The Faeblood Archive – Snow White and the Faeblood Prince, Part 2

By T.K. Wilson (Rated G)

For Part 1, see our Winter 2024 issue.

~~~

My birthday and Fionn’s were close together, so to celebrate our coming of age, there was to be a ball. Such a hustle and bustle to get ready! I was given a brand new gown to wear, blue and white with pink roses. I suspected why it was blue and white, normally the colors Fionn wore, and the giggles and smiles Queen Titania and her court shared over it all but confirmed it. I would be at Fionn’s side at the ball, but we were best friends; he carried a token of mine at tournaments! It was natural that I should be there. Only natural…

I made my way outside one golden afternoon to think. I settled on a tree swing in the Queen’s garden, and began swinging. I thought of Hawthorne. I thought about Elizabeta.  As I swung back, lost in reverie, I felt someone steady my descent. I looked around to find it was Fionn. 

“I thought I might find you here.” 

He gave me a push and sent me soaring out, then, as the swing fell back again, he halted it. 

“You did always love this swing. What is bothering you?” 

“It’s… nothing, Fionn.” 

He pushed me up again, then caught me as I came back. 

“Come now, you may tell me.” 

“I remembered my old life, Fionn. Before I came here.” 

He seemed shocked. “I am sorry.” 

“I remembered why I ran away. My stepmother is a witch.” 

Fionn nodded. “We know her kind well. Vain, proud, hollow creatures who will have their way regardless.” 

“That sounds like Elizabeta all right.”

“And greedy, and cruel-” Fionn sucked a breath between his teeth to calm himself. “I am sorry. The wrongs that innocents have suffered at the hands of their fellow men make me terribly angry.” 

He propelled me on the swing and caught me again. 

“I do not understand why she would want to harm you, Snow.” 

“Her magic mirror told her I was more beautiful than she was” 

Fionn scoffed. “You were just a child!” 

“I know, but that wouldn’t stop her; she would’ve killed me just to get rid of me, then all my money would be hers, to the bargain.” 

“Trading a child for useless gold; I will never understand humans.”  He stepped around the swing to face me.“Whatever happened, you are here now, safe in Tir Na Nog. Nothing will harm you, and your stepmother will never find you.” 

I sighed in relief. “I needed to hear that.” 

He smiled. “Allow me to take your mind off it. Snow, will you accompany me to the ball?” 

“I suspected you might ask.” 

“And what is your answer?” 

“Yes, I will.” 

“Thank you.” He gave a sigh, like he’d been afraid. 

Finally the grand day arrived. I was dressed in my new gown, the queen herself tying a crystal pendant around my neck. I was so nervous, my insides felt like jelly. 

“There! Oh, Snow, you look so lovely.” 

“Thank you, Your Highness,” I said, barely looking at myself. 

“Now, come, Snow, Fionn is waiting,” said the Queen, guiding me by the hand. 

As we came down the stairs, I saw Fionn waiting in the door with his back to us. He gleamed in blue, white, and silver, an outfit to match my dress, and he had a crown of roses in his hand. He turned halfway, then hesitated. He took a deep breath, then turned to his mother and I. He held out the crown. 

“Accept this, as a token of my-” he paused for a second, “Esteem.” 

I grinned at him. “Esteem? That’s all you have?” 

He knew I was kidding and smiled back at me. He placed the crown on my head, gently, then offered me his arm and led me out the door into the open air pavilion where the dance would be.

The ball began with a dance for just the two of us. There must have been magic in the music they played because everything dissolved into soft colors and lights, and Fionn and I were alone in a world of our own. 

“Snow White,” Fionn called me. 

“Yes?” 

“Do you know how lovely you are?” 

I shivered. “I’ve been told before.” 

“Do you think me so shallow? I am not referring to your looks. I speak of your soul and character. I have seen you with the animals and those who have come to us in need, and your bravery is without parallel. There is nothing about you that is not honest and good.”

I looked down at our feet, self-consciously. 

“Snow White, do you know that I love you?”

“Of course you do!” I said, thinking it was one of his jokes. “We’re friends.”

“You are more than a friend to me now, Snow.” 

I froze in panic. Fionn held me tight to keep me from trying to flee.

“Snow, please, don’t fly from me.” 

“I’m mortal; I will age and die and leave you alone forever.” 

“Things are more beautiful when they do not last.”

His words comforted me. But I still feared that my mortality would hurt him. We were young, impulsive… what if one day he changed his mind? No, I knew him better than that. His heart would always be mine. 

“My sweet Snow White,” he whispered. “Will you have me?” 

“I- I’m not sure yet.” 

“I will wait.”

Because I had no answer for him, I avoided Fionn for the next few days. I was too afraid of hurting him to face him. Which was fine, because a new group of refugees had arrived from Hawthorne. The dwarves and I got them situated in some new guest quarters that had been constructed. 

“It’s been horrible in Hawthorne after that Sylvan woman got on the city council!” said one. 

I flinched. Elizabeta. 

“Dracul-Sylvan,” reprimanded an older woman. “Henry Sylvan would never treat anyone as badly as that woman!”

“He had a daughter,” mused a young man. “She’s not seen much anymore.” 

I wondered how my stepmother had covered up my escape. I also wondered how I could help the people of Hawthorne. I belonged here now, but it wasn’t fair to leave them to suffer in that place. 

“If she was anything like Henry, we’d all be better off.” 

“She’d still be too young to be on the council. 

“But people would listen to her because of Henry.”

I wondered if it was true; would people listen to me because of my father? Just then, something like a large bee buzzed past my head, I shook my head to scare it off. I didn’t think much of it, it was probably a hummingbird. 

As soon as I’d finished, Fionn found me as I was walking back to the main house. 

“Snow White.” 

I curtseyed to him. “My prince.” 

“Snow, there is no need to put on airs for me.” 

I looked up at him. His eyes were still merry, but held a new light. 

“Will you come to Mother’s garden with me?” 

“And what would be your purpose?” I teased. 

“To talk and sing together, as we always have. You’ve been avoiding me.” 

I looked down. “I have no answer for you.”

He tipped my head up again. “I do not need your answer. I need your company, I have missed you.”

I couldn’t deny him, he asked so little. He offered his hand and I allowed him to lead me to his mother’s garden. We sat down together on a two person swing; he held my hand and we talked about everything, just like old times. He was merry and laughed, and made me laugh along with him. Of course we had a chaperone; Selig was there with us, approving Fionn’s suit. Soon  it was time for dinner and Fionn walked me there.

“Will you join me in the garden again tomorrow?” he asked. 

“Of course I will come.” I looked up at him. “Fionn, are you sure you want this? I am mortal…” 

“Let me worry about that. You have only one task: To be yourself.” 

