seemed happy. She had slept with
a smile on her face.
Now
she woke to the news of his death, and to a conspiracy to hide the crime.
When
the councilors told her she was to marry the Evil Queen in her father’s stead,
Snow blinked and remained silent. She couldn’t believe the words that were
leaving their mouths.
When
she realized they were serious she screamed and raged at them, but they ignored
her and had her maid take her away, as if she was a normal child and not a
princess. She let the woman drag her away, her throat becoming hoarse from
screaming.
Snow
white became listless after that.
She
wouldn’t respond to people, she would barely eat and she remained mostly
withdrawn in her own mind.
The
people closer to her became worried for her health, but they trusted time would
be able to cure her of her disposition.
It
wasn’t time that shook her into full awareness. It was blood and death.
A
few months after the new agreement between the Kingdoms was reached, some
members of the White Kingdom’s nobility tried to kidnap Snow White. They were
aghast at the deal brokered by their peers, and knew that without Snow White it
would fall through.
A
small trope of soldiers entered the palace and broke into the princess’
quarters. They found the girl asleep, and swiftly woke her, being careful not
to frighten her.
She
was their princess and an innocent in the entire situation.
Slowly,
they her explained who they were and Snow listened with a focus she hadn’t
demonstrated in weeks.
She
nodded at them and let herself be taken away. There was a new brightness in her
eyes, a new hope. She knew that if she managed to escape she would be free of
the Evil Queen’s clutches.
She
fought the only way she could – by letting herself be kidnapped.
It
failed.
The
Queen’s personal guard found them on the outskirts of the palace and after a
confrontation they retook Snow White, killing the soldiers that tried to rescue
her.
Yet
Snow White didn’t forget their sacrifice.
There
was fire in anger in her mind, awakened by blood of those who were only doing
what they knew was the right thing.
As
the days passed and Snow White witnessed as the nobles that had ordered her
kidnaping were executed, she swore to herself she would give them their
revenge, her father’s revenge, and kill the Evil Queen.
*******
Life
changed for Snow White after her kidnapping.
The
Evil Queen used the attack by the White Kingdom’s nobles as justification to
basically take control of Snow’s life. The Queen determined who cared for her,
who guarded her and what she learned.
The
older woman saw an opportunity to mold her future wife and took it.
The
ruling council let her, hoping to appease her, and not upset the deal they had
previously made.
Snow
White hated them even more for it.
She
hated the fact that the Evil Queen had such control over her life and her
activities. While most of the staff that had cared for Snow during her life
remained, Snow was now permanently accompanied by members of the Queen’s
personal guard, supposedly for her protection.
In
truth they were there to protect the Queen’s interests.
They
spied on both Snow White and her caretakers, trying to find the slightest hint
of treason, the slightest fault that would allow the Queen to increase her hold
on Snow White even further.
The
princess knew it and was extremely careful not to show the true nature of her
feelings for the Queen.
She
didn’t complain when her tutors were exchanged and a new, far more forgiving
account of the Evil Kingdom’s history was taught. She didn’t speak out when her
personal maid was replaced and the new one would sing the Queen’s praises, and
she didn’t quarrel when her playmates were dismissed, and children with parents
amongst the Evil Kingdom’s nobility started surrounding her.
Snow
excelled at her studies, dedicating herself in full to them, knowing much of
what she was now learning was a lie, but realizing she