by S R Nulton
I pondered that for a moment.
“No.”
That seemed to surprise him. “Really? Why?”
I sighed. “We aren’t ready. He’s still strong right now. You said that the mirror will weaken him?” Spinner nodded. “Good. We should let it continue. Meanwhile, I’ll tell Snow to start visiting the villages and getting more information. She was supposed to start doing that soon anyway, but now I can direct her a little by telling her which ones will be the most open. We need to get the people ready and put the pieces in place for a takeover. That means getting an ear to the ground and finding out what the biggest problems are going to be.”
He blinked. “That is… surprisingly well thought out for someone who was insane a few weeks ago.”
My smile was wry, but I did nothing to sweeten it. “Yes, well, it was a plan in the works for years before I lost my mind. Ironically, the curse has helped me see things more clearly. Blue Beard’s spells always grow in intensity the closer he is. Even mine. That means that the capital and the other cities will be harder to free because he spends all his time there. The northern villages and the ones on the edge of the country will all be much easier to speak to. They are also less likely to tell the king that his daughter is actually alive. If we move slowly, we can get everything in place before needing to call in reinforcements.”
“But you will, won’t you? Call for help? I don’t want you to face this all alone, my dear. Particularly not if people become aggressive when the spell wears off.” He watched me with soft eyes, reminding me of my grandfather.
“Of course. I’ll make sure to keep in contact with you every week, giving you reports about how the country is doing. That way, if I don’t check in, you can send someone in. If Snow lets me know it’s time, I’ll let you know. Until then, I hope you will trust us to take care of things.”
He smiles warmly. “Of course, my dear. But know that I am always here to speak with. And I can be there within minutes if needed.”
We chatted for a little while longer before he left, but I didn’t feel so alone anymore.
It was a really nice feeling.
CHAPTER 4: THE DANGERS OF FASHION
SNOW WHITE
Two years. It had been two years since I saw my mother last. Two years since I’d faked my own death. Two years since I left her alone with my father as she slowly lost her mind.
It’s amazing how fast time can move while seeming to drag on.
To be fair, I hadn’t been idle during those two years. I’d been sent to live with some of Mama’s distant relatives by Merriweather, the Fey. I’d only seen him once since then, but he had told me he wasn’t going to help anymore, so it made sense. I knew for a fact that he was helping raise his goddaughter, so I wasn’t going to hold it against him.
It seemed my destiny was to be trained by dwarves, starting with Mama. Within a week of arriving at a way station near Mama’s old home, I had a tutor named Lorith and Earyn, his sister, in charge of my guards: Edwald, Moor, Pretty and Blaise. And yes, Pretty looked just like her name indicated, very pretty. She was also very deadly with a war hammer. Unlike Merriweather, my tutor and guards seemed to believe it was their responsibility to educate me for my future. In other words, they wanted me to replace my father and not be an inept neighbor. Not that I blamed them. No one wants to get rid of one bad ruler and replace them with another that is just as awful.
It wasn’t an easy situation for any of us. They had to figure out just what was needed to run a human kingdom and I had to get used to being around people again. People who didn’t actively hate me. It was very uncomfortable and involved trips to various villages within a day’s ride once I stopped having panic attacks at dinner every night.
In my defense, for most of my life I’d really only spent time with three other people, two of which actively injured me on a regular basis when I was a child. I adjusted fairly well, though, and enjoyed learning about how normal people act and react. I even got to meet my grandparents and great-grandparents! Well, my step-grandparents, I suppose. They were quite happy to claim me though and came to visit several times, telling me all about Mama when she was little and helping me learn about different cultures in their bloodlines.
Mama was a bundle of quirks from all the different races in her, but she acted the most like a dwarf because that was the community she grew up in. It was actually fascinating learning about the history of Wraiths from someone who had lived through much of it and about the prejudices of the Fey from someone who experienced every hurtful word.
Naturally, I talked all about my adventures to Mama. Not in person. Actually, I had sent her a letter every single week since I’d left. Tutor Lorith had explained it when I told him what Merriweather had said. It turned out that the stone doves were connected to one another and we could use them to send notes back and forth, an ancient enchantment that could get through most spells and had been used in ancient wars long forgotten. Mama’d only responded a handful of times though. Even in letters, I could tell she was getting worse. She’d go off on tangents about everything from the weather in the Northern Wastes to the likelihood of mice learning how to sew dresses for deserving young women.
The most distressing part was when she went into a jealous rage about the women my father had brought back to the castle. The women who never left or were seen again. I could tell she recognized that her reactions were wrong, but nothing could be done.
So, to say I was surprised by the contents of the letter she’d just sent would be an understatement.
“It’s gone!” I whispered reverently.
“What’s gone?”
I jumped. “Tutor Lorith! When did you come in?”
The older man huffed and sat down heavily in a chair next to me, looking every bit the stereotypical dwarven librarian that he was. From his long grey hair and beard to his large nose, glasses, and surly expression.
“Right about the time you said ‘It’s gone!’” he responded, using a squeaky voice while imitating me. “Now, answer my question. What’s gone?”
