3. Snow
Chapter three
Snow
Regina has summoned me, and I pause in the hallway to take a deep breath, fingers barely grazing the shining bronze of the door.
I hate coming to this room.
It was Daddy’s old office. So many good memories that have been warped by Regina.
It's her throne room now, and I have no choice but to do as she says and put my head down.
So, I step into the office.
Nothing of Daddy remains. All the former warm, rich colors are gone, and the mahogany bookshelves with his leather-bound tomes are a thing of the past, replaced by endless mirrors.
The whole room may as well be made of glass, as my stepmother can’t get enough of looking at herself.
I spy the taxidermied snake on her desk, the one coiled around an apple, and I shiver.
Now the room is dark gray and velvety black, and I suck in a breath.
“You wanted to see me, stepmother?”
She doesn’t turn around at first. She keeps gazing out at the grounds, namely at her orchard near the back by the hedge.
My heart thumps.
Did she see me the other day? Does she know that I was seen?
I am not to be seen at all costs. Even Daddy enforced that strict rule when he was still alive.
He managed to keep me a secret, even if it cost him his own life in the end.
Still, I must prepare for the fallout.
Regina will be furious.
Finally, she swivels around in her black velvet chair, freezing me in place with that glacial stare.
Her eyes are the color of pure ice, and I dare not look at them too directly unless she gives me permission.
“Look at me, Snow.”
Upon her permission, I lift my chin and meet that ice-cold glare.
Regina may be terrifying, but she is still one of the most beautiful women I have ever met.
I am no match for her high sculpted cheekbones and killer pout.
Which begs the question of why she would ever be jealous of me. I always saw the green look of envy in her eyes when Daddy was still alive, whenever he talked about me and my mother, Lilith.
She smirks when she spies my fear, then leans back in her chair, stroking the scales of the dead snake on her desk.
“Snow. Care to tell me why you were in my orchard the other day?”
I’m not so sure what to say at first. How do I tell her I was rescuing a baby jay?
I doubt she cares for the local wildlife.
At least she hasn’t mentioned the man yet.
I wet my lips. “I was…”
She leans forward, clasping her hands on the desk. “Yes?”
I let the air out. “I was helping a bird.”
She blinks those ice-cold eyes. Then she laughs and sits back in her chair again. “Oh, I see. I guess that makes it all right, then.”
My heart seizes.
Her tone has just taken on a dangerous edge.
She drums her perfect manicure against the desk. French-tipped.
My nails are chipped, and I haven’t seen a bottle of polish since the day of Daddy’s funeral.
Regina won’t let me wear makeup. She tells me it would make no difference since I will always be an unremarkable girl.
I believe her.
I’m not allowed to wear pretty clothes, while she, on the other hand, has bespoke suits.
Her hair shines more beautifully than mine. It’s not as dark as my hair, more of a burnt brown, while mine is the color of a raven’s wing, but it’s glossy where mine is dull.
My eyes are a boring brown, too, the opposite of her sharp glacier.
Her chuckle wraps around my heart like an eagle’s talon. “Look at you. So pure, so precious. Can never do any wrong.”
I’m not sure I get the jibe. I saw a bird in danger, so I acted accordingly.
Anyone would.
It doesn’t make me special.
She raises her voice an octave, speaking in a mocking tone. “I bet you're friends with all the local wildlife, sweet, pure as white Snow…”
Pure as snow…
Am I?
Personally, I always hated the name. It makes me sound like a helpless princess.
If I had been named Snow storm, then sure. I may have been happy with the moniker because snowstorms are powerful. They destroy everything in their path.
But I am meek. Fragile. Easy to melt.
Regina’s parents had it right when they named her. She truly is a queen.
Finally, she rises from her desk, coming around to stand by my side. Her eyes cut deep into my skin, seeing me for what I truly am.
A weakling.
She’s a whole head taller than me, even without her pointy heels, as she grips my chin with her snake-like grasp and lifts my eyes to meet hers.
Her gaze chills me right down to the marrow.
“Don’t let me catch you near my apples again, Snow.”
She crushes my cheeks, and I nod quickly. Then she lets go, wiping her hand on a handkerchief. “You are dismissed. Return to your chores.”
I pivot toward the door, glad to be free.
I don’t breathe until I am down the hall, reaching up to press a hand to my forehead. I am sweating.
Thank goodness. I couldn’t stand to be another moment in her presence.
I haul the bucket up from the well per Regina’s orders, wondering why I can't just get her water from the tap.
But she insists that I collect it from the well and boil it later to make it safe for her consumption, giving me endless work to do as a result, and I guess this is my punishment for touching one of her precious apple trees.
I don’t care for her apples, anyway. They’re all as rotten as her.
Still, I’m grateful that she never mentioned the handsome man. Maybe she didn’t see him.
Many men enter the mansion, as Regina has an array of paramours.
Am I angry? No. Not really.
Sure, it's a betrayal of my father's memory, but I never really believed that she loved him anyway.
With one final tug of the pulley, the bucket reaches the lip of the well, and I haul it over the old brick to carry it back to the kitchens.
Except it's just a little too heavy today, and I lose my balance, tripping on my own clumsy feet.
The bucket drops to the ground, and I cry out when it feeds the grass. I remain on the ground, closing my eyes.
No negative thoughts. Remember what Mama taught you . To always be gracious, no matter what.
It was how she always conducted herself. She had to be poised in a world like ours.
To remain coy and silent in a world of ruthless men.
Father was never cruel to her, but she had to maintain the pretense that she was a sweet, delicate thing who never complained, never lost her temper.
But boy, do I want to damn the entire world right now.
It’s hard to be as pure as snow all the time…
Or as unforgivable as a white tempest.
