There was once a princess who slept in the sky.
Who slept in the bed of sleeping princesses. No one could awaken her. Not even the many princes who pressed their lips upon her still-warm but motionless lips. She has slept on the bed where she is laid down on for generations. Kingdoms and civilizations have come and gone, but there she lay, in the center of the city of dwarves. No one could awaken her.
She was as white as snow, but she was not Snow White.
She was as fragile to look upon and behold, but she was not Cinderella.
She radiated an intense but largely incomprehensible beauty, but she was not Belle.
She slept with a slight smile of a carefree soul, but she was not Ariel.
She was the princess of all princesses. She was the sleeping beauty.
The fairest of them all.
Aurora, some called her. But she was not Aurora, for Aurora died many ages ago.
This nameless princess, the true sleeping beauty, was neither as charming or distinct as all the princesses in the pantheon of royal ladies, yet she was the most universal in attraction. People who passed her resting place could feel her light fall on their faces, and they would be happy.
She would never wake up. Not even beyond the age of centuries. Most have forgotten her. Even the Prince of Thieves and Snow White have forgotten that there was another hope, besides the tree of their hearts, for the land of Fairies to relight their old fire and glory.
But the sleeping beauty will never wake up. She will never wake up. No prince would wake her. No shooting star. No frog from the bushes near by. No beast and no giants. Nothing.
Not even the Prince of Thieves, were he alive, would be able to steal her sleep and wake her from her peaceful slumber.
However.
Her mind moves.
Her thoughts are alive.
Her thoughts are not asleep.
Not today.
The sleeping beauty wants to wake up. Yes. She does.
But no one knows her secret.
So no one can save her.
She sleeps.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Friday, February 2, 2007
#12 - Tinkerbell's Covenant
The
She had been the Queen for a trillion years. And she was bored. She had built and established her kingdom to the point of autonomy. Her guidance was needed less everyday. Her responsibilities were fading. She had little to do. She had no man to love (who could love a Queen of the dead?).
Queen Tinkerbell was bored.
She flicked her wand, and sprayed pixie dust into thin air, and breathed death into the nothingness before her, and conjured a little infant. A little boy child. He was a beautiful baby, with blond hair, emerald eyesm and ruby lips like the Queen herself. He cried his first cry of life, only he had no life. Queen Tinkerbell held her baby boy, and sang folk lullabies of the pixies.
Then Queen Tinkerbell summoned Rumplestilkskin to her courts.
”Rumplestiltskin, I am the bearer of Snow White’s covenant with you,” declared the Queen.
“I know,” answered Rumplestiltskin, still plump and hardy as was his days in Fairyland (He ran an entertainment business, where he would spin golden ropes of hope and hook it to the land of the living, and the dead would climb it, catch a glimpse of life, then have the rope disappear, and let the holder fall back into death). “And I see that your Highness has a baby boy now. I congratulate you.”
“Thank you, my Queen. But may I ask why you did this? Your switch of curses with Snow White and the Prince of Thieves was a fair one, and you did not have to ever fulfill the vow. Yet you created this child for me. Why?”
“Well. I was bored.”
*
At night, Rumplestiltskin spun perfect ropes of life, and weaved an unbreakable basket. He laid a cloth in the basket, and placed the baby boy there. The baby was fast asleep and breathed heavily. As the
Rumpy looked at his baby, and whispered, “You are born of the dead, yet you are alive. You can live here, but you can live in Fairyland too. Because you are born of an eternal presence, you will live forever in the land of the living. You will never grow old. You will never be kept to the ground. You will live free forever, until the day you decide yourself that you want to return to me.”
And he hoisted the baby into the land of the living.
Rumplestiltskin shed a tear as the unbreakable basket felt sunshine. He could almost hear the baby cry.
“Goodbye, little Peter. Goodbye.”
Queen Tinkerbell smiled as she saw all that transpired.
*
End
#11 - Happily Ever After
It was late evening, and it was drizzling. The sun was almost set in its place of rest, and the world was cast in a light blue.
The Prince of Thieves drove up the street leading to the suburbs slowly. Snow White was with him, sleeping in the car. It was a long drive, he has been driving for the past four hours just to get to this place.
"Honey, we're here," The Prince of Thieves woke Snow White gently after he parked the car under a tree just beside a row of houses. They both got out of the car, and stood under the tree.
"Is this it?" asked Snow White, looking at the tree.
"Yes, I'm quite sure it is. This is the only tree that has lived since the days of Fairyland," answered the Thief.
"How can you tell?"
"I can tell."
"Okay. So."
"We have to do this, Snow White. We've been running and hiding for milleniums now. We've lived through the rise and fall of a million civilizations. We've been happy. We've been together. And now, this tree is that is left of where we came from, and we can't let it die."
"The tree is not dead yet, dear."
"But it will be, if we leave it like this. It has survived so long without being cut down, its fortune is running out. We have to let it live, at all costs."
"I know."
"We have lived long enough, love."
"Yes, I suppose we have. Everything that lived during our time have already passed on to other worlds. Even the gods and fairies, creatures we thought would be eternal, have all passed on. It is only because you stole death away from us, that we have lived this long."
"Mm. We've seen more than any normal living being would've been allowed to see," agreed the Prince of Thieves. He closed his eyes and thought. About what, we do not know.
"Let us save this tree then," he finally said.
*
Snow White and the Prince of Thieves dug a small hole beside the tree with their hands. The sky was almost dark by the time they had dug. The leaves of the fairy tree slowed the tip-tapping drizzle into streams of water that fell on the two lovers. The Prince of Thieves wept as he pressed his fingers into the ground. Snow White remained silent as she removed the soil.
Both Snow White and the Prince of Thieves kneeled beside the little space that they have dug with their hands. By then the Prince of Thieves had removed his tie, and had put his coat around his beloved. They looked at each other and smiled, before reaching into their bodies with their hands, and removing their hearts.
It glowed red and gold in the night, and nothing more.
Snow White gently placed her shining heart into the ground, and the Prince of Thieves followed suit. Then the drizzling stopped, and the winds ceased to ruffle the leaves of the fairy tree.
As the two of them buried their hearts beside the tree, they remained silent, as did the rest of the world.
*
The Prince of Thieves and Snow White sat under the fairty tree. She was lying in his arms, and The Prince of Thieves gently stroked her coal-black hair.
"The roots of this tree will find our hearts," said, assuring himself and Snow White (for he has said this a thousand times) "and from it, a new world will grow, a world like the one we came from... Whether we have succeeded in restoring Fairyland, I don't think we'll ever know."
"It doesn't matter anymore. We've done what we did. We don't even have time to hope. We are dying,"
"Yes, we are. I love you."
"I know."
And they rested under the tree. Sometimes they were silent. Sometimes they spoke, reminiscing old adventures (for their adventures were many, and mostly dramatic).
Airplanes flew over the skies; trucks, taxis and cars passed that street; paddlers strolled past them, but the world paid no heed to them.
It was their last night in the land of the living. They faded as the night passed. In the lunar cycle, the sky was seventeen days away from lighting a full moon, yet the moon hung from the sky in its full glory that night.
*
As for when the birth of a new Fairyland will be, we will never know. Perhaps tomorrow, or next year, or a thousand years later.
Or perhaps the world would have ran its course by then.
We will never know.
As for the Prince and the Princess, I guess many would tell their tale and say that they did live a "happily ever after" life. Some would go so far to say that their tale lasted almost an eternity, yet seemed too short.
But yes. Happily ever after.
*
The Prince of Thieves drove up the street leading to the suburbs slowly. Snow White was with him, sleeping in the car. It was a long drive, he has been driving for the past four hours just to get to this place.
"Honey, we're here," The Prince of Thieves woke Snow White gently after he parked the car under a tree just beside a row of houses. They both got out of the car, and stood under the tree.
"Is this it?" asked Snow White, looking at the tree.
"Yes, I'm quite sure it is. This is the only tree that has lived since the days of Fairyland," answered the Thief.
"How can you tell?"
"I can tell."
"Okay. So."
"We have to do this, Snow White. We've been running and hiding for milleniums now. We've lived through the rise and fall of a million civilizations. We've been happy. We've been together. And now, this tree is that is left of where we came from, and we can't let it die."
"The tree is not dead yet, dear."
"But it will be, if we leave it like this. It has survived so long without being cut down, its fortune is running out. We have to let it live, at all costs."
"I know."
"We have lived long enough, love."
"Yes, I suppose we have. Everything that lived during our time have already passed on to other worlds. Even the gods and fairies, creatures we thought would be eternal, have all passed on. It is only because you stole death away from us, that we have lived this long."
"Mm. We've seen more than any normal living being would've been allowed to see," agreed the Prince of Thieves. He closed his eyes and thought. About what, we do not know.
"Let us save this tree then," he finally said.
*
Snow White and the Prince of Thieves dug a small hole beside the tree with their hands. The sky was almost dark by the time they had dug. The leaves of the fairy tree slowed the tip-tapping drizzle into streams of water that fell on the two lovers. The Prince of Thieves wept as he pressed his fingers into the ground. Snow White remained silent as she removed the soil.
Both Snow White and the Prince of Thieves kneeled beside the little space that they have dug with their hands. By then the Prince of Thieves had removed his tie, and had put his coat around his beloved. They looked at each other and smiled, before reaching into their bodies with their hands, and removing their hearts.
It glowed red and gold in the night, and nothing more.
Snow White gently placed her shining heart into the ground, and the Prince of Thieves followed suit. Then the drizzling stopped, and the winds ceased to ruffle the leaves of the fairy tree.
As the two of them buried their hearts beside the tree, they remained silent, as did the rest of the world.
*
The Prince of Thieves and Snow White sat under the fairty tree. She was lying in his arms, and The Prince of Thieves gently stroked her coal-black hair.
"The roots of this tree will find our hearts," said, assuring himself and Snow White (for he has said this a thousand times) "and from it, a new world will grow, a world like the one we came from... Whether we have succeeded in restoring Fairyland, I don't think we'll ever know."
"It doesn't matter anymore. We've done what we did. We don't even have time to hope. We are dying,"
"Yes, we are. I love you."
"I know."
And they rested under the tree. Sometimes they were silent. Sometimes they spoke, reminiscing old adventures (for their adventures were many, and mostly dramatic).
Airplanes flew over the skies; trucks, taxis and cars passed that street; paddlers strolled past them, but the world paid no heed to them.
It was their last night in the land of the living. They faded as the night passed. In the lunar cycle, the sky was seventeen days away from lighting a full moon, yet the moon hung from the sky in its full glory that night.
*
As for when the birth of a new Fairyland will be, we will never know. Perhaps tomorrow, or next year, or a thousand years later.
Or perhaps the world would have ran its course by then.
We will never know.
As for the Prince and the Princess, I guess many would tell their tale and say that they did live a "happily ever after" life. Some would go so far to say that their tale lasted almost an eternity, yet seemed too short.
But yes. Happily ever after.
*
#10 - Epilogue: The Songs of Eternity
While all stories after the first nine episodes can be randomly read, this story takes place immediately after #9
*
A young lady, cloaked in grey, a walking stick in hand, journeyed very far to reach this place.
*
She came from the forest of a faraway land, bartered her treasures with the sailors to take her to the Eastern shores, where even sailors never sail to. On her sea journey sea nymphs took the ship away, but the Sirens knew who the young lady was, and spared her life. She was a nymph once, one of the sweet singers of death. Or at least, she has a bloodline that can be traced to these surreal creatures of the sea.
The Sirens laid her by the cliffs where they resided, and let her sleep. Constantly fading in and out of sleep, the young lady could hear the sirens sing in the night. The songs they sang in their own homes were significantly different from that which they sing to lustful sailors. They sang songs that told many stories. They sang songs of how the world began. They sang songs of how the first fairy was born. They sang songs of androids from outer space. They sang songs of men who bedded their king. They sang songs about gods. They sang songs about everything.
And the young lady remembered everything, though she did not try to. She just remembered everything.
Your were once one of us, princess. You do not need to learn our songs. You only need to find them. The world and all things knowable is in your blood. You do not need to know your tale, or how you came to be here. Just know that the Sirens will never harm you. And we will take you to as far as we can to where your heart desires to be.
The young lady woke up, fresh and young again, in a vast desert. From there she continued walking until nightfall. She no longer needed her walking stick. She looked at the pale moon, and whispered a prayer, and sang a song of the Sirens.
The moon glowed like the sun upon hearing a song of the seas sung in the desert. The young lady sang on with her eyes closed. The song gave her warmth and comfort, and the world changed around her. When she awoke from her sleep, she was among the clouds, white and moist. She was younger still, and she walked on air. She walked till the clouds turned grey, and she rested again, and sang a song.
Raindrops formed and fell as her song of the seas echoed through the skies and beyond. And the next day, she found herself in space, without a body. Still she walked. And she sang as she walked, until she met the Godfather of Fairies, who waited for her at walls of the universe, of all creation.
"I want my baby back, O Godfather of Fairies," said the young lady.
"I admire your persistence, Princess Belle of the Forbidden Forest, but even if I grant you your wish, you cannot have her again. You have travelled too far to find me. You have died."
"I am still here,"Princess Belle stubbornly retorted.
"And so long as you remain here you will not be taken to the land of the dead. So, I bid you stay," said the Godfather of Fairies.
"Stay and do what? I've come here to beg for your mercy, but it seems even your mercy can do me no good anymore."
"But it can, and my mercy you shall have. You may stay in this realm, and observe all things, including your daughter. Her life, and her death, everything. I understand that it might be more painful to merely see her through the windows of my home, but the choice is yours."
