The following days, father and I would spend our time flying over the magic carpet to various destinations to see the rest of our Kingdom and in the meantime, my step-mother would visit the Magic Mirror in secret almost every single night. At the dinner table, we eat like we did every night with father and me joking around while my step-mother wouldn’t say a word, but I could see her smile and gaze towards me in thought. It was as if something emotional moved her heart. Perhaps it was memories, perhaps not? I do not know how she felt back in those days for I was merely a seven year old girl. My father fell ill on one day and he remained in his bed, a high fevered developed that kept him there and I visited him to see how he was doing. I didn’t think anything of it for a fever and a cold were quite common, and my father was a firm believer in building up your immunity to most sicknesses that came our way. Georgie Porgie would take me to his cafeteria every day where I would meet up with my friends and one faithful day…
“Hey, Snow…”, I eat pudding and pie when he spoke to me about his plan. “Since your father has fallen ill and you don’t get along with your mother. How would you feel if I took you out for a magic carpet ride?”, I was excited by his suggestion but at the same time worried.
“I don’t know.”, I said to him. “I would have to ask my father.”, I implied only for Georgie to look at me with uncertainty. “But your father is ill and he needs rest.”, stated Georgie Porgie.
“I know…”, I said while lowering the pudding down over the table. “What he does not know cannot hurt him, you know?”, the huntsman implied and I looked down in thought.
“That is an excellent suggestion, huntsman.”, I turned to see my step-mother in the cafeteria as she looked at me with a smile. “I apologize, my little Snow White, I just happened to overhear what Georgie had suggested to you from afar.”, I looked uncomfortable as I always did.
Something about my step-mother always gave me the chills and the creeps. I always felt an unusual energy circulating around her and I also felt like I didn’t want to get too close to her for I felt I would be responsible for yet another death of a loved one that my father loves.
“With your father sick and being barely able to spare some time with you as it is, I think a little trip with Georgie here would be fun. Where are you planning to take her though?”, my step-mother inquired only for Georgie to gaze up at her and then towards me in thought.
“I was thinking to take her on the borders of Meru, to show her the woodlands a little bit.”, this immediately made me worry. “But father always said the woodlands is a very dangerous place.”, I gave my opinions to the huntsman and my step-mother, both whom were lost in thought.
“Well, yes it is, if you head into the woodlands. Isn’t that right, huntsman?”, she took her seat next to me and questioned Georgie who nodded his head. “Yes, but we won’t be heading into the woodlands, my queen, we will be heading to their borders for I just want the princess to see the forest from afar.”, he explained to my step-mother who nodded her head in thought.
“Well, I don’t see anything wrong with that…”, she said. “You are sure that it is safe though? I don’t want you to run into any of those mutant barbarians.”, she stated and Georgie smirked.
“I wouldn’t worry about them, my queen, that’s why they call me the huntsman.”, he chuckled and the Queen nodded her head with a smile. “I don’t doubt your abilities at all, but at the end of it all it comes down to Snow White’s decision overall.”, my step-mother patted my back and I looked to her uncomfortably, and I could tell her in her eyes that she noticed.
“I don’t know…”, I said to them both. “I don’t feel comfortable.”, I added and they both seemed to understand. “If you don’t, you don’t.”, said Georgie Porgie. “Yeah, you don’t have to go.”, said my step-mother. “It is just a suggestion. I mean, god knows I am any fun.”, she added and at the time I believed she made a very good point, we barely hung out.
“Well, why don’t you come as well? We could spend time together.”, this made the huntsman look towards my step-mother as she sighed. “I wish I could, little Snow White, but all of the Kingdom’s responsibilities fall upon my shoulders for as long as your father remains ill.”, her explanation made sense to me and I looked down myself, sighing in disappointment.
“But you can still go and have some fun, and besides; it’s going to be a whole new experience for you. I lived in a cottage within the woodlands almost my entire life, remember? It’s something I suggest you do not miss out on.”, my step-mother explained and gave it a thought, and I knew she was telling the truth for father always told me about her past and his own.
