Snow White and the Beast

    "If I ever have children," she said to herself, "I hope at least one would be as white as snow, as red as blood, and as black as the window frame."

    Months later, the queen gave birth to a daughter. The little princess had skin as white as snow, a face as red as blood, and hair as black as ebony. So, she was named Snow White. Unfortunately, the queen died mysteriously after holding her child for the first and last time.

    After grieving for a year, the king decided to find another wife and queen. He soon married another woman who was almost as beautiful as his late beloved. However, beneath her striking exterior was a proud and haughty heart. She would not tolerate anyone who could rival her beauty. Her most prized possession was a magic mirror, from which she conjured her dark powers. Once a day, she would stand in front of the mirror and say:

    "Mirror, mirror, on the wall,

    Who in this realm is fairest of all?"

    Then, the mirror would reply:

    "You, my queen, are the fairest of all."

    Content, the Queen would just smile at her reflection and admire her beauty.

    Meanwhile, Snow White continued to grow with a pure, smiling heart, and she was becoming more beautiful than her stepmother. As long as the Queen was fairest in the land, Snow White was safe.

    Descending the stone stairs, Snow White lifted her black dress. Despite the warm summer air, the royal crypt's interior was dark and cool. She had a candlestick in one hand and two white roses in the other. She approached a black coffin and placed one rose on it.

    "I miss you so much, Father," said Snow White, her eyes dampening. Then, she forced a small, sad smile and placed the other rose on the next coffin.

    "At least, you and Mother are together again," she said, "I know you are."

    "You wanted to see me, Your Majesty?"

    "Yes," said the Queen, her voice low and almost wickedly sing-song. With her permission, the huntsman stood.

    "I just need you to do a small task," she told him, "Tomorrow, Snow White will go into the forest and gather some wild roses again." Her smirk disappeared upon mentioning the princess, but it returned when she continued.

    "You are to escort her," she continued. The man showed a vague expression; he didn't want her to know what he was thinking. Why did he need to be the princess's escort? She never needed one before.

    "Yes, Your Majesty," he simply replied.

    "That's not all." The Queen stood and walked over to him. She showed him a black box the size of a human heart. The huntsman's spine tingled when her small smirk became a crooked smile. Then, she leaned closer and revealed his dark task.

    The summer breeze blew through the bright green forest and fluttered Snow White's blue dress. She silently walked behind the huntsman. Her stepmother had said that he was to escort her, and the princess didn't protest.

    Snow White had always secretly feared the Queen. They scarcely ever made eye contact, but when they did, her stepmother would glare at her as if she wanted to hit her or worse. Her stepmother's sudden concern, what she had said, was gnawing the princess's brain.

    They finally reached the white wild roses. Snow White wanted to take some back and place them on her mother and father's coffins. The princess broke off a rose, but a shadow suddenly blackened it. She turned, cringed fearfully, and dropped the white flower. The huntsman was standing over her; he held up a sharp, glimmering knife.

    "I'm so sorry, Your Highness," he whispered, "The queen has ordered me to do this." The news startled her.

    "I never thought she hated me that much," said Snow White. He then took her hands and helped her up.

    "You must leave, now," he told her, "You're not safe here."

    "Where will I go?" Snow White was shaking.

    "Find somewhere safe to hide, in the woods," he told her, "Now go!" She hesitated.

    "Go!" he repeated.

    "I-I..." trembled Snow White, slowly backing away and glancing at the dark woods.

    "Your Highness, you must go now! Run away, and don't come back!" Without another word, the princess fled, and the huntsman's voice eventually faded away.

    Snow White felt as if her throat and lungs were burning, and her feet were so sore. Her heartbeat echoed in her ears. She must have been running for at least an hour. Scared and alone, she lay down and sobbed. The princess didn't know where to go or what to do, but she had to find some place safe.

    All day, she walked. The sky eventually darkened; thunder rumbled and lightning flashed. Before she could worry about getting soaked to the bones, Snow White finally saw a stone mansion up ahead. Smiling excitedly, she ran to the gates, which were unlocked and went inside. Ivy hung around the big house. The timing couldn't have been better, because rain started pouring.

