Snow White

Chapter 3

Ivory looked in the mirror, her reflection in the large, oval glass. Her dark hair was pinned up, a few loose curls  escaping the beautiful bun and brushing the sides of her face. Large, deep eyes stared back at her, framed by long, thick lashes and her full lips were a soft pink colour. She sighed and got to her feet as the scarlet layers of her skirt fell into place around her. The tight corset of her dress hugged her slim figure before flowing freely from her waist. Intricate patterns were embroided on the also scarlet body of her dress.

  She was beautiful.  

Anyone could see that.  

Well, anyone except for her.

She picked up the delicate mask from her dresser and tied the silky ribbon behind her head, careful not to disrupt her hair. Masked Balls were the only ones she could go to. No one would see or recognise her. No one ever spoke to her anyway.   

But she still hated Balls. Especially masquerade Balls. She hated the fact she had to... What was the word Queen Alice often used? Socialise? Yes, she hated the fact she had to socialize with other people and mingle while not letting them see her. But why wouldn't she feel that way if it was the only she knew? Being alone.  

With one last pitiful look in the mirror, she walked across the room and to her door. The light from her own bedroom broke through the dark landing that would lead to the twisty stairwell she could go down. Shutting the door behind her, she walked through the lightless corridor, the sound of her heels echoing and the unseeing force of the souls making sure she didn't fall in the darkness.          

Alice looked in the mirror, but it was not her own reflection that faced her. No, it was a gloomy, opaque blackness that resembled full clouds. She could reach in the mirror like it had no glass and run her fingers through the foggy haze. But she knew better than that.  

Long, auburn hair flowed past her shoulders, her eyes were a brilliant shade of an emerald green. Her skin was kissed by the delicate sun rays and faint creases in her skin formed from age. Unlike Ivory, Alice knew she was beautiful. She knew that she was what most men would fantasise about and that she filled young maidens with envy.   

But her own opinion didn't matter.  

She took two steps toward the mirror, her head tilted in curiosity. It had been... six years since her last seeking? Yes, six whole years of waiting to see him, her, it. Taking in its oval shape and golden frame, she closed her eyes then opened them quickly.  

"Mirror, mirror on the wall," she started, her eyes glaring deep into the blurry abyss. "Who is the fairest of them all?"    

Suddenly, thick smoke poured from the mirror, engulfing Alice from all angles. The air smelt of burning ash and the glass of the mirror was pitch black. The smoke began twirling and twisting, slowly forming into a hurricane of ash and dust around Alice. Palms facing the floor, she began to rise with the rapid wind high into the sky, the mirror floating opposite her.  

Bright forms of light gathered in the mirror and flowed swiftly inside the frame. The fair, silver beings glowed brighter than any star but an ebony pattern swirled where their heart should be.   

"My Queen, my Queen, it is us you call," they sang, voices like soft, harmonising wind chimes. "For you are the fairest, the fairest of them all."  

The words of the creatures that called themselves the dark souls filled Alice's chest with pride. Her palms ached as sickening blood fleed from the creases of her skin. Her bare feet spasmed as she felt each individual bone break. But non of this mattered as she had the words of the dark souls to accompany her; the souls never lie.   

So why was she still sufferring?   

Why was she still hovering in the air while her body endured pain that no body should?  

And why hadn't the dark souls left?  

Alice gasped in realisation: they had more to say. Her patience slipping, she demanded what she wanted to know.  

"What do you want?!" Her voice, through gritted teeth, was cold and edgy. The pain increased and she screamed, tears of frustration running down her face. It felt like daggers being stabbed into her brain and being twisted slowly, recklessly. Random spasms of againy rippled through her spine and the only reason she was not lying dead on the floor was, the dark souls were keeping her were she was. Mocking her.  

"My Queen, my Queen, you must not shout," they whispered. "Your yells hold worry, worry and doubt. Detrimentals are coming, so you must not fight, but remember, dear Queen, there is still Snow White"  

She hit the ground with a thud, Alice's hair falling over her face like a weak wall and her arms struggling to hold her back up. Breathless and panting, she slowly looked around the room. The smoke and fog had dissapeared along with the creatures, sucked back into the mirror that was on the wall. It looked like a normal mirror.   The pain from her body had ceased and her palms were no longer bleeding, her feet no longer breaking . It was like it never happened.   

Because it was only an illusion.  

"A powerful illusion," Queen Alice mumbled to herself. She warily stood on her feet, dusting off the skirt of her lilac gown and fixing her perfect hair. She glared at the mirror again, the ghost of the pain still ringing in her brain. She should have been glaring at it with hatred or even envy of its power. But no. She marvelled at its power, knowing it could be all hers.   

Could be.   No one else had seen what Alice had witnessed, the illusion ony worked in her mind. All others would have seen was that her body was frozen stiff and her eyes had glazed over to a whitish colour. As she made her way to the door, she let the chant of the dark souls circle her brain.  

Detrimentals are coming so you must not fight

But remember, dear Queen, there is still Snow White  

Alice's eyebrows furrowed as she frowned in confusion. Snow White? The name rang no bell. But the Detrimentals on the other hand...  

Shaking her head to clear her mind, she put on a fake smile and opened her door. She could deal with the Detrimentals another time. Right now she had to focus on the Masquerade Ball, and make sure Ivory wasn't seen for multiple reasons.  

"Ivory," she called.  

"Coming, Your Majesty!" Ivory's voice echoed as she hurried down the steps.

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added another chapter (he he he ;)) let me know what you think!!! Just wanted to say forget the whole 'no one knew her' thing. So i've changed it to no one has seen her face. I will go back and change it when i have the time! (and if you have no idea what the 'no one knew her' thing is, please ignore this comment!)

Thank you x