Different Worlds

Chapter 4

Just as Emma's tears subside and she drifts off due to exhaustion, Leopold bursts in. Luckily, she doesn't stir. I slowly stand, apprehensive at the look on his face. Never have I seen him so angry.

Shaking, he points a finger at Emma. "Wake her up. She is to be punished!"

I step in front of the girl protectively, fear causing a lump to form in my throat. Mother always said I had to obey my husband. But I also have a duty to protect this little girl.

"Calm down. Please, I plead, my voice holding no confidence whatsoever.

He raises his arm and backhands me. Hard. My lip splits and my face stings from the shock, but I stand my ground.

"Snow is badly hurt. Our daughter has a broken nose and lost two teeth because of that monster!" He snarls.

"She's not my daughter!" I want to scream. Instead, I grab the man's arm and lead him out to the corridor. "Forgive me, dearest, but Emma had fair reason."

"She had no right—"

I stroke my fingers across his face to calm him. "Snow killed her kitten. It was her pet. She was angry." I glance at the closed door, praying he will follow me. "Take me to her."

Snow is lying in her bed, face bandaged and eyes glossy due to the herbal tea she was given. I sit on one side of the bed while her father sits on the other. Snow is barely able to squeeze my hand, but she manages it. I push her hair away from her face, fighting a smile. Emma really laid it on her. I'm glad to see someone has gotten their revenge.

"Your Highness." A servant comes into the room. "Your appearance has been requested."

Leopold looks at his daughter. "Tell them I must stay with my daughter."

"They say it is urgent."

I put a hand on Leopold's shoulder. "Go. I will stay with Snow."

Leopold places a kiss to his daughter's hand and my head before leaving us alone. Snow whimpers, though I can't tell if it's from pain or fear.

I stroke her hand, admiring the red scratches on her arms as well as a few on the sides of her face.

"Does it hurt, Snow?" I coo to her, dragging my nails across the marks to raise them.

She cries in pain but isn't strong enough to do anything about it. My eyes flick up to hers. She's on the verge of tears. I feel something dark, maybe even evil, inside of me let loose like a coil slowly unraveling. I wrap a hand around her throat, squeezing just enough to make it harder to breath. She panics—her nose is covered so she is forced to breathe through her mouth and the cotton within.

"You are so beautiful like this, my princess." I squeeze a bit tighter. "You deserve this. You deserve death."

A ragged gasp, a free hand reaching towards the door. I smile maliciously, glancing at the door then back to her. "You could be dead by the time your father comes back. By the time anyone comes. Just like your mother. Just like Emma's kitten. Just like the man I loved who you killed."

I pull my hand back as Leopold bursts through the door. "I must leave immediately. A villager of Sherwood Forest has just declared war on our kingdom."

"That's horrible!" I say, though inside I am rather thrilled. Not at the prospect of a war, but at the thought of poor, frightened Snow being left in the care of me—the oh-so-loving step-mother.

Snow doesn't seem to like the idea, as she has started to cry, holding her arms out for her father and mumbles incoherent words that I assume are about how I threatened to kill her. Leopold gently hugs her.