Forest of Fireflies

Chapter 32

(3rd Person POV, Snow's Castle)

Prince Charming  gave a quick peck on the cheek to his heavily pregnant wife before he exited her chambers. Their baby daughter was due any minute now, and despite no word about the Evil Queen's curse, he did not feel any more comfortable. 

He didn't want his daughter to grow up in a land where the Queen was still a threat so without telling Snow, he had arranged a meeting with the most skilled assassin in the Enchanted Forest. Charming sneaked out of the castle grounds and into the forest, where the assassin was to meet him. He waited for fifteen minutes before he started to groan out of boredom. The assassin was supposed to have arrived ten minutes ago! Just when this thought entered his head, he received the fright of his life for a hooded figure suddenly jumped in front of him. The Prince stepped backwards in shock as the assassin started to chuckle. "Well, that was interesting; scaring a Prince! Nevertheless, I do hope you agree that I'm qualified to kill the Evil Queen."

David nodded and composed himself. Then, he said softly, "Yes, I think you are more than qualified if you were able to sneak up on me like that. Now, do you remember what you must do?"

"Kill only the Queen, no one else. Not even her heir."

David muttered, "Yes. That is correct. Once you return, you must give me proof that she is dead. After that, I will give you your reward."

The eyes under the hood glimmered as the assassin's voice replied, "I understand, your Highness."

Then, in a few blinks of the Prince's eye, the assassin was gone from sight. 

.................................

(Daniella's POV)

After a late breakfast, I went to my mother's chambers to look for her. I wanted to ride Hwin today but I didn't want to go out alone with only my guards to accompany me. I was sceptical that Mother would agree, since she had killed Rocinante in order to enact the curse.

"Mother, do you want to go riding with me today? I'm...bored."

Mother lifted her head up from a book of spells and shrugged, "Why not?"

I thought I had heard wrong but apparently I haven't, for she stood up to put her book away. Then, she waved me over to come and sit on her lap. I gave her a confused look but she picked up a hairbrush from the vanity and said, "Your hair's going to fly everywhere at the speed you like to ride in, if I don't put it into a braid."

I rolled my eyes but sat down and let my mother stroke through my hair. Just when she started brushing through, footsteps approached and I turned my head around to see my grandfather walk into the room. 

"Daddy, what are you doing here?" Mother asked.

"I've come to check on my two darling girls."

The eye rolls of my mother and I must have occurred at the same time for Grandfather burst out laughing and pointed out how similar we looked. That however, earnt him an equally identical glare from both of us. He was about to leave us alone when I caught something move at the corner of my eye. Subtly, I glanced at the hallway just in time to catch a clear glimpse of a figure hidden under a dark cloak. To my horror, the figure had a bow in his hands. 

"What is-" I shouted as I abruptly stood up, in time to see the arrow fly towards us. Surprisingly, time seemed to slow down whilst the arrow was travelling in mid air. My first instinct brought me to immediately throw my body in front of where my mother was sitting. 

Then, I felt something collide into my chest, but it wasn't an arrow. It was a magical burst of energy that pushed me over and onto the ground. My head hit the floor and the even though my vision blacked out first, I heard my mother shout my name.