"Visiting the orphanage?" The Crimson fairy is in his office in the royal castle looking appraisingly at Snow's outfit. Nova has outdone herself yet again, Snow is wearing a white tunic accented with silver threaded embroidery and an emerald necklace and she is looking incredible. She didn't even fight her on dressing up this morning. In fact she was incredibly grateful when both Nova and Ruby showed up, ready to help her.
"Watching you ready to step up and take on your royal responsibilities is quite a relief," the Crimson Fairy continues and the he sets his eyes on David. "But if you are going to do that Council Woman Snow, perhaps now is the time to discuss the issue of your husband..."
"Excuse me?" Snow frowns, and she doesn't realize it but she's already taken a step in front of David, as if she can block with her body whatever insulting words thing the Crimson fairy might hurl his way.
"There is no need to mince words, I am sure you already know, your husband is a disgraced former white knight. And any positive publicity your visit to the orphanage may bring to our council, it will be marred by his social standing. But, there is a way we could circumvent that altogether...-"
But Snow isn't even listening, her face is flushed and she is feeling so angry.
"My husband isn't one of your pawns! He doesn't have to conform to whatever it is you think he should be!" Snow snaps and then she doesn't bother to wait for a response, she storms out of Crimson's office.
David follows her outside.
Snow is walking and talking fast, it'a hard to tell of she is talking to him or just mumbling to herself. "I knew it, I knew it, I knew this would happen, I knew it, it's already happening... David I'm so sorry!" she finally turns to face him when they are at the courtyard, ready to board the royal carriage.
"For what?" he frowns, offering his hand to help her climb on. "You didn't do anything wrong!"
"For what Crimson said," she replies, "for this backwards mentality that demands some kind of unattainable perfection out of people associating with royalty..."
"I wasn't offended," he shrugs, settling in the carriage sit next to her. "I mean, he was blunt, but what he said was pretty accurate. I am a former white knight. I suppose that I should be grateful that's all they are calling me, and not former fraudulent prince..."
Snow turns to look at him. Does he really mean that? Is he really alright with what is happening so far and what they are about to do?
He smiles back at her. "Are you alright?" he asks.
"You are really okay with all this aren't you?" she says, unable to hide the surprise form her voice.
"I'm fine. Very happy. And I will be ecstatic, if we manage to get some useful information out of this whole event..." he says.
"Right," Snow nods. She'd almost forgotten that they are doing this mainly to get information on foundlings to shed some light on Ella's case.
"Are you ready your highness?" the royal coachman asks.
"Snow. It's just Snow," she sighs then she nods. "We are ready..." And then she turns to David. "I don't suppose he'd let me drive the royal carriage..."
"Race the royal carriage, you mean..." David smirks. Because Snow doesn't just drive anything. She speeds like some kind of experienced Enchanted Forest 500 pumpkin race driver. "I doubt it. But if you were the Queen he'd have to..."
"The Queen," Snow scoffs, shaking her head. "I don't think so..." she leans back, stretching her feet to the seat across from her. "Can you imagine?"
"I can..."
Snow half glares at him. "You are serious?"
David doesn't reply.
"You'd really be okay with this, wouldn't you?" she asks, unable to hide the surprise in her voice.
"Would I be okay with the kingdom ran by an smart, compassionate, beautiful Queen that happens to be my wife? Why, yes, yes I would..."
Snow looks out the window and doesn't reply. The enchanted forest is rushing past her, trees and cottages and people who occasionally stop what they are doing and wave. Snow waves back, still frowning. Do they know she is the one in the royal carriage? Is this something they are doing out of habit, whenever a royal passes by or are they honestly sending well wishes her way?
There isn't any more time to think about this, because judging at the amount of reporters standing by this gate they are already at the orphanage. The walls are tall and looming, the metal gate is shut and about thirty reporters and photographers are lined up trying to get a clear shot of the former princess.
"Welcome, Princess Snow White!" the sign reads at the gate and Snow hesitates, before she steps out of the carriage.
