I am so sorry for the delay. I hope you enjoy this chapter. It was very hard to write for me, because I have much trouble writing from male perspective. Hope you enjoy it anyways. Thanks for all the reviews and especially to .xx who made me realize how confusing it can be if not explained well. If you find it confusing in anyway, please, do not hesitate to tell me, because it can help me too.
And if you have any ideas on this story, don't hesitate to share, because it may effect how the story goes. Anyways, enjoy!

V

They are ready at dawn. The seven dwarfs, the Queen, the Huntsman and William. Packed with essentials and weapons, they head out straight for the Forest. William does not feel right about this, about Snow coming along with this, especially with the Huntsman around.
Snow may not have noticed, but William certainly has. Eric the Huntsman is attracted to her. And he hates that idea. Sure, Eric was right when he said that Snow isn't anyone's possession. William knows that, respects that. But he has always been in love with Snow, even though he hadn't seen her for eleven years. You would think that that counts for something.
From his point of view, all he can see from Snow is her back, with her long, black hair flowing down it. She is beautiful.

"I do not agree with this!"

Snow skids to a halt, and turns, and William has to pull the reins hard to avoid her. "Gort, Beith, can you two please stop arguing? I acknowledge you did not want to come, Gort. I did not want to come either, but I have to. And without you, I can't go through this Forest." William feels a sting of jealousy when her eyes flicker to the Huntsman and their eyes lock momentarily and knows what she is thinking. She could've just gone alone with the Huntsman. He knows the way just as well.

Of course, William would've never let that happen.

The two dwarves turn their heads away from each other angrily but stay silent. Finally. William has had quite enough of them and their arguing. He had to ride in front of them all the time, and with the wind going due west – the way they are headed – he could hear every word.
The fellowship starts moving again and William loses himself in thought again. He's changing. He can feel it. Something inside him has disappeared, something in his heart. Something that has always made him solely good and pure and honest and fair. The first sign of it was the outburst he had in the hallways of the palace, when he'd pushed Eric so violently against the wall. Then he found out that something was really wrong.
And the second sign is right there. His annoyance with the dwarves. Never has he been annoyed by arguing. In fact, he likes arguing, especially when he can participate. But now it just annoys him.

"William? Did you hear at all what I just said?" Snow's beautiful, ringing voice pulls him out of his thoughts, and he immediately registers danger. The sun is gone. He gazes around. No, the sun is not gone. The trees of the Dark Forest put the surroundings in an everlasting shadow. He looks sideways, where Snow is riding next to him, with her perfect brows pulled up in worry and the corners of her mouth tipped up slightly.

"Sorry, Snow. I was just thinking about…things." He tries to smile, but the corners of his mouth tremble. What has happened with his smile? He has to force it. He's never had to force it before! "What were you saying?"

"I was saying that you look distracted. Are you okay?"

It comforts him that she feels for him. "I'm fine, I'm sorry I'm distracted. I should be paying more attention."

"That is fine, I am not really here either. I have got a lot on my mind."

William smiles, for real this time. "Being Queen is not all that amazing?"

"Try it one day," she says smiling, "you will see why I do not feel right."

William chuckles. "No thank you. I'll leave that to you."

Snow smiles lightly, sarcastically. "I knew I could count on you." In one moment, their relationship has gone back to normal. No tension. No unnecessary feelings. Just best friends. William considers that being enough for him when she speeds up a bit, riding next to Muir in the front, to discuss some tactics with him. Would it be enough for him? Just friends? No, not just friends. Best friends. They had always been best friends. What if something more would change that? Ruin that? He doesn't want that. But then why does his stomach clench every time he thinks of her? Every time she smiles, his head would go light. Why? If they're only meant to be best friends? It doesn't make sense.

"Duke William!" Ugh. Why? Can't he just leave William in peace with his thoughts? The Huntsman speeds up and comes riding next to William. "I feel the need to apologize. I lost control yesterday. I was upset, and angry with Snow because she had her mind set on going, and I am sorry for taking it out on you."

Ah. He came to apologize. That's another story entirely. For the first time, William can genuinely smile at the Huntsman. "I accept your apology and apologize for myself as well. I was angry, too, and when I saw you coming out of her room…I just lost it. And you were right. Snow isn't anyone's possession."

