Snow

  Snow stood by the window holding Violet's apple with one bite missing waiting to see what would happen. At first she felt nothing.

  "Maybe it was all just a dream after all." 

  But a moment later her head began to spin. Collapsing onto her bed she closed her eyes and memories began to flow back to her. She saw her parents sick in their beds, King Roland coming to tell her the news that they had died, Queen Melania's angry face as the king gave Snow gift after gift of exquisite jewelry and elegant dresses. She saw the huntsman Tywin taking her into the woods on a tall black horse and leaving her under a tree with a basket of food. Then the dwarves were there helping her up and leading her back to their cabin.

  The next scene she saw made her breath catch in her throat. She was laying on the floor of their cabin surrounded by the dwarves and two old ladies dressed in all black chanting words and waving their hands over her head. Her eyes were open but she looked to be in a daze. After several minutes of chanting the witches clapped their hands together and she sat up, a smile on her face and greeted each dwarf with a smile and kiss. 

  Snow gasped and sat straight up in bed, her heart pounding so loudly she was sure each of the sleeping dwarves would hear it. Violet had been right about everything. The king, the huntsman, the curse. they were all real. She looked down the row of beds next to hers at each of the seven dwarves and felt a sense of disgust. Had she really shared their beds? Had she actually spent the last year of her life cooking and cleaning for men who did not love her at all and only wished to use her? 

 Snow lay down on her bed and buried her head under the blankets. She had to get out of her. She knew now that she did not belong. Violet had promised to return at midnight the following day and Snow knew she had to be ready.

 Dawn came and Snow drug herself out of bed. She had barely been able to sleep after taking a bite of that apple but she knew for the sake of appearances she must appear cheerful and eager to serve. 

 "Good morning, all of you," she said, with the biggest smile she could muster. The dwarves all groaned in chorus as they too rose from their sleep. 

 "Just hurry up and make our breakfast, wench," said Jamison, smoothing down his beard and rubbing his eyes.

  Snow paused for a second. The dwarves had never spoken to her that way before. Or, she thought, perhaps they always had and she was too captured by the spell to even notice. 

  After breakfast she handed each dwarf his lunch and wished them a good day. Usually they would look up at her with a smile but on this day she received only glum faces and mutters of, "Dinner better be ready when we get home." 

  When they had all left, Snow shut the door tightly behind them and looked around the cabin. It had to be spotless when they returned so they would suspect nothing. But as soon as midnight struck, she would leave this cabin and never come back.

  

  The evening seemed interminable as Snow watched the dwarves gobble up the dinner she had made. None of them thanked her for it, only reminded her to wash all the dishes and clean the floor in case any food had spilled from the table. She did this with a smile, all the while thinking of her escape. It was all she could do to contain her excitement when the seven dwarves finally changed into their nightclothes and snuggled into bed. Snow lay down in hers as well but as soon as she heard them begin to snore, she stood up, grabbed her cloak off its hook and silently slipped out of the cabin and into the night.

 "So you have did taste the apple then," said a voice, and Snow jerked awake. She was lying on the ground in the vegetable garden where Violet had told her to wait. The witch stood over her now wearing the same black dress and purple cloak as before.

 "Yes I did," Snow said, rising to her feet still half asleep. "I know now you were right about these men and I wish to get away and be free." 

 "Then we must move quickly," Violet told her. "Before-" 

  She stopped and froze as the door of the cabin eased open and a dwarf stepped out. 

 "Snow what are you doing in the garden? And who is that?" the dwarf asked, looking angrily at Violet.

 "It's no one, Edmund. Just an old beggar woman. Go back in the house before-" Snow was cut off by Edmund's sudden exclamation.

 "It's a witch! Snow, get away," he cried. But Snow shook her head.

 "No, Edmund. It's you I must get away from." 

  Taking that as a signal, Violet grabbed the girl's hand and they took off into the woods. 

 "If we can get to the river, my friend will meet us there with his boat and take us to the other side. The dwarves will not follow us there for it is a land of good magic and they wish only to live with the darkness." 

 Snow followed behind the witch panting for breath. She could hear the dwarves shouting behind her. 

 "You'll not get away from us that easily," said a voice she knew to be Degory's. 

 "You can't trust the witches in these woods," said another. That was Alistair. She could hear their loud footsteps behind her getting closer and closer. 

  "I see them," shouted one of the dwarves, and Snow turned her head to find Elias right on her tail.

  "Hurry," Violet's voice said desperately. Snow pushed herself to run faster through the trees but the dwarves gained on her. 

