[Just after the death of Queen Eva]
"The queen's over here!" yelled a guard.
Gothel heard many soldiers running over so she teleported in a puff of smoke before anyone could see her. Of course she could take on the army with her magic but it would foil her plan into becoming queen.
"Mirror mirror on the wall, did you see Queen Eva's fall?" asked Gothel to the mirror.
"Wouldn't miss it for the world." said the mirror, showing its face.
"My plan is going just as I have planned."
"You've never told me your idea. You have been quite secretive, do you mind telling me?"
"Of course! With the Laws of Magic being unable to be broken, I will just have to find an alternative method to get what I've want, now I have no need to change the past because Eva is already dead."
"What about the other two?"
"I have already planned a way to get Jared to fall in love with me and it required Eva to be dead first."
"What's your plan?"
"No, no, no! I want you to see it by yourself as I achieve greatness!"
"And I know that you will."
"Yes! And the death part is a bit... out of my hands at this moment, however with a bit more research I think I'll be able to find a spell strong enough to somehow get Layla returned."
"That is the most powerful magic in the world. There are alternative methods for the other two as you have clearly shown or about to show but you cannot bring a dead person back into the world of the living."
"Alive." said Gothel. "Remember that."
"And how did you get Eva to the woods at all? I recall you writing a letter, if anyone finds that, you will be a lot of trouble."
"The whole point is to find it. I kept the letter anonymous and with the royal family not having an enchantress, I will be able to keep that identity a secret and stop with the questions, mirror. I want you to witness my happy ending unfold."
"If that's what you wish."
The face left in a puff of blue smoke. Meanwhile in the mirror...
"Why do you take a liking to that girl?" asked Gregori.
"She is our only way out of this prison." said Magnifico.
"But fifteen years training her and giving her happiness? You could have controlled her and we'd be free like you did with Amaya!"
"And don't you see where that ended us?!" shouted Gregori. "We can't afford to make that same mistake again. We need to build the trust of Gothel and by giving her her happy ending, she will have a reason to free us."
"But look at what she wishes to do! Even I am not foolish enough into believing that I can break the Laws of Magic and I've been thinking of every solution after being imprisoned here for aeons!" shouted Magnifico.
"Look, we can't argue. Gothel is a powerful sorceress."
"But no one is powerful enough to break the Laws and you are well aware!" said Gregori more calmly.
"But there are alternate methods for her to get what she wants."
"Fine, she proved us wrong with killing Eva and I'm sure her plan is great enough to make Jared fall in love with her but what about death? There is no alternative for bringing someone back from the dead. Even she had her doubts. There is no bringing Layla back and that means not getting us free."
"We have to believe in the girl. Gothel is - as I've mentioned before - a powerful sorceress. She found an alternative one law and she probably will find one for the second but we have to believe in a way to bring Layla back."
"There is no alternative! Layla is dead and there is no bringing her back."
"Gothel said something about her not having to be alive."
"And what does that mean?!"
"We will just have to wait and see."
[At the funeral of Queen Eva]
"Here lies the body of Queen Eva. However, people see her more than a queen but as a friend, someone who they look up to and are inspired by. May she rest in peace." said the mortician.
There were tears, cries and black clothes filled in the room. Everyone kept a flower at the body of the dead body of the queen. Soon, everyone began to leave and it was only the king and his daughter left.
"What do we do now, daddy?" asked the princess.
"We find the culprit who has done this and we give justice." said King Jared. "I will make sure of it."
"And I can help." said a new voice.
The two of them turned around to see a tall woman with pale yet flawless skin, green eyes, black curly hair and wore a renaissance-era dress walked up to them.
"Who are you?" asked King Jared.
"A friend of Eva's." said the woman, placing a flower on Eva's chest. "We were never the best of friends but recently we made amendments and left our past in the past and moved forward as friends, it is quite sorrowful how she had passed away before we could truly embrace this new lifestyle."
"I have heard of you from her before. You're..."
"Yes. I am Gothel, pleased to meet you."
"But how will you save my mommy?" asked the princess.
"Oh, young girl, I am unable to do that. How old are you?"
"Ten."
"Ten? Oh, sweet girl, I am so sorry for your loss and you look so much like your mother... it's as if you're ugh- identical. Which is a good thing!"
"Thank you." said King Jared. "You seem quite good with my daughter."
"Oh, I've always loved kids but as much as I despise- love... this arrangement. We need to be alone for our plans to commence."
"You heard her, dear, go."
The princess went off with one of the servants and taken to her room and Gothel and King Jared went straight into business.
"How will you help me find the murderer of my wife?"
"I have obtained a hobby over the last decade - magic - and actually Eva was going to appoint me as Royal Sorceress before her... travesty. I am not very powerful but I believe a simple locator's spell could do the trick."
"Thank you so much."
"You're welcome. Truly. Eva was my ene- friend for barely a couple of hours and now she has been taken from me. Justice must be served and I will help you with that."
"There must be a reason for her to be in those woods, but why? She never liked that area, she wouldn't have wandered there by herself."