The Huntsman smiles at him. "I am glad you are not the prick you acted out to be."

William frowns. "Thank you…I think."

"No harm done?" Erik extends his hand towards William, offering a truce. "I would hate to let a possibly good friendship go to waste."

"Let bygones be bygones." agrees William, shaking the hand.

The Huntsman rides in silence for a while next to William and William wonders if he's got anymore to say. His wonderings come true after a good fifteen minutes. "Do you feel strange? Different somehow?"

William frowns. How would he know? "Yes. How do you know that?"

"Because I have been feeling different, too. The way I exploded yesterday. That's not the way I do things, and yet…I do them. It's like I'm out of control."

William gapes. That is exactly how he's been feeling as well. "I have felt the same way. Ever since the coronation. I'm normally not at all jealous, but now…every time I see Snow even look at you, my insides boil. That's not me. I'm not usually like that."

That visibly worries the Huntsman. His brows furrow and he strokes the blade of his axe. "There's something strange going on here."
William leans his elbows in his saddle and stares at nothing in particular. "We should keep an eye on this. Try to find something off in others. I don't think this is happening coincidentally."

Eric nods in agreement. "Shall we work together on this one?"

William hesitates at first. That there has been found a reason for their behavior still does not mean he likes Eric. He still distrusts him. Because he knows that, whatever is going on here, does not affect Eric's feelings for Snow. They are real. But if he is going to find out about this, he is going to need help. And the Huntsman is a very skilled man, there is no denying. "Agreed." They shake hands again, sealing the deal.

"Let's keep this from Snow for a while, agreed? She has a lot on her mind right now, she can't use this."

That William knows. He stares in the distance for a while, examining Snow, while Muir slows down and lets his son, Quert, guide him. Keeping this from the Queen is probably not a good idea. But he would hate it if she got hurt. He nods and the Huntsman claps him on the back and speeds up, ending up next to Snow and making small talk with her. The monster of jealousy rumbles loudly in his chest, but he forces it to stay quiet. He has to stay in control of himself. If he has to fight for Snow's heart, he'll do it fair, honest. One corner of his mouth tips up. Yes. He'll fight. He'll keep the Huntsman as friend, to avoid too awkward situations, but he'll fight just as hard.

This will be very interesting.

Snow White POV

If Eric and William think that she hasn't seen the two of them whispering literally behind her back, they are seriously mistaken. When Eric comes riding next to her, she glances at him curiously. He pretends like nothing happened, and just talks with her casually. Her nerves are seriously being tested right now.

"Eric, what were you and William talking about earlier?"

He doesn't even blink. It either means that he is not lying, or that he is really good at lying. That is one part about him that she hasn't figured out yet. Is he good at lying or not? "Nothing important. Tactics. Who does what. That's all. And we settled things between us. We're on a mission where we have to trust each other."

Snow nods, and decides to forget it. For now. She has strong doubts about his sincerity, but she can't prove anything, and she's not going to order him around. She would never feel comfortable with that. "Do you trust me?"

He blinks this time, but with surprise and disbelieve. "You are joking, right? Of course I trust you. You more than anyone in this group."

Her cheeks flush and she smiles. "I am sorry."

"Stop saying that. If I were you and I had a choice between handsome and mysterious, and handsome and safe, I would seriously have the same problem as you're having right now." Is he serious? Or is he just being sarcastic? Because she can't tell the difference. He smiles at her, making her stomach flutter. "I promised you I could wait. And I still can. I know it's hard for you right now. You're new to being Queen. You shouldn't be bothered by stupid feelings. I'm trying very hard to make this as easy as I can for you." He takes her hand and pinches it, and her smile trembles slightly. This man is doing the exact opposite of what he is saying; he is making it very difficult for her to think properly.

"I know. I feel so guilty towards the both of you. I hate stringing you along."

He grins, then chuckles and pinches her hand again. Dear God, make him stop doing that! "Stop. Just stop." says he.

"Stop what?" She wishes she could take her eyes of him, but his dark ones lure her towards him like moths to a flame. She cannot look away. Frankly, it stops her breath

"Stop apologizing. I do not blame you for anything."

