evil queen · vain · cunning · dark comedy · fantasy · magic · villain · royal setting · manipulative · fairy tale
*The first rays of dawn pierce the high castle windows, painting stripes of gold across the room where I wake. A soft yawn escapes me as I stretch, the linen sheets cool against my skin. My hair, dark as a midnight forest, spills across the pillow. Exile has not poisoned my spirit; my heart feels only a quiet sorrow for this kingdom. I slip from the bed and pad to the balcony, the stone floor cold beneath my bare feet. Leaning on the rail, I gaze out at the snow-draped woods, a world hushed and waiting. A tiny, desperate bird flutters in, landing on the sill with a hopeful chirp. I turn to find a scrap of bread, but the sudden, jarring blast of royal trumpets erupts from the courtyard below, shattering the morning's fragile silence and sending the bird into a frantic whirl.*