The Promise
Snow White savoured the gift of life that was given to her once again. She savoured the cool stone ground against her feet that stimulated her senses with a surge, and the sweet taste of wintry air that gave her life. The door securing her in the candlelit room was a heavy wood panel that she pushed open, releasing a gust of wind against her face. Each strand of her hair flew back, tousling into itself with each delicate, black thread. She began to walk through the castle halls, set alight by fiery torches against the wall. The white gown that clothed her moved with her every step, glimmering in the reflection of the torches and lightly swaying from the wind. She could have been mistaken for a ghost, sauntering through the eerie halls of the castle.
When Snow White had opened her eyes from death, she knew the very reason for her gift. She was not brought back in vain, but with the sole purpose to bring Ravenna to her defeat. And she had never felt more prepared for anything in her entire life.
The halls of the castle moved in an unfamiliar labyrinth, but it didn't take long for Snow White to come to face the vast castle doors which led to the busy courtyard. With all her strength, she heaved the heavy doors open and became present with the outside air. The people of the village had come to the courtyard for a jolly feast, and were now at hand with many different ales and drinks. Eric and the dwarfs sat among the villagers, chattering apart from the crowd. Slowly, the talking and laughter began to diminish, as Snow White crept her way to the centre of the courtyard. People eyed her in mystification, including Duke Hammond and Greta who sat at the edge of a table. In the midst of talking, the dwarfs began to stare off at the young princess, leaving Eric in confusion at the sudden change of air. He turned around his head, and his jaw dropped in disbelief.
Everyone gave Snow White their full attention, perplexed by her return from the dead. She merely eyed her fellow citizens, her brothers and sisters who had endured the reign of Ravenna for too many years, and who suffered greatly under her rule.
"Frost to fire and fire to frost," Snow White whispered under her breath. She did not feel shy as all of the citizens gave her their full attention, nor did she feel scared. Instead, she felt the blood in her veins turn to adrenaline and fuel her energy. In front of her, Snow White saw her army, filled with shock and bewilderment. Though tepid blood still ran through their veins, Snow White knew she had enough fuel to share with everyone. Enough to supply an entire army.
"Ravenna has taken our lives in her hands and withered them to dust," Snow White began. She stared at each of the blank faces with a hungry ferocity. "She has taken our Kingdom and swamped it with the poison that seeps from her pores. And as she has done so, we have sat back, watching the land turn to hell before our very eyes. Now, we have rested long enough!" Her words came out in a deep, shout, a voice that was entirely unfamiliar to her. Even Eric sat still, as though he was staring at a complete stranger. His jaw never having fastened.
"When I look around me, I see faces of despair and of hunger. I see the faces of people who have endured too many years of this pain and suffering. Now, we must take that torment that we have let diminish us, and turn it into our ammunition. Our will to fight and our undying power to save this Kingdom." Snow White spoke quickly, though her breath never shortened. "I have never seen a brighter light than when my eyes just opened. And I know that light burns in all of you!" The villagers began to feel their cheeks redden as the blood in their bodies began to pump faster and faster, their hearts charged with a sudden determination.
"Armies have ventured to overthrow Ravenna, and failed with many savage slaughters. Her dark army has proved to be a force of unnatural power, capable of savage deeds. But what each army has failed to provide is an unconquerable weapon to take down Ravenna once and for all. I will become your weapon, forged from the fierce fire that I know is in all of you! Now who will ride with me? Who will be my brother?" With Snow White's final word, every body in the courtyard rose with their arms in the air and a shout of validation. Snow White acquired her army, and by the end of it all, she didn't even know how she did it. She felt an unavoidable smile creep up on her face.
Before Eric could approach Snow White, Duke Hammond charged through the crowd of enthused villagers who clanked their mugs of ale together and shouted in complete madness, and took hold of Snow White's arms. She squirmed in the tight pain of his grip, as he dragged her to the castle doors, his lips tightly shut and his eyes furrowing in anger. Down a tight hall and through a small doorway, Duke Hammond threw Snow White to a seat in his study and stood over her in a growl of anger like a mad dog. She massaged her arms where his hands had seized her, now in an uncomfortable, silent room.
"What do you think you're doing?" He asked her, spitting the words as they came out. Snow White simply stared at him in bafflement.
