Not the Villain - The Evil Queen's Retelling of Snow White

25 Years, Two Months, and 12 Days Ago

25 years, two months, and 12 days ago:

I slid down the banister in excitement, my heart alive with fluttering and flurrying that only one person in the world could cause. My maid and only friend, Ronnie, just told me that Casimir was back. He'd been gone since that beautiful morning yesterday, not long after he proposed. He said he was sorry, that this was a meeting he absolutely couldn't miss. He said that as soon as he was back he would spend as much time as he could with me. I had to admit, I was more than a little bit impatient to see him, but this is Casimir. I was willing to wait all eternity and some more for him. 

Barely refraining from running, with the simple yet elegant scarlet gown I prepared just for him bunched up in my hands, I got into the entrance hall just as the servants opened the door. And Casimir was there, as handsome as always. I flung myself at him, unable to hide the thrill I felt when I saw him any longer. He caught me easily, and put me down. I was bewildered and more than a little disappointed. I'd expected a kiss, to be honest. 

"I missed you," I whispered in his ear. I looked into his eyes, waiting for him to say the same for me, but all I saw in them were a blank look instead of their usual spark.

Then I registered the girl standing next to him. Oh, a guest. Maybe he just doesn't want his romantic affairs known to just any duchess his father invited, though I was slightly put out by that. Is he ashamed of me? I shook the doubt from my mind. 

He loves me, I reminded myself. 

I glanced at the newcomer. She looked around my age, with a set of innocent doe eyes shadowed by long, alluring lashes. An exquisite nose was carved into her features, above a pair of lush, pink lips. Lustrous golden-white hair fell to her thin waist. Her delicate figure was hugged by an elegant creamy dress, each curve highlighted, making myself seem like a lumbering giant next to her. 

Beautiful was the first word that came into my mind. Usually I would be slightly jealous to see her standing beside Casimir, but not today. I was engaged to Casimir, I felt like bursting into song at any moment, so I just couldn't bring myself to care. I had eyes only for him.

Casimir took my hand, my right one, the one with the ring on it.

I'm not entirely sure what happened next. It all became kind of blurry, like I was in a dream. Casimir was speaking, and I heard the words, but I couldn't process the meaning, they fell into my mind and disappeared. I could never forget that vacant look in his eyes, though.

"I'm sorry, I'm really sorry, Amethyst." 

I'm underwater, I can't hear you. Everything around me is fuzzy, nothing makes sense.

"But I can't do this. The truth is, I found her."

Words are meaningless, nothing more than a bird's chirp, a wolf's howl. Any second now I'll be waking up from this nightmare to see you beside me, your arms around me, telling me that everything will be alright.

"My one true love. My soulmate. I'm in love with her, Amethyst."

No, no, no, no, no.

"And I can't marry you because my heart belongs to her, and her only."

No.

My hand went limp and my heart went cold as he slipped the ring off my finger.