The Drunkard
The sound of Duke Hammond's courtyard had fallen to hazy whispers ensuing Snow White's passing. Some of the men and women were surprised to hear that the young princess was alive for all of the passing years, while some mourned her death for a second time. A number of the people were left criticizing the Princess's actions. Questions popped into villager's minds, such as, "Where had Snow White been for all those years?" and "Why did she hide through the Queen's reign?". Most concluded that Snow White was frightened and spineless. They had to blame someone for not attempting to kill the Queen, and at that moment, the lifeless Snow White seemed like a fine choice.
Among the bystanders who witnessed Eric carry Snow White's body through the courtyard, stood a tall, young woman with rich, red hair. Greta found herself horror-stricken at the sight of the dead princess. Inside, she felt an incessant hate towards Snow White that acquired from William's unconditional love for her. Snow White was the reason that William had left her, weeping herself to sleep every night since his departure. She was the obstacle that stood in her way to William's complete love. Yet seeing her body lifelessly limp in Eric's arms did not bring her any satisfaction. Seeing how beautiful she remained, even in death, did not arouse any jealousy. She felt an ache within a deep pit of her stomach at the sight, as her body uncontrollably shuddered. She had comes to terms with the fact that if Snow White was dead, then there was no way that William was alive.
As Eric walked with Snow White in his arms, he could not even register the whispers of the courtyard. His ears were choked with a numb ringing, though the tears that had fallen down his cheeks were now dried to a crisp. Everything around him felt dry, from the snow his steps compressed, to every inch of his frozen skin. He did not look down at Snow White's body as he walked, but kept his face staring forward and forward, until before he knew it, Snow White was gone from his arms and he was confronted with a cup of whisky. He held the cup in is hands, though he did not feel it there. A numbness overcame his body, relieving him entirely from the senses of the world. And he gulped back the cup of whiskey, and gulped back some more. And after another cup was left dry, another cup was filled, and another left dry again.
William laid flat on the ground, facing the stone ceiling that sheltered him. Like Eric, a numbing took over his body, or what ever remained of it. The only thing above his bones was a thin layer of skin that was withering away in itself, having not eaten for days. His ribs bulged through his skin and the slight movement of his chest was the only thing which signified his living. Though at that moment, he wished for nothing but to be dead. To be relieved from Ravenna's grasp once and for all. And he knew that his wish would come true soon enough, as Snow White would be dead at any moment then. And not because of anyone other than himself, he thought. He almost chuckled at the thought.
A ray of sunlight beamed on his face which streamed through the gap of a small window. He thought back to the last few days where he played as Ravenna's puppet; moved as she told him to, and did what she said. That tastes of multiple elixirs he was forced to consume, returned themselves back on to his tongue. They were a vile bitter that curdled his stomach and cause him to vomit a thick black. For many days, it was the only thing to nourish his body, though they certainly did more harm than good. The effects of many were slight, yet some liquids he gulped caused his body to tremble defiantly. The jerks his limbs would make were so sharp, that sometimes he heard the crack of his bones at the sudden twists. He would shriek while Ravenna operated, summoning multiple potions, pricking blood from his fingers to drink. The only thing making him comply to each of her demands was knowing that Snow White would have more time to live. More time to find a way to destroy her. Though, he was no longer sure that good would prevail in the end.
Suddenly, the ray of sunlight that shined onto his face was interrupted by movement in the sky. William winced his eyes to the window, peering at dozens of crows which flew against the wind in the air. He felt the thud of his heart quicken, knowing that Ravenna had returned. Through the walls of the castle echoed the caws of many crows, as William remained on the stone floor. Maybe he would move if his legs gave him the chance, though after the twists and jerks of his bones, his legs were left paralyzed, and of no further use to him.
William's father, Duke Hammond stared out the window of his study with a look of complete emptiness upon his face. He felt angry with his son's departure, which came to be utterly useless. Snow White was in his castle, dead, while William was in Ravenna's, and Duke Hammond could not find any reason as to why he wouldn't be dead also. The dwarfs had explained to him what their plan had compromised – to attack Queen Ravenna's castle, and bring Snow White to finally finish her off. But in the end, he deduced that their plan was foolish and suicidal. It wasn't like anything mattered anymore regardless. Snow White was dead and she was the only one to defeat the Queen. Nothing mattered anymore and Duke Hammond felt uselessness overcome him. Everything had ended in vain.
