Crown by Reality

Snow White: The Witch and the Princess

Gothel takes a step into the shadows, wrinkles defined her implicated age between the passing griefs and joy time came forth. The girls’ defenses crumbled, softly without any grace left, from the way how a lady should act, she did not attempt to follow. She cannot take another deep breath of air, one more and she would melt faster than the wax candle does as her firmly placed afar rebelled against her will by beating against the cages of her ribs. Gothel saw how her body shook, every tear fell were the countless years they have not met for such a long, miserable years and just like that in the moment the tension melted like wax the instant she wipes her tears, the tips of her fingers roughly calloused. What a long time, she realized in a bittersweet moment as the years of the young replaced with the following wise old woman that she was. If this were a dream, to gaze upon the people’s beloved former Queen’s young daughter standing inside her shop no longer a girl carried by her Mother’s arms but a young beauty she cannot fathom how word beauty she can surpassed by her mere existence alone.

The next moment they knew, Snow White lunged towards her with the embrace. Against her cold body met the old woman’s warmth, a proof that this was no dream at all, not a daydream unable to be recalled yet time placed them as one single being, a love in a world of an almost painstakingly loveless world they lived in. Gothel trembled as her hands reached to envelope her well-defined small waist while her hands, a mother’s instinct to stroke her ebony hair cascaded in soft waves. It was not a love between two lovers, more rather two friends or even a mother for the first time has finally met, the longer they indulged themselves in between of warmth and coldness, with each passing seconds more tears fell, never bothering to wipe the tears away.

“Finally,” Gothel croaked, tears glistening under the sunlight’s soft golden touch, letting go from arms within reach did she take the chance to hold Snow’s features, a girl blessed with such beauty no one can compare, lips red as the rose perhaps even more red than the color of blood, hair black as ebony, darker than the most damned souls to have but her soft, not a scar tainted her skin that were as pale white as snow. Her face clearly mocked the evil Queen’s dark beauty compared to this Princess stripped of her title, she never failed to outshine everyone else. “finally you came, I have waited for, so, so long that I have thought… I thought death would come first before gracing myself with your presence.”

“Yes… a very long time indeed, I held my hope closely within my heart that one day I will lay my eyes on the woman my Mother considered to her close friend.”

Snow couldn’t explain herself. She laughed softly mixed with the heavy tears of river, her shoulders slumped up and down, placing herself in a different torrents of rushing laughter then a fits of sobs running after her throat and lips quivered whether to smile or twist into a pouted cry. With a deep, silent intake of air she composed herself. Taking in the sight of the old Witch in front of her, her smile widens in both nostalgia and new memories to take in at this very hour. A momentous, little reunion.

Gothel, the old croon of a witch woman the commoners dubbed her as one, Snow knows that hardly she can take an insult. Simply she had no time taking in the salted words sent towards her with or without batting an eye, all she cares about was her little shop, her customers and the like. She remains a firm believer that until the end of time, this old Witch never changed a bit apart her advance towards the days of ascending old age. She was still dressed in her long white robes trailing after, resembling after the portraits of her old Grandmother, her grace the former Queen does not exactly describe her, she was considered young looking for a middle-aged woman whose skin started to dry, wrinkles forming around her features yet her eyes were young, sharper and lively than before.

It would appear that she grows ever more fiercer and boldly as the years passed by, years that she missed unfortunately.

Then, Gothel’s lips scowled, serious laden and Snow immediately blinked, composing herself upon the years she was taught to be a fine lady, if it were not for the habits she accumulated in the palace grounds she would’ve acted unruly as a man could crossed his arms with head high up with a prideful scoff followed by a huff. Forced of habit it was not to attain, deny as much as she wants but the old croon noticed how her back straightened than before, feet symmetrical together in perfect standing, hands in front her clasped gently together, her head high up in a dignified manner and she carried all this with perfection. Not a mistake, nor a speck of imperfection touched her form. From what she can take, Snow White doesn’t even realize she was becoming more and more akin to her Mother.

