But the Queen was not sure herself what would come of this night.
Soon the blasts subsided, and the land around the castle fell silent. The Queen wrapped her cape around herself and the child for warmth. Snow White drifted off to sleep, and the Queen stayed awake all night holding vigil. And then, she felt a hand on her shoulder.
The King.
“Come, my loves,” he said, and they waded through the frosty swampland, and made their way back to the castle.
The halls looked a wreck, but the castle had held up well. The King told the Queen that they had fought off the invaders.
“Will they be back?” she asked.
“No,” the King said confidently.
“Your Majesty!” a voice called from the far end of the hall.
“Verona!” the Queen replied, and the two women approached each other and embraced.
“I am so happy to see you well,” Verona said.
“And I, you,” the Queen replied.
“We suffered no casualties. None. Your husband is a fair king and warrior.”
The King dropped his gaze to the ground.
“Come now, to our chamber to rest,” the King said. “Verona, please take Snow White to her room and tend to her there.”
“Yes, Majesty,” Verona replied.
The Queen and King made their way to their chamber. The Queen could not stomach the smell of burning wood and sulfur that permeated the castle. But once she had returned to her room, the air blowing in from the grounds helped dampen the stench.
And then she noticed something far more terrible than anything that had happened the night before.
Sitting there on the mantel was the mirror she had broken, now fully repaired and intact. But how?
She was not able to pull her eyes away from it. She became disoriented with confusion and terror.
“Verona wrote to inform me of the broken mirror. I was deeply saddened, so I set the kingdom’s finest craftsmen to the task of repairing it. Of course even their powers pale in comparison to your father’s. I meant to surprise you with its origin on our wedding day, dear heart. I thought you would like something to remind you of your father. It is his handiwork; surely you have recognized it by now.”
The Queen struggled to find her voice, to make it pleasant and not full of the terror that seized her.
“Thank you, my darling. You are thoughtful,” She kissed her husband and tried to banish all fear from her heart. “I’m so happy you’re home, my love,” she said.
The King dropped his eyes.
“You’re leaving again, aren’t you?”
He nodded.
/> “You can’t! Not so soon!”
“You saw what happened last evening! The invading kingdoms might topple us at any moment if we don’t drive them back. I would rather meet them away from here, where they can’t harm you. I must keep you and Snow—all of us—safe.”
“Keep us safe here!” the Queen shouted.
“My men will do that,” replied the King.
“You have been gone so long I fear I may be losing my mind!”