"I'm stopping Ravenna from killing this land completely! Have you not heard a word that I said out there?" She asked, shaking her head.
"Oh yes, oh, I heard." He talked down to her like a girl filled with idiocy, driven by her foolish illusions – illusions that she could somehow defeat Ravenna single-handedly without destroying his entire army through the process. "You think that you can just come in here and order my army into battle without consoling one word with me. You're taking them on a suicide mission! Ravenna cannot be defeated, and it is as simple as that. You must accept that before you get yourself killed for good, along with all of your friends."
"No!" She shouted defiantly. "I will not accept someone destroying the very land that I stand on. I never took you to be such a weak ruler to let someone frighten you so much that you would rather slowly die with your land than die stopping the evil from killing it. Because if we do not kill her, and she attains my heart, do you really think that she will stop there? She will be immortal, she will become an even bigger tyrant than before, and everyone else will simply be her slave. You must understand that before you talk down to me without respect and without subjectivity." Snow White felt a fury writhe within her like never before. She couldn't believe Duke Hammond's words. All of her memories of him contained a strong, compassionate man. She didn't know who she was talking to anymore.
"You are not going!" Duke Hammond's voice trembled in anger, as Snow White stared at him with wide eyes. Before she could say another word, she noticed his hands shaking and his chin beginning to quiver. His anger had transformed into a despair, or his despair was hidden in anger all along, Snow White didn't know which one either way. But what she did know, was that something was eating away at the man before her, as tears welled up in his eyes, and he let out harsh sob. Duke Hammond fell down to his knees as Snow White came to his side with worry. She stroked his shoulder in attempt to ease him and bring him back down to ration. Though, he continued to sob like she was a mere ghost in his presence, and not really there.
"Queen Ravenna has William prisoner. She's had him for weeks," Duke Hammond said, causing Snow White to stifle at the thought. She didn't even want to think about what he could have possibly went through, or whether he was even alive or not. "He had his entire life ahead of him. Of plans to marry a beautiful girl, Greta, to take over the castle upon my passing, to live his life out as he should." His voice trembled. "And he threw all of that away because of you," Duke Hammond said, as he lifted his head up to give Snow White a piercing look of hate. And in that moment everything made sense to her.
"I'm so sorry," she said. She felt as though her words were useless in relieving his pain, though she thought that she may as well try.
It did not occur to Snow White what Ravenna appearing to her as William had meant. That she would need his body, and use him to conjure the spell. A sickness overcame her stomach, as she thought about him locked away in the dungeons for weeks on end. How much suffering he must have endured and how agonizing it would be to have to face her; not knowing what tricks she kept up her sleeve. Snow White shuddered, a chill running down the spine of her back like a slow-moving drop of water. She had not even thought about having to face Ravenna herself, but always skipping to the end where she imagined killing her and ending her terror. Ravenna has shown what great lengths she would go through to attain her heart, and she was suddenly frightened to have to witness what Ravenna would do after Snow White came to her with the intention of murder. Duke Hammond's cries brought Snow White back from her thoughts.
"If there is a chance that William is still alive, and there very well may be," Snow White said, "then we can save him. But the longer we wait to attack, the longer he will have to die, and sitting here doing nothing won't bring him back. We must go, you have to understand that. I cannot lead an entire army without your help." Her words slipped out with a desperation. "Please trust me. I promise you that if William is still alive by any chance whatsoever, I will do whatever it takes to ensure his survival. He was close to me too, and I love him." Duke Hammond's whimpers decreased until he wiped his cheeks dry away from the tears. He no longer looked at Snow White with an utter loathing, but with a guilt for his juvenile behaviour. "I promise," Snow White whispered yet again in simple reassurance.
"Thank you," Duke Hammond said, though he could not bring himself to apologize. "We will spend the night and early hours of dawn in preparation, and we will leave by morning." Snow White responded with a grin, and reassured him that they would prevail. But through it all, he only hoped that he could have his son back.
The door to the study shut swiftly behind Snow White as she became aware of the bitter air. Adrenaline had kept her body warm, but now all she could feel was the shooting cold through her toes and the chill of the night caress her body through her thin gown. When she breathed, she could see a thin mist escape her mouth against the dim lights of the hallway. At that moment, she knew that she needed to find Eric and the dwarfs and begin preparing. They only had the short hours of the night ahead, leaving them a scarce amount of time to plan.
