Guardian
It was a bittersweet affair in the making within the realms of Snow White's kingdom. Rose Red walked with her cousin through the gardens of the grounds, nearly laughing at how the white roses and the red roses were intermingled as they went. It had to be her cousin's doing, she was sure, Snow always had a love of showing a united front to any who would dare send even the slightest of dirty looks at her cousin. She wanted her people to see that she accepted the future monarch of their neighboring kingdom as family, which they were, but that they were closer than mere cousins. She wanted the people to see that their darling Snow, their pure princess, loved her cousin and would stand with her, united, as they would one day rule their kingdoms and live in harmony. The flowers were merely one way to do it, to show the snow white roses and the red roses existing and thriving together.
She kept her quips about it to herself this one time though, certain Snow would not be in the mind to jest about it on this day. Snow was normally only ever so solemn on her own birthday, reminded of when she had lost her mother to death and so, unlike any other time when she was melancholy, this could only be dealt with with the upmost care and consideration. She might be cold and callous with many other people, but not her family, and never Snow.
"There are sure to be a number of handsome princes and other nobles in attendance," Rose remarked as they walked on, trying to find things that would make Snow smile.
She was rewarded with the smallest tick up in the corner of Snow's mouth, but it was nowhere near a true smile from her cousin.
"And many delicious dishes," Rose continued, "Laughter, dancing. Passingly fair music…" that earned a giggle from the woman who elbowed her in the side gently.
"We can't all have your taste in music, Rose," Snow quipped, smiling genuinely now.
"Perhaps I shall play then," she offered, "Sing a song…"
"Summon more unicorns," Snow teased, before laughing heartily recalling that very special birthday gift from years ago, "That would be something."
"I could," Rose offered, slowing their walk to look at her, taking her hands instead of linking arms, "I would. If that is what you wish. If that is what shall have you smile again."
Snow's smile grew soft, "Thank you," she squeezed Rose's hands, "I'll be fine though, I'm sure. Once things pick up and the festivities are underway, I'm sure I'll forget about today."
"Until Uncle Leopold gives his infamous speeches," Rose remarked, not wanting Snow to forget that lest she be brought down in mood again by her father's sometimes un-thought-through words.
"Yes," Snow sighed, "Perhaps he won't this year?" she asked, trying to sound hopeful but they both knew how much Leopold loved to give his speeches and especially when they would talk about either Snow or her mother, his late wife, "No, no, you're right," Snow agreed even without Rose needing to say anything, her expression alone was enough, "He would never not speak of this."
"It is a lovely story," Rose commented as they began walking again.
Snow sighed, her smile wistful now, "How they met," she nodded to herself, "It's so romantic to hear."
And it was, Rose was sure...to Snow at least. She had a rather different idea of what was romantic, her own parents, the way they overcame not only class distinctions but species as well? How her mother had pushed past her instincts and learned about the man who would be her mate? How her father fought for them and went on to wed her mother regardless of what others thought? The ways her parents proved their love to each other, in such different ways, yet that both understood the intent behind and accepted fully, that was love to her, that was romantic.
Snow's story, well…she could see the appeal in it, she supposed. Two individuals who seemed destined to marry when they were but infants, growing up apart, finally meeting and falling in love. To have others trying to pull them apart but deciding that their love was too strong.
It seemed too…easy…to her.
She would rather grow to love a person than to fall with just a glance.
Snow though, adored the story, hoping that one day she would meet a prince or noble or even just a boy that had her heart pounding and that she would just KNOW was meant for her.
She hadn't thought it practical, in her opinion. Someone could look the most beautiful on the outside and be horrid on the inside and there was nothing that could reveal that but time. Cora came to mind, the woman was beautiful, regal, poised, but no one would know the woman was missing her heart unless they spent a great deal of time with her...or could hear her song, could hear that one note missing. She would never wish for her cousin to be tied to a person with no heart merely because they were handsome on the outside.