    The princess knocked on the door, but no one answered. Desperately, she knocked harder, and the door opened slightly. The door creaked as she went inside, and she closed it behind her. She didn't see anyone.

    "Hello?" asked Snow White, looking around, "Is anyone here?" Her voice echoed through the dark entrance hall, but there was no reply. The mansion looked completely deserted; the walls and floors were dusty, and cobwebs hung from the ceiling. She climbed the stairs and explored the great house. Every room was dark and dirty; Snow White thought that if the place could be cared for, then it would have looked beautiful, especially with the curtains open and letting in sunshine. Besides the dust and the cobwebs, every mirror she saw had been shattered; whoever lived there must have felt hideous.

    After exploring most of the mansion, Snow White found a hallway with one room that had purple light shining inside. Excited and nervous, she went to the door and entered the room. She thought that someone was in there, but the light was coming from a mirror hanging on the wall. So far, it was the only mirror that hadn't been shattered. Its purple glow was enchanting; the princess wondered if all of the world's secrets were hidden within the marvelous looking-glass.

    Snow White approached the mirror; she was about to join hands with her reflection when she saw a very large, dark, and hooded figure reflected behind her. She quickly spun around and screamed. The stranger's face was hidden, but he growled angrily.

    "M-m-my...I...I..." For a moment, she couldn't speak.

    "Answer me," he ordered.

    "My name is Snow White," answered the terrified princess, "I was running through the woods, and I just needed a place to stay."

    "You're trespassing!" he roared.

    "I'm sorry," she trembled, "Please, don't send me away."

    "Why shouldn't I?" he snapped.

    "If you do, she'll kill me," choked Snow White. Except for the thunder from outside, the room was silent for a few seconds.

    "Who?" he asked more gently.

    "My stepmother, the queen." The room was quiet again; even the sky became silent.

    "The queen," he hissed, "She did something terrible to me." He turned away and bowed his head.

    "I'm truly sorry," she said. Snow White thought that she would never understand why the Queen did terrible things. Perhaps it was because of her vain heart. The master remained silent for at least a minute, as if he was lost in thought. Then, he faced her.

    "I won't make you leave," he said gently, "You are welcome to stay here. I only ask for one favor."

    "What must I do?" she asked excitedly.

    "Well, it's been a long time ever since this mansion was cleaned. If you would be so grateful to dust, polish, and sweep, then I will provide anything you need."

    "Yes," agreed Snow White, "I will do anything to show you my appreciation."

    "All right then," he concluded, "You can start after breakfast tomorrow. Right now, I'll show you to your room." He waved his enormous hand, and a lit candelabra appeared out of nowhere. Astonished, Snow White gasped. He kept his face out of the fire's light.

    The princess followed her mysterious host down dark hallways and staircases until they came to a bedroom that was dusty like the others, but it had a mirror that wasn't smashed.

    "I hope you'll be comfortable," said her host.

    "Thank you," said Snow White. Then, he invited her to dine with him, and she happily accepted; she hadn't eaten ever since that morning. In the dining room, her magical host conjured a red tablecloth to cover the dusty table. He then waved his enormous hands, and dishes, silverware, and goblets appeared before them. Snow White watched in amazement. Soon, he had conjured a meal and drink for them, and she thanked him once she was finished. After wishing him goodnight, she went to bed.

    "Mirror, mirror, on the wall,

    Who in this realm is fairest of all?"

    An echoing voice answered her.

    "You, my queen, have a beauty so rare,

    But Snow White remains a thousand times more fair."

    With that, the purple flames were extinguished and the mirror revealed Snow White, who was sweeping. She was alive and still the fairest in the land. The Queen cringed angrily. The huntsman had deceived her. He hadn't brought back Snow White's heart but a forest animal's.

    "That fool!" she hissed and threw the box hard against the wall. The Queen turned back to the mirror.

    "Where is she?" she asked, but then, she suddenly recognized the entrance hall that her stepdaughter was sweeping. The Queen smirked delightedly.

    "Well, well," she said, snickering, "She's with an old friend of mine. I'm sure with some persuasion, he would be more than happy to help me with my little problem."

