that they were also Kingless that situation became even direr.
They
needed an alliance with the Evil Kingdom, and they realized the Evil Queen
would, unfortunately, be a part of it.
The
debate raged through the night. Nobles from both sides tried to find a solution
that would please most of them and which would allow them to keep their
newfound alliance.
They
needed to find some kind of punishment for the Evil Queen, but at the same time
they needed her to be the figurehead of their new united kingdom. She was much
feared outside the kingdoms and her presence would be enough to deter the most
adventurous of men.
They
also needed her to submit to the punishment. They had no doubt she could easily
escape them, only by giving her something she would support could they keep the
peace.
In
the end, it was an old wizened advisor from the White Kingdom that suggested a
solution that was found agreeable by all parts.
They
would keep their previous bargain, just in an altered form. Snow White would
take her father’s place in the deal, and marry the Evil Queen once she was of
age. The Queen was a hermaphrodite after all; she would have no problems
conceiving a child within the White Princess’ womb.
At
first there was outrage amongst the members of the White Kingdom’s nobility.
They
couldn’t bear to see their precious princess, a beautiful and innocent young
girl, in the Evil Queen’s clutches. Slowly though, the idea swayed more and
more opinions.
No
one truly liked it, but it would give them what they desired, without any other
sacrifices. It was the easiest solution.
Not
everyone agreed, and some of the White Kingdom’s nobles left the session while
protesting against it.
The
remaining ones however were than enough to seal the deal, and young Snow White
was sacrificed for the peace.
There
still needed to be some kind of punishment for the Evil Queen. Eventually they
settled on making the Queen a prisoner on the White Palace until the day of her
marriage to Snow White, while the new kingdom would be ruled by a council of
equal numbers of nobles of the Evil and White Kingdoms.
The
Evil Queen considered their terms for an hour, before she accepted. They were
quite acceptable and she soon realized that after her imprisonment she would
rule basically unopposed; Snow White would be little more than a pet and a toy
to her.
After
the Queen’s agreement, the mood became lighter, and some cheer could be seen.
Nobles
congratulated themselves in defusing a crisis, even though some of them
regretted Snow White’s fate, but they felt it was for the best.
The
Queen became increasingly pleased with each moment she thought about the deal.
Then evens might not have been according to her original plan but, after some
hiccups, she would still rule their new kingdom, and this alone – she doubted
Snow White would be any kind of adversary, she would make sure of it.
And
like that, Snow White found herself betrothed at the age of ten to her father’s
killer.
*******
Snow
White had always been a bright child, observant, capable of discerning people’s
moods and worries.
She
could always tell when someone was lying to her.
So
when her father’s advisors told her that her father had died of a heart attack
she knew they were lying.
She
didn’t tell them that of course. If they were lying to her, either they were at
fault, or they were afraid of who did it.
It
wasn’t hard to connect the dots.
Her
father had just married the Evil Queen and now he was dead – it was obvious to
see who was responsible. Snow just didn’t understand why the advisors of the
White Kingdom where covering the crime, when they should be up in arms about
what happened.
Snow
hadn’t stayed long in her father’s marriage party, leaving a little over an
hour after it had started. Her father didn’t want her near him when he met the
Queen; he didn’t trust the woman and was afraid for Snow.
When
the princess had left the celebration, he had