Prompt: What if Snow White was actually evil?

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I had been wandering through the forest for days, trying to come up with a plan to get my evil stepmother off of the throne.

Once I finally got rid of her, I would be next in line to inherit the throne.

But before I had a chance to kill her, I was forced to flee the kingdom. Apparently she wanted to kill me. My initial thought was that she had discovered that I posed a threat to her and wanted me out of the way.

But, no, the real reason she wanted me gone was because she was jealous of my looks. I know, it's a stupid reason to want to kill somebody, but that doesn't make the entire royal army searching the kingdom for me any less scary.

But at the moment, there wasn't much to be jealous about. My clothes were ragged, torn and filthy, my long raven black hair was matted and tangled and my skin was far from snow white.

I had a feeling that I wouldn't be able to last much longer like this. I had debated on whether or not to go back to the kingdom and sneak into the castle to murder the queen, but I was pretty sure I was lost so I couldn't go back even if I wanted to.

As I was walking aimlessly through the woods, I felt something yank my hair. I quickly turned around, unsheathing the rusty knife at my hip.

Once I realized that it was only a tree branch, I lowered my weapon. I tried to pull my hair off of the tiny twigs of the branch but to no avail.

The branch had snagged my tangled hair so badly that it looked impossible to get it out.

After a few minutes of trying, I thought 'Screw this!' and cut my hair. It took a moment to cut through all the matted black locks but soon I had chopped a good part of my hair off.

I left the tangled mass on the branch and continued on my marry way, now with sloppily cut shoulder length hair.

The hours ticked by. My stomach growled and my legs felt like they would give in at any moment.

Just when I thought I was about to collapse from lack of food and rest, I caught a glimpse of something from between the trees. Something that wasn't endless greenery or even the occasional wild animal.

Something manmade.

I quickened my pace until I reached it and saw what it was- a cottage.

Without a second thought, I entered the little house and started looking for food.

I found some bread and tore into it hungrily before chugging a whole pitcher of water. Honestly I didn't care that I was technically breaking into someone's house and stealing from them. I couldn't have survived much longer and if they came back and made a fuss about it, I could always kill them.

After my stomach had been filled, I felt my eye lids grow heavier. I noticed, not one, but seven small, but comfortable looking, beds.

I knew it was a bad idea, but I could practically hear them calling out to me. After all, I'd spent the last few nights sleeping on the cold hard ground of the forest, so who could blame me for wanting to sleep in an actual bed for once.

Hoping the owners of the beds didn't come and kill me in my sleep, I laid down on the closest one and fell asleep within seconds...

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I vaguely heard someone moving around near me, but wasn't bothered by it. Until I remembered where I was and imidiatly shot up.

Seven short bearded men were standing around the bed I had fallen asleep on, giving me strange looks and muttering amongst themselves.

'Well, they don't look very dangerous.' I thought. I could probably take them all on if I had to, though at the moment, they didn't look angry. Just confused and, if anything, cautious.

I sat up, clearing my tired eyes.

"Who are you?" asked one of the men, looking at me suspiciously.

I decided that playing the innocent lost maiden would probably be my best option right now. I didn't want them to find out my true identity and they might even let me stay for a while.

"Oh, dear, I am truly sorry for disturbing you all! You see, I got lost while picking mushrooms for my grandma and I was so tired! I saw your little house and came to ask for directions, but nobody was home! I was so exhausted I must have fallen asleep! Could you ever forgive me?" I pleaded in a sickly sweet and completely fake voice, hoping my feminine charm was enough to overpower my ragged appearance.

"Of course!" exclaimed one of the bearded dwarves, looking teary-eyed "You must be starving! What would you like to eat?"

I smiled gratefully at the man. Soon all the dwarves were hurrying to make sure I was comfortable. Good, I had successfully manipulated them to do as I please. But I still needed to find a way to get past the royal guards and into my stepmother's castle.

But for now I might as well enjoy the hospitality of these strange little men while I thought of a plan.

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While staying with the seven dwarves (I couldn't be bothered to learn their names), I finally managed to take a bath and clean myself up after days in the forest.

I was fed and actually got to sleep in a bed. Living in the forest while on the run really helps you appreciate little things like that. I even brushed my hair and cut it more evenly with one of their knives.

I snuck one of their hunting knives into the hidden sheath at my waist and got rid of the rusty one I had been using.

One morning while I was out gathering fruits and mushrooms, I heard the sound I have been dreading to hear ever since leaving the kingdom- the sound of a horse.