"Not a princess anymore," she mutters mainly to herself, as if she wants to make sure she remembers. She doesn't want to get caught up in all this excitement.
Lights flash over and over blinding her, and Snow does her best not to close her eyes, instead she reaches for David's hand, and smiles for reporters, the royal photographers and the cameras.
"Stand and pose with your husband, princess!" the reporters beg.
"Did you secretly marry?"
"Would he be willing to adopt your child?"
"Is he the real father?"
"Did you abandon Snow in the woods as soon as the baby was born?"
She is pretty certain the reporters already know their story, they are just asking questions hoping she will slip and feed them a juicy tidbit they don't already know. Or she will snap and yell at them and they will get a shot of Snow looking menacing on their front page.
Snow is blinking fast, trying to ignore them, and she is grateful when she in in the orphanage grounds and the metal gates are shut behind turns to look at David, it's hard to tell what he is thinking at the moment, but she can't ask. Because there are children lined up to greet her and a little blond girl hands her a bouquet of flowers. This girl is younger than Emma. Snow smiles and leans in to kiss her.
"Are you a real life princess?" the little girls asks.
"What's your name?" Snow says evading the question.
"I'm Chloe," the girl offers a bow.
"Well, come on, Chloe, won't you show me around..." Snow replies offering her hand.
"Your royal Highness it is such an honor," the Indigo Fairy is in charge at this orphanage and she seems to be a little starstruck.
"Please, call me Snow," she replies and the fairy is looking scandalized. Like she could dream of ever being this disrespectful.
Snow has taken a tour of the dining room, the playrooms and the bedrooms and is now talking to the fairy administrators, who are eager to show her their finances, their fundraising efforts and their bills. When Snow asks about adoption rates they are quite happy to open their ledgers and show her, how the process works, why they even hand her copies of adoption filing papers.
"We take every precaution before letting someone walk away with one of our children...There is a two year waiting period before the adoptions get finalized" the Indigo Fairy is trying to sound reassuring. "Why the 'Evil stepmother protection act' was implemented one hundred year ago and it has served the children of the Enchanted Forest really well..."
Nothing protected me from my stepmother, Snow thinks.
And when Snow asks about foundlings they show her their registration records without a second thought.
Snow scans the page, asking about the ages and the adoption status of the enchanted forest foundlings. Two boys were found nine years ago. They are both adopted now.
"Are you looking for someone in particular?" the Indigo fairy asks.
Snow cringes but there is no accusation in the fairy's eyes. She is just trying to help.
"Look," the fairy replies pulling up "I understand that you are unable to tell me who you are looking for, princess, so let me send you this. I am sending you the Enchanted Forest list of children that are staying in ours and the corresponding orphanages in the other kingdoms for the past twenty years. I hope this helps. Let me know if there is anything more I can do..."
And Snow doesn't bother to tell her that she is not a princess anymore. She just nods gratefully.
When she steps back outside, she finds David in the middle of a 'troll bridge is falling down' game.
"Troll bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down," the children sing and clap, picking sides.
"Won't you join us" he smiles at her, "we can use some reinforcements."
Snow laughs and joins in.
The game ends in a tug of war where David and Snow are on opposite ends, and when Snow's team wins and her team are celebrating a six year old Fred turns his accusatory glares at David. "You let them win cause she is pretty!"
"Maybe," David shrugs.
It's quite late when they get home. Snow was planning on pouring over the list of children she got from the Indigo Fairy with David, but Emma is waiting for them at the door, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Star is missing," she says, and she must have been crying for a while, because her eyes are red and her shoulders are shaking.
"Star? The turtle?" David asks.
"We'll find him," Snow tries to reassure her, but Emma is inconsolable.
"I looked everywhere, Ruby did too..." Emma points to the small easel she has set up in front of the fireplace. She's taped pictures of Star on it, and drawn a diagram of the cottage and used colorful yarns to mark Star's favorite routes from her bedroom to the living room.