"Is there nothing else you can do for me?"
"I'm afraid not. I am sorry."
"And out of curiosity, what were you offered?"
"To take your child away?"
"Yes,"
"A lot."
"Ah."
*
*
A young lady, cloaked in grey, a walking stick in hand, journeyed very far to reach this place.
*
She came from the forest of a faraway land, bartered her treasures with the sailors to take her to the Eastern shores, where even sailors never sail to. On her sea journey sea nymphs took the ship away, but the Sirens knew who the young lady was, and spared her life. She was a nymph once, one of the sweet singers of death. Or at least, she has a bloodline that can be traced to these surreal creatures of the sea.
The Sirens laid her by the cliffs where they resided, and let her sleep. Constantly fading in and out of sleep, the young lady could hear the sirens sing in the night. The songs they sang in their own homes were significantly different from that which they sing to lustful sailors. They sang songs that told many stories. They sang songs of how the world began. They sang songs of how the first fairy was born. They sang songs of androids from outer space. They sang songs of men who bedded their king. They sang songs about gods. They sang songs about everything.
And the young lady remembered everything, though she did not try to. She just remembered everything.
Your were once one of us, princess. You do not need to learn our songs. You only need to find them. The world and all things knowable is in your blood. You do not need to know your tale, or how you came to be here. Just know that the Sirens will never harm you. And we will take you to as far as we can to where your heart desires to be.
The young lady woke up, fresh and young again, in a vast desert. From there she continued walking until nightfall. She no longer needed her walking stick. She looked at the pale moon, and whispered a prayer, and sang a song of the Sirens.
The moon glowed like the sun upon hearing a song of the seas sung in the desert. The young lady sang on with her eyes closed. The song gave her warmth and comfort, and the world changed around her. When she awoke from her sleep, she was among the clouds, white and moist. She was younger still, and she walked on air. She walked till the clouds turned grey, and she rested again, and sang a song.
Raindrops formed and fell as her song of the seas echoed through the skies and beyond. And the next day, she found herself in space, without a body. Still she walked. And she sang as she walked, until she met the Godfather of Fairies, who waited for her at walls of the universe, of all creation.
"I want my baby back, O Godfather of Fairies," said the young lady.
"I admire your persistence, Princess Belle of the Forbidden Forest, but even if I grant you your wish, you cannot have her again. You have travelled too far to find me. You have died."
"I am still here,"Princess Belle stubbornly retorted.
"And so long as you remain here you will not be taken to the land of the dead. So, I bid you stay," said the Godfather of Fairies.
"Stay and do what? I've come here to beg for your mercy, but it seems even your mercy can do me no good anymore."
"But it can, and my mercy you shall have. You may stay in this realm, and observe all things, including your daughter. Her life, and her death, everything. I understand that it might be more painful to merely see her through the windows of my home, but the choice is yours."
"Is there nothing else you can do for me?"
"I'm afraid not. I am sorry."
"And out of curiosity, what were you offered?"
"To take your child away?"
"Yes,"
"A lot."
"Ah."
*
#9 - Long live the Queen
The world flooded very quickly as the ice melted away. Within days half the original Fairyland was covered in water. Fishes found new territory. Land beings scrambled up the tallest mountains. Merpeople rose from the depths of the oceans and established their expanded territory. A castle of pearls, reflecting rainbow colors under the sunlight, emerged in the center of the land. It was a new age, and the merpeople seized all the shipsand secured every trade route in the newly formed world.
The land beings were not happy. Their time was short, and space was scarce. A meeting between the King of the merpeople and the last remaining Prince of the land will be their only hope for any sort of... well, hope.
Only the last remaining Prince wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone. He hid in his castle, half submerged in the waters. He curled up in the cellar, waiting. He slept very little, but dreamt a lot. He has waited for many years to finally leave his castle. The day is coming. But not yet. And until that time comes, he will remain in his castle.
*
The King of Mermaids, King Neptune, sat by the shore. The Forbidden Forest was by then more like the Forbidden Beach. Masses gathered by the shore, waiting for their Prince to come.
"Where is your representative? I much desire to speak with him?" asked King Neptune.
"We do not know, King Neptune. He has not appeared in a long time," answered an elf.
"Then how am I to decide anything? I want the best for both worlds. I do not want to reject the gods and not embrace the era of Merpeople, but I do not want to be a cruel king. Land beings have great men and women, and I have known some of them. Your kind have value, and I do not wish to see you all dead? Find your Prince. He will give you hope."
"We dare not seek him out, Mer-King"
"Why not?"
"Because he is a coward!" cried a voice, "and he is most likely dead!"
The masses looked high and low, searching for the source of the voice.
"I am the representative that you seek. I am Queen Cinderella, and with me the Godfather of Fairies."
A great murmur took place, and the Merpeople and the land people saw two little hamsters scramble through the crowds to stand before King Neptune. The first hamster, a he hamster, was clod in glass clothing, and had glass slippers. The second hamster, a she-hamster, was a naked hamster. King Neptune observed the hamsters, and asked, "and who might you be?"
"Didn't I just say?" said the he-hamster with a loud booming voice. "I am Queen Cinderella, the ruler of this land."
King Neptune giggled, and asked, "You, he-hamster, are the Queen of this land? You must have made a mistake."
"Look King of Mermaids. I died once. And while I was busy trying to reincarnate myself me and the Godfather of Fairies miscommunicated our message to the visiting hamsters and we ended up being in the wrong body. But we will sort that out eventually. But in the meantime, I am the QUEEN OF THIS LAND!"
The masses laughed, as did the King of Merpeople. He beckoned the Godfather of Fairies, the naked she-hamster, to perform a spell to prove his identity.
"I'll show you, King Neptune," squeaked the young girly hamster, "what only the Godfather of Fairies can do."
The masses laughed at their Queen and her advisor. The she-hamster jumped on two feet, danced about in circles, then pointed her/his tail at the elf who spoke to the King earlier, and made him psychotic. The elf began to sing songs of the underworld, and songs of the Mannikin, and songs of the sea nymphs. He sang and sang and sang until he hit his head on a tree, and fainted.
The masses stopped laughing.
"So, King Neptune. Shall we negotiate?" growled Queen Cinderella.
"Sure. Forgive my laughter. You may speak first, Queen Cinderella."
"Leave this place. I am more powerful than you, chanted the he-hamster Cinderella. I can chop you up into a million pieces. I can dig a hole into the core of this earth and unleash the larva beneath and consume your waters. I can restore land. So if you will, leave, and never harrass us."
"Or what?" laughed the King.
"Or I, the Godfather of Fairies, shall-"
Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. Burp.
The masses stayed silent.
"And who might you be? O great Beast?" asked King Neptune as he marvelled at the giant beast that towered above him.
"I am the Prince of the Forbidden Forest. I am the Prince that lost my daughter to the Godfather of Fairies. I am the Prince that lost my wife Belle to the insanities of this world. I am the last Prince."
"You just ate the Godfather of Fairies,"
"Yea. It was an oath. I swore to kill him. And now I have. And before you ask. This is your era. Rule wisely. I have no intentions and no demands, except that you never torture or take a life of any land being that causes you no offense. My people will die, as should they. But they will not all die, for that is the nature of Fairyland. Your waterworld will end, one day, even if it takes a thousand years. But I am certain that it will end, for that is the nature of Fairyland. If my people die, then so be it, for that is also the nature of Fairyland. I can do nothing. I cannot make you unflood this world, nor can I make my citizens grow gills."
"Wise words, Prince of Beasts. I am sorry. And I promise you no harm shall come from the Merpeople for as long as I live, and I intend to live for another few centuries."
"Thank you."
As King Neptune departed and submerged into the oceans beyond, the Prince of Beasts walked away, toward the remaining pockets of the forest. The masses did not like what they have just heard, but they knew their time has come to an end, and they bowed in silence as the Prince of Beasts walked among his people for the last time.
*
Somewhere in the Forest...
"I am anointed, chosen, destined to be the Queen of Hamsters. Even the Prince of Beasts let me go. He found me too precious to kill, and spared my life. No other hamster can claim such an encounter. I bid all of you, hamsters of this realm, to submit to my rule! I can take this realm, this species, to greater heights!"
"Hail Queen Cinderella! Long live the queen!!! Long live the Queen!!!"
*
Here ends the of trilogy of trilogies. Here ends the major plot. All tales that follow are random tales related to the first nine.
The land beings were not happy. Their time was short, and space was scarce. A meeting between the King of the merpeople and the last remaining Prince of the land will be their only hope for any sort of... well, hope.
Only the last remaining Prince wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone. He hid in his castle, half submerged in the waters. He curled up in the cellar, waiting. He slept very little, but dreamt a lot. He has waited for many years to finally leave his castle. The day is coming. But not yet. And until that time comes, he will remain in his castle.
*
The King of Mermaids, King Neptune, sat by the shore. The Forbidden Forest was by then more like the Forbidden Beach. Masses gathered by the shore, waiting for their Prince to come.
"Where is your representative? I much desire to speak with him?" asked King Neptune.
"We do not know, King Neptune. He has not appeared in a long time," answered an elf.
"Then how am I to decide anything? I want the best for both worlds. I do not want to reject the gods and not embrace the era of Merpeople, but I do not want to be a cruel king. Land beings have great men and women, and I have known some of them. Your kind have value, and I do not wish to see you all dead? Find your Prince. He will give you hope."
"We dare not seek him out, Mer-King"
"Why not?"
"Because he is a coward!" cried a voice, "and he is most likely dead!"
The masses looked high and low, searching for the source of the voice.
"I am the representative that you seek. I am Queen Cinderella, and with me the Godfather of Fairies."
A great murmur took place, and the Merpeople and the land people saw two little hamsters scramble through the crowds to stand before King Neptune. The first hamster, a he hamster, was clod in glass clothing, and had glass slippers. The second hamster, a she-hamster, was a naked hamster. King Neptune observed the hamsters, and asked, "and who might you be?"
"Didn't I just say?" said the he-hamster with a loud booming voice. "I am Queen Cinderella, the ruler of this land."
King Neptune giggled, and asked, "You, he-hamster, are the Queen of this land? You must have made a mistake."
"Look King of Mermaids. I died once. And while I was busy trying to reincarnate myself me and the Godfather of Fairies miscommunicated our message to the visiting hamsters and we ended up being in the wrong body. But we will sort that out eventually. But in the meantime, I am the QUEEN OF THIS LAND!"
The masses laughed, as did the King of Merpeople. He beckoned the Godfather of Fairies, the naked she-hamster, to perform a spell to prove his identity.
"I'll show you, King Neptune," squeaked the young girly hamster, "what only the Godfather of Fairies can do."
The masses laughed at their Queen and her advisor. The she-hamster jumped on two feet, danced about in circles, then pointed her/his tail at the elf who spoke to the King earlier, and made him psychotic. The elf began to sing songs of the underworld, and songs of the Mannikin, and songs of the sea nymphs. He sang and sang and sang until he hit his head on a tree, and fainted.
The masses stopped laughing.
"So, King Neptune. Shall we negotiate?" growled Queen Cinderella.
"Sure. Forgive my laughter. You may speak first, Queen Cinderella."
"Leave this place. I am more powerful than you, chanted the he-hamster Cinderella. I can chop you up into a million pieces. I can dig a hole into the core of this earth and unleash the larva beneath and consume your waters. I can restore land. So if you will, leave, and never harrass us."
"Or what?" laughed the King.
"Or I, the Godfather of Fairies, shall-"
Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. Burp.
The masses stayed silent.
"And who might you be? O great Beast?" asked King Neptune as he marvelled at the giant beast that towered above him.
"I am the Prince of the Forbidden Forest. I am the Prince that lost my daughter to the Godfather of Fairies. I am the Prince that lost my wife Belle to the insanities of this world. I am the last Prince."
"You just ate the Godfather of Fairies,"
"Yea. It was an oath. I swore to kill him. And now I have. And before you ask. This is your era. Rule wisely. I have no intentions and no demands, except that you never torture or take a life of any land being that causes you no offense. My people will die, as should they. But they will not all die, for that is the nature of Fairyland. Your waterworld will end, one day, even if it takes a thousand years. But I am certain that it will end, for that is the nature of Fairyland. If my people die, then so be it, for that is also the nature of Fairyland. I can do nothing. I cannot make you unflood this world, nor can I make my citizens grow gills."
"Wise words, Prince of Beasts. I am sorry. And I promise you no harm shall come from the Merpeople for as long as I live, and I intend to live for another few centuries."
"Thank you."
As King Neptune departed and submerged into the oceans beyond, the Prince of Beasts walked away, toward the remaining pockets of the forest. The masses did not like what they have just heard, but they knew their time has come to an end, and they bowed in silence as the Prince of Beasts walked among his people for the last time.
*
Somewhere in the Forest...
"I am anointed, chosen, destined to be the Queen of Hamsters. Even the Prince of Beasts let me go. He found me too precious to kill, and spared my life. No other hamster can claim such an encounter. I bid all of you, hamsters of this realm, to submit to my rule! I can take this realm, this species, to greater heights!"
"Hail Queen Cinderella! Long live the queen!!! Long live the Queen!!!"
*
Here ends the of trilogy of trilogies. Here ends the major plot. All tales that follow are random tales related to the first nine.
#8 - Tales of Royalties and a Shoemaker
Snow White sat by a small fire, holding her cloak tightly. She was thin and weak. Her fair face was pale and slightly grey. Her blood lips were many shades lighter than ever. The Prince of Thieves sat beside her, holding her and rubbing her arms to keep her warm.
