A Word a Day

Day Eighteen: Lips

Guess what? Another twist on a fairy tale! :D (And it's not Harry Potter this time; you're welcome, Jojo.) This one is a mass twist, but the two main characters represent Snow White and her prince (ah... except Winter is descended from Snow and the prince is immortal). They just so happen to be mortal enemies. ;*

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        Klemens stood with his back to a tree, his breathing quiet as he looked upon his young enemy. He knew her as Winter, just as he had known her parents and grandparents before her. Her codename, intended to protect her when on missions. He knew only a few of her descendants by name; a certain Snow White had once been his, after all. When his wife and the wives of the other Crystal Knights had fled, he had gone into hiding and took up the codename Lips as they plotted for revenge. Those stupid girls would suffer for trying to hinder their efforts.

        Belle, Cinderella, Briar Rose, Rapunzel, and Snow White. Even after all these centuries, he knew their names. Even after all these centuries he fought their descendants.

        Winter was just as delicate as his Snow had been. Her skin was pale, her hair dark, her lips a ruby red. Somewhere along the lines, however, Snow's whimsically bright green eyes had lost their luster, leaving this young woman with hazel in their stead. Klemens told himself he shouldn't mind, but for some reason, he did.

        The girl was perched in the branches of an apple tree, picking the fruits with the obvious intent of feeding herself and the rest of the Night Maidens. The irony that Snow White's descendant was seeking refuge in the very fruit that had itself in her throat and rendered her helpless was not lost on Klemens. He resisted the urge to laugh, not wanting to alert the trained warrior. She appeared innocent enough, but he knew she was armed to the teeth, no matter what the outer picture told him. Never trust the Maidens; Charming said it time and time again.

         Klemens rolled his eyes at the thought of his leader. Codename Charming. How arrogant can one person get? Charming was pretty smart, but he would be far more appealing without the narcissim, Klemens decided.

        Psh. Charming. What kind of codename was that, anyway?

        Lips was a far more satisfactory codename, Klemens thought proudly. It was inspired by his infatuation with romance, his intrigue with falling in love. He had fallen in love, however, only once. And yet his darling Snow betrayed him. But her descendants looked enough like her that he could sometimes lure them in enough for him to at least pretend that he was holding Snow White again. Yet he had never forced a single one into his bed, for it just couldn't be so. If they saw the mark inked on his back, he was as good as dead. They always found out in the end. But it was fun while it lasted, though he wished he had the sense to kill them before they lashed out at him. Weak, mortal freaks.

        Klemens turned to watch Winter again, jaw dropping hen he realized she had gone. He swore under his breath. He had missed his chance! The Maidens came out only so often, and they always seemed to alternate. Must he wait another week before he could approach his Winter?

        A lilting German accent flew to his ears. "Vat are you doink up zere, Herr?"

        The accented English brough Klemens far more joy than it should have. Ah! Finally! His darling's bloodline had returned to their home country! For the past few generations, much to his irritation, the Winters had been American. But this girl...

        He wanted nothing more than to speak up in his native tongue and shock the girl, but he knew it would be a dead give-away. After all, not too many people in the area knew the language. Ah, how crual fate could be!

        Instead, he assumed an American accent, far more accurate in the current state. "I could ask you the same thing," he retorted, giving her a smile. He just laughed at her frown, supposing that he should give her an answer all the same. "It is a nice place, these woods." Klemens motioned around them. "It helps me clear me head, to get rid of my stress."

        Winter watched him closely, and Klemens caught a glimpse of suspicion in her eyes. Not that he was worried. There's no way she could know that--

        "You are one of zem."

        Klemens frowned, feigning confusion. "Excuse me? One of who?"

        Winter looked thoughtful for a moment. Finally, she looked up at him. "Was wollen Sie wirklich hier tun, Lippe?"

        He responded without hesitation. "Ich habe Ihnen bereits gesagt, Fräulein."

        Klemens froze in sudden horror as Winter smirked up at him. Did he just--

        "Gott verdammt nochmal!"

        Charming was going to kill him...