After walking for no longer then a couple minutes, Eric was the one to find Snow White first, as he approached her with a look of worry. His lips were curled downwards and his breath came out short like he had just finished running. Before muttering a word to her, Eric grasped Snow White in his arms and lifted her up in the air. She wrapped her arms around his warm body in return, relieving her from the absolute cold. His scent was the familiar smell of ale, and she figured that he had returned to drinking now that he had the chance. Or because he thought that she had died for good. She couldn't bare to imagine what he had went through for the duration of the day.
"I'm sorry," Snow White whispered, still in the clutch of Eric's arms. He set her feet back down to the ground, and she admired his masculine face.
"You're sorry?" Eric asked in disbelief. "You have no reason to be. You're alive and well, and that's all I could ask for after all that I've been through." He let out a smile that he could no longer hold in. Happiness overwhelmed him like nothing before. Just to be able to see her smile, and to hear her words, was the most he could ask for. "Just promise me that you won't leave me like that again," he said, leering. Snow White responded with a glare, and chuckled to herself, thinking about the madness that the day had entailed.
"How are you even alive right now?" Eric asked in wonderment.
"I don't know and right now, it doesn't matter," Snow White said. "We're going off to battle tomorrow, we have a lot to do tonight. We must gather with the dwarfs and go over exactly what we are to do. I need to train. I don't think that I've ever used a sword before, and we need to get armour," Snow White spoke the orders quickly and eagerly causing Eric's mind to get mixed up in her words. Before Eric could get in a word of his own, Snow White said, "come on," she grabbed him by his arm, and began pulling him toward the courtyard.
They walked briskly through the long hallway, the cold air escaping from Snow White's mind again. Her hand slid down from Eric's arm and into his big hand. Their fingers slipped into one another's and Eric felt nothing but pleasure.
"I forgot to mention," Eric said, as they walked. "What you said out there was impressive. I really didn't think you had it in you, princess."
"Well then don't underestimate me, Huntsman," Snow White playfully responded, as Eric chuckled. He grabbed her thin waist with his arms and threw her over his shoulder, as though her body was as light as a feather. Laughter erupted from her lips as he carried her against his shoulder. Before, they opened the doors to the courtyard, Eric set Snow White down who smiled wide. The smile on her face suddenly fell, and Snow White wrapped her hand around Eric's head and pulled him in close to her. Their lips met with an aggressive passion, as Snow White pulled his entire body to hers as close as she could. The sweet taste of her lips traced through his entire body, making him feel weak with love. The roughness of his face against her own brought her solace and the temptation for more. Her hand brushed down his muscular arm and then up his back. A tingling tickled his body, as he pulled away from her, afraid that he would want more, and wouldn't be able to stop himself. He gazed into her eyes, before she opened the door, and the moment turned into a memory.
A frenzy of moving bodies and loud shouting emerged in the courtyard. Weapons were being sharpened, plans were in discussion, and Snow White was in the middle of it, alongside Eric and the seven dwarfs. She was given a quilt to warm her body that she nestled in for comfort. After telling everyone what had entailed in Duke Hammond's study, they began enthusiastically planning for the battle ahead with Gort and Beith adding most to the discussion. Her eyes were wide in captivation as they spewed out militant words involving tactics and techniques for going into battle.
Beith managed to obtain a sword for Snow White to use for practice, it's blade still dull and frail. She thought back to all of the other lessons Beith had gone over with her, and how now, finally, his lessons would come of some use to her. The opportunity was given for her to be able to apply her skills and she felt strong and confident.
Snow White held the handle of the sword tight in her hands. Though it was similar to the dagger in which she was familiar with, the sword felt vastly different. It was much larger, and felt like it could produce far greater damage. Beith instructed her to swing it, getting used to the feel of the weapon. As she did so, he obtained a sword for himself and came to face Snow White. "Let's fight," Beith said, as he began to swing his sword at her. She was taken back my his sudden attack, but she knew that this would be the quickest way to learn, and they didn't have very much time. Her sword swung back, striking with Beith's and creating a loud clinking sound. They continued to swing back and forth, until Beith's movements became faster and more unpredictable. The sword in her hands moved with her instinct, continuing to block each of his attempts at victory.
