On one snowy day, deep in the cold winter, her majesty the Queen was sitting alone, humming to herself while she sharpened her stakes. Every little while she’d glance out the ebony-framed window and sigh, the sparkling snow capturing her attention. Her hand suddenly slipped and the tip of the stake pricked her finger.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVF3sF5Krce
“How I wish I had a daughter as white as snow, hair as black as ebony and lips as red as blood,” said the queen to herself as she wiped the blood off her hand.
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Soon after, the Queen gave birth to a baby girl. The king and queen named her Snow-White, for she was as white as snow, with blood-red lips and ebony-black hair.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzvuItMTYHe
The queen fell ill, and her sickness worsened as the hours passed by.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFnHy5O6SKI
In her last moments alone with her baby, she held Snow-White close and whispered, “I will always be here, Little Snow-White. I love you.”820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRD0KZqkylF
News of the queen’s death traveled quickly through out the kingdom.
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About a year later, the king remarried. Queen Vivian was different, with a tall and slender build; her skin paper-white and eyes dark and cold. Her ginger hair fanned her face and fell to her shoulders. Her gowns always swept the floor, choked her neck and played at her wrists. She didn’t like leaving the castle; she much preferred the solitude of her bedroom and company of her magic mirror.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdIudXfxULP
Queen Vivian often talked to her mirror, asking, “Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who in this land is fairest of all?” The mirror would then answer, “You, my lady, are the fairest in the land.” The mirror’s answer made the queen momentarily forget her jealousy towards Snow-White’s beauty and the affectionate way in which the king treated her.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTGykHfHRac
Sixteen years passed much the same- Snow-White growing older and prettier, and the queen consulting her mirror- but life in the kingdom grew hard and frightful. More people went missing and were killed, and fewer villagers left their homes. Rumors of inhuman creatures haunting the night spread, and many people came to the castle to explain their distress to the king and queen.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAzen0PuXFb
While the weary king sent guards through out the kingdom, to patrol the borders and reassure the villagers, the queen simply stayed in her room and refused to talk to anyone.
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One day, as Snow-White was roaming through the castle, she came across a secret passageway. It led to a small, dark room, dimly lit with a few candles scattered across the floor and along shelves. A long and wide mirror hung on the wall, reflecting the light of the candles. Snow-White moved closer to the mirror, and the glass looked quite dull to her, not as shiny as the one in her room.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡusm1Rw6jOT
Slowly, the lights in the mirror started blending together, forming a puddle of orange. Two blue dots appeared, along with pale pink curves. Snow-White rubbed at her eyes, and when she looked back at the mirror, a full face had formed. She took a tentative step backward, peering curiously at the man in the mirror. At least, it looked like a man.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ20eCyL3rqX
“Who… What are you?” Snow-White whispered.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO0iidxCNFK
“I am a mirror, but as to who I am, I do not know.” The mirror replied. “You are Snow-White, princess of the castle. Am I mistaken?” She shook her head.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHeerWLxe9u
“What are you doing in here?”820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw35Zgkq5kS
“What does it look like I am doing?” Snow-White was taken aback.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡua9oPqljlb
“W-well, hanging, I suppose, but-“820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUdrxiACnR0
“Shh,” the mirror interrupted. Anger swelled in Snow-White’s chest, but she stayed quiet. She heard the sound of footsteps, then hangars being pushed to the side.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJbxUZzR74h
Snow-White ran back out the passage she came in from, not stopping until she was safely inside her room. She had just missed the queen, who moments before walked into the dark room. She stood before the mirror and asked it, “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who in this land is fairest of all?”820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡehDrFSegSJ
The mirror replied, “My queen, you are as fair as ever, but Snow-White, the girl, is even fairer.” Jealousy flowed through the queen’s veins and she called upon a hunter, with skin as pale as her own.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5iVOVi7zAs
“Chase the girl into the forest and drain her of her blood. Bring back her heart so that I can eat it.” She commanded him, and off he went to get Snow-White.