  "I think I can grab her," said Elias's voice, and Snow gasped realizing he was only inches away.

  "I don't know what got in your head but you won't escape us," he hissed, reaching out an arm to grab her. He was about to grab a fistful of her cloak when suddenly a bolt of light flew out of the darkness and struck him in the head. He groaned and collapsed immediately in the dirt. 

  "What was that?" Snow asked, looking around and wondering if she was about to be struck too.

  "That will keep him knocked out for several minutes," Violet said, and Snow realized saw the tips of her fingers still lit up from the blast. 

  "But we must run faster," she insisted. Snow was now wheezing for breath.

  "I cannot keep running this way," she told the witch. 

  "Then we must hide," Violet decided. She grabbed Snow's arm and pulled her suddenly to the side behind a large tree. 

  "Magic takes a lot out of me now and I usually must rest between spells," she whispered. "But I think I have just enough energy to make some fog and keep the dwarves lost and wandering while we run." 

  Snow watched in awe as Violet outstretched her hands and a white wispy fog began to escape her fingertips that grew into a large cloud. Soon she could barely see the trees they had just passed. 

 "This will last long enough to take us to the river," the witch said, her shoulders drooping slightly from the effort of the spell. 

 "Hurry now. It is not far," she said, leading Snow forward. She followed and heard the sound of the dwarves shouting through the mist.

 "You have not escaped forever," Jamison's voice called to her. "We will find you and your witch and you will both pay." 

  Snow felt a pang of fear at imagining what price there would be should the dwarves ever catch up to her. But they were so close to the river now and once they were on the boat, they would be safe. 

  Suddenly Violet halted in her tracks and Snow almost ran right into her.

 "What's wrong?" the girl asked, slightly annoyed. "We are almost at the river. Why are you stopping?" 

  She looked around and her eyes landed on what had stopped Violet. A woman stood in front of them dressed in black with an evil smile on her face. 

  "Agatha, let us pass," Violet said sternly. "We have no quarrel with you."

  "Don't you?" said the woman. "You're stealing away this girl from the dwarves whom I specifically remembering spelling to stay and serve them forever. It seems you have been practicing light magic again. And in that case, we do have a quarrel." 

  Agatha's eyes became fiery red and a blast of light much like the one Violet had sent at the dwarves came hurtling towards them. Violet grabbed Snow and pulled her to the ground as the blast flew over their heads. 

  "You must hide," Violet told her. "Agatha's magic is strong and she will not hesitate to kill you. I will try to hold her off and if you get a chance, you must run and not look back." 

  "But I-" Snow began, but she was interrupted by another blast that hit Violet and made her cry out. Snow reached for the witch but she pushed her away.

  "Hide," she hissed, and Snow scurried behind a stump. 

  Violet pushed herself to her feet gathering all of her strength. She help up her hands and a blast of pure white light flew from them and hit Agatha in the chest. She stumbled back but did not fall.

  "You are no match for me," she cackled at Violet. "I have more power in one little finger than you have in all your body." 

  She punctuated this last word with another blast that hit Violet in the face and knocked her off her feet. The witch tried to sit up but she fell back down. Snow longed to reach out and help her but Violet said Agatha would kill her and now the evil watch was walking closer.

   "You are weak, old woman," she hissed, her black dress trailing on the ground behind her as she walked slowly to her victim. Violet lay there wheezing trying to summon her strength.

   "Do not waste your last moments trying to fight," Agatha told her. "Just accept your fate. You will soon be one with the dirt in which you lay." 

   The evil witch laughed loudly and raised her hands for one last blow. Snow covered her mouth so she would not cry out. How would she go on without Violet? 

   She watched in horror as the tips of Agatha's fingers lit up with fiery red light and just as she was about to bring it down on Violet, a look of agony crossed over her face. The light from her fingers disappeared and her hands fell to her sides. Snow looked closely and saw the tip of a sword poking through the front of her chest. Blood flowed down her black dress and without another sound, the witch crumpled to the ground and drew her last breath. 

  Behind her stood a tall bearded man dressed in green holding the sword that had just slain the witch. He threw it to the side and ran to Violet who still lay helpless on the ground.

 "Did she hurt you?" he asked, looking her body over for wounds. 

 "Yes but I will survive with a little rest," the witch said. She looked around.

 "Where is Snow?" she wanted to know. 

  The girl stood up and came out slowly from behind the stump. The bearded man saw her and smiled. 

  "So you're the one I'm rescuing on my boat," he said cheerfully. 

