Chapter 6: The Trip into town,
The next morning after Snow awoke; she was surprised to see that all of the dwarves were already awake. They were equally surprised to see that she was awake. "Hope! We, uh...we were just going to wake you." Doc told her,
"We didn't expect you to be up for another few hours." Said Grumpy,
"Isn't it sunrise?" she asked them, they all nodded harmoniously.
"I usually get up around this time. I actually thought that I'd be up before all of you." She admitted,
"Well, we have to get up early if we want to make it to the mines on time." Happy explained,
"I guess that makes sense. Since we're all awake, I guess I can make you all breakfast." Snow replied,
"No, no, Hope, that's too much trouble. You're our guest; you're doing too much for us."
"Nonsense, it's nothing I'm not used to. Besides, you've got to prepare so you can give me a ride into town, so this helps me out too." She explained. The seven dwarves wanted to argue, but they knew she wasn't going to budge from where she stood, so they allowed her to make breakfast for them. They didn't mind that she helped out; she was a much better cook than them.
So while the dwarves grabbed their pickaxes and their sacks, Snow made the group some fresh bread for breakfast. By the time the sun had risen the bread was ready to be eaten. The group all washed themselves and sat down to enjoy another masterpiece.
"You did it again Hope. I never thought Bread could taste this good!" Happy exclaimed, Snow shook her head and smiled,
"You men act as though I can work miracles. It's just bread." She told them,
"It's a miracle to us." Doc explained, "We almost don't want you to leave."
"I've enjoyed staying here with you as well, but I really mustn't stay. If I don't, I'm sure to be found." Snow insisted,
"If that is the way it must be." Sighed sleepy, and Bashful hid his face and Dopey looked like he was about to cry. Snow, upon seeing their sad faces, felt like crying too. She knew she had to leave though, where else could she hide but in plain sight.
So after breakfast, the group got ready to go. Snow grabbed her bag of jewels and followed the dwarves out. They offered to give her a ride, but she refused. If she borrowed anything of theirs, she would never be able to repay them. So they walked.
They walked a long ways. They walked through the forests, through the mountains, and towards the mines. Once they reached the mines, they offered to split up. Doc and the rest of the dwarves would go into the mines and start work, while Happy took her into town.
Snow on the other hand, was getting a little tired. She had walked farther than she ever had before, and she wanted a moment's rest. She was starting to feel a little bit like Sleepy. Grumpy was suggesting that she walk to town on her own, but she didn't know the way.
Unfortunately, none of those things were going to happen just yet, because suddenly they heard the galloping of horses nearby.
"Oh no, the royal guards!" Snow said nervously,
"How do you know?" asked Bashful,
"It's just a hunch." She replied wringing her hands. The dwarves looked around nervously, and then Doc shouted, "Hope, quick, inside!" She looked towards the entrance of the mines nervously.
"The mines?" she asked,
"Yeah, the mines, now get in!" Grumpy shouted. Suddenly, Dopey grabbed her hand and pulled her inside. They ran deep within the cave and hide behind some rocks and mine carts. Snow could hear the horses stop outside the cave; the sound of the conversation echoing throughout it.
"We are looking for a young girl from the palace." Said one of the men,
"You are, eh?" Happy replied,
"Yes, she has dark hair, pale skin, and we think she came in this direction." They explained,
"You don't say, what makes you think that?" Grumpy asked,
"She's the Princess, and she's run away from home. We assume that she'd want to get as far from the palace as possible." Another explained,
"Well, you assumed wrong then, didn't you?" Said Grumpy, there was a silence between the groups.
"We have come to take her back to the palace to see the Queen. We would hate to bring one of you to see the Queen instead." He explained,
"Listen, good sir, we have only just arrived and opened the mines, no one is in there to our better knowledge." Said Doc, "But, we'll be sure to let you know if anyone turns up." There was another silence that filled the air, until the guards accepted the answer.
"Alright, we will be back to see if she turns up here. Until then we will be staying in the next town to search. You men take care now." He said, and all the guards galloped off. Snow did not dare to exit the cave until she was sure they were all gone. All the other dwarves ventured inside to meet them.
"Do you still want to go to the next town...Princess?" Grumpy said slowly,
"Actually...I think I'll stay with you guys a little longer." Snow admitted, and the dwarves smiled at her answer.
"We were hoping you'd say that." And with that answer, all eight of them ventured further into the mines.
A/N: So now the guards are looking for her, probably because the queen's too lazy to trek that far. Also, she'll be living with the Dwarves like she did in the originally story. They also know she's the princess now. It took them longer to figure it out in this version, but it doesn't change things for them. To them, she's still Hope.