Siren
"What the hell?" Snow exclaimed, perplexed to suddenly go from a comfortable, warm albeit tear-soaked bed to standing in the cool waters of Lake Nostos in a pooling, violet tunic dress.
She felt the weight of a diamond tiara on her head and a necklace which adorned her frantically beating heart.
"Regina, this isn't funny." She called knowing her step-mother was listening, watching her ready for some sort of twisted revenge.
"Oh, but, it is." The Queen's voice echoed darkly.
"In fact," Snow turned furiously, searching the water for her to no avail. "UGH" "I'd say it was practically, Charming."
"Now, be a good girl and stay." Regina commanded patronisingly, as if she were talking to a dog which only incensed Snow more. She found her feet were locked in the deep; she may as well have been in chains.
"What are you getting from this? Leaving me here? Did you think I would waste away? Ask for a quick death? Forget it!" Snow declared defiantly.
"Oh no! You won't die at my hands but, you will die at his. After all, you certainly look the part."
"What?"
"Goodbye dear."
Regina's voice was gone and all Snow could do was look out in the distance. To the man she loved, sword drawn, and mind set on killing. A Siren.
HER!
"Charming." She gasped, caught at the sight of him.
"Of course, you'd be her. Look like her, use her nickname for me." He said almost laughing. "Of course, you'd take the form of Snow White."
"Wh- I'm not a siren!"
"Which is exactly what a siren would say."
"I AM NOT THE SIREN!" She bellowed, frustrated. "Look, see I can't move."
"A way to lure me to you. To rescue you." He concluded wrongly, when she didn't move an inch.
"Believe me. That's the last thing I want." Snow quipped lowly but, still loudly enough for his ears yet, it was to no avail as he swam towards her within minutes and was standing opposite her sword drawn.
"And why would I care what a creature like you wants?"
"BECAUSE YOU LOVE ME!"
"The whole kingdom knows that." He said plainly. "The whole kingdom knows I would die for her." Charming's words were like fire, untamed and wild but, she still struggled to make him see. She wasn't a mirage, a shifter, she was just a woman in love and he held her heart.
"And I love you." She said passionately, cheeks reddening for a moment. "I love you so much that it hurts to breathe. It hurts to be around you. To know that when you held me-"She paused as the tears welled up in her eyes. "It was the last time." Sirens weren't known to show this much emotion beyond the façade of lust and want and she hadn't once tried to attack him but, he still had Snow's words ringing in his ears. He needed to be sure.
The prince moved intoxicatingly close to her, so much so she could take in his scent, he smelt of grass. Leather and grass. She closed her eyes for a moment and imagined them lying in a field, skin mingling with heated kisses, not a care in the entire realms.
Oh how she wished!
He had a look in his eyes, this indescribable look and she didn't quite know what he was going to do next. Heart hammering under her chest she could do nothing but, wait for his next words.
"If you're my Snow-"
"Yes?"
"What were my last words to you at the end of our journey?" He said thickly, inching his lips to hers, so much that she nearly took them then and there.
Snow laughed musically and sighed complete devotion present in her eyes, her smile. "Always."
"Snow." "OH GOD SNOW!"
She barely hears his sword hit the water, barely registers anything except, gentle arms wrapping around her and she feels. His kiss. He's kissing her so reverently it makes her heart sing. It's like a thousand fireworks are going off at once, illuminating the night sky just for them. True Love's Kiss,
Snow hums and deepens it, stroking his face with her hand while the other, the other has a life of its own feeling his beautiful heart until, air becomes vital.
And they break. Breathing hard, she buries her head in his left shoulder and cries. "I never wanted to leave you. I never wanted to lie." "I'm sorry." Snow whispers the last words like a child.
He cradles her, the crown of her for-head receiving a sweet kiss as she suddenly gazes up at him brilliantly.
"You- have nothing to apologise for. You were being the woman I love. My brave, beautiful Snow." He smiles radiantly, the last words a deep caress to her very soul.
"I love you."
"I love you." She replies, pecking and nipping and sucking at every inch of his face while she can because that's all she's wanted to do for days.
"Mmm. What happened?"
"Regina- she- OH! Cast a spell and then I was here and you- you thought I was a siren." Snow says between kisses, breathless as he pulls her away from the water.
"Charming?" Snow smirks. "I can move."
"True Love's Kiss can break any spell." Charming replies with complete faith when she is safely on land.
"What were you doing here?"
"I promised my former betrothed I would retrieve water from the lake to free her love. She told me a fierce creature guarded it and it would take the form of the one I desired most."
"Me."
"And because I lied…" The princess realises trailing her speech as he nods and takes her hands "That wasn't your fault." He assures but, she can tell the guilt of what he almost did is heavy on his heart and so she kisses him softly to say the same.
"What was that for?" He chuckles, surprised.
"Neither was this. Charming, Regina put me here. Not you. You didn't harm me and you could have because that's not who you are."
"I should have known, you weren't exactly using your feminine wiles on me."
"Feminine wiles?" Snow queries playfully.
"Oh! You mean I wasn't telling you how much I want you in my bed tonight."
He gulped slightly. "I didn't realise sirens were that specific."
"Princesses are."
Charming smiled an adoring smile "Well then, I'll just have to oblige."
"Darling?"
"Yes Snow?"
"The water."
"Right! Abigail would have my head." He released her momentarily and strode towards the water filling the canteen with the necessary water while Snow watched on contented. "She'd have to go through me first."