Chapter 4
It was a cold night last night. I woke up cuddling Snow and shivering. The fire we were using to stay warm burned out. I get the feeling that I've over-slept, but my body is exhausted. Trying not to wake Snow, I gingerly ease up into a sitting position. Might as well start another fire.
Making almost no noise, I begin stacking the sticks in a teepee formation. Might as well look nice. Then I stick a heap of dead weeds on top of the small pyramid.
I grab a sharp dagger from my belt and start striking a rock. Snow rustles, "Charming…wait…I love you…" she whispers longingly into the frigid night air. I glance in her direction, hoping she's still asleep.
Thankfully, Snow is only dreaming. A spark flies off of the blade and onto the dead heap of weeds. I blow onto the flame and it takes to the wood. I place the dagger back into its holster hanging from my belt. There isn't anything to do but lie back down and try to fall back to sleep.
I lay down next to Snow on the make-shift bed we created. The long, thin grass isn't much, but it beats sleeping on the cold, hard forest floor. Anything is better than that. Snow is facing me and I can't help but stare at her sleeping face.
As if memorizing every feature, I trace the lines of her face with my eyes. I guess I look like her. We have the same chin. I'm enamored with comparing myself to this breath-taking woman. It makes me proud to know that I'm a part of her, just as much as she's a part of me. So, you're my mom huh? I smile to myself.
"Find us, Emma. Please…you're our only hope." Snow is pleading to thin air. I panic and close my eyes pretending to be fast asleep. Hello, get with the program! She's dreaming, genius. I fight back the laugh when suddenly her face contorts into a grimace.
"Please…don't hate me, Emma. I love you. I love you. I'm your mother. I love you, Emma. Emma…" Tears stream down her pale cheeks but her eyes never open. I know you aren't supposed to wake a sleep-walker but does talking in your sleep have the same rule?
Instinctively, I wrap my arms around her and make calming "Shush" sounds. The tears stop falling and her gasping subsides. "I'm here, Snow. Shhh…" I repeat over and over again until I know she's sleeping soundly. I lay there holding her close for a while but eventually, I am lulled to sleep by her steady breathing.
I wake up to a gentle nudge. "Emma, darling… Wake up- we've got to get moving if we want to reach the Troll Bridge by high noon. We do, by the way." Snow's sing-song voice fills my ears and I open my sleepy eyes.
Dawn has barely broken and Snow looks eager to get moving. Ugh. I am so not a morning person. I roll onto my back and Snow holds out a hand to help me up from our grassy bed. I brush myself off and yawn, "What time is it?" Snow gives me a confused grin. Hello, dumbass there are no clocks…
"Well, my best guess would be around 6:30 in the morning but that's only a guess. It is early morning though, I can tell you that much." She answers as sweet as pie. Well, my guess is as good as hers at this point. I smile at her and nod my head.
Something smells absolutely amazing! I look to the fire for clarification. Sizzling on a make-shift stove are two eggs and some leftover turkey meat from last night's feast. My stomach rumbles with hunger as I turn to face Snow again.
"You made breakfast?" My voice fluctuates with excitement and gratitude. I've never had a mom to cook me breakfast before. Snow nods her head, indicating that she has made this wonderful breakfast. I walk closer to the fire, interested.
Snow flips the eggs and meat with a stick and decides they are done. She hands me a flat stone with an egg, some turkey meat and freshly picked berries. We eat breakfast quickly and get dressed for combat. Today, we will be fighting off Trolls. Whoever thought of building a castle surrounded by ocean, was seriously a moron.
We set off toward the Troll Bridge and I can't shake the eerie feeling that keeps creeping up my spine. I just have a bad feeling about this bridge. My cop radar is blaring; sharp and alert. Why are you scared of some little Trolls? I mean, they are probably like those little rubber, freaky-looking troll dolls right? The ones with the crazy, untamable hair, right? Real Trolls look like those weird little guys right? I sure as hell hope they do.