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Snow-White’s screams echoed through the forest as she tried running away from the hunter. His red eyes were everywhere she looked, following her every move.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNKm6XQlsNI
Suddenly, she tripped and fell to the ground. The hunter danced around her, a big smile on his face. As his teeth neared her neck, his eyes went wide and then he disappeared. Snow-White could still hear his yelling. Once she managed to sit up, she saw an older woman above the hunter, something silver gleaming on his chest.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡevyIYYGUUm
The woman looked at Snow-White.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXtELDhkGmT
“Run away, Snow-White!” Cried the woman. “Run!” Scared, Snow-White ran and didn’t look back.
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As dusk turned into day, Snow-White spotted a cottage amongst the trees. She walked over to it and gently knocked on the door. After a few moments of silence, she knocked again. Nobody answered, and so Snow-White peeked through the windows. It didn’t look like anyone was home.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk05F8sgsfP
She walked back to the front door and turned the handle. She pushed, and it opened.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLa0zK4KMCT
Snow-White walked in slowly, shutting the door behind her. She took a few more steps into the cottage, looking around. There was a small kitchen to her left, a bathroom to her right, and when she moved closer to the open door in the middle of the room, she counted seven beds lined up against the wall. Just the sight of them made Snow-White’s eyelids droop. She fell back onto the beds and went right to sleep.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGhww6AS40j
When noon rolled around, seven armed men approached the cottage. They set down their weapons, and one by one walked through the door. One of the men walked straight into the bedroom, hoping to take a short nap. But when he saw a girl lying on his bed, he immediately called to the others.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7WPApUgE2w
“What a beautiful young lady,” said one man.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ58IjrpJUsJ
“Who is she?” Said another.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs1Wb99FMMZ
“Why is she so pale?” Asked a third.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDERbPxO9IK
“Is she one of those damn bloodsuckers?” Grumbled the fourth man.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHNhk0dxo2a
“Her hand is warm-“820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0qPB91RHuV
“And she’s breathing,” answered the twins.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc3INHa6jfH
“Should I wake her?” Asked the man who found Snow-White. All seven men crowded around her. When no one answered, he simply said, “I think I’ll just let her rest.” The men nodded in unison and walked out the bedroom door.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz71dB7un5l
A few hours later, Snow-White woke up. She heard the low murmur of voices and walked into the hall. Her eyes widened when she saw the seven men sitting around a table. They all turned to look at her.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡouZZAVaFCq
“Good afternoon!” Chimed the twins.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgQL84SQZPT
“I’m Hunter,” said the twin with the short hair, “and this here is my brother, Archer.” He pointed to the man with long hair, who looked exactly like himself. Archer waved.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK9Nb2no1hH
“My name is Snow-White,” she said. “I’m very sorry about sleeping in your room. I didn’t know anyone lived here, and the door was un-“820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAiIE8ytXf8
“No need to worry, young lady,” said the man with blonde hair. “We’ve all come to an agreement- you keep our house clean, you’re welcome to stay. That okay?” Snow-White nodded. “Good. Name’s Rusty, by the way. This right here is Colton,” Rusty pointed to a dark-haired man with ice blue eyes. “Next to him, we’ve got Cannon, Brock and Chase.” He turned back to Snow-White. “Now tell me, little lady, what are you doing out in the forest?”
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Back at the castle, queen Vivian was pacing in her room, waiting for the hunter to return. He should be back by now, she thought. She glanced at the mirror. Perhaps the mirror will know… She stood before it and waited impatiently for the man to form.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLUwpo7mKwQ
“Mirror, mirror on the wall, will my hunter come to call?” she asked it.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuyL4MP0yFs
“No, my lady, he shall not, for to the death he was fought,” the mirror answered. The queen’s eyes flashed red in anger.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBGBq4PHI6U
“No more of these foolish games! Where are these hunters whose lives I’ll claim?”820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu7jfLzT9Nv
“Snow-White dwells in a cottage, with seven hunters deep in the forest.” Queen Vivian stormed out of the room.
