RosalieTonight was the night. I would not spend any more time with a backstabbing schemer in my dwelling. How best to dispose of her? Perhaps I shall have Kamaria burn her with fire while she sleeps away, and then she will be sure to perish screaming. I called for the witch at once. “I have a task for you. I want you to set Snow ablaze right now while she is resting.” Instead of marching to do as I bid her, or even bothering to respond she just stared at me blankly.
My eyes narrowed and I spoke through clenched teeth, “Are you hard of hearing witch?” Her face still blank she finally answered, “No. I was just awaiting the punch line to your joke. As you know I am from a much older era than even yourself, and I do not always understand when people are joking.”
I shook my head in annoyance, “This is no joke! I want you to burn her. Now!” Emotion was finally drawn on her face, but it was a look of disdain. “You know…very well…that I do NOT…do that sort of work.”
She practically spit the words out very slowly. Of course... Snow had already gotten to her. The witch was compromised. I could not make her do this task, or even trust her to be around when it was carried out. I thought quickly for a moment, and then turned my back to her. “I see...no matter. I have another task for you. I need you to retrieve something for me.” “Your medication?”
I hadn’t heard what she had just whispered. I spun around and inquired, “What?” “I only asked what it is that you need me to retrieve.” I turned back around and started speaking slowly, still not entirely certain that I hadn’t just been insulted, “I need you to go the curator of the museum and obtain that item of which we spoke of. Do you remember?” “I do not forget.” “Go quickly then.” “As you wish.”
KamariaThere was absolutely no way I was leaving without warning the child of her malice, but it appears she had thought ahead. Rosalie coyly followed me all the way to the front door babbling away about utter nonsense, and watched me leave. She was no fool. She wanted to make sure that I had really gone, but I had aces up my sleeve as well. It was a spell that I hadn’t performed in a very long time, and it took me a few minutes to remember all the words. But after only a couple of hesitant moments there she stood, a perfect doppelganger. I looked at her firmly, “You know what to do.”
She nodded and transported herself, hopefully, into the chamber where Snow slept. Now I had a curator to hunt down. If I came back empty handed, Rosalie would know instantly that I was responsible for what was about to happen. That is…if this all went according to plan. Snow“Get up child! Get up now if you want to live!”
I thought I was having a horrible nightmare at first. Why was this person shaking me, and saying my life was threatened? I opened my eyes in a fright, but it was only Kamaria in a weird outfit. I sat up slowly and rubbed my eyes sleepily, “What are you going on about? It’s too late for one of your mental challenges.” She hissed back at me, “This is no game Snow. You need to leave this tower now. Rosalie means to have you killed.”
I was wide awake now. I jumped out of bed, “You must be mistaken. Why would she harm me? Can I just talk to her?” She just started grabbing clothes and throwing them into a bag, “Less questions and more moving.”
She grabbed my hand then and practically dragged me out of the tower. At first I was stunned into silence, but when we got to the door I pulled my hand back in protest. “No. I’m never to leave the tower. This is my home. This is all I know!” “Quiet!” she snarled, “So what? You will stay here and be slaughtered on the orders of a mad woman?” I looked at her, my eyes wide with fright and confusion, “What about you? You stay here and work for this supposed mad woman?” She sighed and rubbed her temples, “What I do is of no concern to you. I am not the one in danger.” “So you say.” I shot back.
Her eyes narrowed then, and she stepped closer to me, “You will leave this tower. Now whether I drag you from it on unconscious or not is the only choice you have. You have 10 seconds to decide.”
An hour later I found myself trudging through a dark forest. Kamaria stopped suddenly and placed a bag in front of me. “There is a magical enchantment on this bag. The inside is a lot bigger than it looks on the outside. You’ll find a tent, food, clothes, water, and a number of random supplies you might need to survive inside.” I shook my head beginning to understand what she was saying, “Are you leaving me here? Alone?” “Yes.”
My heart was pounding in my ears, and I could scarcely breathe. I clutched at my chest, because I thought I would have a heart attack at any moment. “You can’t….I…n-n-need you.” I said gasping for air.
But when I looked up at her, her face was stone. “You will survive. Take this, and keep it with you always. I have a feeling it will be important to you in the future.”
I looked down to see what she had just placed on the ground. It was my favorite doll from my childhood. I hadn’t played with it in years. But when I looked up to ask her why she thought it was important. She was already gone…