Chapter Two: A Different Approach
Into the Enchanted Forest
"Are you sure this wouldn't be a safe place for you and your father, Gerda?" Snow White asked, pointing at a small cottage hidden in the dense trees of the forest. "It is out of view from any village nearby." Snow White noted, pointing at all the trees and foliage that hid the small cottage from view.
Gerda shook her head, sighing for the umpteenth time.
"The cave we called home a few months back was supposedly hidden out of sight, yet the Huntsman still found my father." Gerda shuddered at the memory of seeing her father captured yet again by the Evil Queen. Closing her eyes, Gerda could remember the memory vividly.
She had been lying on the hard ground near the edge of the village, the Huntsman standing over her, his foot in her back to keep her from moving. She could remember the pain racing through her body as she watched her father hauled away by the Queen's guards.
A few months had passed since that winter day, and the memory now seemed more like a dream. But Gerda knew better. All she had to do was look at her father. The torture he had suffered within the walls of the Evil Queen's castle had taken their toll. He couldn't sleep through the night, only able to rest for two to three hours at a time before he jerked awake from a nightmare. He hardly ate, and when Belle tended to his wounds, Gerda could see how skinny her father had become.
No, what Michael had gone through was no dream, and Gerda swore she would never let that happen to her father again. So, while Michael rested inside their hideout, for they had left the Dark One's manor, Gerda searched for a new home.
Gerda opened her eyes, and shook her head. "No, this isn't the place. We should keep going."
Snow White rolled her eyes. "Gerda, we've been looking for a safe haven for three days. We're running out of options. You may end up in the mountains."
"If that would protect my father, then so be it." Gerda stated, ending the conversation. When Snow White didn't counter, Gerda continued down the forest path, looking at the map the Dark One had given her as she went. "Besides, the Evil Queen wouldn't bother looking in the mountains anyway. They are too high up for her army to attack."
"Yes, that is true." Snow White agreed. A coy smile played at her lips. "Then how do you expect to get Michael up there?" She asked.
Gerda stopped. Snow White assumed Gerda would turn around and make a snarky comment, or even stick out her tongue. So she didn't expect tears to be glistening in Gerda's eyes when the girl turned to look at her. "I don't know, but I have to try." Gerda croaked.
"Oh Gerda." Snow stated, rushing forward to wrap her arms around her young friend. Gerda had reached her breaking point, crying into the princess's shoulder. "I just can't stand to see him like this."
Gerda stated, trying to wipe the tears away from her eyes. "I thought he would get better, but he is always so fearful, expecting the Evil Queen to show up and capture him again."
Snow White sighed. Michael hadn't said anything, but everyone knew he was scared of being captured once more. He had endured far more torture from the Evil Queen than anyone else Snow White knew, including the Huntsman. And that was saying something, considering the Evil Queen had taken his heart, as punishment for not killing Snow White and ripping out her heart.
Guiding Gerda over to a nearby log, Snow White rubbed Gerda's arm consolingly, remembering that her mother did the same thing for her when she was younger. Maybe Gerda's mother had a way of consoling her?
"Gerda," Snow started, brushing back some hair from Gerda's face. "How did your mother console you, when you were upset?"
Gerda stopped crying, lifting her head. "I don't remember. My mother died when I was just a baby." Gerda admitted. She gave Snow White a sheepish glance. "I was only one."
Snow White felt her heart drop. "Oh Gerda, I am so, I had no idea…"
Gerda brushed away her apology. "It's alright. I don't really remember her, anyway." Gerda said, her face starting to turn red. She never did like talking about her mother. "We should go." She suggested, standing up.
Snow White stood up as well, brushing off some dirt from her cape, and started to walk down the small secluded path. Gerda followed behind her, trying not to think about her parents, yet finding nothing else come to mind.