  "Yes I suppose I am," Snow said, blushing slightly. "Thank you for saving our lives," she added, though a simple thank you hardly seemed enough.

  "It was no problem at all," the man said, helping Violet to her feet and putting her arm around his shoulders.

  "I was waiting by the river when I heard yelling and I knew there had to be trouble. I am glad I got here when I did or it would have been too late." 

  "Let's not think on that now," Violet interjected. "We have escaped the dwarves and the witch and the river is only a few steps away." 

  The bearded man nodded as he helped Violet walk.

  "My name is Herbert by the way," he said, looking over his shoulder at Snow. "And I guess I already know your name." 

  The girl smiled.

  She thought about the dwarves and all the days and nights she had spent serving them. They had given her the name Snow and made her their slave. But that was over now and a new life was around the corner.

 "It's nice to meet you, Herbert," she said to the bearded man. "You can call me Amarys." 

Snow

  Snow jerked awake and looked around. She was laying in a little bed half covered in an old grey blanket. The sunlight outside was getting dimmer and the dwarves would be on their way home soon. Pushing the blanket away, she stood up and straightened her dress.
  "I must have fallen asleep making the beds," she thought to herself. Then in an instant she remembered Violet, the old woman who had given her a green apple she claimed was magical. Had that all been a dream? Walking over to the basket she had used to pick vegetables, she peered slowly inside. She gasped as she saw a shiny green apple sitting on top of the freshly picked carrots and potatoes. It had not been a dream. Violet was real and so was the apple.
 Snow leaned down and grasped the apple between two fingers carrying it carefully to the window to see it in the light. It looked just like a regular apple but Violet had said one bite contained the magic to break a spell. Snow admired it for a few seconds, tilting it back and forth.
  "Such silliness," she said aloud. "I have work to do."
  She set the apple down on the windowsill and picked up the basket of vegetables. There were three little beds still left to make but she could do that later. As it was, she was already going to have to race to make dinner before the dwarves got home.
  As she worked she tried to keep her thoughts away from Violet and the story she had told but the witch's words stuck in her head.
  "Have they ever said they loved you?" she had asked. It had seemed a silly question in the moment but as Snow considered it, she could not recall a time any of them had claimed to love her. Sometimes they did not even thank her for what she did, only reminded her that there was always more to do.
  "Surely that does not mean I am under a spell," she told herself. But still the suspicion lingered.
   Before long, Snow heard the sound of the dwarves coming up the front walk. She smiled knowing they'd be relieved to sit down with a bowl of hot vegetable soup and a piece of fresh warm bread.
  "Welcome home, gentlemen," Snow said, walking to the door and throwing it wide open. The dwarves all raised their hands in greeting as they piled through the narrow doorway.
  "Something sure smells good," Alistair commented. "Is that carrot and potato soup?"
  "It is indeed," Snow told him.
  "Why is my bed not made?" Garrett asked, standing in front of the row of seven beds pushed against the far wall of the cabin.
  "I fell asleep in the middle of making them," Snow said with a giggle. "And then when I woke up it was time to make supper."
   Garrett did not look amused.
  "Well see that it's done after we've eaten," he ordered shortly.
  "Yes of course," Snow said with a nod. She turned back to the pot of soup and stirred it slowly. Had Garrett always been so quick tempered? Violet's words flashed through her mind again. Surely a few harsh words did not mean the dwarves were evil.
  "Is dinner almost ready? I am one hungry dwarf," Elias called out, over the racket of seven men putting away their tools and taking off their boots.
  "It is ready now," Snow declared happily. She took eight bowls from the cupboard and began carefully filling each one.
  Moments later, seven dwarves and Snow sat around a large thick wooden table slurping hot stew from tin bowls. The men made hearty sounds of approval and some pulled apart their bread and dipped it in the broth.
 Snow looked around the table and considered each of them. They certainly did not look like evil men. Violet must have been mistaken.
 "I have a silly question," Snow announced. None of the dwarves looked up.
 "Have any of you ever seen or heard tell of witches in these woods?"
  Seven spoons clanged as they dropped against seven bowls and each dwarf looked at Snow with wide eyes. She blushed slightly and set her spoon down as well.
 "Why would you ask such a thing?" Elias wanted to know. Snow scrambled for an answer. Clearly this question bothered them more than she had anticipated.
 "There was a crazy old beggar woman who came across the cabin today. She was telling tales of witches and spells. Quite entertaining but clearly she was mad."
  The dwarves nodded in agreement and picked their spoons up.
 "Quite mad she is. There are no witches in these woods. Not since King Roland had them all locked up," said Garrett. Snow's ears perked up at the familiar name. Hadn't Violet spoken earlier of a King Roland?
 "And don't you forget to make those beds when you're done eating," he reminded Snow. She nodded and went back to her soup.
 