“In the land of dead, it is both cold and hot. It is painful and painless. I do not know what good there is in bringing me back from the dead. Here I am cold and helpless, and I am not dead,” said Snow White softly.
“I brought you back from the dead because I love you, and because I can,” answered the Prince.
“None, I didn’t buy you from the dead, I stole you.”
“That is what I am afraid of. She will come for me, for us, and the world.”
“Who?”
“The Queen of the Land of Never Return. She will scour the land for us. We must not run, or she will cover the kingdom with death, and the curse of death is harder to break than the curse of eternal winter.”
“We will worry about that when that happens, my love. But come away with me now, and let us share our love, even if it is not for long.”
Snow White rested her weary head on the chest of the Prince of Thieves and held him tightly in her arms. She was grateful for his love, as fanatical as it may be. There was some warmth in the world after all. But they would not have been able to stay long. She knew the Queen of the
“We must go now, Snow White. They are coming,” said the Prince of Thieves.
“Let her come. Broker with her,” at last conceding that she wants the Prince of Thieves more than she wants death to be upon her.
The Prince of Thieves was slightly stimulated by that thought, but realized he had nothing to trade with.
“Poor things,” said a voice that sounded like a tink and a bell. It came from everywhere, and sounded sweeter than the sweetest voice. “The Prince of Thieves can steal anything in the world, but he gave up his kingdom just to steal his lover from the dead. Silly, silly.”
Snow White sat up and looked at the Prince of Thieves, “You sold your kingdom?”
“No he did not,” said Tinkerbell, the Queen of the
“He stole you fair and square, Snow White. Only on my way here I had to pass by his land. Or what we once knew as his land. I heard the people cheer at the melting ice, but soon it was replaced by a plague of death. That is the penalty of your offence, Prince of Thieves.”
“You’re going to destroy the world, aren’t you?” asked Snow White?
“Your boyfriend gave me an excuse to come to this land, so, why not? Many souls. I like an orchestra of screaming souls. Wouldn’t you?”
“You have a weird hobby, Tinky,” commented the Prince of Thieves.
“Oh please.”
The Prince of Thieves stood up and faced the small but imposing Queen Tinkerbell. He asked, in the most clichéd way any Prince would ask, “What do you want?”
“Snow White of course, silly. Princes are such idiots. Don’t the evil ones always want the princess? I wish princes had some brains to go with their good looks. I mean, look at you, you, Prince of Thieves. Look at the sky? See the black mist that is slowly spiraling into this world to entrap every life into my underworld prison? You are indirectly, the cause of this world’s impending doom! How stupid can you be? For what? This pale little adopted princess?” blah-ed Queen Tinkerbell.
“I’ll trade with you.”
“Trade what? Your clothes? Don’t want them. Your body? Sorry, not into princes. Too much plastic,” said Queen Tinkerbell sarcastically.
“Let’s trade curses. Promises that we dread to keep. You have yours. I have mine.”
Tinkerbell’s emerald eyes fixed on the robber’s princely brown eyes.
“Interesting.”
*
In some of the earliest days since the world began, there lived a shoemaker who was very poor. He struggled to make good shoes, and had difficulty putting food on the table for his family. The two of them were grateful for each other’s love, and didn’t mind the slight hunger, though of course, they wished that fortune would favor them a little bit more.
So two little elves visited the old couple’s home and started sewing shoes of fine quality fit for people of fine stature. Although they were only inches tall, the elves handled the tools so eloquently they sewed nineteen sets of shoes of all types, boots, slippers, sandals, and sneakers, so on and so forth, for both male and female. They left the shoes on the wooden rack in the workshop when the sun started to rise.
So the old couple woke up to find newly made shoes in the shoemaker’s workshop, and upon displaying it to the public, sold them all within minutes for a month’s worth of silver.
The second night passed, and more footwear was set to be sold. People of regal status visited his shop the second day, after hearing of his perfect products from the day before. The old shoemaker sold all of the clothes for a season’s worth of silver.
The third night, the shoemaker and his wife peeked through little curtains and learned about the two little elves. They witnessed the two naked elves sewing an unspeakable pair of slippers. It was too beautiful. And the shoemaker imagined that he would be rich for many years to come. It exuded royalty, and it whispered dark deeds.
The next day, that very pair of unspeakable slippers was bought neither by a man, nor a woman. And it was sold for a lifetime’s worth of gold, silver, and all forms of precious stones put together.
And that was the story of the elves and the shoemaker.
*
What they traded, and what they bartered, was never disclosed in any of the books or tales or myths or anything else that told stories. But what we know is that Prince of Thieves bartered for the freedom of Snow White, and all the lives of Fairyland. All this, he did merely with spoken words and kind gestures
Queen Tinkerbell returned to the
As for the Prince of Thieves and his beloved Snow White, they departed Fairyland. To where, we do not know. But it is certain, that they lived happily ever after.
#7 - Pantheon of the Immortal Princesses
One would imagine that it was passion that drove the Prince of Thieves and his horse to the point of immortality. But it was more than just passion, for the Prince of Thieves is not a Prince of Thieves for any trivial reason. He stole what little warmth there was in the air for he and his horse, and stole the might of the sun and moon whenever they appeared in the sky. At other times, he would steal the joy of the distantly flickering stars to give them hope. Many nights he would steal the dreams of others that passed through the airs. Many say that he could even steal the coldness in of the ice age for he and his horse, that they would be immune to the freezing cold. But whether his skills of theft were that great, we never know. He stole whatever it took to keep them alive.
And so, the Prince of Thieves rode in search of Rapunzel, that hag of a princess who by now has been forgotten by all who live and once lived, except by the Prince of Thieves himself.
*
What was once an ocean before was a landscape of smooth rippled ice when the Prince of Thieves rode across it. He did not remember crossing an ocean the last time he travelled to the
As he rode across the frozen sheet of ice, the waters beneath him remained still, and carried no life at all. What was once a busy city of schools of fishes and water mammals, where magical creatures interacted and swam, was a dead silence. The ocean silence was that of the dead, but it was not darkness that was heard, for even death itself was frozen in the timeless winter.
Many thousands of leagues under the lifeless ocean, where the water was still warm near the hot core of the planet, some life still thrived. The greatest, most intelligent beings of the waters. The only living creatures of the ocean that managed to outlive the winter plague made a temporal home deep underwater. They hardly stirred the surface with their movements. They survived, and they waited.
Thousands of them.
The castle of eternal summer, where Queen Cinderella and Snow White died, or so were thought to have died, was the one place of hope left for all who lived in the
Until a pair of little hamsters dug accidentally punched it’s way out of the ground in the gardens of the castle.
That was when the returning of all things old and the coming of all things new were set in motion.
*
The
As he journeyed through the forest, he could hear footsteps following him. Quiet but heavy footsteps. More and more of those footsteps could be heared as he and Donkey went deeper into the forest. The Prince of Thieves was not afraid, for he knew that the manikins would still dwell the land. Why they took interest in him, they did not know.
After eleven days in the leafless woods, he sat beneath a giant oak tree, and while resting, he whispered into the air, “what interest do you have in me, manikins?”
Rumplestilksin whispered back through the air, “We are dead, Prince of Thieves. We are ghosts that remain in the forest, waiting for our promise to be fulfilled.”
“What promise?”
“That Snow White’s first child will be ours.”
“I never got to marry Snow White. She never came back. I’m… old now, and…”
“Steal her heart, Prince. Steal her heart.”
“I can only steal that which I know where and whom to steal from. She is dead. I know the winter is of her doing. I’m here to find Rapunzel, the Princess that should have been found.”
“Rapunzel has been cursed to never be found by her true love. You will never find her. Steal back Snow White. You can steal from the stars and the sun and even dreams of people, and you are telling me you don’t know where to steal Snow White from?”
“You only want the child don’t you. You are dead already, manikin. Why do you want the child?”
“Promises are promises, dead or alive.”
“Look, manikin, you stopped me from meeting Rapunzel last time. Let me meet her this time. I will talk Rapunzel into giving you our first child, as payment of Snow White’s debt. I need to find her.”
*
The castle of the Prince of Beasts slumbered through the winter. Black snow rained on the castle grounds.
Before the winter came, children used to play in the castle, believing it to be haunted. They would dare each other to creep in and out of the castle, pretending to be a beastly child eating monster. Of course, the Prince of Beasts watched them. The Prince of Beasts was always in some dark corner of a wall, under or behind a piece of furniture, or somewhere dark in general. He would only observe the children who mischievously sneaked through his castle.
The Prince of Beasts was a predator, but the children were not his prey. As a beast, he was an immortal, almost like a god. And all he wanted was to eat the Godfather of Fairies alive, and leave his head screaming without its body, and hang it before its gates to tell all who passed that vengeance is fulfilled.
The Prince of Beasts did not care about curses and blessings anymore, and could not care less if he was human or beastly. All he knew was what he wanted to do when the Godfather of Fairies would fall before him.
*
The little hamsters crawled all over the castle, exploring the summer phenomena of the land. They crawled through every room, every storehouse, every stable, ever dungeon. They saw skeletons of people hung to death, and swore it heard an endless cry as it passed the rooms of torture. One skeleton even had a crown on its head.
The hamster stood on both legs, and stared at himself endlessly. Voices spoke to the she-hamster, and she listened very attentively.
The second hamster, the he-hamster, walked through a seemingly empty hallway, and saw a glass slipper shining under the sunlight. It was a beautiful piece of work, thought the hamster, as it crawled into shoe, and unknowingly fell into a deep, deep sleep.
*
At the
“I owe you one, for helping me find my love, Rumpy.”
“A pleasure. But it was work. I need that child. Promises are promises.”
“Of course.”
Before Rumplestiltskin vanished, the Prince of Thieves asked him, “When you said earlier I could steal Snow White back… do you know where I could steal her from?”
“Of course I do. You do too. You can steal from the sun and stars, and even people’s dreams. And you don’t know where to steal Snow White from?”
“I don’t. She must be dead already by now.”
“Exactly,” whispered the manikin as he vanished into the air.
*
“I can feel the waters warming, my king,” said the first voice.
“So can I. But I do know if it means anything,” answered the silver king.
“But if the ice melts…”
“I know. Be patient. And we will see.”
*
Rapunzel the hag princess stared at the Prince of Thieves.
“I’m not mad, you know, as most people would like to think. Your Snow White came and cut my hair to cause this snow. You know that, don’t you?”
The Prince of Thieves nodded his head at the extremely old hag of a princess.
“Snow White caused this snow. You loved Snow White didn’t you?”
The Prince of Thieves nodded, then suddenly asked, “Why aren’t you dead?”
“Because of the snow? Ha. Ha. Ha. The snow cannot kill me. I am warm. I will never freeze.”
“Why?”
“Because my hate and my contempt for the life that I had burns so powerfully nothing can make me cold, except love.”
“I love you.”
“Are you trying to kill me?”
“Well, no. I’m in a dilemma then.”
“Really,” smiled the hag of a princess Rapunzel. “I’m the only thing that can melt the ice and restore life, because the fire of my anger is all there is that can burn in this eternal winter.”
“What are you suggesting?” The Prince of Thieves asked and wondered.
“I’m not stupid. You don’t love me. You just want a wife. I’m not going to marry you.”
“But.”
“Fool. Kill me, save the land… and steal for your fiancee back from the dead. You are… the Prince of Thieves, aren’t you? I expect you to have figured this out a long time ago,” explained Rapunzel with her ragged rough voice.
*
The ice melted. It took the world five months before every piece of ice turned to water, and the mermaids of the deep waters rose to embrace a new empire. An empire of sea, of waters. Their time has finally come, and for once, they burned incense at the surface of the sea to Cinderella and to Snow White, for their ancient feud has flooded the world. Then they worshipped Rapunzel, who burned the frozen waters.
The mermaids worshipped the pantheon of princesses that destroyed and re-created the world.
It was a new age. A new time.
*
Like a ruby hand reaching down to the sea of bones and souls, a soul and a spirit was stolen from the Guardian of the land of the dead, also known as Neverland, the land of never-returns.
*
#6 - The Heart Made of Glass
Rumplestilkskin travelled through the rocky paths behind his home to an old abandoned castle. It hardly looked like a castle anymore, for all forms of flora and fauna had grown over it. He crawled through a hole at the wall, and entered the main courtyard, or whatever's left of it, and saw that Rapunzel's hair had grown so thick and so lush that it looked like a forest of bronze under the sunlight.
He looked up to a small window on the high tower. He could hear Rapunzel's soft chantings. Curses, aimed at the prince who never came to free her from her curse. Aimed at the prince who never found the castle, climb up her hair, and unlock the cage that held her hostage.
Rumplestilkskin cut two handfuls of her hair, pitied Rapunzel for a moment, and left. At the gateway approached a young prince.
"Have you come to free Rapunzel, young prince?" asked Rumplestilkskin.
"Yes, I have. Are you the guardian of this castle? Do you know where she is?" replied the young prince.
"She is locked on the highest tower. You're rather young to be her knight in shining amour. She has been locked in there for three generations. And you are only likely to be at most, twenty years old."
"Every prince that has set out before me in search of Rapunzel has found a love fairer than Rapunzel before they found her. None of them has come this far, save me."
"No, all of them did come this far. Like you, they found this castle. Like you, they met another princess before arriving here. Like you, their love was given to another before here. Rapunzel had her love stolen time and again, three generations now. Your grandfather found Ariel the mermaid, your uncle woke the sleeping Princess Aurora, and you met the deathly Snow White."
"How did you know, little manikin?"
"I know all things. Rapunzel is now old and her mind is no longer her own. Depart from here, go to Snow White, and let Rapunzel live the last of her days in peace."
