Thunder roared overhead and rain came hammering down on the thatched roof of the cottage. Satisfied her work was done, the old hag left the cottage. She looked around for the birds that had attacked her before. Knowing Snow White couldn’t stop them now, but she didn’t see them. She heard them first. The birds screaming and the dwarves riding up on the backs of deer with anger in their voices and murder in their eyes.

  The hag turned on heel and ran as fast as she could move. Lightning struck on the mountain above and illuminated her hasty getaway. Grumpy was the first to arrive at the cottage seeing the hag running away.

  “There she goes!” He yelled over the thunder that followed the lightning. He kicked the deer to run after the hag. She hobbled. Cursing every step that she was still stuck in the ugly, infirm body. The mountainous road was difficult to navigate, with boulders and uneven ground that slowed the old woman, the howling storm only making it more treacherous. Dead branches of dead trees slowed her run as they snatched and grabbed at her.

  The dwarves' pursuit was unrelenting. The deer were able to avoid the uneven terrain and the dwarves able to duck the branches. Coming to a rocky mountain climb, the hag turned and hurried up the rocks as fast as she could manage. Not knowing how to escape her pursuers but also knowing if she could outrun them until midnight and get to the castle she would be saved. So she climbed. Looking down she saw the dwarves dismounting their steeds.

  “After her!” Grumpy yelled and they began climbing the hag grit her gums together and climbed up higher and higher. The air getting harder and harder to breathe. Every look down showed the men gaining on her. The climb got harder as the old woman had to climb, straight up hand over hand. Taking whatever hold she could get to. Pulling herself up. Her heart pounding as the reality began to dawn on her. She climbed to a ledge and nearly ran off of a climb that fell into oblivion.

  “Oh no!” She gasped. Grabbing her shoulders and shrinking in. The idea that escape was impossible began to set in. She looked up and saw the buzzards that had been following her all day, found a place to sit. Watching her hungrily. “No. no.” She looked around fearfully.

  “I’m trapped. What-what do I do?” She said in a panic. “No. No! Those meddling fools!” She spied a boulder that was precariously balanced. It was with this that she gained an idea. She cackled as she lifted a giant branch and pried at the boulder.

  “I’ll fix you. I’ll crush your bones!” She screamed, the lightning striking near her and thunder amplifying her voice. The dwarves looked up in fear at the massive boulder that was tipping closer to falling onto them.

  (*)“Watch out!” Doc yelled. Grabbing Grumpy and pulling him back down to an area with an overhang where any sort of cover could be imagined. The old hag screamed with laughter as she imagined the carnage the boulder would leave. All her troubles finished in a single blow.

  Lightning struck closer and thunder roared. The boulder tipped and rocked. The Dwarves huddled together, the eldest shielding the youngest.

  A roar of laughter was cut short as lightning struck down. Hitting the very boulder the old hag queen was prying at. She screamed as the cliff crumbled away under her and she fell. The boulder rolling down after her. Her scream echoed through the canyon until it was only a whisper. The dwarves looked up and rushed up the rest of the way and looked over the edge of the chasm. Doc quickly covered Dopey’s eyes and Grumpy clapped a hand over Happy’s.

  The fate of the wicked queen was sealed as the vultures who’d been following began to circle. Slowly descending towards their supper.

  The cottage was silent and dark as the dwarves returned. Their guts sank as they walked in. Seeing they were too late. Snow White lay motionless on the ground. Doc walked over and took up her hand, checking for her pulse.

  “N-n… a mirror! Quickly!” Doc shouted. Bashful ran off and returned quickly with a little compact mirror. Engraved with ‘a sign of everlasting love, Blossom.’ He handed the ornate mirror, a gift from his love back home, to Doc. Doc held the mirror to Snow White’s mouth and nose but no fog appeared.

  “Sh-she’s.” Doc started.

  “We’re too late.” Bashful finished. The men stared at her, removing their hats and a shared grief.

  “Th-this isn’t right.” Doc said, clearing his throat and wiping his eyes. “Help me get her down to the beds. Eh. Up. W-w-we need to-to-to-to.”

  “She deserves a proper wake.” Happy finished, his bright smile gone. Replaced with a deep sorrow. The men surrounded her and ever so gently lifted her in their arms. Carrying her up the stairs to their bedroom. Pushing all the beds together and laying her out over them. Each brought a candle and lit it around her as they knelt in their mourning. Tears flowed as freely as the candle wax as the storm continued into the night.

