Snow slid from her horse as they arrived on at a small far, an older woman working outside. She smiled a little. It seemed peaceful around here… much more calm than the palace and the outskirts.
"Mother, we have visitors," she heard David say to the woman, who stood, turning to him, her eyes widening when she saw Snow.
"Princess Snow White… it's an honor to have you here," the woman said, bowing a little.
Snow gave her a kind smile. "Not as much of an honor as it is to be here, ma'am… but I do have some questions for you, if that's okay?"
"Yes… yes of course," the woman said. "My name is Ruth. Please, come in."
"My name is Regina. I'm Snow's riding instructor," Regina said as they followed Ruth and David into the small cottage. While it was a far cry from the palace, or even from Regina's childhood home, it was clear to Snow that Ruth had done her best to make it feel like a home.
In Snow's opinion, she had done a very good job.
"It's very nice to meet you both. Would you like something to drink?" Ruth asked with a small smile.
"Some water, please," Snow said softly as Regina nodded, requesting the same.
"David, would you get that, please?" Ruth said as she took a seat in a free chair. Her son nodded and went back outside, "What is it I can help you with, Princess Snow?"
"Well…" the young woman said slowly, unsure how to breech the question. "I don't know if you've heard… but my father and King George are making plans for me to marry Prince James. We met yesterday and well… I couldn't help but notice that your son David looks nearly identical to him."
The woman's face paled, and Snow frowned a little, wondering what exactly she'd said to cause that sort of reaction. She then nodded. "Yes… I know. When David comes back in, I'll tell you why that is."
Ah, so there was a reason behind this.
She looked at Regina, who gave her a concerned look, before David re-entered the cottage, handing them the cups of water.
"Sit down, son. There's something you need to know…" Ruth said softly.
David looked at his mother, eyes widening slightly. "Is everything alright, mother?"
Ruth nodded. "I just… have to tell you something you need to know."
"What is it?" he asked, taking a seat next to Snow.
"David, the truth is… you have a brother," Ruth said. "When I was pregnant, we made a deal with an imp… we were so close to losing the farm that we didn't know what else to do. So James went with King George, and you stayed with us."
Snow gasped. "So James isn't really George's son?"
Ruth shook her head. "No. By birth he is mine."
"I need some air," David suddenly said, standing up quickly and leaving the room.
Snow felt bad about forcing the woman into admitting something so horrible and shocking. She knew she needed to do something in order to make amends, so she stood up. "I'm… going to see if he's alright."
As the door closed behind her, she heard Regina speak – not to her, but to Ruth.
"Don't worry Ruth… Snow is the kindest, most gentle woman I know. She will not cause your son more distress."
Snow smiled a little as she leaned against the door, trying to find David.
"David?" she asked, slowly making her way to him when she spotted him near the pens where the sheep were.
His head shot up, looking at her. His eyes were tinted red, and Snow could tell he'd been crying… she couldn't blame him, really. Something like that must have been… unnerving, shocking…
"Are you alright?" she asked softly.
"I… I don't know. I think so…" he replied softly. "I'm sorry for walking out on you. It was rude of me."
"Don't apologize. I understand. Shock makes people act on impulse… I don't know what I would do if I found out that I had a brother or sister in another kingdom…" Snow said, leaning against the post. "But I do feel bad… that I had to be the one to alert you to his existence."
He shook his head. "Don't… please don't. I needed to find out eventually… and if he was bothering you then…" he only shrugged a little.
Snow gave him a kind smile. "It's funny… even though you're brothers, I don't feel like you're bothering me."
"Guess it's the way we were raised… my mother taught me to respect women. Not that there are many around here," he said with a sheepish smile.
Snow laughed a little. "You're funny, David…"
The man managed a small smile. "Thanks. You're too kind, Snow White."
"Just call me Snow," she replied. "I don't need anything fancy."
"Alright then… Snow."
He reached for her hand, and Snow allowed him to take it, smiling warmly at him. He brought the back of her hand up to his mouth, kissing it softly, and Snow's face went red, her stomach in a knot once again.
