Fairy Tales Retold

by Jamie Campbell

  “I am happy you are pleased, my queen.”

  “You will be handsomely rewarded for your selfless act, Thalia, I promise you.”

  We were suddenly interrupted as one of the pages ran into the room, in a worry about something. All eyes turned to him as he spoke. “Your Majesty, his condition has worsened.”

  “It is as I feared, he’s not going to make it,” the queen replied, more to herself than the page.

  I remembered the man I had caused to fall from the tower. He wore the kingdom’s emblem, it had to be the same man. One look at Rapunzel told me she was thinking the same thing too.

  “Mother, who is not going to make it?” She asked, casting a scathing look my way.

  “Prince Casper of Glasshouse,” the queen explained. “He was visiting our palace in the hopes of marrying our daughter. When I told him you were missing, he vowed to find you. I’m afraid he suffered some injuries in his journey and now he is severely unwell.”

  “He was going to marry me?” Rapunzel said incredulously. I was equally as surprised. So he wasn’t going to kidnap her after all, my bad. I was only doing what I thought was right, surely she couldn’t hold that against me for the rest of my life?

  “Your marriage was going to unite our kingdoms in peace.”

  I gulped.

  CHAPTER 7

  “May I see him?” Rapunzel asked.

  The queen nodded elegantly, the way I always remembered her. She led us through the hallways and into the prince’s bedroom. He was lying unmoving, his hands clasped together over his chest.

  It was the same man from the forest, the one I had caused to tumble. His golden hair cascaded over the red velvet cushion under his head. Guilt shot through me like an arrow at seeing what I had done. Yet, if I had to do it all over again, I would have done the exact same thing. He was a threat to my daughter’s safety, I would still protect her with my life if needed.

  Rapunzel ran to his side, sitting on the edge of his bed. She grasped his hand in her own, squeezing it tight. “I know this man.”

  The queen stepped closer. “How? My dear Rapunzel, how do you know him?”

  “He found me. We were in love, Mother, we were so in love. I wanted to marry him. I knew we would be together forever. My heart aches for him now to see him like this.”

  “We have called for the best doctors to attend to him,” the queen replied, placing a comforting hand on her back. “Yet none have been able to heal his wounds. It seems he is lost to us forever. His kingdom is going to be very displeased with us.”

  I racked my brain, trying to think of anything I could do to help. Was there a potion I could conjure? Some herbs that might heal his wounds where medicine could not? Was there a spell I could attempt to cast? I would do anything to reunite Rapunzel with her love now. Now I knew the full story.

  “It can’t be,” Rapunzel sobbed. The heavy tears ran down her face, falling like droplets of rain onto the prince. She leant her head over, grieving for him.

  We stood there as she wept, letting all the sorrow out. We didn’t know how long it would take for her to wear herself out but neither of us were prepared to leave until that happened. We would both be there for her, both of her mothers.

  With his shirt starting to get quite wet with the tears, the prince suddenly moved. We all stopped, like perhaps it was just imagined.

  “My love,” Rapunzel whispered, shaking him and waiting for a reaction.

  Suddenly, the prince’s eyes few open as he took a gulp of air into his lungs. He sat up in one swift movement. “Rapunzel? You’re crying.” He wiped at her tears as a smile spread across her face.

  “You’re okay?” She asked, letting him cup her cheeks in his warm hands.

  “I am more than okay now you are here. I came for you,” he said softly.

  “I know. You fell, it was a terrible accident.” My heart leapt as Rapunzel lied for me. She didn’t hate me after all, I could feel it in my bones. “But we can be together now, you’re well again.”

  The prince looked up at the queen as if silently asking permission. She nodded her head before he turned his attention back to Rapunzel. “Will you marry me, my darling? Please say yes so we can be together forever.”

  “I would love nothing more.” With those words muttered, he took her in his arms, pulling her to his chest. They embraced warmly, like they were just made for each other.

  The queen turned to me. “I need you to promise me something else.”

  My stomach started to churn, not another promise. The last one had taken me sixteen years to fulfill, I had thought I was free now. “Yes, my queen?”

  “You have to promise me you will continue to be a part of our family. You don’t have to stay in the palace, but it would be our honor to have you. Rapunzel is just as much my daughter as yours.” She looked at me so warmly, I could have melted. It was literally an offer I could not refuse.

  “Yes, my queen, I promise.”

  CHAPTER 8

  Ten days later, Rapunzel and Prince Casper were married in a beautiful ceremony in the palace gardens. It was a magical day, so full of happiness and color. It was more than I could have ever imagined.

  And to be a part of it was something else entirely. When I had made that promise to the queen sixteen years ago, I never could have imagined what future it would bring for us. Every minute was worth it to keep the princess safe for moments such as these.

  I kept my new promise to the queen and remained in the palace for the rest of my life. People stopped calling me the witch, they even forgot about my inability to cast spells, they all saw me as the woman who had saved the kingdom. It was a title that made me blush with embarrassment, but I still wore it with pride.