Without anywhere to run, I quickly hid behind a thick tree trunk and out of sight from what I thought was an approaching royal guard.

But as the man on a chestnut brown horse drew nearer, I realized that this was no guard, or even a night. He was dressed in fine clothes and carried himself as if he was royalty. I was sure that he was a prince.

I didn't know what he was doing here, but I knew that my stepmother hadn't sent him, so I stepped out from my hiding spot.

I knew he wasn't from my kingdom, but he had probably traveled there before because of business, being a prince and all, so I decided to ask him for directions.

Maybe he would even take me there on his horse. If he didn't cooperate, there were always other means of persuasion. I fingered the hilt of my hidden knife.

"Excuse me! I believe I am lost! Do you think you could help me find my way back home?" I called in my fake innocent voice to the prince.

He imidiatly pulled the reigns of his horse and came to a full stop beside me.

"Why, what is such a beautiful young maiden such as yourself doing all the way in the middle of this forest?" he said.

"Ah, I was visiting my grandmother, you see. She lives in a cottage here, but on my way back to my home kingdom I must have taken a wrong turn." I explained, wringing my pale hands dramatically.

"I see. Well, I deeply apologize, but I'm a bit lost myself. I wish I could be of assistance, but sadly I -"

He was cut off by a knife through his heart. The second I'd learned he was of no use, I figured I might as well take his horse.

I had whipped my knife out with lightning speed and thrown it with pinpoint accuracy at his heart.

It was all over in the blink of an eye. The prince let out a strangled gasp and fell backward off his horse. The stallion reared in shock but I quickly went up to it and calmed it down.

Strangely, I had always been good with animals. I tied the horse by the rains to a nearby tree and started walking back to the dwarves' cottage.

Now that I had a means of transportation, I figured it was time to pack some food and water and leave them.

I was fully rested and refreshed, so there wasn't really any reason to stay with them longer anyway.

None of the dwarves were home when I entered, probably already working in the mines.

I grabbed a satchel from off of a hook by the door and stuffed it with as much bread as it would hold. I grabbed a few more necessities and started lacing up my boots. I did my short black hair up into a little ponytail and was ready to go.

Then I heard a knock on the cottage door.

Who could it be? The dwarves wouldn't knock at their own door and I was positive the prince was dead.

I went over and opened it. Standing in the doorway was a shriveled, and might I add ugly, old lady wearing a black cloak and holding a crooked wooden cane.

It took a minute, but soon I realized exactly who this was. You can't fool me, stepmother.

I was familiar with her appearance altering magic and, if I really concentrated, I could recognized a few of her features- like her cold power-hungry eyes.

But I couldn't let her find out that I knew who she was. I had to admit, I was surprised she had managed to find me. Maybe she found my hair on the tree and followed my trail. Either way, this could be the perfect opportunity to kill her!

"Can I help you?" I asked politely.

"I have a gift for you, deary!" she said in her magically changed voice

"Oh, why thank you very much!" I exclaimed.

The seemingly old woman pulled a blood-red apple out from under her robes.

"The sweetest apple in all the kingdom!" she told me, passing me the said fruit.

Obviously it's poisoned, I thought, How stupid does she think I am?

"Why don't you come inside? I can make us some tea! You can't have apples without the tea!" I said invitingly, opening the door for her.

Is I suspected, she gladly followed me into the dwarves' cozy living room, probably to make sure I ate the apple.

"Please, have a seat!" I gestured to one of the seven armchairs "I'll be back in a minute with the tea!"

Stepmother sat down and I went into the kitchen. I put on some water to boil and opened the satchel I had prepared for my departure. I took out a few herbs and mixed them into the boiling water. To mask the scent of the poison, I added a bit of cinnamon.

As for the apple, I switched it for a normal one from the basket on the counter. I cut up the non-deadly apple so that she wouldn't notice the color difference.

I put it and the cup of 'tea' onto a tray and carried it into living room.

My stepmother's cold eyes watched me like a hawk as I slowly took a bite of one of the harmless apple slices.

Looking satisfied, she took a sip of her not-harmless tea.

She started to choke, dropping her teacup in the process. It shattered on the dwarves' colorful rug and left a dark stain. I watched with a smile as she transformed back into her normal and collapsed on the floor.

She twitched a few more times, before laying completely motionless. I reached out and grabbed her wooden cane. In my hand, the cane transformed into my stepmother's magic scepter.

A malicious grin spread across my face as I felt a sudden rush of power from the scepter.

I raised it above my head and proclaimed:

"Hail Snow White- the new evil queen!"

The End

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