《Daughter of the Red Queen》 Chapter One: Another Day The crack reverberated through the room. A splash of red covered the floor. The corner of Scarlet¡¯s mouth tugged up as she took her eyes off the man sprawled across the floor holding his nose and looked at his two friends. She could see the repulsion in their eyes. Being the daughter of the Red Queen, she was used to it. ¡°Are we done here?¡± She smirked, throwing her dark red hair over her shoulder, ¡°I have more important issues to deal with than bloodying up some White trash talkers.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a psycho,¡± The guy with the bloody nose stumbled as he pulled himself off the ground. Scarlet gave him a sneer before he rushed out the door, his friends close behind him. The others in the tavern were staring at her but they weren¡¯t making a move. Scarlet pulled her coat back on, the fur on the hood brushing against her cheek. She could feel everyone staring at her back as she walked out of the Blue Caterpillar. Instead of having fun, the tavern had just been a waste of her time. The Blue Caterpillar was a newly opened establishment within Wonderland. It was said to have the best drinks and smokes in Fiore and the sign outside invited everyone. Everyone except Scarlet, it seemed. Less than five minutes inside, Scarlet had been approached by three men who demanded she leave. They said the tavern would not serve the daughter of the Red Queen. Scarlet quickly showed them what she thought of that but left anyway. It was always the same no matter where she traveled in Wonderland. The Whites would always tell her to leave and go back to the outskirts. Others were not as kind. They would try to hurt her but she wouldn¡¯t let them put a hand on her. She learned a long time ago not to hold back when defending herself. Scarlett made her way into the forest. The trees stretched toward the sky, their branches twirling so they made a canopy over the forest floor. Small cracks of light could shine through in some places, but it didn¡¯t do much to help light the way. Scarlet liked the darkness. It was there no one could see her. No one could judge her or try to shoo her away. She spent a lot of time walking through the forest, memorizing every tree and plant. It kept her busy and away from people. It also allowed her to spend time away from her mother. That woman could drive her crazy. Scarlet followed the worn dirt path until she tooka smaller path going east. The forest got thicker as she walked. There were less people living on the outskirts of Wonderland. Most lived in small villages close to the castle where the White King and Queen resided. No one wanted to be near the Grim River, where the Red Queen was banished. The sound of water rushing hinted that Scarlet was close. She pushed a bush aside and stepped out into the small clearing. A small cottage sat on the edge of the rushing river. Scarlett watched as the water flowed over rocks and went downstream. The water was crystal clear and clean. Scarlet was almost tempted to get a drink of it, except she knew whoever drank of the water of the Grim River was prone to extreme hallucinations, and sometimes death. Scarlet opened the cottage door without knocking. ¡°Scarlet? Is that you?¡± Scarlet rolled her eyes as she slipped her coat off and hung it on the nook by the door. ¡°Who else would it be, Mother?¡± Scarlet exited the foyer and entered the small living room. Her mother sat in front of the fireplace in a large dark velvet chair, one of her old and favorite possessions from the old Wonderland Castle. As Scarlet rounded around the chair she saw her mother staring into the lapping flames of the fireplace, staring as if in deep thought. Immediately the thought was gone as she lifted her eyes towards her daughter. ¡°Where were you?¡± ¡°Walking the forest,¡± Scarlet sat down on the stool beside the chair, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Her mother gestured toward the fire with the slight movement of her chin.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Scarlet looked toward the fire. At first she didn¡¯t see anything but slowly the flames started to take form. King Stephen was sitting on his large white throne looking regal in his royal attire and large gold crown. He was a handsome man, tall and large with graying black hair and a beard to match. Much wisdom could be seen in his dark brown eyes. If he had been younger Scarlet¡¯s heart might have skipped a beat but his image did nothing but make her want to disrupt the flames. It seemed he was listening to the requests of the citizens of Wonderland with the nod of his head as they came one by one to the throne. Scarlet glanced at her mother, whose eyes longed after the king. Even after all the years of being banished to the Grim River, Rose would still long after the man who put her there. Scarlet stood up, finished with watching but her mother¡¯s hand rose, making her stop. ¡°Watch.¡± Scarlet looked back into the flames. A young lady around Scarlett¡¯s age approached the king in reverence with the slight bow of her head and a large smile on her face. Her long white hair flowed down her back in waves and her light blue eyes reminded Scarlet of the Wonderland sky on clear days. The only resemblance she had to her father was the long shape to her face and her soft round eyes. If she had not had these features she would have looked like the mirror image of her mother, who stood beside her. The White Queen¡¯s face was shaped much like a heart and her white hair was pulled into a high bun where her golden crown sat. Her eyes were shaped like almonds and her skin was flawless. She was the definition of a perfect queen for a perfect kingdom, at least that is what the Whites liked to think. Scarlet, on the other hand, had a different opinion of the woman. The Queen and the King exchanged some words briefly before the princess excitedly talked to him. Scarlet wished for a moment they could tell what they were saying but that was one of the effects of the curse on the area. Her mother could only use so much magic and it was limited. They could see what was happening in the castle but never hear. ¡°Aurora¡¯s coronation is in two weeks,¡± Rose glanced at her daughter, ¡°She is only two years younger than yourself now and yet she is about to take the crown to be the next heir.¡± Scarlet knew that much. Aurora had a tendency to write letters to her as much as she was allowed. Her letters were always scanned before they landed in Scarlet¡¯s hands so she only got so much information. Among the information she was allowed to read was Aurora¡¯s age and accomplishments. Her hobbies, favorite teas and pastries, and other minuscule information were included. For the past few weeks, Aurora had been writing about her upcoming coronation. She was excited and was planning a large ball. The coronation was to be the night of the ball to mark her as the next heir to the Wonderland throne. Scarlet already knew about the color schemes, who were invited, and how much food there would be. There was nothing of interest to her. She wouldn¡¯t be attending the ball anyway, the White Queen would never allow. Rose went back to watching the flames, her attention mostly on the king. Scarlet left the room without a word and went to her own room down the hall. She did not like how her mother would watch the king all day. It infuriated her but there was nothing she could say or do. Her mother was in love and nothing could destroy that. Scarlet hated that. She hated love and swore she would never fall in love. It was love that led to them being banished to the outskirts of Wonderland and to become so hated by the Whites. It was love that destroyed the bonds of sisterhood between Rose and her sister. Falling in love with the same man proved to be the end of their relationship. Rose became wroth when King Stephen chose her sister Victoria instead of herself to marry. Both Queens were fit to marry. Rose, known as the Red Queen, was brilliant with her vast knowledge and wisdom. She was powerful with her magic and not afraid to use it. Tall with dark red hair, the Red Queen brought color among Wonderland. But it was her sister the White Queen who won the King¡¯s heart. Her beauty and elegance was something her sister did not possess. While the Red Queen could be harsh and rash with her words, the White Queen was softer but still firm. Soon after King Stephen married the White Queen, Rose became intent on destroying their marriage but could not find anything to unravel it. Burning with anger and jealousy, Rose devised a plan to kill her own sister. But the White Queen had many loyal servants and one learned of the Red Queen¡¯s plan. When the Red Queen went to kill her sister with poison in her goblet of wine, the White Queen, in turn, had her captured for trying to murder her. She was sentenced to death but King Stephen believed it would be better for Rose to be sentenced to life on the outskirts of Wonderland by the Grim River. She was to be kept a prisoner by a magical barrier that would only affect her and her magic would be limited. That sentence was put into place twenty years prior. Scarlet thought poorly of the situation. Her mother¡¯s claims of King Stephen having feelings for her rang false in her ears. Not even her own father had stuck around after she was born and Scarlet knew why. It was a loveless union. Why should the product of a loveless union believe in love at all? There was no proof of its existence to be found in her life. Her mother believed it existed, as he spared her life while her own sister wanted her dead. Scarlet believed this was absurd. To Scarlet, there was no such thing as love, at least not when it concerned herself or her mother. Not even her unknown father. Chapter Two: The Invitation After a fitful night of sleep, Scarlet was awoken by pounding at the door. The early morning sunlight glared through her window, giving her a terrible headache.Peering out the window, she recognized the sudden intrusion as a messenger of the White kingdom. With an annoyed grimace, she went down the stairs and threwopen the door. ¡°What is this?