"Ilde... is there something else you need to tell me?"
Grimilde took a moment to reflect, and when she finally opened her mouth, she spoke with a calm but sorrowful tone. "I didn't want to worry you, but there's a reason why demons like Astrael and Morpheus managed to find me and want to capture me. Aside from being a demon keeper, I have come into contact with death. The Hersir and Astrael share the same opinion on the matter: because of my powers, I could die. My tribe took it upon themselves to seal a portion of them, preventing me from losing control... again."
"It happened during your initiation, didn't it?" There was no need for an answer: they both knew it was true. Grimilde had forgotten some details of her past, as if they had been hidden away in her own mind, but she could never forget the pain and sheer terror she had felt that day during the feast organized by her family.
Silence settled over their conversation, and neither of them felt the need to fill that quiet moment. Snow White took the opportunity to bask in her Queen's tender care. They had made love, and it had been beautiful, but the princess found it equally wonderful to spend the night wrapped in her strong arms and delicate hands. She noticed that the Queen seemed particularly interested in brushing her hair.
"I like it when you do that..."
"What?" the Queen asked, pausing her movements.
"No, please, keep going..." Snow White whispered, leaving a kiss against her beloved's chest. Grimilde obliged, continuing to run her fingers through the princess's hair with gentle, adoring gestures.
"Is it possible that... the seal might break one day?" The question was posed with great caution, almost as if speaking of the possibility might eventually bring it into reality. The fear that Grimilde might lose control of her powers—and consequently die—paralyzed Snow White. In her heart, she decided she would do absolutely anything to prevent that from happening.
"I won't allow it." Those words were as much a reassurance as they were a wish made in the dead of night...
"What's going on?" Mariella watched the group of handmaidens lingering outside the Queen's chambers and followed Rachel as she walked toward them. "Is there a problem?"
"The Queen isn't answering... she usually gets up very early," replied one of the women who attended to the regent. They looked anxious, probably because they didn't know how to handle this unusual situation. Luckily, Rachel took charge, managing to convince the handmaidens to tend to other duties.
"The princess and the Queen had urgent matters to discuss; it's possible they stayed up late..." Rachel explained, sporting an innocent, sincere look. Behind her, Mariella bit her lip to keep from smiling: she was fairly certain the Queen and Snow White hadn't been reading all night.
Rachel took matters into her own hands and knocked firmly on the door of the Queen's chambers, waiting for a response. When she didn't get one, she moved to enter, only to stop dead when she found herself face-to-face with the regent. Grimilde was wearing a dressing gown, and her eyes were glowing with a light of their own; it didn't take long for Mariella and Rachel to understand why.
"Your Majesty, we did not mean to disturb you. We await your orders." Rachel was so composed that Mariella wondered if she took acting classes. She herself could barely contain her joy and curiosity! The Queen hadn't opened the door all the way, even though from that angle it would have been difficult to see the large bed anyway. She probably wanted to ensure absolute privacy, so Rachel was going to make sure that she and the princess wouldn't be disturbed until they were ready to leave the chambers.
"I would be grateful if you returned later. The princess was very tired yesterday; she'll be sleeping a while longer. If there are any emergencies, do not hesitate to send for me."
"Of course, Your Majesty. We will inform the other handmaidens as well." Rachel smiled and offered a small curtsy to greet the Queen, then turned to Mariella, taking her by the arm to lead her away from the now-closed door.
As soon as they were far enough away from that wing of the palace, Rachel exploded. "Oh my God, I'm so curious now! As soon as we see the princess again, we have to ask for every detail... this is so exciting!"
"You cannot ask the princess anything. If she wants to talk, she'll do it on her own! Don't be so intrusive, Rachel—"
Her friend glared at her, but then huffed, "You're right."
"The only thing we can do right now is our job."
"You're so boring..."
"It's going to be an interesting morning, don't worry."
"What do you mean?" Rachel asked, stopping to grab what she needed in a room attached to the palace kitchens: that's where they kept brooms, cloths, cleaning supplies, and other necessities for their chores. Mariella explained to her friend that she had seen a carriage arrive at the royal palace that very morning.
"Who could it be?"