*
Queen Cinderella's kingdom has been covered in snow for seven days now. It was supposed to be a season of summer, yet snow had covered every inch of land, roof, road and everything else. Livestock started to die of immense coldness, and much water has turned to ice.
"How can Snow White be alive? I killed her myself," asked Cinderella to Mirror.
"There was a prince, your distant nephew I think, who kissed Snow White before her death and restored her life. Simultaneously, the dwarves she befriended in the forest found the Cave of Wonders and befriended the genie within the cave who gave her life, supposedly to restore her life. What the genie did was grant Snow White life above life, thus giving her powers. She is more powerful than you now, Cinderella. "
"A glass heart can freeze in ice yet still reflect all things, godfather."
"We shall see."
"What do you know that I don't, Godfather?"
*
I need you to weave Rapunzel's hair, Rumplestiltskin, asked Snow White in her semi ethereal voice
"And why should I weave it for you? What use do you have for it?" challenged Rumplestiltskin.
You weren't there , Rumpy. The dwarves gave their lives for me. You weren't there when they died in the desert. You didn't see my tears. It burned with sadness and hate so hot it melted the snow that I conjured. One might say 'one thing led to another', but the dwarves' death was for no cause, yet it was caused by my stepmother. And my life was traded for theirs. One can say that had I died, the dwarves would have lived and the Queen retains her rule over her grand kingdom. But I live, and I seek to correct the corrupt of my land.
"It is not your land, Snow White. And you still haven't told me, why do you need me to weave Rapunzel's hair?"
It is all that there is in creation that can destroy my mother in law.
"And you would know that because?"
Her heart is a heart of glass that is near unbreakable. Legend has said that the fire of the most desperate soul can melt anything, and I know Rapunzel has the heart that laments the most.
"She cannot lament, for she is locked in the tower for far too long, Snow White."
But you would weave her hair for me.
"And what do I get?"
My first child.
"That's a lie. A great lie!" exclaimed Rumplestiltskin, reliving the time when he spun gold out of straw once for a young princess. "I've been tricked before. Your mother lied to me once. I feel no shame in telling you that you were very close to have been my adopted daughter."
Oh?And what did the Queen offer you in exchange for me, Rumplestiltskin? Gold spun from straw?
"The Queen? The Queen is not your mother. Your birth mother, Aurora, lied to me when you were born. "
With that, Snow White's cool and emotionless voice suddenly caught life.
Aurora. I have heard that name. The Prince of Thieves told me of an aunt of his. Her name was Aurora.
"She was your birth mother. She guessed my name when she shouldn't have. You were supposed to me mine. And had you been, you would've been raised well. I would say, she deserved to die. Ha ha ha. She deserves to have her daughter stolen from her," and Rumplestiltskin recounted the tale of how Snow White was kidnapped by Princess Cinderella from Princess Aurora with great snide in his voice. Snow White shed a tear, and her hatred for Cinderella grew.
From what I just heard, Aurora did guess your name. And you will have my first child. I promise you that. Weave Rapunzel's hair for me.
"Will your prince live with that?" asked Rumplestiltskin.
He has no choice.
Then it is done. Give me three days.
*
The Prince of Thieves rode away, back to the castle in the city of dunes.
There he would await Snow White. She would come to him with new winter behind her. Their kingdom will begin here. A kingdom of snow; of purity; and of love.
That whiteness will one day cover all the lands of this earth, and grow no more.
*
And the account of Cinderella's confrontation with Snow White, none can tell for sure how it took place.
Some say they fought a great battle. Some say Cinderella was no match for the godlike Snow White. Some say Snow White, even with a spear made of a mixture of gold spun from straw and the hair of the most desperate soul could not melt Cinderella's glass heart.
*
"This winter will only destroy everything I have built. It will also destroy the world. You will take life away from all that lives, Snow White," Cinderella pleaded, with the Spear of Rapunzel pierced through her ribs and into the wall.
It will end when this ends... mother.
"You cannot win. Rapunzel's fire of desperation is not enough to melt my heart, Snow White."
Snow White stood there, staring into the eyes of Cinderella. It reflected her face, and she looked nothing like Cinderella. She was not Cinderella's daughter. This woman killed her mother, stole her, tried to raise her for her evil ways, then tried to kill her. No, she did kill her. She desperately wanted to just end Cinderella's life, though she knew not how.
I must kill you, mother. Or you will haunt my dreams forever. You will haunt my footsteps forever. You will catch up with me one day and take back what you think is yours. I must kill you. Not out of vengeance, but out of my sake. and all that, Snow White said with the innocence of a young girl, with her hands forced to do what some might say, wasn't what she intended.
But you cannot.
But I can.
And Snow White let go off the spear and kissed Cinderella. Her lips pressed against the the lips of Cinderella, cold as glass. As her lips hung her, the flames of her desperation to kill Cinderella ignited, and poured its way through Cinderella's throat, flesh, and then her bloodstream.
And her glass heart melted as both Cinderella and Snow White were consumed by flames conjured by the Kiss of Desperation.
*
The Prince of Thieves sat by the huge balcony in his palace every single day, waiting for Snow White to come to him. She had promised that she would come when Cinderella is dead.
It has been two months. None of his messengers that he has sent has returned with solid news.
Could it be she is dead? The Prince of Thieves wondered. Could the love of his life be lost after only having spent two days with her in the flesh? God must be more loving than that, he thought.
*
One morning, the Prince of Thieves woke up by the balcony, and felt snow beat on his face.
The snow had come!
But the Prince of Thieves knew in his heart of hearts that Snow White had not. And she never will. And his heart was right.
As he looked upon his kingdom, once ravaged with heat and famine, now covered in eternal winter, he saw a little man, a manikin, cross a street with a little stack of hay.
And then, he remembered the maiden with enchanted hair, locked in a tower far, far away.
*
Amidst the global snow, one castle had eternal summer. The sun shone on it forevermore, and its flora flourished on its own, blossoming every single day. Clear water sprung forth from the fountain within the castle walls. The walls never cracked. Moss never grew on it. The colors on the paintings never faded. The furniture in every room and every hall never rotted.
No one inhabits the castle. No man, woman, child or any mystical beings had took residence in that castle longer than anyone can remember now.
*
In the master bedroom, a mirror stood in the corner of the room, reflecting all that it sees.
*
A glass slipper, and a summer's winter that never ends.
*
He looked up to a small window on the high tower. He could hear Rapunzel's soft chantings. Curses, aimed at the prince who never came to free her from her curse. Aimed at the prince who never found the castle, climb up her hair, and unlock the cage that held her hostage.
Rumplestilkskin cut two handfuls of her hair, pitied Rapunzel for a moment, and left. At the gateway approached a young prince.
"Have you come to free Rapunzel, young prince?" asked Rumplestilkskin.
"Yes, I have. Are you the guardian of this castle? Do you know where she is?" replied the young prince.
"She is locked on the highest tower. You're rather young to be her knight in shining amour. She has been locked in there for three generations. And you are only likely to be at most, twenty years old."
"Every prince that has set out before me in search of Rapunzel has found a love fairer than Rapunzel before they found her. None of them has come this far, save me."
"No, all of them did come this far. Like you, they found this castle. Like you, they met another princess before arriving here. Like you, their love was given to another before here. Rapunzel had her love stolen time and again, three generations now. Your grandfather found Ariel the mermaid, your uncle woke the sleeping Princess Aurora, and you met the deathly Snow White."
"How did you know, little manikin?"
"I know all things. Rapunzel is now old and her mind is no longer her own. Depart from here, go to Snow White, and let Rapunzel live the last of her days in peace."
*
Queen Cinderella's kingdom has been covered in snow for seven days now. It was supposed to be a season of summer, yet snow had covered every inch of land, roof, road and everything else. Livestock started to die of immense coldness, and much water has turned to ice.
"How can Snow White be alive? I killed her myself," asked Cinderella to Mirror.
"There was a prince, your distant nephew I think, who kissed Snow White before her death and restored her life. Simultaneously, the dwarves she befriended in the forest found the Cave of Wonders and befriended the genie within the cave who gave her life, supposedly to restore her life. What the genie did was grant Snow White life above life, thus giving her powers. She is more powerful than you now, Cinderella. "
"A glass heart can freeze in ice yet still reflect all things, godfather."
"We shall see."
"What do you know that I don't, Godfather?"
*
I need you to weave Rapunzel's hair, Rumplestiltskin, asked Snow White in her semi ethereal voice
"And why should I weave it for you? What use do you have for it?" challenged Rumplestiltskin.
You weren't there , Rumpy. The dwarves gave their lives for me. You weren't there when they died in the desert. You didn't see my tears. It burned with sadness and hate so hot it melted the snow that I conjured. One might say 'one thing led to another', but the dwarves' death was for no cause, yet it was caused by my stepmother. And my life was traded for theirs. One can say that had I died, the dwarves would have lived and the Queen retains her rule over her grand kingdom. But I live, and I seek to correct the corrupt of my land.
"It is not your land, Snow White. And you still haven't told me, why do you need me to weave Rapunzel's hair?"
It is all that there is in creation that can destroy my mother in law.
"And you would know that because?"
Her heart is a heart of glass that is near unbreakable. Legend has said that the fire of the most desperate soul can melt anything, and I know Rapunzel has the heart that laments the most.
"She cannot lament, for she is locked in the tower for far too long, Snow White."
But you would weave her hair for me.
"And what do I get?"
My first child.
"That's a lie. A great lie!" exclaimed Rumplestiltskin, reliving the time when he spun gold out of straw once for a young princess. "I've been tricked before. Your mother lied to me once. I feel no shame in telling you that you were very close to have been my adopted daughter."
Oh?And what did the Queen offer you in exchange for me, Rumplestiltskin? Gold spun from straw?
"The Queen? The Queen is not your mother. Your birth mother, Aurora, lied to me when you were born. "
With that, Snow White's cool and emotionless voice suddenly caught life.
Aurora. I have heard that name. The Prince of Thieves told me of an aunt of his. Her name was Aurora.
"She was your birth mother. She guessed my name when she shouldn't have. You were supposed to me mine. And had you been, you would've been raised well. I would say, she deserved to die. Ha ha ha. She deserves to have her daughter stolen from her," and Rumplestiltskin recounted the tale of how Snow White was kidnapped by Princess Cinderella from Princess Aurora with great snide in his voice. Snow White shed a tear, and her hatred for Cinderella grew.
From what I just heard, Aurora did guess your name. And you will have my first child. I promise you that. Weave Rapunzel's hair for me.
"Will your prince live with that?" asked Rumplestiltskin.
He has no choice.
Then it is done. Give me three days.
*
The Prince of Thieves rode away, back to the castle in the city of dunes.
There he would await Snow White. She would come to him with new winter behind her. Their kingdom will begin here. A kingdom of snow; of purity; and of love.
That whiteness will one day cover all the lands of this earth, and grow no more.
*
And the account of Cinderella's confrontation with Snow White, none can tell for sure how it took place.
Some say they fought a great battle. Some say Cinderella was no match for the godlike Snow White. Some say Snow White, even with a spear made of a mixture of gold spun from straw and the hair of the most desperate soul could not melt Cinderella's glass heart.
*
"This winter will only destroy everything I have built. It will also destroy the world. You will take life away from all that lives, Snow White," Cinderella pleaded, with the Spear of Rapunzel pierced through her ribs and into the wall.
It will end when this ends... mother.
"You cannot win. Rapunzel's fire of desperation is not enough to melt my heart, Snow White."
Snow White stood there, staring into the eyes of Cinderella. It reflected her face, and she looked nothing like Cinderella. She was not Cinderella's daughter. This woman killed her mother, stole her, tried to raise her for her evil ways, then tried to kill her. No, she did kill her. She desperately wanted to just end Cinderella's life, though she knew not how.
I must kill you, mother. Or you will haunt my dreams forever. You will haunt my footsteps forever. You will catch up with me one day and take back what you think is yours. I must kill you. Not out of vengeance, but out of my sake. and all that, Snow White said with the innocence of a young girl, with her hands forced to do what some might say, wasn't what she intended.
But you cannot.
But I can.
And Snow White let go off the spear and kissed Cinderella. Her lips pressed against the the lips of Cinderella, cold as glass. As her lips hung her, the flames of her desperation to kill Cinderella ignited, and poured its way through Cinderella's throat, flesh, and then her bloodstream.
And her glass heart melted as both Cinderella and Snow White were consumed by flames conjured by the Kiss of Desperation.
*
The Prince of Thieves sat by the huge balcony in his palace every single day, waiting for Snow White to come to him. She had promised that she would come when Cinderella is dead.
It has been two months. None of his messengers that he has sent has returned with solid news.
Could it be she is dead? The Prince of Thieves wondered. Could the love of his life be lost after only having spent two days with her in the flesh? God must be more loving than that, he thought.
*
One morning, the Prince of Thieves woke up by the balcony, and felt snow beat on his face.
The snow had come!
But the Prince of Thieves knew in his heart of hearts that Snow White had not. And she never will. And his heart was right.
As he looked upon his kingdom, once ravaged with heat and famine, now covered in eternal winter, he saw a little man, a manikin, cross a street with a little stack of hay.
And then, he remembered the maiden with enchanted hair, locked in a tower far, far away.
*
Amidst the global snow, one castle had eternal summer. The sun shone on it forevermore, and its flora flourished on its own, blossoming every single day. Clear water sprung forth from the fountain within the castle walls. The walls never cracked. Moss never grew on it. The colors on the paintings never faded. The furniture in every room and every hall never rotted.