¡± The messenger looked as unhappy as she felt. He extended the letter toward her, murmuring that it was sent from Aurora. He remarked that she should be happy that the kind princess would even write to such a lowly Red. Scarlet wanted to hurl a fireballat him but refrained from doing so. Aurora was tiring of trying to find new messengers, as stated in one of her previous letters. Scarlet snatched the letter and slammed the door in the White¡¯s face. She opened the letter immediately and scanned it over. Dearest Scarlet, Are you well? The weather in Wonderland is becoming colder now. The winds from Winterland are too cold for my liking. Anyway, my intent for this letter is to not make small talk as in my previous letters, to which you never respond to but I know you read.Instead, it is toextend an invitation. To be precise, an invitation to my coronation. I know you will not want to go but please come! In all my sixteen years I have never met you in person. I wish to know my only cousin and become acquainted better. Just because there is bad blood between our parents it does not mean there must be any between us. We are cousins, family, and should act like it! I would love to see you. Please come. It would be delightful for both of us.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Your cousin, Aurora Scarlet found a small white invitation with intricate gold lining within the envelope. She didn¡¯t know what to think at first. A small part of her wanted to go but the larger part wanted to burn the letter and forget about it. Aurora may act as if they aren¡¯t entangled in their parents¡¯ drama, but she wasn¡¯t the one who had become an outcast in her own kingdom. Aurora was loved by all while Scarlet was hated. Scarlet found Aurora¡¯s optimism to almost be enviable but didn¡¯t give in. Aurora didn¡¯t understand what Scarlet went through every day by being the Red Queen¡¯s daughter and she never would. *** A few days had passed and Scarlet lay on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. It was once dull brown but years of boredom had inspired an art project. Scarlet painted a large red dragon, fire surrounding it. The paint was starting to chip, but it was still just as beautiful as the day she completed it. ¡°Are you not ready yet?¡± Scarlet sprung up. Rose stood at her door, leaning against the doorpost. Scarlet felt a lump in her throat and laid back down. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me. The coronation is tonight. You must get ready and head out soon.¡± Scarlet burst back up, ¡°How did you know?¡± Rose smirked. Of course she knew. Rose monitored the castle as if it was her job. ¡°I¡¯m not going,¡± Scarlet stated, her arms crossing her chest. ¡°Of course you are.¡± Rose walked over to Scarlet¡¯s closet and started looking through her various clothes. ¡°You don¡¯t have any dresses. Didn¡¯t Aurora send you a couple this past year?¡± Scarlet bit the inside of her lip, trying to stop the growing smile. She had burned them to ashes. It was satisfying. Rose sighed, shaking her head, ¡°My child, you are royalty, and should at least try to act like it.¡± Scarlet rolled her eyes. She had never once been treated like royalty and it wasn¡¯t going to start any time soon. Rose turned toward her, hands on her hips. ¡°Go as you are. I am sure Aurora will have another dress for you.¡± ¡°I already told you, I¡¯m not going.¡± ¡°Yes, you are.¡± Rose snapped her fingers, ¡°And you will deliver this.¡± A sealed letter appeared on Scarlet¡¯s lap. Scarlet fought the urge to rip it when she saw who it was for. ¡°Now get going or you¡¯ll be late.¡± Rose smiled, ¡°And behave. I¡¯ll be watching.¡± Chapter Three: The Coronation The Wonderland Castle was unlike anything Scarlet had ever seen. Her mother had told her stories of how large and elegant it was, but it was like nothing she had imagined. The castle was massive. Its beautiful ivory exterior shone like a gem and gold paint trim twinkled in the sunlight. Scarlet was stopped several times before she made it to the entrance at the castle gate. She felt a smug victory as she flashed the invitation with Aurora¡¯s signature. The guards looked baffled but allowed her through anyway. As she entered the castle, Scarlet was hit by how extremely underdressed she was. Ladies wore beautiful large ball gowns of many different colors. Pastels were apparently popular at the moment. Lace, ribbons, and rhinestones embellished them. Hair was in fancy updos or down in curls. Not a hair was out of place. Even the men looked dashing in their suits, their hair slicked back. Scarlet looked down at herself. She had given up wearing dresses long ago, it just got in the way of fighting. Instead, she opted for brown pants, a long sleeve black shirt, and black laced up boots. Her hair was back in a ponytail, the easiest hairstyle in her opinion. She looked more like she was about to do some knight training rather than attend a ball. It didn¡¯t take long for guests to take notice of her. Their whispers weren¡¯t as quiet as they believed. Scarlet tightened her fists, ready to flee the castle at any moment. ¡°Scarlet!¡± Within moments of turning her head around, she was pounced on. Pale blonde hair tickled her nose as slender arms wrapped around her. Scarlet really wanted to peel this person off her, but the peoples¡¯ silence and stares of complete shock caused her to hesitate. The petite girl pulled back, allowing Scarlet to see her whole face. Aurora beamed up at her, ¡°I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re here. I was afraid you wouldn¡¯t come.¡± Scarlet could only nod before Aurora looped her arm through hers, dragging her away from the entrance. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you wearing one of the dresses I sent you? Oh well. We can find you a new one in no time.¡± Aurora babbled on as she swept Scarlet up a spiraling staircase, down a long hall, and into a large bedroom where three maids waited. ¡°This is my cousin Scarlet!¡± Aurora pulled her closer, closer than Scarlet thought possible, ¡°Let¡¯s fix her up, shall we?¡± The maids chirped excitedly but swapped looks with each other. Aurora sat Scarlet down at a large vanity with a mirror. ¡°I¡¯ll pick out the dress. They will fix your hair.¡± Aurora flitted over to a wardrobe and started pulling out dresses. Scarlet¡¯s mind was swirling and empty at the same time. She could barely remember how she got in the chair. She had always imagined Aurora was a very friendly girl, but she hadn¡¯t realized that she was also a ball of energy. ¡°I think this would look pretty on you.¡± Aurora flung a dress towards them, one of the maids barely catching it before it could hit the floor. The other maids worked combing out Scarlet¡¯s naturally wavy hair and securing it into an updo. Aurora babbled on about how she was so happy Scarlet was there, while the maids forced to her undress. Scarlet glared, her arms getting hot. She had to calm herself down to keep from burning them. The corset was difficult to breathe in and the dress was heavy, but when they were finished Scarlet had to admit she looked more beautiful than she ever had. The dress was a sleeveless ball gown in a dark maroon color. The bottom of the gown had been lined with gold and white rhinestones so they flashed at every movement. ¡°You¡¯re beautiful!¡± Aurora wrapped her arms around Scarlet from behind, causing her to wobble from the thin gold stilettos they had forced her in. Scarlet cringed and struggled to get the clingy girl off. Aurora took her over to the balcony, ¡°Look.¡± Scarlet stopped struggling and stared in awe. Wonderland was laid out like a painting. The forests were vast, rivers sparkling blue, and small towns stretched out before her. She could barely see the small cottage where her mother was isolated, the Grim River behind it. Aurora had been able to see her from this far but Scarlet had never known. A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. ¡°Come in!