She knew…with herself as well, that she was deemed to be lovely in her own right, Sirens were often seen as very beautiful woman, ethereal, her father had called her mother. She had inherited some of those qualities, in some settings others had commented on her looks so she knew that she held some appeal to others. But she knew enough of herself that she was…difficult to accept.
Her own people struggled to do so, and she was aware of other members of her family that struggled to accept her mother into their fold. She had an odd look at the world, a different way of reacting to things, situations, and events that affected her in ways others wouldn't be. She could witness a soldier being carried past with an arm severed off and not blink while most women would gasp and faint or at least grow pale. Things that would make others squeamish or ill at ease did not affect her. And, sometimes, she could cause emotions in others that weren't usually acceptable for a lady to do. Fear, anger, hate, discomfort, without meaning to or, at times, meaning to, and she knew how to do it, what words, what actions, what tone to take, how to hold herself.
She could play another person like the fiddle she enjoyed to play.
It was hardly acceptable, her tendencies to the darker traits of a Siren, she did her best to hold them back but they did escape at times.
She would rather a man who accepted all of her, her light and dark parts, than one who wished to stand beside her merely for her crown or beauty.
But she was not Snow, nor could she control what Snow did or who her heart one day chose. All she could do was ensure this person was right for her, would treat her well, and love her dearly. She would not hold back in her thoughts of other suitors that came for her cousin's hand, she would be blunt and honest about it all, to ensure Snow looked at more than just an outward façade to the heart within.
And, if all else failed, revealing how well their songs blended would also help Snow pick the person right for her. Some people, their songs did not merge well and she had noticed, in those cases, that the relationship reflected it. They would fight or be distant, cold to each other. When the songs blended well, it meant the souls were compatible. They were distinctive, she could pick out the two songs very clearly if she listened, but the fact that they worked well together was a sign.
Snow would trust her if she said a song did not match well with hers, and she would never betray that trust by lying to her cousin about it.
"You would never want to miss a telling of it," Rose continued, shaking herself out of her thoughts, "No matter the day."
Snow had to nod at that.
Her father was throwing a ball for her, but also for the memory of her mother. She was the same age her mother was when they first met in person. They had been betrothed for many years, but met when her mother was 16 years old. Her father had waited till she was 16 as well, till the very day that he and Eva had officially met. He believed it would be a good omen, that she too might meet the man for her this night, just as her parents had met.
It truly was bittersweet. To have a day so important to her parents, yet her mother was no longer there to share it with her, to have that hope she might actually meet a man for her and know, if it didn't happen, her father would be so sad. Still, it was a night to celebrate love and a way to remember her mother, a night to feel closer to her, and she would never miss it or abandon it if she could help it.
"Come on," Snow tugged on her arm, now more excited for the night as another thought struck her, "We should prepare."
Rose frowned, "There are still hours yet…"
Snow gave her a teasing smirk, "And, knowing you, I'm going to need all those hours to convince you to dress for the ball!"
"Oh, Snow…" Rose nearly whined.
But Snow ignored her 14 year old cousin, taking her hand and dragging her off to her chambers to prepare.
~8~
"No," Rose said, for the tenth time in the last two hours, getting the word out before the boy who approached her could even open his mouth, sending him walking away dejectedly.
Balls, as far as she was concerned, were worth attending only for the food and, at times, the music. Most of the time, though, she was not a large fan of them. Besides the noise of so many different soul songs blending together, she did not like the gowns she had to wear either, so different than her normal attire, for they were more intricate, more corseted, longer, and specifically designed to draw attention to herself. Snow, too, would take extra care to select her gowns for her, and do her hair, and select the right paint for her face for the night, selecting just the right jewels to pull the eye in. Snow always selected light colored gowns for her, in pinks or whites, with some red highlights, despite knowing she favored more darker reds or greens or even blacks and greys. Snow would pile her hair atop her head in buns with curls scattered everywhere, keeping her hair off her neck...which she always hated. She didn't like having so much of her exposed, she preferred her hair down than up. The jewels, too, always felt so heavy and gaudy. It was Snow's way, she knew, to ensure everyone else knew she was a princess, the crown princess of her own kingdom and deserved respect for it.