No one inhabits the castle. No man, woman, child or any mystical beings had took residence in that castle longer than anyone can remember now.
*
In the master bedroom, a mirror stood in the corner of the room, reflecting all that it sees.
*
A glass slipper, and a summer's winter that never ends.
*
#5 - The Whitening of the Snow
Sleepy, Grumpy, Bashful, Sneezy, Dopey, Doc and Happy weaved their way through the woods with great speed, smoothness and silence. The seven dwarfs dwarved* through the bushes with the elegance and fluidity like the sharks in the sea towards the Cave of Wonders, where the magic lamp lay.
It was their only hope to save Snow White from the poison that ravages through her body.
Sleepy ceased to be sleepy, Grumpy was grumpier than ever, bashful set aside his shyness, sneezy swallowed every cough that ran up his throat, dopey adopted wisdom beyond anyone's comprehension, Doc turned practical, and Happy was solemn as they travelled to the edge of the enchanted forest of Belle, the lost princess, to the outskirts of the great desert in search of the genie, who could grant them wishes of all wishes.
And they would wish for Snow White to be spared from her impending death.
After all, it was their fault that Snow White ate the apple of death in the first place. They should not have let her out of their sight. Who could have led her to eat that damned fruit in the first place, they wondered throughout the journey.
*
Queen Cinderella quietly entered her bedroom and closed the doors behind her.
She walked towards her dressing table and removed her white hood and cloak, revealing her wrinkled and ugly face. She looked in the mirror, staring at the "old angel" she had made herself to be in order to trick her stepdaughter into eating the Apple of Death. Snow White was naive, she thought, to believe that the angel of light would come to her aid and bless her soul.
Then again, Cinderella thought, she once believed in the Fairy Godmother. And it turned out she was lucky the Fairy Godmother wasn't some evil power hungry woman who wanted to ruin her life.
Alas, Cindy was. Sad luck, Snow White.
Cinderella washed away the makeup with water from the basin, and dried her hands and face. She faced the mirror, checking to see if she's left a spot of dirt somewhere.
"Mirror mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?" Cinderella asked Mirror.
"It is you and you alone, Your Majesty," replied Mirror in this whisperous tone, "Snow White showed that your beauty is not eternal, that your power is not eternal. You might have put her away, Cinderella, but another will rise, another will grow. You can kill them one after another, but one day you will be too old to do that. You're mortal, Cinderella. Listen to me."
"You think I don't know that, Godfather?"
"You don't! Tell me, what have you gained from Winter's death other than your own worthless pride and a good massage of your ego?"
"You're becoming short sighted, Godfather. Has the confines of the mirror hampered your power of vision?
"No, my queen. It has not. Winter was stolen by you-"
"Her name is Snow White! Do not ever call her Winter again. That is not who she is!" snapped the Queen. She opened the window, and pushed the mirror to face the world. "Look at the kingdom. It prospers. You say I am evil, but have I not brought joy and prosperity to this land? Is not me whom these people who live their lives comfortably, have their fruits of the farms bought for a good price, have their manufacturings of products sold to generous buyers? Is it not me who brought success to this land?"
"But that is not the full extent of your desire, Cinderella. We both know you want to rule the world."
"And I know I never will!" Cinderella shouted into the invisible face in the mirror. "That is why I took Snow in the first place! If I were as unselfish as you think I am, the world would have ended by now under my tyranny and oppression. I would have died old and and full of days, rich and limitless in my power, at the expense of every single soul. I am not a queen of darkness."
"But you are a queen of evil nonetheless."
"So are you, Godfather of Fairies," countered Cinderella.
"The confines of the mirror is good space for reflection and contemplation," whispered Mirror.
"Turning good, eh? Repenting of your evil ways?" asked Cinderella sarcastically.
"That is still in question. But reflection is good. Perhaps you'd like to join me here. With all the mirrors around you, you'd be able to take a real good look of yourself."
*
Sleepy, Grumpy, Bashful, Sneezy, Dopey, Doc and Happy stood before the lamp of destiny.
They had walked seven days into the desert, found the Cave of Wonders and entered it bravely. They had resisted all forms of tempations to touch the treasures that surround them as they journeyed through the endless maze of twists and turns. The dwarves dwarved through them easily, for they were expert miners, and such dark tunnels of stone caused them neither fear nor confusion, and their persistence had led them to the chamber of the lamp, where the rusty old home of the genie, the lamp, lay.
*
A glass coffin?
The prince had noticed the glimmer from afar, and proceeded towards it with caution. He did not raise his shield nor draw his sword in case of sudden surprises. His heart had told him that he was in a place of peace, and this young prince trusted his heart. He always had since he was a child.
He walked towards what looked like a glass coffin, shining brightly and beautifully under the gleaming sun.
*
The dwarves leaned around the pedestal that held the lamp.
"Do we rub it?" asked Doc.
"Why are you asking the question, Doc? You've always been the smart one," commented Grumpy.
"Better to have been smart before than to be stupid and angry all his life," Bashful said.
"Surely, Bashful, you are speaking out of turn and out of place. You should be ashamed of yourself," said Sleepy.
"Usually you'd have been too lazy to notice such a thing, Sleepy. Why? The greed of the treasures here have permanently awaken you?" Sneezy said sarcastically.
"Why, Sneezy! you actually spoke that many words without sneezing? I'm amazed!" exclaimed Happy.
"And you have kept your joy indeed, Happy," said Dopey.
"You spoke!!!" shouted the other six dwarves at Dopey's sudden capability to speak with a complete sentence.
*
She was as white as snow. She was beautiful. She wasn't breathing. But she wasn't dead. The prince looked at her face. So beautiful, so fair, so rosy. Even in her deathly rest, her face carried a smile.
He held her arms and gently shook her, wondering if she would awaken from her sleep. But she would not.
The prince continued to look at Snow White's resting face, and thought of a tale his aunt once told him when he was just a boy. His aunt, now deceased, or "missing", had always joked about how she was once cursed to an eternal sleep by an evil witch. Her husband found her, a beauty in an everlasting sleep, in an abandoned castle. His uncle kissed her, and freed her from her curse.
This young prince wondered if she was telling the truth.
*
"Tell me, your highness, Cinderella, why did you kidnap Wint- Snow White, if its not raise her to be your heir? Your killing her has defeated yourself of your own plan."
"I was unprepared, Godfather."
"Unprepared? Or is it because you realize you have not raised her to follow your ideals. She grew up to be a girl of good conscience, much like her mother, and you've been unable to take that away from her."
"I admit I am driven by a corrupt conscience. But at least I have one. "
*
"We must rub the lamp. It is the only chance we have to save Snow White. I know all of you are afraid that the legends are wrong, that perhaps within this lamp lies our death instead of Snow White's salvation. But my brothers, it is a risk worth taking. And I will take it. I will rub the lamp," said Dopey.
Dopey picked the lamp up and rubbed the lamp three times. None of the dwarves stopped him. They stood there in silence as a wisp of smoke shot out of the lamp. A red genie, chained to the lamp, appeared and spoke, "You have three wishes to make, Master Dopey."
*
The prince leaned nearer to Snow White's face. If he were to carry on with his journey, at least he had given this fair maiden a kiss of blessing that her beauty alone would warrant.
*
At that point. No one knew what happened with the dwarves, the prince, and Snow White. No one knew if Dopey made his wish first, or the prince kissed Snow White first. The dwarves did not know that the poison of the Apple of Death can be dispelled by the kiss of a good prince, and of course the prince did not know the dwarves had found the genie who could give all things, including life.
*
"My kingdom is mine, Godfather. I will never let it fall," argued Cinderella.
"I hope you succeed in your plans, your Majesty."
"When I return next, be ready to advise me rather than try to convert me," said Cinderella as she left the room to tend to other affairs of the kingdom.
As the doors closed behind her, the mirror stayed silent, like another mirror. It showed the reflection of everything in the room. It stood there, reflecting. Reflecting. Reflecting. Suddenly, in the dim room, the mirror started to glow, and the voice of the mirror spoke to itself.
"The fairest..."
And the mirror showed nothing but a land of ever-winter.
*
The dwarves were not greedy. They did not ask for another wish for themselves from the genie. All they did was leave the Cave of Wonders with all that is left of them since they embarked on this journey.
The journey home seemed endless. The walked and walked and walked for days yet no forest was in sight. Slowly, they have run out of water and food, and they sat down in the middle of the desert, waiting for the sands to consume them.
"At least we have saved Snow White," commented Happy.
"We do not know that for sure. The genie did not assure us," said Grumpy.
"Well, at least we've tried, and we can die knowing we tried," said Dopey.
Soon after, they lie at the ground, semi awake, and life ebbing away from them.
At that moment, they felt the air change. The winds that blew dry air and sand at their faces slowly turned into cold air. Dopey opened half an eye to see what it was. It's not like he truly cared, for death was upon him anyway. But he opened half an eye anyway.
And he could see, from afar, the desert turning white. And that whiteness was coming towards them.
Dopey closed his eyes, thinking his exhausted mind is already seeing heaven. He opened them again, and he saw that the sky was raining snow on the desert.
"I am in heaven," mumbled Dopey to himself as he closed his eyes again. But as the air turned extremely chilly, he knew something was real. He opened his eye one last time, and saw heaven indeed.
With the snow and the icy breeze, was Snow White.
"She lives. She lives," and with that, Dopey closed his eyes for the final time with a grin on his face.
*
The End
It was their only hope to save Snow White from the poison that ravages through her body.
Sleepy ceased to be sleepy, Grumpy was grumpier than ever, bashful set aside his shyness, sneezy swallowed every cough that ran up his throat, dopey adopted wisdom beyond anyone's comprehension, Doc turned practical, and Happy was solemn as they travelled to the edge of the enchanted forest of Belle, the lost princess, to the outskirts of the great desert in search of the genie, who could grant them wishes of all wishes.
And they would wish for Snow White to be spared from her impending death.
After all, it was their fault that Snow White ate the apple of death in the first place. They should not have let her out of their sight. Who could have led her to eat that damned fruit in the first place, they wondered throughout the journey.
*
Queen Cinderella quietly entered her bedroom and closed the doors behind her.
She walked towards her dressing table and removed her white hood and cloak, revealing her wrinkled and ugly face. She looked in the mirror, staring at the "old angel" she had made herself to be in order to trick her stepdaughter into eating the Apple of Death. Snow White was naive, she thought, to believe that the angel of light would come to her aid and bless her soul.
Then again, Cinderella thought, she once believed in the Fairy Godmother. And it turned out she was lucky the Fairy Godmother wasn't some evil power hungry woman who wanted to ruin her life.
Alas, Cindy was. Sad luck, Snow White.
Cinderella washed away the makeup with water from the basin, and dried her hands and face. She faced the mirror, checking to see if she's left a spot of dirt somewhere.
"Mirror mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?" Cinderella asked Mirror.
"It is you and you alone, Your Majesty," replied Mirror in this whisperous tone, "Snow White showed that your beauty is not eternal, that your power is not eternal. You might have put her away, Cinderella, but another will rise, another will grow. You can kill them one after another, but one day you will be too old to do that. You're mortal, Cinderella. Listen to me."
"You think I don't know that, Godfather?"
"You don't! Tell me, what have you gained from Winter's death other than your own worthless pride and a good massage of your ego?"
"You're becoming short sighted, Godfather. Has the confines of the mirror hampered your power of vision?
"No, my queen. It has not. Winter was stolen by you-"
"Her name is Snow White! Do not ever call her Winter again. That is not who she is!" snapped the Queen. She opened the window, and pushed the mirror to face the world. "Look at the kingdom. It prospers. You say I am evil, but have I not brought joy and prosperity to this land? Is not me whom these people who live their lives comfortably, have their fruits of the farms bought for a good price, have their manufacturings of products sold to generous buyers? Is it not me who brought success to this land?"
"But that is not the full extent of your desire, Cinderella. We both know you want to rule the world."
"And I know I never will!" Cinderella shouted into the invisible face in the mirror. "That is why I took Snow in the first place! If I were as unselfish as you think I am, the world would have ended by now under my tyranny and oppression. I would have died old and and full of days, rich and limitless in my power, at the expense of every single soul. I am not a queen of darkness."
"But you are a queen of evil nonetheless."
"So are you, Godfather of Fairies," countered Cinderella.
"The confines of the mirror is good space for reflection and contemplation," whispered Mirror.
"Turning good, eh? Repenting of your evil ways?" asked Cinderella sarcastically.
"That is still in question. But reflection is good. Perhaps you'd like to join me here. With all the mirrors around you, you'd be able to take a real good look of yourself."
*
Sleepy, Grumpy, Bashful, Sneezy, Dopey, Doc and Happy stood before the lamp of destiny.
They had walked seven days into the desert, found the Cave of Wonders and entered it bravely. They had resisted all forms of tempations to touch the treasures that surround them as they journeyed through the endless maze of twists and turns. The dwarves dwarved through them easily, for they were expert miners, and such dark tunnels of stone caused them neither fear nor confusion, and their persistence had led them to the chamber of the lamp, where the rusty old home of the genie, the lamp, lay.
*
A glass coffin?
The prince had noticed the glimmer from afar, and proceeded towards it with caution. He did not raise his shield nor draw his sword in case of sudden surprises. His heart had told him that he was in a place of peace, and this young prince trusted his heart. He always had since he was a child.
He walked towards what looked like a glass coffin, shining brightly and beautifully under the gleaming sun.
*
The dwarves leaned around the pedestal that held the lamp.
"Do we rub it?" asked Doc.
"Why are you asking the question, Doc? You've always been the smart one," commented Grumpy.