¡± Aurora chirped. Scarlet watched as the door open and a knight came in. His blue and white uniform was one she had seen many times, in all cases they were soldiers harassing her. The only difference with his uniform was the eagle emblem on the right side of his chest, signaling his status as a royal guard. ¡°Alistair!¡± Aurora grinned. ¡°Princess.¡± He bowed. As he came back up, his eyes connected with Scarlet¡¯s. They hardened and his demeanor became as cold as ice. ¡°Alistair,¡± Aurora waltzed over to Scarlet, ¡°My cousin Scarlet is a special guest tonight. I hope you treat her as well as you treat me.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t make such promises.¡± Alistair¡¯s hard gaze never left Scarlet. She narrowed her eyes, her body tense. She opened her mouth to make a sarcastic remark, but Aurora sighed. ¡°Alistair, you know this is important for me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry Your Highness. Your mother is on her way.¡± Scarlet¡¯s fists tightened at her sides. Aurora opened her mouth but clamped it shut without saying anything. As if on cue, Queen Victoria arrived, soldiers among her entourage. Her eyes scanned the room, briefly stopping on Scarlet before landing on her daughter. ¡°My dear,¡± Queen Victoria clicked her tongue, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you dressed yet?¡± Scarlet glared at the Queen. She looked exactly as she had in the flames from where her mother watched. This was the woman who wanted her mother dead. Aurora shrugged, not looking straight into her eyes. Queen Victoria gestured at the maids, ¡°Take Aurora to the royal chamber so she may get ready for the coronation and ball.¡± The maids wheeled Aurora away in a rush. Scarlet suddenly felt her heart sink.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. The Queen turned on Scarlet as soon as the princess was gone. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why Aurora wanted to meet you. That girl has pestered me for years to bring you to the castle. Today is the only exception I will ever allow. You are here as a guest of the princess, soon to be Queen. But keep in mind, even when she becomes Queen, her father and I have influence over her and you will never be accepted at the castle, or anywhere in Wonderland for that matter.¡± Scarlet felt her blood boiling. She wanted to set the room ablaze, trapping this Queen in it to suffer. Queen Victoria smirked as if she understood what Scarlet was thinking. Scarlet gnashed her teeth, seething. ¡°You look like your mother.¡± Queen Victoria turned away without another word. Everyone filed out of the room behind her until Scarlet was the only one left. Scarlet rushed outside to the balcony, gripping her hands around the beams. If she could she would just fly away. She didn¡¯t want to attend this coronation. No one really wanted her here. She knew she could just leave if she wanted to. Aurora might be disappointed, but Scarlet was sure that Queen Victoria would convince her that Scarlet wasn¡¯t worth putting any effort into. Scarlet looked out at her house. Her mother was probably watching her now. She had to deliver that letter to King Stephen or who knows what would happen. Scarlet went back in the room, grabbed the letter out of her discarded pants, and left the room. She held tight to the letter. Just deliver it and she could leave. Since Aurora had led her to the room in a flurry, Scarlet had no idea where she was. She remembered going up a staircase, but the halls seemed to stretch on forever. As she walked, she ran into fewer people and then she was alone. She stopped, looking up and down the halls. They were so long and they all looked the same. Scarlet huffed and went down an adjacent hall. This was one she had never been in before. Large portraits of the royal family were displayed. Scarlet slowed, looking at the paintings. King Stephen was originally a prince of a small foreign country far from Wonderland, but after marrying Queen Victoria, he became the King of Wonderland. There were only a couple of portraits of King Stephen as a young man and Scarlet could see he was handsome. It was no wonder the White and Red Sisters had fought over his love. The next few portraits were of the past rulers of Wonderland. Kings and Queens stood, wrapped in elegant suits and dresses, the same royal robe upon their shoulders. Scarlet had seen pictures of her grandparents, aunts, and uncles before but only in the flames created of her mother¡¯s memories. Scarlet stopped as she came upon a family portrait. It was the only one with her mother present. She assumed the others were destroyed or hidden after the betrayal. She saw a striking resemblance of herself in her teenage mother. Flaming red hair, fair skin, tall and curvy. Rose was standing on one side of her parents, looking similar to the father beside her. On the other side, Victoria was standing beside the mother she took after. ¡°Beautiful family.¡± Scarlet jumped, looking around, but she didn¡¯t see anyone. She felt a tug on her dress and looked down. A small man no taller than her waist stood beside her. His back was hunched slightly. Wrinkles drug his face down and a long nose protruded. He smiled up at her, three teeth missing. ¡°Wonderland was once an exotic land filled with beasts and spirits. The Royal family has ruled over Wonderland for centuries now, taming its wondrous chaos.¡± Scarlet rolled her eyes. The man looked like he was probably there when the first monarch emerged. He was a crusty little old man. ¡°Wonderland is vast and dangerous, difficult for one ruler to govern. So Princesses Rose and Victoria were given separate land to rule, and when they became Queens the people were thrilled. The Reds lived in the South and the Whites lived in the North. They lived in peace until the Red Queen became jealous of the White. Everyone knows the story of how she tried to poison her sister, but failed, and was thus banished to the outskirts. All Red followers were either killed or gave their lives to serve the White Queen. So now there are no more Reds, except for two.¡± He eyed Scarlet. She frowned. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Just a silly old man reminiscing.¡± He grinned. She was going to ask him if he was a servant to King Stephen, but guards appeared down the hall. ¡°You there! What are you doing here! Only the royal family is allowed here!¡± Scarlet held her tongue. She was a member of the royal family, and yet treated so horribly. She turned back toward the old man, but he was gone. She looked down both ends of the hall, but only the guards coming toward her were there. As the guards got closer, realization flashed across their faces. Their eyes were wide, mouths clamped. When they started to reach for the swords, Scarlet smirked. ¡°I¡¯m just lost.¡± The guards looked at each other. The older one nodded at her, ¡°The coronation will begin soon. Follow us.¡± One guard led, while the other walked behind Scarlet at a distance. She wondered if they were only doing so because they knew of her mother, or if they actually knew of the power she possessed. She was almost tempted to show off a little but knew if any magic came from her they would attack her without mercy. It didn¡¯t take long until they had arrived at the ballroom. The guards made quick exits, leaving her at the entrance to the room. Scarlet walked inside. It was a grand room. The walls were crisp white, the reflection from the chandeliers making it seem as if glitter was scattered around the room. Long tables of food were set up on one side of the room, as well as small round tables to sit at. The other side an orchestra was playing. Ladies and gentlemen danced around happily. Scarlet didn¡¯t want to be anywhere near the dancers and took to where the food was located. She grabbed a small plate and piled it with fruits, meat, cheese, bread, and desserts. All of the tables were filled, but Scarlet managed to find a seat at a table toward the back. She went to sit down, but the two ladies and the gentleman at the table went silent, glaring at her. Scarlet made sure not to freeze up and sat down anyway. The women made a fuss, whispering loud enough for everyone to hear they would not sit with the daughter of the Red Queen and quickly left, the man following after them. Scarlet plopped a grape in her mouth and grimaced at the sour note it left. She scanned over the room. From what she could tell, most people there were high in society. A few were even from Woodland and Winterland, she could tell from their difference in dress. The orchestra¡¯s cheerful number came to an end, with applause following. A single trumpet sounded, followed by a proclamation. ¡°All rise for King Stephen and Queen Victoria.¡± Large doors opened to the side and the royal couple entered. Scarlet kept her seat. She wanted to gag at all the fuss everyone was making. They were cooing over them as if they really cared. King Stephen and Queen Victoria sat at their thrones, which sat upon a large pedestal, overlooking the ballroom. A smaller throne sat to King Stephen¡¯s side but was currently empty. ¡°We will now begin the coronation.