    Standing before the magic mirror, the Beast pulled down his hood and revealed his hideous face. He had the horns and ears of a goat, a long snout, and tusks, and he was covered entirely with black fur. Around his neck was a reddish purple amulet held in small, black claws. Even though the amulet his power source, it was cursed.

    What would Snow White, the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, think of him if she saw his face? No doubt, she would be frightened like anyone who ever saw him. The only person who didn't fear him was the Queen, because she was the one who turned him into a monster.

    Years ago, before the Queen married the King, she was just a peasant, and the Beast had been a wealthy, handsome lord of the mansion. She tried using her beauty and charm to win his heart, but he had no interest in love. He only wanted power, and a peasant couldn't give him that. Later, she had given him the amulet and told him that it could give him power, but he had to put it on willingly. He thought he would humor her and put it on, but once it was around his neck, he transformed. He remembered the agonizing pain coursing through his veins and his dizziness after the transformation was done. Desperately, he tried removing the amulet, but it wouldn't come off. She had told him that he couldn't remove it and that he would remain a beast forever unless someone with a pure heart could come to love him. Despite the powers and the immortality that the amulet gave him, he was feared by everyone who saw him, and he spent many years isolated, with only a magic mirror that showed the outside world.

    Just then, his thoughts were interrupted by the mirror. Dark purple flames replaced his reflection, and then, the Queen appeared out of the flames. He growled angrily at her maddening smirk.

    "That's no way to greet an old friend...or a queen," she said.

    "What do you want?" he snapped.

    "I would like to offer you a deal," she explained, "I'm giving you a chance to become human again."

    "You're lying. Why would I ever bargain with you?"

    "Just hear me out," she said, rolling her eyes, "I know you have my stepdaughter." He grinned as her smirk faded away.

    "Who?" he asked, pretending to think, "You need to be more specific than that."

    "You know who," she snapped, "Snow White."

    "Oh, you mean her. Yes, she told me that you wanted her dead. Well, I'm not going to let you have that. She'll be safe here, and there is nothing you can do about it."

    "You're wasting your time. What could she possibly do for you?" Despite his effort to hide any weakness, he frowned, and her smirk returned.

    "I'll bet she hasn't even seen your face," the Queen continued, "Come on. We both know that she won't like what she'll see. There's a reason why I cursed you. I knew that there would never be someone who could possibly love you." The Beast began to huff.

    "It doesn't have to be this way," she said gently, "I can offer you something that will make us both happy." With that, she conjured a diamond necklace and pushed it through the mirror. The Beast startled back as the jewelry floated in front of him.

    "Give her this," said the Queen, "And if she wears it, then we both will soon be happy."

    "Why do you want her dead?" asked the Beast, horrified.

    "That is not your concern," confirmed the Queen, "You have until tonight. If her heart is still beating by that time, then you can forget about being human again. The choice is yours."

    The Beast hesitated to touch the floating necklace, as if it would bite him. However, if he could do this one gruesome favor, then his suffering would soon be over. He would finally wake up from this miserable nightmare he was living. There would never be another chance, and he knew that no one could ever love a beast. As soon as he abruptly grabbed the necklace, it stopped glowing, and the Queen's smile grew like a poisonous plant. She chuckled as the purple flames engulfed her, and she disappeared; he placed the necklace in his pocket.

    Snow White's humming was coming from one of the drawing rooms, where she was cleaning. The Beast pulled his hood up before entering. The girl was wearing a red dress and a white apron. She smiled at him.

    "Hello," she greeted and continued polishing some china. The Beast's throat suddenly became dry.

    "Hello," he choked. She looked at him again; her smile was gone.

    "Are you all right?" she gently asked.

    "Yes, I'm fine," he choked again. He put his hands in his pockets in order to hide his hideous paws; he felt the diamond necklace again. Then, she put down the feather duster and approached him. The Beast turned his head.

    "I don't mean to pry," she said, "but why do you wear that?"

    "What?"

    "That hood."

    "Because...I'm hideous." He thought she might as well know.

    "That's no reason to wear that," said Snow White, smiling, "Now, how about we pull that down?" She reached for his hood, and he quickly grabbed her hands.

