Authors Note: Thanks so much for all the reviews, here is the third chapter!

William waited in the gate way leading to the queen's castle for Finn and the group of guards that would be with him. He had has cloak pulled up over his head to keep the drizzling rain off of him and he held his bow tightly with an arrow, ready for anything. Finally he heard the loud clamor of hooves racing down the street. The men stopped in front of the strange man blocking the gate.

"do you need a bowman"? William asked loudly and clearly, and in a manner that said he wasn't asking. Finn smiled crookedly at William and answered him "I already have an archer" he said pointing to a large man with a wild looking demeanor. "Kill him" Finn said to the archer. The bowman released the arrow, but William was ready and was able to quickly dodge the arrow and loose his own. Unlike the archer's arrow, Williams found its target deep in the throat of the other bowman. William repeated his question "do you need a bowman"? Finn smiled again, happy to have a much better archer now in his possession, completely unaware of William's real intentions.

Snow and Eric continued walking through woods silently, Eric always a few steps ahead. Snow looked over at the huntsman; the silence was killing her, so much of her life she was silent, being locked away in tower for so many years. The only people to talk to were the beautiful girls that would randomly show up and then end up not saying a word after having the same fate as Greta. Snow looked up at the huntsman, determined to start a conversation.

"You never told me your name" snow said quietly, apparently too quietly. The huntsman turned around and looked at her "Did you say something"? He asked confused. Snow stared at him for a moment then replied "uh… you never told me your name". The huntsman nodded then turned around and kept walking; Snow watched him and then ran to catch up with him. "You have a name don't you"? Snow said playfully. Eric looked at her then walked faster, he didn't want to get any more attached to her, he knew he was going to leave her at the Dukes castle then head out from there. When he looked back at the girl he saw she was still waiting for him to answer. Sighing in regret he told her his name "Eric". Snow looked up at him surprised; she hadn't expected him to tell her "Eric" snow said a smile tugging at her lips. Eric reached his hand out to her, Snow took it cautiously and they shook hands, "nice to meet you" Snow said laughing a little. After a few more moments they continued walking. As the forest became thinner the ground became more like a swamp and small water plants were growing. Eventually they found themselves tramping through tall grass in water up to their knees. When they reached the end, there were small boats and with women in them. Each one facing them, they had cloths hiding their faces and bows and arrows ready. Finally one of the women in the front boat, who seemed to be the leader, spoke.

"No one makes it through the dark forest except demons or criminals" she stared scrutinizing them then asked "Which are you"?.

"Neither" Eric answered almost relieved. The women looked at Snow and then nodding to one another took them back to their villages.

"My name is Meris" the lead women informed them as she led Snow and Eric into her hut, "and this" Meris said showing them a young girl "is my daughter brook". Meris noticed Snow looking at all the women who had strange scars on their faces. "It is a sacrifice we make" Meris said gesturing to the scars on her own cheeks, "So we can raise out children in peace". Snow eventually ended up sitting on the dock with brook, helping her make crude straw dolls, much like the ones Snow had made in her cell.

Meris looked at the huntsman and watched as he touched his shoulder and winced.

"What is wrong with your shoulder huntsman"? Meris inquired. Eric looked at her shocked and embarrassed that she had noticed.

"I pulled got an arrow shot into it" he said grimly. Meris nodded then walked into her hut returning to Eric with a small bowl of a strange green substance. She helped Eric to take off his shirt and then began carefully placing the green matter over the wound. He winced and then looked over at Snow playing with the young girl. Snow glanced up and caught his look, she smiled innocently before Brook asked her something about one of the dolls. Meris saw it and then asked the huntsman,

"So how is it that a huntsman like yourself ends up as protector of the princess and possibly the one who captures her help"? Eric was stunned, the princess, as in princess Snow White? He asked himself.

"Well"? Meris asked, "Don't tell me you don't know". Eric looked at Snow and then back at Meris who was still applying the green medicine too his wound. "I didn't know" Eric said still dumbfounded.

Meris smiled, "I am surprised you didn't, she is very easy to recognize, everyone thought she was she dead". When Meris was finished Eric walked over to Snow, his heart sinking, "your mother wants you" he said to Brook. With that the child went scampering away with her new doll.

"you could have told me" Eric said sadly; he turned and slowly walked away. Snow sat shocked, and upset that he was clearly hurt. She jumped up and ran to catch up with him.

