A/N: Chapter Three is ready. In this chapter, we get a bit of Henry's backstory. I hope you enjoy.
Chapter Three
Henry blinked, raised the parchment closer, blinked again. It couldn't be, but there she was, staring up at him plain as day, an outlaw.
"Boy," Henry was startled out of his work by a sharp slap to the back of his head. "What's all this then?"
His gaze dropped as he examined the primers, given to him by one of the girls in the orphanage. "Studying Ma'am."
"Studying?" The old woman gave a hoot. "Tell me lad, do you think any merchant has use for a boy who can read?"
It seemed an obvious answer. "I'd like to think so Ma'am." Apparently this was the wrong answer, because he was once again bashed, this time by the very book he had been examining.
"Not in your work." She gave another hoot. "Mark my words, you'll be out to the fields. No lad who's been in this hole as long as you finds work requiring any skill." She sighed. "Go on! There's chores to be done."
Henry ran out the door, scarcely daring to breathe until he was well out of the earshot of old Mrs. Crimley. His head throbbed, not that it was unusual. The boys called Crimley the Shrew of Shorehouse, and there were rumors every man she ever married died on the spot. The girls, well the girls were just plain terrified. With the fighting and the queen's reign of terror, there were always children at Shorehouse, but Henry received the special disdain of the Shrew, simply because he'd never had any parents. They didn't die in war, or from disease. He was simply dropped on the doorstep, a foundling. Naturally something was thought to be wrong with him from the first. No young couple would give up a perfectly healthy child, especially a son.
He found himself once again drawn to the stables. He didn't know why. He'd never been particularly smart when it came to horses, but they didn't seem to mind and it was the least popular chore in Shorehouse, because it involved getting muddy; and getting muddy meant more clobbing from the Shrew. She'd seek him out anyway, so he didn't see the harm. The horses were good listeners as any, and they didn't talk back.
He grabbed the rake, and proceeded to twirl it around as he kept his eyes locked on the horse in front of him, a gentle mare name Blue. "I always wanted to learn to fight with a real sword, but the others….they never want me to play with them. I wonder if my parents knew something...like Crimley says. I'll never get out of here.." He scoffed, jabbing the rake into a nearby hay bale.
"Ouch!" Henry jumped back. The hay bale just said...ouch. That was strange. But then, out of the hay came a woman, and Henry was stunned. "Sorry about this. I didn't think anyone came here." The woman smiled, still rubbing the back of her head. "You'd make a fine swordsman. Best aim I've seen in awhile."
"H...how?" Henry stood with his mouth agape. The woman had clearly been asleep in the hay pile, if the state of her clothes was any indication.
"I needed a place to sleep. It didn't seem like anyone came here."
"No one likes the horses." Henry said.
The woman raised an eyebrow. "Not like horses?"
"No Ma'am" Henry shook his head. "They get you dirty and the Shrew doesn't like it."
"I don't see the harm." The woman walked up next to him, raising her hand in an effort to stroke Blue's nose.
"Me neither." Henry smiled. "They're nice."
"Say," The woman grinned. "Do you want to go for a ride?"
Henry's eyes widened. "Oh… no I can't."
"Come on. I thought you said you wanted to get out of here. It's the least I can do."
"Really?"
The woman nodded, giving a mock curtsy. "Snow White, at your service Sir."
"I'm Henry." He ran over to get a saddle. "Can we really go anywhere?"
Snow White laughed. "I know just the place."
It was agreed that Henry would be the one to lead Blue out, further from Shorehouse to the path in the woods. Snow was waiting for him there.
Snow mounted Blue, scratching her between the ears so she calmed down. "That's it, easy."
"She likes you!" Henry said.
"You think so?"
"She never pets anyone back."
Snow turned, giggling as she realized, indeed the horse was nuzzling up against her hand. "Oh, I think you're right Henry."
The boy's chest puffed out slightly as he attempted to mount the horse. "Whoa…"
"I've got you." Snow kept a hand on the boy's foot helping him kick it over before she boosted herself up onto the horse's back. "Hang on." She clicked her tongue as she felt the horse begin to move.
"Can we go faster?"
Snow nodded, digging her heels into the horse's side. "Make sure you hold on!"
As they rode, Henry felt himself relaxing. It was fun, and Snow was really nice.
"Where are we going?"
"To see some friends." Snow looked at the boy. She could see a purple bruise under the boy's hairline, and the way that he talked about this Shrew. She didn't like it one bit. She'd only known Henry for all of fifteen minutes, but she already felt as though he was her responsibility.
"Will they like me?"
"I know they will."
Henry turned as Shorehouse disappeared into the distance, only vaguely worried about the curfew that hung over his head. He couldn't wait to meet Snow White's friends.
Henry sighed. He couldn't wrap his head around it. She had been so nice to him. Of course, she had kept the horse, but that was a minor transgression, not anything to get her outlaw status.
"Boy, can I get ye anything?" The woman had come out from behind the counter. Henry quickly crumpled up the parchment pulling out his list instead.
"Do you have any sleeping draughts?"
The woman looked at Henry, then to the shelf in back, then back to Henry. This is the one time when he was glad for his sleepless nights, less questions. "This is the perfect draught, allows for sleep but won't conk ye out for hours."
Henry frowned, but took the bottle. It was a small crystal vial. "Do you have anything stronger?"
"Stronger?" The woman guffawed. "Lad are ye lookin' for a curse? 'Cause I don't deal in such matters."
Henry's eyes grew wide. "N...no Ma'am. I just meant...in case this doesn't work."
The woman shook her head. "I'm simply joking. But there is one that is stronger." The woman pulled another vial, this one a dark ruby color. "Look here, one drop is all ye need. Anything more, and ye may not wake for days…" She left the rest unspoken staring pointedly.
Henry nodded quickly. "I'll take two of each."
"Two of each?" The woman stared over the counter. "Yer sure?"
"Yes Ma'am." Henry rummaged through his satchel, grabbing the coin pouch and depositing the correct amount, before taking the vials. "Thank you!" He ran out, the door swinging behind him.
In the flurry, he didn't notice the crumpled parchment hit the floor or the woman's gaze that lingered just a bit too long on his retreating form.
A/N: And the trouble continues. Next chapter, we see what the Evil Queen is up to along with a lot of other stuff. As always tell me what you think. Until next time :)