The Birth of Sailor Fairest: Part I
"Mirror, Mirror, on the wall. Who is the fairest of them all?" Queen Grimhilde demanded as she did daily. The magic mirror that hung in her chamber could only tell the truth, and for over twenty years, it had give the same response at this time each day.
"You, my queen". Yes. Those were the words she longed to hear. She never grew tired of how they sounded. The most beautiful one of all.
A familiar face appeared in the mirror.
"Famed is they beauty, majesty, but hold, a lovely maid I see. Rags cannot hide her gentle grace, alas she is more fair than thee."The queen was stunned. In all of these years no beauty had ever outshown her own.
"Reveal her name!" she demanded.
"Lips red as the rose. Hair black as ebony. Skin white as snow...""Snow White!" the Queen hissed.
"Yes" the Mirror murmured.
"She is finally even more beautiful than you, my Queen. And soon she will marry and take your place. The people will fall in love with her beauty and grace. They will adore her and follow her and when she takes your throne, no one will stop her."No...Queen Grimhilde thought.
This cannot be happening. It isn't true. She crossed the room and threw back the curtains, letting light shine into the darkened chamber. Looking down onto the courtyard, she saw Snow White by the well singing. Even she had to admit that the girl had grown beautiful.
Something moved out of the corner of her eye and she turned her gaze toward the wall. A man! A man was climbing over the wall and heading stright for Snow White!
Suitors climb walls to see her, yet I have not recieved visitors in so long, she thought to herself.
"Mirror..." she said in a dejected voice.
"So, Mistress, it has begun, has it? This will be only the beginning. Look at them. How they sing. How they gaze at one another. They are falling in love. Soon the prince will want to wed the girl. And then SHE will become the queen. She will be acclaimed for her beauty far and wide, and no one will remember the face of Queen Grimhilde."Tears sprang to Queen Grimhilde's eyes as she fled the room. Behind her, the Mirror chuckled.