Just weeks after her birth, little Snow White developed colic. At first the crying was only a nusance to the babe's nurse, keeping her up till late at night, however it eventually began to drive the wetnurse insane. She began having terrible hallucinations of dark entities gathering around her as she nursed the babe. Fearing she would be taken for a witch if she reported her visions, the poor woman fled the castle one night after one of these dark shadows caught at the hem of her of the castle's inhabitants merely shook their heads at the screaming woman as she fled, assuming that she had been taken ill and had lost her mind. Only the king was made suspicious by the poor woman's ranting. For he knew that the child, being of demon magic, would naturally attract spirits. To keep his daughter under his control, and from surpassing him, Basil resolved not to let Snow White learn the dark arts until he was completly sure of her loyalty to him.
The child did indeed grow strong, per her father's dark agreement with the Demon Ghedes;
in more ways than gold eyes and unusual beauty enchanted all who saw her, visiting diplomats and nobles even often commented on her, and made proposals that she should marry their sons when she came of age. Snow White was well aware of her charms, and used them decieptfully as often as she saw fit. She delighted in coercing her maids into taking her down to her mother's garden, a place that had become off limits since the Queen's death. The garden, once vibrant and beautiful, now resembled a jungle with, flowers now growing rampant, and ivy seeming to choke the life from trees. The place unsettled any who walked along its path, and few even ventured past its gate. However Snow White could often be found playing in the garden, as she was now, dancing in and out of the patches of
sunlight. She had found that she could amuse herself with the plants in the overgrown garden. Just a touch, and she sucked the life out of them, their petals shriveling into blackened fingers of ash. She loved to touch the ivy, watching one vine among the dozens crawl up the trunk, blooming black as night in the weak sunlight. It alwasy delighted her to use what she considered a natural talent, to see the contrast between the living and the dead.
It was on the eve of her twelfth birthday, just as the sun was setting, that someone observed Snow White's
cadaverous dance, and saw the girl, with skin so pale, turn the world black around her.
"It's just sublime, isn't it?" questioned a voice from the shadows.
Snow White whirled around surprised that anybody had followed her so deeply in the garden. Usually all the servants only stood near the entrance, so as not to be caught disobeying orders. However this man was not dressed like a servant, more like a noble, his eyes shown with a luminescence that echoed Snow White's own. "And just who are you?"Demanded the girl.
The stranger smiled and replied with a voice smooth as glass, "Oh,I knew your father before you were born, in fact I came to see you a few times when you were only a babe."The grin on the demon's face growing wider. " I suppose to you would call me your godfather, or you could just think of me as your dear Uncle."
Young Snow White pondered this for a moment then stated quite defiantly, "You cannot be my Uncle, my father has no brothers, I think you must be a scoundrel trying to gain entry to the castle. Be gone now, before I have you thrown into the dungeons or better yet beheaded for my amusement."
"My, my, such a commanding presence you have my dear." replied the demon soothingly. " I only meant I would be your honarary uncle dear princess, but you are right to be suspicious of strange people. Perhaps I could show you something to replace your trust in me?" Ghedes asked bowing before the girl.
Curiosity got the better of Snow White, and she nodded to the man before her. Ghedes reached out and wrapped a hand around a sappling, letting it wither and turn to ash in his hand.
"You see my dear, I have the same secret to hide as you." Ghedes chucled, "I could no more harm you than I could my own child."
Snow White's eyes widened. "How can you do that? I can only kill the flowers and vines!"
Ghedes rose an eyebrow.
" I'm surprised. Your father should have taught you much more by now."
The little girl scoffed, " My father? He could not know of such things, his heart is too weak to kill on a whim."
All the while, she danced along the garden path, the grasses shriveling beneath her slippers.
" Oh, no? Then I suppose there must be another reason he has yet to succumb to your charms."
He glanced in her direction, and saw the look on her face. She believed him now. Excellent.
" Indeed he is very powerful, " He mused as he strolled down the path next to her, " He even has the power to bend the
very forces of the netherworld."
Obviously angered by this news Snow White began to tramp off in the direction of the castle. " I will make him teach me all he knows! I want the power to control the netherworld too!" Declaired the girl, with a bit of childish whine in her voice.
"Wait little princess, I do not think that would be wise." Ghedes called out. The girl stopped and looked back over her shoulder, "Why not, sir, do you not think me worthy of such gifts?!" she replied with a hint of annoyance.
"Oh no my princess, it is not that, only I wonder, perhaps your father already knows of your power and fears you." mused Ghedes as he reached out and put a tender hand on the child's head. "If this is so, demands would mean nothing. If I were in your shoes highness, I would gain the King's trust, so that he will hold nothing back from you."
Snow White pondered this a moment and smiled, " You know, I can see why my father calls you friend. You have a very good talent for manipulation of others." she giggled.
Ghedes smiled down at the girl, with a bit of pride in his eyes, yes this girl was indeed special. "Then you will take my advice young one?" he questioned
"Yes I belive I will." Replied Snow White. "Now if you will excuse me sir, I must go choose my gown for tomorrow's festivities."Festivities?" asked Ghedes. Snow White smiled proudly, "Yes, it is my birthday tomorrow, I will be twelve years old!"
"Twelve eh? HA that is a very good age, you shall be right at the cusp of womanhood." Ghedes looked thoughtfully at the girl and strode over to her. " Let me give her highness an early birthday gift then." he said as he bent and gave the girl a kiss on the forehead. Snow White immediatly felt a change in herself, almost as if a door that had unlocked. "Now then," said the demon coaxing her toward another sapling," why don't you try my trick this time." Snow White reached out and grasped the trunk of the young tree and was able to pull it up from the ground before it began to wither. A joyful gleam came into her eyes as she watched the entire thing turn to dust in her hand. She turned to thank the strange man for his gift but he was gone, the only thing in the garden with her now was a crow sitting high in the branches of one of the old oaks.
"Higness!" called a voice, Snow White turned to see one of her maids venturing very timmedly into the garden. "Higness, Your father wishes to speak with you before you." the young woman called. Smiling Snow White began making her way back toward the castle, determined to win her father's trust and heart.