“Is it true what they say about the mutant dwarves? Are they truly tricksters and deceivers?”, I asked for I wished to know and Georgie Porgie smirked. “Are they ever?”, he said. “But don’t you worry, we won’t run into any of them for they know better than to encroach upon the borders of our Kingdom.”, he firmly reassured me and I smiled, gazing longingly in thought.
“Fine…”, I made my decision. “I’ll go, but next time…”, I then gazed to my step-mother. “You’re coming too, okay?”, I grabbed her hand and she looked down towards it, reaching back for it and holding onto it, and it was for the first time I felt we were close. “I promise.”, she said.
The next day we would emerge out of the trophy room with my mother bidding us a farewell as we journeyed around the Mountains of Meru upon a magic carpet. It felt so unusual to be with Georgie Porgie this time compared to my father but I thought about it as another adventure. I would go to explore and most importantly finally able to see the borders of the woodlands. The locals referred to it as the ‘Dwarf Woodlands’ for the dwarfs inhabited the region. The woods surrounded the Twin Kingdoms of Brangomar and between the two kingdoms lied what is known as the ‘King’s Road’ that lead to the center of the world where there was a crossroads and in the center of that crossroads there was a gigantic tree known as the ‘World Tree’. Its roots spread far and wide all across the world of Sumeru. There were many who referred it to as the Heart of Sumeru for they believed it held the world together. Georgie Porgie and I would descend into the forest below with the magic carpet where he dropped me off. We would hurl snowballs at one another, we would build snowmen, and I would slide down hills in the snow. I would lie on the ground and make snow angels while constantly paying heed to the woodlands. I always wondered what lied within until Georgie walked up behind me and gave me a nudge.
“Are they often this silent?”, I asked the huntsman. “Yes, and for good reason.”, explained the huntsman. “Elves…”, this one word made me reach for my chest for I was an elf too.
“I heard that those who linger within these forests are unlike those of the Twin Kingdoms.”, I said to the huntsman that nodded his head with agreement. “They’re savages, Snow White, and cannibals.”, I stepped back frightened until he reached over my shoulders with his hands.
“But rest assured, none of them will harm you as long as Georgie Porgie is around.”, the hunter reassured me and I trusted him as I gazed deeper into the dwarf woodlands. “So why is it called the dwarf woodlands then and not the elf woodlands?”, I questioned the huntsman.
“Well, to tell you the truth, I do not know. It’s probably because humans have a huge hatred for the dwarves.”, explained Georgie as we wandered deeper into the woodlands and looked to its beautiful surroundings as it was an ancient, old forest that was unchanged by humanity.
“Why?”, I asked the huntsman. “Because they’re mutants.”, replied the huntsman. “So they were once humans like us?”, I asked. “Yes.”, said Georgie Porgie. “There are many legends about where we came from as a species and one of them speaks that we came from beyond the stars with many believing we are tiny fragments of a falling star.”, this intrigued me because of the very past of how I was born due to the wishing star, and I believed there to be a connection.
“And what do you think?”, I questioned the huntsman who chuckled. “I don’t know and I don’t care, little Snow White.”, I then turned to face the huntsman and saw him holding the rifle he had often carried over his back with both of his hands, and I looked up into his eyes.
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When I looked into his eyes, I no longer saw the same kind look off the huntsman but rather a different one I did not recognize. It looked like he thought little of me with the stare he gave me and I looked down towards the rifle, thinking about my step-mother and everything that lead me into the woodlands. I then thought about my father being ill, how my step-mother suggested for me to be brought here, how Georgie Porgie was so adamant to do so as well and how mother made excuses for not telling my father or letting me wander into the forest alone. There was a silence between the both of us and I sighed, closing my eyes and breathing out the cold air as the huntsman stood before me without saying a word.
“Spare me the mockery of justice.”, I said in quiet contemplation. “I know why I am here. I know it was my own step-mother who put you up to this.”, I told the huntsman that gazed longingly at me in silence and he lowered his head, gazing deep into my eyes where he saw tears forming in my eyes for I knew there was no escape from this.
