Luckily for me, Fridriech had started a habit of sleeping at noon. I hoped it would give me enough time. I went down to the room with the mirror.

"The prince was right, טou're devious as a fox," said the mirror.

So I didn't really needed all this stupid routine to wake it,

"How close is Snowhite?"

"A walk of a day and a half."

"Can you not make it any faster?"

"It isn't part of my capabilities."

"So what can your power do except for making my life miserable?"

"I can return the time I took from your life and cancel the magic which made you look old in the mirror."

So was I only imagining I looked old?!

"But for this, there is something I need from you,"

"Do you dare to ask me for favours?!"

"Break me, don't leave anything but shreds."

"Are you ready for this?"

"Let another mirror endure this suffering, I had enough."

"And what about the views? The beautiful things you love to see?"

"What are views when I know only to put misery to others?"

On one hand, I didn't really want to kill it. After all, he regretted it. On the other hand, why should he have suffered forever? I took my shoe off and hit the mirror with it over and over. Not even one shred was left hanging on its frame. The mirror was shattered into thousands of shreds which were scattered on the floor. Well, except for a few, which flew over me.

But there was a problem: I couldn't leave the palace and I couldn't wait for Snowhite to arrive, because only the good Lord knows what stories I should have come with.

I got back to the garden, where I sat with the prince not long ago. I sat and looked around, enjoying the view. I heard boots' steps from behind. It was the hunter.. I mean, Hans.

"When did you manage to hurt your gorgeous face?" He crouched and move a hair which was on my face.

"No wonder you are not hurrying back, you do not love your wife in one bit," I pushed his hand away from me.

"You're right," he sat next to me" I…"

"Why are you getting her already?" I stopped him.

"We need a carriage and supplements first. He is a royalty, after all."

"Ride oever a horse and you'll get there faster!"

"Do you think he will be able to do so?" he laughed. "About my wife…"

"It's between you and her."

"I don't have one."

"Is she dead?!" I was horrified.

"No, I just… never got married. I lied to you."

It took him a while before he looked at me again.

"You see… I imagined, even for a moment, that an impressive woman like yourself was looking at a loser like me. I had to make up a lie in order not to talk nonsense. It was a short but beautiful dream."

"Until you realized what a person I was."

"I killed the queen," he said differently. "A messenger of the king came to me, and showed me his seal. He told me it was his request, In exchange, I will be acknowledged as the best hunter in kingston, though I wasn't really,"

"Why did you agree?"

"The man promised me the king would help my sick mother, but only later I realized I was tricked. The king moruned his dead wife, and I was the batd person who took her from him."

"Like I took him for Snowhite," I looked down as I smiled sadly. "We both have blood on out hands."

"If you weren't caged in a beautiful palace, I'd offer to take you with me," he chuckled and then added "What am I talking about? I'm a hunter, your a queen and we don't really know each other."

"I would lie to say I didn't think about it myself. But to tell the truth, I do want to leave," I held his hand "If you agree, take me with you and let me have a new life away from here. Please, arrive before the prince and princess and I would make sure not to be here when they'll come. And then, we'll go together."

I suddenly realized how ridiculous I sounded. Like a maiden in love. But I never had the chance to be one. I was never in love. Even at that moment it was nothing but enthusiasm, the excitement of meeting someone, of that sparkle.

"I guess we both deserve peace, even if not with one another, but I would definitely like to spend the rest of my life with someone as beautiful as you."

"Wait until you see Snowhitte, she is even more beautiful."

"Snowhite? I've seen her, just to remind you. Anway, she is a child, I look for a grown woman."

I smiled. It had been a while since I heard someone adore me for something other than my beauty or role.

Six days have passed, the hunter came back with the royal couple and managed to sneak me outside without anyone noticing through the tunnels he entered with when he killed Snowhite's mother. Who would have thought one's curse would be the blessing of another?

Only years later who confessed who was the servant who faked the king's request. But it didn't change a thing. Now, he is someone else's problem.