"We'll find out shortly."
Meanwhile, the morning progressed enveloped in a calm never seen before. While the palace staff worked, the Queen found herself, for the first time in years, desiring a free, lazy morning. When she woke up, bathed in the pale rays of the still-drowsy sun, she had taken advantage of the silence to admire the sleeping princess. Her pristine skin blended with the white sheets, yet at the same time stood out thanks to a few red marks—traces of what had happened during the night. The woman's raven hair was scattered across the pillow, partially obscuring her face.
Grimilde moved very delicately to avoid waking Snow White, brushing away the strands that kept her from seeing her beloved's face. The princess wore a serene expression: her lips were curled into a sweet smile, something that resembled the pleasure of finally getting into bed after a truly long, exhausting day. Grimilde smiled in return and let herself be overwhelmed by tenderness: she leaned in close to the woman and began to shower her neck with kisses, moving her hair aside to find more bare skin to lavish with attention.
Snow White mumbled something but didn't elaborate: she was still half-asleep, but the Queen's kisses and caresses were slowly waking her up.
"Do we have to get up?" she asked in a low voice, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand.
"No, you can stay in bed if you wish, but the handmaidens will be coming soon to tidy the room and bring our clothes..."
Bianca's eyes fluttered open, and she looked around anxiously, only to realize they were alone and no one was there yet. She looked down at her naked body, covered only by a sheet that left nothing to the imagination; she blushed and brought her eyes back to the Queen. She was wearing a dressing gown; perhaps she had gone to speak with the handmaidens just moments ago. She had heard voices, however muffled.
"Good morning," her Queen told her sweetly; Grimilde took Bianca's hand and pressed an adoring kiss to the back of it. She radiated joy from every pore, and it was clear she was serene and relaxed; the princess felt the exact same way.
"Good morning. How do you feel?" The Queen stroked the princess's arm, leaving a kiss on her shoulder. The intimacy between lovers was magnificent, Snow White thought: she felt how incredibly natural it was for her to stay by her side, to touch her, to kiss her... The princess felt embarrassed by her own thoughts and her desire: was it normal to get aroused just at the thought of being close to her lover? They had just made love the night before.
"What are you thinking about, love?"
"Oh, nothing..." That pet name had short-circuited her brain. Love. It felt so incredibly good to hear it. She was the Queen's love; she was hers, in more ways than one. She still wanted to make love to her. With that thought in mind, she leaned closer to the Queen and brought her hands to her face, caressing her soft cheeks. "I love you."
She bit her lip, weighing her options: she wanted to kiss her, hug her, press herself against her, all at the same time, but she would have to choose... or just do it all at once. So she decided to crash their lips together while wrapping her arms around her neck, pulling their bodies flush. Grimilde panted happily, letting Snow White take the lead. She adored all that passion and how natural it was for the princess. She had been afraid she might feel embarrassed waking up with her.
"Perhaps it's best if we stop, if we actually want to get out of bed for breakfast," the Queen whispered against Snow White's lips. Separating their bodies was truly difficult: every particle of her being was strongly attracted to the princess, and she wanted nothing more than to stay close to her, again and again.
"Mh... you're right." Bianca relaxed back against the mattress, receiving one last kiss from Grimilde, who got up to get dressed. The princess, meanwhile, stayed to watch her with evident contentment shining in her eyes.
"Do you like what you see?" the blonde asked playfully, finishing adjusting her dress. She had tightened the golden cord she usually wore around her hips and was now picking out the delicate, yet precious, accessories that would give her a more regal air. She didn't usually wear her crown, but she loved hair decorations: she had a fine net of precious stones woven through her blonde locks when her handmaidens helped her get ready for the day.
"You're beautiful, truly." The princess's voice was as delicate as a flower petal. Grimilde thought back to the blue rose she wanted to give Snow White and was on the verge of bringing it up, to explain such an important step, but someone knocked on the door again.
Grimilde calmed Snow White with a look, moving quickly to draw the curtains surrounding the four-poster bed so that no one could see who was on the mattress. When she opened the door, she saw Rachel and Mariella holding the princess's clothes in their hands.
