32. Thirty-Two
Thirty-Two
Madam Evangeline
Madam Evangeline waits in her parlor for her guest. After receiving word that a huntsman had captured Snow's heart, she told her staff to alert her immediately upon his arrival, though she is skeptical of his word. Just this morning Evangeline visited her looking glass for a glimpse of her daughter's whereabouts when she caught a small flash of Snow in a cabin, working on her magic. When Evangeline saw Snow's eyes glowing metallic copper, she seethed with rage.
"That insolent little wench is using my powers of her own accord." Evangeline turned her back to the looking glass when it showed her nothing more than a glimpse.
"Who does she think she is, practicing my magic? I can only hope she gets herself killed from her own arrogance." Evangeline then ripped open the door of her bed chambers and stormed down the hall to the parlor room to await her huntsman.
Despite her skepticism, Evangeline still could not stop the small bloom of hope that the huntsman did, in fact, do what he claimed to. She knew better than to let hope bloom, but from all the years of her obsession consuming her every thought, she couldn’t stop the dream of victory finally coming to fruition. Regardless, she clings to the rush of her morning fuzion preparing something special for her elite guards.
There she sat in fury as her maid brought her tea with brandy. She was stirring in the honey when her staff approached the room.
"Madam, the huntsman is here." He bows low, his dark, crisp uniform creasing at the waist.
"Excellent. Bring him to me." Evangeline takes a deep gulp of her tea, letting the heat and the bite of the brandy burn all the way down. She sits back as he enters, skepticism on her face as she eyes the filthy man.
Upon entering the room, the huntsman bows, removing his hat and exposing the balding pattern that crops his head.
"I hear you have succeeded in your task."
"Yes, Madam. I've got the proof right here in my satchel. Snow's heart no longer beats in her chest." The huntsman fumbles with his bag as he walks further into the room.
"Tell me, did she put up a fight?" Although skeptical, Evangeline can't help but dream that this could be it. There is a small possibility that the huntsman could have killed Snow and headed back to the manor if she was closer than Evangeline originally thought. But it is a small chance, one that doesn't seem likely.
"Oh yes, madam. She fought and thrashed before the dagger sank deep into her chest." A sick smile creeps onto Evangeline's face as she imagines the scene before her.
The man unravels the soiled cloth in his hand, revealing a hunk of bloodied, dead flesh. Sharp serrated edges of the veins hang limp from the organ. The tissue has nearly lost all its color, appearing grayish beneath the darkened red of the blood. This heart isn't fresh, and it isn't human either. The huntsman holds it out for Evangeline to inspect.
Her heels sink into the plush rug beneath her as she walks towards him, further inspecting the heart. As she suspected, this heart does not belong to Snow, or any human, for that matter. It is entirely too big and too dead to be from Snow's chest. Not when she had just seen her alive an hour earlier. This heart belongs to a swine by the looks of it, and it makes Evangeline's blood boil when she thinks of how stupid this huntsman must think of her. Not to mention the false hope he sparked in her.
"Tell me, huntsman. Did the victim squeal when you butchered it?" Evangeline's eyes bore into him.
"Madam?" He looks at Evangeline, legs trembling.
"You are a liar and a fool, thinking you could trick me into rewarding you for such work." Her voice is low as a growl as she towers over the huntsman .
"You thought you could enter my home and disrespect me so?" Abandoning his charade, the trembling man now drops to his knees, the heart falling from his hand and rolling across the floor.
"No, Madam. I . . . just . . ." He stumbles over his words.
"Don't attempt to justify your actions, huntsman. You are a sorry excuse for a man." Evangeline removes a small blade from the pendant dangling from her necklace and slashes it across the man's exposed neck before he can utter another word. Blood gurgles before the huntsman falls to her feet in a heavy thunk. Evangeline picks up a cloth from the sitting table beside her and wipes her blade clean.
"Maid! Clean this up." Evangeline wipes a speck of blood from her cheek with the lacy napkin leaving a smear of crimson on the delicate white cloth. "I'll be in my study."