"Sweetheart, I'm sure the turtle is fine..." Snow tries again.
"but the back door was open," Emma bursts into fresh tears. "He could be anywhere, anywhere..."
"That's good news," Snow interrupts. "If the back door is open that means he is in the back yard. I'll have you know that's a perfect place for your little friend..."
"But it's dark and cold," Emma laments. "He will be alone, and he is going to get scared and lonely..."
Snow lets out a soft sigh. She's run out of rational arguments.
"Let's go look for him. Come on!" David offers.
There is an array of silver lanterns stacked by their back door, leftover decorations form their wedding.
"Can we light them?" Emma asks.
David lights two lanterns and hands one to Emma.
"Not just two. All of them," Emma replies, her bottom lips quivering.
David lights all twenty lanterns and Emma spreads them all around the back yard while looking for Star under every bush, leaving no stone unturned.
"Do you think he could have jumped over the fence?" Emma asks.
David stifles his smile looking at the six foot fence marking the end of Snow's property. "There is no way," he replies.
"Maybe if we leave the lanterns on all night, maybe he can find his way home," Emma says quietly then she sits on the large backyard swing, leaning her head back. She looks so tired.
"It's getting late, how about we get you to bed and resume the search tomorrow...-" David tries to suggest, but that only causes Emma to burst into tears.
"How can you even say that to me" Emma sobs. "How can I go to sleep when he is out there alone..."
David has no idea how to argue with his daughter about this.
When Snow steps out into the backyard all the lanterns are lit, David is sitting next to Emma on the back yard swing, his arm wrapped around her shoulders. Emma is looking miserable.
"Any luck?" Snow asks.
David shakes her head.
"Can't find him," Emma's lip quivers. "We've looked everywhere..."
"Well, it's time for bed... I'm sure he'll turn up tomorrow" Snow says gently and Emma shakes her head.
"No! I can't leave him out here alone..."
"I know, and I'm so sorry sweet girl, this is incredibly upsetting, but I need you to go to bed..." Snow tries again. "How about I make you some hot chocolate and then...-"
Emma shakes her head.
"Emma, I'm really tired. I need you to be reasonable about this, Star will turn up...-" Snow sighs.
"No..." Emma replies, tears streaming down her cheek. "He is lost and he is going to think I forgot about him and he is going to be gone for years just like Dad was..."
Snow closes her mouth completely forgetting what she was about to say next, glancing at David instead.
"Alright," she replies then she walks over to the garden shed, opens the door and pulls out a large green bag. She tosses the contents on the lawn. There are tent poles and tent pegs and a rain fly and a large folded tent. "I guess we are sleeping outside..." she continues.
David helps Snow set up the tent, it only collapses on them once, before it's secured to the ground, Emma brings out pillow and blankets. About ah hour later all three of them are laying inside the tent, Wilby sleeping right outside. Emma's already asleep, Snow is laying her head on David's arm. It doesn't look like it's going to rain tonight, so they left the rain fly off, which gives them a clear view of the stars.
"This is nice," Snow mumbles half asleep. "Though I do hope Star will show up by tomorrow. I'm not ready to move into the back yard permanently..."
David laughs. "Star will turn up," he says, sounding quite confident.
"He better. He is out there, no doubt living his best life, eating fresh grass, or foraging or whatever it is happy runaway turtles do" Snow groans. They are both silent for a while then Snow continues. This time her voice is cracking. "When Emma said Star is going to be lost like you were..." she pauses wiping her eyes. "I have no defense against that sort of argument..."
David pulls her in closer.
"I can't stop thinking of all these children at the orphanage today David, they are all alone..." Snow whispers.
"Most of them have families that want to adopt them, it's just that the process is too slow," David replies.
Snow nods. "Two year waiting period. 'Evil stepmother protection act.'"
"It just so happens that I know a council woman who could influence things towards the right direction," he smiles.
Snow props he head on her hand an looks at him closely. "Are you suggesting that I get involved?"
