Snow (SLOW UPDATES)

Chapter 2- Mirror Mirror

The Queen stole forward, attempting to maintain the silence, despite wearing heels upon a marble floor. She glanced around furtively, scanning the seemingly deserted hallway- searching for any signs of life and movement. None caught her eye. She then moved to stare pointedly at the door a few metres down from her destination- Snow's room. No sound nor movement$ perturbed the crisp evening air. Satisfied, her attention refocused on the simple wooden door before her. Bunching up her ruffled, floor length skirt with a fully jewellery- adorned fist, she carefully admitted herself into the room.

Closing the door with utmost precaution for noise, the Queen turned to face the interior of the room. With a flicker of her wrist, the candles within the chandelier lit up, allowing vision to the whole room. The room which faced her now was small yet comfortable. The room, with walls of deep rich purple, and a floor of black hard marble, was one in which the Queen often visited. The walls were lined with wooden benches, piled up with beakers and previous concoctions. The benches also served as cupboards- all on the edge of bursting with both mystical yet gruesome ingredients. Multiple devices and pieces of machinery also sat atop the benches, many still holding their items of study.

But the Queen's attention was only held by the item which hung exactly opposite her, its surface gleaming and swirling with colours at its own accord. It was framed with elaborately carved gold, and as always, its presence both entranced the Queen and scared her. The mirror was beautiful, it was handsome, it was magical but the information it held or withheld could ruin her.

At that thought, a memory began to resurface within her mind. Taken by surprise, she allowed herself to submerge within it.

***

"YOU WHAT?" She had yelled, disbelief echoing within her words.

"It was a mistake! You don't understand...I-" blubbered the King.

"I DON'T UNDERSTAND? DO YOU UNDERSTAND?" She shrieked, sending a nearby vase smashing onto the marble floor.

"Look it's not that big of a deal..." He attempted to reason, though frustration was coming through.

"NOT THAT BIG OF A DEAL? DO YOU EVEN HEAR YOURSELF?" She retaliated, seeing red.

"Look..." His voice rising to match hers, "I CAN DO WHAT I WANT, I AM YOUR HUSBAND AND YOUR KING! YOU SERVE ME!" He boomed, placing extreme emphasis on his last word. The Queen's eyes widened as his words took effect. She meekly looked towards his face, hoping for some sort of remorse or regret for the words. But what met her instead, were his cold eyes and stone hard expression, still daring her to contradict him. Lip trembling, she continued, determined to uphold her resolve.

"You had an affair with another woman. It is common-" her voice, despite herself, began rising. "Courtesy to RESPECT YOUR WIFE! YOU SON OF A -"

"ENOUGH!" He boomed, though she could tell her words had impacted him. She continued, encouraged by the little discomfort she had caused.

"Just admit it, you NEVER LOVED ME! You just loved the thought of marrying a witch to make sure your offspring were absolutely perfect! Well guess what? They're not gonna be! And you want to know why? Because they all have the same COLD HEARTED, BACKSTABBING, SELFISH, EXPLOITING FATHER!" she spat, placing as much viciousness as she could into the enunciation. It was only a split second before she found herself pinned to the wall, the King's fingers wound tightly around her wrist. As he pressed her arms on either side of her head, he whispered menacingly,

"Don't you dare say that again. Or your liver and stomach may as well be mine." He was so close she could smell his putrid breath. She gulped and managed a small nod before he released her, his eyes still watching her with utmost precision. She raised her hands feigning a surrender.

"Fine," she whispered. 

And with a  fluid motion of her arm, he was gone.

She looked about, searching- sometimes even she did not understand the extent of her magic. Then, as if summoned, a mirror began to form from mid-air, but in the place of glass was a swirling unknown substance, its contents consisting if many colours. The Queen, mesmerised, moved forward, her had outstretched, before a booming yell reverberated through the room, the source unknown. Breaking out of the trance, the Queen's hand dropped to her side, as she glanced around the walls, searching for the sound's origin. As if on cue, the once mesmerising surface of mirror now resolved into the face her spouse.

"What have you done to me?" He yelled with attempted furiousness, though his fear was evident.

"I don't know, I don't know," she stuttered, never having seen anything like it- let alone have any idea of how to reverse it. Then all of a sudden, he broke out in laughter, the awful sound vibrating through the room.

"Well, well, it looks like I have some magic on my hands now!" He relished, his fear gone, as quickly as it had come. "Well cursing the King must be against the law...And if I may, I shall carry out the punishment! You disgusting inhumane creature shall live the rest of your natural life as an ugly hag, one which shall be hated for all eternity!" He declared, and even as the words escaped his mouth, she felt her skin growing taunt as her hair blended grey. She looked up at the mirror, its surface now of glass. Her reflection stared back, the yellow teeth, rugged skin, wide hips and hectic hair, all contrasting vastly from her usual cascading long brown curls and perfect olive complexion. Horrified, her fingers moved the uneven surface of her skin, hoping for it to be a hallucination. It wasn't.

"Please," she began to sob, desperation settling as the reality of the situation settled in. "I will do whatever you want but please restore my former beauty," she begged.

"Whatever I want?" He began, contemplating the offer. "Fine, but must warn you, I can only restore the glamour of beauty for a limited amount of time... So you must keep coming back..." He lingered on the thought.

"Please, yes! I don't care!" And with a simplistic nod, she felt her skin tighten, her hair smoother and her slender figure returning. 

***

She shuddered as she resurfaced from the memory and moved towards the mirror, the words ready on her lips.

"Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?"

She stared intently at the mirror, watching as the colours swirled until a coherent image formed. Her former spouse faced her- his head against a black background.

"You, my Queen, are beautiful beyond compare-" the Queen's mouth curled up at a corner, "however, Snow White remains to be most fair." The wisp of a smile which had appeared was instantly replaced with a scowl.

"What do you mean?" She demanded. "I've withstood your completely ridiculous orders for over 17 years, and yet your spell now fails me?" She said, her eyes burning into his.

"Well at least you still LOOK stunning. You know I might just remove the glamour and let the whole kingdom see you as who you really are. Then let's see who will allow you to continue your reign..."he drawled, ignorant towards her previous outburst of disbelief.

"No! I mean, what is it you wish for now?" she righted, holding her breath as she awaited his request. He looked upwards, mocking contemplation. The Queen knew that look- it never meant anything good. Her heart pace quickened dramatically. However, once returning her gaze, he uttered a word that seemed to make her heart stop all together.

"Snow."