She ended up coming to the balls, dressed like Snow's favored doll, so uncomfortable and counting the minutes till it was over. She would hover near the food if she could, using it as an excuse not to talk or dance with others. But she couldn't this time, for she was the visiting princess and needed to be seen being grateful to her host and in the presence of the king. The Queen had gotten out of it, the lucky woman, or perhaps unlucky as she was in her rooms with a headache.
Perhaps she should have used that as an excuse, for that was what always happened whenever she came to balls. Between the music playing, never to her standards, and the songs of the many souls around her…it created an awful cacophony in her mind. She would take to humming under her breath, any song she could think of, that she could focus on listening to instead of the mess of sounds around her. But her uncle had made it his mission to regale her with tales of Snow and himself in the time since they last spoke, only taking pause when others approached to ask a question of him, and she couldn't be rude and not listen to him.
The one issue with that particular set up, with Snow's own love of balls drawing her away, and with the king's preoccupation with answering anyone else that came to speak with him…was that it seemed to make every eligible man there feel they could try their hand at dancing with her. They would come up, bow, offer a hand, and smile at her in that way that said they expected her to accept.
And so she would refuse.
It got to the point where she would just say 'no' whenever she saw a boy approaching her, best to cut them off before they even spoke, it would be one less sound she'd have to hear that night.
It gave her an advantage though, from her vantage point standing off to the side near the high table she could keep an eye on Snow as she danced the night away with all the men in the room. Her cousin, at least, looked like she was having a wonderful time. She loved dancing and being in the middle of a crowd of happy people, she was so like her father in that regard, she wanted everyone around her to be happy. Combining the music and the dancing and the smiling faces, the many handsome men, and Snow was in heaven. She hadn't even faltered in her grin when Leopold had given his speech a short while ago, retelling the tale of how he and Eva had met and fallen in love.
She could closely observe each and every man that approached her cousin, could see Snow's face as she greeted them, always the same polite smile which told her that, at least right now, her cousin had not found her 'one true love' this night, not yet. She could watch as Snow spoke with the men as they danced, could read her expression for when she was happy or engaged in the conversation, bored but polite, not very pleased with it but being civil, or just distracted. If she truly focused, if she listened for her cousin's song, she could vaguely hear the men she danced with, none of their songs blending very well with Snow's.
It was likely because she was watching her cousin so closely that she even noticed when the last man she had rejected approached Snow. He had that same smug grin on his face as he had when he approached her, like he just expected an acceptance, perhaps even gratitude, for the dance offer. But she did catch the glance he sent at HER a moment before he reached Snow's back, intent to tap her on the shoulder and interrupt the dance (as though he didn't think that was rude and felt that Snow might thank him for the interruption). He sent her a smirk before he turned to Snow, which instantly had her narrowing her eyes at him, a sinking feeling in her stomach when Snow startled and turned.
She didn't need to be close to understand what the man was doing, asking her for a dance, apologizing for cutting in even as he offered her a hand. She could see Snow give an apologetic look at the man she had been dancing with before she turned to accept the new dance.
She had very mixed feelings about what came next. On the one hand, she almost felt sorry for the man if he thought he could make complaints about her and have Snow agree with him. On the other hand, she could feel herself growing more angry the more uncomfortable Snow looked as the man went on.
It spoke volumes to her just how put off Snow was by her new partner that the second the song had finished, she'd politely excused herself and hurried off the dance floor entirely. Given how much she loved to dance at balls, Rose knew she was only doing so because she didn't want to risk dancing with the man again. He had truly irritated her so much that she would forego her favorite pastime at festivities such as this just to avoid him.
"Snow," Rose called out, catching her cousin's arm as she tried to hurry past.
Snow merely tugged her arm enough where she could take Rose's hand and lead her back to the High Table, to their seats beside each other on the king's right side. It had been where she was initially planning to take refuge, but she also knew that her cousin was far more observant than most would give her consideration of and had likely seen her disinterest on the dance floor. She thought it best to put some sort of object between her cousin and that obnoxious prat that she'd been forced to spend the last few minutes with.
