After my step-mother secured her position as queen, she forced me to do maid work. I tried looking on the bright side of things, but doing it was hard. Thankfully, I was able to escape from time to time to the forest. It was mostly for a break from her clutches; deep down though, I longed to see Ferdinand again. I doubted it though, he was a prince. I knew how hard it was to sneak past the guards.

Today, I was fortunate enough to relax in the forest. I saw an apple tree and was reminded of Ferdinand. I grabbed one, and took a bite. It was juicy.

"By that look, I guess you do like apples," a voice said. I gasped and turned around.

"Oh, Ferdinand, I was wondering if I'd ever see you again."

"I was wondering the same thing. So how's it been?"

"Well, my father's dead, and now I have to work as a maid for my step-mother."

"Maybe it'd been better if I hadn't asked, huh?"

"It's fine. So what have you been up to?"

"Just writing a song for you."

"A song for me? Why?" I asked him

"Because when I met you, you were singing," he said, and I was reminded of that day we met.

"That doesn't mean you have to write me a song. You're too kind."

"I feel it's the gentlemanly thing to do."

"Okay... Well, it was nice seeing you again."

"What? I find you again, and you leave?"

"I'm sorry, but my step-mother is cruel. Who knows what she'll do if she finds out I'm missing. I guess I can give you something." I walked up to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Let's hope we'll meet again. I smiled and returned to the castle.

I returned back to my old home, the castle. I went upstairs to my step-mother's room to clean it, but heard her talking to someone. I was about to leave, when I heard her say a spell.

"Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?" she chanted. I was shocked, I never knew she dealt with the black arts. Another voice boomed through the room.

"You are, of course, my queen. Anyone fairer would be obscene."

I tried getting a peak of who was talking. Then I saw who it was. A face on the mirror! How was that possible? I gasped, but covered my mouth, so she wouldn't hear me. I tiptoed away to my room. Who knows what she'd do if she knew I had listened in on her doing the black arts.

My room was smaller now. It was in the servants quarters, instead of the royal quarters. I didn't mind, there was nice servants. They weren't like my step-mother or the guards. One of the maids was my age, Victoria. She had dark hair like me, and missed my father too. He treated the servants better than my step-mother.

"Hey, I thought I heard you," Victoria said, coming into my room.

"Hey, Victoria," I greeted her.

"What's wrong? Your face is as white as a ghost!"

"I don't think I should tell you."

"Why not?"

"It's not exactly easy to talk about."

"Hmm, okay... I won't pressure you. So how are you?"

"I saw Ferdinand again."

"You did?" she asked, her eyes widened with interest.

"I would've stayed longer, but I didn't want to get in trouble with our queen."

"Good choice, but too bad you couldn't stay with him longer."

"I have an idea, next time I see him, I'll tell him to meet me at night. I'll sneak out, and then we can talk longer."

"Is he cute?"

"Yeah, he's got dark brown hair and sparkling blue eyes. He's also so kind. He's writing me a song."

"He is? Why? I mean, it's nice, but why?"

"He said it's because he met me when I was singing."

"That doesn't mean he has to write you a song."

"I know, but it's a kind gesture," I said, my voice getting softer when I thought about him.

"I should go now, it's getting dark," Victoria said, leaving, but turned back around. "I'll help you sneak out tomorrow, maybe lover boy will be there." She gave me a wink and left.

I stared out my window, and thought of Ferdinand. I wondered when I will see him again.

I looked around the corner. I motioned to Victoria that everything was clear.

We were trying to make it easy for me escape, so I could see Prince Ferdinand. We had to make sure the idiot guard was on duty; it'd be easier.

"Hey, George!" Victoria called to him.

"Oh, uh, huh?" he responded. "Wait, aren't you supposed to be working?"

"I just really wanted to talk to you, Georgie," she said, stroking his chin. He blushed, but returned back to his "serious" guard face.

"I shouldn't be talking to a maid."

"But I'm not a maid."

"What? Yes, you are, I've seen you work before."

"I'm not a maid for the next ten minutes. I'm on break."

"Oh, I really shouldn't..."

"Yes, you should," she turned him away from me. Then she waved me on. I quietly rushed past the guard, and mouthed, "thank you" to Victoria.

"Ferdinand, are you there?" I shouted, looking for him. "Please, tell me you're here."

"I was thinking you'd come back again," his charming voice said.

"Oh, Ferdinand!" I hugged him, but quickly pulled back, because I hadn't expected myself to do that. I don't think he thought I'd do that either; his face was a little unsure. "Sorry."

"Nah, it's okay, just wasn't expecting a hug," he said.

"I can't stay long," I informed him.

"Dang it, you can't keep doing this to me, Snow," he complained.

"Can you come tonight?"

"Tonight? Why?"

"So we can talk longer than we usually do. I enjoy spending time with you; I can only do it at night though. When my queen will be asleep."

"Hmm, okay. See you tonight." This time he gave me a kiss on the cheek. He then disappeared into the woods, leaving me touching my cheek where he'd kissed me.

"Hehe, yeah, see you tonight..." I trailed off, standing dumbfounded for a moment, but remembered that I had to get back to the castle.

I ran as fast as I could to the castle. I went to find Victoria, to see if she was still distracting the guard. I did find Victoria, in the clutches of my step-mother.

"Snow White, I presume you put this maid up to some shenanigans?" my step-mother asked me. My eyes widened in fear.

"I'm sorry, my queen. I won't do it again."

"I'll make sure that you don't, this maid will hang in the morning."

"What?!" I shouted, shocked.

"I can't have you sneaking off again, can I?"

"Please, you don't have to do this!"

"I have to, you brought this on upon yourself."

"I won't do it again, just don't hang her!"

"Snow White, stop arguing with me! Guards! Take this maid to her room," the queen said, making sure the word, "maid," was said sharply. She wanted to remind me I wasn't a princess anymore, just a mere maid.

"Victoria, I'm so sorry," I sobbed.

"It's okay, Snow," she replied sadly.

The guards grabbed me and threw me into my room. I sat on my bed and cried.