The screech was worse than the image. Arms and legs flailing about. Her curly black hair flinging this way and that as she frantically shook her head. Gripping the edge of the sheets brutally. Snow White held on so tight, her knuckles began to turn white, and her fingertips a bloody pink. Rose Red woke to the sound of a killing and found her little sister screaming at the ceiling, her poor little face: bloodshot with pain and fear. Tears escaped Snow White's tightly sealed eyes, and ran down her soft, red cheeks. Terror in her eyes, Rose Red propelled out of bed and over to her baby sister, shaking her out og the nightmare. Snow White stared blankly and afraid.
"Are you alright, Snow?" Rose Red asked, her voice a little hoarse, "Was the nightmare the same again?" Snow White slowly shook her head, not looking at her sister.
Snow White had been having continuous nightmares ever since their parents died. The nightmare had been the same for almost five years, but this was one of her worst episodes. Rose Red hated seeing her sister like this. She needed to do something, but what? She would be eleven in a few months, yet still, what could an eleven year old little girl do to fix such an enormous problem?
Nanny had heard the horrible scream from precious Snow White, but felt all she could do was wait it out and pray. The next morning Nanny went to the village and made an appointment with the local doctor. Quenn disappeared again after breakfast, and Rose Red took Snow White to the abandoned church, deep in the woods, and beseeched that the great Lord would lend them some aid. Rose Red usually didn't go to church or pray regularly, but now she had a reason to. Rose Red knew the doctor couldn't help. They needed a miracle; magic maybe? A witch.
The church was old, much older than the village, and ducky. Cobwebs lined the isles, spiders and raccoons resided on the pillars in the high ceiling. The two young girls came to the church many times as babies, but haven't been back since the death of their parents. Rose Red and Snow White had been in the church all day, Snow White reliving happy memories, and Rose Red praying for more.
"Nanny?" Rose Red asked that night at dinner, "Where is Quenn? His roast is getting cold."
"He's out fighting again," Nanny sighed.
"Again? That's been every night this week." Rose Red exclaimed. Even she thought that was overboard. "Why is he going so much now?"
"He says he's saving up to buy something special. Though he won't tell me what it is. Stubborn child, he is."
Rose Red was worried. Nanny and Snow White had gone to sleep and Quenn still wasn't home. What was he doing? Rose Red thought. She waited in the sitting room for him to return, and kept his plate of roast in th over on a small flame. After a while, Rose Red became sleepy and nestled into a ball on the couch that faced the door. He'll see me when he comes in,Rose Red thought, he'll wake me and I can talk to him then. However, that would not be the case.
Quenn came in, a little around midnight, with a thin trickle of blood running down his face. He did see Rose Red, and smiled at his sleeping beauty, his fiery red headed princess. He loved her. He loved her with a bright, burning passion that could never be destroyed.
While Quenn washed up, he noticed he had a great, purple bruise around his eye. Damn, he thought, Nanny's going to have a fit. And Rose Red, what would she think? Would she cuddle and comfort him while he was hurt? Or would she laugh and pity him for being so weak? Quenn was terrified of what she might say. But when he stepped into the sitting room again, all his fears washed away in Rose Red's grace. Her position was adorable. Her head tilted and propped on a pillow, showing all of her beautiful face. Her body was curvy; her legs bent, one extended over the other. One hand lay softly on her stomach and the other hung lazily off the side of the couch.
Quenn knelt down by Rose Red at first, studying her amazing features. Then, being bold, he layed beside her on the couch, moving carefully so not toe wake her. As he settled in, Rose Red shifted and turned to him, sleeping still, and nestled herself into his arms. With her head layed on his chest, he softly ran his fingers through her looping hair. Quenn's smile never left, and he too, was soon fast asleep.
The next week went by gradually, not too fast and not too slow. Rose Red never found out why Quenn was fighting so much, but Snow White did. She pushed the truth out of him. He was earning money for Rose Red's charm. By the end of the week, on the fourteenth day, Quenn bought the charm and the fitted choker necklace. He was so proud of himself for going to such great lengths, and all for the girl he loved. However, he decided not to give it to her yet. He would wait until she was sixteen (legal age to marry) and he would present the charm as a proposal gift.
Snow White's dreams went on and on. Nanny sent for doctors, healers, herbalists. None could help. Rose Red knew what she must do, though Nanny had forbidden it. But then, when did that ever stop Rose Red? Even when Nanny told her to stop fighting, she went on. Not in the arena, but in the woods. Rose Red found ways around rules, and she was sure she could find a way around this one.
Nanny was the one to wake Snow White up this night. Rose Red had already gone. Snow White was no longer in the prison of her nightmare, but she still cried. Cried out for her sister. While Nanny tried to calm her down, Quenn went in search for Rose Red, hoping she hadn't done what she said she would.
This forest was dark, blood-curling, and Rose Red found herself jumping at every little sound. She had never been in the dark side of the land, wand now knew why. It was terrifing. Shadows lurked around every coner, every tree trunk; watching you. And when you looked, they turned away. There was always a presence fallowing you, but no one to be seen. Dead leaves, twigs, and vines covered the floor, making Rose Red trip if she wasn't careful.
And the trees. The trees stared down at Rose Red, glaring, warning her that if she didn't leave, somthing terrible would happen. They stood tall and fearsome. With claw like brances, worn out trunks that looked like scars, and no leaves. Just barron thorns shooting toward the clowdy night sky. There was no moon that night, so Rose Red took an oil lanturn to light her way. But even with the bright flame, she was afraid. For soon, she came upon the witch's cave.
It was blacker than the night, covered in webs, roots, and vines, all flowing in the wind from the outside. Rose Red stood at the entrance, trembling. Her heart beat so loud, it echoed in her mind. Her breathing became hard and slow as she tried to calm herself. But then her body froze and her blood jumped as she felt a coldness on her shoulder. A hand. Did she dare look at it? Did she dare look at what had held her now?
Yes. She did.
Rose Red let out a long, realiefing sigh as she saw that the boney hand belonged to a sall old woman. She was pale and frail, slightly wrinkled but very aged. She had long wavy white and gray hair that dragged along, a long crooked nose, and a wide, sweet smile.
"Are you lost child?" The old woman's tender voice sang. She then took her hand away from Rose Red and looked at her again. "Rose. I thought you might show up here." The woman laughed.
"You know me?" Rose Red asked.
The woman said nothing, but simply smiled and guestured to the cave, signaling for Rose Red to enter. They both then walked through the narrow shaft together.
