Snow White After Ever After

Part 2

At one point during the night, I woke up hearing voices.  I tensed when I heard the female voice, thinking the Evil Queen was coming to wake me up with a bucket of ice cold water.  Then I remembered everything that had transpired and knew the voice to be Belle's.

              “I just can't believe it.” She was saying, “I know she was young, but it still hurts.  No memories of us at all?”

              “I have to say, I'm pretty surprised too.” Phillip admitted, “I came up behind her when I first saw her because that's what I used to do when she was little.  I thought she'd know me immediately.  I couldn't believe it when she ran away.”

              Belle sighed, “Now, she seems scared of me.”

              Phillip raised his eyebrows at her, “Well, you haven't been all that nice to her, what, with threatening her with a knife and making mocking comments throughout her story.”

              “I'm sorry!” Belle exclaimed, “But all I could think about is what I would have done differently.”

              “I know that, but if you want her to love you like she used to, you have to start showing that you love her.” Phillip told her.

“I guess I'll try to be nicer.” Belle said, not meeting Phillip's eyes, “Now let's go to sleep.”  She curled up without another word and closed her eyes.  Phillip looked at her for a second, then at me.  He sighed and went to sleep as well.  I could tell he was thinking ‘when did this family get so messed up?’

“Rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty, cause that's who we're off to save.” I awoke with a jolt at the sound of Belle's sarcastic voice.  I quickly climbed back down the tree as Belle and Phillip grabbed their weapons.  Phillip had a long gleaming sword while Belle was holding her mirror.

“Where's your weapon?” I asked her.

“Right here.” She replied, wiggling her looking glass.  I raised my eyebrows at her.

“Really?  A mirror?”

Belle winked at me, “I made a few modifications.”  With that, she sliced at the nearest tree. To my shock, it gouged straight through the it, leaving a long scar on the bark.  I gave the mirror a closer look and saw that the sides were razor sharp.

“Nice.” I said, impressed.

“I thought so.”

“This is for you.” Phillip interrupted, shoving something into my hand.  I looked down and saw I was holding the handle of a long dagger.  I screamed and dropped it, flashing back to the time the huntsman almost killed me with a very similar looking instrument.

Belle groaned, “Out of all our siblings, we get the fourteen-year-old with PTSD.”

Phillip shot her a harsh look, then said to me, “You can just leave the weapon.  After all, this is your first rescue mission.  It's not like you'll be fighting.” 

Belle nodded and they both took off without another word.  Startled by the abrupt departure, I ran after them. Soon we reached a stone wall that was about eight feet high.  Both Belle and Phillip turned toward me.

“From now on, you must be quiet.” Phillip whispered, “Do exactly as Belle and I do.”  I nodded vigorously and Phillip turned toward the wall.  He took a few steps back and ran toward it, jumping at the last second.  He grabbed the top of the wall and pulled himself up.  Belle did the same thing and then it was my turn.  I swallowed nervously, then ran at the wall and jumped.  All I succeeded in doing was slamming into the wall and would have fallen back down if Belle hadn't grabbed me at the last second.  My face burning with embarrassment, I looked to see what was on the other side of the wall.