¡± The announcer¡¯s voice echoed over the ballroom. Everyone became quiet as the door reopened. A priest emerged with the coronation crown placed on a large plush blue pillow. Aurora slowly followed behind him. Scarlet couldn¡¯t help but admire Aurora¡¯s beauty. Her ball gown was the most beautiful in the room. It was pure white. The top was a halter, made with lace and went down into a sweetheart neckline. The waistline was accentuated with a white ribbon tied on the side and secured with a sapphire and diamond pin. The bottom of the gown flowed out. Crystals lined the bottom in cascades on the floor behind her. Aurora was a princess and it had never been so obvious. Aurora took place in front of the ballroom, before her parents. The priest started his chant. Scarlet didn¡¯t listen to it, instead she turned her attention to her food. She finished her plate of food and wished she had picked up more. When the priest was finished with his duty, Aurora stood before the guests and her parents. Scarlet furrowed her eyebrows, sensing something was off. Normally Aurora would be bouncing up and down, ready to be crowned. Excitement should have been oozing from her, but in its place was nothing. Scarlet watched as Aurora¡¯s eyes glazed over. As the priest began to place the crown upon her head, her eyes slid shut. Screams and gasps echoed the room as Aurora fell to the floor. Chapter Four: An Ultimatum Scarlet jumped up. She had no idea what to do in the strange turn of events and it seemed everyone else was having the same problem. A doctor immediately showed up as Queen Victoria fell to her knees beside her daughter, weeping and screaming for someone to help Aurora. King Stephen hovered above, yelling for the guards to shut the palace doors. The doors and windows were locked. No one could leave the ballroom. King Stephen¡¯s angry gaze flitted around the room. Scarlet held her breath as they landed on her for a moment but quickly went on. People whispered as the crowd listened to the doctor. Aurora had been poisoned. The entry was at her fingertip. Scarlet suddenly felt suffocated. She needed to get out. She pushed people away from her, rushing toward the exit. She knew it was blocked but she could probably get out. As she approached the door, a screech rang across the room. ¡°Scarlet!¡± Someone grabbed her arms, holding them behind her back. She jerked to try to get away, but they held tightly. Scarlet glared back and saw it was the royal guard from before, Alistair. Hate heated his gaze. Within seconds she was surrounded from all sides by guards. She whipped her head toward the throne. Queen Victoria was seething with anger. Her beautiful face was contorted with hatred. Anger that had been burning inside of her for a long time had finally burst. ¡°Take her to the dungeon!¡± Scarlet growled, not caring that she was surrounded by guards and hundreds of onlookers. ¡°Why?! I did nothing wrong!¡± The Queen ignored her. She had Aurora gathered in her arms. Scarlet¡¯s stomach sank. Alistair pushed Scarlet out of the room, holding his grip tight on her arms. The guests were crying and yelling in anger as she left. Scarlet wanted to flee, and easily could, but they knew where she lived. She had nowhere to hide in Wonderland. She had never been to either Winterland nor Woodland before so she knew no one there. ¡°Don¡¯t think about leaving.¡± Alistair hissed. Scarlet turned her head so their eyes could meet, ¡°I didn¡¯t poison her. She was my cousin.¡± ¡°And the daughter to the Queen who you mother tried to kill once.¡± Alistair spat. She was about to let him have it when they entered through a door. The staircase descended to the dungeon. It was dark and made of stone. Torches lit the walls, flickering as they passed by. Scarlet bit her lip. Her mother had to be watching.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. They stopped at a gate where a guard opened it. Small rooms were divided by bars and a few prisoners were chained. They didn¡¯t stop but went into another room. It was small and dark, barely any light from the one torch on the wall. ¡°I want her dead.¡± Queen Victoria was suddenly at the door to the room, looking like a fury. King Stephen stood behind her, his eyes fixed on Scarlet, though not as angry as his wife. Scarlet gritted her teeth. ¡°I didn¡¯t poison her!¡± ¡°Everything was perfect. My daughter was going to be crowned the next ruler!¡± Queen Victoria pointed a finger at her, ¡°You poisoned her as revenge for your mother!¡± ¡°I did no such thing!¡± Queen Victoria narrowed her eyes. ¡°Why did you come here then?¡± Scarlet struggled to get out of Alistair¡¯s grip, but he wouldn¡¯t let her. ¡°Let me go.¡± She hissed. ¡°I need to get something out of my dress.¡± Alistair hesitated but, with a nod from King Stephen, he released her. Scarlet pulled the letter out of her dress, ¡°This is a letter from my mother to the King.¡± King Stephen looked surprised but took the letter. As he read over it, Scarlet was faced with Queen Victoria¡¯s wrath. ¡°Someone poisoned my daughter and I know it was you. My sister must have convinced you.¡± ¡°Victoria,¡± King Stephen sighed, placing the letter into his pocket, ¡°I believe she is innocent.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Victoria turned on her husband, ¡°How?!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t prove it, but I don¡¯t believe she would harm Aurora after all Aurora has done for her.¡± King Stephen smiled slightly, ¡°My daughter always wished to grow up with you in the castle, but you know that.¡± Scarlet looked away. Of course she knew. Aurora had mentioned it several times in her letters. ¡°I¡¯m not convinced and someone needs to do something to help my daughter.¡± Queen Victoria growled. King Stephen placed a hand on her shoulder. Queen Victoria sank into his touch. She seemed smaller at that moment. Scarlet could really see the pain. ¡°There is a mirror.¡± Queen Victoria met her eyes, ¡°The Mirror of Truth. No one can lie when faced with it and it reveals all secrets. The Queen of Winterland currently possesses it. You will go to Winterland and borrow it. Bring it back here and the mirror will reveal whether or not you poisoned Aurora.¡± ¡°I didn-¡° Queen Victoria interrupted, ¡°If you do not bring it back or if Aurora dies before you do, I will give the command to kill Rose.¡± Scarlet stared at her in horror. She wasn¡¯t close to her mother, but that was the only person she had in her life. The only one who understood what was she going through. The only other Red left. ¡°Now Victoria,¡± King Stephen started, but she cut him off as well. ¡°I don¡¯t care if she is my sister. I cut those ties with her long ago.¡± Victoria glared at Scarlet, ¡°I suggest you get dressed in whatever you came in and leave.¡± Scarlet tightened her fists at her side. She had no choice. ¡°Alistair, you will accompany her.¡± Scarlet whipped her head up so fast she almost became dizzy. Alistair¡¯s mouth dropped open. ¡°Your Highness! I can¡¯t-¡° ¡°You will.¡± Queen Victoria pursed her lips. ¡°Aurora trusts you the most, out of all her royal guards.¡± King Stephen smiled, ¡°It¡¯s best that you go.¡± ¡°And if she tries to escape while in Winterland or through Woodland,¡± Queen Victoria raised her chin, eyes in slits, ¡°Kill her.¡± Alistair nodded but didn¡¯t look happy at all. ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± King Stephen faced the two unwilling travelers, ¡°Get packed. You leave as soon as you¡¯re ready.¡± Chapter Five: Day One The guards never left Scarlet alone. The only time they did leave the room was when she threatened them when she had to change back into her clothes. Scarlet threw the ball gown on the vanity and let her hair down, the red surrounding her face. She looked at herself in the mirror. Only an hour ago she looked beautiful, like a real princess. But it crashed and she was treated like a murderer. She took a deep breath. Her mother was going to die if she didn¡¯t get that mirror to prove her innocence. But Aurora, she didn¡¯t know if she would survive or how long. Scarlet knew she couldn¡¯t help her any more than the doctors attending her, but she wanted to help her. Alistair burst through the doors. Scarlet threw her arms around herself, ¡°I could have been changing!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s not much to see anyway,¡± Alistair smirked. Scarlet felt her face heat up. She certainly did have a lot to show, but she wasn¡¯t going to prove that to him. ¡°Time is of the essence, we leave now.¡± Scarlet took a deep breath and exited the room. As she was escorted down the corridors with guards on all sides, she felt all eyes on her. Even though she wasn¡¯t chained, she felt like a prisoner. Was this how her mother felt when she was forced out of the castle? Two horses awaited their arrival at the castle gate. Alistair boarded a chestnut-colored horse with ease. Scarlet eyed the large black stallion. She had never ridden a horse before. She would never admit it, but they were intimidating. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Alistair said, already turning his horse toward the gate. Scarlet took a breath and hoisted herself onto the horse. She took the reins but was tense. She had no idea what she was doing. Alistair led the ways out of the gates and onto the dirt path that led out of Wonderland, toward Winterland. *** After what seemed like hours, Scarlet¡¯s behind was getting sore. She shifted ever so slightly, trying not to alert the horse. Alistair had been leading her the whole time. He would look back occasionally to make sure she was still following him, which she replied to with a sneer each time. They hadn¡¯t said one word to each other since leaving the castle. Now they were into the thickness of the forest. It would be weeks before they got to the Winterland castle at the pace they were going at. Scarlet was not looking forward to keeping company with the uptight knight. ¡°Isn¡¯t there a faster way to get there?¡± Scarlet huffed. Alistair rolled his eyes, growling back at her, ¡°Unless you know someone who can magically teleport us, no.¡± Scarlet rolled her own eyes back and shifted in her seat. She moved too far to the left and suddenly felt herself falling. Pain coursed through her back when she hit the ground. She groaned in pain. Before she could even sit up, the end of a blade was pointed at her throat.Stolen story; please report. Alistair¡¯s cold blue eyes stared down at her threateningly, sunlight glaring off his sword. ¡°I dare you to make a move.¡± Scarlet could feel the blade closer on her throat as she swallowed. She could see herself reflected in his eyes. She looked defenseless. She didn¡¯t like it. Scarlet kicked her leg up, hitting in him in the knee. The shock from her fighting back was enough for her to roll out of his range. As she was standing up he swung at her. She jumped to the right, feeling a slice on her arm. She had no time to pay attention to the wound on her arm as he came back at her. She narrowly dodged again. He was faster than any opponent she had ever faced before. Of course she had never faced off with a knight guard before. It was usually just with drunks. He slammed into her side with his shoulder, pushing her back. She stumbled, but dug her left heel into the ground and kicked her right leg around. Alistair¡¯s left arm was used as a shield, taking the impact. He stood his ground and pushed back. She punched but he grabbed her arm and twisted it around. She grimaced in pain as he forced her down, his blade back at her throat. ¡°Go ahead,¡± She smirked, ¡°Kill me. I know you want to.¡± She could see he was actually considering it as their eyes connected. She watched his Adam¡¯s apple as he swallowed. To her surprise, he let her go. ¡°Don¡¯t try to escape again,¡± Alistair said. He gestured at her horse with his sword, ¡°Get on.¡± Scarlet brushed the dirt off her pants and did as he said. Once she was back on the horse, they were back on their way. She stared at the back of Alistair¡¯s blonde head. ¡°Just so you know, I wasn¡¯t trying to escape. And I could have killed you if I wanted to.¡± *** The sun was starting to set, beautiful pink and purple streaking the sky. Alistair came to a sudden stop, Scarlet almost running into him. She pulled back on the reins, thankful she was able to stop the horse. ¡°Why are we stopping?¡± She asked as Alistair slid off his horse and started taking supplies off the back. ¡°It¡¯s getting dark. We need to set up camp.¡± Scarlet frowned. She didn¡¯t like the idea of stopping and being forced to sleep on the ground, but she had no choice. She looked down at the ground, trying to figure out the best way to get off the horse without Alistair thinking she was somehow escaping again. Thankfully, she was able to get off the horse without Alistair noticing her almost tripping. Alistair gathered wood nearby to make a fire. He piled everything up in the center of their makeshift campsite while Scarlet tried to figure out how to make bedding from large leaves, hay, and the few blankets they had left the castle with. She watched as Alistair struggled to get a fire started. She snickered, inciting an annoyed huff from him. ¡°If you think you can do it any better you do it!¡± Scarlet waved her hand at the pile of wood. It immediately burst into flames. Alistair barely had time to jump back unscathed. Shock turned into annoyance as Alistair shuffled off the ground. She could see that he was just realizing he had no idea what she could really do. Alistair gestured at the fire with his chin, ¡°How did you do that?¡± Scarlet shrugged, ¡°Magic. It¡¯s natural.¡± Alistair slowly nodded, ¡°So¡­ what else can you do?¡± She wondered if he was actually interested or was trying to figure out how big of a threat she was. Seeing how his hand gripped the sword attached to his side, she figured it was the latter. ¡°I specialize in fire magic,¡± Scarlet said, ¡°That¡¯s what Mom is naturally gifted with as well.¡± After a few tension-filled minutes, Alistair decided to sit down on the other side of the fire. Scarlet sat down as well and stared into the flames. When it was completely dark outside, they ate a little food and settled in for the night. Scarlet stared at the fire as she lay on her uncomfortable forest floor bed. She just wanted to get the whole trip over with. As she fell asleep looking at the fire, she thought she saw her mother watching her from the flames. Chapter Six: Here Comes Snow Winterland was a large land in the northern part of the country of Fiore, a four weeks journey from the White Capitol of Wonderland. Scarlet and Alistair climbed the Pamola Mountains, which separated Winterland from the rest of Fiore. It was a tiring journey. Scarlet was ready to go home. She actually missed lazy days at home with her mother. Although she and Alistair had been tolerating each other better, he was not the best company. He didn¡¯t talk much and was very broody. Scarlet didn¡¯t converse with him either unless she had to. When they finally arrived at Winterland Castle, Scarlet felt a huge amount of stress lift from her shoulders. The Queen would have the mirror they needed and then she could claim her innocence and go back home. ¡°Here¡¯s the plan,¡± Alistair stopped his horse a little ways off from the castle. Scarlet pulled her horse up beside his, wondering what he was about to come off with. Alistair gestured at the castle, ¡°Once we get inside, we will appeal to Queen Nira and ask to borrow the Mirror of Truth. I will handle all the talking. You just stand there and try to act normal.¡± Scarlet bit the inside of her cheek, wanting to come off with a snarky reply but she knew he was right. She needed to be on her best behavior, even if it went against her whole being. ¡°Fine.¡± She agreed. Alistair patted his horse and they went to the gate. With Alistair¡¯s letter with the Wonderland seal, the guards allowed them in. Scarlet and Alistair left their horses at the front of the castle and were escorted inside by guards. The tall doors opened and they were escorted into the foyer. An attend greeted them, ¡°Please wait here, sir and lady. We will inform the Queen of your arrival.¡± He quickly spun on his heel and went through another large door, leaving them alone. Scarlet looked around the foyer. It resembled Wonderland Castle, but it was freezing inside. Ice-covered the walls in a slick sheet and icicles decorated the ceiling. Scarlet wrapped her arms around herself, shivering. She looked around, expecting a guard or two to be around but it was just her and Alistair. ¡°Alistair,¡± She whispered, ¡°Isn¡¯t this a bit strange?¡± Alistair looked back at her, ¡°What?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no one else here. Shouldn¡¯t there at least be one guard to watch us?¡± Alistair stood straight, ¡°Winterland has never been a threat to Wonderland. We are allies and they must not believe we are a threat.¡± Scarlet continued to scan the room, ¡°Still. Seems strange to me.¡± ¡°Sorry for the delay,¡± The attendant came back, ¡°Queen Nira will see you now.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Alistair nodded. They were escorted down a long hallway. Scarlet eyed the ice statues as they passed. Her chest felt heavy and the hair on the back of her neck stood up. ¡°Alistair-¡± Alistair turned his head back, giving her a silent glare. Scarlet huffed. The attendant stopped at a large double door, ¡°Queen Nira is awaiting you inside. I must get back to work. Good day.¡± ¡°Alistair-¡° The knight turned to Scarlet in annoyance, ¡°What did I tell you inside? Let me handle this and be quiet.¡± He turned toward the door and began opening it. Scarlet frowned. If he was going to act like that then she wouldn¡¯t warn him about the magic that flowed through the halls of the castle. She took off before he even noticed she was gone. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. *** Queen Nira sat on a throne made completely of ice. Her long white hair settled at her waist, a glittering silver crown with various jewels adorned her head. She had her arms propped on the armrests and was leaning back into her throne. Alistair shivered as her icy blue eyes looked him up and down. The corner of her mouth turned upward into a smile, ¡°To what do I owe the pleasure of meeting a handsome Wonderland knight such as yourself? And why would you come alone?¡± Alistair looked behind his shoulder, shocked Scarlet was not behind him. He bit the inside of his cheek, trying his best not to show the anger starting to boil inside. Queen Nira looked at him questioningly. Alistair faced her, clearing his throat and doing his best to calm down. He gave her a bow, ¡°Thank you for giving me an audience with you this afternoon.¡± He stood back up straight, ¡°I am Alistair, Knight Guard of Princess Aurora of Wonderland. Without getting too much into details, I am seeking the Mirror of Truth.¡± Queen Nira sprung up from her throne. Her heels clicked as she descended from where her throne was displayed. Alistair stood stiff as she approached him. His heart pounded rapidly in his chest. Queen Nira was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, but she was also the most intimidating woman he had ever met as well. She looked down at him, her eyes narrowing. ¡°Why do you desire the mirror?¡± *** Scarlet ducked around a corner, avoiding being spotted by servants cleaning one of the halls of the castle. She continued on her way, rushing through the halls without being spotted. She knew something was off as soon as she got inside the castle and had realized powerful magic was coursing through the castle. She felt a pull toward the top of the castle and didn¡¯t know why but knew she should take a look at whatever it was. She stopped in front of a small door in the corner of a hallway. She quickly went through and sighed. More stairs. Her calves burned as she ascended the tower. It made her dizzy as she ran up the spiraling staircase. The pull was getting stronger. Scarlet found another door at the top of the staircase. A small window was in the door and bars covered it. She peeked through the window but didn¡¯t see anything. She jiggled the doorknob but it was locked. ¡°Hello? Is someone there?¡± A voice came from inside the room. Scarlet placed her hand on the doorknob and concentrated. The doorknob and lock slowly started to melt until it was weak enough she could kick the door open. Scarlet looked around the room. She was shocked to find a young woman sitting in the corner of the room behind a wall of bars. The girl looked younger than her, maybe 15 years of age. The girl looked at her with large doe-like brown eyes. Her black hair was covered in dirt and pieces of hay stuck out. Her skin was pale, but her lips were as red as cherries. ¡°Can you see me?¡± The girl asked, her voice cracking. ¡°Uh, yeah.¡± Scarlet looked at the bars, not finding a lock, ¡°How did you get in here?¡± ¡°My stepmother put me here,¡± The girl said, standing up. The dull brown dress she wore was covered in dirt and her feet were bare. She watched as Scarlet looked for a way to open the prison cell. ¡°No one has ever been able to see me before. How can you see me?¡± Scarlet bit her bottom lip and narrowed her eyes, staring at the bars. She could barely see a purple and blue shine over the bars. ¡°It looks like a magic barrier has been placed over the cell,¡± Scarlet said, ¡°If I can break it, I could probably get you out.¡± The girl nodded, backing away from the bars as Scarlet put her arms out, palms outstretched and facing the barrier. Scarlet took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She tried to remember what her mother had taught her over the years. Illusion magic was difficult and only a few could perform it. It was nearly impossible to see through, especially from a powerful user. This magic barrier was powerful enough that a human with no magic ability wouldn¡¯t be able to break but weak enough that someone with magic could see through it. Scarlet could see that the caster wasn¡¯t well versed in illusion magic, but neither was she. She allowed the magic in the area to seep into her, feeling it out. Magic was intimate, coming from within oneself. She could feel that whoever did this spell was nearby and frequented this area often. The spell had to be cast often in order for it to stay up. It was weak and could be broken. Scarlet looked for the weakest spot in the barrier. When she found it, she blasted it with her own magic and it shattered. She opened her eyes to find the lock to the bars. She melted the lock and opened the door for the girl. The girl stumbled out of the cage, shocking Scarlet when she enveloped her in a hug. ¡°Thank you! Thank you so much! It¡¯s been years since I¡¯ve been out! Thank you!¡± ¡°Okay, get off me,¡± Scarlet coiled back. The girl got off her but was beaming at her, ¡°My name is Snow.¡± ¡°Snow?¡± Scarlet raised an eyebrow, ¡°Seriously? You were named after snow? In a Kingdom called Winterland? Not very original.¡± The smile didn¡¯t leave Snow¡¯s face, surprising Scarlet, ¡°My parents liked snow. What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Scarlet.¡± Snow¡¯s eyes drifted to Scarlet¡¯s bright red hair. A mischievous grin crept onto her face. Scarlet changed the conversation before Snow could comment, ¡°Who put you in here?¡± Snow¡¯s face fell, ¡°My stepmother, Queen Nira.¡± Scarlet¡¯s eyes got wide. Queen Nira was a magic user and she had left Alistair alone with her. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get out of here,¡± Scarlet said, leading Snow through the door and down the staircase. ¡°By the way,¡± Scarlet asked, ¡°Where is the Mirror of Truth?¡± ¡°Queen Nira always has it with her. It never leaves her side.¡± Snow said. Scarlet groaned, ¡°Great. Listen, my horse is outside the castle. Take it and run into a nearby forest.¡± ¡°What about you? What are you going to do?¡± Snow asked with wide eyes. Scarlet sighed, ¡°Get the mirror and save a stupid knight.¡± Chapter Seven: Stealing the Mirror As soon as Scarlet saw Snow sneak out of a side door to freedom, she hurried back to the throne room. Back against the door to the room, she slowly turned so she could see inside. Queen Nira stood before Alistair, looking into his eyes with her cold, emotionless face. She reminded Scarlet of Queen Victoria. She couldn¡¯t hear what was being said but she assumed they were discussing the mirror. "Miss, what are-¡° Scarlet spun around, kicking the attendant across the room. He slid, hitting his head on an icy wall, and passed out. She hoped no one had heard that. Scarlet turned back to look in the throne room. Queen Nira placed her hand around Alistair¡¯s neck. His body went stiff, his face turning pale. With wide eyes, Scarlet watched as ice came from the queen¡¯s hand and started to surround Alistair¡¯s neck and travel throughout his body. He tried to move to get his sword, but his hand was too rigid. Scarlet knew it was now or never. She formed her hands into a sphere shape, flames licking between them. She jumped into the throne room, throwing the fireball at the queen. Queen Nira dropped Alistair and countered with an ice wall. Alistair fell to the ground, gasping as the ice started to thaw from his neck. Scarlet ran over to Alistair, ¡°Where is the mirror?¡± Alistair pointed at the wall the queen was hiding behind. ¡°Great,¡± Scarlet sighed, ¡°Get out of here. I¡¯ll handle this.¡± She ran at the ice wall, throwing flame after flame at it until a hole was created. She slipped through and narrowly dodged an icicle flying at her. More icicles flew at her as Queen Nira cackled. Queen Nira laughed, ¡°You really think you can face me, child?¡± Scarlet rolled, her shoulder getting scratched by the point on an icicle. She looked up at the woman, who had a smug smile slathered on her face. Scarlet huffed, ¡°Give me the mirror.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so, sweetie,¡± Queen Nira smirked before continuing her assault. Scarlet had a hard time dodging every attack. She looked around, trying to spot the mirror. She threw another fireball at Nira, who barely slid out of the way. A flash on Nira¡¯s back alerted Scarlet. Feeling better, Scarlet increased throwing the fireballs. Sweat dripped down her face as the heat rose and was released time after time. Nira bumbled around, having a harder time keeping up. For the first time, Scarlet saw panic in her eyes.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Scarlet got close enough to reach Nira and threw a punch at her. Nira formed an ice shield to counter, but Scarlet flipped around her and grabbed the hand mirror from the ribbons of Nira¡¯s corset dress. Nira spun around immediately as Scarlet jumped away from her, the mirror in her hand. Nira let out a blood-curdling scream. Scarlet watched in horror as Nira¡¯s eyes turned pure black. Although she couldn¡¯t see her pupils anymore, she knew the queen was staring at her and seething. Nira threw her arms in the air, releasing a burst of magic. Scarlet stumbled back. The walls of the castle began to shake. Snow flew through the air and the icicles on the ceiling rocked and clicked. The frozen wall burst, ice going everywhere. Scarlet put her arms up, trying to deflect the ice shards coming from all directions. Thundering footsteps came from where the wall used to be. Scarlet lowered her arm to see a massive ice statue coming toward her. The statue swung at her. Scarlet felt herself being thrown to the ground, the sword narrowly missing her. ¡°Run!