   Later after all the dinner had been eaten and the dishes cleaned and put away, the dwarves changed into their nighclothes and climbed into their little beds. Snow looked at them all and smiled.
 "Sweet dreams, all of you," she said kindly. Then added, "I love you all."
  She waited a few moments hoping to hear the words repeated back to her but nothing came. With a quiet sigh she walked over to her own bed by the window. Looking up she caught sight of Violet's apple. Maybe it all had been a dream. Perhaps Violet was a figment of her imagination. Or maybe not. Maybe she was living here with seven men who did not love her and only wanted a slave to do all their chores and keep them warm at night.
  "Perhaps this is not the life I am meant to have. Perhaps I want to be more than just a maid to the seven dwarves," she thought to herself. And with no more hesitation, she walked to the window and took a bite of the apple.

Snow

 This is my rendition of the fairy tale Snow White. Credit and thanks to Carolyn H., Carolyn M., Linda S., Rachel K., and James I. for name suggestions. This is part one of three.


  Snow smiled at the seven men before her all holding the lunches she had packed for them in little baskets. They were dressed for hard work in the mines and each carried an ax over his shoulder.
  "Did you pack us any fruit today, Snow?" Mortimer asked, looking up at the beautiful young woman. She looked down at him through sparkling blue eyes and her ruby red lips curved into a kind smile.
 "I did," she answered. "Each one of you has a shiny green apple in your lunch. And of course I kept one for myself." She winked at him and tussled his thick red hair. Mortimer blushed and turned to the rest of his brothers.
 "Well it's off to work we go," he said in a loud voice. "A dwarf's work is never done."
  The rest of them murmured agreement and they all said goodbye to Snow as she leaned down to give them hugs.
 "Have a good day, Snow," said Elias, the tallest of the seven. If he stood on tiptoe his head almost reached to Snow's shoulder.
 "You too, Elias," the girl answered. "Tonight for dinner we are having your favorite:vegetable stew."
 "Don't forget the carrots," Elias told her. "You know how Alistair loves his carrots."
 "Of course," Snow said, with another winning smile. "How could I forget?"
  She stood in the doorway waving goodbye to the dwarves till they were out of sight, then turned and looked at the cabin she shared with them. The table was covered in dirty dishes from breakfast and none of the seven little beds had been made.
  "What a messy bunch they are," she thought to herself with a sigh. But there would be time for housework later. The morning was too nice to be spent inside. Snow tied a worn out white apron over the waist of her dark green dress and went outside with a basket to gather vegetables from the garden. Remembering Elias's suggestion of carrots, she decided to start with those.
  Snow knelt in the dirt, set her basket down next to her and began to pull at the carrots. The sun felt warm on her back and shoulders and a light breeze blew gently through her black hair. She pitied the dwarves having to spend their days in dark dreary mines breathing in dust instead of this fresh air.
  As she began to pull at a particularly difficult carrot, Snow thought she heard footsteps approaching. She stopped and looked around.
"Is somebody there?" she asked. There was no answer. Snow began to pull on the carrot again until she heard a rustle and the snap of a twig.
"Who is there?" she asked, more firmly this time. "Show yourself."
 Looking in the direction of the sounds, she watched surprised as an older woman in a long black dress emerged from the trees behind the cabin. Her graying hair was pulled back in a simple braid and she wore a dark purple cape with a hood.
"Who are you?" Snow asked.
"My name is Violet," the old lady said, taking a few steps towards her and stopping at the edge of the garden.
"Have you been watching me this whole time?" Snow asked, her eyebrows creasing into a frown.
"I have been," Violet said with a nod. "Forgive me, I was not trying to startle you."
"Are you hungry then?" Snow asked, assuming this woman must be a beggar. "Thirsty? I can bring you some water."
"No I am not here to ask you for help," Violet said slowly. "I am here to offer you mine."
Snow tilted her head and considered Violet's words.
"You wish to help me?" she asked. "With what?"
"To help you escape from these men who have imprisoned you."
  Snow smiled and laughed.
"The dwarves have raised me from a child. I am hardly imprisoned. My mother died giving birth to me and they found me and saved my life."
 Violet shook her head and looked pityingly at Snow.
"Is that what you think?"
"Well of course. It's the truth," Snow said with a polite smile. Who was this woman and why did she presume to know Snow's past?
"I am sure that is the story you have been told. But it is all a lie. Allow me but a few moments of your time and I will tell you who you really are," Violet offered.
"As long as I can pick vegetables while you talk," she told the old woman. Violet nodded so Snow knelt down once again in the garden and listened as the story began.