We walk silently, both in deep thought. I'm trying to think of every tactical position we could take upon the Trolls but my mind keeps wandering back to Snow dreaming. It gives me chills. I knew she loved Charming…but for her to say those wonderful things about me…
A long, concrete stretch, of what looks like a tattered bridge, is looming before us. "Emma, you must listen to me. Trolls are very mean, nasty creatures. They will not hesitate to attack, especially because we cannot pay their toll. If I get taken down, you must promise me that you will continue on to the Castle ruins. If I don't make it, promise me that you'll get back to your father and Henry. Don't take the chance of coming back for me. I will be able to take care of myself, okay? I need you to promise me that, Emma." Snow's eyes are burning with the intensity of her words.
My heart is heavy, but I know I must listen to her. I try to swallow the lump building in my throat, but to no avail. "I promise, Snow." I can't look her in the eyes because deep down, I know I would come back to save her. I would never, ever leave her to save myself. Only a coward would.
Snow grabs my hand, lacing our fingers. I can't see them, but my knuckles must be white. I'm gripping her hand as hard as I can. For the first time since we got the Enchanted Forest, I'm truly afraid. We may be walking into certain death. This may be my last few moments alive but I know I have to go through with this. I have to do this for Henry. He needs me and I need him. My life is nothing without him, so I will do everything in my power to be there for him. Not even certain death will stop me.
Hand in hand, we walk the short distance to the bridge's edge. "Ready?" I breathe to Snow, fear choking me. For Henry. This is all for Henry.
Snow replies, "I am." How can she be so brave all the time? We both place a foot on the bridge. Nothing shakes or quivers, so we tentatively take another step. I get the feeling that people are watching me. I turn around, paranoid, but nothing is there.
We are halfway over the bridge. Neither of us has said a single word. I haven't even heard a breath escape Snow's lungs since we started across the bridge. A pebble skids past my right foot and I whirl around just in time to dodge the fist of what might be a Troll.
I push Snow out of the way and unsheathe my sword. Trolls surround us from every angle. Oh, shit. We are so fucked. These are not like those weird dolls with crazy hair. These are huge and real and scary.
I look to Snow for a signal, a sign, anything. One of the Trolls, my guess would be the leader of the group, moves forward. "Pay the toll or death is your bidding." He groans in an oily grunt. I'm disgusted.
"Byrskine, I have no gold to offer you. Is there anything else you wish for?" Snow is stern and concise with her words. I am in awe of her confidence. Is there anything she can't do? The beastly Troll tilts his head back and gives a horrible, loud cackle.
"You think this World is still yours to rule, Snow White? Think again." With that Byrskine throws a rusted spear in Snow's direction. I feel the air shift and know a war is about to ensue.
"Run!" Snow shouts and as soon as the command registers, I bolt. Together, we run head-on into 3 Trolls, each smaller than the leader, Byrskine. They don old armor and rusted weapons. I spear one of the Trolls with my sword and see that Snow has taken down another. We finish the third Troll together. I maneuver my sword toward his gut and when he deflects my shot, Snow sends an arrow through his neck.
The Troll's blood splatters onto my cheek and it takes everything I have to not throw up. Oh my God, Troll guts! On my face! The rest of the other Trolls look taken aback by our sudden massacre, as they stand there momentarily motionless. Didn't think too chicks could kill off some Trolls didja? You thought wrong.
I glance behind me for a quick second to make sure my back is clear. I turn back around to continue running with Snow, when something strikes my head. I lose vision, but continue running. I trip over a crack in the tattered bridge, falling face-first onto the concrete. My face burns and I feel dizzy. I lay there for a moment, unable to recover.
I hear the fight and struggle of the battle above me. Snow needs you. Get up! My vision is restored but still fuzzy. I get back to my feet and stab two more Trolls to death; one through the throat and the other, through the gut. I don't see Snow through the massive bodies of the remaining 4 Trolls.