    "No!" he said abruptly, "I don't want to frighten you." Snow White was looking at his black, hairy paws, which he hadn't shown her before. Her smile was gone, and she gasped. He knew that she finally realized that he wan't human; he calmly released her smooth hands, turned away, and felt the necklace again. Then, her gentle touch surprised him.

    "I never cared for appearances," she told him, "I was afraid of becoming like my stepmother, cold, proud, and vain. What truly matters is what is in here." She gently placed her hand on his heart and smiled. Then, she reached up and grabbed his hood. He treasured her smile, because he thought that it would leave him after she saw his face. Finally, she pulled his hood down...but her smile remained.

    For a moment, the Beast thought that either he was dreaming or she was blind. No, she couldn't have been blind; she was looking directly into his eyes.

    "That's better," she said, still smiling, "You have beautiful eyes." The Beast released the diamond necklace, and for the first time in a long time, he smiled. He felt his eyes dampen. Hearing her say that was something that he truly needed.

    "Thank you," he whispered.

    "You're welcome." She then returned to her dusting.

    The Beast then ran out to the rose garden and retrieved the necklace. He never wanted to see the damn thing again. As if his life depended on it, he threw it as hard as he could, and it landed over the wall surrounding the garden. There was hope; he knew that Snow White could love him. She had a pure heart, and he couldn't possibly live with himself if it ever stopped beating.

    Snow White finally finished dusting maybe half of the mansion. She had never worked so hard before. Exhausted, she decided to take a short break, because she wanted to see the garden. There were so many hedges with white roses, and there was an enormous fountain. The princess tenderly caressed the petals of one rose and smelled its romantic aroma.

    Just then, she heard something land behind her. She turned around, and on the ground was a raven as black as coal. There was a diamond necklace in its beak. When it noticed her, it dropped the piece of jewelry and flew away. Curious, Snow White took it. It was beautiful, and she wondered why a raven would have it. The princess went over to the fountain and looked at her reflection as she placed the diamond necklace around her neck. It was a perfect fit.

    Just then, the diamonds turned as black as the raven, and Snow White felt all of the air escape her lungs. She couldn't breath; she felt as if someone had their hands around her neck and was choking her. Terrified, she tried to remove the necklace, but it burned her fingers. Rapidly weakening, she fell; she tried to call for help, but no sound escaped her lips. Her eyes dampened as she choked.

    Then, the raven landed on her bosom. It observed her as if it was watching a very entertaining show. Its eyes were green, like her stepmother's. Snow White couldn't keep her eyes open. She didn't want the raven to be the last thing she saw, so she tried to remember something good before she died. Just before she closed her eyes, she thought about the Beast.

    The Beast was just passing a window when he saw a raven rapidly flying away. Just looking at it made his spine tingle. He suddenly dashed through the mansion.

    "Snow White!" he hollered, but she wasn't inside. He scrambled outside and found her lying next to the fountain. She was as still as death. The Beast knelt beside her, and he realized that she wasn't breathing.

    He placed his ear on her bosom; her heart was faintly beating. Then, he saw the black necklace, the one he thought he had gotten rid of, around her neck. Meaning to rip it off, he grabbed it, but it burned his paws. The Beast howled in agony; he felt as if he had just picked up some hot coals.

    If he didn't remove the necklace, Snow White would be gone. The Beast refused to let her die. Once again, he grabbed the cursed necklace, and it burned him. Despite the scorching pain, he didn't let go. He used all of his strength to unchain the jewelry, until he finally removed it. By then, his paws had burn marks. Then, he roughly tossed the necklace aside as if it was a poisonous snake, which it might as well have been. Just then, Snow White gasped for air and opened her eyes. She shot up and began hyperventilating.

    "It's all right," he tried to calm her, "You're safe now." She wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his shirt, which suddenly became wet.

    "She was here!" sobbed Snow White, "The Queen, she was just here! She tried to kill me!" The Beast held her.

    "She's gone, now," he assured her, "I won't let her hurt you again; I promise." Snow White then looked at his paws. They were burned.

    "You saved my life," she whispered and embraced him once more. The Beast decided that when he saw the Queen again, he would throw a fireball at her.

    The raven landed on the balcony, and in a flash, it evaporated into black smoke, which became the Queen.

