Page 17 of Snow White

“Good morning,” I whisper. Azura takes my hands, squeezing them before pulling me along. Her hands are so warm, so soft, and… I didn’t hurt her with the cold? I blink in surprise, and a wave of warmth floods my belly.

“I have someone I’d like you to meet,” she says.

A smile breaks across my face as hope fills me.

“Really?”

Azura nods and leads me to a woman sitting in the corner. She is older than the other princesses here, the closest to my father’s age. The lines on her face are in places that tell me she has smiled a lot and her aura pulses with a motherly vibe. She is someone who I could spend hours talking to, and I like her already.

“Snow, this is Lady Lock,” Azura says.

Lady Lock looks up from her knitting and smiles warmly at me. She holds her hand out. “Snow. A pleasure, my dear.”

“A pleasure to meet you as well, Lady Lock.”

She laughs. “You are probably tired of meeting all these women trying to be your new mother.” She leans forward, whispering, “I am just here for the food.”

I can’t help but giggle softly. “The food here is quite good. The cook works tirelessly, perfecting each recipe.”

Azura smiles at both of us. “We were talking about what to do for the showcase.”

I tap a finger to my chin, thinking. “Well, if you would like my advice, my father enjoys learning about others. He would probably be happy to see you doing something you are passionate about.”

Lady Lock laughs. “I’m sure he would love watching me knit for ten minutes!”

I smile at Lady Lock as Azura places a comforting hand on my leg. She lowers her lips until they are practically brushing against my ear. “They’re not all harpies.”

My heart warms at the thought, and I think of how Lady Lock could do her knitting and make it spectacular. My eyes brighten.

“What if you told a story through your knitting?” I ask her.

“Hmm…” Lady Lock considers. “That might work.”

“It shows something you love. My father will appreciate it.”

Lady Lock smiles at me before she goes back to her yarn and needles.

“And what are you passionate about?” Azura asks.

“A couple of things. I love to sing, tend to the gardens, and care for animals. I mostly enjoy caring for the animals. As you know, I take pride in Doc, Happy, and the other horses,” I say. “There are also the birds Bashful and Dopey. They only visit in the spring and summer, but they can be quite demanding. I need to be careful when they are around because the cats Sneezy, Sleepy, and Grumpy try to eat them. But if we are all outside, there are usually no problems.”

“You are not fond of being indoors, are you?”

I shake my head. “Hardly.”

Suddenly, the room becomes quiet as the door opens. A petite woman with long umber hair comes strolling in. The others watch her as she moves to the back of the room, taking her seat and pulling out a book to read.

“She’s new,” Azura says.

“Is she?” I ask.

Azura nods. “Why don’t you go talk to her? See if she will join us?”

“That is a wonderful idea!” I exclaim. I jump at the chance to make another friend. As I approach the woman, she places a finger in her book, marking her spot before looking up at me. Her eyes are hazel with a mix of green around the pupil. They are beautiful, and her features are soft yet sharp. I didn’t think anyone could look so serious but kind.

“H-Hi,” I stutter.

“Hello,” she replies, looking me up and down.

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