Lukas arrived in the morning during breakfast. Lovino, Antonio and Dimas were eager to speak with him. They all rushed to Arthur's study. Lukas was a small fair haired man with a wayward curl and dull eyes and a knowing smile.
"Ah yes, Lukas this is Antonio, his husband Lovino and his brother Dimas." Arthur said. "They've all been having strange dreams, Antonio's and Dimas' have almost killed them."
"Ah. I have just the thing. I brewed it before I left." He held up three large vials. "A spoonful before bed and you won't have any dreams at all. They can't kill you if you aren't dreaming."
"And this will work?" Antonio asked eyeing the potion.
"Without a doubt." Lukas said.
"Ok cool. Problem solved." Dimas said.
"Well. The spirits will still haunt you. But once they realise they can't kill you with dreams... They'll find other measures. But this will buy us time until Vlad gets here and figures it all out." Both Antonio and Dimas eagerly took a bottle. "Now, Lovino I have been informed you are having a different type of dream?"
"Yes." Lovino said and handed over his journal. "It's not every night but, I keep dreaming I'm Snow White and I'm acting out a part in her life. In the dreams I see myself as me. But I also know I'm Snow White, and everyone sees me as her."
"Lovino believes Snow White is trying to give him a message." Arthur said.
"Then we best not mess with it." Lukas said. "As long as it's only the Snow White dreams. Keep writing them down. If Arthur's theory of the Lich is correct, then Snow White could be trying to warn us of something or give us information to stop her."
"But what if Lovino is attacked?" Antonio asked.
"Has he been?"
"Once, but not in a dream." Antonio said.
"Then we can only believe he won't be." Lukas said.
"Alright..."
000
Vladimir arrived that night, but he didn't have anything to say. All he said was
"The dead are tricky. No questions." And that was that.
"I can't wait to actually get sleep..." Antonio said. Dimas nodded in agreement as they each had a spoonful of the potion. "No more death."
"In our sleep anyway." Dimas said as they crawled into bed on either side of Lovino. A guard was still positioned to the room on Antonio's orders just in case Lovino was attacked. Lovino snuggled up with both of them also looking for more than a nap. He got comfortable and fell right asleep.
Lovino was going to bake a pie. An apple pie. He hummed to himself as he danced around the kitchen. Alone in the house, for the men had gone for work in the men had been very firm with him as of late. Twice now he had allowed his stepmother into the house. And twice she nearly killed him. First she came with a corset to crush his ribs, then with a poisoned comb. Each time Lovino said that he had no idea it was her, just a lonely sales woman.
But he knew. And each time he let her in hoping that this time would be different. This time she would give him the treat and ask him to come home. But she never did. She always hurt him, and tried to kill him. This time would be no different.
There was a knock at the door. And Lovino knew who it was, and he knew what was going to happen. But still he answered the door, a small hope inside him that his mother would love him.
"Mmm, do I smell apple pie?" This time his mother had come as an old woman. "I happen to have the nicest apples from my tree." She produced the most beautiful apple Lovino had ever seen. Red, and shiny as if it were made of candy. "For you, for free." She said.
"I..." Lovino was sure it was poisoned. But he didn't care any more. "Thank you." He said and took the apple. "I think I'll save this one for me."
"Oh?" She asked. "Take a bite." Lovino nodded, a single tear slid down his cheek as he took a bite of the apple. "Is it good?" She asked. Lovino nodded and swallowed.
He choked, and coughed and fell to his knees. He grabbed his neck, and his mother stroked his black hair gently. She pulled him into her lap and stroked his hair almost lovingly. Almost. She was herself now, a nasty victorious smile on her lips and something else behind those eyes.
"Shhh..." She whispered. "My little girl it will be over soon." Lovino cried softly, he was feeling light headed. "Shh, mommy is here."
And, at only 14 still just a little girl, Snow White died.
Lovino awoke slowly, blinking and tears rolling down his face. All that time, Snow White knew. She wasn't tricked, or a dumb ass. She was a sad little girl who wanted her mother to love her. Lovino curled in on himself, rubbing his stomach.
"Oh baby, my baby I promise I will love. I will do anything for will your daddy, and your uncles and your great grand father! Sorry no grandparents but lots of people who love you. And most of all I promise to not be fucked up and try to kill you."
"Lovino?" Antonio asked coming into the room. "Are you crying?"
"A little." He said softly. "I had a dream about Snow White."
"What happened?" He asked sitting with him on the bed.
"She died. Her mother came for her. Snow White knew. She wasn't dumb. She wanted to die. She was... Alone, even in a full house she was alone. The man she loved was no where around her and her mother wanted her dead. Antonio she did it because she didn't want her mother to hate her anymore."
"Oh Lovi..." Antonio said and held him tightly.
"And I think." He sobbed a little "Of our baby and how she can never feel this way. I would hate for her to think I hated her."
"Lovi, there's no way you'll hate your baby." He said kissing his forehead. "You're gonna be a great parent. Because you're kind, and tough and I don't know anyone who loves harder than you do."
"You mean it?"Lovino asked
"With all my heart." Antonio said smiling,
"I love you." Lovino said and kissed him.
"I love you too." And Antonio kissed him back.