    "That's the last time I get a male to do a lady's job," she mumbled as she headed down to her secret chamber, "I should have known he wouldn't kill Snow White. How could he harm the fairest in the land? He's just like that huntsman. Speaking of whom, I should track him down and make him pay for his treachery!" She calmed herself as she approached the magic mirror.

    "First, let's find out who is fairest now." The purple flames appeared in the looking-glass.

     "Mirror, mirror, on the wall,

    Who in this realm is fairest of all?"

    The mirror answered.

    "You, my queen, have a beauty so rare,

    But Snow White remains a thousand times more fair."

    The purple flames vanished and the mirror showed Snow White crying in the Beast's arms. The Queen felt her face boil, and she clenched her teeth.

    "No, no, NO!" she screamed, "Snow White DIED! I saw her with my own eyes!" The sight of Snow White and the Beast sickened her so much; she clenched her fist, charged toward the mirror, was about to punch the glass, but stopped with her arm in midair. If she hadn't stopped herself, she would have been destroyed. Her powers and her very existence revolved around that mirror. The image in the mirror disappeared, and she took deep breaths.

    "I'll kill her eventually," she swore, "Then, I will be fairest in the land again. The Beast can't protect her forever!"

    Three months had passed ever since Snow White had first arrived at the Beast's mansion. The entire place had been kept clean; there was a trace of neither dust nor cobweb. Without the shattered mirrors, the mansion would have looked completely brand new. One autumn night, after they had dinner, Snow White took the Beast's paws.

    "Would you like to dance with me?" she asked. He gulped.

    "I haven't danced in a long time," he admitted.

    "Me neither," she replied, "Maybe we can catch up together." She led him to the ballroom, where an enormous chandelier shined its light and made the room glisten. They gathered in the center. The Beast waved his paws, and music filled the room. Snow White took his left paw, placed his right paw on her waist, and put her left hand on his shoulder. Then, they let the music move them.

    The couple danced at every inch of the ballroom. Snow White's pink ballgown twirled as she spun out and back in. Then, she placed her head on his chest. The Beast wondered if she heard his heart beating louder than a drum. He caressed her ebony-black hair. They could have danced all night, but the clock struck 11:00 P.M.

    "Good night," she told him.

    "Good night, Princess," he replied. Then, he gently placed a kiss on her smooth hand.

    "I should have thought of this in the first place," said the Queen, who was mixing a brew in her secret chamber, "After all, poison worked on her parents." She smiled at the memory of the previous queen and king's mysterious illnesses. Nobody ever discovered the truth, and she was proud of that. There was just one more ingredient that she had spent the past three months trying to find. It was the black venom of a rare and mystic spider. The Queen added it to the brew, which then turned dark green. Then, she took an apple and dipped half of it into the brew. After retrieving it, the side that had been dipped in was dark red, while the other side remained yellowish red. However, the two colors blended perfectly where they met. The Queen scanned the marvelous, poisoned apple, the answer to her problem.

    "This time, Snow White won't be coming back," she swore, "I just need her to get away from the Beast. After all, how am I supposed to have quality time with my stepdaughter with him in the way? Especially when those moments will be her last."

    The world appeared extra wonderful to Snow White. If anything ugly or tragic were to stain the beautiful world, then there would be love to help wipe it away. She almost felt sorry for her stepmother. If only the Queen could tame her vanity and let love into her heart, then she would probably be happier, and maybe she would be friends with her stepdaughter. Love had the power to heal and bring people together when the world seemed too cruel.

    In the garden, Snow White caressed the petals of the largest white rose. She smelled its beautiful scent and then broke off the stem.

    She laughed joyfully and ran inside to find the Beast.

    "How convenient," the Beast murmured. Just as he was passing the room, he saw the magic mirror glowing, and the Queen appeared.

    "We never did discuss how much you messed up," she said, frowning.

    "I will never kill her," said the Beast, "Especially not if it means doing you a favor."

    "I gave you a chance to break your curse!" she snapped.

    "I don't care," he retorted. The Queen burrowed her eyebrows, and her nostrils flared.

    "Do you love her?" she asked angrily.