"What's the point of having power if you can't use it for those who most need it?" he argues.
Snow sighs. "David, the more I get involved, the more they are going to interfere with our personal lives... and demand things..."
"They are going to interfere with our personal lives either way, you might as well get some good out of it.." he argues.
"I found him!" Emma screeching voice startles Snow awake. She sits up, breathing fast. Her body is feeling stiff. It's so cold outside. She's completely forgotten that they all slept in a tent last night. Emma and David are already up, so Snow finds herself tangled in blankets, struggling with the tent zipper.
"What is it, what's going on?" she mumbles once she gets herself free of the tent and back into the cottage.
David is flipping pancakes while Emma is in the kitchen, clasping the turtle tightly to her heart, while Wilby is barking loudly, eager to participate in Emma's victory.
"I will never ever, ever lose you again!" Emma declares tearfully to her turtle who promptly hides his head into his shell. "I will never let you out of my sight. Mom! Can Star go to school with me?"
Snow is blinking fast, still confused.
"Emma's hamper had tipped over and he'd snuck inside it." David explains.
"Please, Mommy, please!" Emma begs.
"No, sweetheart, he can't go to school with you," Snow replies, "now go put your shoes on, you are going to miss the school squash..."
In the office Snow is staring at her magic mirror shaking her head. David and Snow spent the last five hours looking up the children on Indigo fairy's list.
"I don't see it," she sighs. "Only two foundling into the Enchanted Forest registry around that time and they both were boys..."
"How about this one?" David points at a name at the list.
"Helen Storm," Snow reads out loud. "Very sad story, her mother died of complications during childbirth..."
"This one?"
"Selena Fray. Parents drove their cart off the troll bridge, the trolls were horrified...they were the ones that saved her" Snow explains. "Can't be her..."
"Alright... We don't have much to go on... If the baby wasn't given to the fairies or placed in an orphanage then...-" David lets his voice trail off.
"Then the next step should be..." Snow's eyes open wide.
"I don't like where this is going..." David interrupts trying to buy them some time. "We should talk to Thomas first, before we decide to poke the bear..."
To his surprise Snow actually agrees with him.
She is looking relieved. "When is Thomas coming back?"
"On Monday."
"Then I guess we have some time..." Snow hesitates. "Would you go to the castle with me?"
The Crimson fairy is looking quite stern, tapping his fingers impatiently on his desk staring at Snow White and David sitting across form him.
"You'd like for the council to revise adoption laws," he says, frowning. "This constant intrusion in government affairs isn't what we agreed on. It isn't even what you wanted," he says, practically glaring at Snow.
"Yes," Snow says sifting uncomfortably at her chair. Something about this castle always makes her feel like she is nothing more but an annoying child, always in trouble, always ruining Regina's life. "But I was a the orphanage yesterday...-"
The Crimson fairy raises his finger, silencing her mid sentence. "It's a reasonable request," he continues, "one that Madam Willow will wholeheartedly support, and I might be convinced to stand behind as well," he continues. "But things cannot go on like this...-"
"Like what?" Snow frowns.
The Crimson Fairy looks at David sternly. "There is the matter of your husband..."
"What about him?" Snow stands up, crossing her hands on her chest.
"Sit down, princess!" the Crimson fairy glares at her. "If you want adoption reform you will listen to my terms!"
"I'm listening!" Snow sits at the edge of her sit, scowling, ready to jump back up again.
"As I was saying the other day, when you refused to listen to me, your husband is a disgraced former white knight. We need him to be more, he's already more than proven himself..."
Snow looks at David, her eyes open wide. He is looking just as stunned as she feels.
"What are you proposing?" Snow's voice sounds very small.
"A knighting ceremony. We offer him knighthood, based on merit, as a reward for rescuing the Silver Fairy and all the other civilians he rescued... he was in the papers last month, hailed as a hero, was he not?"
