Snow White

Based on the tale by the Brothers Grimm

With a twist!

AN: I do not own Card Captor Sakura or Snow White

Chapter 1

Once upon a time in a country far, far a way there lived a beautiful young duchess with her husband. On one cold winters day the duchess sat at the window with her needle and thread. She watched the dark raven fly past and accidentally pricked her finger.

She smiled when she looked down at the dark red blood seeping into the pure white snow and she made a wish. She wished for a baby girl of her own. She wished for a baby girl with skin as pale as the white-white snow, hair as black as the raven's wing and lips as red as the red-red rose, as red as blood.

The baby girl was born and happiness filled the house, but with life comes death and the duchess soon left the mortal world leaving her baby in her husband's care.

As the girl grew, her passion for life and her joy for the world around her touched every person with her bright smiles. Yet the duke could not help but wonder about his baby girl and he often looked at the empty space in his bed.

When the girl turned six the duke married a beautiful woman, Lady Juliana and she soon took hold of the household. The girl's dislike for the woman grew deeper with each passing day and she became more rebellious, often finding herself in fights with young boys from the village and young lords visiting the household.

The duke sighed and often shook his head at his daughter's behaviour. On her seventh birthday the duke gave her the grandest gift he could think of. A gift she would both treasure and value for the rest of her life. On the girl's seventh birthday he gave a gift that would change my life forever.

He gave me.

I was to be the girl's friend and bodyguard for the rest of my life. Ten years on and I still find myself involved in fights the girl had begun with local boys or young lords. Only this time around the fighting was more about love than hate.

"Lady Tomoyo, don't you think we are getting rather to old for this kind of nonsense?" I eyed the seventeen year old curiously and she smiled her bright smile at me. Her lips a deep rich red against her pale skin.

"Hardly. I find it rather entertaining. Besides, you are not going to allow that boy to get away with what he said are you?"

"He said you looked hot. As in pretty, beautiful… uh… you know the bedroom thing." I hardly felt comfortable discussing matters such as these with her.

"My dear, you are three years older than me and you still cannot use the term se…"

I clenched my teeth and rolled up my sleeves. "I'll fight the brat." I took my stance and the boy grinned at me. Okay, so maybe he wasn't a boy, more like a man. I glanced at the girl. However, I am not going to allow some seventeen year old to make fun of me because I'm uncomfortable with matters concerning the opposite sex.

I think the shock on my face was more than apparent judging by Tomoyo's rich laughter coming from the side lines. Did this guy even know how to fight? I ducked a loose random swing and landed my fist in his stomach and he complained loudly. "This is a bar fighter." I complained and Tomoyo's laughter grew more intense.

I flinched slightly when my fist connected with his face and the strange sound of bone breaking filled my senses. A shiver ran down my body and I stepped away from the man involuntarily. I hate that sound. "I'm not finished yet girl."

"Are you kidding me? I just broke your nose and haven't even been able to touch me, never mind land a punch."

"I can't punch a girl."

"Oh spare me. Then you shouldn't have gotten involved." I landed another fist in his stomach and he doubled over onto the ground complaining. "Merry Christmas jerk." I picked up my cloak and motioned for the laughing girl to follow me.

"That was brilliant."

"Such a waist of time."

"I met this guy." I glanced at her and she giggled at my raised eyebrow. "He was really handsome. With a strange scar on his face." That caught my full attention. I did not want her to be hanging about with the wrong crowd. "He is way too old for my taste though, but he liked you. He thinks you are very pretty."

I laughed at her words and rested my arm on her shoulders. "We both know that you are the fairest one between us. Why would a handsome man with a scar be looking at me? Come now my fair Snow White, we have a party to prepare for."

"Oh no, I completely forgot about that. Do you think anyone would miss us if we did not…"

"Unfortunately, yes. Maybe not me, but definitely you. You are the host's daughter after all."

"I wish not to be at times. These parties Juliana give are a bit of a bore and the 'young lords' and 'suitable suitors' she keeps forcing me to spend dinner with are all so…"

"Boring, unattractive and vain."