I smoothed the letter in my lap. “Mama– I mean, Mother’s curse. It’s gone. She’s been freed.” It was hard to be formal while talking about Mama, but I was doing my best. According to Lorith, formality was important.
Tutor lifted a bushy eyebrow. “Is it? How fortunate. Did she say how?”
Nodding, I handed the letter over. “Some strangers came and fixed the mirror. She waited to tell me until she was certain that it was going to be permanent.” I sat for a moment, allowing him to read the letter. I always did. Tutor and the guards were excellent at deciphering her ramblings. Most of them actually connected fairly well, if you knew what to look for. It also helped them get a feel for what my father was up to.
“We should visit.”
Tutor Lorith’s head jerked up. “What?!”
“Hear me out,” I said. “Near the bottom, she says that we need to start visiting more villages, trying to get information about the state of the country. Why not stop by while we’re traveling, to make sure that she really is back to normal?”
He harrumphed and finished the letter before responding. “A spell on the country does explain why we had so much difficulty talking to the villagers before.” Which was true. They’d tried taking me out to both dwarf and human villages over the last year, mostly to make sure I could socialize in such a setting, but we’d discovered a distinct lack of concern on the part of the Fretche citizens regarding the state of the kingdom. They were nearly destitute and still didn’t blame their king. It was unnatural.
Luckily, Lorith agreed that we needed more information. That was why, only three days later, we were waiting in the woods near my old home. I’d sent Mama a letter the day before to set up a meeting.
A bird called through the forest. Then it called again, but the same pattern but in reverse.
She’s almost here! I was so excited that I had to stop myself from bouncing, but that was second nature. I’d grown u
p in a very dangerous place and hadn’t had much joy until my Mama had moved in. At that point, I was safe, finally free to be myself. Still, it wouldn’t please my tutor and guards if I were to break cover too soon.
Mama walked out of the bushes, looking nearly the same as the last time I saw her. Once she was in our meeting place she stopped and waited. About five minutes later, another bird call sounded and we all relaxed. That was the all clear.
I shifted slightly, seamlessly leaving my cover behind a hedge-like bush and appearing in front of her. It was a maneuver I’d been practicing for the past two years and it felt good to be able to do it as silently as my guards. Dwarven guards may look clumsy, but they are deadly quiet. You have to be if you want to walk around a cave without your movements echoing and alerting everyone where you are.
But, my mama had grown up learning that skill, so she wasn’t surprised to see me appear.
“My little light,” she breathed before throwing herself at me. We embraced for a long time, neither of us wanting to pull away. Finally she did, but only enough to hold my face in her hands and look me over. “You’ve grown a little. And you look so beautiful.”
“Thank you, Mama. But you still look sick.”
She blinked and then started to giggle and my heart dropped. She wasn’t one to giggle much, not before the curse.
“Sorry! I forgot for a minute what I looked like. I’ve had to hide my recover.” Then she dropped her disguise. “Better?”
I nodded, but before I could speak again, a voice called out from behind me. “Are you about done? Because we have things we need to talk about.”
Ah, Tutor. Always in a rush when it isn’t about his books.
“Lorith? Is that you?” Mama asked. “I didn’t think anything could get you away from your studies, let alone out into the forest!”
He smirked. “I know. I didn’t want you dragging me out into the woods so that you could use me instead of your botanical book when you wanted to know something.”
She laughed. “True enough. How have you been, old man?”
“Tired. They have me chasing after your young chit. She sits well enough, when you can get her to stay still. It’s a good thing you taught her the proper conduct for the library.”
Pretty, hidden somewhere nearby, cleared her throat pointedly.
“Ah, yes. We’ve little time.” Mama sighed and turned back to me. “Listen up, Snow. You have a job to do. You know that, right?”
I nodded. “Checking in on the villages. But I’m still a bit confused about one thing. Who exactly are we reporting to?”
“Rumplestiltskin or the Spinner, as your father calls him. He’s going to keep the rest of the nations apprised of the situation and help advise us. What you’re doing is tracking the spell, seeing if it’s weakened and which areas are free. You will also be checking to see what problems have formed while your father mismanaged the country. We know he was neglectful of the small villages, but how could you fix that? What are they hearing from the cities? Are the officials corrupt or just unable to work effectively with your father in power?”
Tutor Lorith frowned. “So, this is a rebellion? We are deposing him?”
“Not exactly.” She sighed again. “I mean, yes, we are, but I don’t think he’s actually the king. Not legally. His journals… well, I’ve gone through them a number of times and he wasn’t the king, just a lesser noble. That lasted for a while, then he was suddenly ruling. There was no coronation. He doesn’t even refer to himself as a king, just a ruler. And no mention is made about where the old king went. It’s odd.”
“He’s still being deposed, but I see your point. Is there a plan in place yet?”
She shook her head. “No. We need to do the research before we can put anything together. Right now, we want to figure out how fast his curse is receding. That will give us a timeline. I do know that at least one of our neighbors has offered support, but I declined. Bringing an army in right now would not be appropriate, not until we know more.”