"What happened?" Rose asked as soon as they were seated, watching Snow chug down a goblet of water.
"Nothing," Snow said, the reply far too short both in answer and in tone.
"Well then," Rose remarked, starting to stand slowly and try to walk past her cousin behind her chair.
"What are you doing!?" Snow hissed, quickly grabbing her arm and tugging her back down into the seat beside her.
"If you shall not be honest with me, perhaps that coxcomb shall."
Snow snorted so loudly at that that she shot her father an apologetic smile when he turned to give her a startled look, before she turned back to Rose, "Coxcomb?"
"It is fitting, is it not?"
Snow had to nod, a man who typically strutted about and preened, a conceited and pretentious fool, that was the man she'd danced with in a nutshell, "It is."
"Now," Rose settled, seeing her cousin in better spirits, "Pray tell what foul things he undoubtedly said to you."
Snow sighed, "It was the usual," she told her, sounding resigned and disappointed and very sad about that.
Rose merely hummed, unperturbed, "That I am a cold, standoffish, harpy, with no heart? An utter monster destined to plague and condemn her people to destruction?"
"Rose," Snow nearly whined, "Can you at least try not to sound ok with that?"
"I am not ok with it," Rose assure her, "I merely…" she sighed, "I have heard this all before, Snow, and worse. With what I am, I will undoubtedly hear even worse as the years go on. And from many people as well. My own people, visiting nobles," she gestured at the room full of them, "I may even hear it from my own husband one day…"
"Don't say that," Snow reached out to take her hand, "You deserve a man who will love you just the way you are, like your father does your mother. And you WILL find that, Rose, I promise you will. If…If I have to go to the Dark One and make a deal to find your true love, I'll do it."
Rose offered her a small smile at the consideration, the willingness her cousin had to do anything to make sure she would be loved and loved truly.
"Whatever may come, I will hear worse," Rose continued, "And you know that was not my question," she gave Snow a look that had the girl glancing away, "Though you dislike to hear it, 'the usual' would not chase you off the dance floor the way it did. You have heard it many times before yourself. Now, what else did he say."
Snow sighed, "MUST you know me so well?"
Rose's lips quirked at the corner in a small smile, "Yes," before she squeezed Snow's hand, "Now, no more distractions. What did he say?"
Snow's expression grew sad and reluctant now, but also quite disturbed, as though just the memory of what was said had truly gotten to her and upset her in a way she could normally brush off, "He began with the usual but then…" she hesitated, "He tried to convince me to…to…"
"Turn on me?" Rose offered, squeezing her hand in comfort now.
She was truly surprised that it had taken someone 14 years to broach that topic with Snow White given how close they were. Granted, when she had been younger, her Siren-like tendencies hadn't been quite as prominent as they were now, perhaps some still had hope she would grow to be normal in her age. Still, she had honestly expected Snow to be bombarded on all sides about her, about how she was 'unfit to rule' given she wasn't fully human, that Snow should seize her kingdom, for the good of the people. There was a chance that Snow may have been accosted with such suggestions and just not told her, but Rose could see how truly and genuinely shaken the girl was and it told her that nothing like that had ever been said to Snow White before.
"Yes," Snow whispered, as though speaking it any louder would cause the entire room to turn against her cousin. She suddenly reached out and took both of Rose's hands in her own, "You know I would never, yes? You know? You know I will forever be on your side Rose, no one can tear us apart. I would never, ever turn on you."
"I know," Rose reassured her, "You could no more turn on me than I could you."
Snow smiled brightly at that, knowing how set a Siren was in their familial bonds and obligations, their loyalty to their family was unshakable. The ONLY thing that could turn them on family was family betraying them first. And it was so rare a thing to happen because of that. Siren clans were so tight knit, they lived and existed for each other.