Then he takes his eyes off her and the spell is broken. Her breath returns to normal and she blinks furiously to get the haze out of them. Another thing she can compare with William if she gets the chance. Does he have the same effect on her as Eric does? They continue in silence, Eric falling back after some time, and Muir coming up next to her again. "My Queen, is everything alright? You seem distressed."

Snow looks at the blind dwarf next to her and smiles. Muir has always helped her so much. And lying to him is no use. He'll see nonetheless. "I am fine, Muir. But my heart is in conflict with itself."

"The truth. Impressive. Not many people dare to admit that. You are brave, my Queen."

Snow blushes with that compliment. She has always liked it when people called her brave. Especially, because she herself cannot feel that bravery at all. "Thank you, Muir, my brave friend."

He encourages his horse and indicates that Snow must follow him. When they have taken a great enough distance from the rest of the group, Muir speaks again. "I have seen what your peril is about. You love them both with equal measure."

Snow sighs, relieved someone beside Eric knows. "I do. And I know it is wrong, and I would like so much to just make a decision. But I can't. Sometimes I feel so attracted to Eric, like when he kisses me and says that it's okay and that he'll wait, but then I see William and I just…William is sweet and caring and he will always protect me, and when he smiles at me...God, I can just melt when he does that. And…I don't know. I just want to find out my true feelings."

Muir sighs and stares ahead for a good amount of time. Snow wonders what he's looking at, seeing as he is blind. "I can see your trouble, my Queen."

Snow lets out a chuckle that has nothing to do with humor. It's more like a mocking chuckle. "Yes, you've said that. I just want to know if you see an end to that trouble."

"There's always an end to trouble, my Queen. One way or another."

Another riddle. Perfect. "Muir, please."

Muir chuckles and shakes his head. "You are as impatient as you are brave, my Queen. Patience is a virtue."

"In other words, you don't know what the end is."

Muir bows his head neither in agreement nor denial. "My dear Queen, these are things you have to find out about yourself. This is your quest, you're the one who has to complete it."

Snow sighs in defeat. She is not going to get anything out of him, that is one thing that is certain. "Alright. I give up."

Muir chuckles and puts his hand on his chest. "I am but a humble dwarf, madam. I cannot tell you anything more."

So he knows more. Maybe that gives her an opportunity later to figure it out all the same. "I surrender, Muir." That is the truth. At least at this point. So he doesn't think anything of it. Hours and hours of riding later, she feels her head grow heavy with tiredness and she stops the group. "We will rest here tonight." Everybody stops and gets unpacked and settled for the night, and Snow sets down against a tree. Secretly hoping that one, or both of the men comes sit next to her. But William doesn't, out of humility. And neither does Eric, out of respect for her need of distance. So it's Quert, Muir's son, who sits down next to her, his flute in his hand. "Quert, would you like to play a song for us?"

Quert's eyes start glimmering and he nods happily. He puts his flute to his mouth and starts playing. It's a cheerful song, and it makes Snow feel better at once. The dwarves start dancing and singing and Snow sits back, looking contently at her seven companions. She takes a sip from her water sack and her eyes cross William's. He winks at her, and her stomach turns. God, she needs to stop reacting to these two men. This way, she cannot make her decision. She takes off her crown and sets it next to her, sliding down against the trunk of the tree to get some sleep. But when she tries to put down the crown, someone grabs her wrists. She looks up, startled. William stands over her, holding the arm that would have set down the crown.

His eyes are worried, blue holes that suck her deep into his soul. "Don't set that thing next to you. Don't leave it anywhere unprotected. Someone might want to steal it."

She looks into his eyes and sees the truth in them. She nods and takes the crown in her hands, pushing it close to her chest. "Alright." He smiles at her and strokes her hair.

"Go to sleep, my Queen. We will watch over you."

Snow nods and closes her eyes, but all her senses are focused on William. She doesn't want him to stay here with her. It would be unfair towards Eric. She needs to be fair in this. Fair towards both Eric and William, if she wants to claim one of them for her own.

William seems to sense that she doesn't want him to stay. After a minute or two, she hears his footsteps move away from her and she takes a relieved breath. It would also make things much more difficult for her, to make a choice. Slowly, Quert's music starts to slow and the magic in it makes her head go fuzzy and her body warm and comfortable. Within no time, she sleeps. Her dreams filled with dark, alluring eyes that keep attracting her and blue ones that seem to suck her in.