Wicked Stepmother

A Night Ride

Not long after this, I decided it was time to finally go for the night-ride I had promised myself. There was no reason to think His Majesty, my husband would disapprove in any way or try to stop me but nevertheless I preferred to act in stealth. I wanted to do what I chose to do, not what I was "allowed" to do, nor was I prepared to discover I was not allowed after all.

I had my riding habit hidden away and I put it on and watched the groom as he went to his bed. I had brought some carrots to make friends with the excellent white mare and I quietly crept into the stables. I patted noses to try to still the expectant whickering as more than one horse smelled the carrot pieces, but I finally gave them to the mare who was my choice and while she was quietly disposing of them I slipped her tack on and gave her a confident rub to show her she could trust me. 

Then I led her out. I was about to mount up when a dark figure accosted me.

"Stop thief. That is my horse" a quiet feminine voice told me

"I am the Queen" I said icily but my heart sank as I saw my privacy endangered by this twist. The figure came into the light and my breath caught in my throat. It was a girl about my age with her hair coiled around her face as a coronet and pearls shot through it. Her habit was silvery-white and she had a train although she had hitched it up.

"The elusive Snow White" I guessed.

"That is my horse" she said with some spirit, "and I suppose you are going to go crying to my father and..."

"Why would I do that?" I asked. I was going to concede the horse, because I could see her point, but something in the stubborn set of her mouth made me feel mischievous.  I threw my leg over the mare and quickly moved her into a canter. I looked back once before jumping the fence and Snow White's face was white in the moonlight and she looked angry rather than despairing. If she had looked sad I would have done the decent thing and turned back, but the proud set of her body made me shrug and keep going. She could be angry, I would have my moonlit ride on the white mare.

I circled around a few times in the autumn forest, trying to ignore spooky noises like the owls and whatever else was disturbed by my presence. It was colder than I had expected and soon I grew bored and turned back. I had planned to apologise to Snow White but when I got off the horse, before I could speak she turned on me.

"You probably frightened her you horrid, irresponsible woman" she snapped, "I had thought we might be friends but you are just the worst step-mother anyone ever had!"

"You're just a spoilt little girl" I sneered, to cover how guilty I felt, "and your horse is too slow for me anyway. Don't worry I won't take her out again!" The mare snorted at my insult, as if she knew I lied, belittling what I couldn't have. My heart sank at the thought that now I had made an enemy, and one who was such a favourite with the king. I saw ahead of me a long and difficult rivalry which I had almost no chance of holding my own in.

But Snow White laughed.

"Too slow for you?" she asked. I looked at her, feeling ashamed of my outburst but not wanting to show it.

"She's not slow. You're full of horse-shit" she said rudely. I wondered how to answer that without conceding anything but also without worsening the situation.

"She's not slow" I agreed, "but you were too slow to stop me taking her out"

"You did mount up very smoothly" she said with an admiring note to her voice. I looked her properly in her beautiful face. She was grinning.

"Don't steal my horse again though, wicked Stepmother."

"If you behave, I suppose I can let you have your horse." I conceded with as much dignity as I could

"Behave? You wouldn't know the meaning of the word" she said, "I hope you don't think you get to spank me when I don't" there was something in her voice that reminded me of Agnes, though here was not the loyalty and obedience of a servant, here was someone who was used to having noone above her.

"Maybe I will spank you" but didn't look worried. She took charge of the mare and I went back to my room.