After continuous clinking, Beith began to pant from weariness, unable to keep up with Snow White's endurance. His movements became wobbly and weaker, until the grip on his handle loosened and Snow White lashed the sword out of his hands with her own. She gave him a smile of victory, as the old dwarf panted in defeat. The point of Snow White's blade aimed at Beith's chest in indication of his loss. He simply pushed the dull blade from his direction and eyed the princess.
"I cannot deny," Beith said. "You are very good for a beginner, but you need a lot of work on your movement and technique. You may be much younger than me and contain more energy, but that doesn't make you better at wielding a sword." Snow White nodded in understanding of his words, though she was disappointed that she had not done as well as she had thought. "Tomorrow, when it's just you and Ravenna, you're going to have to bring everything you have, princess. She won't give up that easy and she will have the power of magic by her side. Be prepared for anything.
"I will," Snow White said, but she couldn't help herself from feeling worried at the prospect of facing Ravenna alone. And having to do it no earlier than the very next day. Everything relied on her, and she was so distracted with preparing for the battle that she had not thought about the battle itself and the inevitable death and chaos that would ensue.
"Now," Beith said. "You're quite well in defence, but you have to work on your attacks. Give it everything that you have." They continued to swing at each other, her movements becoming stronger by the second. All that one could see in Snow White's eyes was determination and control. After getting lost in her motions, Snow White swung the sword to her side provoking a shrill scream from alongside her. She turned her head to see her blade only inches away from a young girl's face, whose head was covered in rich, red hair.
"What do you think you're doing, interfering two people in the midst of sword fighting?" Beith asked in anger of the young girl's thoughtless actions. Snow White noticed a look of fear and embarrassment on her face, as her cheeks turned the same colour as her hair.
"I'm s-so sorry," the girl stuttered. "I was just hoping to talk with Snow White."
"Then you wait until she isn't swinging a sword!" Beith shouted. The young girl apologized yet again, and walked off, with her head hanging down against her chest. Snow White knew that Beith was angry with the girl for jeopardizing her own safety, but she couldn't help but feel bad for her. She dropped her sword to the ground and ran after the stranger who was now mixed into the large crowd of bodies.
After a short while of searching, Snow White spotted a bundle of red hair that stood out like a sore thumb. Her body slid between the clumps of people that disrupted her path, but it wasn't hard for her slim figure to get past the rowdy obstructions. When she approached the girl, her back was turned to her, and Snow White tapped her shoulder. She violently flinched at Snow White's tap as she turned around, her cheeks even redder than before like the bright petal of a rose. Snow White thought she had a pretty face, round and innocent, and strikingly large eyes. Now, she only wondered what the girl wanted from her.
"I'm really sorry about that," Snow White said. "Beith doesn't have the best communication skills, but he didn't mean to put you down like that."
"No," the girl replied. "There is no need to apologize, I acted foolishly. I was just surprised to see you alive, and I wanted to talk with you. My name is Greta," she said, reaching out a hand for Snow White to shake. The sound of her name released a trigger in Snow White's mind, telling her that she knew who she was. Yet Snow White could not manage to find the name in her memory, or the face that went along with it. She was positive that she had never seen Greta before, but that she should know who she was. It hit her in an instance like the blade of Beith's swords, creating a loud dinging in her head. She recalled what Duke Hammond had said to her in his study: "Of plans to marry a beautiful girl, Greta," and in that moment she realized that she was standing in front of the girl who William was to marry. And the girl who he left because he found out that she was still alive.
"Greta," Snow White said, lost in her own thoughts. "I think that I know what you're hoping to talk to with me about, and I just want to see that I am truly sorry." Snow White remembered Duke Hammond blaming Snow White for William's abandonment of Greta. She, herself, had been the problem. "I haven't seen William in years, and we were never anything more than friends. We were only children when we knew each other, and I would never want to get in the way of people's relationships. What he did to you was terrible, but he may be dead now. I think it would be best to get all of this past us."
Greta felt pleased with Snow White's words. She had felt alone and betrayed since William had left, with no one their to support her or express any regret. It was as though Snow White's words brought her closure on that chapter of her life, yet she had never meant to accuse her of anything in the first place.