“The Queen seeks your heart in a silver platter. You are an intelligent young woman, I have known that the moment her Highness the Queen consulted me that you are destined for more yet you do know the actions you did has a grave consequences following you.” Gothel mentions her Mother in high regards, a rare feat to attain coming from herself. The long-haired lady’s mind stutters for a moment from what she heard… unexpected was an understatement than anything, it took her for a while for her thoughts to catch up as her eyes and mouth agape resembling a fish frozen in ice open with a stunned expression. Is this truly her Mother?

What more can she take when the former Princess of the Schneewhitten Kingdom graced her presence inside the shop.

“H..How…?” she whispered, in the edge of fainting herself, her feet lost their touch and with a yelp she stumbled across the table, luckily her hands reached for the table top followed by a loud smack on the table earning the attention of everyone’s attention towards her, “I-I am so sorry!” wincing when her toes stabbed against the table.

The young man, Hunter to be specific had his eyes furrowed in confusion, some things clicked in answer on what relationship this witch and the Princess have before he glanced at the clumsy lady beside him, it sorted the amusing situation she has gotten herself to. From the confusion he at least found humor in this seemingly depressing place.

“Well, is it not a bad manner to curtsy yourself in the presence of her Highness herself? My, my, perhaps you have not in fear of the Queen’s decree on stripping her title away from her head,” he shook his head in a teasing manner, taking delight in her flustered moment. “Ah, who am I to speak such things?”

Her face fell faster, her mouth tightly shut against each other. That was not true! She didn’t expect anything like this at all, she had nothing to defend herself from the overwhelming turn of events. Surely, her Mother can relate as seen by the sheepish smile her lips plastered, the Princess almost appeared to gaze over her shoulder in mild pity over her state of shock as well as confusion while the cloaked man leaning against the table she stabbed her toe accidentally. Before she utter a word, Snow White sends a sharp glare over the man.

“Hunter, leave the woman alone would you not?” there was her noticeable faint lines that graced the fine line of annoyance displayed, the way her eyelashes lowers, it’s a clear inclination that he would be receiving a round of sarcastic replies. “Let the people have their freedom,” she turned to Gothel who looked at her with pride across her wrinkled smiles, “the difference I have to make has to be a far length of a margin between that woman and I. She keeps every mouth sewn and tongue removed while I can freely let the Kingdom run their words.”

"Rapunzel, your manners please. Dear me," Gothel chuckled as she saw her daughter stumble over her curtsied bow. "that should do."

Snow continued on saying, in response over her risky partake of her actions, allowing herself to answer Gothel.

"Agron, the youngest former Knight of my Father did not hesitate to form a rebellion against the Queen. I cannot leave my people to fight for their own without a sole ruler to guide all of them." she pauses, sparing a glance towards Hunter who removed his hood who after that winked towards Rapunzel and upon recognizing him, blushed, she fought the urge to roll her eyes. What a womanizer, she thought. "As you may know, earlier just today he was the one who burned the arena to ashes in front of that woman, there is nothing foolish than what he did and I am certainly not afraid to test myself."

Gothel felt the amazement bubbling from her chest, it was an amazing feeling to feel under the oppressive rule of the Queen. The courage of the Schneewhitten heir was without a doubt pushed to a forged path fit for a King, she was nothing but a Princess to the people, she did not even hold the title as the sole heir of the Kingdom and yet her commanding aura demanded, gently cascaded her strength and brave to her and she carried it like her forefathers before her. Proud, that she was for this once pure girl yet despite the fire surging aflame this blossomed woman, Snow White considered her life less important and for a simple reason as a mother, her fears could not sway the choices she will make. 

"There is no cost too great." Snow states, courage washing over her in waves. "I will be a Queen someday, Miss Gothel, I am raised to take the throne, this is-"

"-That is expected from you," she sighs, truly she does. "I know. Which brings me the question that the True Mirror, has now turned to an Obsidian Knife."

With a stern look, she flicked her hands, the curtains fell and the doors locked rendering the whole shop plunged in darkness before the candles lightened up. 

"You intend to slay the Seven Monsters in the Forests are you not?"