Snow White

Chapter 7

Suddenly a bright light illuminated the room, erupting from outside the cottage, dragging them away from their blissful dreams. They jumped, looking below the sky to see a house, only a few metres away, catch alight. Snow White swallowed the lump in her throat, shovelling sweets down her throat for quick release energy.

'They're here!' Ester cried, tears glistening down her cheeks as she hurried from the house, pointlessly grabbing a bucket of water and beginning to hobble down the streets.

'Who?' Snow White, now seventeen years of age, asked confused and hurried to the window to see the red flags and uniform of the Southern Kingdom. 'Why are they attacking us?'

'Grab weapons, all kinds!' Liam encouraged, handing even Snow White a weapon, who looked absolutely terrified. Alice smirked, proud to be holding such a weapon and Max was too busy putting it to the test on a solider outside. A stampede of people bustled Snow White from the building, until the cold air whipped across the nape of her neck painfully.

From outside, Snow could a large group of armed men walking through the streets like an angry mob. They shielded themselves from the villagers by carrying burning torches and waving weapons, mostly in order to scare people.

As soon as weapons were handed to the villagers (weapons Snow White was led to believe were of the greatest qualify), the once soldiers that stood for bravery and honour, somewhat reminding her of chivalry, began to attack the innocent villagers.

Several more houses were set alight now and the streets were flooded with spectators, most of which were sliced the ground. The light dusting of snow seemed to be scorched orange as it responded to the light of the fires.

'Get her!' The soldiers yelled and three advanced on Snow White, the rest of the men were stealing this opportunity to set the place ablazing. Snow choked down tears, trying not to hear the screams, wails and cries of residents with pain and mourning.

All of this murder was for her?

'Hey, beautiful, why don't you come with us and then we'll leave you to it?' A soldier leered, and Snow White swung her sword towards him, seriously injuring his face. He screamed in pain, falling to the ground and cradling his wound.

The next thing Snow White knew, she was tackled around the waist and, as she fell onto her back, rotated the sword between her palms and sunk the blade into the attacking soldier.

Suddenly Snow White felt a pain against her wrist, she yelped out in pain and spun around to see a soldier, his ugly complexion distorted into a sadistic smile, delighting in the pain he had caused her. Snow White internally wretched, disgusted by him taking pleasure in her pain.

But then, before Snow White could draw the breath which she knew would be her last, the foil of a sword is stabbed through the soldier's head as his face turns from coldly delighted, to curling in pain, a transformation which made him just look constipated.

The body was kicked forwards and Snow White's eyes followed the body until they settled on Liam. The boy she grew up with, with the same human fears, ambitions and emotion, now attacking people and seeming to know more about their attack than she did. She felt grateful, yet betrayed.

'Think I'd let you take all the glory yourself.' Liam smirked, showing his dimples as he yelled through the thick cloud of mist and stench of a mixture of the burning village and the dead bodies. Snow White smiled, knowing clearly that he had her back. They had been best friend as well as adoptive siblings for years. She didn't realise how much she needed him until that moment.

Suddenly, nine soldiers circled Snow White, cornering her against a building. Her heart hammered in her chest, her hands glistening with sweat. She swallowed, forcing the salted tears stinging her eyes not to show her weakness.