Eirwen

Snow White

moments before the meeting with the prince

"Where have you been, Eirwen?"

"I went out to visit father," I started to explain, but she raised her hand to silence me and the cold look she shot in my direction made me hold my tongue.

"You left castle without my permission?" she raised a delicate eyebrow and cocked her head to the side and waited for my response as if the answer would change simply because she posed the question. the breath in my throat caught, and i could feel my palms start to sweat.

"I-i um," my mind raced as i searched for an acceptable excuse. then suddenly and certain unexpectedly we were interrupted my Brighton, my mothers' appointed boot licker. he was a middle aged man whose salt and pepper hair made him look older than he was. he was dressed in the traditional uniform of our castle. white trousers, black dress shirt and a red tie. in actuality he was more of stepmothers' right hand man than anything. he basically ran the palace for my step mother, she made all the big decisions but the day to day stuff was put up to him. he usually nagged me day in and out about responsibilities and such. but i couldn't help but be grateful for the interruption.

"Your majesty we have visitors." she waved him off with a flick of her wrist.

"i don't want to see anyone right now,I'm having a conversation with Eirwen." She said not looking up from me.
"Um yes your majesty but um,"
"Um what? Spit it out Brighton." Her gaze broke from me turning to him and I could picture the look of annoyance she had probably thrown in his direction.
"He's the prince looking to align himself with us." Stepmother looked slightly confused then she broke into a smile, and her face lit up as if something had suddenly come into light.
"Of course, thank you Brighton your dismissed." Brighton took his leave post haste and I couldn't blame him stepmother was terrifying when she put her mind to it. She turned her to me again. "We will discuss this act of disobedience later, for now retire to your room and finish any last minute preparations for tomorrow's ceremony Mary Margaret is already waiting for you." I nodded then curtseyed and took my leave. Once I had rounded a corner my breath returned to me. I continued walking til I came to a halt down the hall from my room. I could actually see the door from here,  but somehow it looked so far away and every step I took only seemed to push it farther.  The conversation from earlier my stepmothers gaze accusing and cold.  I braced my body against the cool stone wall. It was usually like this when I talked to stepmother I don't know why, but my resolve my voice it all seemed to melt away when she spoke. A pressure built up in my chest and breathing become difficult if not impossible. My body slowly started to slide down the wall and just before I fell someone caught me before I could see who it was my eyes rolled into the back of my head and everything went black.

I was moving or was I? My chest rose and fell irregularly and my breath short. My eyes stung from the smoke when I tried to open them,  the air was thick and tasted burnt. I forced my eyes open anyway,  I felt them start to water immediately but I held out. I was moving it wasn't my imagination. My legs weren't moving but I could see the walls going by in a blur. They were black with soot and charred. I moved my head around to get a look at the situation, and was unsuccessful as my entire body seemed to be wrapped up tightly. The only thing I could tell was that I was being carried in someone's arms. Finally I managed to turn a bit and came face to face with them. Before I could take anything about their face our eyes locked. Those eyes were so familiar I had seen them before somewhere. The memory was just out of my grasp and I couldn't reach it.
I sat up with a start  my eyes instinctively taking in my surroundings and senses on high alert. It was bright and warm after a moment my eyes adjusted and I could make out the walls and sitting chair and other various objects.  It was my room, I breathed a sigh of relief only to have confusion follow right after. How did u get here? Before I could question it further a knock came from my door.
"My lady? Are you awake? We must start getting ready?" I nodded and then remembering she couldn't see me called out.
"Yes Mary Margret, enter" not a second later the opened and there stood Mary Margret, my lady in waiting. She had soft brown eyes that always seemed to convey calmness at all times.  She says that patience is a virtue and never letting anyone know what your thinking is your greatest weapon in any battle.  She always seemed to be smiling even when she was upset which just about never happens.  Her hair fell in dark curls that's rolling waves seemed to shame the ocean itself  her lips were Ruby red and it was completely natural. I had known her just about all my life and I love her like a sister. She was wearing what I think must've been  the simplest dress in her closet.  It was a simple dress that was a green that almost appeared to be black it had a simple floral pattern that swirled with colors of red, blue, and pink.  She was holding, what I assumed to be,  a dress slung over her left arm.  I raised an eyebrow at her. "What's?...." I didn't have to finish my question she knew exactly what was I going to say. Her mouth dropped open and her eyes widened.
"Your crowning ceremony? The one that starts in less than four hours?" her initial shock wore off and she was sporting a bemused look as if she were an adult explaining something mundane to a child. I rolled my eyes at her face. Then what she said started to take root.
"My rehearsal for the crowning ceremony tomorrow!" I couldn't help the excitement that slipped into my voice when I said it.
"My lady? The ceremony is today." her words shocked me.  Did that mean I've been asleep for nearly a day? My thoughts were interrupted by Mary Margaret herself. "Come we must begin to get us ready. " I nodded turning and picking up a brush from my dresser and handed it to her. I stared at the vanity I was sitting at as she ran the brush through my light light blonde hair and suddenly it hit me. The gray eyes from my dream. That were so familiar. Looking in the mirror it finally clicked.  They were mine.