Dark Snow White (Grimmoire Series)

Part XVIII

The castle's supply of smelling salts was running low. Rose had passed out after seeing her sister's belly and there were no smelling salts left in the infirmary.

Cook was running from room to room, searching cupboard to cupboard looking for any ingredients she could use to whip up an effective batch to revive Rose - hopefully enough for one vial. There had been plenty once upon a time, but since the arrival of Snow at the palace, the stocks of smelling salts had dwindled. So many dramas, so many ladies and gentlemen with the vapours, who needed to be revived. Tilda sat patiently with Rose, tapping her hand and face regularly, hoping to wake her after her fainting spell, with no success. For now, all Tilda could do was wait.

* * *

The room was silent. Eleanor, Floran, Orion and the dwarfs surrounded Snow. It was very surreal. Snow looked like such a beautiful innocent creature lying there, almost tragic. 

"Look at my raven-haired angel," sighed Floran. Virgil twitched, recalling Snow putting the pickaxe through his foot. "My dearest wife, plunged into a hopeless sleep, where she is neither dead nor alive. Condemned to nothingness without even standing trial. Lost forever in darkness. Alone," Floran wept and continued, accusing "Taken from me without notice, leaving me no chance to farewell my love." 

Eleanor felt guilty, realising how much she had injured her son. He did truly love Snow. Floran looked to his mother, "And now she carries my child. They are both doomed, for Talbot says the baby is ready to arrive. But I cannot wake my Snow, for true love's kiss has failed me." Floran walked in circles, "So I am at a loss, for if my child is cut from its mother's belly, Snow shall surely die - her blood will be on my hands."

Tears ran down Eleanor's cheeks. Her only son was in great pain and she was to blame. His sorrow was more than she could bear. Floran looked to each of the others. All eyes dipped to the floor to avoid his gaze. It was a very sad and uncomfortable moment.

Eleanor turned to leave the room, she was distressed. She slung her satchel across her shoulder. Orion grabbed her arm. "Leave me dear, I just need time to think. Alone," she whispered. 

Eleanor left the room and went to her old bedroom. It smelled musty. She sat on her bed, opened her satchel and pulled out the shard of broken mirror. The Queen inspected it carefully, through her tears. "Mirror mirror show yourself," she said. Nothing. "Roland are you still in there?" Eleanor asked the mirror again. 

"There is nowhere to go, so here I be, waiting for you to question me," answered the Mirror. The familiar face, reappeared to Eleanor, in the sliver of mirror.

The Queen sighed with happy relief. Never would she have believed, to be so happy to hear the voice of Roland. "Roland, I need your help. Snow must be awoken. Do you have any ideas, anything? Otherwise, I will surely lose my son forever," asked Eleanor, desperately.

* * *

A long time ago, before the Serpentine War, King Archibald Hawthorne was in power. After the birth of his son, Floran, the King became worried about his mortality. Both he and Eleanor were close in age, but with the world as unpredictable as it was, Archie wanted to ensure he would be around long enough to see his son inherit the throne. 

So Archibald hired himself a valet, but not just any common valet, oh no. Castle Hawthorne hired Roland, a man that possessed very similar qualities to all other men seen for the job, except he had one rather unique trait - Roland was a Seer.

In order to prove his abilities, Roland correctly predicted three correct outcomes to three different tasks. Which baby-cakes had a rock inside, what position an arrow would land on a target and how much stock the huntsman would bring that evening.