Chapter 3: Snow White
The darkness finally clappsed upon me. The sheer pain split my being into two solid parts: one which was nothing but rage anger and hatred, while the other was of my nature, innocent and helpless crying for me and my pain. My dreams were of the day I was awoken in the forest. I recalled the cold coffin below me, the scent of lilies and lavender, the delicate touch of Princeton's lips as they brushed across mine. I remembered the luminous meadow, the sparkling dew which covered each rock and tree. Joy washed over me as I thought of opening my eyes to the Prince standing there. His arms open wide to me, our embrace and his strong protective arms enclosing me as he scooped me up into his arms. He walked us to his horse and set me upon the noble stead. Oh, how I longed for that idealistic safety once again. Instead I opened my eyes to an elderly man as he shouted to a nurse to get him the needle and thread; I woke to searing pain through out my body. I scream escaped my lips as I woke from a dream into a nightmare like reality. But one thing grounded me, a hand grasped mine. My eyes looked around to find him, Princeton. Strange how in my fright and pain I had forgotten how little I knew about this man. The pain once again raged upon me and I slipped away from consciousness.
The next time I awoke, my pain had simmered down to a constant ache. My forehead had a large gash near my hair line, stitches ran from one end of the wound to the other; my bottom lip had started to swell and was bruised but had stopped bleeding. But the most pain radiated from my wrist, when I looked down I saw severe bruising and swelling. But the doctor had attached a splint that ran from my elbow to my fingers. I looked around my surrounding to see Princeton slumped over in his chair. His hair fell in front of his eyes, curling just in the slightest at the ends. A minuscule snore erupted from deep in his chest: it sounded more like a Lion's purr then anything else. His head lolled atop his shoulders falling back upon his shoulders to rest against the wall. He sat in an ornate armchair, which certainly had been moved so he could be with me as I slept. "Princeton" I whispered "Princeton, are you awake, what's—." I was cut of when his eyes slowly opened and he took my most likely haggard appearance in. "Snow! Oh thank the heavens, you worried me so much. When you just started screaming in your sleep, I was so worried that there had been some internal injuries the doctor couldn't fix! But you're awake, how are you feeling, can I Get you anything: water, food, another blanket?" His voice spluttered around me like a rushing waterfall, fast but still steady within its own rhythm. "I'm fine, I don't need anything. But Princeton what has happened. Last I remember Kane had…he had…well you were carrying me and then I remember a flash of the doctor and that's all. What have I missed while I was unconscious?" I pondered somewhat softly, annoyed how just Kane's name could send shivers down my spine and etch fear in my heart. "Well, Snow you see after I beat Kane he fled the castle grounds. He is probably staying at one of the other residences we have: but I have not sent a messenger to find out yet. For now I am just glad to be rid of him." He finished some what passionately. I felt the terror subside, as I kept saying to myself "he's gone, away, not returning, you are safe. Princeton is here, you are safe." But I think some part of me still knew that I wasn't quite yet out of Kane's grasp. Princeton kept trying to get me to sleep saying things like "Rest is what is required when someone has been injured." And "Would you rather sleep now or regret it later, Snow" I finally agreed if I could sleep in my own bed and not in the infirmary. Princeton made a big deal about how he didn't think I should be moved in my fragile state, that is when I replied as politely as I could put it "Princeton, my legs are not the things that are injured. If you must worry then please do it over something that is logically sound!" After my interjection he agreed but still insisted on carrying me down the hallway to my room.
When I awoke the next day most of my injuries had stopped aching but my wrist still made me cringe if I moved it to much. Over breakfast, which was a lovely array of pastries and jams, if I would like to see the grounds? I remembered the view from my window seat and replied a quick yes. Once we were on the carriage Princeton wrapped a blanket around my shoulders, as the new spring morning was still quite chilly. He pointed out everything from the lovely assortment of fruit orchids they had to the astounding floral gardens. My favorite being the rose garden because of its complex mural made completely of roses in every shape, size and color. As we turned to return home, a potent breeze wafted across us. I shivered and recoiled, snuggling farther into the blanket and as the crisp air stung my checks and lips I turned away to shelter my face, my refuge was Princeton's broad and hard chest. He wrapped his arm around me and pulled me close but still gently minding my injured arm. The rest of the ride their was smooth but still cold, so I remained in Princeton's arms marveling at how strong he was, but how he still remained tender and gentle as he touched my check. He whispered as we entered the stables "Snow, we're home, we're safe and now I am going to have the cook whip up the most delicious cocoa you have ever tasted." He picked me up without so much as a blink of the eye, he made no show of it, nor did he seem to think me cumbersome in his arms. He instead strolled to the doors as the swung open and kept on walking until we got to the sitting room, where he finally set me down upon the lovely plum chesterfield. As the maid walked in to ask if we needed anything, the prince wrapped me in the blanket once again and told her of his fancy for delicious cocoa. Once she had departed he stroked up a fire in the hearth, and turned to me with his deliciously handsome smile plastered across his face. "Is there something I have done?" I murmured softly while looking at my shoes, secretly very embarrassed by how open I had been the carriage. What a fool I was, to just nestle into him, he truly hadn't expressed any romantic feelings towards me, but yet I was falling for him like a crumbling tower of bricks. "Oh my dear, you need not look so embarrassed" he said, quite straightforward in my book. "You have done nothing wrong; if anything you have given me hope. You had been so glum ever since I woke you. I feared that you would never have any pleasant feelings towards me." He answered. I finally smiled up at him, maybe there was hope. I could just accept my feelings and say that I was beginning to love Princeton; his mother could be convinced to love me. His brother could, well I didn't want to think of Kane at this pleasant moment. Instead I just nodded and nuzzled into the blanket, quietly drinking my cocoa when it came.
The next few weeks were full of trips and adventures; each day arose to find me and Princeton once again off to do some odd task or another. We went to town to watch a festival welcoming Spring, walked along the river that split his kingdom from another, and when it stormed one day, we spent it cuddled up by the fire reading a lovely book full of folk lore and magic. It had been almost a month since I had arrived at the castle; I had come to love many things in my new home. The views, the smells, and even the company…but I still wished to return for a visit to my dear friends at the cottage. So I devised a plan, I convinced Princeton that we should visit them together, I told him of what poor cooks they were and how I thought we should make them a lovely meal because they were probably squabbling over some grub that doc had cooked up. Princeton was quite accepting of my plan up to this point: that was until I told him that I wished to make the meal with him. He stared at me like he was waiting for me to start giggling and shout "Got you!" I, of course, was not anywhere near flippant; I would have made the meal myself but with my arms still in a splint I could do nothing of the sort. When I explained this to him, he quickly said "But we have a chef and a handful of servants who could help you." I smiled back at him, "Yes we do, but you do not understand the point of this is to make the dwarves a home made meal, made by those who care about them, not our servants." After a few days of coaxing and mock begging, he finally agreed. So the next day we set out to do something neither of us really dreamed of doing. We were going to bake together.