Snow White

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen

"Come on, Snow, pick up the pace!" Flint shouts at me as we're on our morning run.

   Three months ago, the dwarfs agreed to teach me how to fight and in order to keep up my strength, I have to run every single morning. To be safe, we only go a mile outside of the cottage and we have a safety plan if anyone sees us.

   I don't necessarily like running, but when I do, my soles feel the Enchanted Forest's ground and they gain their own rhythm. My thoughts always wander off into a fantasy world, but I don't mind.

   I think of a day where I'm the righteous queen of the White Kingdom and Asher is by my side as my king. In this fantasy, we have a son and a daughter, both as sweet as can be. William is in this fantasy too, and he's happily in love.

   Dreaming of this keeps me going. If I can build the strength and endurance, my dream will one day become a reality. If I can be strong, I can defeat Sage.

   In the distance, I spot the tiny cottage we call home and I force my feet to move as fast as they can and sprint swiftly past Flint to reach the cottage

   I'm out of breath, but it doesn't stop me from teasing the dwarf. "Was that pace fast enough for you?" I laugh.

   The tiny man comes up to me, breathing hard, and raises his hand for a high-five. "Nice one, Snow. If you keep that pace up, you'll be able to kick Sage's ass in no time."

   I smile at him and wipe off the sweat from my forehead. "Alright let's get inside, I'll make breakfast while you get ready for today," I say.

   Flint smiles sneakily and opens the cottage door slowly. He quickly peaks his head inside and then shuts it. "Hold on, we can't go inside yet," he says.

   He's acting suspicious and I need to get to the bottom of it. "What's going on? Aren't you the one who always tells me to stay inside?" I laugh.

   He doesn't get to answer the question because Chuck opens the cottage door and quickly shoves me inside.

   Once I get there, I look at the kitchen table and see a large cake that's poorly frosted with a few candles on top of it. Above my head is a banner that reads: "Happy Birthday Snow" in chunky handwriting. Next to the beds, there are seven gifts wrapped in brown paper, all in different shapes and sizes.

   "What is all of this?" I ask the dwarfs.

   "Surprise!" the seven of them shout and embrace me in a big hug.

   Wait a minute, is today my birthday?

   "Happy Birthday, Snow," Flint smiles. "How old are you now? Eighteen? Nineteen?"

   "Wow, I guess I'm nineteen. I didn't even realize that my birthday was today. Time flies when you're hiding away from your stepmother so she doesn't kill you, doesn't it?" I laugh.

   "It really does," Grub laughs.

   Flint gives me a big sweaty hug. "These nine months have been the best with you. Although a tough situation put you with us, I know I'm so grateful that you're a part of our lives," he says.

   "Oh yeah! We love you, Snow!" Quert says with a bright smile.

   Tears start to form in my eyes at their words. Flint's right. A horrible situation led me to the dwarfs, but I wouldn't change it for anything. When I first came here, I was a weak and scared little girl. Now, I'm a strong and fearless woman, ready for whatever Sage is going to throw at me.

   "Thank you guys," I cry.

   The seven of them embrace me in another group hug, and it just makes me bawl harder.

   "Remember when you lied to us and said your name was Sarah?" Barnaby laughs.

   I laugh and wipe my tears away, remembering when Barnaby, the sweet dwarf with a blonde beard and green hat, couldn't get over the fact that I'm Princess Snow White and not a random girl named Sarah.

   "Yeah, those were tough days. But look where we are now. One big happy family," I smile.

   Over these months, family is something I'm always reminded of. Family comes in many forms. When I think of family, I think of the people who've been by me my whole life. Mother, Father, and Willam are my family, and losing my mother made me realize that family can leave at any instance, but they're still family.

   Family doesn't have to be the people you're related to by blood either. Penelope, my maid, has stuck with me for a long time, she's like a sister. And of course the dwarfs, they've all become family. Flint, Gus, Copper, Grub, Chuck, Barnaby, and Quert. Each one of them is my family.

   Then with family, there's also a hope that maybe one day I'll get to be a wife and become a mother. Maybe one day, I'll get to start a family of my own.

   "Can we eat some cake now?" Grub asks, making us all laugh.

   I grab a pile of plates and a handful of forks, then start cutting into the cake that's sitting on the kitchen counter. There's no shape to it, it looks like a blob, and the white frosting is slowly drooping on the sides.

   Is it the most perfect cake I ever seen? No.

   But the thought behind it makes it perfect in its own way.

   I cut eight slices of cake and once everyone has a piece in front of their face, the seven of them indulge.

   Before I can get a bite in, Barnaby spits out his piece and screams. "This is nasty!"

   Copper, Chuck, and Flint look disgusted and I decide not to eat.

   "Yeah, this is pretty gross. But whatever, we tried," Gus laughs.

   "How about you open your presents?" Flint suggests.

   I nod and smile as the seven of them each place their meaningful presents in my lap.

   Just being here with the dwarfs, laughing over bad cake and opening gifts, makes me happy. To state the obvious, I didn't get my perfect fantasy. I'm not living in my castle going to royal balls or getting dolled up like a princess every day. But this right here, this is nice. I'm in a room full of love and laughter, and I couldn't be happier.