Snow is gaping at the Crimson fairy. This isn't at all what she expected. David beams at her. And before either of them gets to utter another word the Crimson Fairy adjust his monocle on his nose.
"How about this Sunday at 2.00?"
Snow stammers "this Sunday will be great," and the Crimson Fairy stifles his smile.
"Will there be anything else?" he asks signifying the end of this meeting.
Snow in a golden gown, her hair in simple but elegant chignon, is standing at the dais in the hall of ceremonies. Her heart is beating quite fast. She hasn't participated in any formal royal ceremony for over ten years. Emma smiles at her. She is in her best dress, standing across from her next to Grumpy and Nova, Blue and Jiminy. The whole council is there as is the entire black knight force, three representatives from Midas' kingdom along with Ruby and Granny. Tink of course refused to come, this whole entire affair way too formal and crowded for her liking, but Snow is pretty certain she's spotted her in the crowd wearing a green cape, half hiding behind a column. Throx the centaur is standing next to Sneezy and Happy and there are even a few trolls that Snow recognizes in the last row, and a woman in sunglasses and a fur coat who might be the Silver Fairy wearing an elaborate disguise spell.
A herald blows his trumpet and the grand door opens. David in his light armor walks in slowly. Several knights smile and salute him and he smiles back. Then his eyes meet Snow's and she is feeling absolutely overwhelmed.
It's not the size of the room or the crowd looking at her, waiting for her to speak. And it's not the ancient words she has to say, words that have been spoken to knights in the Enchanted forest since the beginning of time.
And it's not that she never thought she'd be welcome in this castle again, after she abdicated her rights to the throne. And here she is,officiating a formal ceremony, standing on the dais where she once saw brave men, heroes, kneel before her father to accept this honor.
It's just that ever since she was a little girl, she always dreamed of meeting a brave knight and falling in love. But then life happened, and Regina happened, and her memories went missing and she was found in the forest alone with a baby in her arms. She was told that her behavior had disgraced her whole kingdom. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine that there would be someone out there willing to share this perilous royal life with her. She'd find someone perhaps willing to be with her, but certainly not willing to survive the endless scrutiny of the royal life.
And here comes David, her husband, very much a fairytale knight, ready to kneel before her, willing to share this complicated life with her. Willing to enjoy quite nights with Emma by the fireplace and intense sessions with the royal council under everyone's judgmental watchful eye.
And Snow is absolutely overwhelmed with gratitude and love.
David walks up at her, looking both proud and a little concerned, because he is having a hard time reading her face.
He bows, raising her hand to his lips.
"Kneel please," she says as and her voice sounds so hoarse. She has no idea how she will get through this.
David kneels and Snow is already feeling her eyes welling up. The silence is so heavy, it feels like the entire room is holding its breath waiting for Snow to act. And she can't find her voice.
David actually looks up to make sure she is alright.
"David Nolan, in the past year you have proven yourself a valuable asset to this kingdom," she manages, doing her best to keep her voice steady, "when you found and rescued the Silver Fairy, when you turned over the Rod Troll to face justice...-"
Snow thinks of David kicking the door to her glass cell open, his hands reaching for her as she laid on the ground terrified, tied up in the dark.
"When you rescued me..." she says and she can't, she can't help it her voice cracks and there are tears streaming down her face.
"We are forever in your debt and it is with profound gratitude that we bestow you the honor our kingdom reserves to its brightest and bravest. Give me your sword please..."
David unsheathes and hands Snow his sword and she wills her hand not to tremble as she lightly touches his sword first on his right shoulder, then his left shoulder.
"Please rise, Sir Nolan" she says quietly, offering back his sword, actually shocked that she managed to go through with the ceremony.
David stands up slowly. The ceremony calls for Snow to give him a royal kiss on the forehead. But when Snow she looks at him standing before her, all she can think of is David kneeling in front of her, in her glass cell, taking off her blindfold and struggling to untie her hands.