“Do you also know that she wishes for me to take your heart and place it inside this chest?”, he then raised the same chest that my father held my necklace within that was around my neck.
“I always knew she was a vain woman, but wicked?”, I shook my head as tears went down my eyes. “She’s also envious of you, Snow White.”, the huntsman stated. “And how couldn’t she be?”, he added and I looked up to his eyes, seeing him point the rifle towards me.
“I mean, just look how wise and mature you are for your age.”, stated the huntsman. “How fair you are to your friends, family, and even to strangers.”, the huntsman added and I exhaled, shaking as I waited for the huntsman to strike me down at last.
“Have you any last words, Snow White? If so, speak now or forever hold your peace.”, he asked and I fell down on my knees, crossing my hands together. “Thank you.”, I said to the huntsman who looked down at me with confusion. “Thank you for what?”, he asked.
“For being the man I will forever carry in my heart, huntsman, and not the man you have become.”, I said to the huntsman who pointed his gun closer to me. “I was always this man, little Snow White, you just didn’t see it!”, the huntsman said and I shook my head in denial.
“Without heart, without consciousness?”, I stated. “No, I don’t believe that.”, I said to the hunter who pointed his gun closer to my head. “Believe what you will, girl!”, his hands shook and so did the rifle he held as I closed my eyes with my tears moving down over my cheek that froze.
The huntsman’s hands weren’t steady and they constantly shook, he struggled on making the decision whether or not to shoot me. He stepped closer and pointed the rifle closely but I did not open my eyes. I cried and I waited for him to do it, to finally shoot me where I was kneeling until he shouted and finally opened fire, several shots fired into the woods as the trees cleared of the many birds that past by me. I remember turning my head and falling down into the snow as the sound of the gunfire was too loud and so deafening, and I covered my ears as I heard loud ringing. The huntsman gazed down towards me and I looked up towards him, and he held his rifle as he took repeated heavy breaths before he heard an unusual sound coming from the forest. It was then that upon all of a sudden sprouted forth the elves, both gorgon and malfhi in larger packs that went to attack the huntsman that opened fire upon them. Seeing this distraction, I got up and immediately fled into the woods as I heard the huntsman’s rifle shoot repeatedly. I fled deep into the woods as the gun shots kept firing and I could hear the huntsman grunt and yell as he waved his hatchet that was drown out by the sounds of the growling and snarling elves. I could then hear something descending down upon the many trees and I immediately thought that they were elves as I didn’t even bother to look back. I ran and I ran as they gave chase after me on all fours, both claws and paws as they had their massive jaws spread open ready to consume me if they got the chance to. I saw owl eyes staring at me whenever I turned in the darkness and I kept running only to move through a group of bats that flew past me as I shook myself off before suddenly falling down a ravine as I found myself sliding and screaming in terror as I covered my face only for one of the elves to thrust herself forth only to strike the ceiling with her head and then slide only to screech as she hit a nearby rock. One elf then struck the ground with her claws to stop and laughed at her friend before the snow that I fell through from before struck her, sending her further down the ravine. I then struck a few branches that seemed to be made out of roots that seemed to be entangled within the ravine and broke through them as I kept screaming. I kept twisting and turning only to fall down another hole as the third elf that chased me snatched the ground with her claws, stopping and was about to jump down the hole until she saw a large snowball ball make its way to her and her eyes widened.
“Oh, fuck my life.”, the elf said before her companion struck her like a bowling ball and sent them both flying out of the ravine itself.