¡± Alistair yelled as he got off her. She watched in surprise as he charged the ice statue. Ice statues continued to march into the throne room from the hall. Nira stood on one side of the throne room, letting her statues work for her as she seethed. Alistair fought the ice statues, but it was more of him dodging and in a defensive mode than offense. Scarlet spotted some windows behind Nira. She didn¡¯t know how high up she was, but that was her only exit. Scarlet tucked the mirror under her arm and ran. Nira greeted her with a barrage of icicles. Scarlet continued to run forward, ignoring the painful stings all over her body. She approached Nira and threw a punch, hitting Nira in the face. Nira fell to the ground and screamed, blood running from her nose. Scarlet had no time to feel proud. The ice statues turned their attention to her as their master screamed from the ground. Scarlet tucked the mirror in the waistline of her pants and pulled herself up onto the window sill. An ice statue reached for her but missed as she jumped. The air was freezing and her whole body stung. Scarlet could barely see as the snow blurred the world around her. She gasped when she saw she was falling toward an iced-over moat. It took much force to put her hands toward the moat and with all her power she blasted fire out of her hands. Her heart pounded in her chest as she got closer and closer. The ice melted as Scarlet crashed into the water. Her body screamed in pain and felt as heavy as lead. She struggled to swim back up to the top of the hole she had produced in the ice. She grabbed the ice, her hands burning from the cold. Her body was heavy as she pulled herself out of the water. It took all she had to drag herself onto the frozen moat. She felt herself being picked up. She looked over and was surprised to see Alistair throw her arm around his neck. ¡°We¡¯ve got to get out of here!¡± Alistair yelled. Excruciating pain coursed through Scarlet¡¯s body as they made their way to the remaining horse at the gate. Soldiers were rushing their way as the hustled onto the horse. Alistair took the lead and got them out of there as fast as possible. Scarlet gripped onto Alistair¡¯s back, trying to stay focused. ¡°Over here!¡± A familiar voice yelled from nearby. Snow sat on the other horse, barely seen at the edge of a forest. The horse neighed as Alistair steered it toward the forest. ¡°Who are you?¡± Alistair asked, eyebrows creased. ¡°I¡¯m Snow! Scarlet¡¯s friend!¡± Snow proclaimed. She nodded toward the deeper forest, ¡°Into the forest. They won¡¯t find us in here.¡± Alistair nodded, albeit confused and concerned, but followed her. Scarlet shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. The clomping of horse hooves and the crunch of twigs and snow beneath soothed her into a deep sleep. Chapter Eight: Legend of the Mirrors The whiny of the horse and sudden stop woke Scarlet. She stiffened up when she realized she was leaning on Alistair¡¯s back. She slipped off the horse, her boots crunching against the permafrost. ¡°You¡¯re awake,¡± Snow grinned, getting off the other horse, ¡°Thanks for helping me.¡± "Sure,¡± Scarlet nodded, scanning the surroundings. The trees were thick and didn¡¯t leave much room for the horses to move through. The ground was frozen, but the vegetation around them was overgrown and had a slight dusting of snow. The sun was setting, casting an orange and pink glow through the forest. ¡°Where are we?¡± Scarlet asked. ¡°In the Forbidden Forest,¡± Alistair said, sliding off his horse. He tied the reins to a nearby tree branch. ¡°If memory serves right, we are in the south west of Winterland and near north Woodland.¡± Scarlet rubbed her forehead, feeling a headache coming on. Alistair crossed his arms in front of his chest and gestured at Scarlet with a jut of his chin, ¡°Where¡¯s the mirror?¡± Scarlet reached behind her, feeling for the mirror. Her fingers grasped the mirror and pulled it from her waistband. Alistair and Snow gathered around the mirror, peering down at it. Scarlet¡¯s heart sunk. She could practically feel the heat from Alistair seething beside her. The hand mirror was intact, except for the huge crack right in the middle of the mirror. Alistair jerked it out of her hands. He looked into the mirror. ¡°Magic mirror, is Aurora still alive?¡± The mirror didn¡¯t respond. Scarlet could feel its magic was weak, broken. Alistair spun on Scarlet, ¡°You did this! You broke the mirror on purpose!¡± Scarlet took a step away from him, her fists curling at her side, ¡°Why would I come all this way just to break the mirror?¡± Alistair frowned, the vein in his neck popping, ¡°You poisoned Aurora and didn¡¯t want to get caught.¡± ¡°If I had poisoned her, I wouldn¡¯t have been caught,¡± Scarlet glared at him. Before Alistair could swing his fist at her, Snow jumped between them. ¡°Stop!¡± Alistair and Scarlet¡¯s eyes never left each other, both silently daring eachother to make a move. Snow frowned, ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but Scarlet saved me. She¡¯s a good person.¡± Scarlet¡¯s fist relaxed slightly, but she still didn¡¯t stop glaring at Alistair.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Snow smiled, ¡°Let¡¯s make camp and get some rest. I think you¡¯ve both fought enough today.¡± Neither Scarlet nor Alistair wanted to back down, but they were both exhausted from the fight earlier. ¡°Fine,¡± Alistair said curtly. *** By the time the sun went down, a fire was built and makeshift beds were formed. The horses were lying near Snow. She seemed to calm them, singing them songs and telling them what heroic animals they were. Scarlet thought it was strange, but the horses seemed to enjoy it. Alistair was leaning against a tree, looking over the mirror, as if he could figure out how to fix it. Scarlet watched him. When he wasn¡¯t furious and being stupid he was actually kind of cute. His light blonde hair was trimmed nicely and his blue eyes were as blue as the ocean bordering Wonderland. He looked up at her, their eyes connecting. He frowned and Scarlet looked away. Snow pushed herself off the ground and patted the horses on their heads before going to sit beside Scarlet. ¡°Do you know the origin of the mirror?¡± She asked. Scarlet shook her head, ¡°No. All I know is that it is supposed to tell only the truth.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Snow nodded, ¡°And its sister only tells lies.¡± ¡°There¡¯s another mirror?¡± Alistair asked, interested in the conversation. Snow smiled, ¡°Yes. My father told me the story many years ago, before he died.¡± Scarlet thought she saw sadness in the girl¡¯s brown eyes but it quickly disappeared. ¡°Once upon a time, there was a princess. Everyone admired her beauty. One day she decided she would buy a mirror from the finest craftsman. In order to find the craftsman, she held a contest. Many people tried but only two ¨C a dwarf and a troll - made it as finalists. To decide between who would make her mirror, she asked both to make her hand mirrors. She would then choose between the hand mirrors and whoever¡¯s was better she would hire. ¡°On the way home, the dwarf heard a scream. He found a fairy stuck between the jaws of a beast. He killed the beast and saved the fairy. As thanks, the fairy gave him some fairy dust. He went home and crafted a beautiful mirror with the fairy dust. Meanwhile, the troll saw the dwarf save the fairy. He wanted some fairy dust himself in order to redeem himself to the princess. He found the fairy and shook her until fairy dust fell around her. Scooping up the dust, he returned home and crafted his own mirror. ¡°A few days later the dwarf and troll came back to the palace and presented their hand mirrors to the princess. The princess took the dwarf¡¯s mirror. She saw herself shining and looked as beautiful as ever. The princess took the troll¡¯s mirror and was immediately horrified. She was hideous, only a shadow of what she was before. Horrified, she threw the mirror. It shattered into billions of pieces. ¡°One of the pieces went into her eye. She could no longer see the good and beauty in the world. The bad and ugly took over her vision. Her heart became cold. She no longer felt joy. She banished the dwarf and the troll to a different kingdom to live out their lives. From that day on, she banned mirrors from the kingdom.¡± Scarlet bit the inside of her cheek, ¡°So¡­ the dwarf¡¯s mirror is the Mirror of Truth?