"Let's head to her room and maybe we will find a hint, in order for the spell to work I need an object belonging to the the killer and there might be something there."
"You're right. Let's go."
"Great." smiled Gothel. "Extraordinary."
The two headed into the Queen's room which was so massive that it could fit two of her homes if not a bit more . It was filled with riches and jewellery and it looked so beautiful as it contained some of the rarest flowers and artifacts in the world.
"Have a look around." said King Jared, breaking Gothel's trance.
"Yes." she replied and looked around the room and began too look around or that's what she wanted to make him believe.
Gothel was looking for the letter she had given to Eva to make her come to meet her in the woods. She found it in a cabinet drawer and read the letter as if she didn't know what was inside.
Dear Layla
If what you mean is what you say then you need to come to the woods of the Dark Forest.
You know exactly the spot where I wish to see you. Come quickly, we shall meet at noon.
- from you-know-who
"What's that?" asked King Jared.
"A letter," replied Gothel and handed him the letter. "You were right, she would never go to those woods at her own will."
"But who wrote this letter?"
"I have no idea."
"Gothel... you said you made amendments, right?"
"Yes."
"When did that happen exactly?"
"Just today. We had a chat at my house but she said that she had some important business to attend to and she left in a rush. I thought it was perhaps a royal meeting but this is what she really meant."
"Can you track this person?"
"I believe so, pass it."
Gothel knew she had no idea how to do a locator's spell but even if she did, it would lead her straight back to herself so as soon as her abilities over fire to burn the letter to ashes as soon as it touched her hand.
"Oh my!" screamed Gothel. "What happened?!"
"I don't know..."
"Oh, this killer must be more powerful than I ever imagined."
"What do you mean?"
"Whoever killed Eva is a sorceress and powerful at that. She didn't want me using a locator's spell..."
"So there is no hope?"
"Not without any of their belongings."
"I guess... this is the end." said King Jared. "Thank you for your help though, and I appoint you as Royal Sorceress just as Eva mentioned as her last wish."
"No, no, no." said Gothel, in her head. "This was not how it was supposed to be!"
"Wait!" said Gothel, aloud this time. "There might be another way."
"Really?" asked King Jared.
"Yes. We might find some more evidence if we head back to where her body was found. There might be something belonging to her- them!"
"I thought they were dangerous however."
"Eva was my... friend," said Gothel, disgusted. "I will do what it takes to avenge her."
"Thank you."
King Jared led Gothel into the Dark Forest and as they were walking towards the spot, he started to talk.
"Eva always hated this place," said King Jared. "She said about some bad memories and we renamed it to 'The Dark Forest' and made it illegal for unauthorised people to enter these woods and for good cause too, there are magical creatures there in which we have not learnt enough about meaning they could be a possible threat."
"I see. What is in the forest?"
"Lots of creatures. Unicorns, dragons, phoenixes, dwarves-"
"Dwarves?" laughed Gothel. "How are tiny people going to impact the kingdom?"
"They are dangerous. They carry the possession of pickaxes which have the ability to turn even diamonds into dust, imagine what they can do to human flesh."
"But they are about four feet, even your daughter would be able to pick and carry those little things as if they were dolls."
"You seem to underestimate them, Gothel."
"And you seem to overestimate them, Your Majesty."
"Please, Jared."
"Okay... Jared." smiled Gothel.
"We are here now, please look around."
Gothel looked around for a bit and when she knew she was out of sight she screamed.
"Gothel are you okay?!" shouted King Jared.
"Help! He's going to kill me!" yelled Gothel, she summoned a fireball and threw it at herself and left some burnt marks on herself, they didn't hurt of course but she pretended that they did.
"Are you okay?!" asked King Jared, looking at the burns.
"No, no." said Gothel, panting.
"I'll get you to the castle." said King Jared and carried Gothel all the way back to the palace.
After a few weeks, the burns healed and Jared, happily, kissed Gothel.
"I love you." he said.
"Me too." said Gothel and kissed him back.
They later got married and Gothel's stuff was brought from her small home into the palace.
"Where would you like me to place this mirror, Your Highness?" asked a servant.
"Just here." replied Gothel, pointing to a wall.
"This is a one-of-a-kind mirror. Wonderful." remarked the servant.
Once he left, Gothel looked at the mirror and said, "Mirror mirror on the wall, do you enjoy my new hall?"
"Yes," said the mirror. "Splendid."
"Oh, I managed to make Jared fall in love with me with ease."
"Which is magnificent but what about the last one of your wishes?"
"This will take a while but I noticed this place has a large library and my research will on how to bring Layla back will succeed-" started Gothel.
"Mommy?" asked the little girl.
Gothel turned around to see her step-daughter and turned around to see the mirror had luckily, turned back to normal.
"What is it, sweetheart?" asked Gothel.
"Can you read me a bed time story?"
"Of course dear, your step-mother, will come to you soon."
"Okay, thank you mommy."
"Of course... umm, what is your name?"
"Snow." said the princess.
"Well, I am coming to your room soon, honey. Us Whites always keep our promise, Jared White, Gothel White, ugh... Eva White, and you! The loveliest princess in the world, Snow White."