Down a maze of hallways through the castle, past solemn dwarfs and an inebriated huntsman, was the door to a room which held Snow White's still body. The room was illuminated with hundreds of dazzling candles, and a sparkling gold chandelier which hung above the princess's body. Snow White was taken out of her dirty, ragged clothing and changed into a clean, silken dress that shimmered white like a pearl. Her skin was also of the utmost white, especially compared to the black of her hair. A peacefulness eclipsed her body, revealing a tranquility unlike any she had felt for a very long time. Now she could rest, after several occasions of peril and anguish. She was finally in peace.
Eric chugged back another glass of whiskey in the crowded courtyard. His eyes began to feel tired and too heavy to hold up, but when they shut to reveal darkness, it felt as though the world around him spun. With all of his might, he tried to hold them open, as he stood to his feet and wobbled in his spot. Muir muttered something to him which Eric could not comprehend, so he ignored it. It was just another murmur to the haziness of his ears. He moved his left foot first, losing his steadiness completely. His body was a heavy weight without any control over itself, and through his movements swayed from one side to the other. He felt himself fall against a sturdy piece of wood while the sound of crashing plates and cups managed to get through the barrier of fuzziness in his ears. Everything was blurry when his head hit the rock, hard ground beneath him. And that was all.
He awoke with a pound to his head and the smell of stale liquor all around him. Though his mind grasped itself from unconsciousness, he wished that he could keep hiding in his dreams, and refused to open his eyes. A heavy grunt escaped his lips, his breath bitter and poisonous.
"Wake up," a familiar voice demanded in his ear. It was smooth and delicate like the snowflakes which fell from the pale sky. Eric let out another grunt before prying open his eyes and seeing Muir sitting before him. "Drink this," Muir ordered, handing Eric a wooden mug. He sluggishly reach for the mug in his hands and tilted his head up before gulping down the unknown substance. He was disappointed to find out that it was only water.
Eric squinted his eyes in the lightly lit room, searching for familiarity. He felt lost in an unknown place among unfamiliar people, now that Snow White was gone. Everything around and within him was in disorientation, like if he were to look at a compass for direction, the needle would turn in constant circles of confusion. He let out a final grumble before asking, "What hour is it?" There appeared to be no window in the room, making him feel desolate.
"It's twilight," Muir said. Not even an entire day passed since Snow White was gone, and at that point Eric didn't know how much longer he could take. He wondered why he must have awakened, wishing to remain in a slumber for the rest of his life. The pains of life had become too much for him to take. "They'll be burying Snow White tomorrow," Muir said. "If you want to see her before then, I would go soon." Eric retorted with a seething look.
"I have no intention of seeing her. She is dead and that is all there is left," Eric said. His words caused Muir to shake his head in disappointment.
"This isn't the end," Muir said. "Snow White may be dead, and that may be a terrible thing, but you're not dead. Every one of us feels a great burden with what has happened, but our time is not ceasing, not yet. Life goes on and you must go on with it. Now you have a chance to say good-bye to her, and I wouldn't miss that chance before it is too late."
Eric took a second to let Muir's words absorb before nodding his head. In that instance, he thought of his wife, Sara, who he never had the chance to say good-bye to. One day he woke up and she was gone, and ever since then, her presence haunted him as though she was still there. Eric wasn't foolish though, he knew that Queen Ravenna took his wife, and consumed her soul as she did to nearly every other beauty in the village. Though that didn't help stop the guilt from eating away at his body. For not taking the extra precautions, for not making sure with all of his ability that she would be safe. Eric let out a quiet whimper, as the realization came over him. Snow White deserved his good-bye.
The room that held Snow White's body glittered from the lights of the numerous flames. Each flame lightly swayed, as though Snow White's spirit was moving among them. Eric was a strapping man, yet it took all of his strength to drag his body to her side and witness her frozen stature before him. It felt wrong not being able to see her smile or to hear her soft spoken voice. To not be able to hold her in his arms, and feel her grip tighten around his body for support. For the support that he had ultimately failed to give her. When he felt her arm, she no longer had a warm body, but an icy one like the outside air. Yet all of the things that told him she was dead, did not make her any less beautiful. She was as beautiful as he remembered, if not even more.