She knew at that moment, she was falling in love with David the Shepherd.
"I love him."
The words tumbled from Snow's mouth so fast, Regina wasn't sure if she understood properly… but when the words sunk in, Regina knew she had.
Snow White the princess was in love with a shepherd. She had followed her heart and allowed love to be the primary thought. It made Regina smile, but it also worried her. Leopold had promised a large amount of money to George's kingdom, and he was a very determined man… however, Regina knew that true love would win in the end… she just had to remind Snow of that.
"You have to tell your father," Regina told her gently. "Otherwise you'll never be able to be together and you'll end up in a loveless marriage with Prince James." Regina did not want that for Snow at all – the girl was like a daughter to her after all. To see her be stuck in a loveless marriage would be awful.
"I know… I know I do Regina it's just… what if he doesn't agree to it? What if he forces me to marry James?"
"Snow, he didn't force me to marry him, even though he'd been looking for months to give you a mother, did he?" Regina asked. She knew though, that Leopold had been planning on asking for her hand in marriage until Snow had told him she simply wanted a riding instructor.
"But I'm his daughter. His heiress."
"And?" Regina questioned. "He wants you happy, Snow. You can't deny that. But at some point, you have to put your own needs ahead of your father's. You are no puppet."
"Yes I know… I'm just a little.. nervous about bringing it up to father. David is a shepherd."
"But do you care?"
She shook her head. "No! Not at all! I love him. I just want to be with him, whether we live on his mother's farm or… or if we live here in the palace. I'm worried about Father's reaction."
Regina smiled, relieved at what she was saying. "Now, come. Let's go tell your father. I will defend you if he says anything."
The girl gave her a nervous smile. "Okay. Let's go."
Regina resisted the urge to take Snow's had as they went downstairs, reminding herself that the woman next to her was just that – a young woman. No longer the nervous little girl afraid to get on a horse after her accident, but a mature, beautiful woman, who deserved the same happiness she herself had.
"Father?"
"Ah, my darling. Is everything alright?" he asked, looking between Regina and Snow. The woman could read something in his eyes, but she wasn't sure what it was.
"Fine… but I need to talk to you. I don't want to marry James," Snow said, kneeling in front of him. "Please don't make me marry him."
Regina stood behind Snow, looking at Leopold while the girl wasn't watching. If he forced her to marry James, Regina would quit. She would not allow Snow to be unhappy like that.
"You don't?" Leopold asked, standing up. "Why not?"
"I… I don't like him, let alone love him, and I… I want to be able to find my own true love. True love isn't something that can always be found in an arranged marriage," Snow explained. "You and mother were lucky… but I don't believe I will be, with James."
Regina saw the way Leopold looked at Snow. Deep, haunting, thinking about the words tumbling from her mouth.
"You already know who you want to marry, don't you?" Leopold finally asked.
Snow nodded hesitantly, and Regina stepped over, ready to defend if need be. "I do, father."
Leopold let out a heavy sigh, going over to his daughter. "Stand up, dear."
The ebony haired young woman stood, looking nervously at her father.
"You may marry this man… I suppose I can just give George the gold. I'm sure he can find another bride for James."
"You mean it? Oh father, thank you so much!" Snow said, leaping at the man and hugging him tight. "You will love him father. He is good, and kind, and his mother is the sweetest woman…"
"Who is this man?"
"His name is David… I met him when Regina and I were horseback riding a couple days ago. He's… he's a shepherd."
"My daughter? Marrying a shepherd?"
"Your majesty, please," Regina said. "She loves him. I saw how they were around each other. It's just like you and Queen Eva must have been. It was like watching Daniel and I when we were young. It's true love… and that is the most powerful force in the world."
Leopold let out another heavy sigh. "Happiness is all I want for you, Snow. You're sure you love this… shepherd?"
"I am."
"Then… by all means, you may marry him."
"Thank you for trusting me," Snow whispered, hugging him.
Regina smiled as she looked on, knowing that Snow would finally get to live Happily Ever After.
