Snow White: Fractured Fairytale

The Road To Almandia

The road to the Kingdom of Almandia was notoriously dangerous. Feral wolves, ravenous bears, and venomous snakes roamed that land. But no animal, no matter how horrendous, could come close to the horrors of the monster that lurks in that wood.
It is deadly fast. A blink of an eye and it is gone, and so are you. It's strength is compared to no other, able to lift entire carriages with no effort.

They are the monsters that parents don't bother to mention to thier children, for they may never sleep soundly again. Though they are rare, they are not unheard of. They are the terrors of the land, killing entire kingdoms and villages at a time singlehandedly.

The victims are always the same. Drained of most, if not all blood from a bite in the neck. Some are swift, clean kills. Others are drawn out, messy, bloody massacres leaving the body mangled and unrecognizable.
There are some who have managed to survive these brutal attacks of these monsters. They are practically heroes to those who hear of thier survival. They managed to hide, but none have survived once the monster had them in their sight.
I

t is the perfect killing machine. Every part of it designed to kill swiftly and efficiently. To capture it's victims and drain the life out of them before they even have the thought of escape.
Or if they do manage to survive, they are never seen again.
Like the girl they call Snow White. A young maiden of 15 years on her way down that infamous path to the Kingdom of Almandia with her parents.
The family of three had business in Almandia with the King and Queen themselves. They paid no mind to the awful rumors of the Queen's poisoned nature, thinking only of the money they could earn if thier task was completed in a manor in which the royals would be pleased with.
Thier journey to Almandia was not a short one, and they had to stop in the very wood which was spoken of earlier.
Mister and Misses White paid no attention to gossip of the lands, thinking nothing of the awful rumors of wolves, bears, snakes, and the aforementioned monsters: Vampires.
In fact, they laughed at the thought of such things. If they had never seen it, how could it be true?
Those very thoughts are what ended thier lives indirectly.
"Mother?" The notoriously beautiful Snow White called. "We are to arrive in Almandia tommorow, correct?"
"Yes, darling," Misses White answered. "But for now, we are going to stop and rest."

"Alright."
Snow climbed down from the wagon to help her father pitch the canvas tents in which they would sleep that night. One for Snow and one for Mister and Misses White.

The rough, tightly woven canvas draped over the wooden frame as intended, with no problem.

"Mother," Snow starts as her mother helps her settle into her cot for the night.

"Yes, dear?"

"I've heard things about this path. Horrible, dreadful things that happen, especially in the night--"

"You will talk no more of that nonsense. Now hush, and sleep. We have a long travel in the morning. And then, the real work begins."

"For the King and Queen?" Snow asks. She was always a curious child, now growing into a young woman much like a blossoming rose.

"Yes. They mainly wanted your father and i, being the best healers in the land." The two prided themselves on that fact. "But we have secured you a job as a handmaiden to the Queen."
"Wouldn't the Queen already have a handmaiden? Why does she need another?"

"Well, you know your father and i do not admire gossip." The woman says.

Snow frowns, thinking of having to wash the horrible Queen's feet.