the beholder[snow/huntsman; unnamed oc - pg; trigger warning for pregnancy complications] Part 1
When Snow gives birth to a daughter it terrifies her. She tries to recall the love of her mother, but only remembers Ravenna's beautiful face.
"Maybe she'll take after me," her Huntsman says, tyring to soothe her fears, "and we'll have an ugly child."
Snow stares up at his face, even through her exhaustion and through the paler version of his own, she can see the kind eyes and a winning smile.
"No such luck," Snow says before handing her beautiful child to her father and lying back on the bed to rest.
*
Snow's mother said her beauty rested her in heart.
*
Ravenna's mother said her beauty was a weapon.
*
It's widely known that Snow's daughter has none of her natural grace, none of her quiet charm, and all of her father's commanding presence and Snow loves her all the better for it. Her daughter growls through tall grasses and hefts her own toy axe.
There's a feeling there -- of the girl Snow had been in earlier, if not happier times, when she'd chased William over an apple and things had been simpler.
Years in that tower, trapped and alone, had washed most of that away.
*
"Tell me the story of the evil queen!" Snow and her Huntsman's daughter says eagerly.
"You've heard it already," the child's father says, "twenty, no thirty times at least."
"This night alone," Snow adds, earning her Huntsman's smile and her daughter's satisfied laugh.
"Tell it again," their daughter demands, before quickly adding, "please, I would very much like to hear it again."
"She was a little girl once," Snow finds herself saying, "before she was queen."
Her Huntsman watches her, silently. He's not heard this story before and Snow hasn't felt fit to tell it.
She walked through death. She knew Ravenna. She understands.
"She was beautiful," Snow continues. "And that became her trap and her power, because the world let it be so and she lost all that was in her heart until it was blackened with decay."
Their daughter is fascinated, she's pushed herself up to her knees and is leaning forward in anticipation.
"You're beautiful too," Snow says softly, and cards a hand through her daughter's thick, tangled, black hair. "What kind of queen shall you be?"
Her daughter thinks for a moment and then smiles teeth like tiny white pebbles. "A strong one." She falters and then glances at her father. "And a kind one. So there are no more evil queens except in stories."
Snow strokes her daughter's hair, ignores her Huntsman's questioning gaze, and stares out the window.
Twilight has brought on a cast of light over the healed lands of her father and Snow can only hope and pray that their daughter lives in a world like this forever.
"If I have a brother," her daughter says after a moment, sleep tinging the tone of her voice, "may I be a hunter instead of a queen?"
"Finally a suitable choice," her father replies and Snow fights a laugh.
*
Snow miscarries a son and is grieved for all the wrong reasons.
Her huntsman holds her and Snow thinks of their daughter and the pain she might face in this world and the impossibilities of protecting her from it.
*
Snow remembers the beauty of her mother, but the lingering thoughts of her kindness and gentle heart are fading. Now all Snow sees is that happy look on her face when Snow did her hair just right.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2012-06-07 12:11 am (UTC)When Snow gives birth to a daughter it terrifies her. She tries to recall the love of her mother, but only remembers Ravenna's beautiful face.
"Maybe she'll take after me," her Huntsman says, tyring to soothe her fears, "and we'll have an ugly child."
Snow stares up at his face, even through her exhaustion and through the paler version of his own, she can see the kind eyes and a winning smile.
"No such luck," Snow says before handing her beautiful child to her father and lying back on the bed to rest.
*
Snow's mother said her beauty rested her in heart.
*
Ravenna's mother said her beauty was a weapon.
*
It's widely known that Snow's daughter has none of her natural grace, none of her quiet charm, and all of her father's commanding presence and Snow loves her all the better for it. Her daughter growls through tall grasses and hefts her own toy axe.
There's a feeling there -- of the girl Snow had been in earlier, if not happier times, when she'd chased William over an apple and things had been simpler.
Years in that tower, trapped and alone, had washed most of that away.
*
"Tell me the story of the evil queen!" Snow and her Huntsman's daughter says eagerly.
"You've heard it already," the child's father says, "twenty, no thirty times at least."
"This night alone," Snow adds, earning her Huntsman's smile and her daughter's satisfied laugh.
"Tell it again," their daughter demands, before quickly adding, "please, I would very much like to hear it again."
"She was a little girl once," Snow finds herself saying, "before she was queen."
Her Huntsman watches her, silently. He's not heard this story before and Snow hasn't felt fit to tell it.
She walked through death. She knew Ravenna. She understands.
"She was beautiful," Snow continues. "And that became her trap and her power, because the world let it be so and she lost all that was in her heart until it was blackened with decay."
Their daughter is fascinated, she's pushed herself up to her knees and is leaning forward in anticipation.
"You're beautiful too," Snow says softly, and cards a hand through her daughter's thick, tangled, black hair. "What kind of queen shall you be?"
Her daughter thinks for a moment and then smiles teeth like tiny white pebbles. "A strong one." She falters and then glances at her father. "And a kind one. So there are no more evil queens except in stories."
Snow strokes her daughter's hair, ignores her Huntsman's questioning gaze, and stares out the window.
Twilight has brought on a cast of light over the healed lands of her father and Snow can only hope and pray that their daughter lives in a world like this forever.
"If I have a brother," her daughter says after a moment, sleep tinging the tone of her voice, "may I be a hunter instead of a queen?"
"Finally a suitable choice," her father replies and Snow fights a laugh.
*
Snow miscarries a son and is grieved for all the wrong reasons.
Her huntsman holds her and Snow thinks of their daughter and the pain she might face in this world and the impossibilities of protecting her from it.
*
Snow remembers the beauty of her mother, but the lingering thoughts of her kindness and gentle heart are fading. Now all Snow sees is that happy look on her face when Snow did her hair just right.
It's unfair.
Her mother was never like that.