"Better to have been smart before than to be stupid and angry all his life," Bashful said.
"Surely, Bashful, you are speaking out of turn and out of place. You should be ashamed of yourself," said Sleepy.
"Usually you'd have been too lazy to notice such a thing, Sleepy. Why? The greed of the treasures here have permanently awaken you?" Sneezy said sarcastically.
"Why, Sneezy! you actually spoke that many words without sneezing? I'm amazed!" exclaimed Happy.
"And you have kept your joy indeed, Happy," said Dopey.
"You spoke!!!" shouted the other six dwarves at Dopey's sudden capability to speak with a complete sentence.
*
She was as white as snow. She was beautiful. She wasn't breathing. But she wasn't dead. The prince looked at her face. So beautiful, so fair, so rosy. Even in her deathly rest, her face carried a smile.
He held her arms and gently shook her, wondering if she would awaken from her sleep. But she would not.
The prince continued to look at Snow White's resting face, and thought of a tale his aunt once told him when he was just a boy. His aunt, now deceased, or "missing", had always joked about how she was once cursed to an eternal sleep by an evil witch. Her husband found her, a beauty in an everlasting sleep, in an abandoned castle. His uncle kissed her, and freed her from her curse.
This young prince wondered if she was telling the truth.
*
"Tell me, your highness, Cinderella, why did you kidnap Wint- Snow White, if its not raise her to be your heir? Your killing her has defeated yourself of your own plan."
"I was unprepared, Godfather."
"Unprepared? Or is it because you realize you have not raised her to follow your ideals. She grew up to be a girl of good conscience, much like her mother, and you've been unable to take that away from her."
"I admit I am driven by a corrupt conscience. But at least I have one. "
*
"We must rub the lamp. It is the only chance we have to save Snow White. I know all of you are afraid that the legends are wrong, that perhaps within this lamp lies our death instead of Snow White's salvation. But my brothers, it is a risk worth taking. And I will take it. I will rub the lamp," said Dopey.
Dopey picked the lamp up and rubbed the lamp three times. None of the dwarves stopped him. They stood there in silence as a wisp of smoke shot out of the lamp. A red genie, chained to the lamp, appeared and spoke, "You have three wishes to make, Master Dopey."
*
The prince leaned nearer to Snow White's face. If he were to carry on with his journey, at least he had given this fair maiden a kiss of blessing that her beauty alone would warrant.
*
At that point. No one knew what happened with the dwarves, the prince, and Snow White. No one knew if Dopey made his wish first, or the prince kissed Snow White first. The dwarves did not know that the poison of the Apple of Death can be dispelled by the kiss of a good prince, and of course the prince did not know the dwarves had found the genie who could give all things, including life.
*
"My kingdom is mine, Godfather. I will never let it fall," argued Cinderella.
"I hope you succeed in your plans, your Majesty."
"When I return next, be ready to advise me rather than try to convert me," said Cinderella as she left the room to tend to other affairs of the kingdom.
As the doors closed behind her, the mirror stayed silent, like another mirror. It showed the reflection of everything in the room. It stood there, reflecting. Reflecting. Reflecting. Suddenly, in the dim room, the mirror started to glow, and the voice of the mirror spoke to itself.
"The fairest..."
And the mirror showed nothing but a land of ever-winter.
*
The dwarves were not greedy. They did not ask for another wish for themselves from the genie. All they did was leave the Cave of Wonders with all that is left of them since they embarked on this journey.
The journey home seemed endless. The walked and walked and walked for days yet no forest was in sight. Slowly, they have run out of water and food, and they sat down in the middle of the desert, waiting for the sands to consume them.
"At least we have saved Snow White," commented Happy.
"We do not know that for sure. The genie did not assure us," said Grumpy.
"Well, at least we've tried, and we can die knowing we tried," said Dopey.
Soon after, they lie at the ground, semi awake, and life ebbing away from them.
At that moment, they felt the air change. The winds that blew dry air and sand at their faces slowly turned into cold air. Dopey opened half an eye to see what it was. It's not like he truly cared, for death was upon him anyway. But he opened half an eye anyway.
And he could see, from afar, the desert turning white. And that whiteness was coming towards them.
Dopey closed his eyes, thinking his exhausted mind is already seeing heaven. He opened them again, and he saw that the sky was raining snow on the desert.
"I am in heaven," mumbled Dopey to himself as he closed his eyes again. But as the air turned extremely chilly, he knew something was real. He opened his eye one last time, and saw heaven indeed.
With the snow and the icy breeze, was Snow White.
"She lives. She lives," and with that, Dopey closed his eyes for the final time with a grin on his face.
*
The End
#4 - The Coronation of Cinderella
The godfather of fairies picked Princess Aurora's baby, Winter, from the smooth iron table and followed closely behind Cinderella as she left the chamber of darkness.
As the giant doors close behind them, the light of the world found no way into the chamber of darkness ever again, for it will never be opened for a thousand years. The candles will burn for a while more, and then fade to black. And like it, the screams of treachery and cries for mercy will fade to bitter weeping and hopeless sobbing, and then fade to black.
*
Her cloak hid her face that wore the expression of immense gratification. She did not smile, nor did she speak words of congratulations to herself or the godfather of fairies, but as she strode through the corridors and hallways towards another chamber of darkness, her footsteps carried the weight of queens and of the goddesses, as though empowered by the god of treachery himself.
That walk was her coronation.
She stood by the bars of cold steel and looked at Prince Charming, naked, thin and gone mad. He lie there, curled up on the hay that has become his bed, muttering words that cannot be heard, except for the occasional "Cinderella", "the glass slipper", among others.
Those words no longer had any meaning to Cinderella. That past will end, here and now.
Prince Charming, amidst his lost madness, caught sight of Cinderella and started throwing a fit. He screamed and wriggled all over the floor, as though the face of Cinderella burned as an inner fire that was hotter than the flames of hell.
"Do I kill him, your highness?" asked the godfather of fairies in his usual whisperous tone.
"No, leave him here."
The godfather of fairies bowed slightly to acknowledge her command, and followed her out of the chamber.
From that day onwards she heard no more of the cries of Princess Aurora, Fairy Godmother, and Prince Charming.
*
"Godfather,"
"Yes, princess?"
"It is done. I will be queen, and I have my heir now."
"You have my congratulations... my Queen."
"I must keep you by my side, my aide, godfather of fairies."
"It is a pleasure to serve you, your majesty, but other evils await my service, and soon I must depart, and leave you to your business."
"Then will you do one last service for me?"
"With great pleasure and honor, I will."
"Imprison yourself in that piece of furniture, and never depart from there," ordered Cinderella as she pointed into the darkness of her bedroom. It would seem as though she knew not where and what she was pointing at, but the godfather of fairies' reaction showed that she knew.
"You cannot make me do this, Princess Cinderella."
"You did just say 'with great pleasure and honor, I will,' and I hold will you true to that, or you shall be the godfather of fairies no more."
"And I will honor my word," said the godfather of fairies, as he walked into the darkness. And out of the darkness, came his last words. "You cannot contain power forever."
Cinderella showed no expression to those words, as she glared into the darkness where the godfather of fairies departed to. She stood there for a full hour, with baby Winter sleeping in her arms, and reflected on her past, and pondered on her future.
She looked at the sleeping baby, and whispered, "my servant, my heir."
*
Sixteen years later.
*
Cinderella awakes to the bright shining sun. She went about her usual business, washing her face, combing her hair, putting on her morning gown. She dressed in a presentable fashion, as she was to meet Lord Farqua downstairs.
As she stared into the mirror, admiring her own stature and beauty, she spoke.
"Mirror mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?"
And the mirror spoke back in its whisperous tone an answer that was either pleasant to the ears of Cinderella, or perhaps not.
*
As the giant doors close behind them, the light of the world found no way into the chamber of darkness ever again, for it will never be opened for a thousand years. The candles will burn for a while more, and then fade to black. And like it, the screams of treachery and cries for mercy will fade to bitter weeping and hopeless sobbing, and then fade to black.
*
Her cloak hid her face that wore the expression of immense gratification. She did not smile, nor did she speak words of congratulations to herself or the godfather of fairies, but as she strode through the corridors and hallways towards another chamber of darkness, her footsteps carried the weight of queens and of the goddesses, as though empowered by the god of treachery himself.
That walk was her coronation.
She stood by the bars of cold steel and looked at Prince Charming, naked, thin and gone mad. He lie there, curled up on the hay that has become his bed, muttering words that cannot be heard, except for the occasional "Cinderella", "the glass slipper", among others.
Those words no longer had any meaning to Cinderella. That past will end, here and now.
Prince Charming, amidst his lost madness, caught sight of Cinderella and started throwing a fit. He screamed and wriggled all over the floor, as though the face of Cinderella burned as an inner fire that was hotter than the flames of hell.
"Do I kill him, your highness?" asked the godfather of fairies in his usual whisperous tone.
"No, leave him here."
The godfather of fairies bowed slightly to acknowledge her command, and followed her out of the chamber.
From that day onwards she heard no more of the cries of Princess Aurora, Fairy Godmother, and Prince Charming.
*
"Godfather,"
"Yes, princess?"
"It is done. I will be queen, and I have my heir now."
"You have my congratulations... my Queen."
"I must keep you by my side, my aide, godfather of fairies."
"It is a pleasure to serve you, your majesty, but other evils await my service, and soon I must depart, and leave you to your business."
"Then will you do one last service for me?"
"With great pleasure and honor, I will."
"Imprison yourself in that piece of furniture, and never depart from there," ordered Cinderella as she pointed into the darkness of her bedroom. It would seem as though she knew not where and what she was pointing at, but the godfather of fairies' reaction showed that she knew.
"You cannot make me do this, Princess Cinderella."
"You did just say 'with great pleasure and honor, I will,' and I hold will you true to that, or you shall be the godfather of fairies no more."
"And I will honor my word," said the godfather of fairies, as he walked into the darkness. And out of the darkness, came his last words. "You cannot contain power forever."
Cinderella showed no expression to those words, as she glared into the darkness where the godfather of fairies departed to. She stood there for a full hour, with baby Winter sleeping in her arms, and reflected on her past, and pondered on her future.
She looked at the sleeping baby, and whispered, "my servant, my heir."
*
Sixteen years later.
*
Cinderella awakes to the bright shining sun. She went about her usual business, washing her face, combing her hair, putting on her morning gown. She dressed in a presentable fashion, as she was to meet Lord Farqua downstairs.
As she stared into the mirror, admiring her own stature and beauty, she spoke.
"Mirror mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?"
And the mirror spoke back in its whisperous tone an answer that was either pleasant to the ears of Cinderella, or perhaps not.
*
#3 - The Fairy of Fairies
I shouldn’t be here, thought Cinderella to herself as she scrubbed a patch of dried ink off the floor.
One day I will leave this place.
Oh Yes. I will. It is wrong for a maiden as fair as I am to be enslaved here to perform chores that only animals should do.
Cinderella’s stepmother and stepsisters entered the hall, fully clad in their corsets of ocean blue, emerald green, coal black and ruby red. They were beautiful, and by virtue of the fact that Cinderella was dressed in rags and smeared with dirt and dust all over her body, the four of them were perhaps the most beautiful women in all the land.
They trotted across the hall, leaving dirty footprints all over the floor that Cinderella had just scrubbed. They wiped their feet once they stepped outside, indicating that they had dirtied the floor intentionally, before entering the rented carriage that would take them to the Castle of Royalties.
Just wait. Godmother will be here soon. And the Prince will be mine and mine alone. She will come. I have called her.
I must dirty myself more. I must scrub this floor now. Not only is this last time I shall scrub this floor. It shall also be my salvation. Godmother will see me. She will.
*
As Princess Cinderella walked down the stairway leading away from the master bedroom, having inspected the body of the dead king, a very familiar character entered through the door facing the stairs, and stood in her way.
“Where are you going, Cinderella?" asked Fairy Godmother.
Princess Cinderella stopped. She wasn’t surprised.
“Fairy Godmother,” greeted Cinderella coldly.
“This wasn’t why I helped you win the heart of the Prince,” said the Fairy Godmother, as she stepped out of the shadow. Her poise was elegant as ever, and her age did not show in her movement and voice, despite her aged appearance of white hair and wrinkled skin.
“Things rarely turn out the way you expect it to be, Godmother.”
“You lied to me,” accused Fairy Godmother, smoothly.
Cinderella paused for a moment, and said, “Yes, I did.”
*
“White? Hmm. White it is. Hmm and she waved her wand in circles as Cinderella was lifted up into the air and was transformed into a princess-like young lady, clad in a glittering white dress. Her hair was scruffy no more, and was as smooth as the fountains, and her face shone even in the dark night.
It is done. Well, Not yet. But I’m almost there.
“Tell me, my dear Cinderella, what will you do when you meet the Prince?” asked Fairy Godmother lovingly.
Marry him, kill him, and be crowned Queen of all the lands. My stepmother and my stepsisters will scrub my palace floors and be fed with food that is fit for swine alone. Their den will be where they eat, sleep, pass motion, and share what is left of their pathetic little family. What goes around will come around… mother.
“I will bow down before him, let him look at me, and perhaps he will love me,” answered Cinderella, forcing her submissive and respectful tone to come through.
“So, Cinderella, do you believe in love at first sight?” asked Fairy Godmother.
No, I do not. But I pray the Prince will be fool enough to believe so.
“I do not know, Fairy Godmother. Is it possible?”
“Ah. That I cannot answer too. Love is a foolish emotion. It acts up when it feels like it. So just hope for the best, Cinderella.”
