Ehrhart

The Huntsman Changes

The weeks marched on like devoted soldiers. Anastasia returned as often as she could to Snow White's village, a tidy town called Lohr am Main just over the crest of the seven hills. She often borrowed Wilbert to get there, and Snow White quickly became fast friends with Anastasia. The two would meet and talk together near the well.

Most of the time, to Anastasia's utter boredom, Snow White (she began to insist that Anastasia call her simply Snow) would dream aloud about meeting and marrying the most handsome prince in all the land.

"And who would that leave me with?" Anastasia would joke, usually only so that she could hear Snow's tinkling laugh.

And Anastasia never got caught. On one such occasion, Anastasia said farewell to Snow after a quick meeting (Anastasia had much to do that day) and rode back to the Queen's palace, where she saw her father reading in the study.

"Lucky man," she told him upon entering. "You get to sit around and read all day while I work my tail off."

"Growing young women don't have tails, Stasia," her father said, smiling.

Anastasia plopped down next to him on a wooden chair. "How is life in the palace treating you?"

Her father's eyes glistened with happiness. "It's been amazing, Stasia, truly. The Queen has stopped treating me with distaste and now looks highly upon me. She says one day I may even become her right hand man!"

The Queen? Anastasia shook her head. That woman was more fickle than the weather. "That would be... interesting..." Anastasia said indifferently.

"Surely she will then support both of us," her father said. "She'll let you become a girl of more importance to the palace. Wouldn't that be-"

"Great," Anastasia supplied. "I suppose it would. If you'll excuse me, I think I need a breath of fresh air."

Anastasia stepped outside to take a walk. What she was about to see would change her forever.