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

19 Years, Two Months and 28 Days Ago

I frowned. She's giving birth to her demon child now? Well, that was a sudden turn of events. Nothing I can't handle, though.

I closed my eyes to tune out her moans. I could leave her here, and wait for the rebel soldiers to find her. I could call in a maid to help her, but I guess that all of them have either hidden or fled. There certainly wasn't anyone nearby to tend the precious Queen. 

My eyes flew open at Evelyn's scream. 

"Please, please help me," She begged. 

How did I get myself into this situation?

"Fine." I poked my head out of the room. A maid, coincidentally, was scurrying by. "Run to the infirmary and get all the healers you can!" I yelled. "Or the Queen will have your head!"

She whimpered, turning and running towards the infirmary. Meanwhile, I spun back towards Evelyn, who was having a screaming fit. I put a hand on her bare forearm and chanted a spell that was supposed to channel some of my energy into her.

When that was done, I stepped away. Why was I even helping her? She would be dying tonight, anyway. Unfortunate, maybe, but it had to be done.

So why was I helping her?

I shouldn't have. It was a moment of weakness, distracting myself from the work I must perpetuate. It would have been really easy. She was weak and defenceless, nothing stopping me from sliding my dagger into her heart. I could easily say that the rebels got her, that I tried my best but I barely escaped with my life. It would've killed both her and the demon baby. And I would've had Casimir back, along with my happily ever after.

She's still weak. She's still defenceless. I could still do it.

I tried not to think of the way Emerald crumbled onto the ground after the blow to her head. Or the way Mother slumped onto the table. This is different. Evelyn is a witch and she's dooming the kingdom. Innocent people are dying because of her. She's evil, remember? She deserves to die, she needs to die... 

Too late. The doors burst open and a team of healers rushed in past me. I lost my chance. I looked on helplessly as they crowded about her, blocking her from my view. One of them lifted her onto the bed, and they proceeded to check her pulse, fuss around her, murmuring consoling words. All the while, her screams filled the air.

I walked towards a corner beside a bookshelf, blocking myself partially from view. What should I do now? My plan to whisk her into the garden, where some soldiers were waiting, was completely ruined. 

Keep calm, Amethyst. Surely an opportunity will arise.

Evelyn's screaming was beginning to fade, only to be replaced by panting, and then: an infant's mewling cry. 

"It's a girl!" I heard someone announce, and several healers voiced their congratulations. 

That was when the door was thrown open with a bang, followed by cries of alarm and the scrape of metal on metal as several healers and the two guards present drew their swords. I backed up against the wall so they wouldn't see me, so that I was insignificant, inconsequential. 

The battle was short, the healers and guards outnumbered, yet terrible. Blood sprayed through the air, and the room was packed with clanging, and screams of dying men. When it was all over there were two rebel soldiers left. Numerous bodies, rebel, guard and healer alike, littered the floor. The other healers have fled. 

I whispered an incantation and the first rebel soldier froze, as if he had turned into ice. But the second one was raising his sword, ready to plunge it into the infant's fragile body. Evelyn clutched her newborn daughter tightly to her chest, her eyes wide in pure terror.

I started whispering the words for the freeze spell, but I hesitated at the last syllable. Did I want to save them? I saw Evelyn's pleading eyes and I thought, yes, yes I did, even though I shouldn't. But my hesitation cost her her life, and my eyes widened at the sword swinging down...

I wasn't sure how it happened. The moment was blurred, stuck in time, everything slowed down. One moment Evelyn still had her daughter in her clasp, and in a blink of an eye, the crying baby was soaring steadily towards me, suspended in the air by witchcraft. I caught her, hugging her tiny frame to myself.

"Please," Evelyn whispered, looking straight into my eyes, right before the sword dove into her heart.

***

Sorry this was such a long update! Also, I'm not sure if some of the people-behaviour don't make sense, but I've never organised a rebellion before, and I've never planned a murder either. (Well, the former is definitely true. The latter... just go with it) hee hee :)

Don't mind me and my dark humour