Part I: The Escape
Darkness was settling over the forest, masking the beauty it emanated in daylight. The trees had become monsters, their massive crooked claws reaching into the night. A single bean of moonlight slithered down through the tangles of branches, casting its soft yellow glow on two approaching figures.
"Quickly now." Strong, rough hands ushered a beautiful young girl ahead into the forest. The girls turned her head to glimpse the castle fading into the distance. Its towers were sparkling diamonds on a black velvet horizon, as if straight out of a fairytale.
"You mustn't waste any time," the voice continued. "When the queen awakes and discovers you missing, these forest will surely be filled with pages and bloodhounds." A dreamy silence commenced. The girl turned to look her companion in the eyes and he grew soft with longing. He brushed the back of his hand gently across her cheek, admiring her milky white skin and the piercing blue eyes he had fallen in love with the first day they met.
"But what will become of you?" the girl asked meekly. Her finely shaped eyebrows knit together in worry.
"You mustn't think on that," the man replied. "It is your escape that is important now." In the midst of another quieting pause, he covered her mouth with his. Her small pink tongue darted between his lips and he caressed it lovingly with his own. By theh time the kiss had ended, his head was swimming and his heart pounded ferociously in his chest.
"Snow White," he whispered. "Promise me you will be out of range of the castle by daybreak and you will never look back." Salty tears began to run freely down Snow White's face. *She's so beautiful when she cries* the man mused. For a moment he wondered if he should not flee with her but the risk they would be running would be immense and he knew he could not bear to see his princess come to harm.
"Promise me," he repeated.
"I promise."
Pointing in the direction of a rickety old bridge, the man sent Snow White trotting deeper into the forest. He watched her until she was no more than a speck in the distance. Feeling his own tears burning in his eyes, he turned and retreated towards the castle.
Part II: A New Beginning
A great orange sun chased away the darkness, opening the curtain on a most marvelous stretch of scenery. The monsters of the passing night were revealed as blossoming trees in the sunlight and furry woodland creatures danced among the forest's greenery. Beneath one enormous elm there lay a slumbering Snow White. Her skin shone almost silver where iridescent tears had stained her face and one sleeve of her blouse had fallen to expose a creamy white shoulder.
Fate had surely landed Snow White beneath that elm, for following the rising sun were seven little dwarves. They sang as they marched through the forest, ceasing their song only when Snow White was stumbled upon.
"What have we here?" one dwarf asked.
"Why, it's a girl," responded another. As if on cue, Snow White's eyelids fluttered once, twice, then opened to the silly gathering before her.
Naturally, the dwarves could not leave such a pretty, helpless creature alone in the forest so she was shown to their cottage and invited to stay with them.
Days passed slowly for Snow White living in the dwarves' cottage. Each morning her little companions went off to work, leaving her alone with her thoughts and returning only when the sun had been completely submerged in darkness. They cautioned Snow White against wandering into the forest alone and so she remained in the confines of the cottage day in and day out, dreaming of the day when she could return home.
Part III: The Evil Queen
Back at the castle which had once served as Snow White's home, the evil queen celebrated her rival's disappearance. Smoothing her gown and straightening the golden crown upon her head, she approached the vanity above which her magic mirror hung.
"Mirror mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?" The queen awaited the mirror's reply, positively dripping with arrogance and conceit. With Snow White dead (as the queen believed her to be), there was no doubt that she was certainly the fairest in all the land but her ego required a verbal confirmation.
"Why, Snow White is the fairest, my dear queen."
"What?" The queen tore the mirror from the wall, shaking it violently. "Snow White, you say? But Snow White is dead You lie to me, you Godforsaken mirror and you know what happens to those who double cross the queen." Just as the mirror was about to be thrown across the room and its magic glass shattered, a handsome page appeared in the doorway.