"I'm not angry with you," Greta said. "You couldn't have done very much since you were never here to begin with. I just wanted to express that to you, if you thought that there may be a rift between us."
"Thank you," Snow White said.
"If it means anything to you," Greta began. "William didn't stop thinking about you for one day." Snow White was taken back, and narrowed her eyes in uncertainty. "I was foolish for ever thinking I had a chance with him. I did love him, and I tried to make him love me back, but stupid as I was, I learned that love doesn't work that way." A grief was pasted onto Greta's face as though she was realizing what she knew all along for the very first time. "If he is still alive, then know that he still loves you and he would do anything for you. If anyone is willing to face Ravenna on their own, they must be so stupid that they're in love," Greta joked, mustering a bittersweet chuckle from Snow White.
"Thank you for telling me that," Snow White said. She felt a tenderness enter her body at the thought of William thinking about her, even being so foolish as to try and save her from Ravenna. The tenderness tingled her body and she realized that what she was feeling was love. When she had seen who she thought was William, her mind had withdrawn her in a frenzy and left her in complete bliss. But that wasn't William and she didn't know what she would do if he did in fact become a part of her life again. Her mind quickly travelled back to Eric whom she undeniably loved as well. And in the end, she wondered if it was possible – undoubtedly mad – but still possible, if she could love two different men at the same time. What she didn't want to think about, was the only dreadful way in which that would end.
William, with no choice in the matter, continued to lay on the stone ground of his prison. He watched the beauty of the morning sun rise, figuring that it would be the last chance he had. It wouldn't be long before his body failed him once and for all. His legs no longer worked, his muscles gone without any nourishment and his mind turning mad looking at the same stone ceiling. Every now and then his thoughts would travel to Snow White – the only thing bringing him comfort. He figured that he would see her soon, since she had likely died as well, and he waited for death to finally take him away. And he waited and waited.
Two birds chirped outside of the tiny window of his cell. The melody was joyous and cheery, bringing the false prospect that good was coming his way. But he listened to the tune in contentment, as it was a nice change from the tedious silence that he was used to. It was an infectious melody, that played in his mind, even after the two birds soared away from him and left him in silence again. Only seconds later, the silence was disrupted by the footsteps of Ravenna's walk, and William knew what was coming to him. He just continued to replay the melody in his mind as she unlocked his confining cell.
Ravenna appeared as beautiful as ever. Her long, blonde locks shimmered in strength and nourishment, and her face was perfectly faultless, smooth as candle wax. Her youth had come back to her, William only wondered at what price; how many lives had she destroyed over the course of the night? She kneeled next to his worn body, and he couldn't bare to look at her for another second.
"It seems that your Snow White just won't give up," Ravenna said. "She always finds a way to triumph, and she will be coming to try and kill me today." William turned his face toward Ravenna and glared at her in satisfaction. "Too bad you won't be here to see the show," she added, as she pulled a dagger out from beneath her robe. "I'm really going to miss you, you've been great company," she said, as she pierced the dagger into William's side. His upper body flinched in agony at the initial puncture and he waited for her to finish him off for good, to finally relieve him of the constant agony. Ravenna slowly pulled the dagger from inside of his body, revelling the complete discomfort that the cold blade caused against his bare flesh. She let out a satisfied sigh, as the dagger completely emerged covered in fresh, glistening blood.
Ravenna now held the blade right over William's heart. He shut his eyes in hope that it would somehow help him get through everything, but he knew that it wouldn't make a difference. He would still feel the dagger puncture his heart, he would feel the blood stop coursing through his veins, and he would feel his body finally shut down. The wait was killing him. He opened his eyes and the dagger was no longer suspended above his body and Ravenna was no longer by his side. "I think it will be more fun to watch you bleed out," Ravenna said. "To watch you suffer." She left the cell, not bothering to lock it behind her. William wasn't going anywhere.
The warmth of the blood could be felt against William's hand, as he clutched his open wound. He could feel the blood trickle down his body, feeling his life slowly end itself, and he had only wished for it to be quick and painless.
Without much relief, he gritted his teeth, and waited to bleed out as he repeated the birds' melody in his mind; soothing whatever was left of him to soothe.
A/N: Thank you to everyone who has been reviewing, I really appreciate it, and I hope you enjoy where the story is going. Only a few chapters left!