  The queen explained to me one evening why she had never given me the signal to return. They were never certain it was actually safe to come back. The kingdoms all around were still threatening to invade. Even to this day there are still problems. Yet they would always be there, it was all part of being royalty. She was grateful to us for having made the decision for her.

  Rapunzel and I spoke every day afterwards. We would have tea together high up in the palace turret, just like it was our own tower. We would laugh and joke, and I would braid her long red hair in a plait. I never joked about cutting it off.

  When Rapunzel had children of her own, I was there for every moment of their upbringing. The three boys and two girls all had fiery red hair, just like her. I had to admit they had their father’s eyes though, bright blue and sparkling. I loved them just as I would have loved my own children. After all, I was their godmother.

  The End

  KILLINGSNOWWHITE

  CHAPTER1

  It was the happiest day of my life. “I do,” I muttered as I looked into the eyes of my beloved. He was the most handsome and kind man I had ever known and I loved him with all my heart.

  “I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your queen.”

  My stomach did back flips as my king kissed me in front of the entire kingdom. They erupted into cheers of joy for our union.

  My new husband led me into our reception, the cheers never abating. We sat at the head of the table, a feast laid out before us. The music started and it was the most perfect day I had ever had. I never wanted it to stop. If I could have stayed in that moment forever, I would have been deliriously happy.

  The whole thing felt like a dream. I had wished my entire life to find a man that would love me and make me feel beautiful and my husband was everything and more. He was perfect in every way so when he had proposed, I didn’t even hesitate for a second before accepting.

  It was his second marriage, he had already lost one wife to illness. But that was many years ago, his heart was healed and ready to love again. They said I was too old to get married at thirty, that nobody would want me. I thought I was an old maid and gave up all hope of having a family of my own. Until the day I met the king.

  “May I have this dance?” My husband as
ked politely, bowing low and holding my hand in his. How could I possibly refuse?

  “Of course you may,” I replied. I let him lead me onto the dance floor, a large checkerboard pattern on the stones. We were in the middle of the palace, hundreds of candles lit our way.

  He twirled me around and around until I was giddy. I don’t know if it was the movement or the fluttering of my heart. Either way, I couldn’t stop giggling. I was getting my happily ever after, it was really happening. To me.

  “Oh, I think someone is waiting for me.” The king abruptly interrupted our dance to stop and stare at his daughter. She was standing behind me, a little girl of twelve with hair as dark as a raven and skin as white as snow.

  He let go of my hands to grasp hers. I retreated to the sidelines and found a seat with which I could watch them. I was looking forward to having a daughter. I hadn’t spent much time with Snow since our courtship but I imagined all the wonderful mother/daughter things we could do together. It would be so much fun doing each other’s hair, eating scones and tea together, and choosing pretty dresses. I couldn’t wait to get started.

  Yet the longer I sat there, awaiting my king’s return, the sadder I was starting to feel. With every twirl around the dance floor, Snow looked at me. There was something about that look, the way her lips curled into a smirk, that made me uneasy.

  I tried to imagine how it would be for the poor girl. To have her father remarry must have been difficult. It had been just the two of them for eight years. To suddenly have to share her father with another woman would be hard. It would take some getting used to for all three of us. I would give her time and let her come to me slowly. Then we would be the best of friends.

  After all, it was just a few dances. I could wait patiently for my husband to return after a few dances. I was the adult there, I would let Snow have her fun. After all, it was almost her bedtime.

  Yet her bedtime came and passed again. I sat by myself at the table watching them for hours. Nobody talked to me because I was now the queen and it was bad manners to converse without formal introductions. So I sat there alone, wishing for some attention. I wanted to dance so badly, I wanted my husband to hold me in his arms. That was where I felt most at home and happy.

  Eventually, I went to bed by myself. It didn’t seem like their dancing would ever end and every time I tried to get his attention, Snow would snatch it straight back again. I didn’t want to break their bond so I thought it best if I just took myself out of the equation.

  I stood in my chamber alone, staring into the mirror as I took off my jewels and crown. They truly were beautiful and they were all mine now. But they were no substitute for my husband. I wanted him there with me more than anything.

  Looking back on that night now, I should have known it was a precursor to how our marriage would be. I would always be second to Snow. And I would have been fine with that, I understood the bond of a parent and their child. What I didn’t expect was to be completely shut out of their lives altogether.

  CHAPTER 2

  “I thought you might have called upon me last night,” I said over breakfast the next day as I buttered some toast. I said it casually, like it wasn’t cutting through me like a knife and hurting – which it was.

  “I’m sorry, my darling, I got caught up dancing and Snow didn’t want to stop,” the king replied, equally as casual. I nodded, not wanting to cause a fuss.

  “Perhaps you can make it up to me today by coming riding with me? We could take a picnic down to the lake,” I suggested. The weather was beautiful, to be indoors would have been a crime.

  “I want to walk in the woods,” Snow piped up. It was the first time she had actually participated in the conversation since she joined us. “Daddy, please say you’ll walk in the woods with me?”

