A/N: I don't think anybody really "owns" Snow White, but I do know that Wendell is not mine. What a pity. I also do not own the Nine Kingdoms, the mythical Tenth Kingdom, the dwarves of Dragon Mountain, or Dragon Mountain itself. Please be kind to a poor fanfic writer today, and tell them how much you love them.
---The Rose Garden--
Show White woke early that morning, before the sun graced the Fourth Kingdom with its presence. Quickly, she got dressed and headed for the entrance of the castle. There was much to do before the day was over. She went to the gardens behind the castle, but walked right through them. The winter had caused them to become dead and barren. They were of no interest to her. At the very back of the gardens, there was a wall covered with dead thorns. Carefully she brushed some of the thorns aside, revealing a gate. She pushed on it and it creaked slightly as it opened. Beyond the gate there was a garden full of beautiful roses. Despite the winter, the roses were large and bright. The winter did not touch this garden; it was magical. While snow covered everything outside the stone walls, the white flakes had touched nothing within the garden. She smiled as she remembered all the days she had spent here. Sadly, this would be her last visit to the magical garden. For today was her 150th birthday and today she would leave for her dearest friends, the dwarves of Dragon Mountain. She would die there, and they would be able to bury her as they wished. She was the only one who knew of the garden, and the secret would go with her to her grave. She bent down and carefully broke off one of the blooms from the plant before her. She slipped it inside her cloak and left the garden.
The sun was just beginning to cover the kingdom. She sighed and enjoyed her last sunrise, and then she walked back to the castle. The servants were all busy getting the castle ready for the morning breakfast, and her grandson Wendell was sitting on the floor watching intently. She smiled. He would grow up to be a fine King.
"Good morning, Grandmother," he said kindly, "Are you looking forward to breakfast as much as I am?" She chuckled softly.
"Yes Wendell, I'm quite hungry. Will you walk with me for a little while?" Wendell nodded.
"I always walk with you Grandmother, don't I?"
"Yes Wendell, and for that, I am forever grateful." They started walking towards the entrance of the castle. Once they got there, she took the rose for her cloak and handed it to Wendell. " I am leaving today Wendell, for a long time. You will meet me again someday, though I will never return." She could see the look of confusion in his eyes. He was seven; She couldn't expect him to understand what it had taken her 150 years to learn. She would be needed later. It was her destiny to help little lost girls. She sighed. "Goodbye Wendell," She said softly. She patted his head, and walked away in the snow.