¡± Snow nodded, ¡°That is what I have been told. The Mirror of Truth has been in Winterland since Nira became Queen. The Mirror of Lies was destroyed by the princess, at least that is what the legend says.¡± Alistair sighed, ¡°Thank you for the story, but I don¡¯t see how this is going to help us.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Snow folded her hands in her lap, ¡°A dwarf created the mirror, so maybe one can fix it.¡± Alistair and Scarlet stared at her in awe. The corner of Alistair¡¯s mouth pulled up, ¡°That might actually work.¡± ¡°Where would we find dwarves?¡± Scarlet asked. ¡°My father has hired dwarves before,¡± Snow said, ¡°I think they lived in the Woodland Mountains.¡± Alistair looked back down at the mirror in his hands, ¡°I guess we know where to go now.¡± Scarlet laid on her bed. She was already exhausted from the journey, but it seemed it was not over yet. She looked at the fire. The flames danced and Scarlet could almost feel her mother¡¯s presence. Scarlet sighed, ¡°Woodland Mountains it is.¡± Chapter Nine: An Unexpected Ally Birds were happily chirping early the next morning. Scarlet could barely keep her eyes open as they rode through the forest. Snow hummed from where she was sitting behind Scarlet on the horse. Scarlet ducked from being decked by a bird¡¯s wing. The bird landed on Snow¡¯s shoulder and chirped along with her song. Alistair looked over at Scarlet from his horse, an eyebrow raised. Scarlet shook her head. She had no idea what was going on with this girl. Alistair cleared his throat, ¡°So¡­ Snow, is it?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Snow smiled over at him. ¡°As you know, we are on a mission to save Princess Aurora of Wonderland,¡± He straightened up on his horse, ¡°I was wondering¡­ what are your plans from here out?¡± Snow¡¯s smile fell. The birds stopped chirping. Scarlet looked up at the trees, wondering if the birds were going to poop on Alistair for making their princess sad. She smiled smugly at the thought of it. ¡°Um¡­¡± Snow squirmed, ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t really have a place to go.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you the princess of Winterland?¡± Scarlet asked, remembering some of the details Snow had mentioned in the castle, ¡°Why were you locked in that tower?¡± Snow sighed, ¡°I¡­ am the princess of Winterland. My father was the king. My mother died when I was very young and he remarried Nira. My father died a few years after they got married. Right after his funeral, Nira locked me in the tower. She just said that¡­ I wasn¡¯t beautiful enough to be a queen.¡± ¡°She¡¯s probably just jealous that she¡¯s getting old and you are young and pretty,¡± Scarlet said. Snow shrugged, ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ but I don¡¯t have a home anymore. I lived in the tower for 5 years.¡± Scarlet hands tightened on the reins. In a way, she could understand Snow¡¯s struggle. Neither of them was welcome in their kingdom. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Alistair said, ¡°I¡¯m sure there is something that King Stephen can do for you once we get to Wonderland. He might be able to let you stay at the castle.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Snow grinned. Scarlet frowned, her chest burning. ¡°No.¡± Alistair and Snow stared at her in stunned silence. Scarlet took a deep breath. She bit her bottom lip before exhaling. ¡°Snow, you can stay with me and my mom¡­ If you want to¡­¡± Alistair¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. Scarlet froze as arms wrapped around her from behind. Snow laid her forehead on Scarlet¡¯s back. ¡°Thank you! I¡¯d be happy to!¡± Scarlet felt her face heating up, ¡°S-Sure.¡± She felt Alistair¡¯s eyes on her. She could tell that it was slowly connecting for him. Snow called Scarlet her friend and Scarlet didn¡¯t want that to slip away. Alistair chuckled as it hit him.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. *** A sneeze rang through the forest. Scarlet sniffed, wiping her running nose with her sleeve. It had been a week of traveling through the snowy Forbidden Forest. They had finally made it to the Woodland border: the Woodland Mountains. Scarlet¡¯s calves complained they ascended the mountain, leading their horses behind them. The route was treacherous and one wrong move on the horses would send them over the edge. Snow stumbled across a rock, barely being caught by Scarlet. Snow smiled in appreciation but didn¡¯t speak. Her fair skin looked paler than usual. Scarlet was sure she probably looked the same way. Being on top of the mountain was colder than being in the Winterland Valley. ¡°So, where are these dwarves supposed to be?¡± Scarlet huffed, her breath billowing out in front of her like puffs of smoke from a dragon. ¡°They live inside the mountains,¡± Snow wrapped her arms around herself, shivering. Scarlet sighed, ¡°And where exactly?¡± ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t know,¡± Snow looked down at her feet. Scarlet felt a little bad for the snappy tone she projected, but she was cold and miserable. She cupped her right hand and summoned a little fire. The warmth felt amazing against her skin. She extended her hand toward her new companion. Snow smiled in appreciation, visibly relaxing from the heat. ¡°Over here!¡± Alistair waved at them from where he was several feet ahead. Scarlet and Snow picked up their pace. They were huffing when they reached him at the mouth of a cave. ¡°There might be dwarves inside,¡± Alistair stated. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Snow rushed inside, ¡°I¡¯m freezing!¡± The cave was dark, no source of light to be found once walking inside. Scarlet held fire in her hand to light the way. ¡°It¡¯s kind of scary in here,¡± Snow said, grabbing Scarlet¡¯s sleeve. Alistair followed behind them, his hand on his sword in case trouble appeared. After walking for what felt like a mile, they could hear a whooshing sound. ¡°What is that?¡± Snow whispered. As the sound got louder, they saw a light appear. Scarlet put her fire out. Alistair put a finger over his closed lips and gestured at the wall. Scarlet pulled Snow over to the wall as Alistair crept ahead. Scarlet followed after him. Laughter rang through the cave. The three looked at each other but kept their guard up. Scarlet and Alistair found the end of the cave. It opened up, revealing forests and mountains for miles. Three men separated them from the exit. They had makeshift tents set up and a small fire between them. They didn¡¯t look like anything more than travelers. The men noticed them immediately. One of the men smirked, his face streaked with dirt, ¡°Who are you? Some knight come to save a princess?¡± The other two men chuckled. One of the other men looked at Scarlett, ¡°Looks like you found her, now scram.¡± Scarlet glared at them. She walked into their camp, feeling the heat of the flames thaw her feet. She approached the man who had just addressed them. She stared him in his questioning eyes, ¡°I am not a princess. Have you seen any dwarves around here?¡± They laughed. ¡°Dwarves?¡± The man laughed, ¡°They only exists in fairy tales.¡± His eyes slid down her body and glided back up. A sly grin covered his face. Scarlet scowled. ¡°Now I can give you something real, hon-¡° Scarlet lunged. She grabbed his neck, fire burning his skin. He screamed in agony as the other two men hurriedly grabbed their swords and advanced at her. Alistair slammed one in the side, throwing him to the ground. With one hand on the pervert, Scarlet lifted her hand to the man coming at her and threw a fireball. He shrieked, dropping his sword to pat the fire on his head out. Scarlet let the pervert go. The three men scurried out of the cave. ¡°So,¡± Snow came around the corner to join them, ¡°Do you always set people on fire?¡± Scarlet smiled, ¡°Sometimes.¡± Snow nodded, her eyes wide. Alistair sighed, putting his sword back into its sheath, ¡°We are no closer than we were before.¡± ¡°Actually we are,¡± Snow smiled, ¡°We came through this cave and are now in Woodland.¡± Scarlet tried not to smile at the optimism pouring off the young woman. Alistair sat down in front of the fire, running a hand through his hair. A bird flew through the cave entrance and landed on Snow¡¯s shoulder. It chirped at her. After a moment, she whistled back. It tweeted and flew to the cave entrance. ¡°Dwarves are that way.¡± ¡°How do you know?¡± Scarlet eyed the bird. It landed on the ground and looked back at them as if it was waiting on them. Snow gestured at the bird, ¡°The bird told me.¡± It was so silent that a drop of water echoed. Alistair recovered first, ¡°What?¡± Snow smiled, ¡°When I was in the tower, birds were the only ones who came to see me. I learned to speak to them.¡± Scarlet blinked and shook her head. She had chosen a strange girl to be her friend. The bird hopped out of the cave and lifted into the sky. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Snow ran after the bird. Alistair and Scarlet followed after them, just hoping their journey would soon be over.