No matter how many times she had him captured, no matter how many times she had him tortured, the Evil Queen still lost to Gerda. First, the Evil Queen forced Gerda to choose between magic and her father, yet Gerda somehow managed to hold onto both. Then, she tricked Gerda into wearing a magical pendant that would drain her of her magical abilities if used for the wrong purpose, and even though Gerda was drained, she managed to regain her magic by destroying the pendant. What else could the Evil Queen do?
"I kidnap her father, destroy her village, threaten her life, and yet she still manages to defeat me!" The Evil Queen hollered, releasing a fireball at the closest object to her, which happened to be one of her guards. The guard fell to the ground, never to rise again.
Turning to her magic Mirror, the Evil Queen seethed with rage. "What else could I possibly do to her?! I have tried everything, used all my resources, and sent guard after guard after guard to capture her, yet no results!" She glared at the Mirror. "Where is she?" She demanded, her teeth gritted.
The head in the Mirror rolled his eyes. "As I have told you before, I do not know. There is some cloaking spell over her that even I cannot break." He admitted, hanging his head in shame. "She cannot be found, Your Majesty."
The Evil Queen turned away, hands on her hips. "Then send more guards! Search through every village! I need that girl found!" The Evil Queen announced.
"But Your Majesty, that didn't work before-"
"Do you have any better suggestions?" The Evil Queen snapped, turning back to the Mirror. "Remember, one snap, and you could be in a million pieces on the ground." She reminded her Mirror, tilting her head to the side. "And I don't think you would like that."
The Mirror sighed. "All I am suggesting is that you try a new tactic."
The Evil Queen paused. "And what would that be?" She asked, intrigued. What did she have to lose?
The Mirror explained. "Why not trick Gerda into coming out? Set a trap for her, using something that she couldn't possibly refuse, in order to reel her in."
The Evil Queen mulled over the thought, silently admitting to herself that the Mirror had a good point.
"Alright, I'll try it. What do you think I should use as bait?" She coaxed, walking closer to the Mirror, so that she was only inches from the Mirror's head. She stroked her hand across the glass.
The Mirror shuddered, remembering when he wasn't just a head. "You need to think like her, Your
Majesty. Only then will you come up with something."
The Evil Queen sighed. "Fine." Closing her eyes, the Evil Queen imagined the girl, what she might like, and what she hoped for. She imagined how the girl would think, and how the girl would react if the Evil Queen….
She opened her eyes, smiling wickedly. "I know what I will use. Or more precisely, who I will use."
As Gerda followed Snow through the dense trees, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. It had been like this since the moment she escaped the Evil Queen's castle the second time. Ever since she found out the Evil Queen was able to spy on her with a magic mirror.
And even though she had cast a cloaking spell over her and the princess, she couldn't help but feel that someone was watching her.
Shaking her head, Gerda looked around, recognizing the woods around her. She and Snow had arrived at their hideout.
"Father!" Gerda called out, seeing the cave they had been calling home. Michael poked his head out, a wide smile spreading on his face. "Gerda!"
Gerda ran to her father, falling into his open arms. Michael stroked his daughter's hair, giving her a light kiss on the head. "Thank God you're safe."
Snow White smiled at the pair, remembering the embraces she shared with her father when he returned home from a long journey. Oh how she wished she could hug him one last time.
Pulling away, Gerda looked at her father, his face in her hand. "Father, that cut has reopened. What have you been doing?" Looking down, she noticed the bruises and small scratches along her father's arm, the dirt stains on his shirt and hands. "How did you get these?" Gerda demanded, looking her father in the eye.
Michael looked at her sheepishly, pulling his hands away. "I was, uh, busy." He stated, looking away guiltily.
"Busy fighting against this mannequin?" Gerda and Michael turned to Snow White, who was pulling out a familiar wooden mannequin the Dark One had given to Gerda to practise her magic on. Gerda noticed unfamiliar slices and dents on the mannequin, and turned to her father. "Father, how many times have I told you to rest? What if somebody heard you?"
Michael rolled his eyes. "Gerda, I have been resting, and now I need to be doing something." Michael insisted. "Besides, we are in the middle of the woods. Who would hear us out here?" He demanded.