"Yes!"

"Then what kind of man would you prefer then?" I watched her eye the dress laid out on her bed in slight disgust. She gave a silly grin and I shook my head, already knowing what was going to happen to the poor unsuspecting dress.

"A man who is adventurous and brave. Like a pirate."

"I'm afraid we are to far inland for any pirates to come past and sweep you off your warm booted feet. Besides, you don't need that kind of man."

"Your father was a nice pirate. I can still remember his friendly eyes when he smiled at me and ruffled my hair."

"Yes, but look where he is now - buried in the depths of the ocean along with his treasure. But I suppose it is where he always wanted to be, where he longed to be. With my mother."

"What about your brother?"

"Toya? The last I heard of him, he was in the Caribbean plundering as he goes with his first mate Yukito." I grinned at the girl as she held up the modified dress. It looked years better and more according to the fashion. "And don't even think about it."

"You are such a spoil sport."

"Yes, but I don't want you getting involved with something where you might end up hurt." I hooked her locket around her neck and she smiled down at the silver heart carrying a picture of her mother inside. "You deserve better Snow White. You deserve so much more than any pirate can offer you."

"Why do you insist on calling me Snow White? I have a name you know."

"I know, but you will always be Snow White to me."

Juliana's voice was crisp and clear as it drifted through the warm house mingling with the food and drink to add pleasure. I leaned against the wall away from the guests and watched the duchess sing the soft Christmas lullaby. She had remarkable features, with golden hair and brown eyes and an enchanting voice.

My eyes drifted to the girl and I watched her standing arm in arm with her father listening to the duchess sing. The duchess was indeed fair, but it seems to me that the little Snow Girl is getting all the attention tonight.

Jealousy makes you nasty, or so they say. It has to be proven first. I will however not be surprised if Juliana is the first to prove it. The woman's eyes were ice when they rested on the girl and her father. Not even her swollen stomach carrying the unborn child can hide the hate she carries for the girl.

They have been having a private war for years; it was only a matter of time before the final blow is struck. Dresses, companions, hobbies, hair, make up… it has all been weapons in this silent war. My eyes landed on the woman's pregnant stomach. The next weapon will come into this world not even knowing the purpose of its birth.

I closed my eyes as I listened to the joyous music replacing the last words of the lullaby Juliana had sung. I knew people were dancing now, they always did. And the girl will share the first dance with her father, as they have always done.

"It's dangerous playing with witches."

My eyes snapped open. The owner of the voice was gone. My heart raced in my chest as I looked around. It had sounded so close, so close… as if he was standing right beside me. A fleeing shadow caught my eye as it made its way down the corridor hidden by the red curtains decorating the dance hall.

The cold air tugged at my heavy braid and my feet moved swiftly down the corridor following the echoing footsteps before me. I held my breath as I walked through the open door leading to the gardens.

Nothing.

Strong arms wrapped themselves around my body forcing my arms to my side. Warm breath played on my skin and I could feel the man's slight stubble press against my cheek. He grinned. "Curious, aren't you?"

"Who are you?" I could feel him grin at my question. My body stiffened when he pressed his face in my neck, his lips against my skin.

"Hmm… soft Cherry Blossom." He grinned against my skin and I swallowed hard. "It's dangerous playing with witches."

Loud screams ran through the building and I twisted my body to look at the door. The man's hold on me faded into the darkness as I ran down the corridor. If something happened to Tomoyo I will never forgive myself. I paused at the edge of the circle around the unconscious woman.

"Juliana."

AN: Hey! If you read the first version, sorry but I deleted it. Someone gave me a review saying that something was missing from the tale and he or she was right. I read it again and started over.

It's Snow White, but from a total different point of view and from someone with her own set of problems to solve along with keeping the Lady Tomoyo safe.

Any comments and advice is welcome. If you send me a flame, I don't mind, but please have facts to base your criticism on. And I apologise in advance for any grammatical and/or typing errors, English is not my first language but I will try my best.

Thank you!

Tella