Snow

Many years ago, in a land that might have been, one woman wished for nothing more than a child of her own. Her husband, the king of this land, was anxious for an heir. He worried after his consort’s health, for she was fragile in body if strong in spirit.

Another winter came, and still no child came from their union. The queen despaired that she would not bear a child before her death, for she felt that her time drew dangerously near.

One day, in the mid of winter, the queen sought solace in her sleeping garden. She thought to sow some comfort in her heart, as she scattered seed to the birds which nested among the trees.

Her eyes fell upon one bird, a daring ebon crow. The daring creature crept closer as the queen offered the gift in her hand. In a flurry of wings, the seed and the crow were gone. Left behind on the snow covered path, lay a single black feather and three drops of the queen’s own blood. In his haste to make off with his prize, the bird’s sharp beak had left its mark upon her palm.

She laughed then, and caught the last bead of blood on her tongue. “Oh, if only I could have a child,” she cried, “As white as snow, red as blood, and as beautiful and brave as this crow!”

And it came to pass in the next autumn, that the queen brought forth a beautiful baby girl, as white as snow, red as blood, and with hair as black as a crow’s wing.

But the day meant for rejoicing was soon transformed into cries of mourning, for although the king’s wife had borne him a child his beloved was to fade in his very arms.

Six years passed, and the king neglected his only child, scorning her for the loss of his love. So it came to pass that he was reminded of his duty to produce a male heir, for in his kingdom no woman could inherit.

Soon the king remarried to the most beautiful woman he could find in the wide world, and the princess Snow White was all but forgotten. Having only herself to amuse her, she ran wild over the grounds, tangling in her mother’s overgrown gardens.

Until one day shy of her seventh birthday, when she abruptly… and unpleasantly, came to be noticed by her stepmother the Queen.

Chapter One

“Mirror bright upon the wall, am I the fairest on of all?” Mused the queen as her attendants placed the finishing touches upon her hair.

“Ah my Queen, you have been the fairest in the land,” a soft voice murmered for only her to hear, “But all things may have an end.”

The Queen’s eyes hardened upon her flawless reflection. Not one grey hair marred her golden head, and not one thin line creased her powdered face. She smiled, dismissing her servants with an idle wave of her hand.

“Surely you jest, darling.” She said sweetly, her cold eyes following the sinuous black serpent that raised it’s head drowsily from a comfortable coil on her window seat.

His forked tongue tasted the air, scenting the fresh fear flowing from his mistress. “Your maids whisper of your well deserved vanity behind your back.” He hissed, “They talk of one whose beauty grows ever more greatly. A beauty that blossoms, in fact, by the very hour it is said by some.”

Sensing the woman’s instant hostility, the snake twisted his body into agitated contortions, scales reflecting the light pooling from the glazed window.

The Queen glided to lift her pet onto the lap of her silk dress, stroking his scales soothingly as she brought her pounding heart back under control.

“Tell me more dear…”