Which one am I?
The storm? Or a blanket of fresh, untrodden snow?
It's hopeless. I will never get out of here. I will always be her slave.
However, a time will come when she grows tired of me. After all, I am a threat to her empire. My father's rightful heir.
But she will break me before she kills me. Make me a husk. There will be nothing left to kill if I am already dead inside, right?
I count down to ten, trying to maintain my composure as I get to my feet.
A polished hand reaches out for me, and I gasp, shuffling back when I meet the face attached to the other end of that arm.
It's him . The handsome stranger.
My heart skips a beat when he smiles, showcasing a pair of dimples, and my lip wobbles. "I… uh…"
His grin widens, showcasing a set of perfect teeth. "It's okay, you can take my hand. I don't bite."
His handsome chuckle awakens something inside me, and I get all fluttery inside when the sound wraps around me like a caress.
My heart's not the only thing reacting. A pulsing between my legs gives me pause, and I quickly push the feeling away, taking his hand.
I regret it the moment I spy my dirty fingernails next to his manicured hands, and I hide my fingers away in my raggedy skirts as soon as I get the chance.
He acts none the wiser to my shame. Perhaps he is a gentleman in nature as well as in status.
Yet I know better…
If he associates with Regina, he is far from gentle.
Quite the opposite.
But he hides it well. He gazes down at the bucket on the grass and sighs. "Oh, dear. You dropped your water."
I did. I should attempt to collect more from the well. It's just that I'm exhausted from the last haul.
I truly am weak. An insignificant wisp of snow.
"Let me." He picks up the bucket and returns to the well, and now I am left speechless as he helps me with my chore.
Regina will be furious.
Well, only if she found out. I spare a quick glance up.
Her window is empty. She doesn't glare at me from her vanity room today, and I count my blessings.
"Here." He brings the bucket up and rests it on the rim of the well.
I can't meet his eyes. I'm still reeling from the fluttery feeling he left inside me.
What was that? Arousal? I only assumed that happened to other girls.
Not a broken China doll like me.
Still. I should remember my manners. Just as my mother taught me. "Th-thank you."
A bout of awkward silence passes between us.
Birds chirp in the trees, drawing my attention. Luckily, I found no nestlings stranded on the ground today.
"If you don't mind my asking, what is your name?"
I'm not sure how to answer. If I had a choice, I would turn myself invisible so that he wouldn't look at me anymore.
I’d hate to steal the attention away from Regina. I can see why she likes this one.
What woman wouldn’t?
Still, I mustn’t keep him waiting. It's not polite. "S-Snow…"
He makes an amused sound. "Snow? Kind of beautiful."
I personally never liked the name. It makes me sound like a pure, sweet thing. But that couldn't be farther from the truth.
I am not sweet. I am broken. Hopeless.
I can’t even remember how to dream.
"Thank you," I reply.
"I am Ferdinand. A pleasure to meet you, Snow."
He reaches out his polished hand again, and not wanting to seem rude, I take it, cringing when I spy the black crescents of my fingernails once again.
I am such a mess. I'm not sure what else to say.
I grab the bucket, preparing to carry it back to the kitchen. "Thank you, sir, but I must return to my chores."
I scurry back to the kitchen like a mouse.
However, his voice reaches me ."Snow…"
I stop, peering over my shoulder. "Yes."
He takes a moment, seeming to prepare himself. Then he lifts his brilliant eyes, and they leave me spellbound. "You… are not safe here…"
My heart thumps, and I peer back down at my feet, worrying my lip.
What is he talking about?
"Your stepmother is planning to kill you, and you seem like a sweet girl. You… don't deserve it."
Why does the news not shock me? I guess it was only a matter of time.
I am the last threat to her kingdom. Not that I can prove it, but I have a feeling she took part in my father’s death.
The way he just died so suddenly. It always struck me as odd. They say it was suicide, but I’ve had my doubts.
Funny. I never shed a tear that day. I knew that if I did, I would have drowned in the grief.
But at least now I can reunite with my mother and father.
It looks like Regina may just get what she wanted. Her own kingdom and her happy ever after.
She never loved me or Daddy. Just her power.
"Thank you, Ferdinand, for the warning, but it's fine. I… I know, and… I accept it."
I begin to walk off.
It takes him no time at all to step forward, blocking my path, and I freeze.
"Is… there something I can help you with?"I quake.
Ferdinand reaches his hands across, placing them on my shoulders, and I lose myself in his eyes.
"Snow, you can't just wait for her to kill you. You must fight."
Fight? I don't think I have any fight in me.
But perhaps he is right. What would happen if I seized my fate and learned to fight back?
I may be alone, but so long as I show no fear, I may just survive.
"You must leave this place, and… I can help you."
"Help me how?"
He narrows his eyes."Midnight. Meet me at the front gate. I can help you escape. You're too beautiful to be hidden away. You could be a star out there."
He gestures beyond the mansion.
A star? No. I must stay hidden.
That way, I can survive.
But it may just be the only chance I get. If I escape here, I can start a life elsewhere.
And maybe this handsome stranger may just be able to help me.
So, I lick my lips, meeting his blue eyes. "All right."
Once again, I get a glimpse of those dimples as he takes his hands from my shoulders and walks away.
"Remember. Front gate, midnight."
Regina will be asleep by then. She's never been one to pass up her beauty sleep.
Meanwhile, I will still be cleaning the cinders from her fireplace. I am usually the first to wake, too.
But just maybe I can change all that and seize a life of my own. I just have to believe in myself first.
I will escape.
And I can start a new life elsewhere.
No more sweet little Snow.
It's time to become the blizzard I was always meant to be.