He broke the curse by taking David to Maleficient's Palace. Well…not quite Maleficient's Palace, it was actually the shores right across from that castle. She'd done wonders with it in the last few years, elevating it high over the forest so that it stuck out like a sore thumb. He explained to Charming that he needed him to leave the egg within the beast inside and gave him a potion, one that would allow him to move about inside the castle without being detected by her. He explained it calmly and confidently, but didn't tell him that it was only a theory he was working on. He was blocked from getting inside the Dragon's Palace, his magic on the other hand…he was crossing his fingers the witch had forgotten that little potion. He'd learned the hard way when Belle had been taken by her and her friends, perhaps she hadn't yet.
David looked ominously out across the water to the castle on the other side. "And that's it?" he questioned with the potion in his hand. "That's all I have to do, and you'll give me the ring with the spell put on it."
He said it as if what he had to do was a little thing. The boy didn't know about Maleficent or the beast within and he doubted he'd consider it "all" once he got inside. But for as uneducated as he was, he was a smart one. He'd known to be specific in his asking, to put terms and conditions on their deal. "The ring with the spell," he'd said…he'd already learned a lot. Someday, when he was King, that would suit him.
"Do this…" he snapped his fingers and a white horse appeared behind him tied to a log on the shore, "and I'll even throw in a steed so you make it there with haste."
That appeared to be satisfactory enough for David. He nodded his head once, then tossed the potion he'd given him back. As soon as he saw him swallow, he used his magic to get him inside the grounds.
And then there was nothing to do but what he'd been doing nearly all his life. Watch. And wait.
Once David was gone, he created an indent in the sand and filled it with seawater. He summoned the herbs and spices he had in his castle and forced the water to come to simmer at the proper temperature, then he cast his charm and watched. The potion must have worked, because David was in the castle, alone in the throne room with no sign of Maleficent being any wiser to his presence. He hid himself and the egg behind the throne and an hour or so later, the real fun began.
Maleficent climbed the stairs in her sanctuary before her, and then sat with satisfaction on her throne. That feeling lasted all of twelve seconds before David emerged and put a sword to her neck. There was a brief exchange of words before the woman did as he assumed she would. She might have looked kinder and gentler in her purple clothes as her body prepared her to go into heat, but she was still the dreadful woman he'd always known. When David threatened her she cast the room into darkness and transformed into a dragon.
He couldn't hear through his little version of a sandy cauldron, but he didn't need to. The dragon's roar shook the forest around him to the core. Fear and shock coursed over David's face as he realized exactly what the beast he faced was, but still, he didn't give up. He hadn't expected him to. This was for Snow White after all. He'd always known that David wasn't likely to take a look at the dragon and call it quits not when his true love was within his grasp. And he didn't.
For a while, it was touch and go. He hadn't told David how to get the egg inside the dragon, as that would have given the task away. Instead, he'd decided early on to let him figure it out for himself. And after a few moments of running, once the shock wore off and he was able to stop and look and think about what was expected of him, he saw that the boy had an idea. He called on the dragon, ran up steps to a second floor, and jumped onto her back, riding her like she was some sort of bucking pony instead of a fire breathing dragon. And then he did it. He shoved the egg into the dragons venting gills.
She roared in pain, but it only forced her to take in a breath which would lodge the egg. From there, the magic would do the rest to protect it. He had thought before he sent David along that the good thing about the egg was that it was covered in riches so even if it dislodged at a certain point the dragon would have an instinct to protect it. But he didn't feel any need to prepare for that. His plan was perfect. And it was done.
David dropped to the floor and as she wound up to use her fire breath he watched as he ran up the stairs toward the window and…
He looked up, away from the pool of water and glanced over at the castle across the sea. Sure enough, there was a small figure falling from the castle into the waters below. David. A dragon roared in anguish over her lost prey, the pain in her vent forgotten, and he smiled. He was happy. The Seer was happy. Even Nimue seemed impressed.
He looked at the ring he held in the palm of his hand, then closed his eyes, took a deep breath and…there it was, a vision.
David walked up to a coffin made of glass, and kissed a cursed Snow White. Her eyes opened. They were together. A hand moved protectively over a rounded belly, swollen with child...and with magic.
It was going to work.
It took David a few moments to swim from the castle to meet him on the shores again, enough time for him to banish the pool of water he'd been using and build David a fire. In the chilly weather, the last thing he needed was for him to freeze to death on his way to meet his Princess. When he finally came out of the water the first thing he noticed was that he wasn't wearing the same thing he had been in his vision. The outfit he'd been wearing had been red and grand and princely. Now that he focused on it, he felt that those clothes were made for an adventure, good for slaying a dragon or hiding a magic potion, but not for making a claim on royalty. Funny the things one took notice of when confidence and success abounded.
"Impressive, dearie. Very impressive, indeed. Come warm yourself."
"I have done what you've asked. Return my ring to me!" he shouted approaching him. Then again…what was a fire when he could use magic to warm him easily enough.
"Of course…you're in a bit of a rush, how rude of me." he produced the ring, not glowing nearly as strong as it had before because they were a fair distance from Snow, he knew it would eventually. Somehow these two always found one another. So long as it continued to benefit him, he didn't see a problem with it. "With this…Prince Charming…you will find her."
And marry her, and she would bear a daughter, the Savior…the Swan.
"Thank you," David muttered taking the ring and moving around him toward the horse.
He would have been happy to let him go save for the chill he felt in his fingers when he collected the ring. The thought of his clothes returned and he turned before the Prince could get much farther.
"Something's missing," he called. When David turned he cast his magic over him, a spell to dry and warm him and another to replace his old leather clothes that he'd been wearing for months it seemed with new ones that looked strikingly similar to those he'd seen in his vision. "Now, you're ready for your big moment!" he announced, but David hardly looked impressed as he looked himself over.
"Why do you want us together? What do you get out of it?"
"I'm a fan of true love, dearie. And, more importantly, what it creates."
"Oh yeah, what's that?" he asked with suspicion. He only smiled at him.
"Well if you don't know that, dearie there's not much I can do to help you!"
The joke was over his innocent head and eventually, he shook it away. "Fine…I have to go!"
"Indeed you do, Snow White awaits!" he confirmed as David untied the horse and mounted him. "Remember Prince Charming…things are not always what they seem. True Love's Kiss can break any curse."
A short chapter that pretty much just needed a bit of framing. More of the same old same old. It's the next chapter that is the really important one.
Thank you Alarda, Grace5231973, and Jennifer Baratta for your reviews on the last chapter. This one is short, as is the next one, but even I have to admit that while I'm not a huge Snowing shipper, the moment in and of itself is iconic enough it always makes me happy. Peace and Happy Reading!