  Dopey was the first to leave the candlelit vigil. Going downstairs. Solemnly he picked up a broom and began to sweep the floors. Righting the dining room chairs and cleaning the fireplace.

  Grumpy was the second to leave. His tears turning to rage. He kicked the shoes down the stairs. Picked up the knick-knacks from every surface to throw full force at every wall.

  “What are YOU looking at?!” He yelled as he caught Dopey glaring at him.

  “Don’t yell at him.” Happy said listlessly. Coming down the stairs as if gravity had been turned up all the way.

  “I’ll yell if I want!” Grumpy continued.

  “I-i-i-it isn’t g-g-g-going to help.” Doc said. The commotion bringing the rest of the brothers from the room to see what was happening.

  “Who cares!” Grumpy yelled. Watching Dopey try to sweep up the mess he’d made. “What are you even doing anyway!”

  “Cleaning.” Dopey said. His little voice made everything in the room still. “It should be clean when she wakes up.” He choked on his words as new tears started to fall.

  “R-r-right.” Grumpy stuttered. He turned. Picking up the chairs and furniture he’d knocked over before going outside into the rain.

  Daybreak came and with it the rain finally stopped. Offering a moment of true silence as the men shed fresh tears. Going downstairs to make their breakfast and discuss what to do next.

  The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  “W-w-well. What now?” Doc asked.

  “We lay her to rest, I suppose.” Grumpy said. Holding the unbaked pie with his name on it. Hands shaking.

  “We couldn’t bury her properly.” Bashful said. “She deserves a proper burial. In stone, in a king’s catacomb. In the place of honor.”

  “Agreed. But w-w-we haven’t made a cat’s comb, eh, head stone, no.” Doc grit his teeth and hit his fist against the table in his frustration. “We haven’t DONE that yet.”

  “Then we don’t lay her to rest then!” Snapped Grumpy. “If’n we can’t do it properly then we don’t do it at all!”

  “He’s right,” Happy said. “We can’t lay her to rest if we can’t do it right.”

  “We could make her a temporary place to rest. While we make her the proper place?” Bashful suggested.

  “Make it really pretty and nice, then do it the proper way.” Sneezy added. “Once we can.”

  “We have the measurements.” Sleepy agreed. “I can stay and keep watch while the place is made.”

  “That settles it, hen, er then.” Doc said. And out the dwarves left. All but Sleepy who went back to the bedroom and sat in the chair. Tirelessly keeping Snow White company without even a single yawn.

  The rest of the men went to the mines and got to work. Smelting, engraving, and even glass blowing. Even together it took a solid week of work to finish the beautiful ornate golden coffin. Setting it’s foundations deep in a glade near the mines. Where the tree’s blossoms would shed their petals over the beautiful maiden.

  The darkness was extended to the kingdom as well. As the Queen’s absence was noticed after a day. No one knew what to think. Rumors flew. First the king, then the princess and now the queen? People began to believe in a curse. Parties were sent out to find the queen or the princess. Anyone.

  The huntsman appeared out of hiding. Riding up to the glade where he’d left the princess and told her to run. Hoping he could still find the trail he set into the woods where she’d disappeared. He led his horse into the woods. Tracking the half buried footsteps in the soft mud. Pieces of her skirt and cloak. Still hung in the branches. Tracking her across the forest and to a road that led to a quiet cottage.

  “Hello? Your highness?” The huntsman called as he knocked on the door. It opened to a dark room where everything looked pristine but empty. “Anyone?” The cupboards were empty, as was the larder. The fireplace looks as if it hadn’t been used in days. Upstairs was only an empty room with nothing but the outlines of furniture that had once been there.

  But there was a clue. Hanging on a coat rack by the door was the cloak worn by the princess. She’d been here. The huntsman left the cottage and looked around for another clue. Finding more footprints in the dirt. Following them he came to the base of a mountain, hearing the people within. Clanging and clattering the rock.

  “Hello?” He called into the mine. The commotion stopped as his voice echoed.

  “Who goes?” Called a gruff voice.

  “I am searching for a young maiden of sixteen. Hair black as the night, skin white as the snow. Beautiful as a spring day.” The huntsman called. “Goes by the name of Snow White.” Slowly emerged seven short men with mournful eyes.

  “Who looks for the princess?” Asked the same gruff voice who appeared.