Truly her aunt was the only Siren she had ever heard of who had been betrayed by her clan, not that she had really heard of many Sirens to begin with. It was such an uncommon thing though, for her aunt to even have a human mate. And even then her family had been planning to do what they genuinely thought was best for her and the family as a whole, only her aunt disagreed with their plan and what would be best for her. To her, the family plot to kill her mate was just that, they were going to kill her mate. And for that she broke ties with her family, with the sea, and chose a life on land with Ethan.
She supposed it was romantic too, not quite as romantic as her parents, but in its own way. To love someone so much you would be willing to give up the only life you ever knew for even a chance to be with them. Because there had been no guarantee that it would happen, that Ethan's family or people would accept a Siren beside him. He had fought for them though, and the sacrifice had not been in vain.
"I refused," Snow continued, "I told him it would never happen. You are my cousin, my family, my blood, and I would never betray you or stand against you. We would be partners as we go forward, just as out fathers before us, the bond between our two kingdoms unbreakable."
"I take it he did not like that part especially," Rose remarked.
Snow nodded, growing grim, "That was when he…well, he said things that I just couldn't bear to hear and so I got far away from him."
"And that is what I mean, Snow, what did he say that upset you so?"
"He just…he may have said…some things about me," Snow admitted, not wanting to remember how he had called her cruel and blind and many other things for being more loyal to a 'half-breed' than true people, "They didn't make me feel particularly good, they were rather hurtful and…Rose!" she shouted, but Rose was already up and storming towards the dancefloor, leaving Snow little option but to plop back down in her seat and pray that her cousin didn't make a scene or murder someone in the middle of the hall…
Rose ignored her cousin, she didn't need to ask Snow what had been said, the exact words. Snow was a sensitive soul, and while SHE could handle hearing ill thought words spoken against herself, Snow was not as capable of handling such. And when it came to reciting them? Snow would be reluctant to repeat words aimed at her cousin, but she would say them, for there was a distance between them, the words not directed at herself. When they were, though, directed at Snow, she was loathe to repeat it, as though she could simply forget what was said if it was never spoken again. And she would not pain her cousin in such a way as to extract the words and force Snow to say them herself.
She strode across the room, grabbing the arm of that pompous ass just as the current song faded to a close, "Dance with me," she all but demanded, half-dragging him back to the center of the room and spinning to him as the next song began, her hands properly placed, practically forcing him to begin the traditional steps with the force of her movement.
"Come to your senses then?" the boy teased, that same smug smirk on his face that she wanted to claw off him, "I should have expected ad much, I am very…"
"Be quiet," she hissed at him, her voice low, her face set in an expression of barely restrained fury, her eyes flickering like the flames of Maleficent in the torchlight of the hall, "And listen to me."
"How dare you…"
She very purposefully smashed her foot on his during a particular turn, digging her nails into his hand to quiet him from crying out, "You listen to me, very closely," she warned, "Snow White is the best, most pure, most innocent princess you will ever encounter. And I do not appreciate anything you said that upset her."
"Now see here…"
"SILENCE!" she hissed once more, something in her tone must have alerted him to the fact that she was not in a gaming mood, "Whatever you said to Snow, you will retract. You will march over to her and apologize as soon as this song is done."
"And why should I?" he tried to sound confident, but his hand was twitching in her hold and there was an edge of pain to his voice.
She stepped closer to him, nearly eye to eye with him though she was younger, but 14, and he older, near 18, "Because, unlike my cousin, who is more likely to take her leave of you, I have no qualms with forcing you to take leave of your senses," she smirked when her words caught up to him, "I have not had the pleasure to test the Songs of Torment my mother has been teaching me. I would love a chance to try them."
She wouldn't not really. Snow would be devastated if she used her magic like that, especially in her name. But this little prick didn't need to know that.
"You…you can't…" he swallowed hard.
"Try me," she dared, her eyes narrowing, "Snow is as good to me as a sister. You insult her, you insult me. And I will have the head of any who insults my cousin. My mother is a Siren," she reminded him, "Her heart is as cold and deadly as the sea, and my will be too. You test me, you insult Snow, and I will use every song I can think of to cause you the greatest amount of pain imaginable."