“I will,”
“You must leave by
A catch. This is not good. I have three hours to win the prince’s hand in marriage. It matters not. I will go irregardless. The Prince must fall in love with me in three hours. I pray he is fool enough.
If he does, then it must mean that his heart is weak. Then, that would make my life a little easier.
That would mean he's easily disposable. Weak hearted man.
*
Fairy Godmother held her wand in her hands. But it was not raised. She was after all, a Godmother of good, and she tried her very best to be a godmother to Cinderella.
“I helped you get here, Cinderella. Why do you think when you left, all that was given by me turned back into pumpkins and rats except your glass slipper? Have you ever wondered that? I gave a lot to ensure you were remembered by the Prince, Cinderella.”
“And that was your choice, Godmother, I did not ask you to do all that you did for me,” Cinderella’s voice was cold now, and her voice more crisp and firm.
Despite sensing Cinderella’s growing powers, Fairy Godmother was not going to let leave. “I cannot let you do what you are doing. I will not let evil befall this land because of my sympathy towards you.”
“I’ve already done what I’ve done, Godmother. The King is dead, and the prince will fall with him. I’ve longed for this day, this moment, since I learned the value of time,” replied Cinderella.
“You’ve already killed many people, Cinderella. Tell me, what has it brought you? Joy?”
“It has brought me closer to power, with every death that I have caused.”
“The prince is a good man!” shouted Fairy Godmother.
“He is weak! He will never rule for long!” Cinderella had started pacing left and right by then, clearly showing her impatience towards Fairy Godmother.
Fairy Godmother closed her eyes and contemplated everything, before saying in a defeated voice, “I should never have helped you, Cinderella. I regret that.”
“Oh, don’t. Your role in this world is to help the needy, and I was in need of your aid.”
“And I will put an end to all this madness,” concluded Fairy Godmother as she raised her wand. It sparkled bright light, and its emission of glory filled the dark room. "Do not think that just because I am your Fairy Godmother, I hesistate to take strong action. I will kill you if that is what it takes to end this madness!"
"And I will kill you if that is what it takes to protect me from you trying to kill me, Godmother," answered the Princess. "You do remember... Godfather. Do you?"
And the Godfather of Fairies appeared beside Cinderella, like a magician who conjured himself up in mid-air. He stood there, like a loyal guard who protects his mistress without question.The cloaked master of Fairies stared at Fairy Godmother intently. His ice blue eyes gleamed with mystical vitality, and his hands were worn but full of strength.
“Princess Cinderella," Godfather of Fairies said, without moving much. "Aurora has been detained, and her child awaits,” reported the Godfather of Fairies in a low, whisperous tone.
“You have what, Godfather of Fairies? And where have you come from? You were exiled by all the Fairies of your time for almost seven generations now. How were you set free? ” remarked Fairy Godmother with shock. “I see your scheme now, Cinderella. Not only are you treacherous enough to gain power, you also seek to pass on your evil ways. ”
“At least you will pass on with understanding,” Cinderella clapped her hands and let the sound of it echo against the walls. “I will leave you to speak with Godfather. Enjoy,” and with one last look at the Godmother he tricked, Cinderella beckoned to the Godfather of Fairies.
"I suggest you leave this hall the other way, Princess," said the Godfather of Fairies.
"Indeed," replied Cinderella as she turned back up the stairs into another corridor and left the two masters to their fates.
*
"I once loved your great great great great great great grandmother, she turned against me."
"Legend said that you struck a deal with the sea witch Ursula to turn the seas into your own little empire, and you killed my great great great great great great grandmother to achieve that."
"It is because I did NOT achieve that, and because your great great great great great great grandmother tried to kill me after that, that I had to kill her in return! And I was imprisoned for nothing!" The Godfather of Fairies raised his voice, "BUT! Our quarrel here today is not for that, but for Cinderella."
"You knew she would turn into this monster, you twisted swine." insulted Fairy Godmother. "And what good would she be of to you?"
"It's not power I crave, Fairy Godmother. It's the ideology that I crave for. No one believed me when I said that the world is black in its essence, and all I wanted was to bring that to realization and build a better world on top of it. But no, everyone wants to believe that everything has a potential for good. I do not want to rule the world. I am not as selfish you have been taugh to believe. I merely want that good world to come about, and it was never going to happen with YOU LOT OF IDEALISTIC FAIRIES... Cinderella saw what the world's foundations was like, and she will bring forth a time of prosperity to this land."
"You are misled, Godfather of Fairies and Fairy of Fairies."
"And you are short sighted."
"I do not presume to be able to kill you, and I know my death is now. But let me say this, Godfather of Fairies. The Prince of Beasts will find you, and tear you apart, one day," proclaimed Fairy Godmother. "Yes, I know who Cinderella's parents were. I know someone took her away, I just didn't know it was you."
"Yet you did not return her to her family, how mysterious..." said the Godfather of Fairies.
"I couldn't. The Prince of Beast returned to his beastly form, and Cinderella would have been killed had I returned her. But all the same, he will find you, one day."
"And so I will wait for that day."
*
"Aurora, I'm sorry."
"You bitch of a sister in law! Where is my father? Where is my brother? Do not touch my daughter!"
"I will raise your daughter well. Winter will be my heir. She will be strong."
"You will not touch my daughter, you filthy demon ! You will not teach her your sick ways! You are nothing but a servant! You will only make her a corrupt servant with blackness in her heart!"
"And isn't that what we all are? Black? In all your rightheous ways, you just called me 'bitch' and 'demon' and degraded 'servants'. Blackness is you, too, Aurora."
"I DON'T CARE WHAT-"
"Guards, cut off her tongue. Let her wail, but not speak."
*
Baby Winter cried to the wailings of her mother.
Baby Winter stopped crying.
Baby Winter lay on the table, surrounded by manikins, who looked intently at her.
"Will I have her, Princess Cinderella?" asked an older Manikin.
"Nothing you ask now will change what has happened once before, dear Manikin. I let you cut out her tongue, and that should be revenge enough for you. The baby is mine," answered Cinderella.
"Is there any way I can have this baby, Cinderella? Aurora robbed her from me-"
"And I robbed Winter away from Aurora. Perhaps one day you'll rob me of something to complete that circle. But for now, consider your time here complete. You have served me and the Godfather of Fairies well, and you have had your revenge. Now, take the treasures that I promised you, and you are free to go back to your straw spinning ways," commanded Cinderella.
"But-"
"No buts, Rumpelstilkstin. Go, before I change my mind," ordered Cinderella firmly.
"Yes, highness," submitted the manikin, and he departed the palace with his kin, secretly cursing and wishing tragedy to befall Prinecss Cinderella.
*
Cinderella stood in the middle of the chamber as Fairy Godmother was chained to the wall on the right, half unconscious. Aurora wailed on, chained on the far end of the chamber. Baby Winter had fallen asleep, having adjusted to the wails of her mother.
"Even baby Winter has blackness in her heart, for she no longer can feel the cries of her mother," said the Godfather of Fairies in his deepest, darkest, most whisperous voice.
Cinderella stood there, feeding off the echoes of sorrow and digesting the blackness from within the hearts of all living beings.
And in this chamber of blackness, her empire will now be established, forever and ever.
*
#2 - Acts of the Servant in-Law
Princess Cinderella woke up in from her sleep. Her eyes still weary from the nightmare she just had. It was a nightmare that was an evil's passion to give. She dreamt that she was in the arms of a beautiful woman. She felt like a child in that dream.
Then she dreamt that she was carried to a blackness that she could not comprehend. It wasn't death. No, it wasn't death. Somehow, she would have recognized death had she seen or felt it. But rather, this blackness was that of a cleansed void.
That was her first dream.
*
Blackness will always be there. It is the color of cleaness. It is the base color of all things. Not white as everyone had always imagined it to be. You scrub the world clean, and all you get is what it all is. Blackness. That is the root, the core, of all things.
To build a new world above a black land is the only way one can cover the evil that makes this world.
A carpet of light. A carpet of colors. A carpet of joy.
And on the carpet you place the golden chairs, the marble table, the silver shelf. On the chair you place a cushion, covered in silk. On the table you place porcelain teapots, saucers, and cups. On the shelf you put pictures of many good things.
Then on the cushion you seat a person. In the teapot you place tea-leaves and hot water. Beside the shelf you place little crystal figurines.
That is why you are alive and that is why you are. To make the world beautiful.
And that was her second dream.
*
"Who are you?"
"I am the Godfather of Fairies, and I am your protector."
"Where is Godmother?"
"You and I both know that the Godmother is but a pawn on your board of black of white."
"I do not know what you mean."
"Whilst you were the step-daughter of your wretched family, you were non-existent. You wanted the world to be on your toes. You then proceeded to, in your free time at night, in the minutes before you fell asleep, conceived of a sinister plan to enter the royal courts to gain power, and more power. With the aid of the Fairy Godmother, you have indeed managed to as it were, place yourself on the chess board. However, enlisting her aid meant that you are on the white side of the board."
"How do you know of these things?"
"I am more powerful than your precious Fairy Godmother."
"I've never heard of the Fairy Godfather. I didn't know Godmother was married."
"I am not the Fairy Godfather. I am the Godfather of Fairies. I am the Godfather of ALL fairies, including your Godmother."
"Okay..."
"I can help you be on the black side of the board."
"Where did you come from?"
"The black side of the netherworld."
" I thought the netherworld is always black."
"Silly assumption."
"Why would I want to be on the black side of the board?"
"Because that's where worlds are built."
And that was her third dream
*
She held a baby in her arms. The father's head is caught in the wheel on the deck. The baby is bleeding from his neck down. The ship is rocking wildly.
Blood is everywhere. All the sailors are dead.
She has nowhere to run. She has nowhere to swim.
The baby's white dress is smeared with blood. Her father's head is mashed potato.
The sun is shining brightly upon them.
The baby isn't crying. The baby isn't crying. The baby is only wriggling very very softly. The senses has left the baby. Her eyes are closing into a deathly sleep.
The mother held the baby in her hands. She doesn't know what to do. They are both dead.
The wild half-women half-fish monsters are circling the ship, tearing shred after shred of wood away. Those creatures with the face of angels and the heart of hyenas killed everyone.
Or rather, one is dead, and the other is dying.
All is lost. She is removed from the board again.
No king. No heir.
The baby is dead. So is the father. I am all that lives.
The baby has stopped moving. The sun is still shining. Her blood is cold. It is sticky, and cold.
And that was her fourth dream.
*
You must do what you must, Princess, or you will never realize your ambition.
Do what?
You know...
And that was her fifth dream.
*
Princess Cinderella rode out of her castle into the nearby village with two armed guards, and they rode in the drizzle.
As they approached the old village where the lower-middle class peasants lived, Cinderella slowed, looking intently at the run down houses that she passed by.
"Where are we heading to, Princess?" asked one of her guards.
"I'm looking for a family," answered Cinderella.
"Is it the one where you came from?" asked the other guard of hers.
"No. It's just the one where I was held hostage for years. Yes. That family."
"Yes, Princess."
*
The King paced the living room slowly, while the Prince sat and observed his father as he spoke.
"I find Cinderella rather... disturbing, son. Are you sure you married the right woman?" The King asked.
"Why do you ask that, father?"
"She has been rather... reserved ever since she moved into the palace. I am concerned that she is not as lovely as you have imagined her to be," explained the King.
"And what would you have me do if she indeed is not the best girl in the world? Would you have me kill her and marry another?" asked the Prince sarcastically.
"Silly boy, of course not. I'm just expressing my concerns."
"I admit she is rather silent, and her ways are sometimes beyond my understanding. But she has never... usurped me, or you. If that is what you are trying to imply."
"No, no. Of course not. Have the two of you discussed children?"
"No, we have not. I would think when it happens, it'll happen."
"These things need planning, son."
Just then, a palace servant entered the hall and whispered into the King's ear. The King then said to the Prince, "Aurora is here with Winter. She'll be living with us for a while until her husband returns from his travel to Emerald City."
"Then I must go and welcome my sister. It is good news indeed that she has arrived here safely," replied the Prince as he motioned his father and the servant to the door.
*
Cinderella ordered her two guards to wait at the crossroad while she travelled further downhill to where her stepmother lived.
*
"Do you think it's wise for us to have children? Cinderella?"
"Why are you suddenly asking me this, my love?"
"Just thinking. Can't we talk about things?"
"Of course we can. But I suppose it's not the best time yet. We're both still rather young."
"Alright... But we can still do our thing at night right?"
"Yes of course. But not tonight, really. I have a headache."
*
Cinderella closed the doors behind her as she entered the house where she once lived. She can hear the soft giggles of her stepsisters somewhere behind. She could not make out what they were talking about, for the sounds of the drizzle clouded her hearing. They were in the kitchen, probably. Cinderella sat down on a chair in the little living room, and waited in the grey light.
Then the stepsisters came out and saw Cinderella. The first sister was holding a basin. The second sister was carrying a bucket. The third sister was holding a tray with fried fish. They saw Princess Cinderella. The three of them froze and stared at Cinderella.
"You're supposed to kneel before royalty," commented Cinderella.
"Kneel before you? Princess or not, you're still our step-sister. Our stupid little stepsister," replied the eldest of the sisters.
"Really?"
At the moment the first sister dropped the basin, and with it, her fingers. It was as though someone had cut them off. She could not scream, for it was sudden.
"You're supposed to kneel before royalty," commented Cinderella again.
*
"Aurora, you look beautiful as ever. You have regained your beautiful figure," exclaimed the Prince. "And little Winter. She is a lovely baby isn't she? Can I carry?"
