntsmen and their Hounds."
The princess with the auburn hair, the ocean blue eyes, and the lips as red as the morning dawn and sunrise laughs as she rides through the forest she has grown to know so well, the wind breezing lightly through her hair and cloak while it rips at the cloaks of her riding companions. She stops her horse and slids into the snow at the edge of the forest, holding his bridle as as watches the sun start to set behind the Peace Tree in the far off mountains beyond the Lake of Understanding and Enchantment.
She closes her eyes and enjoys the feel of the suns last rays of light and warmth touching her wind-numbed cheeks. She inhales deeply as a soft breeze lifts her cloak, her riding companions slwoing to a halt on her left and right, landing with a soft crunch in the snow as they dismount and take the bridles of their mounts to hold them in line with hers.
"You ride with grace, Princess, you truly are the fairest of them all. You shall rule the land well one day, it should not be hard for you."
"Your only obstacle would be your step-mother, Princess, but she is a challenge you will rise to and face well, and with dignity, no less."
"If that is what is what is expected of me, then, yes, I shall rise to the challenge of my step-mother, but only when it is time for me to do so. I cannot sacrifice the present for a future that might not happen," Peace Rose says, her head held high with pride and undented dignity.
The Hounds start to howl. "She is near, I must go alone now, with caution."
The lead Huntsman drops skillfully into the snow. He lifts a cloth satchel from the saddle and onto his shoulder. He follows the trail of hoof prints to the edge of the Lake of Understanding and Enchantment, where the Princess, once in the company of others, now stands alone with her white stallion mount.
"Excuse me, Miss, but would you like an apple? You look quite hungry, if you don't mind me saying so."
She smiles, and accepts the apple. "Why, thank you. It is so kind of you to offer."
"You're welcome, Miss. Good evening."
"Good evening."
He walks away, but steps off the beaten track and behind a tree as he enters the forest. He watches her from afar, smiling sadly as she bites into the apple and swallows. She starts to fall. He runs forward and catches her in his arms, the apple slipping from her hand and rolling away onto the iced over surface of the lake. His men join him, and together, they bury her on the Lake of Understanding and Enchantment.
"The deed is done, she is buried on the Lake of Understanding and Enchantment, and there she shall remain for all eternity."
"Good. Now, cut out her heart and place it at the roots of the Peace Tree in the mountains of far away. And then I shall be the fairest of them all."
"Very good. I shall complete your wish myself." The leader of the Huntsmen bows and departs. He does not understand why he said that he would complete the wishes of the Queen, for harsh and unruly was she. He felt compelled to see the Princess again, though he did not know why, and he did not wish to complete the Queen's request of him.
He took his horse, a black stallion of great power, and rode into the darkness that was becoming the night. He knew the route well, he had travelled it many times. At the edge of the Lake of Understanding and Enchantment, he slid from his horse into the snow and stepped out onto the ice that covered the lake. It did not crack, but instead started to sing, a beautiful, wordless tune that many had said that it sang when in the presence of true love.
The ice coffin that shelters the Princess cracks and breaks away. He steps up by her, but doesn't pull his sword from its sheath. He studies her face before he takes to one knee by her side, and gently kisses her.
Her eyelids flutter and she wakes. Her smile is as warm as the sun itself, her touch gentle as she traces the lines of the tattoo above his left eye. He takes her hand and brings it to his lips, lightly kissing her knuckles.
"It is not safe for us here. We should disappear into the mountains until it is time for the Queen to fall and you to take her place as ruler of this land," he says. "We shall be safe from sight and harm until then." He holds her hand as she gets to stand, and together, they cross the lake and start to ride for the mountains of far away. They disappear into the mountains and return years later with a small child and another on the way.
The Queen screams and they fall into fight, where the Queen falls from her horse, too injured to ever rule again. The people cheer for them as they walk through the streets, bringing hope, peace and light to a land where darkness has reigned for many a year.
Her hair is longer and redder, her eyes are bluer, her voice is soft, her touch is peace, her heart is full of love, hope and joy. He is handsome, tall and muscular, gentle, kind and caring, his voice is smooth and calming, his eyes are dark but full of love, joy and delight for the Princess and for the land. They are so much in love, and it is for all the crowds to see.
"Computer, pause program. Save time index and end program." The snow-white streets of the castle fade into the black background and yellow lines of Voyager's Holodeck grid, where Captain Janeway, Commander Chakotay, their little girl, and Seven of Nine stand in silence for a few moments.
"Captain, I honestly don't know what to say. You spend half an hour on the Holodeck with Seven of Nine and Chakotay, and you come out with a four-year-old daughter and seven months pregnant! What is this world coming to, I wonder?" he muttered. Chakotay and the Captain grin, amused by the Doctor's irritational annoyance. "I hope you're not going to make a habit out of this."
"Oh, I don't know, we might," giggled the Captain, smiling up at Chakotay, a twinkle in her eyes.