"You…"
She dug her nails into his hand more, stalling him, "I have heard tell there are songs that can drive a person mad, others that can exact excruciating pain, and some that can deafen a man, cause such damage to the mind that there is nothing left of a person's very soul," she tilted her head, "My mother may not have her magic, but I DO, and, unlike my cousin, I have never been well-liked. You can imagine the time I have spent imagining the torment of those who torment ME. I have songs not even a Siren could teach me in mind. Give me a reason to test them."
A bit closer to the truth there, she had created some songs she was sure a Siren never had before...but anything that helped her frighten this boy into submission she would take.
They were silent as they danced on another minute, the man before her now deathly pale and shaking so badly he kept mis-stepping.
"Your people would revolt," he tried.
"You think anyone would catch me?" she challenged him, "You think I would risk anyone finding out? Snow?" she scoffed, more a dark laugh than anything, "I could charm you to willingly follow me to the gardens. Enchant you to silence. No one would hear my song over these musicians, no one would hear you scream."
She curtseyed deeply as the song came to an end, rising to stare the man down, "Now…shall you apologize, or would you like to take a walk in the gardens with me?"
She smirked when he nearly ran off the dancefloor towards where Snow was sitting, watching them dance with a small frown of concern and confusion. She slowly made her way back to the table, enjoying how the man dropped to his knees and all but begged Snow for her forgiveness, extoling her virtues and strengths to her until Snow took pity on him and forgave him. She reached the table just as the man got to his feet, took one look at her, and nearly ran out of the hall in his haste. A handful of people grumbled when he nearly smashed into them on his way past, that desperate to get as far away from her as possible
"Rose!" Snow exclaimed as she came to sit next to her cousin once more, "What did you say to him?!"
Rose merely smirked and reached forward to pluck up her own water goblet and take a sip, "The usual."
Snow sighed, "You really need to stop threatening to kill people, you know."
A/N: I thought it was sort of fitting, the way Snow and Rose thought of their own parents meeting as romantic and didn't understand the other's romanticism lol :) I feel like it shows their differences in perspective and views on love. Snow wants that pure, instant, lasting and true love, a fairytale. Where as Piper is more substance, learning a person, building a relationship, facing challenges and overcoming them. Piper's not afraid of hardship and work, of people not accepting her true love because she saw how people didn't accept her mother yet her father still loved her more than anything.
I also sort of wanted to touch on that sort of old-soul that Piper has, that maturity that could only come from struggling every day that Snow doesn't really have. From a young age, Piper has sort of been the more protective of her cousin, both because of being half-Siren but also seeing the world more realistically than Snow does. She knows there are terrible people out there, so she expects people to whisper in Snow's ear about her...Snow, on the other hand, struggles to understand why they would or how people could be so terrible.
Almost makes what she did to James look like a weak comparison, throw himself into the River of Lost Souls...or lure someone into the gardens, using the joyful music of a party to cover the sounds of her torturing someone till nothing's left but an empty shell. O.O Not that she would have done it at that age, now when she and Snow were so close and she didn't want Snow to think poorly of her. At this point, she's more at the stage of using 'threats' of doing things to people (and not actually doing it) because THEY think she would. Even if Snow is a little exasperated with it lol :)
And no, the pompous prat is not James, just another entitled noble ;)
Some notes on reviews...
Very true :) So long as Hades forked over Hook and didn't threaten Emma or Henry, Piper and Gold probably would have been just fine helping him leave, with an added agreement that he not harm those under their protection, like August (and Geppetto) and Neal. I could see them informing Emma and Henry of the offer, working out a way to stop Hades IN Storybrooke (since Emma and Henry would probably care about the town even if Piper and Gold don't), and then 'accepting the deal' and helping Emma and Henry take him down once he was above ground. Sadly he is very much not at Rumpelstiltskin's level when it comes to making deals and thinking ahead lol :)