  “I am a huntsman from her kingdom. Our queen has vanished, and with her the threat facing the young princess.” The hunstman said. “I’m here to take her home.”

  “I-I-I am afraid you’re too late.” One of the men said.

  “The queen got her.” Another said.

  “It’s what killed the old wicked witch.” This first spat. The huntsman stepped back in shock.

  “No. That. That can’t be.” He said.

  “It’s true,”

  “Follow us, we’ll take you to her.”

  The huntsman followed the men to a glade. Beautiful but more so was the glass coffin in it’s center. The huntsman felt his heart sink as he knew what lay inside. He listened to the story the men told him and thanked them before leaving the glade. Heavy hearted and returning to the kingdom to share the unfortunate news.

  It was in this way that the neighboring kingdom sent over their second son to rule the kingdom. Prince Florian was secretly ecstatic to arrive in the palace. Trying to be conscious of the kingdom’s sorrow at the loss of a princess who was apparently quite a lovely sweet soul.

  “Shame I never knew her.” Florian said as he looked around at all the old staff of the palace that were now in his employ.

  “Shame indeed.” The kitchen’s head chef said. “Pardon me for saying, but are my staff not to your liking your highness?”

  “Hm? Oh. Sorry. I was looking for a scullery maid I met by chance.” He said, looking at every face and growing more disappointed. “She was in the courtyard when I heard her singing. Afraid I never did get her name.”

  “Pray tell, what did she look like?” The chef asked. Color draining from her face.

  “Dark hair filled with curls, the brightest smile you’ll ever see. Rosy cheeks and a laugh that could melt the coldest heart.” The prince said with a lovestruck smile.

  “I am so sorry.” The chef said. “That was the princess and she’s dead.”

  Florian was crushed. Hearing the story and the demise of the wicked queen didn’t soothe the pain of missing out on a love that never even had a chance to grow. His reign was shadowed by this grief through the falling leaves. As the winter snow fell, the dwarves too grieved. Keeping their watch despite the cold beside the coffin.

  Snow melted and spring began. A full year had passed and still the mourning continued. The huntsman came to see the prince. Hearing his hobbies had all but died the day he came and discovered the wicked truth. The huntsman told him there was a way he could see the princess again, taking him to the hidden glade where the dwarves still stayed. Bringing fresh flowers every day and tending the garden that had sprung up around the final resting place.

  Prince Florian slowly descended from the hill toward the maiden he’d fallen in love with. The dwarven brothers looked up at the prince as he went to Snow White’s side. His hand falling on her name engraved on the coffin.

  “Who’s the pretty boy?” Grumpy asked the huntsman. Ready to pick him up and throw him out.

  “A prince who fell in love with a princess.” The huntsman said simply. The men looked as the prince removed the glass over her. “He fell in love with a girl in rags and is the only one who hasn’t had the chance to mourn.”

  The prince looked into the peaceful face of the princess. She looked like she was only sleeping. Like he could wake her with a gentle touch. He felt cheated. He felt angry. But there was nothing to do with it. Nothing to do but make his peace with it. Florian leaned down, a single tear fell onto Snow White’s peaceful face. He left a small kiss on her rose red lips. The first and last he’d ever have. The thought was so miserable he covered his face to cry.

  Snow White stirred. Her eyes fluttered open and she drew in a long sigh that turned into a stretch that caused the bouquet atop her chest to fall at Florian’s feet. He stared at it completely confused. Not seeing Snow White sit up and look around. The dwarves jumped to their feet in shock, awe, and joy. Florian looked up, Snow White looked down. There was a moment of surprise and stillness before Florian jumped to his feet. A smile grew over Snow White’s face and she held out her arms and Florian swept her up.

  Cheer and screams of joy ran out. Whoops and hollers as the dwarves danced around as Florian carried Snow White to his steed.

  “Oh, wait!” Snow White said, Florian put her down and Snow White knelt down so that all the dwarves could hug her tearfully.

  “Thank you! All of you!” Snow White said, giving each one a kiss upon the forehead and thanking them. She stood up and turned back to Florian. “I’m ready now.”

  “I’m glad.” He said, lifting her up again and setting her on the back of his horse. “I’m taking you home,”

  “Where we’ll live happily ever after?” Snow White asked.

  “As long as you’d like.” Florian agreed, leading his horse away from the glade and into the sunset.

  Where they all did live happily ever after… for now.