Red Shoes & the 7 Dwarfs

Chapter 2: Red Shoes

One year and a half later.

At King White's castle, or what was left of it, Regina appeared in a golden hood and barefooted as she made her way to her secret lair where an apple tree was giving fruit. As Regina used her Magic Mirror's roots, she walked towards her lair above the rubble of the crumbling tower. She lowered her hood as the bell outside began to chime three times as she spoke; her three henchmen greeted her as she ignored them.

"Magic tree, magic tree, let this morning be the time that you perform your duty." She looked up as the third chime rang and the sunlight came streaming in as two apples turned into elegant red shoes.

"Bringing me the shoes of eternal beauty." She picked them one after another as she put them on the grass beneath her and slipped her gray wrinkled feet into them as she smiled and felt their surge of magic course through her veins as she began to transform into a beautiful queen.

"Yes! Yes! Change me!" She said triumphantly as she fisted her hands and smiled as her hair turned from gray and white to a scarlet red, her skin a pale complexion and her cheeks were a rosy red. She looked at her hands as she smiled.

"Finally!" She closed her eyes and breathed in the moment, basking in her victory when suddenly she felt the magic fading as she quickly began aging again.

"Agh!" She looked down at her shoes as they appeared brown and rotten. She kicked them off as one of them struck her henchman as it's wooden teddy-bear head fell off.

"Not again! How long must I wait!" Regina pulled her hood up as she quickly turned and walked out the door, slamming it shut behind her.

"Clear those shoes away! And pull yourselves together." She scoffed as she stormed off to talk with her Magic Mirror. The three wooden bears did as was requested.

As day turned to night, a rope dropped down into Regina's lair as a strange figure immerged. It was Snow White. Her curvy figure descended down the rope as she managed to jump down and landed on her backside as she groaned. She jumped up and looked around, she noticed a tree growing in the center of the room.

"Huh, that wasn't there before. What is she up to now?" Snow White turned and began to look in every nook and cranny as she gritted her teeth and heard something open the doors as she ducked and hid behind a large desk as one of the wooden bears was flying on a broom and held up a lantern.

"Huh? What's that?" The wooden bear looked at the rope but didn't see anyone.

"Whatever." The bear shrugged as it left, Snow White attempted to sit up but hit her head on the desk as she yelped in pain, when suddenly a secret door opened to reveal a red journal.

"Huh, yes." She sat at the desk as she began reading.

I can't believe my beloved daughter Snow White has turned eighteen, I only wish her mother could see the kind of smart and beautiful young woman she's become. A strange thing happened during the party, the castle guards brought in a woman named Regina. They said she was a witch, but she was too beautiful to be a witch. I have married Regina; everything feels so perfect! Except for Regina's strange looking mirror. There's something not right. People around the castle have been disappearing, one by one, because of that peculiar mirror. I saw it with my own eyes. Regina was talking to a tree; she must be a witch. I should send Snow away, to a safer place.

My dear Snow, by the time you read this, my fate will be uncertain. She's coming for me now, I only hope you can find the Fearless 7 and ask them for help.

Apples, a most suspicious of fruits.

"Oh Papa, where are you?" Snow White put the journal down as she sighed when the bell began to chime as she looked up and noticed two apples beginning to bloom.