"I don't know, maybe the Queen's knights, because they certainly found you last time we were hiding, and we were in the middle of the forest then!" Gerda yelled. She then clapped her hand over her mouth, waiting for the sound of horses and knights.
When she heard nothing, she removed her hand, glaring at her father. "I know you hate being secluded in the woods, not able to go anywhere, but this is the safest place for you right now. So you're just going to have to deal with it." Gerda snapped, walking away to collect firewood.
When she was gone, Snow came up beside Michael, placing her hand on his shoulder. "You know she's doing this because she loves you." She stated, before she went into the cave. Michael sighed, and looking in the direction Gerda left, he couldn't help but feel he was a burden.
An arrow notched in his bow, Robin Hood moved through the forest ever so quietly, watching the parked carriage and the men inside it. He saw Prince John count the gold he had stolen from the townspeople, watched him kiss a few of the golden coins before he dropped them back in the sack. The Sheriff of Nottingham sat across from him in the royal carriage, whittling a piece of wood with his sword.
Moving his eyes away from the gold, Robin moved a few more paces before he stopped, bending down on one knee. Setting his sights back on the sack of coins, Robin let out a bird whistle, signaling the Merry Men.
A few moments later, Prince John cried out in surprise as the roof of the carriage was pulled from the body, tossed aside by Little John and Friar Tuck. Bowing to the two men, Little John jumped into the vacant seat beside the prince, while Friar Tuck took hold of the horses' reigns.
"Ya!" He bellowed, whipping the reigns downward. The horses took off, galloping down the path. The Sheriff of Nottingham stood up, only to be pulled upwards through the carriage. Turning, he saw Robin Hood stand over him, and arrow in his bow. "I wouldn't, if I were you." Robin stated, smiling.
Glaring at the thief, the Sheriff held up his hands, admitting defeat. Robin bowed slightly, and pushed him off the side.
Making sure the Sheriff didn't hold onto the back of the carriage, Robin Hood looked down at Little John, who was looking through the gold coins. "Little John, we have a schedule to keep!" Robin reminded him.
Little John looked up at him, his face red. "Sorry sir. Just haven't seen so much gold at one time." He admitted sheepishly. He then threw the bag up to Robin Hood, who attached it to his belt.
"You cannot do this!" Prince John stated, trying to stand. Robin Hood notched another arrow into his bow. "I'm afraid I can." He stated.
Not wanting to risk his life, Prince John huffed in annoyance, before sitting back down. Smiling, Robin Hood jumped off the carriage. Little John turned around, looking at Friar Tuck. "Oi, we're done here! Let these horses go!" Friar Tuck nodded, and untethered the horses from the carriage. The horses took off farther into the woods, travelling faster now because of their lack of weight.
"Be seeing you, Your Majesty." Friar Tuck said, tipping his hat. Then, along with Little John, he jumped away from the carriage, breaking into a run.
"Did you see the load of coins in that sack? I'm telling you Friar, the townsfolk will be mighty pleased." Little John stated proudly, puffing out his chest. "Perhaps a hero's banquet is in order."
Friar Tuck rolled his eyes. "We don't do this for the fame, Little John. We do this for honour, and justice."
Little John sighed. "I guess you're right."
Friar Tuck nodded, smiling. "Good. Now, where are we supposed to meet Robin?" He asked.
Little John stopped, scratching his head. "That's odd. We were supposed to meet him here." He said, looking around. From what he could remember, Robin Hood had told him to meet him at the small pond east of the village. Well, they had arrived at the small pond, but Robin was nowhere in sight.
Friar Tuck stopped, looking around as well. "Huh. Well what do you know? Maybe we beat him here?" He suggested, looking to Little John.
But Little John didn't answer. Stooping to the ground, he picked something up. "No, he beat us here, alright." He turned to Friar Tuck, holding the sack of gold in his hands. "Robin's gone."