"Ever the boy. Of course you can carry him," answered Aurora. "And I can see you did not bother changing into your royal robes to greet me. Look at the rags that you're dressed in. Have you been working the horses again?"
"As always. And you've always seen me like this. Do you prefer a royal welcome or a family welcome?"
"Family welcome, of course."
The baby coo-ed delightfully as the Prince rocked her.
Brother and sister walked through the giant gardens and conversed about many things. And it was a beautiful moment, for they loved each other very much.
"Father must be waiting for us by now," Aurora said.
"He can wait. And he's got a lot of other things to worry about anyway. Mermaids have been wrecking a lot of our ships lately for no apparent reason. It's as though they've made war on us."
"Really? That's unheard of."
"Indeed so."
"But we really should return anyway, and give me back Winter. She's frowning at your face already."
"As you wish, sister."
But they never made it back to the palace halls. For without their realization. Armed creatures came from everywhere and swiftly took them captive. They were no ordinary soldiers. They were manikins. Manikins who wanted revenge for a lie told to them once upon a time, that a royal baby would be given to them, but was never so. Manikins who swore their allegiance to the Godfather of Fairies just to do what they've always wanted to Princess Aurora.
*
Stepmother entered the her house to find her three daughters kneeling, and shaking, before Princess Cinderella.
"Hello... mother," greeted a spiteful Cinderella.
"Oh... Cinderella. What a pleasant surprise. You've come back. How sweet of you?" Stepmother frantically looked for words to hide her sudden surge of fear.
"You're supposed to kneel before royalty, mother."
Without hesitation, Stepmother went down on her knees and started begging for mercy. "Oh don't punish us or anything of that sort, my daughter. We've always loved you. We've always intended the best for you. My daughters might have been naughty sometimes but we've always loved you. Look at how you've become a Princess. We're so proud of you. So proud..."
As Stepmother rambled on. Cinderella stood up and picked up a small piece of fried fish and chewed it. She then spat it on the face of her stepmother, then took the entire plate of fish and shoved it in the face of her stepmother.
"You did not make me a princess, mother. You made me a servant in-law. I made myself a princess. Do I make myself clear?" explained Cinderella as she held her stepmother by her throat.
"DON'T HURT MOMMA!" shrieked the fingerless eldest daughter, who happened to the closest to Cinderella and the Stepmother. Cinderella responded to that by revealing her sabre with her right hand and slicing off the head of the eldest sister while still gripping Stepmother's neck firmly. The other two sisters screamed as the lifeless head rolled across the room.
"No! Mercy. I beg for mercy!" cried Stepmother.
"Mother. I am not making you eat the food of fleas and scrape the kennels of dogs and clean the pig farms. Nor am I making you walk through the streets naked. Nor am I turning you into the hands of the mermaids who would eat you away limb by limb while keeping you alive. Mother, this IS mercy,"
"No... no... We love you, Cinderella."
Cinderella let go of Stepmother and said to the shadows, "You can leave me alone here now Godfather. This is something I rather do myself. Return to the castle, and do what you will with the King and the Prince. Do not forget baby Winter."
The shadows came alive and the Godfather of Fairies walked out of the house and closed the door behind him.
And Cinderella killed Stepmother, and the two remaining sisters.
*
"Alfred, do you mind going to see where Aurora is, and my son as well. They're taking rather long today I think," asked the King rather politely.
"Alfred?" asked the King again.
"Where are you, Alfred?"
"Alfred has departed. It is I that you speak to now, your majesty," answered a deep whisperous tone.
The King looked at the entrance of the dining room, and saw the Godfather of Fairies standing there alone.
*
And all of Cinderella's dark deeds were fulfilled that day itself.
*
Checkmate. And the black Queen moved across the board amidst the remaining pieces to a white, square, box.
And that was it.
And that was her sixth dream.
*
Then she dreamt that she was carried to a blackness that she could not comprehend. It wasn't death. No, it wasn't death. Somehow, she would have recognized death had she seen or felt it. But rather, this blackness was that of a cleansed void.
That was her first dream.
*
Blackness will always be there. It is the color of cleaness. It is the base color of all things. Not white as everyone had always imagined it to be. You scrub the world clean, and all you get is what it all is. Blackness. That is the root, the core, of all things.
To build a new world above a black land is the only way one can cover the evil that makes this world.
A carpet of light. A carpet of colors. A carpet of joy.
And on the carpet you place the golden chairs, the marble table, the silver shelf. On the chair you place a cushion, covered in silk. On the table you place porcelain teapots, saucers, and cups. On the shelf you put pictures of many good things.
Then on the cushion you seat a person. In the teapot you place tea-leaves and hot water. Beside the shelf you place little crystal figurines.
That is why you are alive and that is why you are. To make the world beautiful.
And that was her second dream.
*
"Who are you?"
"I am the Godfather of Fairies, and I am your protector."
"Where is Godmother?"
"You and I both know that the Godmother is but a pawn on your board of black of white."
"I do not know what you mean."
"Whilst you were the step-daughter of your wretched family, you were non-existent. You wanted the world to be on your toes. You then proceeded to, in your free time at night, in the minutes before you fell asleep, conceived of a sinister plan to enter the royal courts to gain power, and more power. With the aid of the Fairy Godmother, you have indeed managed to as it were, place yourself on the chess board. However, enlisting her aid meant that you are on the white side of the board."
"How do you know of these things?"
"I am more powerful than your precious Fairy Godmother."
"I've never heard of the Fairy Godfather. I didn't know Godmother was married."
"I am not the Fairy Godfather. I am the Godfather of Fairies. I am the Godfather of ALL fairies, including your Godmother."
"Okay..."
"I can help you be on the black side of the board."
"Where did you come from?"
"The black side of the netherworld."
" I thought the netherworld is always black."
"Silly assumption."
"Why would I want to be on the black side of the board?"
"Because that's where worlds are built."
And that was her third dream
*
She held a baby in her arms. The father's head is caught in the wheel on the deck. The baby is bleeding from his neck down. The ship is rocking wildly.
Blood is everywhere. All the sailors are dead.
She has nowhere to run. She has nowhere to swim.
The baby's white dress is smeared with blood. Her father's head is mashed potato.
The sun is shining brightly upon them.
The baby isn't crying. The baby isn't crying. The baby is only wriggling very very softly. The senses has left the baby. Her eyes are closing into a deathly sleep.
The mother held the baby in her hands. She doesn't know what to do. They are both dead.
The wild half-women half-fish monsters are circling the ship, tearing shred after shred of wood away. Those creatures with the face of angels and the heart of hyenas killed everyone.
Or rather, one is dead, and the other is dying.
All is lost. She is removed from the board again.
No king. No heir.
The baby is dead. So is the father. I am all that lives.
The baby has stopped moving. The sun is still shining. Her blood is cold. It is sticky, and cold.
And that was her fourth dream.
*
You must do what you must, Princess, or you will never realize your ambition.
Do what?
You know...
And that was her fifth dream.
*
Princess Cinderella rode out of her castle into the nearby village with two armed guards, and they rode in the drizzle.
As they approached the old village where the lower-middle class peasants lived, Cinderella slowed, looking intently at the run down houses that she passed by.
"Where are we heading to, Princess?" asked one of her guards.
"I'm looking for a family," answered Cinderella.
"Is it the one where you came from?" asked the other guard of hers.
"No. It's just the one where I was held hostage for years. Yes. That family."
"Yes, Princess."
*
The King paced the living room slowly, while the Prince sat and observed his father as he spoke.
"I find Cinderella rather... disturbing, son. Are you sure you married the right woman?" The King asked.
"Why do you ask that, father?"
"She has been rather... reserved ever since she moved into the palace. I am concerned that she is not as lovely as you have imagined her to be," explained the King.
"And what would you have me do if she indeed is not the best girl in the world? Would you have me kill her and marry another?" asked the Prince sarcastically.
"Silly boy, of course not. I'm just expressing my concerns."
"I admit she is rather silent, and her ways are sometimes beyond my understanding. But she has never... usurped me, or you. If that is what you are trying to imply."
"No, no. Of course not. Have the two of you discussed children?"
"No, we have not. I would think when it happens, it'll happen."
"These things need planning, son."
Just then, a palace servant entered the hall and whispered into the King's ear. The King then said to the Prince, "Aurora is here with Winter. She'll be living with us for a while until her husband returns from his travel to Emerald City."
"Then I must go and welcome my sister. It is good news indeed that she has arrived here safely," replied the Prince as he motioned his father and the servant to the door.
*
Cinderella ordered her two guards to wait at the crossroad while she travelled further downhill to where her stepmother lived.
*
"Do you think it's wise for us to have children? Cinderella?"
"Why are you suddenly asking me this, my love?"
"Just thinking. Can't we talk about things?"
"Of course we can. But I suppose it's not the best time yet. We're both still rather young."
"Alright... But we can still do our thing at night right?"
"Yes of course. But not tonight, really. I have a headache."
*
Cinderella closed the doors behind her as she entered the house where she once lived. She can hear the soft giggles of her stepsisters somewhere behind. She could not make out what they were talking about, for the sounds of the drizzle clouded her hearing. They were in the kitchen, probably. Cinderella sat down on a chair in the little living room, and waited in the grey light.
Then the stepsisters came out and saw Cinderella. The first sister was holding a basin. The second sister was carrying a bucket. The third sister was holding a tray with fried fish. They saw Princess Cinderella. The three of them froze and stared at Cinderella.
"You're supposed to kneel before royalty," commented Cinderella.
"Kneel before you? Princess or not, you're still our step-sister. Our stupid little stepsister," replied the eldest of the sisters.
"Really?"
At the moment the first sister dropped the basin, and with it, her fingers. It was as though someone had cut them off. She could not scream, for it was sudden.
"You're supposed to kneel before royalty," commented Cinderella again.
*
"Aurora, you look beautiful as ever. You have regained your beautiful figure," exclaimed the Prince. "And little Winter. She is a lovely baby isn't she? Can I carry?"
"Ever the boy. Of course you can carry him," answered Aurora. "And I can see you did not bother changing into your royal robes to greet me. Look at the rags that you're dressed in. Have you been working the horses again?"
"As always. And you've always seen me like this. Do you prefer a royal welcome or a family welcome?"
"Family welcome, of course."
The baby coo-ed delightfully as the Prince rocked her.
Brother and sister walked through the giant gardens and conversed about many things. And it was a beautiful moment, for they loved each other very much.
"Father must be waiting for us by now," Aurora said.
"He can wait. And he's got a lot of other things to worry about anyway. Mermaids have been wrecking a lot of our ships lately for no apparent reason. It's as though they've made war on us."
"Really? That's unheard of."
"Indeed so."
"But we really should return anyway, and give me back Winter. She's frowning at your face already."
"As you wish, sister."
But they never made it back to the palace halls. For without their realization. Armed creatures came from everywhere and swiftly took them captive. They were no ordinary soldiers. They were manikins. Manikins who wanted revenge for a lie told to them once upon a time, that a royal baby would be given to them, but was never so. Manikins who swore their allegiance to the Godfather of Fairies just to do what they've always wanted to Princess Aurora.
*
Stepmother entered the her house to find her three daughters kneeling, and shaking, before Princess Cinderella.
"Hello... mother," greeted a spiteful Cinderella.
"Oh... Cinderella. What a pleasant surprise. You've come back. How sweet of you?" Stepmother frantically looked for words to hide her sudden surge of fear.
"You're supposed to kneel before royalty, mother."
Without hesitation, Stepmother went down on her knees and started begging for mercy. "Oh don't punish us or anything of that sort, my daughter. We've always loved you. We've always intended the best for you. My daughters might have been naughty sometimes but we've always loved you. Look at how you've become a Princess. We're so proud of you. So proud..."
As Stepmother rambled on. Cinderella stood up and picked up a small piece of fried fish and chewed it. She then spat it on the face of her stepmother, then took the entire plate of fish and shoved it in the face of her stepmother.
"You did not make me a princess, mother. You made me a servant in-law. I made myself a princess. Do I make myself clear?" explained Cinderella as she held her stepmother by her throat.
"DON'T HURT MOMMA!" shrieked the fingerless eldest daughter, who happened to the closest to Cinderella and the Stepmother. Cinderella responded to that by revealing her sabre with her right hand and slicing off the head of the eldest sister while still gripping Stepmother's neck firmly. The other two sisters screamed as the lifeless head rolled across the room.
"No! Mercy. I beg for mercy!" cried Stepmother.
"Mother. I am not making you eat the food of fleas and scrape the kennels of dogs and clean the pig farms. Nor am I making you walk through the streets naked. Nor am I turning you into the hands of the mermaids who would eat you away limb by limb while keeping you alive. Mother, this IS mercy,"
"No... no... We love you, Cinderella."
Cinderella let go of Stepmother and said to the shadows, "You can leave me alone here now Godfather. This is something I rather do myself. Return to the castle, and do what you will with the King and the Prince. Do not forget baby Winter."
The shadows came alive and the Godfather of Fairies walked out of the house and closed the door behind him.
And Cinderella killed Stepmother, and the two remaining sisters.
*
"Alfred, do you mind going to see where Aurora is, and my son as well. They're taking rather long today I think," asked the King rather politely.
"Alfred?" asked the King again.
"Where are you, Alfred?"
"Alfred has departed. It is I that you speak to now, your majesty," answered a deep whisperous tone.
The King looked at the entrance of the dining room, and saw the Godfather of Fairies standing there alone.
*
And all of Cinderella's dark deeds were fulfilled that day itself.
*
Checkmate. And the black Queen moved across the board amidst the remaining pieces to a white, square, box.
And that was it.
And that was her sixth dream.
*
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