A Magic Mirror
The queen scrutinized the landscape harshly as if she were trying to penetrate the rolling hills and the heavily shadowed forest. Silently and patiently she waited, the midday scorching sun soon transformed to that of a tired afternoon and then to the slow death of sunset. Her eyes narrowed, fine creases and lines etched her face as she scowled.
No Queen should be kept waiting for a slave.
Sweeping her cloak, she whipped around and hastened to the Throne room, sweeping down the staircase as she went.
"You!" She cried, pointing an elegant but threatening finger, sharply in the direction of one of the palace guards. His face fell in fear, bottom lip trembling.
"Yes, Your Maj-" He started, a quiver to his voice at her furious expression.
"Tell me, has the Huntsman returned?" She asked in an arrogant tone, her nose lifting to the air.
"The Huntsman?" He repeated, unsure.
"Yes, you Fool!" She boomed in response. Eyes twinkling with violence.
"Your Majesty!" someone called, thumping footsteps came toward her, she turned her attention toward him.
"The Huntsman's horse has been found, your Highness, wondering around the outskirts of the village. The rider hasn't been seen!" He finished, out of breath from running.
Snow White had all but fallen asleep against Humbert's chest. He felt her dress swing against his arm as he paced through the forest, a forest that many had come to fear. She had began to become heavy for him, but luck was on his side as the trees opened to reveal a stream and a patch of grassland. He analysed the floor, looking for the most pleasant spot to place the Princess, carefully, he kneeled down, suddenly afraid she would wake up and become scared and unhappy. Setting down her legs, he used his, now, free arm to pull the cape from under her and arranging it over her body. Setting her head down on the grass, his finger's lingered on her cheek for a moment before he headed to the stream with a flask.
As Snow White lay, a pair of birds within the tree tops watched and waited for the Huntsman to become distracted before flying down next to her body, fluttering it's wings anxiously at her face, it's eyes flying between Snow White and the Huntsman. After a sigh, Snow White awoke, her eyes felt tight and heavy, the birds flew back into the cover of trees, still watching over the Princess. Her eyes rested on a distant pair of boots at a river, her mind came into focus before memories of picking wild-flowers and the Huntsman's kidnap returned, choking her breath from her. Eyes now wide and watchful, she followed the boots up to a pair of bent legs as he threw water over his face. She became instantly fearful. Looking around, the eyes of deer, rabbits and other forest animals watched her anxiously. A fawn came forward, beckoning her, it;s eyes pleading with her to follow. She slowly twisted her head back to where the Huntsman, once one of her treasured cohorts, continued to utilize the water. Grasping the cloak that covered her, she looked back at him once more before slowly creeping backwards away.
Two birds fluttered to where he was situated, distracting him from what was going on behind him, at the crunch of a branch from behind, he whipped round, to see Snow White awkwardly stand and hobble into the recesses of the forest. He dropped the Knife he was cleaning and shadowed her footsteps, only to have forest animals hound him in his pursuit.
"Get away! Go on! Snow White needs my help!" He boomed, flailing his arms to rid him of the attack of the birds and kicked his legs to rid the onslaught of rabbits and deer. At this, all animals scampered away, toward Snow White's direction. He followed hastily.
It was dark outside, the chill that accompanied the night air corrupted it's way through the Kingdom, a lingering darkness en-crouched upon the townspeople, the village was silent, no person dared go outside. A gripping evil loomed over them, something sinister breathed in the air. Up, within the castle, one basked in this coldness, the torchlight flickering shadows about the walls as she haunted the vacant spaces within it. The Queen swept toward her private quarters. Her shoes echoed her trail there. Only one object stood within this room, a mirror of dark magic.
"Slave in the magic mirror, come from the farthest space...through wind and darkness. I summon thee... Speak!..Let me see thy face." She commanded, arms raised.
The face in the mirror held eyes, always watching, always waiting, a darkness that was deeper than the blackness surrounding it within the golden frame. If she looked closely, she would have seen it's sharp eyes narrow on her pinched face, before slowly illuminating it's hidden presence.
"What wouldst thou know, my Queen?" It replied measuredly.
"Magic Mirror, on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?" She asked, a seductive tone to her voice.
"Famed is thy beauty, Majesty.. But hold, a lovely maid I see...Over the seventh jewelled hills.. deep in the forest, dwells Snow White..whose fear cannot hide her gentle grace.. Fairest of them all.
"Alas for her! Reveal her!" The Queen demanded in a desperate tone.
"Deep in the Forest, Snow White lingers... lost..In apprehension of a Huntsman, one sent, but one that seeks to defy."
"To defy me?" She bellowed, her wrath crashing all windows closed.
"The Huntsman shall pay!" She vowed, turned away from the mirror in thought. If she had been watching, she would have seen an uncharacteristic and knowing smile of the mirror, before it faded, disappeared and shrouded in darkness.