Caught by the Dark

Chapter 1

A/N: This chapter is in 1st person because I started this story in 1st POV and then switched to 3rd, but the first chapter didn't sound right in 3rd, so it's still 1st. That's all.

I was a bandit. I had been a bandit for years. 'Course, the Queen never thought about me. It was always about Snow White. Pretty Princess Snow White. The girl who ruined the queen's life, or so I've been told. I wasn't there when it happened. I was locked in my room on my own accord.

I was as expert with a bow and arrow as I was with a knife. I was hunting at the far reaches of the kingdom when the curse struck. I launched my arrow, even. Suddenly time froze as the curse's cloud dissipated.

The animal I was hunting... even the arrow I had launched... It was all frozen. Somehow, though, I was able to move. Perhaps it was the spell the Blue Fairy had placed on me when I was young... the one that warded me from the Dark One's magic.

Since this was dark magic, maybe I was immune? But it was the Queen who was supposed to cast it, and Blue had specified in no unclear terms that I was only immune to his magic.

Whatever the reason, I realized that I was no longer hungry. I would go against myself anyway, should I kill any of the frozen animals. I moved on, retrieving the arrow from the air. After a long while of moving, I came upon a barren land. It was impossible to tell time with the sun not moving, so I had no idea how long I had taken.

It felt like years, but I could never be sure. I came upon a ruined castle, and a duo riding on two horses towards the gates.

I never noticed the curse end, perhaps because I had been traveling on my own, but it had to. There was no way they were moving if time was still frozen. I ran, calling out for them. They stopped and turned to me.

"Who are you?" asked one of them. A female voice rose from within a warrior's outfit.

"My name is Rose," I answered, using the name Snow's family had given me.

"Phillip," said the prince next to her.

The warrior gave him a look. "Where have you come from?"

"The Evil Queen's kingdom. Rather, the edge of it. I was given a spell when I was young. It kept me safe from certain forms of dark magic. For some reason, the curse counted."

"What brings you here?" asked Prince Phillip.

"Looking for some kind of life. How long has everyone been frozen?"

"I don't know," the warrior said.

"I don't know either. It's kind of hard to keep track of time when the sun's frozen, isn't it?"

Phillip nodded. "Well, we set out on a journey to wake my princess. You could hang back a bit, then we'll take the two of you to our safe camp, how does that sound?" He looked at the warrior, who nodded.

"Yeah, I think I'll take you up on that offer," I said. "I'd much prefer to have some kind of company, other than the lonely trees."

The duo entered the palace gates. I waited for them where we met. Phillip and the warrior dismounted, and Pillip used his sword to cut down the vines around a small gazebo. A woman laid there, a laven dress hung on her as she lay, sleeping.

"If this works, we don't tell her everything. Not right away," he said to the warrior. She nodded.

Prince Phillip kissed the princess, which caused the spell she was under to be broken. A pulse of magic spread throughout the land. I smiled when it passed over me. It was a beautiful sight. She woke up and gasped.

"Phillip..." she said.

"Yes, Aurora," Phillip said.

"I told you not to come after me." They kissed again. Phillip then helped her up. "How long have I been asleep? What happened?"