  The king looked between us and I instantly knew which activity he would choose. I tried not to let my heartbreak show on my face. Their time together was important too, I just had to give Snow time to adjust.

  “The woods sound like fun too,” I sighed, plastering my face with a smile.

  “Walking in the woods it is then,” my husband said cheerily. I could only hope he appreciated my sacrifices. It wasn’t exactly how I planned to spend my first day of marriage.

  And yet that first day was exactly how every other day of our marriage went. I would plan to do something, my husband would agree, and then Snow would want to do something else. I always let her have her way, fearing she wouldn’t like me otherwise. All my ladies in waiting told me I should stand up to her, lest she do it forever. But I couldn’t. I wanted to have a daughter so badly and I was certain she would eventually come around.

  Two years later, I was still waiting. Right up to the day when my husband lost his life. He was killed while out hunting with his men. They were only supposed to be gone for a few hours and yet they never returned.

  When I was told, it was like my entire world had broken into a thousand pieces. I had expected to spend the rest of my life with the king, we would grow old together and live in complete happiness forever. I will always remember that moment as the worst moment of my life.

  Snow was even more difficult to deal with after that. She didn’t take the news well either. She called everyone a liar and stormed out of the room, breaking an expensive vase on the way out. I tried to run after her and offer my shoulder in comfort but she wouldn’t accept it. Somehow, she had thought the whole thing my fault. Like he wouldn’t have been killed had we not been married.

  She was angry, I understood. I gave her space and continued to let her come to me when she was ready. I had to run the kingdom now until she was old enough to claim the throne. When she was married, that was the time the law said she was ready.

  I took comfort in the last gift my husband had given me – a mirror to sit on my wall. It was oval and surrounded with gold. He had told me it was magical and taught me how to use it. If I spoke to the glass, it talked back. Apparently it was enchanted.

  “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the most beautiful of them all?” I would ask it. The mirror was supposed to then reflect my own face back and tell me it was me. My husband said it was to remind me how lovely I was when he wasn’t around to tell me. Now that he was gone, his words cut even deeper.

  The burden of running the kingdom took a heavy toll on me. I never realized how much the king did until it was all up to me. He worked hard ensuring his people were happy and had enough of everything to live a comfortable life. It was no easy feat. I did my best but I was certain everyone thought I wasn’t up to his standard. I agreed, but I was trying so hard.

  One morning, it was just like every other morning, I was having breakfast. Snow had joined me but had not said a word. I tried to engage her in conversation. It was just the two of us in the room, I didn’t have anyone else to talk to even if I wanted to.

  “That is a very pretty dress you have on today,” I commented, trying to be nice.

  “My dress is none of your business,” Snow replied insolently. It irked me but I couldn’t let her get to me. I wouldn’t let her push me away when she needed me the most.

  “Is it new?” She just stared at her food. “I was thinking of going into town today to visit the people, would you like anything while I’m there?”

  All of a sudden, she stood up and threw her fork down onto her plate, sending it careening to the ground and breaking. The noise echoed around the palace walls. “You are not my mother! You have no right to talk to me. My father never even loved you, he was only using you to look after me.”

  She stormed out of the room once her venomous words were lingering in the air. I knew I shouldn’t take her words to heart but it was a little difficult. She was always saying things like that. For some reason, she got it into her head that her father was looking for a replacement mother for Snow instead of a wife. According to her, he never wanted another wife after he deeply loved his first one so much.

  I knew the king loved me like a husband should. Ye
t as much as I told myself that, it seemed like there was always Snow’s voice reminding me that I was wrong. It was like I couldn’t remember my husband now without hearing her words. She was ruining his memory for me and I hated it.

  Every time I got upset, I would retreat to my mirror and ask it the question my husband told me to. Each time, it would tell me I was the most beautiful woman in the land and I would think of my king. It always brought a smile to my lips.

  So I couldn’t hate Snow, not after she had lost both of her parents. Instead of attending to her myself, because clearly that wasn’t working, I organized for Snow to have the best nannies and tutors that the kingdom could buy.

  Over the next two years, I left her alone. I would get regular reports from the nannies and Snow was recovering well. My only concern was her temper. Apparently she still held a great deal of anger within her.

  She was approaching the age of marriage and I feared putting the burden of the kingdom on her unstable shoulders. I didn’t want to make her anger worse, I knew how difficult the job was. I was torn about what I should do and what the king would want me to do, so I continued on ruling until I knew she was ready for it.

  She didn’t like it that I was the queen. I think she wanted me to abdicate the moment her father passed so she could take over ruling. I stuck to my promise of being a mother to her and wouldn’t do it. We continued to avoid each other until our meeting was inevitable at the age of sixteen.

  CHAPTER3

  I was sitting in my throne room when it happened. I was speaking with my advisor, sorting out some issues when she barged in through the doors. They rattled, making an awful noise.

  I instantly dismissed my advisor and guards, dreading what was about to happen. I didn’t want anyone to witness Snow’s behavior. Everyone else loved her, they thought she was a perfect young woman. I didn’t want to ruin their illusion.