Once Upon A Time ~ Book 1

Chapter 19 - Snow's Story

Charming followed Snow through the forest. They climbed hills and crossed fallen trees.
They walked in silence. Snow was holding the glass bottle, with the dark, sparkling dust, that was hung around her neck.
"Thought you weren't the jewellery type." said Charming when he saw the tiny bottle hung around her neck. "What's that around your neck?"she let go of it. "Don't worry about it."
Then Charming leaned forward and tore the battle from her neck.
"Careful!" Snow shouted. "It's a weapon."
"What, dust? What kind if weapon is dust?" he dangled it next to him.
Snow attempted to grab it back but he moved it away. "Fairy dust."
"I thought that was a good thing." "When it comes from a good fairy. This stuff us deadly. It transforms the most fearsome of adversaries into a firm that can be easily squashed."she attempted to take it again but Charming just held it out of her reach.
"Then why didn't you use it on me?" he smiled.
"Cause your not worth it."
Charming stowed the bottle into his leather coat and chuckled.
They began to walk again.
"It's very hard to come by." she said. "I'm saving it for a special someone."
"The Queen." he shook his head. "Got a lot of anger there, don't you, Snow?"
"The charges on her posters are lies..... Didn't stop her from sending her huntsman to rip out my heart."
"What happened?"
Snow stopped and turned to Charming. "Well, not everyone is a soulless royal....... He took pity on me and let me go....... I've been hiding in the forest every since...... Trying to amass enough fortune to leave this place...... Escape to another realm....... Somewhere isolated...... Where I can never be hurt."
"Sounds lonely."
"No lonelier than an arranged marriage."
"At least I don't prey on the innocent."
"Up until now, I have only ever stolen from the Queen..... I thought your carraige was one of hers...... No one else uses that road."
"We took the scenic route."
"We, lucky for me. All I am doing, Charming, is what it takes to survive...... She wants me dead."
Snow began to walk again.
"So what did you do to incur that much wrath?"
Snow stopped again. "She blames me for ruining her life."
"Did you?"
She thought for a moment. "Yes."

Snow and Charming kept walking. They walked near the river. Snow stepped towards the pebbles by the river.
"I'm thirsty. May I?" she asked.
Charming nodded. "Sure. Make it quick."
Snow walked to the river and Charming followed. She cupped her hand into the water and held the water to her mouth.
She turned and Charming knelt down to also take some water. She stood up. Then just before Charming stood up Show kneed him in the face and pushed him into the river.
Charming shruggled in the water while Snow took from Charming's shachel and ran back towards the forest.
Snow ran through the forest and arrived at the road, she looked around, she knew someone was there.
She turned and ran and stopped suddenly, on horsebacks, ahead of her was three of the Queens dark gaurds. They cane quickly towards her, Snow didn't even move, she knew she couldn't escape them.
"Look who we found." said the gaurd in the middle, he was the only one out of the three of them that hadn't his face fully covered.
His eyes were dark and hos features were strong.
The two other gaurds came closer and surrounded her.
She looked down at her neck, looking for the little bottle that wasn't there.
The gaurd facing her jumped from his black horse and walked slowly towards her. "There's no where to hide." he said as Snow looked ferociously around. "Queen wants your heart......" he drew a silver knife from his belt. ".........and we're not going to disappoint her."

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Graham followed by Emma and Mary Margaret tramped through the forest. It was almost nightfall and there was just enough light to see ahead.
Graham bend down and felt the ground in front of him.
"What is it?" asked Emma as they stopped.
"The trail runs out here." he said looking ahead.
"You sure? Cause I thought tracking was one of your skills."
He stood up. "Just give me a second..... This is my world..... I got it."
"Right. Sorry." she stared at his turned back, disbelievingly.
"What does he mean 'his world'? Isn't finding people you thing, too?" Mary Margaret asked Emma as he walked further down the forest.
"Sure.... Just, people I find usually run to places like Vegas..... Not a lot hit the woods."
"It's an interesting job, finding people. How'd you fall into it?"
"Looking for people's just what I've done.... for as long as I can remember."
"What made you start?" she persisted. "Your patents?"
Emma looked at her surprised.
"Henry told me that you're...... That you were from a similar situation to his own..... Did you ever find them?"
"Depends who you ask."
Mary Margaret looked at her confused, but didn't get to question. The sound of rummaging came from behind them. They both turned quickly.
"Henry!" said Mary Margaret as Henry ran quickly to them.
"Did you find him yet?" Henry asked.
"No, not yet." said Emma. "You shouldn't be here."
"I can help. I know where he's going."
Mary Margaret looked at him confused. "And where's that?"
Henry looked at Mary Margaret. "He's looking for you."