A small Troll brandishes a long, rusted sword and waves it in my direction. I counter his attack and pin him against the Bridge's railing. His sword grazes my shoulder, slicing through my chest protector and my underlying skin. It burns and I yell out in pain. The Troll knocks away my sword.
"You just cut the wrong person!" I say through my teeth and the hint of a vicious smile plays on the Trolls lips. The Troll lifts his sword to decapitate me, when an arrow pierces his skull. He looks at me, realization evident on his terrified, pale face and he drops to the ground before me.
I hear Snow scream, high-pitched and loud as a fire alarm. Byrskine has Snow by her throat, crushing the life out of her. A surge of adrenaline rushes through my body and I attack. I throw my sharpest and longest dagger at Byrskine's bare back and it sinks all the way in.
The massive Troll turns on his heal, Snow still held captive in his vice. "You will pay for that" He tightens his hold on Snow's fragile neck and she passes out. Anger floods through me. I have never hated anyone, not even Regina, but I hate Byrskine. I hate him!
"Let her go, you filthy bastard!" I raise my sword to him and he throws Snow to the ground. The sound of her head hitting the hard concrete almost broke me, but I stand my ground. Byrskine yells a war cry, indicating attack. I raise my sword yet again, antagonizing the ugly brute.
Byrskine runs toward me, barring his sharp teeth and I flinch. He lunges at me and I crouch down, evading his assault. I'm behind him now, sword in hand. Before he has the time to turn around, I kick him once, hard in the middle of his back. The momentum takes him by surprise and he doesn't have enough time to hold on to the railing. Byrskine flies over the side of the bridge and tumbles off of the sharp mountain wall into a misty depth.
Snow! I run to her lifeless body. "Snow! Can you hear me?" I plead to her pale face. I check her pulse, It's present but faint. "Snow I wont lose you! Wake up, dammit, please!" I begin to cry.
She scrunches up her face in pain. "It hurts, Emma." Oh thank God! She's alive!
"What, Snow? What hurts?" I ask her in a frenzy of emotions. I am so relieved and still so utterly terrified. I know we don't have much time to get off of the bridge before we get attacked again.
"My head. My head hurts." Snow replies softly. I know she must be in a lot of pain but we need to get the hell off of this godforsaken bridge!
"Snow, we need to get off of this bridge. Can you walk?" I ask her as I help her into a sitting position. She nods and I help her to her feet. She holds a hand up to her forehead, massaging the knot forming by her left temple.
She drapes her right arm over my shoulders and I keep her steady as we swiftly walk the rest of the length of the Troll Bridge. As soon as we are far enough away from the bridge, I stop walking. I can't walk any farther. What just happened? I start to hyperventilate.
"Emma, look at me." Snow demands politely, but forcefully. "I am so proud of you. You have all the strength of a thousand of the finest warriors. You saved my life, Emma. You are the most wonderful person I know. Nothing could make me more proud of you, Emma. Your courage says so much about you and who you are." Her eyes sparkle and flit across my face.
I blush awkwardly, still unaccustomed to getting compliments. "I know you would have done the same for me, Snow. I know that arrow flew from your bow; the one that killed the Troll that knocked away my sword. You saved my life too, Snow. No one else would have." I look up into her tear-filled eyes.
"Today, we are finally Mother and Daughter. There is no mistaking that. There is no greater sacrifice than that of your own life, and today, we both would have died to save the other. That is what family is, Emma. Family is sacrifice. Family is unconditional." Snow smiles and takes my hand in both of hers.
I sit on the cold, hard ground thinking about what Snow has just said. Family is unconditional. I really would have died to save her today… I love her that much. "You are my mom, Snow, and I am your daughter. Nothing in any world can change that."
Biologically, she is my parent, she always has been. However, she became my mother the second I knew she could look death in the face and still protect me. That selflessness will always mystify me. I've never had anyone to even stick up for me, let alone die for me. Today, I have a real mom. An unconditional mom.