"Your Majesty." Rachel waited for the Queen to invite her in before leaving the garments on the first available surface in the room.
"Your Majesty, we have a message from the guards." While Mariella took care of relaying the message, Rachel tried to snoop around with her eyes, hoping the Queen wouldn't notice. She noticed the curtains hiding the princess from view and tried to hold back a smile: she would have loved to say hello, but she didn't want to embarrass her.
"Thank you, tell the guards they may enter. I will come to greet them as soon as possible."
"Of course, Your Majesty."
Rachel and Mariella left the room again, and Grimilde took the princess's clothes and brought them over to her. She pulled back the curtains to find Snow White already watching her intently.
"Can I help you with your dress?" the Queen asked, leaving the clothes on the bed.
Snow White blushed immediately. "T-there's no need! I can do it myself..."
"Ah... what a shame. I would have loved to play your handmaiden for a day."
The princess opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. She was completely caught off guard by the blonde's playful attitude. Grimilde laughed and took charge of the situation. "Alright then. Get dressed, I'll wait for you to have breakfast. I have some guests to welcome..."
"Who are they?"
"Mh, you'll find out soon enough." The Queen's mysterious smile told Snow White it had to be someone familiar. Someone to welcome with joy.
"I'll be waiting for you in the Great Hall."
And with those words, leaving a kiss on the princess's forehead, the Queen left the room. Snow White set to work getting dressed and brushing her hair so she would look presentable. Later she would take a bath, maybe she would head to the palace baths. They had been built on the model of foreign thermal baths, with a skylight in the ceiling to illuminate the white marble room, filled with statues and streams of water pouring from various small fountains into a large, constantly full pool. It would be pleasant, relaxing; it would help her body loosen some tense muscles. But first came breakfast.
"Your Majesty, we have welcomed the guests in the Great Hall." One of the palace guards quickly approached the Queen, offering a small bow before reporting the facts. Grimilde nodded, thanked him, and prepared to welcome her mysterious guests: no one had yet revealed who they were, but the Queen had an idea of who could provoke so many curious stares in the castle, just as they had done in the past. As soon as the doors to the Great Hall opened, her hypothesis was confirmed.
"Welcome, it is always a great pleasure to see you." Her blue eyes moved from face to face, meeting the ever-lively gazes of the seven men who had helped her in the woods.
"Your Majesty! You look as wonderful as ever!"
"Bah, the same old cheap flatterer."
"Come on, Grumpy, don't start, we just got here!" Doc reprimanded Grumpy, but he did it with a smile, as he usually did. Bashful and Sleepy were the quietest of the group (obviously Sleepy was the most drowsy), Dopey looked like he was about to sprint over and hug the Queen, but Grumpy's probable wrath stopped him from doing anything. Besides, he didn't want to embarrass the others. The Queen could hug everyone... they would be grateful for it, wouldn't they? He sidled up to Happy, speaking in a low voice: "Do we hug the Queen? We're friends, right? Is that allowed?"
"Not here," Happy replied, shoving his hands into his jacket pockets. Bashful hid behind them after catching the Queen's eye; his two friends saw him blush, but they didn't pay it much mind—he was always like that.
"When do we eat?" Happy asked, looking around to observe the movements of the palace staff. When it came to food, he had eyes for nothing else.
"And where is our lovely princess?" Doc pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and approached the Queen, offering her a small bow, followed by his friends and companions who mimicked the gesture.
"I'm right here." The princess's always graceful, delightful voice rang through the hall, immediately capturing everyone's attention. Snow White moved quickly, and the Queen watched as she hugged the seven friends.
"I'm so happy to see you again!" she exclaimed. Even Grumpy seemed pleased by the affectionate gesture, while Bashful looked like he was about to melt into a puddle on the floor as soon as he received his. Dopey squeezed tighter than the rest, wishing the princess would never let him go. "We missed you!"
"I missed you too."
"Why don't we sit down? Breakfast will be served very soon." The Queen signaled an attendant to start bringing out the food-laden trays, then moved to her chair, followed by the others. The princess was thrilled to be able to sit by her side. The guests also provided a perfect excuse to be closer than usual. Of course, the table was massive and could have seated dozens of people, but the princess was happy to pretend it was an intimate, tight-knit setting.