This time, Eric didn't stop the tears from escaping his eyes. He let the sorrow overcome his body, that he kept caged inside. At first it released itself in small whimpers, until the tears began to flow from his eyes that he couldn't keep in anymore. It was like a cracked dam, the water intensifying until finally exploding and flowing through.
"I'm sorry," Eric said, the words barely escaping from his mouth. "It's all my fault, all that I've lost, and now you." He let his head fall down to Snow White's stomach and gripped her arm tightly. Her silken dress felt smooth against his rough face. "I lost a great companion in your mother, who was the strongest woman I knew until I met you. I lost my wife, who I loved with all my heart and planned to spend the rest of my life with. And now you, the fairest and the purest heart, gone from my life to leave me in my sorrows." Eric lifted his head from her body and rose his knees from the ground.
At that moment Eric didn't want anything more than a drink to help him shut out his despairs. But he didn't want to spend the last moments with Snow White intoxicated and outside of his own body. She would want him to be sober, and she would be happy to know that he was.
"I love you," Eric began again. "I should have known better than to get close to you. Everyone I loved has died, and you deserved better than me, you deserve better than anyone." He paced back and forth alongside her laying body, struggling to finally come out and say good-bye. Once he did, it would all be over, and she would be gone for good. At least now, he could pretend, she was still with him and not buried in the earth to wither away. But he knew he could not stand by her side for forever.
"Good-bye princess," Eric finally said. "You have a beautiful soul, and you will be a Queen in heaven now." Before leaving Snow White for good, Eric approached her one last time. He leaned over her body and gave her one last delicate kiss against her calm lips. As he did so, three teardrops descended from his eyes and landed onto Snow White's cheek. They were filled with the purest love and compassion.
Eric left the room where Snow White lifelessly laid.
Past the snowy mountains and through the dark forest, Ravenna stood facing her golden mirror. Her reflection was not one that she had hoped for. She looked old, almost the age she truly was. And after yet another failure, she was weak.
"Mirror, Mirror on the wall, who is fairest of them all?" Ravenna's voice croaked as she spoke, corresponding with her appearance. The mirror began to ripple like water until falling to the ground in a molten clump of gold. The glimmering puddle before her suddenly began to rise until forming the shape of a man. A faceless man without any distinct features, only the ruffles of a cloak could be distinguished. Ravenna admired the figure looking down on her. He was a beautiful and flawless creation, one that she could be if she consumed Snow White's heart.
"My Queen," the mirror began, "Snow White prevails to hold the place of highest beauty. She is the one who possesses the fairest blood – the key to your immortality."
Ravenna simply shook her head in reply. "Impossible," she whispered. "Snow White is dead!" Ravenna screamed, her voice a screech that could shatter glass. "I killed her. I watched her writhe on the ground as I relished her final breath. She cannot be alive."
"It seems that the princess has managed to trick death. It will only be a matter of time before she comes for you with an army at hand. Be prepared," the mirror warned her, as the figure steadily shrivelled back into the round mirror which hung against the wall. Ravenna was left pacing, her eyes moving in every direction in search of an answer to solve her problems. She had failed enough times to know that her chances were slim and quickly slipping away like sand falling between each of her fingers. Though every defeat only made the fire within her grow stronger, an intensifying writhe that burned with a passionate heat. "Finn," Ravenna called from within her chamber.
Her brother appeared in the room within seconds, weary and scared. "What can I assist you of?" he asked her, trying to hide the tremble in his voice.
"I need you to bring me every last ripe girl there is. Im weak and I'm hungry," Ravenna said, curling her thin, wrinkled lips into a smile.
Snow White's body rested stiff and cold after Eric left her alone death. Eric's tears that pooled onto her cheek, ran down her face, tingling her skin. The motion was electrifying and triggered a beat of her heart. And then another one, and another. Finally, her entire body motioned upward, gulping in the air around her and filling up her empty lungs. Snow White opened her eyes to the bright life around her, taking time to accustom from the darkness of death. She suddenly became aware of her own skin and the white gown that adorned her. After wiping up the trail of tears, Snow White rose from the bed and wiggled her toes which hung over the side. She would never take the little things of life for granted again. The last thing that she remembered was seeing Ravenna transform from William's body right in front of Duke Hammond's castle. She finally realized where she was. It was her destination and the last place before finally ending Ravenna's life once and for all.
In that moment, Snow White knew exactly what she would need to do. An army would need to be prepared to go to battle in the morning.
They had waited long enough.