"I was afraid if I told you would leave" Snow said, fearful that he would leave. She had never felt like this about someone before, and the thought of him leaving made her tremble. She watched miserably as he said good bye and continued walking away. Watched with an awful sinking feeling in her stomach as Meris tried to stop.

"You can't just leave her" Meris said exasperated, "who will take her to the Dukes castle"? Eric tried to shut her out and keep walking; he was very relieved when Meris finally left him. Eric knew he had to leave her, everything he loved or cared about was always taken away from him and he couldn't endanger Snow in that way. For some reason though he couldn't help but feel he was making the wrong choice. When he was just on the edge of the forest, he leaned against a tree and stared back painfully at the village. The sun was setting and he knew he had to leave. As he started to trudge away he thought he heard something, he had no idea what it was, but to be on the safe side he headed began to head back to the village.

Meris showed Snow a bed in her hut where she could spend before retiring herself. Snow lay in the bed blinking back tears; the huntsman had left, this was all she could think about. Suddenly she heard a loud roar and screams. Racing outside Snow saw a straw hut was on fire, the flames on it threatening the other huts. Behind the screaming blaze were the Queens guards. The women were frantically ushering their children to the boats trying to escape the flames. Snow raced back into the hut and grabbed Brook throwing her onto a boat and then yelling for Meris. She felt like she should stay and defend the women somehow because she had brought this upon them, but Meris yelled for her to get onto the boat. Suddenly a strong hand grabbed her; she struggled hard against then remembered the knife from Eric. She yanked out of her boot and jabbed the man's arm. William reeled back in pain, he tried to grab her again, but she jabbed at him with knife. He didn't have time to explain, the other guards were coming and if they didn't leave soon they would be incinerated like the straw huts. Then another man grabbed him from behind and threw him onto the ground, Snow willingly took his hand and raced off with the huntsman into the woods. William lay on the ground dazed and upset, Snow had looked so relieved to see him, and even though William barely knew him, he couldn't help but be jealous.

Finally Snow collapses with exhaustion against a tree; Eric was yanked back by her suddenly falling because he was still holding her hand. Snow gulped in air, then staring at her hands breathlessly said

"You left". She glanced up at the huntsman then hung her head still out of breath; his breathing was ragged as hers.

"I'm sorry, I won't leave you again" He said to her, and then before he realized what he was doing he said "I promise".

Eric woke before Snow, he would have enjoyed watching her sleep, to see her so at peace without the worlds troubles plaguing her beauty. But not now, the queen's men were chasing them and they needed to keep moving. He carefully placed his hand over her mouth and shook her awake. As soon as Snow was standing, they continued walking.

As they were walking into clearing Snow stumbled on a branch running into Eric just as he stepped into a trap. A rope swiftly tightened around both their legs so they were back to back. Eric was dizzy from suddenly being turned upside down. Through his hazy vision he could make out small figures heading towards them and could hear rough voices.

"oh No..Dwarves" he said hoarsely. The dwarves made a semicircle around the huntsman examining them. One walked up to them and cut a small bag from Eric's belt and shook a single copper coin out of it.

"That's it"? One dwarf asked. The one holding the bag spat and nodded irritated.

"What should we do with them"? One asked. Finally Eric spoke up,

"The queens men are hunting us, cut us down so we can go" he said upset.

"We should kill 'em" a blonde haired dwarf said. A little red haired dwarf had walked over and looked Snow White, he smiled at her and Snow couldn't help but smile back. He was so cute she though, he didn't seem at all like the other ones. His smile brightened when he saw he do the same,

"She's pretty" he said to the others, but they ignored him.

"I don't like killin' women" the blonde haired one said.

"I don't mind it" said one that was almost and was holding knife. The blonde haired one looked at him then said, "good, you do it". He started to move toward them and Snow panicked.

"Wait…, I am the princess Snow White" she said, "My father was king Magnus". The man stopped, and looked at the other dwarves.

"Does she speak the truth"? He asked.

"Yes" an old blind dwarf in the back spoke up, "She truly is". Suddenly they heard the sound of horses running. They dwarves quickly cut Snow and Eric down, then took off running, Eric grabbed Snow and raced off after the dwarves.

Authors Note: Please keep reading and reviewing!