    "No," he lied, "She's beautiful, but I don't love her." He was afraid that if she knew, then she would try extra hard next time.

    "So, you're only keeping her and saving her life for revenge? You're doing this to torture me?"

    "Yes," the Beast answered abruptly. Then, he thought he heard something from behind him. When he looked back at the Queen, she was grinning.

    "That's all I needed to hear," she snickered, and she disappeared. The Beast went out to the hall and yelped when he stepped on something. It was a white rose from the garden. He picked it up and wondered how it had gotten there. Then, his heart almost stopped. The Queen's poisonous smile suddenly made sense. Snow White was just outside and had overheard him.

    "Oh, no!" he choked, and he dodged after her.

    Snow White pushed open the mansion's gate and ran into the autumn forest. Her black dress flung in the wind. Once again, she ran as fast as she could, but that time was different. The princess felt more lost than she had when she had run away from home. Finally, she stopped and sat down. She was sick of running.

    She buried her face in her palms, and her sobs echoed through the woods. From the beginning, she thought the Beast was kind, gentle, and had loved her as much as she loved him, but she had been wrong. He had been talking to the Queen; perhaps that was how she discovered Snow White's location. Plus, he had said that he didn't love Snow White. Not only that, but he had also been keeping her with him in order to get revenge for whatever the Queen had done to him. She felt her heart's broken pieces crumble to dust.

    "He truly is a beast," she choked and continued crying.

    "Hello?" asked a soft voice. Snow White looked up and saw an old woman wearing a black cloak and a white blindfold, and she was walking with a cane.

    "Is someone there?" asked the old woman, who was feeling around with her cane.

    "Yes," answered Snow White, failing to hide the hurt in her voice. The woman followed the girl's voice.

    "You sound sad, child," she said. She reached into her cloak and retrieved a handkerchief, which she held out in front of her. Snow White accepted it.

    "Thank you," she whispered. The old woman felt for her hand and grabbed it.

    "Why don't you tell old granny about it? Perhaps I can help."

    "That's very kind of you," said Snow White, "but I think only time can mend a broken heart."

    "Oh, I understand," said the woman, "I've seen this before. Well, not literally, but you know what I mean." Snow White was hardly listening to her. The old woman reached into her cloak and retrieved an apple as red as blood, and she held it out.

    "Here, take this," she told the princess.

    "No thank you," Snow White politely rejected.

    "Trust me, my dear. This will help."

    "I don't understand."

    "You still might be able to find true love," she explained, "This is no ordinary apple. It came from an enchanted tree. If you take just one bite and nothing happens, then there is still hope for you and the one whom you have given your heart." Snow White decided to hear her out.

    "What if there is no hope?" she asked.

    "If you two were never meant to be, then one bite will take away the pain, along with all the memories of him. He'll be nothing more than a dream to you." Snow White couldn't imagine anything more horrifying.

    "I can't," said Snow White, "I love him; I don't want to risk forgetting him." The old woman frowned.

    "You seem to have lost hope already." She took the girl's hand again.

    "As an old woman who has experienced so much, I can promise you that unless you know for sure, your heart will never truly be healed. Now, here." With shaking arms, the old woman placed the apple in Snow White's hand.

    Unsure of what to do, Snow White just brought the apple up to her face. Perhaps she would still remember the Beast, and maybe he didn't mean what he said. The fruit was inches away from her blood-red lips.

    "Besides, my dear," said the woman, "you deserve a handsome young man who will love you and not a beast." Snow White's lips were about to touch the apple when she suddenly stopped and quickly placed it back into the woman's wrinkly hands.

    "How do I know this isn't a trick?" If the Queen could turn herself into a raven, then who knew what else she could do?

    "What are you afraid of, child? It's just an apple." She then brought the apple to her face, bit into it, and swallowed. She was fine. Snow White felt her cheeks warm up, and she was almost glad that the woman couldn't see her blush.

    "I'm sorry," she said and took the apple again. Finally, Snow White took just a small bite on the opposite side that the woman had bitten. Several seconds passed, and she smiled joyfully.

    "I still remember him!" she exclaimed, but suddenly, she started shaking violently.