~~~

That night I donned a dark cloak and for the first time in over ten years, I set out for Hawthorne. I had to see what happened. I knew where all the hidden roads lay, and mounting on my gray mare, I rode for some distance. I finally arrived at the edge of the forest. The trees were sickly, and the air smelled of sulfur and industry. Across the little plain I saw Hawthorne. No longer did the city shine a slick purple, now it stood dingy and dark. I could feel the pain of the earth being misused and the trees dying in the smog. I wept, for she had a hand in this, the witch who married and, now I was sure, murdered my father. And would have murdered me! 

I went to get back on my horse, when I heard someone coming. I turned and saw a little old woman coming toward me with a basket on one arm. 

“Ma’am! Ma’am!” I called. 

She looked up. 

“Are you trying to get away from the city?” 

“Oh, yes, dearie!” she said. “I want to breathe the clean air and see the Faeblood one more time. Such lovely folk. Will they have a place for an old, worn out rag like me?” 

“Of course they do! I know the quickest way.”

I took my horse’s reins, then I gave her my arm and we began walking. 

It was around noon in the forest when the old lady and I arrived at the royal road where I’d met the King and Queen for the first time. 

“We can rest here, ma’am. We’re within the bounds of the wards of Tir Na Nog now, and safe.” 

The lady seemed uncomfortable, but I chalked that up to being tired. She smiled at me. 

“Now, dearie, since you’ve been so good to me, I want to give you a gift!” 

“Oh, ma’am, that’s not necessary.” 

“But it is!” She drew a shiny red apple out of her basket and held it up. “It must be so hard being a human in the land of Faerie, knowing you’ll age and die.” 

I nodded, thinking about Fionn. 

“But I can help you! You see, this apple is from Avalon, the Immortal Land where King Arthur sleeps. Just one bite, and all your fears will be over!” 

I stared at the apple. “And you’d give it to me? But what about you? Why haven’t you eaten it?” 

“Oh, child, I’ve had all my life behind me; you have it all before you, especially if there’s someone in Tir Na Nog you love.” 

I thought again about Fionn and reached out for the fruit. After biting it, I knew there was something wrong. I felt cold and weak, too tired to keep my eyes open, and collapsed to the grass. 

~~~

Stay tuned for Part 3!