Snow forgets all ceremony and royal protocols and she doesn't hold back. She doesn't kiss him on the forehead. Instead she tugs on his breastplate then she cups his face and she is kissing him on the lips, tears streaming down her face, practically sobbing, while the room erupts in applause.
"Snow, are you alright?" he whispers.
Snow wipes her eyes and nods. "Never better," she smiles back at him.
And this time he is the one to break protocol, because he kisses her back and places his hands on her shoulders. Then he offers his arm to help her off the dais and into the crowds, to accept the congratulatory remarks of their coworkers and friends.
"My Dad is a hero!" Emma declares proudly and some of the journalists, here to report on the knighthood ceremony, find themselves tearing up.
"He sure is," the Blue Fairy shakes Emma's hand. "And when can we expect you to join our ranks, Emma?"
"This isn't what I meant, princess!" the Crimson Fairy grumbles once the reception hall has emptied of most guests who came to participate on David's knighting ceremony. "You were doing so well, but then... what came over you? We needed you to show restraint, to show decorum, that behavior of yours is all that tomorrow's news are going to talk about..-"
And Snow seems to shrink under Crimson's accusatory scowl.
"No!" David interrupts, glaring at the Crimson Fairy. "No!" he says, more quietly this time, shaking his head. "You don't do that, you don't ever talk to her that way..."
And for a moment Snow holds her breath wondering if the Crimson Fairy will raise up his wand and set the newly knighted David on fire or turn him into a block of ice.
But Crimson nods instead. "Right you are, Sir," he says bowing his head slightly. "Forgive me, council woman Snow White, once again I overstepped," he adds, then he hesitates briefly and walks away.
Snow watches him stunned as he walks away then she turns to David. "How did you manage that?" she asks, but David isn't the least bit interested in discussing the Crimson Fairy. He tugs on Snow's arm instead and when she takes a step closer, he smiles and kisses her, right on the lips.
THE QUEEN WE DESERVE reads the front page title of the Northern kingdom daily. "There wasn't a dry eye in the house when former princess and now council woman Snow White knighted David Nolan her husband..."
Hello there! Thank you for reading, thank you so much for reviewing! I hope you guys have a wonderful restful Christmas!
Jennifer Baratta chapter 24 Awesome chapter
Thank you!
Alexa chapter 24 Poor Ella! If the missing baby is from the same time period that David was pretending to be James and engaged to Ella then died/ran off with Snow maybe it was assumed that baby was James/David's so "they" took the baby and wiped Ella's memory too!?
Hmmmm. Not telling.
Guest chapter 24 Great idea for Tink to put a protection spell on the nursery! Wonder if that's what happened to Ella's first baby?
Not telling!
Bella1296 chapter 24 Great chapter!
Thank you!
DragonRanger200 chapter 24 Awesome chapter! I don't know what to say except good job and merry christmas:)
:) Thank you! Merry Christmas! Get lots of rest!
Guest chapter 24 Ho ho ho happy holidays. This was such a good chapter. I really liked it. I love domestic happy married Snow and David. Being so flirty and playful. The paper bird was so cute. It's a very ballsy move to ask your friend who you didn't support or help during their most trying times for help about the same thing that happened to her. I'm not quite sure where I stand with this Ella. She seemed sweet in the flashback but now she seems to be a bit shallow. Also something doesn't seem right with Ella and Thomas relationship. I wonder if that has something to do with the emptiness they both fee or if it's a magical consequence. But as the first white and nolan investigations first case I'm very excited. Davids plan is very clever. I loved the trip down memory lane and their second first meeting. Also that it's just a fact that Tink is the third parter in White and Nolan is so amazing. That she feels an obligation to stay with Snow even when she's afraid and wants to escape. The stay at home dad look suits David. It warmed my heart at the sight of David sleeping next to Emma after reading to her. It was also really cute that he wanted to stay up for Snow and her paper bird plans. Snows moment at the end there was so emotional.
Thank you so much!I think I might have said this before, but when your review totally gets all the points I was trying to make, that really makes my day! Thank you!