    "Oh!" she gasped. Snow White felt as if her blood was thickening and her heart was being squeezed. She struggled to breath.

    The old woman removed her white blindfold that had been hiding her stepmother's familiar green eyes. Then, she evaporated into smoke and transformed into the Queen. The princess summoned her remaining strength.

    "NO!" roared the Beast as Snow White fell. Once she hit the ground, the apple rolled out of her hand. He dodged over to her side and held her. She had neither pulse nor breath. Snow White was gone.

    "No, Snow White," he begged her, "Don't leave me! Please, come back!"

    "She can't hear you," sang the Queen. The Beast formed a fireball in his paw. He meant to throw it at the Queen, but she disappeared in a cloud of smoke. He was left roaring painfully over his lost love as the year's first snow started falling.

    The Queen rushed down to her secret chamber and wasted no time asking the mirror. Since her stepdaughter was finally gone, she just had to be the fairest in the land.

    "Mirror, mirror, on the wall,

    Who in this realm is fairest of all?"

    "You, my Queen, are fairest," echoed the mirror's voice. Grinning widely, the Queen asked again and again, and she laughed as it told her that she was the fairest. Then, she asked to see Snow White, and she saw the Beast still cradling the far-away princess. Snow White was dead, and she was never coming back. However, there was one thing that could reverse the effects of the poison.

    "The only thing that can save her is true love's kiss," she reminded herself, "But she won't accept a kiss from a beast."

    The Beast carried Snow White back to his mansion. In the snow-covered garden, he transformed the fountain into a transparent glass coffin, in which he lay his beloved. Then, he waved his paw over her, and her black dress became a gorgeous, white gown. After sorrowfully closing the coffin, he broke down. He was immortal; if he had to spend all eternity without his dear beauty, then he wanted to at least see her face. He touched the coffin and cried.

    All winter, he stayed by her side and used a spell that kept her from decaying. Snow White was still rosy-cheeked and beautiful. When spring finally arrived, the white roses bloomed, but for the Beast, winter was eternal. He put two roses in her hair and another in her folded hands, and he brushed his paw against her smooth, red cheek. Then, he brought his face closer to hers.

    "I'm so sorry, Snow White" he whispered softly, as if she could still hear him, "I didn't mean what I said before, and I never meant to hurt you. You were the most important person in my hideous existence; you saw past my monstrous form and accepted me for who I am. Before you, I never would have thought that someone so beautiful and pure of heart would ever care for a beast like me. I love you, Snow White." One of his tears landed on her face. Then, he gently kissed her forehead.

    Just then, he heard her inhale. The Beast looked at her, and she opened her eyes and smiled at him.

    "Snow White?" he breathed, and she sat up and caressed his cheek. He treasured her touch, which he had thought he would never feel again.

    "I love you, too," she told him, and she kissed his cheek. Then, his amulet just fell off, and white light surrounded the Beast. When the light faded, he looked at his paws, which were replaced by human hands. He was human again. Snow White looked confused.

    "What happened?" she asked, and he told her how her stepmother had cursed him with the amulet. At first, he was afraid that she wouldn't believe he was still the Beast, but she smiled and took his hands.

    "You still have beautiful eyes," she whispered, and they kissed.

    "NO, NO, NO!" screeched the Queen. She had just asked the mirror who was fairest, and to her horror, it showed her Snow White and the no-longer-beast together. They were happy, and she was no longer fairest. Her black heart was throbbing angrily, and her face was burning red. In her fury, she grabbed the biggest, hardest spell book that she could find. She didn't want to see them so happy; it made her sick, so she threw the book as hard as she could. As soon as it shattered the mirror, her reflection returned.

    Suddenly, she felt something stiff on her face. The Queen grabbed one of the mirror's broken fragments and screamed when she saw an enormous crack on her face. It became larger, and other cracks appeared on her hands. Eventually, the cracks spread throughout her entire body; they even appeared on her royal gown. The Queen screamed until she finally fell to pieces. She would never hurt anyone else again.

    As soon as Snow White and her lover learned that the Queen was gone, they returned to her castle. The princess became the new queen, and for as long as she lived, she ruled the kingdom with love and kindness. Eventually, she married her lover, and they both lived happily ever after.