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The men had left Snow-White alone to clean the house while they hunted. She was told to lock the door and not open it for anyone.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg28YiN26h3
As the hours passed by, Snow-White got hungrier and tired. She sat in a chair, having finished her chores, and waited for the men to return. A sudden knock at the door made her jump.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBn6rSP0aub
“Who is it?” She called.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJQLGRbDzc7
“Apples, apples for sale!” Snow-White heard from behind the door. Her stomach grumbled. No harm in buying a few apples, is there? She thought to herself, so she unlocked the door and opened it a bit. “Hello, dearie. May I offer you an apple?” asked the old lady, hiding herself within a black cloak.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkjM74EVymH
“I’d love one, miss, but I’m afraid I don’t have any money.” Snow-White eyed the apples hungrily.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc6tJAOwGFO
“No problem at all, dearie. I need to get rid of them anyhow.” The lady took out an apple from the basket, handing it to Snow-White.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0B69a8CUby
“Oh, I mustn’t.” She hesitated. The lady blinked.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡotGNCYijxM
“Please, it’ll be my pleasure. I shall share it with you, if you would like.” Snow-White nodded. The lady removed a knife from her cloak, and cut the apple in half. She handed Snow-White the red part of the apple, and then took a bite out of the white half. Snow-White watched the woman, sniffed her piece of apple, and then bit into it. She swallowed, and moments later started choking. She held her hands up to her neck, clawing at it, fire spreading throughout her body. She then fell to the ground, lifeless.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Wenmv93EU
The old woman cackled and removed her cloak. She wiped at her face, removing her makeup, and revealed herself- Queen Vivian.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPTLDc7cImj
“You shall pay for what you have done to my daughter, Vivian.” She whipped around, facing the owner of the voice.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhAS72lE1cK
“And you shall pay for killing off my clan, Clarissa.” Vivian spat, advancing. She could hear the sound of Clarissa’s breaths, and the distant sounds of fighting. Her eyes darkened, glowing red. “Those hunters are killing my newborns! No wonder you’ve gotten to me,” she raged and sprung forward, knocking Clarissa to the floor.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2EiZ64pI4a
“I will kill you and the rest of the vampires lurking in the village,” yelled Clarissa, holding on to her stake while trying to pin Vivian down.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVoKIwNyUaC
“I wish you luck,” panted Vivian. “They’ve been trained well.” She slashed at Clarissa, cutting deep into her stomach. Blood poured out of the gash, leaving Vivian momentarily distracted. Clarissa took her chance and drove her stake through Vivian’s heart. The two women lay there on the ground, unmoving.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9X7IFP7k7U
Chase ran through the forest, the twins following after him. He needed to get to Snow-White. They found her laying on the floor of the cottage, a piece of apple next to her hand. Hunter picked it up and smelled it.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEMh6uwaCe1
“Was it poisoned?” Asked Archer, inspecting Snow-White’s hands and face.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKAFSMRAP5w
“No,” replied Hunter.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5LzFTHIMh0
“Venom?” Chase whispered, kneeling next to Snow-White's body. Hunter looked at him, a sad look in his eyes. “I’ll go get Rusty and the others. Maybe we can put her in a glass coffin…” He walked out of the cottage.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLaJ27wCRmt
Hours later, they laid Snow-White down in a coffin made of glass, cased in gold, with her name written across it. They carried it to a shady hill close by, surrounded by trees and bushes.
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A few weeks passed by and the hunters carried on in their usual ways, tracking down vampires and killing them off. They saw a prince on their way to the village, but didn’t pay him any attention. He rode on his horse, deeper into the forest. Something bright caught his eye, and so he raced his horse as fast as it could go. He happened across Snow-White’s coffin, where she lay lifeless, her skin paler than paper.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKCLduLpwOz
The prince was enchanted by her beauty, and sat down on a rock next to the coffin.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgbFOSoDyo9
I wonder if it opens, he thought to himself. He tried pushing on it, but it wouldn’t budge. He didn’t give up. He grabbed the gold lining, pushing in his fingers, and finally lifted the top of the coffin.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSD4xo4TXaE
Snow-White’s crimson eyes popped open. The prince jumped back, terrified.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSxMuGbRLJq
She heard his frantic heartbeat, his blood flowing through his veins. Fangs sprout from her mouth, grazing her lips. She focused her gaze on his throat, and before she could stop herself, she sank her newly sharpened teeth into his inviting neck.
