Snow White

Chapter 16

Hey,
Thanks for reading.
This chapter is really rather short, so you may have to bear with me until the next chapter. I may be experiencing a short writer's block, but the next chapter will be much better, I assure you.
Please vote and comment.
Enjoy,
Annabelle_the_reader
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'Not so fast, Snow.' Came a voice behind her, so suddenly that Snow jumped out of her skin. 'You need some rest too.'

'No I don't.' Snow scoffed, before reverting her gaze to the target, narrowing her eyes to get a clearer image. 'I'm not tired, Peter.' She stated firmly.

'Don't lie to me, Snow.' Peter sighed exasperated. He wasn't angry, just annoyed at how stubborn she could be. Snow released the arrow and gritted her teeth as it landed a few feet away, not even close to the tree. 'I hate liars.'

'Yeah? Well I hate failing.' Snow grumbled, turning back to look at him and withdrawing another arrow. Peter took a large step towards her and placed his hand over her own, removing the bow from her grasp, smirking at her annoyance as she reluctantly let it go.

'I can see that.' He smirked amused at her failure. 'Snow, I know what I'm doing. I know you do too, but sometimes it's just easier to let me take things one step at a time. You haven't used a bow before and we have time tomorrow,' he said firmly, half-dragging her back towards camp.

'I guess so.' Snow shrugged at his encouraging speech. They walked the rest of the distance back to camp in absolute silence. When they reached there, he gestured for her to travel up to his tree house. Peter flopped onto the bed and stretched across it, yawning widely, before tucking his arm under his neck.

'You wanna join?' He asked, before sitting up abruptly and turning towards his chest of draws. He retrieved an enormous T-shirt, which he flung to her so that Snow could sleep more comfortably.

'Thank you.' She mumbled, nodding to him. He just nodded in return and settled down, watching me disappear behind the bathroom door to change. When Snow came back, she flopped onto the floor, wrapped her arms around her body and curled up into a small ball.

'What are you doing?' Peter asked, sitting up straight and frowning down at her.

'Sleeping.' Snow replied simply, wriggling her body into a more comfortable position. Despite being made of wood, the floor was remarkably uncomfortable compared to her bed at home. She sighed, remembering her family and friends who she'd left behind, but part of her didn't care anymore. She was free now forever.

'What? On the floor? Come up here with me.' He said, patting the space beside him. In the depths of her thoughts, Snow had almost forgotten he was there.

'No, thank you.' She said as politely as possible. As kind and thoughtful as his actions were, Snow preferred the company of herself when sleeping, particularly if the alternative was someone she had only just met who had almost killed her.

'Snow, I'm not going to hurt you. These beds are big enough for three, you don't even have to touch me.' He explained, sensing the reason for her reluctance.

Snow contorted her face into an unimpressed expression. He smiled warmly at her, gesturing to the empty bed to show that Snow could sleep there instead of on the floor. She glanced at him for a second, suddenly seeing a side of him she thought never existed: humility, kindness and submission.

'I couldn't possibly-' Snow began, following his arm gesture to his own spot on the bed, which was heavily laden with beautiful, warm blankets and quilts. It was enough for him to allow her to be there eating his food and becoming a member of the Gone, let alone give up his bed for her too. Snow didn't want to impose on him that much.

'No, no, not at all.' He smiled, shaking his head to emphasise his point and giving her his hand to pull her to her feet. 'The floor won't do for you, but I can go and sleep in any of the members of the Gone's tents, I'm sure they wouldn't mind. Whereas you, who won't share a bed with me and probably won't share a bed with any of them either.' He assumed and Snow nodded.

Climbing under the covers, Snow shifted closer to the wall, allowing herself to be swamped by the vast bed spread, which was at least a double bed for one person. 'Thank you...' Snow mumbled, but was startled when he also climbed into bed next to her.

'I choose you to be the member of the Gone I share a bed with tonight, Snow, you should be honoured.' He smiled a lop-sided grin arrogantly, sending her a smirk of happiness at how he had outsmarted her and cornered her on the edge of the bed with no way out to the floor again. Snow groaned, smacking her head against the covers.

'I hate you.' She groaned angrily.

'I know, I hate you too. But not as much as I love you.' He mused, chuckling to himself and tucking himself in. 'Goodnight, Snow White.'

'Goodnight, Peter.' Snow replied, before he blew out the candles and nestled himself to sleep. Snow sat there awake for a moment, suddenly feeling cold for the first time since she arrived in the Gone's camp. The cold swept in through the floorboards and comfortingly hugged her body, reaching every part of her frozen fingers and toes. But, eventually, Snow managed to drift of to sleep.