"You say you have lived here your whole life but it has only been little more than a year. And your real name is not Snow at all, it is Amarys. You were the daughter of a lord and lady who had great favor in court with King Roland. When they were both struck with a terrible illness, the king made sure you were kept healthy and when they eventually died, he took you into the palace to be raised alongside his own children."
 "As you grew older your beauty increased greatly and it did not escape the king's notice. Of course his wife, Queen Melania, was not very happy about this. She would ask him often who he thought was the fairest lady of them all and instead of her name he would utter yours. Finally the queen's jealousy got the better of her and she hired a huntsman named Tywin to take you into the woods and kill you. Of course being a father himself, Tywin could not finish this task but he could not bring you back with him either. So he left you here with a basket of food and said a prayer for your life."
 Snow paused and looked up at Violet.
"If my name really is Amarys, then why am I called Snow?"
"The dwarves are to blame for that. When they found you it was a freezing cold winter's day and snow had just begun to fall. You had run out of food and were practically unconscious beneath a tree. When they asked you your name you muttered something incoherent and so they just called you the first thing they could think of. Snow."
"How do you know this?" Snow asked, raising an eyebrow. Violet blushed slightly.
"Because I was there. I spotted you just before they did but they got to you first and so I had to hide."
"Hide?" Snow exclaimed. "Why would you hide from such kind little men?"
"They are not kind men," Violet said in a grave tone. "They are evil. They took you back to their cabin and called upon the evil witches in these woods to cast a spell on you. The spell has made you forget who you were and assume this life of being their slave."
  Snow laughed again.
"I am hardly a slave. I serve these dwarves because I love them." Satisfied with the number of carrots in her basket, Snow moved over to the row of potatoes.
"Right now I am gathering vegetables to make them a lovely stew for dinner."
"My dear, you do not love them. You only think you do because of the spell," Violet insisted. "There are evil witches who live in these woods and they have had dealings with the dwarves for years. They are wicked to the core and would take great pleasure in watching a pretty young girl like you suffer."
"But I do not suffer," Snow retorted. "I am happy in my work."
 Violet sighed and took a step toward Snow.
"Do you not see? These dwarves are using you. They leave you with all the housework and all the chores and they give you no reward."
 Snow shook her head and pulled up a large potato.
"No they admire me. I serve them in every way and they love me for it."
 Violet's eyes widened.
"Please do not tell me they have taken you to their beds?"
 Snow blushed slightly and did not look up at the woman.
"I do this for them also out of love."
 Violet buried her face in her hands and shook her head.
"My dear child, no. You are simply a pawn in their evil game. But I can save you. I have worked hard this long year and have finally discovered a spell to counter the one they had placed on you. All you must do," Violet said, reaching into a pouch inside her cape,"is take a bite of this lovely green apple."
 Snow looked up at the old woman who held the apple in her wrinkled hand.
"A spell? You are a witch also?"
Violet nodded.
"I am, but unlike the others in this woods I have no desire to serve the darkness and no desire to see you under this spell. If you bite this apple your mind will be clear to see the truth in my words. I can help you run away and start a new life."
 Snow stood up face to face with the old woman.
"I do appreciate your considerate offer," she said sweetly. "But you are sadly mistaken. I am here only by my own choice and I do not wish to escape."
  Violet sighed and shook her head.
"I feared you would not be convinced by my words but I assure you they are true. I have no reason to lie to you."
  She reached down and set the apple in Snow's basket with the carrots and potatoes.
"I will leave this here for you to consider. Its potency will only last till tomorrow at midnight. I will return then and if you are waiting for me here in this garden, I will know you have learned the truth and are ready to run away. If not, you will never see my face again and I wish you only happiness in this life you have chosen."
 Snow looked down at the apple and then back at Violet.
"This is silliness," she insisted.
"Perhaps," Violet agreed, pulling the hood of her cape onto her head. "But let me ask you one question. You tell me these dwarves love you for serving them but have they ever said it? Do they serve you in return or simply demand more work from you?"
  Snow creased her forehead in thought. Had any of them ever said they loved her or raised a hand to help her with her work?
 "Think on my words. I will return at midnight tomorrow," Violet reminded the girl. And before Snow could respond, the witch had vanished back into the woods.