Chapter Two
The Queen sat on her throne looking elegant and enchanting, but Adam's very core writhed because despite how beautiful her skin was, she was rotten to the core. He stood before her, gave a small bow, and looked her in the eye. She looked amused at him, those green eyes watching him like a cat.
"Adam Appoi. . ." her voice was silky, but instead of it being smooth, it made his skin crawl and itch. "Such an interesting name." She raised her eyebrow with a smirk and looked him up and down. "I have been told that you have received an invitation from me. Present it to me."
Another command, not a request. He held out the invitation, not bothering to step forward because one of the servants snatched it up and quickly bestowed it to the Queen. Her eyes skimmed the words and widened as she read the invitation again, much more slowly and stood. Everyone else bowed or curtsied as she rose, but Adam merely stared at her. She walked down those steps from her throne and walked to him with her beauty quickly dissipating. Her eyes widened as though she were mad and her nostrils flared; a touch of her true colors were trying to break through.
"Just who exactly, are you, Adam Appoi?" her long fingers clutched the invitation and her hand shook slightly.
"Your humble servant ma'am," he put his hand over his chest and bowed slightly.
"And where exactly did you get this?" she held up her shaking hand that held the invitation.
"You sent it to me, your Highness."
Her nostrils flared for a moment as she stared up at him, then turned her gaze to the invitation in her hand, then back to him.
"Leave me," she commanded the servants and the knights in the room. "Attend to your duties elsewhere, but leave me!"
Her voice echoed throughout the throne room and in a heartbeat the room was emptied. She waited until shoes no longer shuffled on the floor and turned to him. Though they were alone she spoke in a whisper. "What is the meaning of this?"
"I assumed that the invitation would explain everything," he raised an eyebrow in confusion. "In my present, you very much assured me that you would understand this letter."
"Of course I understand it," she hissed. "But what I want to know is, is this true?"
"If what is true?"
"My future!" she snapped and clutched at the collar of his coat. "Is my future sealed because of her?!"
"Only at the moment," he glared down at her and she in turn glared up at him. "I can tell you everything that you wish to know; but walls have eyes and ears. It is not safe to speak of at the moment."
Her nostrils flared before she took a long inhale and a short exhale. "Come with me."
Her long black and purple velvety cloak rippled behind her as she stormed away. Much to his chagrin, he followed her down the long halls that eventually led to her dungeons. Not a servant was in sight as they walked. All the light that had been in the castle shrunk away from this growing corner of darkness of the castle. Down the turning stairs, over the boat and to her laboratory when he came to existence is where she decided was a safe place to talk. Not that he could blame her anyways since all that was there were skeletons of those less fortunate to not be in the Queen's good graces.
She slapped the invitation in his hand and looked at him with piercing green eyes, the eyes of an old hag thirsty for beauty and youth. "Now tell me, is my future sealed because of Snow White?"
"Not so long as I am here." He merely held the letter and did not read it.
"So you are my . . . Son?" she looked him up and down oddly confused.
"Well, you did create me," he grimaced and she looked appalled. "However, you never allowed me to call you mother, so I would have to say no, I am not your son. But I am your creation, a tool, your servant and have done things as you have requested."
"How does your being here make a difference?" she crossed her arms and held her head high. "I can change my fate, now that I know it, without your help!"
"As I am sure of this," he nodded and avoided rolling his eyes. "However, due to how things are in my present, your future," he pointed at her, "you are not happy and are living in a shadow of your former glory." He gestured to the castle as a whole.
"So what is it that I am to do?" she grabbed at his collar on his shirt again. He did not like that. In fact, he hated it when she did that; too many bad memories trailed whenever she grabbed him by the collar.
"That I cannot tell you," he gently shoved her off and brushed his coat. "I do not know what you did in the first place. I am merely here to keep you from repeating the same mistakes."
"You are useless to me if you cannot tell me what it is I have done!"
"Calm down your Majesty." A deep voice bellowed from across the room. Adam froze in place as he recognized that voice all too well.
"Do not tell me to calm down, Mirror," she glared as she turned to the giant piece of glass that rested on the wall. "I am perfectly calm."
The mask in the mirror looked from her to Adam, and a terrible smirk grew on his face. This stupid Mirror had yet to break and still caused years of bad luck for Adam. He always made a point of telling the old hag of his mistakes, his failures, and exposing his weaknesses. He had never been his ally, and from the look that stupid mask just gave him, the Mirror would not be his friend now.
"But of course, your Majesty." He looked back to her with a sugar coated smile. "I merely did not want you to fret over nothing. It will put wrinkles in that beautiful face of yours."
She scowled for a moment before closing her eyes to smooth out her wrinkles. "Please proceed, Mirror."
"Thank you, your Majesty." He cleared his throat before he spoke again. "The boy will be of use to us. He will be very beneficial to your aide in getting rid of the girl, Snow White. He will inevitably be the key to your success."
Adam froze in place. He did not like what the Mirror was implying and he felt trapped. He suddenly wanted to trade places with the skeleton in its cell reaching for the pitcher of water.
"And just how will he be the key to my success?" She really did not seem to like the credit of Snow White's death being placed on someone else.
"He will ensure that her death will happen." The Mirror chuckled darkly. Despite how many times he had heard that laugh it was the most terrifying thing to hear; especially in the dark. "He will also make sure that no one else will disturb her death."
"How peculiar. . ." she murmured, and he knew that look in her eyes. She was formulating a plan and trying to think of how to execute it. "And you are sure that you know nothing of how I plan to kill Snow White?"
"I know nothing." He looked down his nose at her. "My master made it a point to only tell me of her successes, not her failure."
A flash of red scourged her face before simmering back down to her milky cream complexion.
"You are quite a fool to be speaking so boldly to me, your creator." She looked up her nose to look at him. Even as a beautiful Queen she was still much shorter than he.
"Technically, at this time you are not my creator yet because you have not yet failed." A hiss escaped her lips. "But I am here to ensure that you do not fail and that Snow White does not hinder your Queenship."
"You are currently useless to me." She flicked her wrist at him as if to flick him away. "You must return to your time, speak to me, and learn what I have once done so I do not repeat it."
"But of course, my Queen." He placed his hand over his heart and bowed. "I shall make it so."
"See that you do," she now looked down at him. "I would hate to have to punish such a loyal tool."
Her smile was dark, even though her teeth were sparkling white. When he stood, he quickly left the dungeons and heard both the Queen and the Mirror laugh.
Author's Note:
Thank you so much for reading! I hope you are enjoying things so far!
What do you think so far, readers? I would love to have some feedback on this particular story so far.
For those of you who don't know, as I didn't until I had to do some research, the Evil Queen from Show White is actually named Queen Grimhilde. Rather fitting since she is a grim woman, wouldn't you think?
Anyways, thank you so much for coming along with me on my journey. Hope you stay around for the ride.
