Red Shoes & the 7 Dwarfs

Chapter 6: First Signs of Love

Snow White was putting down the mirror, when a group of guards picked up her shoes.

"Look what I've found." The head guard picked them up as Snow White's stomach dropped.

"Oh, um, those are mine. Can I actually have my shoes back please?" Snow White sweetly asked them as the guards burst out laughing.

"These are your shoes? Ha, you've got to be kidding me." The head guard continued to burst out laughing. Snow White wiggled her toes. The head guard looked her up and down, noticing how curvy she was, as well as her rather large feet.

"No way, you're not serious are you?" The head guard shook his head.

"I'm really not in the mood." Snow White rolled her eyes.

"Could you just please give them back to me?" She slowly walked towards them as the head guard threw the shoe back towards another guard.

"Ha! These won't even fit you!" The other guard mocked her as she tried walking toward him to get her shoes back, but instead of them handing them back, they played a game of keep away. Snow White wasn't able to reach high enough when they threw them over her head, and not one of the guards was offering to give the red shoes back, since they were so entertained.

"They'll fit me better than they'll fit you." Snow White said as she attempted again to get her shoes back, then she noticed Arthur, Merlin, and the wooden bunny pass by.

"Hey guys! Over here!" Snow White waved, but rather than any of them looking at her with recognition, Arthur was confused, shook his head and walked away.

"Ha, not even the hideous dwarfs will help you." The second guard mocked her as Snow White stood there silently as the guards continued to mock her and fling her shoes around.

What was once a magical time of getting help from others in order to find her father, was now reverted back to the way it once was. She knew only Red Shoes was able to seek help and get it; whereas Snow White couldn't get one glance without someone calling her names or mumbling something awful about her under their breath. Snow White felt her heart sink, but then a fire that was dormant in her belly ignited. She fisted her hands as she gritted her teeth and walked up to the second guard.

"Those dwarfs are not hideous. And I don't need anyone's help!" She grabbed his helmeted head and thrashed her own against his, knocking him to the ground.

"Ow! Ow! Ow ow ow ow!" Snow White held her head as it began throbbing; she immediately regretted her decision. The guards suddenly turned at her as the second guard stood up; the head guard took up his spear and aimed it at Snow White as she began backing into a corner, putting her hands up.

"Freeze! Put the shoes down and get on your hands and knees! You're under arrest!" The head guard ordered.

"Hey, hey, you're right, they're yours. There's no need for you guys to push me into the corner, super scary." Snow White held her hand up as she gripped her other shoe, as she closed her eyes there was a sudden outcry. Snow White dropped her hand as she noticed the guards were struck by lightening. Actually, it was magic.

Merlin stood behind the guards with his hands up. Snow White smiled to herself. He'd come back to help her. Merlin looked down at the ground and found her other shoe, for a moment he recognized the it, but when he looked at the full figured woman, he knew she wasn't Red Shoes.

"Your red shoes, m'lady." Merlin handed her the other shoe as Snow White smiled brightly.

"Thank you." Snow White blushed.

"Excuse me miss, have we met before?" Merlin asked as Snow White cringed.

"Um, well that's kind of a complicated question." Snow White chuckled as Merlin nodded.

"Red Shoes!" Arthur's voice echoed as Merlin peeked over his shoulders.

"Got to go. Stay safe." Merlin said softly as he smirked at her.

"Um." Snow White reached out, but it was too late, Merlin had already taken off running. Snow White's smile dissipated as she turned and looked into the broken mirror; she held up the red magical shoes.

Snow White had always promised to herself she would never look down on her image, but something within her longed to be looked at with affection by Merlin, who was the only one kind enough to help her. She decided that it would be safer to be Red Shoes rather than Snow White, and she knew Merlin would recognize her and treat her with more affection if she were Red Shoes. Slowly, Snow White was wishing subconsciously to be Red Shoes more than Snow White. Thus, she set down the red shoes and slipped them on as a puff of red smoke appeared and she was Red Shoes again. She held up the missing person's poster as she walked out of the cul de sac and was about to wave at Arthur and Merlin, when she noticed the two guards chasing her earlier were still looking for her. Red Shoes gasped as she turned and ran.

"Where has she gone?" Arthur scratched the back of his head as he looked around and noticed her running the opposite direction, he had not realized the two guards searching for the very same person as him (but with different intentions) had turned when they'd heard Arthur call out after her. The two guards immediately took off running after Red Shoes, when suddenly Merlin ran up to the wooden bunny and jumped on its back as they hopped up to Red Shoes

"Hold on!" Merlin picked up Red Shoes as they hopped off at lightening speed, whilst Red Shoes dropped the missing's person poster of her father.

"Red Shoes!" Arthur ran after them as the two guards stopped. They were out of breath and looked down to see the poster she dropped.

"Hmm, this is interesting." One guard smirked.