same one. We are in a forest.”
“It has to be. I never see them at home, now this one keeps showing up. Snow, come here! There’s the possum we were following.”
As if it heard the commotion, it made its way deeper into the forest. The girls rushed to get out of the creek and went after it, careful not to lose it, but also careful not to get too close and risk scaring it.
They followed it over trees that had been blown down and bushes so thick they could hardly make their way through. They were careful to steer around the wild rose bushes so they wouldn’t get scraped to pieces. They were surprised they were able to follow the possum so easily and not be discovered by it. Even Otter seemed to sense the importance of the situation and stayed back with the girls. She didn’t run ahead after it at all.
They were far enough into the forest that they didn’t hear the rumbling of a magnificent carriage approaching the small cottage of Wilhelm and Dorothea. Inside the carriage sat a once stunning woman whose looks were now haggard. She was dressed in a black dress with a black hooded cape and a not-so-modest crown on her head. In her hand was a small jeweled mirror. The woman thought she was so stunning; rarely did she take her eyes off herself. It was Snow White’s stepmother.
Chapter 16
“W HERE I S S HE ?” the woman in black demanded. She stood at the doorway of the tiny cottage with an ugly rage in her eyes as she yelled at Dorothea. “I know she’s been here. You cannot hide my daughter from me, you fool!”
“I have seen no one, Your Majesty. We are but poor farmers. Only my husband and I live here. There are no children here. We don’t even have any of our own. Please. We have done nothing wrong.” She pleaded with the evil queen who pushed her way into the house then began knocking items to the ground.
“Liar! Guards! Search her house, then burn it down! I will not be made a fool of, now or ever!”
“No!” Dorothea cried. “Please!”
One guard used more force than was necessary to pull her outside. She feared for the baby and didn’t put up too much of a fight. When he let her go, she slumped to the ground in tears, arms protectively wrapped around her belly. Two other guards searched the cottage, overturning tables and the bed in their haste. They broke everything in their path before they went outside and touched the flames of their torches to the thatched roof.
Dorothea didn’t know where the girls could have gotten to, but she was glad they were away from there and hopefully safe, at least for now. She felt helpless as she watched her home go up in flames.
The queen was well out of sight when Wilhelm returned home. At the sight of the smoke, he ran his horse as fast as she could go. He didn’t even let her come to a complete stop before he flew off and ran over to Dorothea. His first concern was not for the house, but for his wife. He held her close and wiped away her tears.
“I’m sorry, Wilhelm,” she cried. “I couldn’t stop her.”
“Stop who? Who did this?”
“The evil Queen White. She was looking for Snow.”
“Did she get her and the other girls?” he asked in a panic.
“They weren’t here, thank goodness. I don’t know when they disappeared. I was busy cleaning up. I didn’t even notice they had gone.” Her crying got louder. “I’m going to be a lousy mother!”
Wilhelm tried to comfort her. “Shhhh.” He put his hand to her belly in attempt to comfort the baby as well. He had only known he was a father for a couple of hours, but already he was as protective as any father could be. “You’ll be a wonderful mother. The girls seem to operate on their own schedule. I’m sure they wandered off again. This time, it was a good thing they did.”
Together they walked to the creek but could see no sign of Sam, Val or Snow.
“I know enough of them to be certain they can take care of themselves. I don’t think they were here when the queen showed up
“It has to be. I never see them at home, now this one keeps showing up. Snow, come here! There’s the possum we were following.”
As if it heard the commotion, it made its way deeper into the forest. The girls rushed to get out of the creek and went after it, careful not to lose it, but also careful not to get too close and risk scaring it.
They followed it over trees that had been blown down and bushes so thick they could hardly make their way through. They were careful to steer around the wild rose bushes so they wouldn’t get scraped to pieces. They were surprised they were able to follow the possum so easily and not be discovered by it. Even Otter seemed to sense the importance of the situation and stayed back with the girls. She didn’t run ahead after it at all.
They were far enough into the forest that they didn’t hear the rumbling of a magnificent carriage approaching the small cottage of Wilhelm and Dorothea. Inside the carriage sat a once stunning woman whose looks were now haggard. She was dressed in a black dress with a black hooded cape and a not-so-modest crown on her head. In her hand was a small jeweled mirror. The woman thought she was so stunning; rarely did she take her eyes off herself. It was Snow White’s stepmother.
Chapter 16
“W HERE I S S HE ?” the woman in black demanded. She stood at the doorway of the tiny cottage with an ugly rage in her eyes as she yelled at Dorothea. “I know she’s been here. You cannot hide my daughter from me, you fool!”
“I have seen no one, Your Majesty. We are but poor farmers. Only my husband and I live here. There are no children here. We don’t even have any of our own. Please. We have done nothing wrong.” She pleaded with the evil queen who pushed her way into the house then began knocking items to the ground.
“Liar! Guards! Search her house, then burn it down! I will not be made a fool of, now or ever!”
“No!” Dorothea cried. “Please!”
One guard used more force than was necessary to pull her outside. She feared for the baby and didn’t put up too much of a fight. When he let her go, she slumped to the ground in tears, arms protectively wrapped around her belly. Two other guards searched the cottage, overturning tables and the bed in their haste. They broke everything in their path before they went outside and touched the flames of their torches to the thatched roof.
Dorothea didn’t know where the girls could have gotten to, but she was glad they were away from there and hopefully safe, at least for now. She felt helpless as she watched her home go up in flames.
The queen was well out of sight when Wilhelm returned home. At the sight of the smoke, he ran his horse as fast as she could go. He didn’t even let her come to a complete stop before he flew off and ran over to Dorothea. His first concern was not for the house, but for his wife. He held her close and wiped away her tears.
“I’m sorry, Wilhelm,” she cried. “I couldn’t stop her.”
“Stop who? Who did this?”
“The evil Queen White. She was looking for Snow.”
“Did she get her and the other girls?” he asked in a panic.
“They weren’t here, thank goodness. I don’t know when they disappeared. I was busy cleaning up. I didn’t even notice they had gone.” Her crying got louder. “I’m going to be a lousy mother!”
Wilhelm tried to comfort her. “Shhhh.” He put his hand to her belly in attempt to comfort the baby as well. He had only known he was a father for a couple of hours, but already he was as protective as any father could be. “You’ll be a wonderful mother. The girls seem to operate on their own schedule. I’m sure they wandered off again. This time, it was a good thing they did.”
Together they walked to the creek but could see no sign of Sam, Val or Snow.
“I know enough of them to be certain they can take care of themselves. I don’t think they were here when the queen showed up
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