I then felt gushing winds that pushed me forth as I slid through a tunnel full of bats and finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel as I screamed until I was finally launched out of the ravine itself. I fell down over a snowy hill and kept rolling downwards as I kept hitting the ground over and over again with my own tail always encircling me to protect me from harm. I then remember falling into the snow and felt a huge blizzard surrounding me that was chilling to the bone. The huntsman himself, however, managed to get away by jumping off a cliff and landing upon the magic carpet that flew him away from danger as he circled around the forest, trying to find me. I lifted my head as the snow fell from me and everywhere I looked I could see mists as the gushing wind blew past me. I got up to stand and held my hands together as there was not a creature in sight no matter how long I stared in either direction. I then chose to wander into the snowy hills of this strange place in hopes to find shelter from the snow storm. Minutes turned to hours and although we could never see the sun in the skies, we felt its warmth and saw its light that I now saw was fading which concerned me. Once I caught glimpse of the sight of the woods again, I headed into its direction only to pass by a frozen river and noticed a small bridge in the distance that I crossed over and before my very eyes I seen it. It was a cottage that appeared human sized but what confused me was that it appeared human child-like sized. So I decided to head towards it and I could see several tree stumps as well as one fallen tree that were lying over the ground. Just before the cottage is a large bridge that lead across and over the frozen river that was entirely covered in snow, and I crossed over the bridge fearing that I might collapse through the ice that could potentially break beneath my feet. I made my way to the cottage that appeared to have two floors and I knocked on the door only to receive no answer. There was a window close by that appeared to be dark and I looked inside of the cottage, but it was pointless as my eyes could barely make out anything for it was very dark inside. I sighed and turned as I reached for the handle of the door and pulled before I then pushed only to enter the cottage.
“Hello?”, I called out frightened. “Hello?!”, I double checked as the snowy blizzard blew in the snow and I turned only to shut it closed immediately after myself to prevent anymore wind and snow coming in as everything turned dark for I could not see anything.
“Anyone home?!”, I called and the only light I had shinned from outside the window that light up the cottage where I saw a beautifully decorated interior with ornate wood carvings.
I looked around only to see the woodcarvings of various animals, dwarf figures, humanoid figures, doll houses, and even one carving of the wooden cottage itself that was a very intricate and detailed design. Almost every object, from a chair to a candle holder, was detailed in some way. I looked to see that there were many hammer picks, shovels, bags of jewels, sowing kits, needles, spinning wheels, saws, hammers, sledgehammers and other equipment lying around that seemed to be quite clean compared to most of the houses ornamental objects that were covered in webbing or dust in some sort of way. I immediately realized that somebody lived here that preferred to work rather than take care of the cottage itself. It was then that I saw a kitten walk over to me that I found rather strange for when it sat down I could swear I saw it wore boots.
“Aw, aren’t you just the cutest little puss in boots?”, I said to the kitten before it would astonish me by actually replying. “How come you know of my name, stranger?”, my eyes then widened once I saw the black Persian cat actually move its lips and I focused my gaze upon him.
“Maybe I’ve been outside in that snowstorm for too long.”, I pointed at him. “For a moment there, I thought you talked.”, and here I was talking to a cat, hoping I was right.
“Yes?”, the cat leaned his head to the right and gave me a firm reply as my heart started to beat faster. “What is wrong with that?”, I kept pointing to the cat and mumbled my words. “What, cat caught your tongue?”, the cat spoke yet again and this was too much for me as I just passed out in front of him as I fell over the ground with the cat just sitting there, staring at me.
My father was falling deathly ill that many of the doctors began to notice. His health was failing as the only thing he would eat was dry bread, fruit, and vegetables while they monitored him. Little did any of them suspect that the one who was mostly by his side, listening to him repeat my name over and over again, being the one who put him in such a state of mind. She would leave him rest in the company of a few other doctors before entering the Imperial Chamber where Georgie Porgie was located and he carried the chest with a boar’s heart.
“Is it done?”, she asked Georgie Porgie and the huntsman bowed his head before handing her the chest. “It is, my queen.”, overjoyed, the Queen of Roses took the chest that she handed to her Golden Guard servant that approached her with an object she kept in her trophy room.
It appeared like a golden hand and the huntsman believed it to be the reward that the Queen had promised him as she opened the glass container. She then held it by the stone pedestal it stood on top of and presented it to the huntsman that smiled before reaching for it.
“Thank you, my queen.”, the huntsman said before his hands began to transform into pure gold that slowly began to transform the rest of his body as the queen looked on with an evil satisfied grin on her face for she had double-crossed him, and little did she know that he did as well…