𝑶𝑪𝑬𝑨𝑵 𝑬𝒀𝑬𝑺 - Rumplestiltskin [1]

SIXTEEN

16|SNOW WHITE

Celeste ran into the Dark Castle, all the curtains closed and candles unlit. It felt cold. She ran around the castle, calling out his name but it only echoed around the halls. She burst into the main hall, her finger stroking the dust off the table. He had left her.

The Princess slowly left the castle, her shoulders slumped as the tears ran freely down her cheeks. She wandered through the woods for days before eventually stumbling across her old friend.

"Celeste?" Snow opened her arms for the grieving woman, surprised to see her after hearing about Celeste's true love. "Why are you here? What's wrong?"

"He is gone. He left." Celeste cried, falling to her knees as her world crumbled around her. "I can't go back. I can't go back to my father."

"So you will stay here." She reassured her broken friend, helping her to her feet to walk her to the hut everyone was gathered at. All eyes were on her but Celeste ignored them as Snow helped her on to a bed. "Rest, you need to get your strength up."

"Thank you." Her eyes fell heavy as sleep consumed her, the tears drying on her cheeks.

~•~

Celeste stood beside Snow White, face emotionless and arms crossed. They were planning to attack King George's castle to free Snow White's true love.

"If we're gonna get him out, we're gonna have to get over that wall." Snow White announced while looking through her monocular. "There's a soldier on every parapet."

"We're gonna need some air support." Granny added, joining the pair.

"Air?" Grumpy questioned, standing on the other side of Snow. "I know just the person who can help us. Someone who owes me a favour."

As the leaves rustled beside them, every one drew their weapons, prepared to attack any enemy that comes their way.

"Don't shoot. It's only me." Red raised her hands in surrender as she stepped out into the clearing.

"Red, you know, you got someone on your chin." Celeste said quietly, gesturing to her own chin to show where the blood was.

"Sorry." The wolf wiped it off with the back of her red leather glove.

"What were you able to find out?" Snow questioned with hope, grabbing Celeste's hand with excitement.

"Your Prince is still alive." Red informed her.

"Then why don't you look happy." The Princess's face fell into a frown.

"Because I also heard word the Queen is here." A shiver ran down Celeste's spine as she remembered the many years she spent in torture because of the Evil Queen.

"She knew I'd come for him." Snow White sighed in defeat, remembering how obsessed the Queen was with her.

"It's a trap."

"Indeed. It matters not. I can't stop now." She said with a small light of hope. "But I'll understand if any of you wanna turn back." Her statement was met with shouts of disagreement, all wanting to stay and support her.

"I lost my true love, I won't let the same happen to you." Celeste squeezed her hand with a gentle smile.

"Well, then there's no time waste." Snow nodded to everyone, all preparing for the battle that was about to begin.

"Why is the Queen doing this?" Red stopped the two princesses and directed her Question to snow.

"I destroyed her happiness. And now she wants to destroy mine." Snow White answered truthfully, looking away from the two women and towards the castle.

~•~

Everyone was geared up for war, all preparing themselves for what was about to come. At the sound of a distant wolf howl, they knew it was time to go, that was their signal.

"Do it." Snow White ordered. A fiery arrow was shot at the castle, a signal for the fairies. "Move out."

Celeste and Snow scaled the side of the wall quickly, staying quiet as they knew a guard would appear at the top. They used their swords to fight off the incoming guards which never stopped appearing. Once the coast became clear they moved to the courtyard, random villagers screaming in fright and evacuating the area.

She refused to get blood on her hands, refusing to become like a monster like the Queen so instead Celeste knocked the guards out, hitting their helmets, knee caps, chests with the hilt of her sword. She had never been so thankful for Rumpel teaching her how to defend herself.

The group stayed in the courtyard fighting off guards as Snow White slipped through the palace walls to the dungeon, off to find her true love.

Snow White returned alone on the verge of tears. They successfully escaped the castle with no casualties and arrived back at Snow White Summer Castle.

"Stop trying to talk me out of this. I'm going." Snow White said defiantly while dumping her weapons on the main table.

"Keep the little knife between your tuffets." Grumpy suggested, worried about her safety the most.

"I promised I would come alone and unarmed." She replied, removing the final knife. "It's a parley. There are rules."

"You're too noble for your own good." Red argued earning an agreeing nod from Celeste you sat in the corner.

"I'm not." Snow stated. "But enough of you have risked your lives because of something that's between the Queen and me. I will not let anyone else get hurt because of me."

"Except you." Celeste spoke up, slowly standing to walk over to the mad woman.  "This is a death wish."

"Thank you for your concern, but this ends today." The two princesses quickly embraced, worried this might be the last time they meet.

"We can't let you go." The dwarves stood in Snows way as she tried to leave.

"I'm not asking." Snow White said with a calm voice. "Thank you for your support. I love each and every one of you. But this is something I have to do. Alone."

"I don't like this." Red announced to the group as they watched Snow leave. "I don't trust that Queen."