Author's Note: Once again I apologize for making you all wait. For some reason my dorm room isn't as inspiring as my computer room back home, but it seems nowadays I get my inspiration at 3 o'clock in the morning. Whatever works right? I thank you all for your reviews and encouragements. They are much appreciated.

Once Upon A Time: Snow White *********************************************************************************************************

Time passed, as time tends to do, and the Queen found things to be falling into place beautifully. The Princess had not been found, and was assumed dead by all, including the King. And as the wounds were fresh, she knew it was her time to strike.

It was dark within the bedchamber when she entered. She saw him sitting in his chair, staring into the fire as he had been for many nights of late. Silently she drew up to his side and with only a whisper of skirts sank down to her knees, to look up at him. Her face was all beauty and innocence.

"My love, you cannot continue this way," she said in a low soothing tone. "I know you morn for her deeply, as does the whole of the country. But you must not let this destroy you."

His cold eyes moved from the fireplace to her face. They seemed to look on her like she was some unwanted company, and she disliked that immensely. She promised herself silently that he would never look on her in such a manner again. She kept her features soft and loving as she continued.

"You are not at a loss for an heir my lord. We have plenty of time." She stood slowly, extending the cup in her hand to him with a soft smile. "I brought you some wine to ease your pain, if a little. Drink it, my darling, and come to our bed."

She moved away from him and did not look back at him as she readied herself for bed. Only when they were both beneath the cover did she look in his face. He appeared dazed and over tired. Even his already unremarkable kisses lack their usual luster. She smiled to herself as he slowed and collapsed back onto the pillows.

From this night's sleep he would not wake, and in the morning she would cry and make a show for the castle. The king is dead! The king is dead! Died of grief. Oh it was rich. And she settled down into the covers and coaxed her mind to ease. Yes she would wake next to a dead man, but some things were worth the sacrifice of one night's comfort. And with this thought in mind, she slipped into a remarkably beautiful sleep.

Time passed, as time tends to do, and Victor was unhappy with the recent developments. He had looked everywhere for the Princess and had found no trace, save a bit of tattered fabric trapped beneath a tree some months back. He had kept that bit of knowledge to himself, but it had proved fruitless anyway. No other clues, no other hints as to where the girl could be.

Things were going beautifully for his mother however. The King was dead and she was now seated on the thrown and soon she would begin receiving suitors. The whole thing disgusted him. But he would survive it for the time being.

He had his own plans for the future. He hoped his mother enjoyed her time as Queen, for as far as he was concerned, it would be a short reign. He would find Snow White, no matter what it took, and then he would have everything his heart desired. Everything.

Time passed, as time tends to do. The manner of life much the same for Snow White. She rose in the morning before sunrise to prepare the morning meal, and served it with little conversation. Then watched her "masters" leave with the sunrise, before beginning the day's chores. It wasn't a bad life, and in fact she was growing quite content. If only she didn't feel so isolated, she wouldn't mind this life at all.

Mak was often the one to make her smile with a compliment on her work or a joke to cheer her. The dwarfish man was becoming as close a friend as Snow White had ever come to have. He had even coin a nick name for her; Ebony.

"You're starting to get too dark to be 'Snow White' anymore," he had said with a chuckle. "Besides, it's too complicated to say. But your hair will always be ebony black, so that's what you shall be, my dear."

And it had stuck. Jake had picked it up without much complaint, and Dex was eager to join in anything that might win him favor from her. Axel was the only one who had yet to speak the pet name. Whenever he seemed to speak to her it was always directly. He never called her over, instead always going to her. Always looking into her eyes with that cold gray gaze.

But despite the few things that seemed to always rile her, her life was much simpler than it had been before. Even her Prince Jason didn't seem to trouble her thoughts after these few months. She had never been in love with him, she now knew, only he with her. She felt sorry for him, yes, but she had no real desire to return to him. For she knew if she did she would also have to return to her father and her kingdom and her stepmother. And she never wanted to go back to any of them.

And so she looked on her life with a contented eye, at least for a time….