Snow White

Chapter 34

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Annabelle_the_reader
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Snow White stepped out of the tent and was met by a stinging cold as soon as she brushed away the canvas. Snow winced, but it somehow felt right. It felt like the cold had been waiting for her, shocking her and making her feel alive once again. She had felt like a living corpse since abandoning her mission and running through rebel's bodies away from Queen Margarita.

It was snowing that day, so icicles lay at the end of her nose and seemed to dissolve whenever they hit her warm blooded flesh. It wasn't the first time she had seen snow, but she was still in awe of it how something so beautiful and pure can be so deadly in excess.

Her eyes travelled across the tips of the mountain, her eyes closing slightly to enjoy the winter breeze. The silence that followed their retreat was spine chilling. Spikes of thin light impaled the snow in a bristling, moving line. All across their line of sight, the tips of the mountain range stuck up like a row of thorns. Swaddled around them were necklaces of powdery snow.

It didn't take long for her eyes to reach the Gone, all hunched over on rocks in complete and eerie silence. The Gone had become part of the scenery.

As Snow walked towards them, each footstep sinking into the snow, she watched as the snow forgot where she had been; a thick new layer of snow neatly erased her path from the tent. And then, she stared deeply into Peter's eyes, bent downwards, looking intently towards the snow.

'What is it?' Snow said without any emotion or tone, her voice inviting her words to be answered, without demanding it. 'What's happened?'

There was a long silence that followed as Peter, who was still staring at the snow, looked upwards. His green eyes bore into her own and almost made her shiver, except Snow matched his glare. 'We're invading the castle and Margarita...' He trailed off, wincing as he was unable to conclude his sentence.

Snow looked around them, they had been ready for hours and were mostly just preparing themselves. But Snow White saw how even the small  young children were eager to bare arms, as if unaware how potentially difficult this could be.

'I don't think I can do this...' Snow whispered, her voice barely audible, but the boys and girls lingering behind her all heard seemed to hear.

'Sure you can,' Patrick smiled widely. 'You'll be able to conquer him with your eyes closed.'

'No, it's not that.' Snow said dismissively, trying to pick out the right words. 'Its just that Margarita has taken so much from me and has so much control over things: my mother, my father, my sister, Peter, Harry, loads of the royals have died and many of the Gone she has attacked too. I don't want him to take any of you away...'

'Snow, we ain't going anywhere if you won't be there with us.' Peter said sternly. 'You can run, but I will always be beside you.' Peter said, his fingers lacing with Snow's as their future began to be slowly be revealed.

'Peter...'

'No, Snow.' He tipped her chin so that Snow could do nothing but look into his eyes, the same eyes that Snow both hated and fell in love with. 'Defeat Margarita, help the people in the city, rescue the people in the prison that didn't deserve it. Do whatever you have to do, but with my help. I promise that I will be with you every step on the way. Come back to me when you want to, but know that I will never stop trying until the sun stops shining.'

'I just can't any longer, Peter! I'm only human!' Snow said angrily, all of her bravery suddenly swarming to her eyes and pouring down her cheeks in rivers of tears. 'I can't risk loosing you any longer, all of you, you're all I have left.'

'We want to help you, Snow. We all care about you and I am completely, entirely in love with you. And I won't stop loving you until time runs out, because time is the only thing that seems to be in our favour.' He said and they chuckled at the final part, realising how true that statement was.

~

Harry's army was behind them now and there was nothing from stopping them from success. The sticky air hovered over them like a setting glue. It was choking Snow, suffocating her. She knew what was on the horizon as she walked slowly towards the palace.

'Good luck, Peter.' There were light tears glistening in her ears as she said his name like it was painful, because she was afraid of what the future would hold for them. Either she would die, or she would marry Harry. There was no future between them.

'Good luck.' Peter told her simply before the Gone were about to depart, in order to rescue Go e prisoners and set explosives beneath the draw bridge so that Harry and Snow could enter easier. Snow nodded, there was no need for an inspirational speech.

'If ever there is tomorrow when we're not together. There is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we're apart...' Snow felt her eyes watering as she told him and stared deeply into his, as if reading his soul that was forever her own. 'I'll always be with you.'

'I know, but don't forget that whatever the outcome, I won't let you down.' He smiled and then rejoined the Gone, waving goodbye before they set off at a tangent to the royal's passage into the castle.

'Ready?' Harry said, turning to face her. Without replying in case she burst into tears, Snow White merely nodded and stood next to him, linking her fingers through his.

Snow kept a steady pace as she ran with the royals as they hurtled through the valleys towards the enemy: her soon-to-be-step-mother-in-law (Queen Margarita). The sounds of shuffling feet echoed up the sides of the valley and the light reflecting off swords flashed more menacingly through the curtain of thick, sticky air.

'Scared?' Snow asked Matt who was beside her as they ran. Snow hated silence, even if talking wasted energy. The sound of his voice would be encouragement in itself and Snow felt relaxed that one of her closest friends was beside her, angered by the torture of the people he loved dearly also. Snow had almost forgotten it was his family and his friends that were hurt too.

'No, I love crazed soldiers who recently slaughtered, imprisoned and tortured my friends. Can't wait to meet them.' Matt replied sarcastically, but Snow felt no mirth or humour and wondered if there would ever be a time when she would.

'So funny.' Snow responded, rolling her eyes. They were standing right next to each other, but their eyes were glued forwards and never meeting once. 'Don't forget, you are only as weak as your enemies believe you to be.'

'Don't worry, we'll be fine. Just stay close to me and Harry.' He teased and Harry laughed from her other side, they both knew Snow was perfectly capable of taking care of herself.

'Ah, my knights in shining army.' Snow teased in return, almost glaring at him. 'What, you think I can handle this myself?' Actually, Snow was rather indifferent to her abilities. Sure, she was as tough externally as anyone in their gaggle of invaders, but Snow felt like an emotional wreck that could break down at any minute.

'Naw, we're just trying to be nice and helpful.' Matt cooed and Snow scowled at him, before accelerating slightly.

Every step was agonising for her. Whatever courage Snow had gathered had disintegrated to dread and she wondered when she would meet her fate. Her heart was thumping, sweat licking her skin. The icy chill of fear bit her twice as hard as before as the reality of their invasion had sunk in.

Snow turned to her friend, as if about to say something, but stopped when she saw how pale he was. The look of sheer fear and anxiety had never been so evident in him before. He could see it too. The numbers. The weapons. The power.