"You are always welcome at the palace, but tell me, is there a special occasion that brings you to us?"
"Your Majesty! News travels very fast; we heard about what happened in the Terran territories... we couldn't just stand by. If you need us, we will always be at your service." Doc wore a worried expression, and his wise eyes immediately understood that the Queen's strong facade was a mask hiding very important truths. In reality, they had also come to the palace to discuss a secret matter, but there would be another, more private occasion to initiate that type of conversation.
The Queen's expression turned solemn; the princess, instead, lowered her gaze. "We thank you. It wasn't easy, but we made it out unharmed, and that is what matters. I will not allow it to happen again."
Breakfast was served, and the conversation dwindled down to a few comments about the food and the seven miners' journey. Happy was so focused on his plate that he seemed completely detached from everyone else as they talked amongst themselves.
"Happy? Eh, he never listens when he's eating!"
"Grumpy..."
"They argued during the trip too, as usual." Dopey avoided Grumpy's threatening glare to lock his gaze with the princess's beautiful eyes. "But I was good."
Snow White smiled sweetly: he was so cute! The Queen chuckled, but remained quiet for the rest of the time, leaving it to the princess to entertain the guests.
"I wish to go horseback riding later... would you accompany me?" The young woman's whispered proposal rekindled the Queen's interest, and she offered her a reflexive smile.
"Certainly."
"I see things are going great between you two. I'm happy to hear it," Doc commented under his breath, so no one else would hear. The two women exchanged a knowing look, which was also noticed by the others.
"What are you talking about without us?"
"Don't leave us out!"
"Yeah!"
"Calm down, calm down... why don't you eat a little more, and then we'll go watch the training sessions like you wanted. Assuming, of course, that it is permitted by our enchanting Queen."
"If I can, I will gladly accompany you... perhaps we'll have a chance to see your combat skills."
"Oh, Your Majesty, we will amaze you!" Even Grumpy found himself smiling, full of energy after a hearty breakfast and the prospect of a fight. He wanted to burn off steam after the carriage ride he had endured. Even though he would never admit it, he loved his companions, but tolerating them in such a confined space for so long was impossible. If they hadn't arrived at the castle in time, he would have lost his mind!
The Queen was the first to leave the hall, after bidding everyone farewell and assuring them she would free up her schedule to entertain them that afternoon as well. The princess soon followed, informing them she had some matters to attend to before seeing them again. The seven companions thus found themselves alone with nothing to do, so they decided to explore the palace under the curious stares of the building's staff. They were used to those looks: they were dwarfs, after all; you didn't see many of them around.
"When are we going to tell the Queen about what we found?"
"Soon, don't worry," Doc reassured them, deciding to head out into the garden to lie on the grass and soak up the warm rays of the sun.
Federik happened to be passing by, and when he saw the group, he stopped for a moment, surprised by their appearance. He had never seen dwarfs in person and couldn't contain his curiosity: he stood there watching them a little while longer, and when he felt it was rude to continue doing so, he decided to walk away.
"Federik?" A man stopped him just a few steps away from the Queen's office, and before the counselor could open his mouth, the messenger placed a letter in his hands. Only then did the young man notice the stranger's clothes: official and unfamiliar. He wasn't a palace messenger.
"Where do you come from?"
"From the duchy. The Erfen Mountains."
That was the territory owned by Duke Helmholtz: his estate was located in the most mountainous area of Arran, where a mountain range stretched toward the borders of the neighboring kingdoms. It was from there that the kingdom's strongest, best-trained troops hailed.
"Alright, you may go." Federik would personally deliver the missive to the Queen so they could discuss it if she felt the need to. Grimilde was an intelligent woman and a skilled leader: she didn't need advice, but it was clear that discussing matters guaranteed exposure to various points of view and broadened one's knowledge. He knew full well that the Queen appreciated the opinions of others, regardless of rank or title.
"Your Majesty?" He knocked on the door before entering, waiting to be invited by the regent.
"Come in, Federik."
"I have a letter from Duke Helmholtz."