The Poisoned Princess: A Snow White Retelling (The Skazka Fairy Tales)

DIMITRI

We travel as far as we can in a single day because I want to get this over with as quickly as possible. Arseniy doesn’t question the fast pace, and for that I am grateful. If there was a way for us to travel even farther and reach a village sooner, we would both be so much happier. But we’re in the middle of the forest at night, which is not something either of us enjoys.

“Maybe we should’ve brought Sokolko. He would’ve been great as an early detection system,” Arseniy comments as we set up camp for the night. I can’t argue with that. But I think it’s better the dog stayed behind.

“We’ll be okay,” I reassure my friend.

He simply nods. “I’ll take the first watch,” he volunteers. I don’t argue. It’s always better if he stays up first, because he’ll be more rested come morning. Just the same way it’s better if I sleep first. We have this down to a science.

We don’t light a fire, not wanting to attract any unwanted attention. The night is chilly, but not that bad yet. So I find a spot where I can curl up against some trees and close my eyes.

I miss her. It’s strange to think that I do, when I’ve never missed anyone like this before, but I can feel it. There’s something inside of me that’s almost attuned to her now. And the farther apart we are, the heavier her absence feels. I force my eyes to stay shut, because I know I need the sleep. At first, I think I’ll be staying up all night, but before I realize I’m asleep, I’m dreaming.

I’m back at the cottage, but there’s not even a sliver of light anywhere. Moving around, I try to find a candle or a lamp, but I keep stumbling against everything.

Finally, I feel the front door and step outside. Ivanka is near the forest, looking around. She smiles, her eyes sparkling as though she’s about to say something witty or make a new discovery.

“Ivanka,” I call out, walking toward her. But before I can reach her, I hit an invisible wall. My body reacts to the shock, and I try again, this time with my hands in front of me.

I hit it again. Something in the air is preventing me from reaching her. She’s completely oblivious to my presence, and I start to pummel the wall, trying to get her attention. But it’s no use.

“Ivanka!” I shout as loud as I can, hitting and kicking at the wall. I watch as she turns, and I think she looks directly at me, but she walks away from me. She picks something up from the ground, and then suddenly, the queen is there. I’ve never seen this woman in my life, but she looks exactly as Ivanka described her. Expensive. Made up. Not a hair out of place. And cruel, in the way that looks like she’s carrying the darkness inside of her.

“Ivanka! Watch out!” I’m screaming for all I’m worth, but she can neither hear nor see me. The queen reaches for her then, wrapping her hand around Ivanka’s wrist and dragging her into the forest. Ivanka screams and the next moment she’s gone. The forest swallows them whole. I’m left hitting the invisible wall, unable to get to her.

I wake with a jerk, finding Arseniy next to me.

“It’s your watch. Are you okay?” he asks, and I simply nod. I don’t want to talk about it right now, and he needs his rest. As he settles down and I take watch, the dream won’t leave my mind, no matter how much I try to push it away. For the rest of the night, I can’t shake the feeling that something is wrong and I’m not there to fix it.

The next morning, we set off early, maintaining our faster pace. I’m exhausted, mostly mentally, and I have to keep fighting the urge to turn around and go back. When we stop for a snack midmorning, even Arseniy appears tired.

“We’ll be there sooner than expected if we keep this up.”

“That’s the plan,” I say, taking a swig of my water. I’m crouching down to stretch my legs, when a noise catches our attention. Before either of us can move, Sokolko bursts through the trees, and Arseniy and I jump up immediately.

“Sokolko, what are you doing here?”

The pup runs up to me, sitting down with a serious look on his face. Something is tied around his neck. I reach out to untie the string and grab the small sack, while giving his head a nice rub. Arseniy has already poured some water into a mug, placing it in front of Sokolko. He laps it up gratefully.

I untie the small sack, pulling out a folded piece of paper.

“What is it?” Arseniy asks, and I simply shake my head. Unfolding the paper, it takes me a moment to realize what I’m looking at. And then, I sink to my knees as I read the words that break my world apart.

Dima,

I’m sorry. I have nothing else to offer you but those words. There isn’t a right way to say it, and I know you appreciate straightforwardness.

The worst has happened. She—Ivanka—is gone. The queen found her somehow, and she’s…I’m so sorry, Dima. We couldn’t save her. I couldn’t save her. By the time we came back, the poison had done its job.

We won’t bury her without you. And we’ll protect her until you return. I’ve hidden her away for now, where she can rest until you come. I won’t tell you where, lest someone gets this letter before you.

But I’m sorry, Dima. She was…we all loved her, and we failed her. We failed you. I failed you.

Come soon.

Kostya

The letter slips from my fingers as all the air leaves my lungs, and suddenly, I can’t breathe. My chest heaves, feeling like a thousand-pound horse is sitting on top of it, forcing me to the ground. Arseniy is beside me immediately, but I can’t comprehend anything he’s saying as sobs shake my body.

I see him pick up the letter and read it. I see the realization on his face. I see the emotions. But I can’t pull myself together long enough to offer him comfort. I can’t seem to think past this raging pain spreading to every part of my body.

Even when my mother abandoned me in the forest as punishment, I didn’t cry. When I was shivering and thought I was dying, I didn’t cry. Not once have I ever let myself be this weak. But now I can’t seem to stop. It feels like my world has been blown to bits, taking my heart with it. There’s no strength left in my bones, no oxygen in my blood.

She’s gone.

She’s gone.

She’s gone.

And I didn’t even tell her that I loved her.