Silence took over the clearing. We’d run out of things that needed to be said, but neither of us wanted to leave.
I bit my lip before moving to hug her again. “I love you, Mama.” There was no point in calling her anything else. She would always be ‘Mama’ to me.
“I love you too, little light. Be good, be strong, and be safe.”
And then she was gone.
Time to go start a rebellion.
~
It had been over a month since I’d seen my mother and I finally understood what she’d asked us to do.
The first time I’d visited the villages in my area, they’d hardly spoken to me. Any disparaging comment about the king was cause for a violent fight and no one seemed all that aware of the problems he’d caused.
After speaking with Mama, the changes were startling. People were much less content with the king, grumbling that he never did anything for them and complaining about the taxes they were forced to pay. Which was a legitimate concern. One town was being charged a tax on fish that they caught in a nearby lake. The tax was more than the price of the fish itself would cost. They were essentially having to pay to catch their own dinner.
Surprisingly, the villagers were thrilled to see me when I showed up. They may not have known who I was, but they knew I was willing to listen to their complaints. That was enough, particularly if we found them in the pub. Half the time, the person leading the discussion and grumbling the loudest was the local mayor or ombudsman. Apparently, they were tired of being blamed for the crown’s reckless and selfish actions.
I really couldn’t blame them. I would feel the same in their position. Actually, I was in their position, they just didn’t know it.
My father’s influence over the country had shrunk significantly over the nearly six weeks I’d been traveling. Most of the north and a good chunk of the eastern border were free but the south was still completely in his thrall. There was no telling how long it would take for the cities to shake the curse, not with the amount of time he spent there.
That was a bit of a concern for me. Most of the country was suffering because of his neglect and greed but what was it like where he lived? I had few ways of knowing what was going on there, let alone what damage he had done and it was frustrating. Most of my information came second hand.
“I know most people complain about nobles, but I think they have it the worst,” one merchant was telling me before taking a sip of his ale. “They have this perpetually scared smile on their faces. If they don’t play nice with him, they just disappear and whatever relative is closest takes over. The ones who live farther away started leaving the country completely. They aren’t even taking anything with them. I’ve snuck five nobles down to Lettelach in the past seven years. Not one of them came from the capital.”
I frowned. I’d always figured that the nobles would be his willing toadies, but it didn’t seem to be working that way. Then again, nothing seemed very typical about Fretche.
“Are any of them chummy with the king?”
“Nope. Not one. Oh, sure there have been a few over the years that tried. He doesn’t like nobles much though.”
It reminded me of what my mother had said. He’d been a lesser noble, then suddenly he was ruling. From the books I’d read about other countries, I knew that the lesser nobles were often looked down on and excluded by the more wealthy or politically active ones. It seemed my father still held a grudge over how he’d been treated, back during his natural lifetime. That was how I thought of it, his natural lifetime versus everything that came after, and nothing that came after could be considered natural.
“By the way, lady,” the merchant began. “I have something for you.”
I blinked. “What? What do you mean?”
“Well, you’ve done so much for the village, and all the villages in the area, that I thought you deserved a gift as thanks. I picked it up in the city and instantly thought of you. Just give me a moment.”
; And then he walked out of the pub, leaving me sitting there feeling lost and a little confused. I didn’t want word of my existence to get back to my father, but it might if the villages were talking about me. I hadn’t even done anything! I would have to check in with the guards to see what we could do about it.
Then suddenly, he was back. “Here! I hope you like it.”
I took the gift and pursed my lips. “You bought me a corset?”
The merchant blushed heavily. “It’s a bodice. Made out of the finest silk and embroidered with–”
“It’s a corset. A very pretty one, but still a corset.” And it was. The red silk had been carefully embroidered with apple and cherry blossoms and the stamens were sewn gold thread. Truely, it was magnificent, but it was still a corset. Seeing his skin darken more, I decided to let it go. Sometimes being raised like a dwarf is problematic. I’m just too blunt for most of these people. “Thank you, I’ll… treasure it?”
“Well, go try it on!” a barmaid demanded as she put another ale in front of the merchant. “I want to see it on you! Here, you can use the back room.”
It’s not very dignified, being dragged around by a barmaid or bullied into a fancy corset. Lucky for my sense of propriety, I didn’t wear a corset regularly, using a tight vest instead so that it was easier to use. That meant I didn’t have to completely strip to try on my new gift. Just mostly strip.
Cause that’s not uncomfortable or anything.
“There! Isn’t that pretty! It makes your waist look so tiny,” Sally, the maid, declared before pulling me out of the room so she could show me off.
“Yes, pretty. Um, I think this is a bit hard to breath.”
“Nonsense! I made sure not to tighten it too much. You’re obviously just not used to them.”
But I was. I’d worn corsets most of my life. Father had insisted and Bekins had enforced the rule. I’d worn them from the time I turned ten until I ran away, with the exception of my trips into the woods with Mama. I knew corsets.